Chapter 82 Can't Help Oneself

. It turned out they thought she had amnesia and were pretending not to know. Yun Qianyue looked up helplessly at the sky, suddenly feeling something was wrong. She recalled Rong Feng's words and Rong...Chapter 82 Involuntary Feelings

Yun Qianyue looked at Rong Jing. Was she saying that Miss Zhao had lost her heart to Ye Tianyu Where did this come from

Rong Jing said no more and turned his gaze toward the main entrance.

Yun Qianyue pursed her lips in dissatisfaction. There was a reason for Rong Jing's words, but she truly didn't understand what he meant by it. When did this become something to do with her Seeing that Rong Jing wasn't going to speak anymore, she decided not to ask and instead held the wine jar while looking toward the main entrance.

"Long live His Majesty! Long live!" The ministers knelt down, their voices thundering in unison.

The old emperor descended from his jade carriage, supported by Wenhua. He scanned everyone present before fixing his gaze on Rong Jing and Yun Qianyue, but he did not say a word.

At this moment, the crowd saw that Rong Jing and Yun Qianyue were still seated without moving. There was an instant of silence.

"Uncle Emperor, you came neither too early nor too late. Why did you choose to come when we've nearly finished eating This is rather disappointing! I'm about to finish this jar of wine," Yun Qianyue's voice carried a hint of drunkenness. Her originally clear eyes were now clouded over with haze as she spoke, holding the wine jar and taking another sip. Her tongue was slightly thick.

The old emperor frowned but still didn't speak; instead, he looked at Rong Jing.

Rong Jing's face also showed signs of being drunk. He slowly said each word with care: "Your Majesty, I did not expect you to come today. Cloud Qianyue has been pouring me a lot of wine. It was quite unpleasant, and now my body is weak and my legs are trembling. That’s why I didn't get up to greet your arrival."

In her heart, Yun Qianyue rolled her eyes; she had never made him drink so much! However, he did indeed have a lot of alcohol in his system.

The old emperor's face softened slightly and scolded Yun Qianyue. His tone was not severe: "Miss Moon, you're causing trouble again. As a lady, why would you drink so much Prince Jing is unwell with an undisclosed illness; if you make him collapse from drinking too much, I won't forgive you."

"Haha, that's not possible! Who do you think he is After resting for the night, he'll be right back to handling official matters for you," Yun Qianyue chuckled and poured herself another mouthful of wine. The sweet and clear liquor flowed down her throat.

The crowd watched as she drank large gulps of wine like it was water. Even though this was top-quality pear blossom white, no one could withstand drinking it so recklessly. Everyone couldn't help but sigh; indeed, Miss Yun Qianyue lived up to her reputation. Any ordinary woman would be unable to even finish a cup.

"I can see that you've really had too much!" The old emperor scolded again and then ignored her as he waved his hand toward the crowd: "Everyone, no need for formalities!"

“Thank You, Your Majesty!” Everyone stood up.

“Where is Tianyu Today is his birthday. Why isn’t he here” The old emperor finally inquired about why he had come.

No one answered him.

"Hm" The old emperor looked at everyone present.

The steward of the Fourth Prince's residence hurriedly stepped forward and replied: "Your Majesty, our prince is feeling unwell…"

“Feeling unwell How so” The old emperor asked sternly.

"This…," the steward seemed reluctant to speak further; he didn’t know how to articulate it.

The old emperor stared at him with piercing eyes and said, "Just tell me where he is."

“He’s in the inner courtyard…” The steward trembled slightly as he lowered his head, expressing his fear.

"Let's go see him!" Upon hearing this, the old emperor began to walk toward the inner courtyard.

"This, Your Majesty, please stay here. I will go and invite the Prince." The head steward was startled and hurriedly stopped the old emperor.

The old emperor kicked him aside with his foot. "Get out of my way. I'll go myself. I want to see what he's doing on this day, hiding from everyone who has come to celebrate his birthday."

