son, don't mess around

Another winter has arrived, and heavy snow is falling.

Outside the imperial prison in the capital, two prison guards brushed the snowflakes off their shoulders, huddled together to rub their hands for warmth, and whispered something to each other.

As the New Year approaches, the streets and alleys are filled with the festive atmosphere, and even the jailers in the imperial prison are eager to go home.

After some time, once they have handed over their work here, they will be able to take a holiday to go home and visit their families to welcome the New Year.

After the Empress ascended the throne and quelled the rebellion in Xuzhou, she took decisive action to punish corrupt officials, implement a policy of recuperation and development, reduce heavy taxes, and restore people's livelihoods, giving the Great Ning Dynasty a completely new look.

Now that the world is at peace, all within the dynasty are grateful to the Empress. Even the jailers who guard the imperial prison year-round have a rare holiday to go home for the New Year.

Snowflakes fluttered down, enveloping the solemn imperial prison.

Not far away, an old man in a gray robe slowly appeared outside the prison and handed over a token.

The two jailers at the door took a closer look and immediately trembled: "So it's His Majesty's edict, please."

As he spoke, the two jailers respectfully escorted the old man into the imperial prison.

Inside the prison, the dim light shone on the walls, and a nauseating stench filled the air.

The surroundings were silent, as if devoid of any life.

There was only a chill that was even more chilling than the freezing cold outside.

The old man paid no heed to this, and walked slowly toward the prison until he reached its deepest part.

There, the most important criminals in the entire imperial prison were imprisoned!

The old man slowly approached and came to the side of the imperial prison.

"Open the door."

A hoarse voice sounded.

The jailer next to him stepped forward and opened the prison door.

"Go down."

The jailer beside him withdrew.

The old man stepped into the cell. It was damp and filled with a musty smell. His gaze fell on a figure in the corner of the cell, whose hair was disheveled and whose clothes were tattered.

It looked as if it hadn't been cleaned for days, and a foul stench permeated the air. The figure huddled in the corner, dazed and indifferent, unresponsive to any sounds from the outside world.

The old man stopped in front of him, his cloudy eyes deep and his voice low: "Your Highness, Third Prince."

As if they hadn't heard that name in a long time, the figure huddled in the corner finally stirred. He slowly and laboriously raised his head, revealing a haggard, pale, and filthy face beneath his straw-like hair.

"Who are you?!"

Li Yuan's voice was hoarse as he looked at the old man before him. For some reason, the old man seemed somewhat familiar.

"Your Highness, don't you recognize this old servant?" The old man's voice was deep as he slowly began, "Four years ago, at the Imperial Mausoleum of Da Ning..."

The old man's words seemed to have stirred up some distant memories in Li Yuan, and his pupils suddenly contracted: "You, you are...?!"

He remembered!
Is this old man the same sweeper who guided him out of the imperial mausoleum four years ago?!
"It seems Your Highness still recognizes this old servant."

"you……"

Li Yuan stared at him, a complex light flashing in his eyes for a moment, but it quickly disappeared.

To him, it was no longer important who the old man in front of him was or what supernatural abilities he possessed.

He lost!
I lost twice.

This time, there was absolutely no chance of turning things around.

As if sensing Li Yuan's thoughts, the old man's gaze deepened: "Your Highness, do you intend to wait here to die?"

"Does Your Highness not wish to make a comeback?"

"A comeback?"

Upon hearing this, a self-deprecating bitter smile appeared on Li Yuan's weathered and haggard face: "Do I still have the qualifications to make a comeback?"

He lost!
This time, it almost completely extinguished all his spirit!

After the fall of Xuzhou and the suppression of the Xu King's rebellion, he was escorted to the capital as the ringleader. He was then imprisoned in this imperial prison.

This hurdle will last for two years!

Over the past two years, no matter how hysterical, angry, roaring, and struggling he was at the beginning, even when he was prepared to die a heroic death...

But the empress of the Great Ning Dynasty seemed to have forgotten about him.

He was imprisoned here for two whole years, two years without seeing the light of day, two years of damp confinement, which completely consumed all his pride, all his anger, and all his resentment.

He has long since become a walking corpse, numb to everything.

Utterly numb!

"For Your Highness, there is nothing left to lose now."

The old man's gaze fell on Li Yuan, as if he could see through all his thoughts: "Two failures mean nothing. As long as you win once, history will be rewritten by Your Highness."

"When Xuzhou fell, Your Highness did not choose to commit suicide, which means that Your Highness was unwilling to accept it. If you were unwilling, why not choose to fight one more time?"

"Does Your Highness truly wish to die in such a humiliating manner? Not only will you die, but you will also be forever nailed to the pillar of shame?"

