The Xiang Kingdom ruler’s expression changed, and below the steps, Fei Luo was stunned.

Apart from the queen and princess, she as female chancellor held the highest status.

Many people’s faces showed strange expressions—Fei Luo was noble enough, but she was a widow, and a widow who had married three husbands at that. Xiang Kingdom even had rumors that she killed her husbands. Having such a person participate in joyous events was already giving her face, showing the Xiang royal family’s open-mindedness. To have her serve as female attendant—forget about face issues, from an auspicious perspective, it was inappropriate.

But who dared disobey words spoken by Gong Yin? The ruler’s expression changed momentarily, then he smiled: “The State Preceptor speaks truly. I wonder if the female chancellor would be willing to take on this burden?”

Fei Luo stood there, her face slightly pale. She absolutely did not want to!

She had exhausted all her scheming, even going so far as to make deals with Yelu Qi, all for the purpose of cleanly extricating herself from the upcoming plan. She had already decided that during today’s entire ceremony, she would remain among the crowd, under everyone’s gaze, to establish her innocence and avoid any suspicion.

But at this moment, she couldn’t refuse. She alone couldn’t resist Gong Yin, and she couldn’t afford to offend the Xiang Kingdom ruler.

She had no choice but to gracefully turn around, putting on an honored smile, saying sweetly: “Fei Luo humbly accepts this sacred duty.”

The Xiang Kingdom ruler coughed, his gaze somewhat shifty. The queen beside him had an ashen expression, her fingers seemingly pinching the ruler’s leg beneath her wide sleeves, making the ruler’s expression increasingly uncomfortable.

The three engaged in undercurrents of tension, while Gong Yin acted as if he couldn’t see any of it.

Jing Hengbo had a strange expression, her eyes rolling around thoughtfully.

Fei Luo turned around, picked up the tray containing the scabbard, and walked behind Hewan. The procession returned to normal.

When the group reached the fragrant marsh pool, Jing Hengbo had expected the guests to come out and observe the ceremony, but everyone remained seated. She asked Yelu Qi, who said: “Normally they should observe the ceremony, but the ruler probably fears that too many people gathering might cause trouble, so he simply won’t let anyone move. This way it’s safer.”

Jing Hengbo thought it was indeed safer, but how could she force Ji Yifan to step aside three paces?

The Xiang royal couple stood up, gesturing to Gong Yin: “Please.” All three descended from the hall together to observe the ceremony in the courtyard below the jade steps.

Jing Hengbo observed everyone’s positions. Hewan and Yong Xizheng stood facing each other, their sides toward the crowd. Ji Yifan stood beside Yong Xizheng at a corner of the pool. Fei Luo stood at the same position on the opposite side. Gong Yin and the Xiang royal couple stood with their sides and backs to her, facing the ministers below the hall.

Palace servants approached to deliver iron boots to the engaged couple. These so-called iron boots were leather boots with tightened openings and iron-plated toe tips. Walking in the muddy pool was difficult, and walking in heavy boots was even harder, to express remembrance of the hardships and suffering the first-generation Xiang ruler endured crossing the swamp, maintaining the predecessor’s aspirations.

When Hewan crouched down to put on the iron boots, Fei Luo suddenly stepped forward to personally help her with the boots. Hewan looked at her somewhat strangely—she had no good feelings toward Fei Luo and instinctively pulled away. But Fei Luo smiled and supported Hewan’s shoulder.

Jing Hengbo saw that the moment Fei Luo supported Hewan’s shoulder, Hewan seemed to stiffen momentarily, then slowly put on her shoes and straightened up.

At the same time, she saw Fei Luo’s hands move behind her back, seeming to adjust her waist clothing, brushing outward.

Yelu Qi made a sound of surprise.

Jing Hengbo looked at him sharply: “What’s wrong?”

“Change of plans,” Yelu Qi said. “Fei Luo has canceled the original plan. She no longer needs us to find a way to make Ji Yifan move.”

Jing Hengbo was stunned. She thought that Fei Luo had been planning this for a long time, determined to kill Yong Xizheng in front of many guests and frame Ji Yifan. How could she suddenly give up?

She suddenly felt uneasy.

“She says do it then do it, says don’t do it then don’t do it—is she your mother?” Jing Hengbo waved her hand. “No way. She says don’t do it, but I insist on doing it. I must make Ji Yifan move three steps!”

Yelu Qi looked at her with a half-smile, saying lazily: “Fine, whatever you say goes. I always follow your lead.”

His tone was indulgent as he leaned against Jing Hengbo’s temple, blowing on her loose hair. Jing Hengbo tilted her head, imperceptibly moving away.

Yelu Qi’s smile seemed unconcerned, but his eyes held a deep gleam.