The old emperor used some force with that kick, but since he was already elderly, even if there was some strength behind it, it wasn't much. Logically speaking, kicking the head steward shouldn't have been so heavy; however, he had rolled over and ended up on the side.

No one could stop the old emperor in front of him anymore. He took large steps towards the inner courtyard, with Wen Lai and others following closely behind him.

The crowd exchanged a glance. Several important ministers like Duke De, Duke Xiao, Cloud Prince Wang, Minister Qin, etc., started to follow as well. Ye Tianyi glanced at Yun Qianmo and followed too; when he moved, the several young princes also rushed after him.

Ye Qingran watched everyone rush into the inner courtyard, then turned to look at Yun Qianmo and asked, "Little girl, do you want to join in the fun"

Holding a wine jar, Yun Qianmo stood up and nodded. "Of course I'm going!"

Ye Qingran nodded, then looked over at Rong Jing. Rong Jing slowly got up from his seat and left the table. Although he appeared to be half-drunk, how could it be that his legs were too weak to stand He let out a soft snort, "Weakling, aren't your feet soft"

"Just now, they were indeed soft," Rong Jing replied.

Ye Qingran glared at him and turned around to leave.

Holding the wine jar, Yun Qianmo reached out and tugged on Rong Jing. She kindly said, "Come, I'll help you up. Next time, I won't pour so much wine for you; otherwise, you might not be able to welcome His Majesty."

"Mm." Rong Jing answered seriously.

Rong Feng looked at the two of them with a smile and shook his head. It seemed Ye Tianqing found this amusing as well. The group stopped talking and walked towards the inner courtyard.

Yun Qianmo dragged Rong Jing slowly walking at the back, thinking about what dramatic scene would unfold next. Since the old emperor came to catch them in the act, he must have already thought of a way to deal with it; otherwise, he should pretend not to know.

Just as they arrived outside Ye Tianyu's bedroom, Yun Qianmo heard the old emperor's explosive shout from inside, "You scoundrel, what are you doing"

Hearing this, she pulled Rong Jing and quickened their pace to squeeze through the crowd. She saw the old emperor standing at the door of the inner chamber, looking in. His back was turned to everyone; one couldn't see his expression, but from that voice, one could imagine it was definitely grim.

"Father" Ye Tianyu's surprised voice rang out.

“Ah...” Zhao Kehan’s familiar sharp cry.

Hearing these sounds, everyone knew what had happened inside. The Minister of War standing behind the crowd went weak at the knees upon hearing this and his face turned pale with a tragic look in his eyes.

Yun Qianmo pitied the Minister of War; these days, under the pressure from both the old emperor and her own daughter, he must have had a tough time. The old emperor clearly favored Ye Tianyi, and compared to Ye Tianyu, Ye Tianyi was better in terms of schemes, ruthlessness, and capabilities, with the support of the northern border as well. He was the person most likely to seize power. Although Ye Tianyu had an excellent background and his grandfather’s support, even if he allied with Ye Tianqin now, his chances of winning were slim to none. Therefore, logically speaking, he should choose Ye Tianyi. But because this was his only daughter who liked Ye Tianyu, it's no wonder he went gray-haired.

"Scoundrel! You really... dared to do such a lewd thing in front of everyone... you..." The old emperor seemed to be trembling with anger; after a moment, he shouted loudly, "Servants, take this...

"Father, please leave for now. Whatever it is, I'll talk about it once I'm dressed," Ye Tianyu was also surprised but his voice remained calm.

The old emperor seemed unprepared that at such a time, Ye Tianyu would dare to interrupt him; he roared furiously, "You still have the nerve As for this shameless person, no clothes are needed! Servants, take away this beast..."

"Father! I am your son. Even if my actions may be inappropriate, they aren't unforgivable crimes. If I am a beast, what about my second brother and all of the other imperial brothers" Ye Tianyu interrupted his father.

“You dare to talk back to me Servants, take him away...” The old emperor raged uncontrollably.