The old man's words seemed incredibly alluring, slowly echoing in Li Yuan's ears. Li Yuan trembled, as if something had tugged at his heart.

He suddenly raised his head and stared at the old man: "What else can you do to help me?!"

The old man's gaze was profound: "This old servant can help Your Highness leave this place, help Your Highness recruit soldiers and horses, and gradually plan your move so that you can rise again in the future and ascend to the throne..."

Li Yuan's breathing grew heavy. He stared at the old man, his voice hoarse: "Who are you? Why are you helping me?!"

"Who this old servant is is not important. What is important is that this old servant is the only one who can help Your Highness now."

Li Yuan stared intently at the old man before him. This seemingly unremarkable, hunched-over old man was extremely mysterious. His ability to freely enter and leave the Great Ning Imperial Mausoleum and this imperial prison was enough to prove that he was no ordinary person.

Four years ago, he helped Li Yuan escape from the imperial tomb and head to Xuzhou in the north.

Four years later, he reappeared.

What is his purpose in infiltrating the Daning Imperial Palace?!

"You're one of Xu Hong's men?!"

Li Yuan stared at him, as if realizing something, and his expression became somewhat agitated: "Xu Hong isn't dead?!"

The old man did not answer the question: "These are not things Your Highness should concern yourself with. Once Your Highness leaves this place, everything will become clear. At that time, Your Highness will surely make a comeback."

"Your Highness, we haven't lost yet!"

These words were so seductive that Li Yuan trembled.

His eyes seemed to have made up their minds, and he gritted his teeth: "Fine, I promise you!"

"But how do you plan to get me out of here?"

The old man reached out and placed his hands on Li Yuan's hands and legs, which were bound by iron chains, and gently applied force.

"Crack!"

The iron chain snapped instantly.

Li Yuan's pupils suddenly contracted.

"Your Highness, please come with me."

However, Li Yuan remained seated and did not move.

He looked down at the broken chains in front of him, and gazed at the old man who was about to rescue him.

Li Yuan suddenly laughed.

Beneath his disheveled hair and grime was a haggard face that was unrecognizable from its original form; he had lost all his energy and fighting spirit.

However, this time his smile was somewhat sinister.

His smile made the old man, who was about to leave, stop and frown: "What is Your Highness smiling about?"

Do you really think we can leave here?

Li Yuan suddenly spoke up: "Do you think I've been locked up here for two years just because...she wanted to torture me?"

Li Yuan looked up at the old man: "You underestimate her!"

"I know her too well. She's the most ruthless and meticulous woman in the world. She won't leave any loose ends..."

"I should have died long ago, but I'm still alive. Can you guess why?"

Li Yuan's words made the old man frown even more deeply.

"I never understood it before, but after you appeared, I suddenly understood!"

Li Yuan smiled broadly, then mocked himself like a stray dog, "She's waiting for you!"

"Wait for you remnants... She foresaw that you would come to save me."

"This is a trap set for you... We can't escape."

In the end, Li Yuan's voice became very calm.

The old man's face turned extremely gloomy, and a glint seemed to appear in his eyes as he suddenly looked around.

"boom!"

A dull thud sounded from behind.

That was the sound of the prison gates being completely slammed shut.

The next second, all the lights burning around went out, plunging the area into complete darkness.

"Hahaha……"

From inside the imperial prison, Li Yuan's voice, a mix of crying and laughing, could be heard: "I knew it, I knew it..."

"It's all a setup, everything is a setup!"

"No one can escape!!"

The voice was filled with despair!
How could he possibly outsmart that woman?

That's his elder sister!

He knew that heartless woman all too well!

In the darkness, the old man's breathing was low and his face was expressionless. Beneath his robes, a sudden gust of wind rose, and some terrifying aura was brewing.

Li Yuan realized what was going on. "What... are you trying to do?!"

"Boom!"

A deafening explosion resounded, echoing throughout the heavens and earth.

The ground shook, and with a loud explosion, a large hole was blasted open, sending mud and flying rocks flying everywhere.

Two figures leaped out of the ground with a bang and landed on the ground.

The old man landed on the ground and looked around.

At this moment, outside the imperial prison, countless imperial guards were already spread across the land, fully armed, their cold bows and crossbows all aimed at him.

Behind the crowd, countless figures of experts from the Secret Celestial Bureau intertwined, their terrifying aura enveloping the world.

A cold wind howled, carrying a palpable sense of menace!
A trap that had been laid long ago.

On the ground, when Li Yuan, who had been forcibly dragged out by the old man, looked up and saw the scene before him, his whole body trembled violently.

The next second, he collapsed to the ground, bursting into a pathetic laugh.

"I knew it... I couldn't escape, I couldn't escape!"