At this time, the officials seated in the great hall, though not leaving their seats to follow, all stretched their necks with interest to watch the ceremony below. Jing Hengbo leaned against the table at an angle, holding a wine cup, seeming particularly interested in the wine within, drinking sporadically.

She was tall and graceful with natural charm. When dressed as a woman, she made people feel there were few women in the world as feminine as her—anyone could play a man except her. Yet when she actually did dress as one, it created entirely new charm: handsome with a touch of allure, the very image of a romantic young gentleman in powder and rouge. More than half the young wives in the hall were secretly watching her.

Jing Hengbo was watching the Xiang queen, an evil smile at the corner of her mouth, looking left and right.

Seeing her posture and expression, Yelu Qi knew she was about to cause trouble. But when Jing Hengbo caused trouble, her eyes sparkled brilliantly, making one feel that even if she overturned heaven and earth, getting one more glance at this romantic figure would be worthwhile.

He diligently poured wine for her, cup after cup.

Jing Hengbo’s gaze swept over the Xiang queen’s earlobe.

The Xiang queen suddenly felt her right earring pull downward. She lightly exclaimed and protected her ear: “Your Majesty, what are you doing?”

“What?” The Xiang ruler turned his head toward her in confusion.

When he turned, the queen was stunned, remembering that the king was on her left side—how could he reach over to pull her right earlobe? Besides, why would the king suddenly pull her earring in such a situation?

She looked to her right—no one there, only her younger brother Ji Yifan standing diagonally, three or four steps away, holding a tray with both hands. He couldn’t possibly reach over to pull her earring.

Ji Yifan met her gaze and smiled at her inexplicably.

The queen was stunned, thinking it might have been an illusion. She lowered her hand and stood properly.

At this time, Yong Xizheng took the sword from Ji Yifan’s tray, and Hewan took the scabbard from Fei Luo’s tray. The two looked at each other across the pool, hitched up their robes, and each descended into the pool.

The mud in the pool reached Yong Xizheng’s calves and Hewan’s knees.

Therefore, Yong Xizheng could walk more easily. Being a man with longer strides, he could reach the pool’s center in a few steps.

Hewan had more difficulty. The mud’s resistance was great, the boots were heavy, and she walked haltingly.

But according to custom, both should reach the golden table simultaneously, so Yong Xizheng’s steps were also very slow.

Silence reigned before and behind the hall as everyone focused on that pair of beautiful people slowly approaching each other. The arduous journey of their predecessors was now simplified to a short pool—crossing it would begin a new journey.

Jing Hengbo drank wine, her gaze flowing like ripples as it swept past.

The Xiang queen suddenly felt her earlobe pulled hard again.

She quickly touched her ear, glancing sideways at the Xiang ruler beside her. He was looking at Hewan with deep emotion, a gleam in his eyes.

The Xiang queen felt somewhat displeased—the Xiang ruler had been obsessed with alchemy in his early years, injuring his body. For many years, he had no heirs, initially only having Hewan as a daughter. Two years ago, he finally had a son. This youngest child was born to her, and precisely because of this, she had been promoted directly from consort to queen.

The Xiang ruler treasured his son in his old age, naturally showering the child with affection. But having loved his eldest daughter for so many years, his feelings were deeply rooted. In recent years, feeling guilty toward his daughter, the Xiang ruler’s love for Hewan had reached even greater heights. The Xiang queen had been dissatisfied about this for a long time.

Thinking of Hewan inevitably made her think of her worthless younger brother. She glared at Ji Yifan.

Younger brothers had always feared elder sisters. Being glared at by her, Ji Yifan instinctively moved one step to the left to avoid her.

The Xiang queen snorted coldly and turned her gaze back, suddenly feeling another pain in her ear.

She was furious. Touching her earlobe, it hurt fiercely. Looking around, no one here could pull her ear from a distance, and no one had the leisure or audacity to do so—except her precious younger brother!

The Xiang queen’s furious gaze shot over. Ji Yifan shivered and quickly stepped one more step to the left.

Two steps.

Jing Hengbo silently counted, drank another cup of wine. Beside her, Yelu Qi shook the empty wine flask and casually appropriated another from a neighboring table.

Yong Xizheng and Hewan were almost at the golden table, about to meet.

Jing Hengbo’s gaze swept fiercely across the Xiang queen’s earlobe.

“Ah!” The Xiang queen’s earlobe felt intense pain. Touching it, she found the earlobe had split, and one pearl from her glazed peacock pendant with pearl string earrings had already fallen.

The Xiang queen stared at the trace of blood on her finger, looking up sharply at Ji Yifan—was it this boy? Did he hate her for facilitating Hewan and Yong Xizheng’s marriage and want to torment his elder sister?

With this look, she immediately discovered a pearl rolling on Ji Yifan’s tray.

It was exactly the pearl that had fallen from her earring!

