Mu Yunjin looked at Qin Munan, her eyes showing a trace of helplessness.

If Qin Munan could truly erase Qin Muyue’s memories and let her start anew as a person, it wouldn’t be impossible.

But right now, this Qin Muyue wasn’t just Qin Muyue—her body also concealed a Leng Yuan, and this Leng Yuan was an extremely great disaster.

Between her and Leng Yuan, there was an irreconcilable hatred.

“Qin Munan, your sister has committed numerous evil deeds. How many times have we spared her? Yet she never repents, each time worse than before. How can you ask us to let her go?” Qiqi couldn’t hold back and spoke up, glaring at Qin Munan.

Qin Munan frowned, his face showing hesitation as he looked at Qin Muyue.

Qin Muyue now only felt that she was suffering to the point of death. She had long since tired of living this way—death, for her, was a kind of release.

Just as she was about to speak up and tell Qin Munan not to plead for her, a clear, enchanting female voice entered her mind, controlling her thoughts.

“Brother, take me away, take me away…” Qin Muyue suddenly pleaded.

…

…

Qin Munan heard his sister’s voice and looked up at Mu Yunjin. “Yunjin, I must take Yue’er away today.”

“Qin Munan, you don’t make the decisions here!” Qiqi excitedly took a step forward.

Mu Yunjin raised her hand to stop Qiqi from advancing, her gaze coldly falling on Qin Munan. “Qin Munan, where did that ruthlessness go when you poisoned your sister back then?”

Qin Munan’s body stiffened, and he pressed his lips together without speaking.

“Let’s go.” Chu Li suddenly put his arm around Mu Yunjin’s shoulders, turning to look at her with a calm tone.

Mu Yunjin was slightly startled, looked at Chu Li, and seeing him nod slightly to her, she made a sound of agreement and waved to Qiqi and the others. “We’re withdrawing!”

Though reluctant upon hearing this, Qiqi still obeyed Mu Yunjin’s words, and the group obediently retreated.

After Mu Yunjin and the others left, the severely injured Qin Muyue finally couldn’t hold on any longer and passed out.

…

On the way out of Wind Moon Cliff, Qiqi realized they hadn’t seen Yang Qingning in the Sacred Heaven Continent. She guessed Yang Qingning had slipped away while they were fighting in the cave.

So she activated her tracking technique to trace Yang Qingning’s whereabouts.

Yang Qingning didn’t know martial arts, and no matter how fast she ran, she couldn’t have gotten far from Wind Moon Cliff by now.

After Mu Yunjin and her group had taken just a few steps out of Wind Moon Cliff, they saw Yang Qingning stumbling forward, crawling and rolling as she ran.

“Catch her!” Mu Yunjin commanded with a somber gaze.

Hearing the voice, Yang Qingning instinctively ran forward, but the collar of her robe was seized by someone, and her feet left the ground as she was lifted into the air.

“Empress, your good days are over!” Qiqi grabbed Yang Qingning and sneered.

Yang Qingning kept kicking her feet. In this situation, she naturally understood that if she were captured and taken back, she would certainly not survive. Not only that, the entire Yang Ministerial Estate would be destroyed along with her…

The more she thought about it, the more panicked Yang Qingning became. She wanted to bite her tongue to commit suicide, but suddenly a cloth ball was stuffed into her mouth.

“Rest assured, Empress, we won’t let you die,” Qiqi said with a smile.

Yang Qingning’s face turned deathly pale.

The group first arrived at the Northern Ming Country’s palace. After collecting himself, Bei Tang Wenfeng had already returned to his residence with Huang Yan, waiting for Mu Yunjin and the others to return.

Jingyang knelt in the center of the hall, head lowered, sobbing quietly without saying a word.

Su Xin stood beside Bei Tang Wenfeng. The events that occurred in the dining hall still made his heart race—he never imagined the Empress would be so bold as to stage a rebellion.

It was fortunate indeed that Princess Jinhua had arrived in time.

“They’re back! Your Majesty, Princess Jinhua and the others have returned!” Su Xin excitedly looked toward Bei Tang Wenfeng after spotting several figures entering the door.

Bei Tang Wenfeng stood up, looked at the crowd, and then descended from the hall, walking toward the weakened Jiang Qingxue.

“Qingxue, are you alright?” Bei Tang Wenfeng’s eyes showed concern. Seeing Jiang Qingxue covered in injuries, his heart tightened, and he gave Su Xin a meaningful look.

Understanding, Su Xin immediately ran out to find the Imperial Physician. Huang Yan followed him out.

“I’m fine, just a bit tired.” Jiang Qingxue shook her head and held Bei Tang Wenfeng’s hand.

Bei Tang Wenfeng immediately helped her to a chair nearby, then poured her a cup of water and brought the cup to Jiang Qingxue’s lips to feed her.

Yang Qingning’s eyes reddened at this sight.

Since entering the door, Bei Tang Wenfeng hadn’t looked at her once, going straight to that slut Jiang Qingxue.

Damn it, why wasn’t she more decisive? She should have killed that slut earlier!

“Father, let’s resolve this matter first.” Mu Yunjin felt somewhat tired, sat down nearby, and pointed to Yang Qingning, who was being held down on her knees.

Only then did Bei Tang Wenfeng cast his gaze toward Yang Qingning, his eyes filled with anger and disappointment.

He admitted that he had neglected her for years.

So out of guilt toward Yang Qingning, even though he knew the Second Prince wasn’t the most suitable heir to the throne, he still issued an edict naming the Second Prince as Crown Prince, only because he felt he had wronged this Empress of his all these years.