His face was contorted with rage, and he laughed maniacally, but his madness couldn't hide the despair in his expression.

He guessed everything correctly!
But it was precisely because of this that he felt even more desperate!

As the snow fell heavily, the old man looked up and saw a familiar figure among the guards in their gleaming armor, their eyes flashing with a cold light.

He was a young man in his early twenties, dressed in a fine brocade and mink robe, with an extraordinary bearing. His face had lost some of its childishness and gained more maturity and composure.

He stood out among the many guards, his demeanor refined and elegant, the familiar smile on his face still lingering.

"Lin Jiangnian!"

The old man stared at the young man in his line of sight, his expression calm and composed.

"Chen Zhao, how have you been?"

Before the imperial prison, amidst a heavy snowfall, Lin Jiangnian gazed at the old man in his line of sight and sighed, "This young master has been waiting for you for a long time."

The old man's eyes gradually became cloudy, concealing the glint of light within them.

"wrong!"

Standing before the crowd, Lin Jiangnian gazed at the hunched old man in the open space, a meaningful smile appearing on his face: "Should I call you Chen Zhao, or... Chen He?"

Upon hearing the name, the old man suddenly looked up, and the glint of light that had just been hidden burst forth again.

At that moment, a terrifying aura seemed to be rushing towards Lin Jiangnian.

But the next second, it vanished completely!
Lin Jiangnian remained standing in the same spot, smiling as he looked at him: "I have to admire you two brothers; you really have everyone completely fooled."

"You two almost succeeded in your scheme."

"Unfortunately, in the end, I, the young master, am still a cut above the rest!"

"Four years ago, your brother died at my hands. Today, it is time for me to send you to reunite with him."

As soon as he finished speaking, a fierce wind suddenly arose, sweeping up a sky full of mud and snowflakes.

The old man on the flat ground vanished from his spot, transforming into a terrifying aura that approached Lin Jiangnian.

In the howling wind, I seemed to catch a glimpse of the old man's cold and angry expression.

He is anxious!

Just as he was about to move, Lin Jiangnian, who was already prepared, suddenly took a step back.

"Archery!"

The next second, cold crossbows approached from all directions, shooting towards the old man in the air.

However, as the crossbows approached the old man, they seemed to be blocked by a powerful, invisible current.

In that instant, the old man had already closed in on Lin Jiangnian.

The terrifying aura of a grandmaster swept across the heavens and earth.

However, just as the old man approached Lin Jiangnian, another equally terrifying aura of a grandmaster erupted from in front of Lin Jiangnian.

The old man was caught off guard.

The old man's pupils suddenly contracted, and an expression of disbelief appeared on his face.

The next second, two terrifying auras of grandmasters collided.

"Boom!"

The explosion reverberated in front of the prison, instantly destroying the prison gates. An invisible gust of air swept outwards from between the two men, causing destruction in all directions.

Within a radius of several meters, not a blade of grass grows.

Those guards who were too close were instantly blasted away by this terrifying aura. They coughed up blood and fainted on the spot.

The power of the Grandmaster is so terrifying!
Many of the guards around looked at the scene with fear and disbelief.

A terrifying aura of cataclysmic destruction echoed throughout the imperial city.

As the thick smoke dissipated, snowflakes filled the sky.

However, there was not a single patch of snow on the open space where the two collided, as if a vacuum zone had been formed.

The old man's aged face looked even more weathered, but his eyes couldn't hide his astonishment. His voice was low and deep: "I never thought you would also take this step!"

"You're too late!"

In my sight, Lin Jiangnian's face was slightly pale, but the Xuan Yang Heart Sutra within his body was operating at its peak. At this moment, his entire body was engulfed in blazing flames, as if he wanted to devour everything in the world.

"If it had been earlier, perhaps you would have had a chance... It's a pity you hid too well and never showed yourself."

"However, this also gives me an opportunity for advancement!"

"Today, this is your death day!"

Back when he was at the peak of the second rank, Lin Jiangnian dared to confront Xu Hong, a first-rank grandmaster. Now that he has truly stepped into the most prestigious realm in the world...

There was nothing in the world that could make Lin Jiangnian fear or be afraid.

"Here comes the sword!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a long sword flew from behind Lin Jiangnian and landed in his hand. The sword was drawn, its light shimmering, its sharpness fully revealed.

"Autumn Water Sword!"

With the longsword in hand, Lin Jiangnian's aura rose again. The Autumn Water Sword in his hand seemed to sense its master's aura, and a chill swirled around its blade, causing it to tremble slightly.

Four years ago, Lin Jiangnian used this Autumn Water Sword to kill the leader of the Heavenly God Sect by employing the Nine Sword Techniques.