The Xiang queen was furious beyond endurance. Ignoring the Xiang ruler’s quiet inquiry “What’s wrong?”, she swept her sleeve and strode toward Ji Yifan, prepared to properly discipline this lawless boy.

Ji Yifan had been looking at his sister with some concern, not understanding why she kept looking at him with furious eyes. Seeing his sister actually walking over angrily, he jumped back another step in great alarm.

When he landed, he seemed to feel something was wrong and tried to leap up, but Yelu Qi in the hall suddenly flicked his finger. With a whistling sound, Ji Yifan’s knee went weak and he staggered to the ground.

The third step!

Fei Luo’s expression changed.

Jing Hengbo suddenly threw down her cup and rose.

“Click.” A light sound seemed to occur at the bottom of the mud pool, but at this moment everyone’s attention was drawn to the suddenly furious Xiang queen. Unable to help standing up to look, no one heard that strange sound.

Jing Hengbo suddenly thought of something and urgently said to Yelu Qi: “Find a way to tell Hewan to quickly leave the mud pool! Especially don’t approach the center!”

Yelu Qi nodded and silently moved his lips. Jing Hengbo thought, so this is the so-called voice transmission? She must learn this in the future.

Hewan in the pool seemed to have heard, looking around in confusion. Jing Hengbo met her gaze and nodded slightly.

Hewan was stunned, then seemed to react, but she didn’t stop as Jing Hengbo instructed. Instead, she gripped the scabbard tighter and continued forward.

Jing Hengbo was stunned.

At this time, the Xiang queen had reached Ji Yifan and grabbed him.

At this time, Yong Xizheng and Hewan faced each other, with Yong Xizheng one step away from entering the pool’s center.

At this time, the Xiang ruler looked at the queen in bewilderment.

At this time, everyone was watching either the queen or the newlyweds. Only Gong Yin had been looking down at the mud pool all along.

…

“Snap.” Yong Xizheng, taking a step into the pool’s center, suddenly heard a strange sound beneath his feet.

He looked down, his expression changing slightly.

In the light yellow mud pool, faint ripples suddenly appeared, and viscous bubbles seemed to emerge.

Yong Xizheng suddenly raised his sword! He slashed toward Hewan!

Everyone cried out in alarm.

At this very moment, Hewan also let out a great shout.

“Go die!”

She flicked her hand, and the scabbard suddenly dropped, revealing a gleaming thin blade that she thrust toward Yong Xizheng!

“Whoosh.” With a splash of mud, a three-foot-long black shadow suddenly shot up between the two, opening its mouth to reveal fierce fangs as it lunged toward Hewan.

“Smack.” Yong Xizheng’s downward-chopping blunt sword struck the black shadow’s back, sending it flying.

“Hiss.” Hewan’s blade pierced into Yong Xizheng’s lower abdomen.

Time and space froze in an instant.

Everyone’s movements stopped.

The Xiang queen’s hand gripping Ji Yifan froze.

Ji Yifan suddenly looked up, eyes wide.

The Xiang ruler stared dumbfounded, trembling as he pointed at Hewan.

Yong Xizheng clutched his abdomen as blood flowed like a fountain. He raised his head, staring intently at Hewan. His eyes held no resentment, only prolonged bitter pain and disappointment.

Hewan’s hands were covered in blood as she stood dazed in the pool.

It was only an instant.

Jing Hengbo suddenly rushed forward, shouting: “Ah! Princess! You wanted to kill that monster but accidentally injured the prince consort!”

This cry awakened everyone from their dream. All immediately returned to life. The Xiang queen pushed Ji Yifan aside and rushed forward. A glimmer of hope flashed in Yong Xizheng’s eyes, followed immediately by dimness. Hewan still stared blankly at her hands, still unable to react.

Jing Hengbo was greatly alarmed—the black shadow that had been struck down suddenly bounced up again, lunging once more toward Hewan.

At this time, Yong Xizheng was severely injured, Hewan was in a daze, and everyone else was on shore. No one could shield her.

Jing Hengbo rushed forward while forcefully swinging both hands.

“Smack.” The black shadow was struck again, but Jing Hengbo felt the thing was extremely slippery and powerful, quickly escaping her mental control. Using the momentum, it twisted and lunged toward the Xiang ruler, who was closest to the pool’s edge!

“Ah!” The Xiang ruler fell backward with a great cry.

The black shadow bounced up instantly, opening its mouth with hissing sounds, about to bite down on the Xiang ruler’s throat.

Gong Yin finally acted!

His snow-white sleeve swept out, and a stream of cold air quickly formed ice crystals in midair. The black shadow seemed very wary of these ice crystals, twisting to avoid them while spitting out a mouthful of gray mist.

Just then, Jing Hengbo arrived. Running while trying to shout for Hewan to dodge, her mouth was open when that gray mist shot straight into her throat.

Instantly, she felt her breath stop. From throat to lungs, she suddenly couldn’t breathe, then everything went black.