But he never imagined that a woman’s heart could be so venomous…

“Imperial Father, please spare Mother. Mother was momentarily possessed by evil thoughts; this was certainly not her true intention.” Jingyang kowtowed to Bei Tang Wenfeng, pleading for Yang Qingning.

“Silence.” Bei Tang Wenfeng angrily cast a glance at Jingyang.

At this moment, Su Xin returned with the Imperial Physician from the medical department, and Huang Yan had also brought in the bound Lin Qi.

Lin Qi had now regained consciousness, but his hands and feet were bound with cloth strips, making him unable to move.

Though he still didn’t know exactly what had happened, seeing Yang Qingning and Jingyang kneeling in the great hall, his heart sank with a bad premonition.

Bei Tang Wenfeng’s face turned ashen upon seeing Lin Qi.

The nation’s Empress was having an affair with a physician from the Imperial Medical Department—if word got out, it would utterly disgrace Northern Ming Country.

“Imperial Physician Lin, just now the Empress said she has shared a bed with you for a long time…” Mu Yunjin curled her lips, looking at Lin Qi with interest.

Hearing this, Lin Qi’s entire body trembled violently, and he quickly shook his head. “Your Majesty, I’ve been wronged! Even with ten times the courage, I would never dare to covet the Empress…”

“Tsk, what nonsense are you talking? I saw it all!” Huang Yan suddenly struck Lin Qi’s head with his hand.

This slap reminded Lin Qi of the people under the bed, and his face showed a trace of shock as he pointed at Yang Qingning. “The Empress forced me! I dared not disobey!”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, a man who dares to do but not admit… that’s no fun at all…” Mu Yunjin pursed her lips.

Yang Qingning knelt on the ground in silence, not refuting a single word.

The rebellion was what she had declared.

The affair with Lin Qi was what she had claimed.

The slow-acting poison to harm Bei Tang Wenfeng was what she had admitted.

All these crimes had come from her mouth; where did she have any room left to defend herself?

She never imagined that one day, she would be killed by her stupidity.

So stupid as to deliver her crimes to others’ doorsteps, allowing them to cut off her head.

How laughable…

“Guards, take Yang Qingning and Lin Qi away for secret execution! No one is to speak of today’s events outside these walls, or they will be beaten to death!” Bei Tang Wenfeng ordered, furrowing his brow as he summoned the guards in.

As several guards rushed in, Yang Qingning, who had been silent all this time, suddenly acted as if possessed, lunging toward Bei Tang Wenfeng and clutching the hem of his robe.

“Your Majesty, I can die, but Jingyang and Qi’er are innocent. I beg you not to punish them for my crimes. All the wrongs were caused by me alone; they have nothing to do with it…” Yang Qingning cried out.

“Mother…” Jingyang embraced Yang Qingning, unable to hold back her tears.

Bei Tang Wenfeng showed no emotion on his face at this sight and waved to the guards.

The guards immediately grabbed Yang Qingning’s hands and dragged her out.

After Yang Qingning and Lin Qi were taken away, the atmosphere in the great hall became eerily quiet.

“Yunjin, we owe you great thanks this time.” Bei Tang Wenfeng sighed lightly, his expression grim.

Mu Yunjin pressed her lips together, never imagining that this trip to Northern Ming Country, in just a single day, would result in the execution of the nation’s Empress.

Black Robe and his people were truly capable, even fooling Yang Qingning.

“Mother, are you staying here?” Mu Yunjin looked up at Jiang Qingxue sitting opposite her.

As she finished speaking, the Imperial Physician who was checking Jiang Qingxue’s pulse spoke up. “Madam Qing has suffered many external injuries and caught a cold. She needs rest for a while and should not travel or exert herself.”

“Qingxue, stay here for a while and take care of your health,” Bei Tang Wenfeng said with concern.

Jiang Qingxue truly had no energy to travel. Her body was already injured, and the spiritual energy she had channeled while in the secret prison had drained almost all her strength. So after Bei Tang Wenfeng spoke, she nodded.

Seeing this, Mu Yunjin pressed her lips together and turned to look at Chu Li beside her. “Let’s go back too.”

“Mm.” Chu Li smiled faintly.

“Yunjin, won’t you stay a few more days?” Bei Tang Wenfeng hadn’t expected them to leave so quickly.

Their family had finally reunited, and they hadn’t even had time to sit down for a proper meal together before parting again.

“No, you and Mother should take care of your health for a while. When you’re both recovered, I’ll come see you again.” Mu Yunjin curled her lips, looking at the two of them.

Hearing this, Bei Tang Wenfeng couldn’t say anything more.

Before leaving, Huaying checked Bei Tang Wenfeng’s pulse, then walked to the table, picked up a brush, and wrote down a prescription.

“These herbs can neutralize the poison in Your Majesty’s body. Follow the prescription, three times a day,” Huaying said.

Bei Tang Wenfeng accepted it and expressed his thanks.

…

An hour and a half later, the entire group appeared at the Fengyu Pavilion.

After traveling for several days, the Fengyu Pavilion was the best place to properly rest.

Huaying, Lei Yan, and Xiu Mei had all suffered injuries to varying degrees this time. Upon returning to the Fengyu Pavilion, the three of them each returned to their rooms to rest.

Qiqi was both exhausted and sleepy, slowly returning to her room.

Mu Yunjin stood on the grass, looking at Chu Li. “Shall we go back and rest too?”

Chu Li didn’t move his feet, instead bending down to look at Mu Yunjin. “In the Sacred Heaven Continent, why did that woman call you Fu Huan?”