Now, Lin Jiangnian will use this sword again to reunite the man before him with his twin brother!
This was also the first time Lin Jiangnian had used the Nine Sword Techniques after entering the Grandmaster realm!
The old man's gaze grew increasingly solemn, his eyes revealing undisguised murderous intent and vigilance.

This prince, whom he had once disregarded, had grown to the point of threatening him in less than six years.

"Lin Jiangnian!"

A sudden gust of wind rose, and Chen Zhao's hunched figure gradually straightened. His robe sleeves swelled in the wind, as if the breath of heaven and earth were drawn into his sleeves.

At this moment, the old eunuch, who had been hiding for so many years, finally revealed his true strength.

The dust that had just settled was once again swept up and engulfed the world, swirling and obscuring the two figures.

Beneath the dust, Lin Jiangnian drew his sword and took a step forward.

Draw your sword!

The first sword!
A flurry of sword blossoms filled the sky, their sharp edges piercing the heavens and earth, sealing off every corner of this land.

The second sword, the third sword, the fourth sword...

Lin Jiangnian's sword strikes were so fast that they were almost imperceptible to the naked eye.

Sword energy surged, and the awe-inspiring power of a grandmaster swept across the heavens and earth.

a mess.

The imperial guards and secret police had already been pushed to the back, watching the commotion from afar.

Until Lin Jiangnian unleashed that final sword strike!
The earth-shattering explosion resounded once again!
The sword light filled the sky and earth, and the intense light almost blinded everyone.

The unimaginably powerful internal force seemed inexhaustible, radiating outwards from the spot after the explosion.

Amid the explosion, a disheveled black figure suddenly flew up from the center and appeared in mid-air.

Then, it quickly fled into the distance.

Chen Zhao's expression changed!
He sensed danger; it was an instinctive alertness stemming from a threat to his life!
Holding the Autumn Water Sword and unleashing the Nine Sword Techniques, Lin Jiangnian displayed unprecedented and terrifying strength.

The exquisite swordsmanship of the Nine Sword Techniques is nearly unmatched. Furthermore, the "Mysterious Yang Heart Method" provides a continuous source of internal energy, further enhancing the power of the Nine Sword Techniques.

Having mastered martial arts and stood above all others, Lin Jiangnian was finally able to unleash the complete "Nine Sword Techniques" without any reservations.

The combined power of the two is truly unmatched!

Therefore, Chen Zhao was defeated!

He wants to escape!
Staying here will only lead to certain death.

He was seriously injured and had to leave this place first, lie low, and then make further plans.

He has been lying low for decades; he still has time. As long as he lives, he can continue to plot in the shadows.

Even though he was seriously injured, as a grandmaster, no one in the world could stop him.

As a grandmaster, he is already one of the most outstanding beings in the world, and extremely difficult to kill.

Even if they are outmatched, they can still escape unscathed.

However, just as he sped across the imperial city, trying to escape, another terrifying and powerful aura suddenly assaulted him from above.

In an instant, the temperature around us seemed to drop sharply.

In an environment already covered in ice and snow, the biting cold was even more intense.

Even as a grandmaster, he was still chilled to the bone by the piercing cold.

Chen Zhao's pupils suddenly contracted, and realizing something was wrong, he abruptly waved his sleeves, trying to shake off the terrifying aura.

However, a cold glint flashed before their eyes.

"boom!"

Chen Zhao was forced backward uncontrollably, crashing into the roof of the imperial city. His face turned pale, and he finally coughed up blood.

He suddenly looked up and stared ahead.

Frost and snow were falling, and the world was covered in white.

A figure in white, sword in hand, slowly approached.

With each step she took, the frost and snow surrounding her quickly froze, as if freezing a thousand miles. The bone-chilling cold made the world deathly silent, leaving only her icy figure.

What followed was a murderous intent beneath the frost!
It was a terrifying power that seemed even stronger than the aura of a grandmaster.

Chen Zhao's aged face finally showed emotion.

"Li Piaomiao!"

His voice was hoarse, his whole body was trembling, and his eyes could no longer contain the fear.

The white-clad figures approached in unison, each holding a tightly gripped Cold Moon Sword, its blade bearing the inscription 'Silver Moon,' which, amidst the swirling snow, resembled a ray of silver moonlight.

There was no answer, no further movement.

In the instant Chen Zhao's pupils dilated rapidly, a glimpse of cold moonlight flashed by.

Then, the world fell silent, and all sounds ceased.

Frost and snow continued to fall gently, enveloping the imperial city.

Everything is settled.

……

"He's dead?!"

When Lin Jiangnian arrived, he only saw a body lying in the snow.

Blood stained the snow on the ground, and on the aged corpse lay Chen Zhao, his eyes wide open in death.