She collapsed with a thud. Her last thought before losing consciousness was:

Meeting Gong Yin once brings bad luck once. This fellow really is my nemesis…

Another figure flashed—the greatly alarmed Yelu Qi appeared. Seeing Jing Hengbo fall, he reached out to grab her back.

A cold wind struck, forcefully knocking away his hand. Yelu Qi used the momentum to flip backward, but before he could stand steady, he was blocked far away by an approaching human wall.

Gong Yin’s guards had quickly appeared, occupying advantageous positions faster than the royal palace guards, completely surrounding the pool.

Just as he was about to charge through, Gong Yin’s cold voice came from within the human wall: “Whoever takes one unauthorized step, I will immediately throw the hostage into the pool.”

Yelu Qi had no choice but to stop, looking left and right anxiously through the human wall, unable to see how Jing Hengbo was doing.

The ministers fled out in panic, gathering outside Gong Yin’s guard wall, craning their necks with worried hearts, not knowing what was happening inside.

The few people by the pool were each in distress.

The Xiang ruler lay on the ground, unable to get up, his face turning blue-green. The Xiang queen rushed over, wanting to hold his head and call out, but was frozen by Gong Yin’s icy stare. She withdrew her hand, not daring to move, looking around anxiously.

Several guards entered the pool and helped Yong Xizheng out. His blood had already stained the surrounding mud red.

He kept looking at Hewan, his expression both sorrowful and resolute. Hewan kept staring blankly at his wound, at the bright red mud, then at her own blood-covered hands.

The previous foggy feeling in her mind had passed. She finally clearly remembered what had happened, remembered drawing her blade against Yong Xizheng, hoping he would die so she could live happily with Ji Yifan. When she drew her blade, she saw Yong Xizheng also draw his sword and was overjoyed—now she had even more reason to attack him! Now, even if she got hurt, she could break off the engagement…

But the result was this.

The one bleeding wasn’t her, but Yong Xizheng.

The sword this man raised was to split open danger for her.

Yet at that moment, she had thrust her blade into his abdomen.

Her heart seemed chaotically filled with incomprehensible emotions, yet also completely empty, leaving only that nearly frenzied strike.

“There’s a hole here!” A guard discovered the mechanism at the pool’s bottom, stamping on the pool floor.

“Careful!” Someone immediately pulled him away. “Be careful another one doesn’t come out.”

“Hewan!” Ji Yifan jumped into the pool, embracing her. “Come out quickly! There might still be danger in the pool.”

Hewan didn’t immediately collapse crying on his shoulder as usual. She remained dazed, her body even stiff.

Yong Xizheng, carried to shore, closed his eyes, seemingly unwilling to watch this scene any longer.

Among all present, only Gong Yin was completely normal.

He looked coolly at these foolish men and resentful women trapped in their triangle, his eyes expressing distance and disgust.

At his feet coiled a black thing—the creature that had first attacked Hewan, then frightened the Xiang ruler, then sprayed gray mist to knock down Jing Hengbo.

Gong Yin looked indifferently at Jing Hengbo and said: “Who is this person?”

“Reporting to Master, this should be Minister Bo Han of Yu Kingdom.”

“This person is suspicious. Detain him first for later interrogation.” Gong Yin’s tone brooked no argument.

Hewan looked carefully at Jing Hengbo, a trace of doubt flashing in her eyes. Just as she was about to speak, Gong Yin’s stare stopped her.

Jing Hengbo was carried away. At this moment, no one cared about her condition—all eyes were on the scene.

Only Yelu Qi frowned slightly, finding Gong Yin’s actions rather strange.

He glanced at the scene—if nothing unexpected happened, Fei Luo would soon be in trouble.

After being brought forward by Gong Yin, Fei Luo had temporarily canceled the plan to release the pool monster to avoid exposure, changing instead to personally bewitching Hewan to kill Yong Xizheng herself, having nothing to do with her.

But Jing Hengbo didn’t follow conventional paths and still triggered the mechanism. Hewan injured Yong Xizheng while remaining unharmed herself. When Hewan sobered up, how could she spare Fei Luo?

Yelu Qi hesitated slightly—without him there, Fei Luo would likely be in trouble, but if he didn’t follow to watch over Jing Hengbo, he wasn’t at ease either.

But this hesitation lasted only an instant. Then he flashed away, pursuing the group of guards who had taken Jing Hengbo.

…

At this moment, everyone looked at the thing on the ground with fear and disgust.

Gray-black in color, covered in small scales, with a small head and large belly—snake-like but not a snake, with a small round bump on its head that looked like an unformed horn.

“This looks like a black chi from Black Water Marsh!” Someone recognized it and whispered in amazement. “Heavens, how did this thing appear at the pool bottom!”

