My brother entrusted his child to me, and I livestreamed raising the baby, making the Empress cry wi

But thinking about it carefully, it makes sense. They can't compete with numbers or weapons. Once they meet, it's certain death.

Lin Ye thought about it carefully, then casually tapped the sofa armrest with his right index finger, his mind quickly going over the distance between Yangcheng and the capital.

By now, Shu Jingwei should have received the news: the army has been annihilated and its elite forces wiped out.

Wouldn't she be furious?

Lin Ye calmly switched the designated character in the Heavenly Mirror to Shu Jingwei.

A ripple-like movement appeared on the television screen, and as the light and shadow shifted, the image gradually solidified.

He crossed his legs, his toes dangling casually, a smirk playing on his lips, and casually picked up the coffee next to him and took a sip.

The Hall of Mental Cultivation.

The atmosphere inside the hall was like a fully drawn bowstring, so tense that it was hard to breathe.

The two vermilion doors were tightly closed, blocking out the sunlight completely. Only a few rays of light squeezed in through the cracks, casting thin streaks of light on the ground.

With a thought, Lin Ye rotated the Heavenly Mirror image and enlarged it.

From this angle, you can clearly see every subtle change in Shu Jingwei's expression.

He put down his coffee cup, crossed his hands on his knees, and assumed a spectator's stance.

Shu Jingwei stood before the imperial desk.

The dragon robe was on her body, and the coiled dragon on her shoulder was embroidered with fierce claws, but at this moment the dragon was trembling violently.

Her chest heaved violently as she gasped for breath, and the veins on her forehead bulged and throbbed beneath her fair skin.

She was clutching a letter tightly in her hand, her knuckles turning white, the edges of the letter crumpled and on the verge of tearing.

Suddenly, she crumpled the letter into a ball and slammed it to the ground.

The crumpled paper bounced twice on the ground and rolled into a corner.

"Useless trash—!" Her voice was so sharp it cracked, echoing loudly in the empty hall.

Startled by the scream, Lin Ye tilted his head slightly, picked at his ear, and chuckled, "Getting impatient already?"

The messenger knelt below, his head kowtowed to the ground, his whole body trembling like a leaf, not daring to utter a sound.

On the back of his neck, cold sweat trickled down his spine, leaving a dark, damp stain on his clothes.

Shu Jingwei rested her hands on the imperial desk, her fingers picking at the gold lacquer on the surface.

Her hands were trembling, from her fingertips all the way to her shoulders.

Now, more than anger, she felt fear and panic.

Since that banquet more than half a month ago, news has been coming every few days about which city Wang Meng has captured, or even which cities he has captured.

The aristocratic families have already refused to accept her.

Even when she ordered them to be summoned, they only gave perfunctory responses.

They don't have money; they can't get things done.

Every time they came, they would either complain about being poor or whine. She could never win an argument with them, and she would always be furious but helpless, so she could only grit her teeth and swallow her anger.

Now, her elite forces have been completely wiped out.

She suddenly raised her head, and a layer of dark red blood vessels appeared in her eyes.

absolute!

This news must not be known to the powerful families!

If they find out...

Her breathing suddenly became rapid, and a hoarse gasping sound came from her throat.

maybe--

They'll take direct action against her!

Use her head to surrender to Wang Meng!

Those old bastards are absolutely capable of doing such a thing!

She suddenly turned her head, her gaze like a poisoned awl, and landed on the messenger below.

Shu Jingwei gave a wink to the guard beside her and slightly raised her chin.

The guard understood. He strode over, bent down, and grabbed the postman by the back of the collar.

The force was so great that it lifted a person halfway off the ground.

"Your Majesty—! Your Majesty, spare my life—!"

The courier realized what was happening and suddenly screamed.

The sound was sharp and piercing. The courier kicked his legs wildly on the ground, his boots screeching against the gold bricks.

The guards quickly dragged him out, leaving a twisted, wet trail in his wake.

The palace doors opened and closed again, a beam of sunlight rushed in and then disappeared in an instant, followed by a short, muffled thud from outside the door.

Silence returned to everything.

Lin Ye clicked his tongue softly following the muffled sound, shook his head, and it was unclear whether it was out of regret or sarcasm.

"Poor thing, he lost his life just for delivering a message."

Shu Jingwei stood still, her hands still resting on the imperial desk.

The sweat on my palms soaked through the gold paint, making it sticky and cold.

Her breathing gradually calmed down, but the fear seeping from the bottom of her heart did not lessen at all; on the contrary, it became even stronger.

"but……"

She murmured to herself, her lips moving, her voice as soft as the wind.

"You can hide it for a while, but not forever..."

She raised her hand and pressed it against her forehead. Her fingertips were icy cold, and the touch of them against her burning skin sent a shiver down her spine.

"What should I do when Wang Meng attacks?"

Her voice began to tremble, and her lips started to quiver.

"Even such a powerful elite force couldn't stop him, so how can I possibly hold onto my throne?"

Lin Ye looked at the scene reflected in the celestial mirror.

He heard Shu Jingwei's tearful mutterings, and a cold smile slowly spread across his lips as he let out a sneer.

"You think you're so capable?" His voice was low, carrying a sinister sense of pleasure.

"Now you're panicking?"

Her hand slid down from her forehead, covering half of her face, leaving only one eye exposed.

The arrogance and haughtiness of the past were gone from those eyes; they were now filled with an empty, helpless, and almost desperate light.

Unable to control herself, she thought of that person again.

"Ye Fan..."

Shu Jingwei murmured the name.

The moment those two words entered his ears, Lin Ye's previously relaxed back suddenly straightened, and his eyes darkened.

This damned woman dares to mention Ye Fan?!

"If only Ye Fan were here... Ye Fan managed my country so well before... When Ye Fan was here..."

She recalled that when Ye Fan was in power, the court was well-organized, the borders were peaceful, the granaries were full, and the ministers performed their duties. She didn't have to worry about anything.

But now?

The current court is full of ulterior motives; everyone is like a pile of loose sand, ready to fall apart even without the wind.

A tear slid from the eye that was covering half her face, trickled down between her fingers, and dripped onto the floor tiles with a very faint patter.

Lin Ye watched as Shu Jingwei covered half her face, saw the tears seeping through her fingers, and heard her sobbing, "If only Ye Fan were here."

His jawline was taut, and his hands, which were resting on his knees, slowly clenched into fists.

"Now you've remembered my brother?"

The voice was very low, yet it carried a chilling edge.

"When you drove him to the brink, did you ever imagine this day would come?"

He paused, loosened his fist, and slowly leaned back against the sofa.

"Just wait and see."

He stared at Shu Jingwei's disheveled face in the mirror, speaking slowly and deliberately.

"This is just the beginning..."