The noble girl is beautiful.

The snow fell heavily, and the cold wind howled. Hua Mei ran in from outside, rubbing her hands and stamping her feet, saying, “It’s freezing out there.”
Du Juan came out from inside and said, “There’s ginger tea in the warming pot. Have a bowl to warm yourself up.”

Hua Mei took a blue-green lidded bowl, poured herself a bowl of ginger tea, and held it in her hands, drinking it while warming herself.

Shen Yourong sat on the inner couch, pressing red plum blossoms between the pages of a book. Even the most beautiful flowers would wilt a few days after leaving the branch. With nothing else to do, she used this method to preserve the flowers.
Hua Mei glanced over and said, “Miss, it’s so cold outside. You should play for a while and then sit on the bed.”

Shen Yourong looked through the glass window at the sky and said, “The weather this winter is unusual. It thundered in the middle of the night, and now it’s snowing endlessly.”

“That’s true,” Hua Mei said quietly when no one was around. “People say this is a punishment from heaven. Otherwise, why would something happen to the Crown Prince out of the blue?”

Du Juan, who had come in with a small hand warmer, said, “Don’t speak like that. It might bring trouble.”

“I know,” Hua Mei said, “I’m only speaking in front of the miss. If any other maids or servants talk too much, I’ll scold them.”

Shen Yourong stared at the heavy snow outside, feeling an uneasy sense of foreboding.

“It’s only the morning, but the sky is already so gloomy,” Shen Yourong instructed Du Juan, “Light some lamps in the room.”

Du Juan set down what she was holding and went out. Just then, several stewards, braving the wind and snow, arrived and said at the door, “The Virtuous Consort has ordered that Miss Shen go to the palace.”

In the Hall, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense. The Emperor, unable to kill Duke Qi, had gone from initial rage to complete calm. His eyes, sharp as a serpent’s, scrutinized every minister, as if he could dig out their hearts and see which faction they belonged to.

Duke Qi was still passionately arguing for the appointment of Prince Duan as the heir. Besides him, many others, including Minister Yao, Duke Yong’an, and Scholar Song, all high-ranking court officials, supported this proposal.

The Emperor’s fingertips were numb; Ji Zhuo could not be retained any longer, he decided.

Outside the Hall, soldiers clad in iron armor quietly surrounded the entire palace. In the snowstorm, Ji Zhuo, dressed in plain clothing with a plain belt and shoes, walked into the Hall with poise.

Someone must have been the first to notice the palace was surrounded. A cry of alarm spread through the hall, startling everyone.

The Emperor looked towards the palace gate and saw Ji Zhuo slowly walking in through the open doors, his figure visible against the snowy sky.

The court officials instantly erupted into chaos, looking at the scene in confusion. The Duke Anguo was the first to speak out, “Ji Zhuo, you’ve surrounded the palace with soldiers—are you staging a rebellion?!”

Ji Zhuo glanced at him, and immediately soldiers rushed over to apprehend him. He looked at the Emperor and said, “It’s not a rebellion. I’m here to relieve Your Majesty’s troubles.”

The Emperor’s face darkened. “Relieve my troubles? Is this how you intend to do it?”

Ji Zhuo merely smiled, and someone immediately said, “Prince Duan is a legitimate member of the royal family. During the discussion about the heir, he should be present!”

The Emperor’s expression grew even more grim. The court officials looked at each other, some disapproving of him, but only subtly expressing that the assassination of the emperor and usurpation of the throne would lead to eternal disgrace.

The Duke of Qi stood among the crowd, frowning at the current situation. He wanted to say something but was pulled back by Shen Shuo. Shen Ying looked back and saw Shen Shuo behind him, shaking his head slightly.

Shen Ying was greatly shocked, both by Shen Shuo’s position and by Ji Zhuo’s calm demeanor amid so many supporters in the court.

The high-ranking officials were guarded by heavily armed soldiers. The doors of the Hall were open, and the cold wind howled inside, causing many people to shiver.

The Emperor was taken to the inner chambers, where palace maids and eunuchs were all driven out. Soldiers stood every few steps, guarding the now helpless and aged ruler.

Ji Zhuo stood before a censer, took three sticks of sandalwood incense, and lit them with the lamp. The smoke rose in wisps as he placed the incense in the censer and bowed three times.

“Today is the anniversary of my mother’s death,” he said slowly. “Thanks to Your Majesty’s favor, I’ve never properly arranged a ceremony for her in twenty years.”

The Emperor’s face grew more unpleasant as he glanced at the censer with distaste.

“The Crown Prince’s fall was your doing,” the Emperor said.

“Yes, and no,” Ji Zhuo turned his head and looked down at the Emperor. “The Crown Prince has a subordinate named Wei Xiliang in the Eastern Palace. Do you know who he is?”

The Emperor frowned. “Is he one of your spies?”

Ji Zhuo shook his head. “Wei Xiliang’s original surname was Feng. He was the heir of the Cheng’en state. Last autumn, the Cheng’en state was implicated in a corruption case, resulting in the extermination of the entire family. Does Your Majesty remember this?”

The Emperor’s expression darkened. Ji Zhuo continued, “I saved him. Later, he reinvented himself and gained the Crown Prince’s favor, joining the Eastern Palace. The idea of the Crown Prince’s sacrifice was his.”

“Good, good, good,” the Emperor trembled with anger. “What about Little Seven? His illness—is it related to you?”

Ji Zhuo thought for a moment and said, “The Crown Prince did seek my opinion on this matter.”