“It’s this creature! One of the three most terrifying venomous beasts of Black Water Marsh! Black chi venom is the world’s most strange poison. However, it’s said that if one survives the poisonous mist without dying, one gains resistance to black chi afterward, and the most terrifying Black Water Marsh in Dahuang becomes much less dangerous to that person. But doesn’t this creature most dislike the fragrant mud of fragrant marshes? When the founding empress granted the fragrant marsh lands to the first-generation Xiang ruler, it was because the first-generation ruler had been bitten by a black chi in Black Water Marsh, with wounds that wouldn’t heal for years. Pills refined from fragrant marsh mud were effective for such injuries, so she granted nearby lands for recuperation. By logic, black chi shouldn’t appear in fragrant marsh pools.”

“So this black chi was trapped here. Didn’t you notice this black chi wasn’t as powerful as legend suggests, and was particularly irritable? Didn’t the guard just say there was a hole below? This black chi must have been locked in the hole under the pool for days, suppressed and oppressed by the fragrant marsh mud. While its power was greatly reduced, it also became incredibly manic. Tsk tsk, a black chi locked under the fragrant marsh—this guaranteed the thing wouldn’t cause trouble prematurely and couldn’t pose too great a threat to others, yet was sufficient to kill Minister Yong and the princess… Who has such sinister and clever scheming!”

“Wait, how was this thing released? The pool bottom was inspected—how did the hole appear?”

“Who knows? Haven’t you seen the State Preceptor has ordered the pool surrounded? This shows the culprit is among the crowd. You and I should stay far away, lest we be implicated…”

…

Hewan, carried to shore by Ji Yifan, regained clarity in her eyes for only a moment before becoming dazed again.

As soon as she reached shore, Fei Luo hurried forward, anxiously saying: “What happened? What happened?” while reaching out to check Hewan’s pulse.

“Whoosh.” Her wrist was deflected by a finger strike.

After deflecting her wrist, that finger strike didn’t immediately disappear but strangely swept upward, hitting Hewan’s forehead.

A wisp of smoke almost invisible to the naked eye slowly dispersed from Hewan’s forehead. Hewan’s whole body shuddered, and her eyes gradually became clear.

Fei Luo’s expression changed as she turned to look at Gong Yin, who had made the move.

Gong Yin stood by the pool, not even glancing at her.

“Princess,” he said. “The cause and effect, you should already understand clearly. This is Xiang Kingdom’s internal affairs. I will not interfere. What to do, life or death, advance or retreat—you decide for yourself.”

Hewan shuddered again, turning to look at the Xiang ruler collapsed on the ground.

“My father…” she said in a low voice.

“The king suffered shock and should not be in mortal danger. However, he may have difficulty awakening in the short term.”

The Xiang Kingdom ministers erupted in shock—the king had collapsed, the heir was still young, and now… the kingdom was without a master!

The Xiang queen looked up in alarm, her face incredulous. Then understanding something, she tried to rush toward Ji Yifan but was blocked by Gong Yin’s guards.

A considerable number of people’s expressions changed as they gritted their teeth in thought, but seeing the steadfast Gong Yin and his snow-cold Jade Shine guards, they had to suppress their inner desires, secretly cursing why the State Preceptor had to be present.

“Princess. That day I told you that to obtain what you want, you must first master your own destiny.” Gong Yin stepped back and simply sat down in the grand master’s chair brought by his guards. “Whether you want it or not is up to you. I am here, but only here at this moment.”

Then he said no more, but his mere presence meant no one else dared approach another step or speak another word.

Hewan slowly raised her head.

Though tear stains remained on the young woman’s face, there were no more tears in her eyes. Her gaze first fell on Gong Yin’s face. Dahuang’s foremost person showed no expression, his posture forever like an unchanging majestic snow mountain.

Looking at such an awe-inspiring person, Hewan felt a strange sensation rise in her heart—this man who was forever calm, forever composed, who had been in power for years, experienced numerous palace coups and tribal rebellions, who just recently faced resistance from almost half the court yet never failed, always keeping power firmly in his grasp, this man who seemed to have almost no weaknesses—had he always been like this from the beginning?

No, no one had always been like this from the beginning.

Those thrones of power were soaked in the bloody rain of intrigue, every inch of their fabric saturated with the souls of the defeated.

In a daze, she remembered what he had said to her earlier in the mansion.

“Being born into royalty leaves no private matters. Being born into royalty makes love a luxury. If you want to possess it, you may have to pay a price greater than you imagine—not just yourself, but perhaps your relatives, your entire life. Have you thought this through?”

She hadn’t understood then—love was between two people, what did it have to do with others? This half-pool of blood and her fallen father finally taught her to understand.

Being born into royalty, marriage and love were also tools for interest exchange, swords for class warfare. Once you tried to break free, you either hurt yourself or hurt others.

She had been too well protected before. Today, the State Preceptor used this bloody scene to make her understand.

