“His Majesty has already issued a decree — execution at the Hour of the Dragon. Your acting so rashly and wilfully — are you not afraid His Majesty will hold you accountable for it?”

Though Feng Jiu’er was bound in iron chains, the awe-inspiring bearing she carried was so remarkable in the wind, her proud posture so unwavering, that people found themselves almost unable to look her directly in the eye.

Empress Rong was unwilling to admit that this wretched girl was growing more and more to resemble the Long Feiyan of years past — which was precisely why the gaze she directed at her was all the more saturated with hatred.

“You think His Majesty would hold this palace accountable over a mere, insignificant nobody like you? Ha!”

As though she had heard an extraordinarily absurd joke, the smile at the corners of Empress Rong’s lips never once ceased.

“Ha — you truly think you’re someone of consequence! A mere woman. This palace cuts you down, this palace cuts you down — who would dare hold this palace accountable?”

Feng Jiu’er knew, of course, that if Emperor Qiwen truly had the courage to pursue the matter, he would not have hardened his heart and ruled against her in this wrongful case last night.

Was it all for the sake of that modicum of military power Nanmen Rong held in her hands?

No one could say Emperor Qiwen’s course of action was wrong. A nation in turmoil was certainly inferior to the stability of the present. If the Emperor and Empress were to fall into open conflict, and the Nanmen clan and the Zhan imperial family were to engage in internal strife, the surrounding enemy nations would surely invade at once — and at that point, the nation would cease to be a nation.

Yes — Feng Jiu’er could understand Emperor Qiwen’s course of action, but understanding was not the same as approval.

Some people — the more you indulge them, the more unbridled they become. Nanmen Rong was plainly such an example.

Did Emperor Qiwen truly believe that by indulging and shielding this woman endlessly, she would be grateful, and in time would not come with the soldiers of her Nanmen clan to force her way to the throne?

He was wrong! Such a woman — could her ambitions ever be satisfied by the mere position of Empress?

If Emperor Qiwen continued to tolerate her, Feng Jiu’er was prepared to swear that in time, this woman would absolutely rebel!

What mattered most was that her heart and mind were always fixed on the Ninth Imperial Uncle. For Emperor Qiwen, there was plainly not a single shred of affection.

Jiu’er had no wish to continue this line of conversation. She simply stared directly at Nanmen Rong. “Since I am already a person condemned to die — then, Empress, will you tell me why you harbour such great enmity toward my mother?”

“Enmity?” Nanmen Rong cast a sidelong glance at her, and then suddenly burst into a cold laugh. “Pah! Just what does that lowly woman deserve, that she should warrant enmity from this palace?”

“Do not insult my mother!” Feng Jiu’er’s expression turned cold in an instant, her fingers clenched tightly.

“Ha — this palace insults her, this palace even kills you. What will you do about it?”

“What do you mean?” Could it be that her mother’s death had something to do with this Empress?

Memory after memory of the past gradually surfaced again in her mind, along with so many riddles she had yet to unravel even now.

The scent of datura blossoms amid the great fire. And that woman who had thrown herself toward her through the sea of flames — who had plainly been trying to save her — just who was she?

“Oh? Do you suspect that your mother’s death is connected to this palace? Or do you suspect it was this palace who killed your mother?”

She watched as the Empress flicked the dust from her jewelled fingernails, those crimson lips curling upward in an uninhibited smile.

“This palace had indeed wanted to. And in those days, this palace had indeed nearly succeeded. What a pity — your mother’s life was tenacious. She actually managed to survive this palace’s hand.”

The people here were all the Empress’s trusted confidants. She was not in the least concerned that her words would be overheard.

What was more, all of this was already old history from long ago.

In those days, the Long Family had still held a position in the imperial city. Yet now — where was the Long Family? The Long Family had ceased to exist altogether; even the members of the Long Family no longer had the standing to remain in the imperial city.

Even if she told the whole world that she held the Long Family in contempt, even that she had intended to harm members of the Long Family — so what?

Did not Emperor Qiwen hold the Long Family in high esteem? Did he not favour Long Feiyan greatly? Yet knowing full well of her enmity toward the Long Family, what could that good-for-nothing do in response?

Not to mention that the inner palace now belonged to her and her alone — even throughout the entire court, who truly dared to show her disrespect?

Those who had truly dared to show her disrespect had long since been laid to rest in the earth.

Surveying the entirety of the Bei Mu nation, the only one who genuinely showed no reverence toward her was A’Jiu — yet she doted on A’Jiu, let him throw his little temper tantrums, and she enjoyed it!

All others who defied her — they had to die!

“You so desperately want to know what happened to your Long Family afterward, do you not? That aged grandfather of yours — he had no further use to the court, so of course he had to be sent to the frontier as an exile. Ha.”

“You!” Feng Jiu’er clutched the key in her palm. She had never heard anything so outrageous in her life.

A senior minister of the court — a meritorious statesman, no less — who had given his whole heart and soul to this nation, yet simply because age had left him unable to take to the battlefield any longer, he was to be exiled to the frontier!

Was this how they treated their aged ministers of merit?

“And then there is that uncle of yours. He was once a formidable general in his own right. Like your mother, perhaps his renown was not as great as hers, yet he truly was a talent — this palace rather liked him.”

After all, his looks were quite striking.

“And yet — who knows why — after your mother died, he contracted a strange illness, unable even to care for himself.”

“Such a useless person — there was no point in keeping him. Of course he had to be driven out as well. What right did that family have to remain in the Long Family’s great estate, wasting the nation’s grain?”

The Empress smiled with great gentleness, yet the gaze within her eyes was utterly lethal. “This was, naturally, an idea suggested by this palace. Well — do you find it to your liking?”

“You…”

“This palace’s meaning, at the time, was that the climate of the south is pleasant — suitable for your grandfather and uncle to recuperate there. His Majesty graciously approved. But then… hahaha.”

She suddenly broke into loud, uninhibited laughter, laughing until she could barely catch her breath, laughing until tears nearly sprang to her eyes.

Such an uninhibited Empress — people truly did not see this side of her often. Where, in her now, was even half a trace of dignity?

The Empress laughed her fill, then looked at Feng Jiu’er with an expression of feigned compassion. “And yet your Long Family’s people were unwilling to accept it. Harbouring a grudge against His Majesty over this trifle, they actually sent people to assassinate His Majesty.”

“His Majesty flew into a rage, and had them directly exiled to the frontier. In truth, His Majesty understood perfectly well who had been pulling the strings behind it all — yet did he dare voice an objection? Hahaha…”

“You are shameless!” So it had been this vicious woman all along who had arranged everything — who had caused the Long Family to be saddled with a charge of treachery, their entire household exiled to the frontier!

How could she be so utterly shameless! Long Feiyan was already gone — why continue to persecute the Long Family’s people?

Her pitiful grandfather. Her innocent uncle!

Feng Jiu’er bit down on her teeth, the iron chains on her body clattering and rattling from her agitation.

“Insolent!” A guard behind her delivered a kick to the back of her leg. “How dare you show disrespect to Her Highness!”

A stab of pain shot through Jiu’er’s foot — yet she still stood ramrod straight.

“Damned wretch!” That guard, having failed to bring her to her knees with a single kick, instantly felt his dignity affronted, and delivered another kick to her leg.

That kick was heavier than the first — yet Jiu’er still exerted every effort to remain standing.

When the guard’s third kick was about to land, she suddenly bent her leg, and lowered herself to one knee on the ground.

This day’s humiliation — she accepted it! Not because she feared death, but because she still wished to preserve her life — to avenge the Long Family!