This master, who had been hiding for decades, died here quietly.

He died with his eyes wide open, and he couldn't be any more dead!

Seeing this, Lin Jiangnian felt relieved of his last worry.

For a moment, I was still somewhat dazed.

As the mastermind behind the chaos that plagued the Daning royal family, who secretly plotted for decades and caused widespread disorder, he is also one of the few remaining grandmaster-level experts in the world today.

Ultimately, this is how it ended up.

It was quite heartbreaking. When he came to his senses, Lin Jiangnian turned his head.

In his sight, the figure in white still stood in the wind and snow, calmly watching him.

Just like before.

Lin Jiangnian smiled, stood up, and walked towards the figure in white.

He approached her, stood before her, and gazed at her cool and exquisitely beautiful face.

Then, he slowly took her hand.

Not far away, when the members of the Secret Celestial Bureau arrived, Chen Changqing, dressed in black armor, saw this scene and suddenly stopped in his tracks.

He then turned around, his voice low.

"Close your eyes and turn around."

"Anyone who dares to spread even a single word of this will be killed without mercy!"

"..."

How did you kill him?

"Chen Zhao was already a grandmaster, so he shouldn't have died so easily... How did you finish him off with a single sword strike?"

"You didn't break through again, did you?!"

Snowflakes fell heavily, and the imperial city was completely silent.

Lin Jiangnian held up an oil-paper umbrella and stood side by side with the woman in white next to him.

He stopped and turned to look at the aloof face so close to his.

Several years have passed in the blink of an eye.

This once aloof and elegant princess has transformed into the most powerful and noble empress in the world.

She has become increasingly mature, and her eyes and brows reveal a cold and elegant charm that she has never shown before.

But that aloof temperament has not faded with time; on the contrary, it has become even stronger.

That makes it even more appealing!
She gazed calmly at Lin Jiangnian, her cool eyes flickering before she looked away.

"Ah."

Lin Jiangnian: "..."

Even though Chen Zhao was seriously injured by Lin Jiangnian's "Nine Sword Techniques", the fact that he could kill a grandmaster with a single sword strike was enough to show that Li Piaomiao's martial arts skills had probably reached a new level.

This left Lin Jiangnian feeling extremely frustrated.

This woman's existence is a nightmare for everyone in the martial arts world!

"So, does that mean I'll never have a chance to catch up with you?" Lin Jiangnian sighed.

Li Piaomiao glanced at him, paused for a moment, and shook her head: "You do."

"Don't try to comfort me."

Lin Jiangnian sighed, knowing the woman was trying to comfort him. Looking at the aloof figure in white before him, he immediately opened his arms: "It's been so long, can't I have a hug?"

Li Piaomiao stared at his outstretched arms, saying nothing and remaining motionless.

Lin Jiangnian understood immediately, smiled, and stepped forward to hug her.

There was no struggle, no resistance.

Li Piaomiao gently rested her head on Lin Jiangnian's shoulder, a hint of tenderness appearing on her usually aloof expression, which she herself did not even realize.

Lin Jiangnian felt the cool, delicate body of the woman in his arms and tried to warm her with the heat of his own body.

"Really, it's been so long!"

Lin Jiangnian spoke with emotion.

In the blink of an eye, another winter has arrived.

The capital city is a thousand miles away from Linzhou, so it is not easy for the two to meet.

If Chen Zhao's identity and whereabouts hadn't been exposed, the two would probably have had to wait even longer to meet.

Li Piaomiao's eyes flickered, as if she had thought of something, and she suddenly asked, "How do you know that Chen Zhao has a twin brother?"

"That's a long story. To be honest, we have to thank Liu..."

Lin Jiang coughed lightly.

In truth, we have to thank Liu Su for this.

Initially, Lin Jiangnian never doubted Chen Zhao's identity as the leader of the Heavenly God Sect. In fact, four years ago, due to the misleading words of that Heavenly God Sect leader, Lin Jiangnian and others even believed that the two were the same person.

It wasn't until Liu Su took over the Heavenly God Sect that she finally discovered the close relationship between Chen Zhao and the sect's leader. Subsequently, as Liu Su gained further control of the Heavenly God Sect, she uncovered even more clues and information.

Subsequently, the intelligence agency of the Prince Lin's Mansion went deep into the southern border region, and after several years of investigation, the truth finally came to light.

The leader of the Heavenly God Sect, whose real name is Chen He, is the twin brother of Chen Zhao!
The two were born in a small country among the southern border kingdoms. They showed amazing martial arts talent from a young age and were secretly taken into the royal family for training.

Along with the two, many other children of similar age were also adopted. These were the mysterious group of experts that Liu Su had investigated.

At the same time, they also formed the core of the Heavenly God Cult later on.