"Uncle Emperor, Heaven is benevolent and kind. If you want to catch them in the act, let the people inside come out first. If you want to punish by beheading, give them a chance to defend themselves. If you want to beat or scold, he is your son. You did not educate him well, but it's not his fault, right" Yun Qianyue flung away Rong Jing's hand and carried the wine jar forward lazily.

The old emperor suddenly turned around and looked at Yun Qianyue with stormy eyes.

"Uncle Emperor, did I say something wrong There are so many people here. Everyone says that family secrets should not be disclosed publicly. What's inside is probably just a private matter. Who among us standing here doesn't have concubines or secondary wives in their household Uncle Emperor, you also have three thousand beauties in the palace, right When emotions run high, who cares about when it happens Day or night It's not a big deal. Can you say that you didn't spend springtime with any of your imperial consorts during the day I don't get it; what are you so angry about" Yun Qianyue seemed extremely puzzled as she looked at the old emperor.

Everyone lowered their heads, thinking to themselves that only Miss Yun Qianyue would dare say such things. However, her words were indeed true facts.

Hearing this, some kind of storm raged even more fiercely within the old emperor's heart, but it seemed he had no immediate retort and could only glare at Yun Qianyue.

Yun Qianyue showed not a bit of fear. She blinked innocently at the old emperor, "People say that those who drink too much tend to get angry easily. But you don't seem like someone who has been drinking. Why are you so irate Could it be because you've grown senile and your temper is now as flammable as firewood This is just like my grandfather; it's really not good. You should quickly rein yourself in, otherwise, you'll scare away all of your ministers. Who will help you manage the government then"

The old emperor’s forehead veins were bulging out visibly, but he still stared intensely at Yun Qianyue, his eyes already filled with killing intent.

Yun Qianyue stood lazily and after finishing her speech, she took a large gulp of wine from the jar. She clearly felt the old emperor's murderous intent; this was definitely not the first time he had harbored such thoughts toward her, but it was undoubtedly the most intense so far. Although the sun was high in the sky and the weather was clear yet slightly warm, she could feel a chill seeping through every cell of her body as if she were about to be frozen over. She found this rather amusing and dismissive.

Rong Jing stood beside Yun Qianyue, seemingly oblivious to the old emperor's killing intent, appearing somewhat drunk with an air of tranquility.

"Yes, Father Emperor, Fourth Brother has always been emotionally stirred up and cannot control himself. This isn't a major issue either; it's just like how this son treated Yu Ning in the past; he couldn't help but act on his emotions. Although this matter is inappropriate, please allow Fourth Brother to dress and come out so we can understand what happened before determining any punishment." Ye Tianqiong also hurriedly stepped in to support Yun Qianyue.

"Your Majesty, the Second Prince and Miss Yun are right. Let's wait for Fourth Prince to come out first!" Rong Feng spoke up at this time.

Ye Qingran glanced at Yun Qianyue, pursed his lips, and said, "Uncle Emperor, Night Tianyu has always been a bit of an eccentric fellow; it’s not strange that he would do something like this now. Just call him out to ask what happened. By the way, we're also curious about who the woman in there is Who can make such a notorious character hide here during broad daylight and indulge himself"

"Your Majesty, let's wait until Fourth Prince comes out first!" The Cloud Imperial General respectfully requested.

The Filial Piety Prince glanced at the Cloud Imperial General then scanned Rong Jing and Yun Qianyue, Ye Qingran and Rong Feng. He finally looked at Ye Tianyi who had been silent throughout. It seemed he hesitated for a moment before stepping forward to request, "Your Majesty, there must be reasons behind this matter. To condemn someone without knowing the circumstances is not good. Fourth Prince isn't someone who doesn’t understand the big picture."

"Your Majesty, what Cold Prince said makes sense," The Virtuous Prince briefly added.

"Uncle Emperor…" Everyone expressed their opinions one after another, all urging for Ye Tianyu to come out and dress before any blame is assigned.