Things had reached this point—she could only continue forward. The State Preceptor said he would only help her this once.

She suddenly pointed at Fei Luo, shouting sternly to the palace guards: “Seize her!”

The palace guards were stunned, everyone was stunned, but immediately the palace guards rushed toward Fei Luo.

“Stop!” Fei Luo stepped back, shouting angrily: “Princess! What are you doing! On what grounds do you suddenly attack me! What right do you have to attack me? I am Xiang Kingdom’s female chancellor!”

“On the grounds that you attacked me!” Hewan didn’t yield an inch. “On the grounds that you tampered with my scabbard, replacing it with one containing a blade, and used mind-control techniques to bewitch my will, inducing me to draw my weapon!”

“Where is the evidence!”

“My word is the evidence! I have no grievances with you—why would I falsely accuse you?”

“I similarly have no grievances with the princess—why would I harm you?”

“Because you wanted me to kill Minister Yong!”

“So the princess just now intended to kill Minister Yong?” Fei Luo’s smile was cold.

“Of course not!” Hewan immediately remembered what Jing Hengbo had shouted earlier, saying proudly: “When I was about to strike, I was startled awake by the black chi. That blow, like Minister Yong’s, was also intended to kill the black chi for him. The result was that my skills were inadequate and I accidentally injured Minister Yong!”

“I repeat—where is the evidence for the princess’s accusations?”

“I am the victim—my word is the evidence!”

“Why doesn’t the princess investigate who opened the mechanism and released the black chi?” Fei Luo sneered. “Or does the princess know who it was and deliberately protects them, intentionally shifting blame to frame me?”

Hewan was speechless.

She suppressed the urge to turn and look at Ji Yifan, biting her lip without speaking.

Regarding the mechanism’s opening, while others weren’t clear, she had heard it while in the pool. It should have been Ji Yifan’s third step that triggered the mechanism, opening the hole and releasing the black chi.

She vaguely heard it, and Yong Xizheng, who was closer to Ji Yifan, should have heard even more clearly. She glanced at Yong Xizheng—half his body stained with blood, currently being bandaged, eyes downcast, saying nothing.

Hewan’s heart was in turmoil. Gritting her teeth, she said: “Not only must we investigate who opened the mechanism, but also who tampered with the pool bottom and placed the black chi there!”

“You say it’s whoever you want? Who do you think you are?”

Hewan suddenly turned and prostrated before Gong Yin’s chair.

“Xiang royal daughter Hewan hereby requests of the Sacred State Preceptor,” she declared loudly. “The palace banquet has gone awry, the ruler has collapsed in shock. The queen is weak, the crown prince young. Heaven cannot lack the sun for a day, a kingdom cannot be without a master. If no one shoulders this burden, the royal house will collapse like a falling building. Hewan dares to request that as an unmarried, age-appropriate eldest daughter of the royal house, during the period when father has not recovered and the crown prince has not yet matured, I temporarily handle state and palace affairs…”

Before she finished speaking, the Xiang Kingdom ministers had already erupted in thunderous voices, drowning out her remaining words.

“No!” The Xiang queen finally came to her senses, bursting out in a shrill scream, reaching out desperately: “No! The ruler’s position belongs to Ding’er! It can only be Ding’er’s! You’re just a princess—you have no right to usurp power!”

She was blocked by Gong Yin’s guards as she urgently called: “Royal guards!”

The royal guards wanted to move, but Hewan also shouted sternly: “Don’t move!”

The royal guards, caught between two women, looked at each other helplessly.

“Yifan! Yifan!” The Xiang queen urgently called to her younger brother. “The princess has gone mad, speaking treasonous nonsense! Go persuade her! She’ll definitely listen to you! Go! Go!”

Ji Yifan smiled bitterly—in the past, they had tried every means to prevent him from contacting the princess, but now they wanted him to actively persuade her.

He was about to move when Hewan had already resolutely turned around.

Her back’s posture was written full of rejection.

Ji Yifan stopped, looking at Hewan’s back, his heart full of bitterness. In a daze, he felt that somehow, the charming, spirited young girl who knew nothing of worldly affairs had suddenly become a stranger overnight.

“The ruler’s condition is unclear—how can you attempt to usurp power at this moment!” Fei Luo shouted sternly. “Do you really think there’s no one in this court, no one in this world? Guards—”

“Female Chancellor!” The one who suddenly spoke was actually Yong Xizheng. Supported by others, his face bloodless but insisting on slowly walking before Hewan: “You have already been temporarily suspended from your female chancellor duties by the ruler to reflect at home. As one awaiting punishment, what right do you have to roar in the golden hall and show disrespect to the princess!”

His face was pale, but his voice was resolute and harsh. Fei Luo gritted her teeth in hatred—she had fallen from favor before the old ruler and was punished to reflect precisely because she had no choice but to go to Di Ge seeking allies. She had thought this was the old king’s private punishment that no one knew about, but who would have thought Yong Xizheng actually knew!