The Crown Prince’s intentions, combined with Ji Zhuo’s influence, had created the current dire situation for the Emperor.

The Emperor exhaled heavily, like a deflated bellows, his voice hoarse. “Ji Zhuo, are you not afraid of retribution? You harm children and do not fear consequences?”

“Children?” Ji Zhuo sneered. “My mother was tortured to death when she was only twenty. The Cheng’en state’s entire family was exterminated. At this moment, you ask me for mercy?”

He stared at him coldly. “I am not afraid of retribution. But you—your retribution has already arrived.”

The Emperor laughed wildly. “Is that so?”

Ji Zhuo’s gaze sharpened. From behind the bed, two figures emerged. One was the eunuch Wang You, holding a sharp blade and holding Shen Yourong hostage.

Changming and Chang Su rushed to block Ji Zhuo, fearing Wang You might attack him.

Ji Zhuo’s eyes turned cold as the Emperor’s hoarse laughter filled the entire inner chamber. “Today, I will declare Shen Yourong as Empress and have her accompany me in death!”

Shen Yourong’s fair neck was pressed by the sharp blade, with a thin streak of blood already seeping out due to Wang You’s heavy hand. She clenched her fists tightly, looking at Ji Zhuo, unsure of what he was thinking.

The Emperor looked at Ji Zhuo with uncertainty, unsure of the exact nature of Shen Yourong’s relationship with him. He believed that it was better to mistakenly kill one person than to let someone who could be Ji Zhuo’s weakness go unpunished.

Ji Zhuo coldly stared at the Emperor and ordered the soldiers, “Bring Consort Li and the Seventh Prince here.”

The Emperor’s expression immediately faltered. Ji Zhuo’s voice was as cold as frost, “If you lay a finger on her, I will exact double the retribution on the Seventh Prince. If anything happens to her, I will make sure Consort Li and the Seventh Prince are buried with you.”

Soon, Consort Li was brought in, her makeup smudged, holding a young child who could barely walk. When she saw the Emperor, she tried to rush towards him but was stopped by the soldiers and pushed to the ground.

Ji Zhuo slowly drew his blade, its cold gleam reflecting menacingly in front of the Seventh Prince. The young child, terrified and crying, clung to Consort Li.

The Emperor’s face was contorted with rage. The child’s cries, piercing and shrill, mixed with the howling wind and snow outside, created a chilling atmosphere.

Ji Zhuo gave the Emperor no time to hesitate. His blade was poised to strike the Seventh Prince. Consort Li struggled wildly, and the Emperor, trembling, shouted, “Let him go! Let Shen Yourong go! Release my son!”

Wang You’s hands trembled, and the dagger he was holding fell to the ground. Chang Su stepped forward and executed Wang You, blood splattering onto Shen Yourong.

Ji Zhuo discarded the Seventh Prince and brought Shen Yourong to his side.

Shen Yourong’s face was pale as she looked at him, seemingly wanting to say a thousand things. Ji Zhuo remained silent and simply wiped the blood from her face.

Changming had already arranged for Wang You’s body to be removed and had detained Consort Li and the Seventh Prince. The Emperor, now slumped on the ground, appeared utterly defeated and worn out.

“Ji Zhuo is a regicide, a usurper who harms children, unfaithful, ungrateful, and inhumane. Anyone who follows him will have a bad end.”

Shen Yourong hesitated, and the Emperor continued, “Duke Qi is related by marriage to the Crown Prince. Are you not afraid Ji Zhuo will come after Duke Qi as well? It’s a pity that so many are blind to the evil beneath his facade!”

Ji Zhuo paused, his face darkening with an unspoken rage.

“If you don’t want your lineage to be extinguished, shut your mouth.”

The Emperor suddenly burst into a mad laugh, his voice echoing eerily through the silent hall. “My lineage will not be extinguished! Ji Zhuo, I have you as a son. My lineage will endure!”

Shen Yourong looked at Ji Zhuo in shock as his expression turned cold and fearsome. Through gritted teeth, he managed to ask, “What did you say?”

“I said, you are my son!” the Emperor declared. “When the late Emperor married Empress Zhao Yi, he was already over sixty. That old man could no longer father children. So I had to solve the problem for the throne and secretly moved the royal consort to the Eastern Palace…”

A girl of barely twenty years, moved secretly to the Eastern Palace, was trapped in a grand palace with a beastly figure. No matter how she struggled, escape was impossible.

Shen Yourong’s face grew pale with disgust. Such a man, such a heinous person who had violated his own mother, could still be the ruler worshipped by millions.

The Emperor laughed wildly, appearing almost insane. “You’ve known all along, haven’t you? You’ve suspected your own origins! Ji Zhuo, claim your true heritage! I make you Crown Prince! You are my son! You should inherit the throne!”

Ji Zhuo’s expression was grim, his whole being tense. He picked up the fallen knife and stared at the Emperor with intensity.

Shen Yourong rushed forward and embraced him. “You cannot, you cannot kill him.”

Ji Zhuo gritted his teeth and said, “He is not my father.”

“I know, I know,” Shen Yourong said, looking at him. “But you cannot kill him. He will die sooner or later. Don’t soil your hands with this.”

Ji Zhuo and Shen Yourong were locked in a tense stand-off. The Emperor continued to laugh madly but suddenly choked and coughed up a large mouthful of blood, collapsing to the ground, unconscious.

Seeing Shen Yourong’s eyes, Ji Zhuo slowly lowered the knife. The snowstorm outside continued to rage, soon covering all traces of blood and disgrace.