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

Jiang Bing gazed into her mother's bewildered eyes and sighed inwardly.

"Because the Prince Xin's Mansion needs a legitimate reason to stand against the Lin family."

She originally intended to tell her mother about her influence at Zhang's Iron Shop.

But seeing her mother's weakened body from days of fright, Jiang Bingning swallowed her words.

At this moment, any slight disturbance could be the last straw that breaks the camel's back.

All she could do was reassure her mother with the simplest of words.

"Mother, haven't you noticed?"

"Uncle Ji is no longer the carefree prince who only knows how to drown his sorrows in alcohol."

"He is a tiger that has been biding its time, waiting for an opportunity to show its fangs."

"And this time, Ji Shaohuan gave him this opportunity, and the Lin family also gave him this opportunity."

Liu Jingyi listened intently.

Yes.

Ji Yunhan seems to have changed.

He no longer drank every day as the rumors suggested.

He began to frequently discuss matters with his staff, and the lights in his study often stayed on until late at night.

She thought it was because of her return that he regained his spirits.

But now, after hearing what her daughter said, she was shocked to realize that all of this might have been premeditated.

A mixture of relief and pain welled up in Liu Jingyi's heart at the same time.

She murmured to herself.

"It's my fault...it's my fault for holding him back for so many years..."

Her eyes welled up with tears.

He wasn't like this when he was young.

"Back then, he was dressed in fine clothes, riding a spirited horse, and full of vigor. He was the most dazzling young man in the entire capital."

A gentle smile unconsciously appeared on Liu Jingyi's lips.

It was as if I could see that young man again, riding his horse through the streets, attracting the attention of countless young ladies.

"In terms of charisma, she is no less impressive than Ji Ling now."

Jiang Bingning gently shook her head, interrupting her mother's reminiscence.

"Mother, you are wrong."

"It wasn't you who held him back."

"On the contrary, it is precisely because of Uncle Ji's sixteen years of delay that we have achieved what we have today."

Liu Jingyi looked at her, puzzled.

"What do you mean?"

Jiang Bingning's gaze deepened.

"Imagine what the situation would be like if Uncle Ji had diligently worked to cultivate his power and build a large following over the past sixteen years?"

She paused, giving her mother time to think.

"Then, can His Majesty still tolerate a brother who holds military power and is extremely talented?"

"Can Lin Wei and his Lin family still wield such power and influence as they do today?"

"Uncle Ji's forbearance and lying low was both a way to protect himself and a way to dig a deep enough grave for the Lin family."

Liu Jingyi froze completely.

"Ning'er..."

Liu Jingyi suddenly came to her senses and grabbed Jiang Bingning's hand.

"Ning'er, quick! Go and try to persuade your Uncle Ji!"

Her voice trembled violently.

Tell him not to go! Stop arguing!

"These kinds of court struggles are always a matter of life and death; one wrong step and you're doomed!"

She was practically begging.

"I don't want him to get involved in this conflict for my sake, or for avenging the Liu family! I don't want that!"

She was afraid.

I'm really scared.

The massacre of the Liu family was a nightmare that haunted her for the rest of her life.

She didn't want to watch helplessly as the people around her fell into pools of blood again.

Jiang Bingning held her mother's hand tightly in return, using her own body heat to warm her.

"Mother, look at me."

Liu Jingyi's tearful gaze met her daughter's eyes.

"It's too late."

Jiang Bingning spoke slowly.

"From the moment we stepped into Prince Xin's mansion, the arrow was already on the bowstring, and we had no choice but to release it."

"But don't worry."

She gently wiped away the tears from her mother's eyes.

"With me here, I will never let anyone hurt you in the slightest."

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

Meanwhile, inside a tavern in the capital, a completely different scene unfolded.

"Come on! Drink!"

Wang Kun, his face flushed from drinking, had one foot on a stool, a wine bowl in his hand, and was shouting loudly at his cronies around him.

"Whoever doesn't drink themselves into a stupor today is a coward!"

"Young Master Wang is right!"

A man with a pointed mouth and monkey-like face immediately echoed his obsequiousness.

"That Lin family is utterly despicable! Just because they're the current Grand Secretary, they dare to bully people like this?"

"Exactly!" another fat man chimed in. "And that Jiang Bingning, she's just the daughter of a poor family, what's so great about her!"

Wang Kun slammed the wine bowl on the table, splashing wine everywhere. He let out a burp, a lewd smile on his face.

"I'll tell you a secret."

He lowered his voice and mysteriously beckoned with his finger.

"That Jiang Bingning, don't let her airs and pretense of being a chaste and virtuous woman fool you."

Wang Kun's tone was full of disdain and malice.

"Let me tell you, she's no longer a virgin!"

"What?!"

The crowd erupted in uproar.

"Really, Young Master Wang?"

"Of course it's true!" Wang Kun patted his chest. "Think about it, she and that Ji Ling traveled all the way back from Zhou State, spending so much time alone together. Do I need to tell you what could have happened?"

"That kid's got the looks of a decent man, and Jiang Bingning's a real slut. Dry wood and a raging fire, they were already set in motion!"

He got more and more excited as he talked.

"And they even said something like 'I will never marry until my mother is cured,' bah!"

"I bet she got pregnant by Ji Ling and is too ashamed to face anyone, so she's just making up an excuse to cover it up!"

"Ha ha ha ha!"

The foul language caused everyone at the table to burst into laughter, and the words became increasingly offensive.

"What do you call this? This is called adulterers, a match made in heaven!"

After a few rounds of drinks, the group became even more audacious.

"Let's go! Talking isn't enough!"

Wang Kun grabbed a wine jar from the table and stood up unsteadily.

"Let's go give that little bitch a big gift!"

"Let her know what happens when she offends me!"

The night was dark.

In front of the vermilion gate of Prince Xin's Mansion, several furtive figures, emboldened by alcohol, poured buckets of filthy excrement onto the lintel and stone lions.

A foul, fishy odor instantly filled the air.

They even covered an entire wall with papers filled with obscene words and saliva.

"A filial daughter loses her virginity and is ridden by ten thousand men; she wears a green hat in the Prince Xin's mansion!"

A line of large, crooked characters stood out starkly in the moonlight.

After doing all this, the group laughed wildly and disappeared into the night.

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

"Miss!"

Chun Tao was so angry that she was trembling all over and her eyes were red as she rushed into the house.

"You'd better go check! It's outside...it's outside..."

Jiang Bingning didn't even raise her head when she heard this.

"How's it outside?"

"The gate of the Prince's mansion...was splashed with something dirty by Wang Kun, and he even pasted...pasted with obscene things!"

Chun Tao's voice was trembling with tears, "The neighbors were all gathered there, pointing and whispering, saying such awful things!"

Jiang Bingning slowly raised her head, her eyes revealing only a bottomless, icy pool.

"understood."

"Send a message to Zhang Meng."

"Tell him to keep a close eye on Wang Kun."

"I want those who spread rumors to eat back their filth, bite by bite."