Only Ye Tianyi remained silent from beginning to end.

The old emperor seemed to take a deep breath before dispelling the killing intent in his eyes. The storm within him calmed down somewhat as he coldly ordered inside, "Get out quickly! All of you come out! Let this Emperor see who is the woman of unparalleled beauty that has my son so captivated and neglecting his duties during daylight hours."

The Minister of War's legs completely gave way and he knelt down with a thud.

Everyone’s gazes turned to the Minister of War, some having heard Zhao Kehan's scream earlier and guessing what had happened. Some didn't recognize whose voice it was but seeing the Minister of War's reaction now made them realize that it must have been Zhao Kehan inside.

The old emperor acted as though he hadn’t seen the situation with the Minister of War, taking a step down from the stairs and standing in the courtyard.

Yun Qianyue stepped forward and offered the wine jar to the old emperor, "Uncle Emperor, drink some wine to calm your nerves. You've been ruling for half a lifetime; why are you so startled by this Intimacy is something that has always existed throughout history. You should be happy; perhaps next month we'll receive news of Fourth Prince’s residence having someone pregnant with your grandson. What great news!"

"Shut up!" The old emperor waved his hand, opening Yun Qianyue's offering.

The old emperor used too much force; the wine jar slipped from Yun Qianyue's hands and flew out. She seemed drunk and failed to catch it as she watched it about to fall to the ground. In her panic, she fell onto the ground rolling twice and just managed to grab the jar without spilling a drop.

Everyone was startled by this scene and looked at her in unison.

Wearing a somewhat drunk appearance, Yun Qianyue sat up with the wine jar in her arms but didn’t immediately get up. Instead, she sat on the ground and complained to the old emperor: "Imperial Uncle, you are truly unreasonable! If you don't want to drink, then just say so! Why did you have to open my gift You could've told me if you didn’t want it, and I would’ve taken it back. This is top-grade pear blossom white wine. Although not extremely precious, it's also hard to find on the market. Fortunately, I’m still quite agile; otherwise, this good wine would’ve been wasted. Even though there’s not much left now, that’s better than wasting it."

The old emperor coldly glanced at her and scolded: "Moonie, you’d best shut your mouth! I don’t want to hear what you have to say today."

"Alright, I won’t speak then!" Yun Qianyue readily agreed with a nod. She hugged the wine jar in one hand while stretching her other out towards Rong Jing.

Rong Jing stepped forward and offered his hand to her.

Yun Qianyue placed her hand on top of Rong Jing’s, completely ignoring the surroundings as she gripped it. She used his strength to stand up unsteadily. Between them, there was no taboo against intimate contact.

The old emperor glanced at both of them and a dark look appeared on his face, but he didn’t speak anymore.

No one dared even breathe loudly as they waited silently. In this courtyard, over a hundred people were present without anyone making a sound.

It seemed like quite some time had passed when Ye Tianyu dragged Zhao Kehan out by the hand; the two of them appeared tidy and composed. Apart from Zhao Kehan’s slightly loose hairdo and her somewhat delicate appearance, one could not tell that she was in a state of disarray.

"Ye Tianyu! Tell me what is going on here!" The old emperor glared at both of them with anger. "Kneel down!"

Ye Tianyu sized up everyone and pulled Zhao Kehan to kneel on the ground, his voice calm without a hint of fear or anxiety. "Father Emperor, this is what you saw. Your son couldn’t help himself."

"Couldn't help yourself" The old emperor frowned.

"Yes!" Ye Tianyu nodded.

"It's broad daylight and the guests are all present; yet you tell me that you were unable to control yourself Looking at your calm demeanor, it seems like this has enraged me again or there must be some other reason. Regardless, I am rising in anger." The old emperor was once more irate as he said, "This kind of behavior during the daytime is a disgrace to morality! If everyone acted like this, how could the Tian Sheng customs remain intact" Without giving Ye Tianyu any chance to speak up again, he roared: "Is that woman your daughter, Minister of War"

The Minister of War had long since knelt on the ground and was now nodding with a pale face. "Yes, Your Majesty! That’s my little girl!"