At a time when Lin Hengzhong was leading the Da Ning army to conquer cities and seize territory, and the country was in ruins, this mysterious group of experts was sent to the front line to carry out an assassination and decapitation plan.

"They wanted to assassinate Lin Hengzhong, but Lin Hengzhong was surrounded by many experts at the time, and his own martial arts skills were unfathomable. Their several assassination attempts all ended in failure... So, they eventually turned their attention to the Princess Consort of Lin, who was six months pregnant at the time."

"Fortunately, their assassination attempt ultimately failed!"

Lin Jiang smiled and said, "That's why I've been able to live until now."

Li Piaomiao listened quietly, then, as if remembering something, looked up at him and asked, "What about the other two?"

"The two of them were secretly sent to infiltrate the Da Ning Imperial Palace long ago... To be precise, from the very beginning, the two brothers were intended to be trained as spies to infiltrate your Da Ning Imperial Family."

"But something happened in the middle, and the two brothers had a disagreement... In the end, Chen Zhao was able to enter the palace, and eventually gained your father's trust by lying low. In the end, he seized power in the court as a eunuch and was able to wreak havoc on the court."

"As for Chen He, he is the leader of the Heavenly God Sect. He operates within the southern borders, secretly maneuvering against the troops of the Great Ning Dynasty, inflicting considerable losses on them. He once fought against Lin Hengzhong, but suffered a crushing defeat, which has left him with a lingering grudge... After the destruction of the southern border kingdoms, he established the Heavenly God Sect, continuing to infiltrate the southern borders, secretly cultivating his power, waiting for the right opportunity to strike..."

"Over the years, the two brothers, one in the north and one in the south, have had no contact on the surface, but they have cooperated with each other in a very tacit way."

"Chen He eliminated Chen Zhao's political enemies in the court and won over local powerful figures. In turn, Chen Zhao used imperial power and the Secret Celestial Bureau to clear obstacles for Chen He's Heavenly God Sect to grow stronger."

This is also why, when Liu Su assisted Lin Jiangnian in killing the guardians of the Secret Heaven Division, some of the guardians recognized Liu Su's identity... The guardians of the Secret Heaven Division had long known that they were involved with the Heavenly God Sect, so they naturally recognized Liu Su's identity as a saintess.

Li Piaomiao's eyes were cold: "What is their purpose?"

Lin Jiangnian laughed: "Naturally, it's to overthrow your Great Ning Dynasty."

"However, the two brothers had differences in their ideologies."

"Chen He wanted to recruit soldiers and horses among the common people, secretly build up his power, and wait for the time to rise up in rebellion and overthrow the rule of the Da Ning Dynasty."

"Chen Zhao, on the other hand, wanted to use the power of the Da Ning royal family to cultivate a puppet ruler, thus substituting one person for another and dismantling the Da Ning court from within."

"But clearly, they all failed!"

The forces cultivated and cultivated by the leader of the Heavenly God Sect suffered heavy losses under Lin Hengzhong's purge. Chen Zhao's plan to dismantle the Great Ning Dynasty from within was ultimately exposed by Lin Jiangnian and others.

Li Cining's ascension to the throne signaled the failure of his plans.

But he was not resigned to his fate and remained hidden in the Daning Imperial Palace. Waiting for an opportunity, he secretly contacted Xu Hong, rescued the Third Prince Li Yuan, and gave Xu Hong the conditions to start a rebellion.

At the same time, he won over and controlled the Sixth Prince, Li Chang'an, grooming him as the next puppet of the Da Ning royal family. He also took the opportunity to orchestrate the assassination attempt in Jiangnan, trying to provoke conflict between Lin Jiangnian and Li Cining.

But in the end, all of these schemes were exposed by Lin Jiangnian.

After Xu Hong's defeat and the eventual suppression of the Xuzhou rebellion, Chen Zhao seemed to vanish into thin air and never reappeared.

But Lin Jiangnian never let his guard down; he could not rest easy until such a master was eliminated.

Until Liu Su and the Prince of Lin's Mansion thoroughly investigated Chen Zhao's identity, and Lin Jiangnian truly stepped into the realm of Grandmaster.

Finally, he appeared again.

What awaited Chen Zhao was an inescapable net!

This wicked eunuch finally died that winter!

Finally, peace returned to the world.

……

The snow seems to be falling even harder!

Inside the imperial city, two figures walked side by side, passing through the palace's pavilions and corridors.

Only the sound of snowflakes and wind in the sky seemed to accompany the two of them.

Until Li Piaomiao stopped in her tracks.

She gazed at the frost and snow covering the sky, looking towards the distant capital, and remained silent for a long time.

"When do you plan to leave?"

