Feng Jiu’er gave a quiet nod. Looking at the sunlight streaming in from outside, she knew that Zhao Yusheng was not the only one who could hardly wait — so could she!

By her reckoning, they had been heading north for close to three months now.

Feng Jiu’er rose and stepped toward the early light filtering in from outside.

The time had come. Zhan Liyue — what you owed the Long family, what you owed my mother and everything that belonged to her — it is time to repay it all!

At this moment, Feng Jiu’er’s bearing carried a note of quiet, somber weight. Those present could likely guess at the thoughts running through her mind.

She had worked tirelessly for so long. What she had been waiting for was this very day — the day she could join forces with Zhao Family Village and reclaim the Black Gorge.

Once her forces were strong enough, she would be able to avenge her mother.

Qiao Mu came to stand beside Feng Jiu’er, and together they looked out at the newly risen sun.

“Jiu’er, what are your plans from here? Whatever they are, we are with you unconditionally.”

“Reclaim the Black Gorge. Rebuild the Long Family Army. Carry on what my mother set out to do.” Feng Jiu’er gazed at the early sun with unwavering resolve.

“Alright.” Qiao Mu gave a nod and patted her on the shoulder. “Then let’s reclaim the Black Gorge and rebuild the Long Family Army!”

“Reclaim the Black Gorge, rebuild the Long Family Army!” Zhao Yusheng came to stand on Feng Jiu’er’s other side, offering her a quiet smile.

Feng Jiu’er glanced over at him and smiled. “Zhao Yusheng, thank you for giving me this opportunity.”

“Three days from now will be the day we march.” Feng Jiu’er raised a hand and turned to head outside. “Come on, let’s go eat breakfast.”

The others followed behind her, stepping into the morning light.

……

Over the next two-plus months, Feng Jiu’er led everyone in a relentless campaign across the Black Gorge, reclaiming territory one area after another.

At the same time, Di Wu Ya and the recovered Di Feimu led their troops in a sweeping northward advance, cutting through all resistance in their path.

In less than half a year, Emperor Qiwen’s forces had been driven back on every front.

The Imperial City. Within the palace.

Feng Qingyin, dressed in resplendent attire, swept everything off the table in one forceful motion, sending it crashing to the floor.

“What did you say?! Say it again!”

Lingling, kneeling on the ground in fright, raised her head to look at her.

Even after more than half a year of treatment, several distinct scars remained clearly visible on Lingling’s face.

Every time Feng Qingyin looked at that face, her expression filled with revulsion.

“My Lady, according to reports from our spies, the Ninth Prince’s forces have already reached Xuan City. If this continues, in no more than two months, the Imperial City will be in grave peril.”

“What Ninth Prince? Isn’t that man surnamed Di?” Feng Qingyin’s low, cool voice cut through the air.

Just then, the sound of an infant crying rang out from the inner room. She furrowed her brows and rose to her feet.

“That useless old fool — absolutely worthless!” With a cold snort, Feng Qingyin turned and walked into the inner room.

In the side chamber, a wet nurse had picked up a small infant.

The infant bundled in swaddling clothes was tiny and soft, looking no more than two or three months old.

“Miss Qingyin.” Two palace maids who had been keeping watch nearby saw Feng Qingyin enter and immediately knelt.

Feng Qingyin wore a red broad-sleeved robe with a ceremonial shawl draped over it and a phoenix-and-dragon pearl-and-jade crown upon her head. Anyone who did not know better would have taken her for the Empress.

But everyone understood perfectly well: since Nanmen Rong’s death, the palace had had no Empress.

Feng Qingyin cared nothing for such things. Having borne an imperial son, she still addressed herself as “young lady.”

Emperor Qiwen, having fathered a son late in life, chose to turn a deaf ear to all the rumors that had circulated within the palace before the young prince was born. Now that the little prince had arrived, he let it all go.

After Feng Qingyin returned to the palace, she took command of the entire inner court. Anyone who dared speak ill of her was put to death.

Before long, not a single word of gossip about Feng Qingyin and Crown Prince Zhan Yuheng reached Emperor Qiwen’s ears.

“Get out!” Feng Qingyin delivered a sharp kick to one of the palace maids, then strode toward her son.

“Miss Qingyin.” The wet nurse held the young prince in her arms, trembling where she stood.

A moment ago, the little prince had been sleeping soundly — had Feng Qingyin not smashed the cup outside, the little prince would not have been startled awake.

But in this place — in the entire inner court — Feng Qingyin had the final say. Who would dare utter a single word of reproach?

When Feng Qingyin’s gaze fell upon the young prince, the coldness in her manner softened somewhat.

Yet when she raised her eyes, the murderous intent within them was thick and undisguised.

“Comfort my prince immediately — or none of you will keep your heads!”

With a cold snort, Feng Qingyin did not even pick the little prince up. She turned and walked out.

The two palace maids remained kneeling on the floor. The wet nurse, still holding the young prince, dropped to her knees as well.

“Yes, yes.” The wet nurse’s voice was barely a whisper, afraid of startling the little prince in her arms.

But she dared not entirely ignore Feng Qingyin’s words either, and could only respond in the softest of tones.

Feng Qingyin’s moods were utterly unpredictable — even in front of the little prince it was no different — and she could order someone killed at a moment’s notice.

Everyone assumed it was because she had failed to become Empress that she had turned out this way. But whatever the reason, there was not a single soul in the inner court who would dare cross her in the slightest.

Feng Qingyin turned and left, pulling the door shut behind her with a forceful slam.

Inside the side chamber, several women remained kneeling in a huddle, doing their best to soothe the little prince, who had been startled into tears once again.

Feng Qingyin swept a glance at Lingling, gave a wave of her hand, and walked out of the main hall.

The two of them made their way to another side chamber, where Feng Qingyin shoved the door open with force and walked inside.

Lingling immediately followed and turned to close the door behind her.

Feng Qingyin walked all the way to the innermost room before she stopped.

Lingling stepped in after her and closed that door as well.

She turned to face Feng Qingyin, who had taken a seat, and knelt.

“My Lady, do you have a task for me?”

This space, exclusive to Feng Qingyin and Lingling, had always been kept strictly off limits to everyone else.

“Yes.” Feng Qingyin stared out the window, her brow knitting slightly. “Since the old man is of no use, there is no further need to keep him around.”

Lingling looked up at Feng Qingyin, her brow furrowing.

Feng Qingyin had always spoken her mind freely in this private space. By now, Lingling was long accustomed to hearing her refer to the Emperor as “the old man.”

Every person who had served in this chamber: if any of them dared let a single word slip outside, they never had the chance to see another sunrise.

Far too many people had vanished without explanation. Everyone knew the truth — and no one dared speak out of turn.

“My Lady’s meaning is… to…” Lingling extended a hand and drew it slowly across her own throat, “…the Emperor?”

The last two words came out in a voice so low they were barely audible.

Such treasonous words — most people would not dare even think them, let alone speak them aloud.

“Is there a problem?” Feng Qingyin fixed her with a heavy-lidded stare. “If he does not die, how am I to rightfully claim the seat of Empress?”

“The Empress who exists now is an Empress for the old man. I want no part of it!”

“What I want is to be Crown Prince brother’s Empress. Once the old man is dead and Crown Prince brother ascends the throne, the position of Empress will still belong to no one but me.”

“My Lady.” Lingling’s voice rose again. “Please keep your voice down. I worry there may be ears beyond the walls.”

“Ears beyond the walls?” Feng Qingyin fixed her gaze on Lingling, her tone dropping another degree. “Every single person in this courtyard — were they not all placed here by you?”

“Would I give you so much silver so that you could betray me?”