"You did an excellent job raising her! She enticed your son to indulge in such despicable behavior during the day. Do you realize how guilty this makes you" The old emperor questioned the Minister of War.

The already pale face of the minister now turned ghostly white as he cried out, "Your Majesty, please forgive me! I truly did not know…"

"Zhao Kehan enticed Fourth Prince Ye Tianyu to fornicate during daylight hours. She’s a seductive and corrupting woman. Guards, drag her away and immediately execute her!" The old emperor ignored the minister and gave instructions to those behind him.

Everyone was greatly alarmed.

A chill ran through Yun Qianyue’s heart as she realized that Rong Jing had indeed guessed correctly; the old emperor did not treat Ye Tianyu and Zhao Kehan in the same manner he treated Ye Tianqing and Qin Yuning. Instead, he directly labeled Zhao Kehan as a corrupting woman who seduced a prince—a serious offense.

"Father Emperor! This isn’t her fault; it’s mine. If you are going to punish someone, please punish me!" Ye Tianyu protected Zhao Kehan in his arms.

Zhao Kehan remained calm with no signs of panic and silently allowed herself to be held by Ye Tianyu.

"Guards! Drag her away!" The old emperor coldly ordered again.

“Yes, Your Majesty!” Some palace guards stepped forward to take Zhao Kehan away.

"Your Majesty, spare me her life; she is my only daughter…" the Minister of War was terrified and knelt down quickly in a panic.

"If you can’t raise your daughter properly, what’s there to forgive If someone could teach out such a woman who doesn't abide by feminine virtues and uses her charms to corrupt, how good could the father be I don’t need such subjects! Guards, plug his mouth! Arrest him and punish him together!" The old emperor coldly commanded.

Another guard heard the commotion and stepped forward, restraining the Minister of War while covering his mouth.

"Father Emperor, Han兒 and I are mutually fond of each other. Although it's inappropriate to confess in broad daylight, we couldn't help ourselves as she said earlier—how many people have ever succumbed to their feelings during the day It isn’t just my case. Now that this has happened, I don’t regret a thing, but it’s not because Han兒 bewitched me; rather, I’ve harbored feelings for her and couldn’t resist them. If you kill her, then go ahead and kill me too. My mother died early anyway, and Father Emperor doesn't care about me either. Being able to die alongside Han兒 is what I want," Night Tianyu waved his hand at the guards who were approaching him and protected Zhao Kehan in his embrace.

"Very well then! You are indeed my good son! Your mother was a virtuous woman, how could she give birth to such an unproductive son who only cares about women Since that’s the case, bring them all here. I will see who dares to do something like this again!" The old emperor raged with fury.

The guards heard and stepped forward once more, not just taking Zhao Kehan but also Night Tianyu.

"Father Emperor, Fourth Brother and Miss Zhao are mutually fond of each other. Although it isn't proper to express such feelings during the day…," Night Qiong didn’t expect the old emperor to actually have intentions to kill his brother; he thought at most, the situation would be difficult but not life-threatening. The matter was already set in stone and couldn’t change now. He might stall and prevent a marriage from being arranged, but he hadn't expected things to escalate this far. The Emperor planned to execute even loyal officials like the Minister of War for fear that their presence could cause trouble. Truly, there wasn’t any room left for compromise.

"Shut your mouth! If not for my leniency towards you back then, I wouldn’t be dealing with this mess now! I didn't punish you because of the marriage arranged between you and the Qin family’s daughter from the Chancellor’s household. The marriage was based on parental consent and a matchmaker's introduction. But what about these two" The old emperor glanced sharply at Night Qiong, "Today, no one’s pleading will be heard! I see that customs are deteriorating every day. If I don’t put an end to this now, everyone will start acting like this in the future and disregard etiquette."

"Father Emperor, Fourth Brother…," Night Qiong’s face changed.