Lin Jiangnian stepped forward and sighed, "Are you in such a hurry for me to leave?"

Li Piaomiao remained silent.

Lin Jiangnian hugged her slender waist from behind and sighed softly, "Jinxiu told me that you've been very busy this past year, so busy that you haven't had time to take care of yourself?"

"That won't do. What will I do if you ruin your health?"

Li Piaomiao's expression seemed somewhat unnatural, and she slightly turned away: "No."

"The world is at peace now. You have done more than enough, everything you could and should have done... In the future, there will be true peace throughout the world!"

"The Prince's Mansion will also stand united with the court forever and guard the southern border for the court."

"At least in our lifetimes, there will be no more war."

Li Piaomiao listened quietly, remaining silent.

"As for the future..."

At this point, Lin Jiangnian chuckled again: "Then you have to take good care of our child. What will happen in the future is his problem."

When the child was mentioned, Li Piaomiao's usually cold and aloof face softened a little.

As if remembering something, she glanced back at Lin Jiangnian: "Where is she?"

Although no name was mentioned, Lin Jiangnian knew who Li Piaomiao was asking about.

"Uh, she didn't come..."

Facing Li Piaomiao's gaze, Lin Jiang coughed lightly: "Linzhou is far from the capital, and Zhiyuan is pregnant, so it's inconvenient for her to travel such a long distance, which is why she couldn't come this time..."

silence!

Li Piaomiao's face remained expressionless.

She looked away and gazed into the distance.

After a long pause, he finally spoke in a cool and indifferent tone: "Congratulations."

That indifferent tone... it sounds a bit sarcastic?

Was it a genuine congratulation?
Lin Jiangnian was about to say something when he heard Li Piaomiao speak again.

"Happy wedding!"

Lin Jiangnian: "..."

That tone... there's definitely something wrong with it.

"Angry?"

Lin Jiangnian tried to read something from Li Piaomiao's face, but failed.

She remained calm and collected, yet there was an unfathomable chill about her.

Why should I be angry?

Well, he's already referring to himself as "I" (朕), and he still says he's not angry?

Lin Jiangnian found it amusing. He had to admit that after giving birth, Li Piaomiao was gradually becoming more and more like a normal woman.

Occasionally, she also experiences the emotions that a normal woman should have.

This is, undeniably, good news.

Of course, it's also bad news.

When Lin Jiangnian tried to get closer to the empress, she lightly flicked her sleeve and glanced at him expressionlessly.

"roll!"

"..."

The wind and snow were blowing and pounding against the doors and windows.

Inside the room, the lights flickered, and a warm fragrance filled the air.

"boom!"

The door was pushed open, and the wind and snow rushed in, accompanied by a cold, aloof figure entering the room.

The temperature in the room dropped sharply.

"Tsk, you're back?"

A soft, pleasant voice rang out.

On the other side of the room, a graceful figure lay languidly on a soft couch, her long hair draped over her shoulders, her expression relaxed, her elegant figure fully revealed.

When he saw Li Piaomiao outside the door, a slight smile appeared on his lips: "Looks like you two weren't having a very pleasant conversation?"

Li Piaomiao glanced at him expressionlessly and said nothing.

"Let me guess?"

On the soft couch, Zhao Xi stepped onto Li Piaomiao's feet and asked meaningfully, "Are you angry, or jealous?"

"You wouldn't have gotten so jealous after finding out that woman was pregnant, would you?"

Zhao Xi tried to read something from Li Piaomiao's face, but failed.

This woman always appears so calm.

But her emotions clearly showed that she was angry.

Zhao Xi knows her too well.

"I never thought you'd end up like this."

Zhao Xi raised an eyebrow, seemingly in a good mood: "The Empress, actually jealous over a man... If this gets out, it'll be quite interesting."

Li Piaomiao gave her a cold glance.

He still didn't say anything, which made Zhao Xi shrink back.

"Hey, you're just trying to scare me, aren't you?"

"If you're so capable, why don't you go and deal with that Princess Consort of the Prince of Lin?"

"She stole your position as the legal wife, not me."

Zhao Xi pursed her lips, but her words inevitably carried a hint of stirring up trouble.

Li Piaomiao's cold gaze fell on her, and she suddenly asked, "When did you and him get together?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xi's smile froze for a moment.

When Zhao Xi met Li Piaomiao's cool yet clear eyes, she suddenly had a feeling that her secret had been exposed and that she had been caught in the act.

That's pretty exciting!
"how do you know?"

Li Piaomiao lowered her eyes slightly, her expression unchanged, and said calmly, "You have his aura on you."

Zhao Xi: "..."

It's all that bastard's fault; he insisted on messing with her last night.

Well, now she can smell it!

