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

The Dowager Empress remained silent.

She could only hold her granddaughter, who had lost her mother at a young age, even tighter in her arms.

On the other hand, Ji Zhaowu did not follow the Dowager Empress to her courtyard.

He found several elderly people in the mansion and chatted casually with them.

"Uncle Li, I've been away from home for a year, and the manor has changed quite a bit."

"Consort Lin...has she really been divorced?"

"Just who are Madam Liu and Miss Jiang?"

He went to Jinse Courtyard again.

There, a great fire had reduced everything to ruins.

He stood before the ruins, staring coldly at the charred beams.

He heard that his elder brother, the Crown Prince, almost perished in a fire while trying to save Jiang Bingning.

Finally, his steps stopped behind the artificial hill not far from Tingxuexuan.

He saw his father, who was speaking to Liu Jingyi with a look of apology on his face.

He saw the girl named Jiang Bingning standing quietly to the side, as if all the turmoil before her had nothing to do with her.

Ji Zhaowu's heart sank.

This woman is so calm.

She was so calm, it was nothing like a sixteen-year-old girl.

Late at night.

Ji Shaohuan returned to her courtyard with swollen eyes from crying.

Ji Zhaowu was already waiting there.

"elder brother."

Ji Shaohuan's voice still had a strong nasal tone.

Ji Zhaowu poured her a cup of hot tea.

"Are you done crying?"

Ji Shaohuan took the teacup and nodded.

"Grandmother didn't say anything, she just told me to stop making a fuss."

Ji Zhaowu sneered.

"Grandmother naturally wouldn't say anything."

"Her tacit approval means that this mother and daughter are useful to the Prince Xin's mansion."

Ji Shaohuan bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes again.

"Brother, Father has changed."

"I've never seen the way he looked at that Madam Liu before."

"And then there's Jiang Bingning... The moment she arrived, the manor was turned upside down. Even someone as arrogant and domineering as Consort Lin fell from grace so easily."

Ji Zhaowu looked out the window towards Tingxue Pavilion and spoke slowly.

"That Jiang Bingning is not simple."

He paused.

"She's not here as a guest."

"She's here to take everything away from us."

Ji Shaohuan suddenly raised his head, a hint of fear flashing in his eyes, but even more so, hatred.

She wiped away her tears, and her gaze hardened.

"Brother, we must protect the palace for Mother!"

Ji Zhaowu looked at his younger sister.

They lost their mother at a young age.

In that cold palace, the word "mother" was their only warmth and faith.

They learned to read people's expressions earlier than their peers, and understood the meaning of pretense and scheming earlier.

Because they know that if they don't become strong, no one will protect them.

Ji Zhaowu shook his head, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes that was beyond his years.

"Defend?"

"No."

"We must take back everything that belongs to our mother, one by one."

-----------------

Inside the study of Tingxuexuan, the candlelight flickered.

Jiang Bingning sat at the desk, somewhat dazed.

really.

It's this time.

In their previous life, Ji Zhaowu and Ji Shaohuan also returned to the manor at this time.

But at that time, Consort Lin was still alive.

The young boy and girl, who had just returned from the academy, were like two enraged wolf cubs, and almost immediately began tearing into Consort Lin.

Jiang Yuerong was repeatedly pushed forward by Consort Lin, who used the most vicious words and the most despicable means to confront and frame Ji Zhaowu and his sister.

The end result was that the brother and sister placed all their hatred on Jiang Yuerong.

He also harbored deep hatred for his mother.

That hatred, like a maggot clinging to a bone, eventually led to a major disaster, nearly causing the Prince Xin's mansion to fall apart completely.

Jiang Bingning's fingertips slowly tightened.

She would never allow the tragedy of her previous life to repeat itself.

With Consort Lin's downfall in this life, the biggest obstacle seems to have been cleared.

But when she looked into Ji Shaohuan's eyes, which were filled with hatred today, alarm bells rang in her heart.

Without Consort Lin as a target, the hatred of the siblings might all be transferred to their mother.

My mother is not yet fully recovered.

Prince Xin did feel guilty towards his mother and also wanted to make amends.

But the minds of young people are the most stubborn and the most unpredictable.

The hatred they held dear could not be resolved by a few kind words from their father.

Jiang Bingning's heart sank once again.

He faced the danger of losing his military seal ahead and the hatred between his siblings behind.

Every step was like walking on thin ice.

Just then, Chun Tao's slightly panicked voice came from outside the door to report.

"Miss, His Highness the King of Yue has arrived!"

Jiang Bingning suddenly raised her head.

Ji Ling?

Why did he come?

Before she could think it through, the curtain to the study had already been lifted.

Ji Ling, dressed in a black brocade robe, stood with his hands behind his back at the door.

He dismissed the servants and walked straight in, his gaze falling on Jiang Bingning with a faint smile.

"I heard that my cousin and cousin-in-law have returned."

His voice was not high.

"The commotion is quite significant."

Jiang Bingning stood up without looking at Ji Ling. Instead, she concealed all her thoughts and calmly walked to the tea table to begin brewing tea.

Boiling water was poured into the teapot, hissing as it poured, and wisps of white steam rose, blurring her face.

Ji Ling didn't urge her, but just watched her with great interest.

Watch how she quickly regains her impeccable composure from her momentary daze.

"My cousins ​​are much more troublesome than Ji Chengyun."

He spoke slowly, as if chatting casually.

"I wonder if you have the ability to subdue them in the same way you subdued Ji Chengyun?"

These words carried a hint of probing and a touch of mockery.

Jiang Bingning picked up the teapot and placed a cup of amber-colored tea steadily on the table in front of him.

Not a drop of tea spilled.

"Your Highness, the King of Yue."

Her gaze was as cold as water.

"That's a bit too much to ask."

Ji Ling's smile faltered slightly.

He looked at the girl in front of him, who was no more than sixteen years old.

Despite being at the center of the storm, she remained calm like an outsider, speaking the most hurtful words in the most indifferent tone.

interesting.

He picked up the teacup and blew on it to cool it down, but didn't drink it.

Immediately, he abandoned his probing thoughts, his expression became serious, and he adopted a completely different tone.

To get straight to the point.

"I've heard that you want to go to the Liu family's old residence. What brings you there?"

Jiang Bingning's expression immediately turned cold.

"Your Highness, this is my private matter and has nothing to do with you."

Ji Ling placed his hands on the chair, leaned back, and revealed his sharply defined jawline.

He acted nonchalantly, as if he were talking about a trivial matter that he didn't care about at all.

"The Lin family visited the secret room in the Liu family's ancestral home three months ago."

Jiang Bingning's hand, which was pouring tea, suddenly froze.

The tea spilled over the rim of the cup and burned her fingertips.

She seemed oblivious to the pain, staring intently at Ji Ling.

Ji Ling took in her reaction.

"They should have already taken the items."

He paused, then changed the subject.

"But they don't know."

"You still have what they want in your hands."