"Anyone else who pleads for them will be punished alongside!" The old emperor sternly pronounced his sentence.

"Father Emperor, I disagree!" Night Tianyu waved off the guards again and addressed the old emperor, "You are deliberately targeting me. When you were young, you weren’t innocent either. Because of your example, my actions followed suit. If it’s about punishment, should Father Emperor punish himself first After all, you taught me to act this way."

"Night Tianyu, you truly are my good son—are you planning a rebellion" the old emperor's face darkened with ice-cold anger.

"I am merely stating facts!" Night Tianyu said calmly.

"Very well, to state facts! I gave you life and your status as a prince. I didn’t intend for you to use them to rebel against me!" The old emperor’s tone revealed seething anger and killing intent. He roared, "Imperial Guards, drag them down and behead them immediately." “Yes!” Invisible guards appeared from the shadows.

Night Tianyu's face changed; he clearly hadn’t expected the old emperor to have such murderous intentions towards him. His thoughts were akin to Night Qiong’s—only now did he fully understand how cruel his father was, willing to eliminate any threat in order to ensure a smooth succession for his chosen heir.

"Imperial Uncle, to just decide to kill them as if they’re pork at the market Weigh and cut according to measure, add or subtract according to need He is your son," Cloud Shallow Moon, although she had long known of the old emperor's cruelty, was still surprised by this outcome. It seemed that not only did he intend to execute Night Tianyu and Zhao Kehan but also planned to decapitate the Minister of War and ransack his mansion completely.

The old emperor hadn't expected such resistance, yelling at the guards: “Take them away!”

As the Imperial Guards moved against Night Tianyu, Cloud Shallow Moon threw her wine jar. The liquid splashed out in a flurry of droplets that each acted as sharp weapons, causing the guards to cry out and retreat.

"Rebel, Cloud Shallow Moon! Are you planning a rebellion" The old emperor raged.

The wine jar shattered with a loud “bang” into pieces.

Cloud Shallow Moon looked at the broken jar and sighed, "A pity," then turned to the old emperor in a daze: "Imperial Uncle, you can’t kill them. People say true love prevails. I admire those who die for their loved ones. Besides, I don't see this as such a big deal—when there's mutual affection, it’s only right to fulfill their wish of being together. To kill them now would be too heartless and overreacting."

"When did you have the authority to question my decisions" The old emperor’s eyes narrowed in anger: "Stand aside!"

Cloud Shallow Moon shook her head, "I won't stand down!"

"Cloud Shallow Moon defies imperial power, acts recklessly and speaks nonsense. Leader of the Imperial Guards! Arrest her and punish her too." The old emperor commanded, "Anyone who intervenes will be punished alongside!"

“Yes!” A shadow swiftly moved to confront Cloud Shallow Moon.

Cloud Shallow Moon’s eyes narrowed as she recalled how the Third Young Master was severely injured due to this leader. She instantly used her mother's technique of shape-shifting and appeared behind him, launching a powerful palm strike at his back with the True Scripture of Phoenix ignited.

This attack utilized all of her strength; its purpose was to disable him permanently. Leaving an Imperial Leader alive would only be a future threat.

"Little girl!" Night Qingran cried out in surprise.

Yun Shangyue seemed not to hear him. Her body-shifting technique was too fast, making everyone feel as though there was a blur before their eyes; when they saw her again, she had already appeared behind the Royal Secret Chief and struck at him with one palm. Although her move looked soft without any destructive power, martial artists knew that it couldn't be underestimated.

The Royal Secret Chief clearly didn't expect Yun Shangyue to have such swift movements; in an instant, she had already appeared behind him. By the time he realized it was too late to dodge, his expression changed.

Just as Yun Shangyue's palm was about to strike the Royal Secret Chief's back, Night Tianyi's figure flashed and he tried to intercept her hand. At the same moment, a white cloud-patterned water sleeve gently swept out behind Yun Shangyue, subtly blocking Night Tianyi's hand.