Hewan looked at Yong Xizheng’s back before her. His clothes were stained with blood, yet he stood before her without yielding an inch.

Her eyelashes suddenly misted with fine moisture.

The two sides faced off, each concerned with their own interests, glaring like angry roosters, neither yielding.

The ruler lying on the ground still had no one attending to him.

Gong Yin suddenly spoke.

“I have not yet spoken—what are you arguing about?”

His voice carried not a trace of earthly emotion, and everyone immediately fell silent in awe.

He still held the greatest authority here.

Though he claimed not to interfere in Xiang Kingdom’s internal affairs, his every word carried extreme weight, because as long as he acted, tens of thousands of Jade Shine Dragon Cavalry would await orders at Xiang Kingdom’s borders, able to descend upon Chong’an within an hour. Apart from the Xiang Kingdom ruler, no one could mobilize armies to resist Gong Yin at this moment.

“Heaven cannot have two suns, a kingdom cannot be without one master,” he spoke as simply as always. “After I return to Di Ge, I will request a royal decree from the Queen, naming Princess Hewan as Xiang Kingdom’s Protector Princess Imperial, to handle state affairs during the ruler’s serious illness. Of course, the princess is young, and various state affairs should have designated important ministers to assist, not allowing arbitrary decisions. The selection of important ministers is Xiang Kingdom’s internal affair—I will not comment. The princess shall decide herself.”

The crowd that had been buzzing with discussion suddenly fell silent.

The State Preceptor had taken his stance. The princess would become the Protector Princess, and as long as the ruler didn’t recover, she would be the kingdom’s highest ruler. With the crown prince only two years old, it would be at least ten years before he matured—Xiang Kingdom would belong to Princess Hewan.

And the State Preceptor required designated regent ministers. The princess had no direct lineage before, so whoever supported her first now might become the new master’s new favored minister!

That said, the situation remained uncertain. Leading the charge in pledging loyalty to the princess now—what if there were reversals later leading to purges?

The official world feared yes-men but also feared those who stuck their necks out. For a moment, everyone’s gazes flickered as they looked at each other.

Yong Xizheng suddenly pushed away those supporting him, slowly stepped forward, and struggled to bow before Hewan.

“Minister Yong Xizheng pays respects to the Protector Princess Imperial.”

One kowtow fell with a bang, resolute.

The first loyalist deputy chancellor carried sufficient weight and appeal.

Hewan looked down at that person’s black hair crown, the dark red bloodstains on his robe hem, and for a moment was actually stunned.

Devoted love and true affection, deep feeling and helplessness—in this world, matters of the heart never spoke of fate, each story a tale of tears and laughter in marriage.

Only now did she know of this man’s profound love, feeling it weighed a thousand jun—too heavy to bear.

And the person she loved…

Her gaze turned toward Ji Yifan. Ji Yifan was also striding forward but was held back firmly by the Xiang queen gripping his sleeve. This usually graceful and composed man now appeared as he had when she asked him to elope at their teahouse meeting—eyes earnest yet face full of difficulty.

Hewan sighed long in her heart, suddenly feeling that in just one day and night, heaven and earth had overturned.

The love she thought she had was mixed with too many obstacles and utilitarian elements, while the hatred she thought she felt was shattered by sincerity before reality.

The frivolous emotions of youth flowed away like water in an instant.

In her daze, she seemed to understand something.

She bent down, helped Yong Xizheng up, and said softly: “Thank you, Minister Yong. I will need to rely heavily on Minister Yong in the future.”

Yong Xizheng smiled at her slightly, feeling that the little girl he had watched grow up had finally matured at this moment. He was deeply gratified.

With someone taking the lead and Gong Yin presiding and taking a stance, subsequent pledges of loyalty followed naturally. The guests retreated to one side, holding their breath to watch as Xiang Kingdom’s ministers flowed forward like water to pay respects to the Princess Imperial.

No one had expected that a princess’s betrothal ceremony would ultimately become the end of one dynasty and the beginning of another. Xiang Kingdom’s political power would undergo earth-shaking changes today—the era of the princess’s regency began at this moment.

Having witnessed this moment, everyone still felt bewildered, even Hewan herself was unclear how things had suddenly developed to this point.

It seemed this step was the result of many people’s careful calculations—some designed, some participated, some promoted, some guided circumstances, ultimately achieving her success. And achieving her success seemed not merely for her sake, but for a more distant future.

What that future was, she didn’t know and didn’t plan to investigate.

Before some people’s god-like wisdom and schemes, one need only submit and wait.

This was her small wisdom.

When a person reached a position, they would naturally think anew according to that position’s height. At this moment, looking back at her plans from one day ago about escaping marriage and elopement, and killing Yong Xizheng at the ceremony, and the love she had been obsessed with just moments before, she suddenly felt them distant and laughable.