Now that she'd been caught, Zhao Xi didn't hide it anymore and readily admitted, "That's right, I'm dating him!"

“A long time ago, probably... it was when you went to the front line in Xuzhou.”

Li Piaomiao listened quietly, her face showing little emotion.

"Aren't you angry?"

Zhao Xi looked at Li Piaomiao.

Li Piaomiao calmly asked, "Why are you angry?"

"Right."

Zhao Xi nodded, saying meaningfully, "After all, I told you beforehand... if I were to steal your man one day, you might regret it."

"I can't believe I actually managed to steal it!"

"You can't blame me for this~"

Li Piaomiao's face remained expressionless.

"It's a pity that we sisters are of one heart, but neither of us has a formal title, and another woman beat us to it..."

Zhao Xi sighed softly. Seeing that Li Piaomiao ignored her, she seemed to remember something and suddenly leaned close to Li Piaomiao's ear, saying meaningfully, "By the way, your man, your best friend has already tried him for you... he's really good~"

Now, Zhao Xi could clearly feel that Li Piaomiao's breathing seemed to become disordered for a moment.

She felt a surge of pride, and her tone became even softer and more seductive: "He's really something now, I wonder if you can handle him later..."

"How about we sisters go together sometime..."

Li Piaomiao narrowed her eyes slightly: "Did Prime Minister Zhao agree?"

The cold voice brought Zhao Xi back to reality once again.

Her smile froze for a moment, but quickly returned to normal.

"No."

"However, even my father couldn't stop it."

Zhao Xi sighed, her tone calm but firm: "As long as I'm willing, no one can stop me from liking him."

Once she likes someone she's decided on, she'll never change her mind.

Even if her father tries to stop her, she won't change her mind.

Li Piaomiao looked at her: "You want to marry him?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xi paused for a moment, then looked up at her: "Why are you asking this?"

"I'll help you."

Li Piaomiao looked at her calmly: "I can issue an imperial decree to betroth you to him."

Zhao Xi froze, staring blankly at her good friend whom she had known for many years.

For a moment, I felt somewhat dazed.

no……

Did she issue an imperial decree to marry herself to her man?

Cuckolding yourself?
Zhao Xi remained silent for a long time before letting out a soft sigh, then asked incredulously, "You're really not angry?"

Li Piaomiao asked calmly, "Why are you angry?"

"I stole your man... not only did I steal him, but I also slept with him... and I was just showing off in front of you, aren't you even a little bit angry?"

Zhao Xi was somewhat confused: "You were so angry when you heard the news that Jiang Zhiyuan was pregnant?"

Li Piaomiao seemed stumped by the question. She was somewhat dazed and remained silent for a long time before speaking uncertainly, "Perhaps, because you are my good sister?"

Li Piaomiao's voice was very soft.

This time, Zhao Xi was completely stunned.

She stared blankly at Li Piaomiao in front of her, seemingly completely unprepared for such an answer.

In an instant, a surge of emotions welled up inside me.

"Okay, sister?"

Zhao Xi stared blankly at Li Piaomiao's still aloof eyes for a long time.

After a long pause, she suddenly laughed!

He was smiling brightly, smiling happily, a genuine smile from the bottom of his heart.

"Yes, we are sisters, best sisters... We've known each other for so many years, we have always been... the best sisters!"

Li Piaomiao was also somewhat stunned, wondering why Zhao Xi's reaction was so strong.

Then, Zhao Xi suddenly stepped forward and hugged her.

The hug was tight.

"I'm so lucky to have a friend like you."

Li Piaomiao remained silent, but upon hearing Zhao Xi's words, a slight emotional fluctuation finally appeared on her usually calm face.

There aren't many people who can exist in her world.

Zhao Xi was one of the only ones.

At that moment, the two sisters embraced each other tightly.

It went on for quite a while.

"Oh, right, I have another question..."

Zhao Xi spoke again.

Li Piaomiao raised her eyes, a look of doubt on her face.

"Are you really not angry or jealous?"

Zhao Xi stared into her eyes and asked again.

Li Piaomiao was stunned for a moment, then nodded.

"If that's the case, then..."

A hint of excitement flashed in Zhao Xi's eyes, and she suddenly spoke:
"Since you're not angry or jealous, how about we try it out tonight? We're best friends, so let's go together..."

Under Li Piaomiao's stunned gaze, Zhao Xi smiled and said meaningfully, "Let my good sister see... what kind of wantonness our Great Ning Dynasty's peerless and aloof Empress is when serving men in bed?"

"To be honest, I've wanted to see you pleasuring yourself under that bastard for a long time..."

Li Piaomiao: "..."

"Zhao! Xi!!"

"..."

"..."

"..." (End of this chapter)