Yun Shangyue's palm landed on the Royal Secret Chief's back as she had intended. However, due to the force field created by Night Tianyi and Rong Jing, her internal energy was momentarily blocked, reducing her attack from full power to half.

The Royal Secret Chief coughed up a mouthful of blood with a "pu" sound.

Even at half strength, Yun Shangyue's martial arts were formidable. But she wasn't satisfied with that; such minor injuries would heal in a few days. Her goal was to incapacitate him completely. Therefore, without hesitation, she launched another palm strike.

"Little girl!" Night Qingran was alarmed and immediately acted as he shouted again, defusing Yun Shangyue's attack.

The Royal Secret Chief took advantage of the situation to dodge away. A group of royal secret guards instantly surrounded him.

This series of events happened in an instant, causing Yun Shangyue's heart to sink as she stopped and looked at Night Qingran.

Night Qingran pursed his lips and stared back at her.

It was the first time they had faced off directly. There were no others between them, but there was an instant of cold tension in the air.

All those present in the courtyard fell silent, stunned by this scene. Everyone knew Yun Shangyue's martial arts skills. Initially thought to be mediocre, she proved her prowess during the Qixi Festival and later at Emperor Wen's 55th birthday banquet when she destroyed his precious sword. Now, seeing that she could injure a royal secret chief in an instant, how could it simply be described as good The royal secret chief oversees all of the royal secret guards with supreme martial arts skills; not everyone can harm him instantly. But Yun Shangyue managed to do so—how could this not shock them

"Rebellion! Guards, follow my order and capture Yun Shangyue on the spot!" The old emperor was furious.

"Yes sir!" All of the secret guards received their orders and moved against Yun Shangyue simultaneously.

Suddenly, Yun Shangyue opened her palm. Inside lay a piece of white cloud-patterned sleeve fabric. Ignoring the rushing royal secret guards, she slowly unfolded it before the old emperor: "Imperial Uncle, are these poison needles enough to send off your top-tier royal secret guards"

The royal secret guards saw the numerous poison needles on Yun Shangyue's cloud-patterned sleeve and their expressions changed collectively.

The old emperor's expression turned cold as ice: "Yun Shangyue, do you not want the people of Cloud Manor to live today Don't forget your aunt who is nurturing in the palace. Do you really intend to rebel against me now I shall see if it’s your bones that are hard or the lives of those at Cloud Manor!"

"What nonsense, Imperial Uncle! How could I think of rebelling against you It's just for self-preservation," Yun Shangyue shook her half sleeve and said in a slow, drunken manner: "There are over a thousand poison needles here. See if they're enough for all your top-tier secret guards. Compared to the lives of those at Cloud Manor who can do little good anyway, it’s a sure win!"

Before the old emperor could respond, Yun Shangyue suddenly flung out her sleeve.

"Little girl!" Night Qingran was alarmed and tried to intercept her once again.

Yun Shangyue coolly watched him with a calm expression. She didn't move despite his attempt to stop her, while continuing her actions.

"She must be truly drunk and throwing a tantrum!" Rong Jing slowly stepped forward, smiling as he intercepted Yun Shangyue's hand and sighed helplessly: "Your Majesty, please don’t get angry. You’ve raised her since childhood; how could you not know her temper She does whatever she wants without regard for propriety when sober, let alone now while drunk. Even if she were to regain her senses later, she might not remember what she’s done. Today's affair between the Fourth Prince and Miss Zhao of the Ministry of War was against custom but understandable under the circumstances. Please show mercy and give a lighter sentence. Otherwise, this woman may lose control due to alcohol and kill these secret guards. Though they are expendable, injuring or even killing those here would cause chaos tomorrow!"

——— Interlude ————

The plot thickens…ress dowager, and Lady Ming—all had their minds captivated by Yun Qianyue’s zither playing.Fengxi! Fengxi! Return to your homeland, roam the four seas in search of that phoenix!When we first met, I di...