None of that mattered—it was no longer important.

As the State Preceptor said, rulers have no private affairs. What you want might only be one small thing, but the final ramifications could extend to an entire palace, an entire kingdom, another person’s entire life.

There was no power to be willful, only a life of struggle.

She turned around, bowing to Gong Yin with dignified and noble posture.

“Di Ge will have edicts to transmit shortly,” Gong Yin said calmly. “Please, Princess Imperial, first handle current affairs.”

“Yes.” Hewan understood.

“No!” The Xiang queen suddenly embraced the Xiang ruler and leaped up. “Women cannot hold regency! The throne can only be Ding’er’s! I won’t allow it! Your Majesty, wake up! Your Majesty! Someone! Save His Majesty!”

She suddenly fired a signal flare—colorful sparks shot straight into the sky. The Xiang queen and her guards carried the Xiang ruler and retreated. Hewan glanced at Gong Yin, who was drinking tea in his chair.

“The queen has gone mad! Someone! Stop her!” Hewan shouted.

Several figures flashed out, blocking the Xiang queen’s path, while several more figures rushed out from the palace, engaging in battle and protecting the queen as she retreated toward the inner palace. Hewan immediately said: “Imperial guards! Stop the queen! Those who resist,” she paused, “kill without mercy!”

“Hewan!” Ji Yifan rushed forward, blocking her path. “You can’t! That’s my sister…”

Hewan’s steps halted.

Before her was the man she deeply loved, opposing her was his elder sister.

Before her was his mournful, pleading gaze, as deeply affectionate as always—silent yet enough to make her forget herself in infatuation.

Opposite was his sister’s hateful, hostile gaze, as guarded as always—it had always been the barrier between her and him.

Such a choice.

Without turning around, she could feel Gong Yin’s gaze lightly glancing over from behind.

The situation wasn’t yet settled—the State Preceptor was still waiting to see her performance.

If she showed indecision now, perhaps he would take everything back. He didn’t need a representative who couldn’t bear heavy responsibility.

Possession wasn’t rare, but loss meant facing hell.

She hadn’t understood before, but now she did. Ji Yifan had understood before, but now seemed not to. Or perhaps he understood but pretended not to, so he foolishly tried to use emotion to obstruct?

She took a deep breath.

“Minister Ji!” she said sternly. “Are you planning rebellion?”

Ji Yifan was stunned, looking up at her intently. The resolute, indifferent face before him shocked and felt strange to him.

But Hewan had already walked around him, resolutely moving forward.

Ji Yifan stared blankly at her retreating figure, feeling that at this moment her spine was straight, her long skirts slowly trailing through the blood—such noble bearing, familiar yet strange.

Familiar because he had seen many women who wielded power, and they all carried themselves this way.

Strange because such bearing had never belonged to her before.

The imperial guards had already rushed toward the queen’s guard unit, tightly surrounding that group in the center. The Xiang queen was also fierce by nature, absolutely refusing to yield at this moment. She commanded her guards to advance step by step into the inner palace depths, talking nonsense about finding some divine elixir to awaken the ruler, execute the princess who had usurped power, and restore Xiang Kingdom’s clear blue sky.

The huge circle gradually tightened, with blood constantly splashing and spraying from within, accompanied by heart-rending screams. Occasionally severed limbs would fly out, landing at observers’ feet. Blood stained the red carpet in the courtyard, gradually turning purple. The visiting ministers gradually retreated, not daring to approach the killing circle.

Only Gong Yin sat unmoved, even continuing to drink tea. And Hewan—this princess who had been somewhat naive in the past—now stood at the very front of the crowd, blood spattering her face, severed arms striking her skirts, yet she didn’t retreat a single step.

The screaming gradually weakened. The imperial guard general, stern-faced and covered in blood, came to report to Hewan: “Reporting to the Princess, most of the rebels have been executed. The queen has now taken the ruler hostage and entered the inner palace. Please instruct how to proceed.”

Hewan closed her eyes slightly, and when she spoke again, her voice was resolute: “Prepare the crossbows.”

“Yes.”

Ji Yifan, who heard this clearly, looked up in shock, his eyes filled with disbelief.

“No—”

His attempt to stop her was cut short by a distant scream.

The imperial guard’s hidden crossbow archers, always used against hostage-takers, never fired in vain.

“Sister!” Ji Yifan ran madly toward the inner palace. Guards tried to stop him, but Hewan waved her hand.

Ji Yifan ran without looking back. His mother had died early, and he had been raised by his elder sister—their bond was deep.

Hewan watched his gradually distant figure, blinking lightly. Under the cold moonlight, tears filled her lashes.

Farewell to youth that also ran away.

When she turned around again, she fixed her gaze on Fei Luo.

“Seize her!”