He remarried after his mother's death, seized power over the world, and slept on the emperor�

The emperor's golden words, the two characters of "divorce letter," crashed down on the golden hall.

Ji Yunhan, the Prince Xin who was known to the world as someone who only knew how to drink and make merry, remained silent at this moment.

He just stood there quietly.

The area in front of the hall instantly descended into chaos.

Lin, whose fate had been decided by the emperor with a single word, could no longer withstand the successive blows. Her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed completely.

"Your Highness, Concubine!"

Several palace maids and eunuchs rushed over in a flurry, pinching his philtrum and patting his back to help him breathe.

Some people screamed, and some people ran away.

Finally, the two eunuchs lifted the mud-like Consort Lin up and hurriedly walked out of the palace.

Prime Minister Lin's face was ashen, and he followed without saying a word.

Consort Lin, her makeup ruined by tears, was being supported by palace maids, staggering along, her back view filled with indescribable sorrow.

The Lin family, which held immense power in the court, seemed to have had one of its backbones broken tonight.

The other princes and ministers in the hall had long since lost interest in watching the show.

Their gazes all turned to the figure who had been kneeling upright the entire time.

Prince Xin's heir, Ji Chengyun.

"hiss……"

Someone gasped in surprise.

"This Crown Prince Xin...he's really good at hiding his true intentions!"

"I'd only ever heard that he was frail and sickly, and didn't care about worldly affairs, but I never expected..."

"I never expected such swift and decisive methods!"

Whispers rose like mosquitoes and flies, but were quickly suppressed.

Yes, who would have thought?

Xinwangfu.

One father was a world-renowned alcoholic, and the other son was an unknown, sickly man.

In the treacherous political chessboard of the Northern Barbarians, the Prince Xin's Mansion had long been treated as a discarded pawn, ignored by everyone.

Who would care about a prince who lives a life of debauchery?

Who would be wary of a reclusive prince?

But this very piece, once sacrificed, has now turned the chessboard upside down!

From the return of the Dowager Empress to the capital to today's palace banquet where she launched her attack.

One step after another, proceeding cautiously and methodically.

In particular, Ji Chengyun's choice of the timing to launch the attack was absolutely brilliant!

Using the framing of Jiang Bingning as a pretext, the emperor's fury is provoked.

Just as the emperor's patience with the Lin family was about to run out, he brought up an old case that had been planned for over a decade.

The chain of evidence was so complete it was outrageous, plunging Consort Lin into an abyss of no return in a single blow!

How could this be a sickly prince?

It was clearly a lone wolf that had been lying dormant for over a decade!

At this moment, the name Ji Chengyun truly resounded throughout the entire Northern Di court.

Jiang Bingning stood quietly in the corner, taking in everyone's expressions.

She also looked at Ji Chengyun.

The two of them haven't had much contact in the past few days.

All messages were relayed through Changfu.

She knew that things were going well with Ji Chengyun, and that witnesses and physical evidence had been found.

But she never expected that Ji Chengyun would choose such an occasion and such a resolute way to make everything public.

For more than a decade, the Lin family had been able to take whatever they wanted from the Northern Di and had long been accustomed to ruling the country with an iron fist.

They probably never imagined that a "minor matter" that was handled cleanly more than a decade ago would be brought up again.

Even more unexpectedly, Ji Chengyun, whom they considered insignificant, was so ruthless when he finally made a move.

Jiang Bingning slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

This was somewhat different from her original plan.

But this result seems better now.

The emperor's verdict was "to send the Lin family back home," not "to be beaten to death" or "to be sentenced to death."

It sounds like it's lighter.

But for a woman like Lin, this publicly written letter of divorce was more painful than being killed.

From then on, she was no longer a concubine of Prince Xin, but merely an abandoned woman of the Lin family.

This was a resounding slap in the face for her and the entire Lin family.

the most important is……

Jiang Bingning's gaze softened; her mother was relieved.

This farce ultimately ended in a crushing defeat for the Lin family.

The palace banquet ended unhappily.

Just as Jiang Bingning was preparing to leave the palace with the Dowager Consort, the chief eunuch beside the Emperor hurried over.

"Your Majesty the Dowager, His Highness Prince Xin, His Majesty requests your presence."

The Dowager Empress and Ji Yunhan exchanged a glance and nodded.

Inside the imperial study, wisps of ambergris smoke rose gently.

The Northern Di emperor, dressed only in a bright yellow casual robe, sat behind his desk.

His gaze no longer held the thunderous rage it had displayed moments before.

He didn't look at Ji Yunhan, but stared straight at the Dowager Consort.

"Where did this seal come from?"

The emperor's voice was very soft.

He was naturally asking about the wolf-head birthmark that appeared on Jiang Bingning's shoulder blade during her sword dance.

The Dowager Consort looked solemn and bowed slightly to the Emperor.

"Return to Your Majesty."

"Liu's maternal lineage is descended from Princess Zhaowu of the previous dynasty."

"That wolf mark is the bloodline inheritance of Princess Zhaowu's lineage."

A long silence fell over the Imperial Study.

Liu Shi, Canglang.

In the ancient legends of the Northern Barbarians, this symbolizes the mandate of heaven; otherwise, the internal strife sixteen years ago would not have occurred.

The emperor's gaze became incredibly complex.

But this woman bearing the mark of "Heaven's Mandate" is not only a descendant of the Liu family, but also has half the blood of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

How could he feel at ease?

Just then, Ji Yunhan, who had been silent all along, suddenly stepped forward and knelt down on the ground.

"His Majesty!"

"Your Majesty, I humbly beg you once again to grant me and Jingyi a marriage!"

Upon hearing this, the emperor let out a long sigh.

He stepped down the imperial steps and personally helped Ji Yunhan up.

"Yunhan".

His voice carried a rare touch of warmth.

"You have been devoted to me for twenty years, and I know your heart."

"If the Lin family hadn't been so powerful back then, how could I have let you suffer such injustice?"

"only……"

The emperor changed the subject, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes.

"Liu's identity is ultimately somewhat special."

"If she is made a princess, it will surely cause controversy in the court."

"not to mention……"

The emperor's gaze sharpened.

"Jiang Chengxuan is still in the capital, and Liu Jingyi and he have not divorced."

"The relationship between the Northern Di and the Great Zhou is delicate. If we force a marriage, it may cause trouble between the two countries."

He looked at the Dowager Empress, his tone suggesting a discussion.

"Your Highness, what do you think of this?"

"Madam Liu, you may stay at Prince Xin's residence for the time being, under the guise of 'guest residence'."

"In this way, Yun Han can always take care of things, without giving others a reason to criticize us."

"We'll discuss our official status when the time is right."

This was the biggest concession the emperor could make.

The Dowager Empress nodded.

"It is up to Your Majesty to decide."

……

Outside the palace gates, a cool night breeze blew.

Jiang Bingning stood alone under the palace lantern, waiting quietly.

A series of steady footsteps approached from afar.

She looked up, only to see a cold face.

Ji Ling.

He had somehow ended up waiting there too.

He blocked Jiang Bingning's path like that.

There are too many mysteries surrounding you.

Ji Ling's voice was devoid of any warmth.

From her first arrival in the Northern Barbarians to everything at today's palace banquet.

This seemingly frail woman from the Great Zhou Dynasty is shrouded in too many inexplicable mysteries.

Jiang Bingning met his scrutinizing gaze and even smiled slightly.

"Your Highness, you only need to know one thing."

"I have never done anything to harm the Northern Barbarians."