Chapter 459 Secret Orders and Conspiracies

Ayina's words caused an instant deathly silence around them. The woman's face turned ashen, and she trembled violently.

"I...I..."

The lie was completely exposed, and the woman broke down. She got up from the ground and tried to squeeze into the crowd.

"Trying to run?" A cold glint flashed in Ayina's eyes, and the curved knife at her waist was instantly drawn.

Everyone only felt a flash of cold light, followed by the sound of a sharp blade piercing flesh.

The woman screamed in agony as a bloody hole appeared in her thigh. The excruciating pain caused her to collapse to the ground, blood gushing out.

Ayina sheathed her scimitar expressionlessly, as if she had merely swatted a fly.

"Have you all seen clearly? If anyone continues to spout nonsense, slander the royal family, or use the prince's serious injury as an excuse, I, the princess, will be the first to not let them off!"

The guards rushed forward and swiftly dragged the woman, who was still groaning in pain, away, leaving only a glaring trail of blood on the ground.

After dealing with this trouble, Ayina walked up to Huo Yunxing, looked at his disheveled appearance, snorted coldly, and poked his chest hard with her index finger.

"You idiot, you almost got tricked and didn't even realize it."

Huo Yunxing grabbed her finger that was poking him, held it in his palm, and said with a wry smile, "I've been protesting my innocence the whole time..."

"Innocent? I don't think you're innocent." Ayina glared at him, but the murderous intent in her eyes had vanished, replaced by annoyance. "You just attract too many women!"

She forcefully pulled her hand back, hugged her arm, and raised her chin slightly.

"Huo Yunxing, listen to me carefully. Before the wedding, clean up all those unwanted suitors. If any more shady characters get involved with you..."

Her gaze swept meaningfully over his lower body. "Next time, this princess's scimitar won't be cutting anyone else's leg."

Huo Yunxing watched as she scolded him, yet every word revealed a protective and domineering possessiveness. The slight annoyance in his heart dissipated, and a doting smile appeared on his face.

"Okay, okay, I promise you, from now on I will keep myself pure and never look at anything else, or I will castrate myself."

As he spoke, he took a half step forward, getting closer, looked down into her bright eyes, lowered his voice, and said with utmost seriousness, "Ayina, thank you."

Thank you for your unwavering trust, and thank you for your resolute and ruthless protection.

I am also grateful for her unique, vibrant, and passionate love.

Ayina was taken aback by his earnest thanks, a blush creeping across her face, but she immediately snapped back, "Stop with the sweet talk. Words alone aren't enough; we need to agree on some rules!"

She held up three fingers, her tone leaving no room for argument: "First, after we're married, you're not allowed to have any more affairs, or I'll castrate you! Second, within the inner courtyard of the Prince's mansion, I, the princess, have the final say! Third, if you dare to bully me, the iron cavalry of the Northern Desert will raze your carefree Prince's mansion to the ground!"

Looking at her beautiful face so close to his, and feeling her unreserved sincerity, Huo Yunxing's heart skipped a beat and then started beating faster.

He took her hand again, this time their fingers intertwined tightly, and looked solemnly into her eyes.

"Okay, whatever you say, I will never let you down."

Meanwhile, inside the Cining Palace.

The Empress Dowager's face was withered and haggard, with sunken eye sockets, but her eyes were unusually excited and bright, burning with the madness unique to a person at the end of their rope.

She waved her hand to dismiss all the unrelated palace servants, leaving only her most trusted old nanny.

"Go, immediately send a message to the Prince of Nanjun, instructing him to sneak into the palace to see me before midnight tonight. Remember, it must be absolutely secretive; Huo Lin's men must not notice."

Her voice was hoarse and rapid, carrying a desperate urgency.

"Yes, this servant will go and do it right away..." The old woman turned pale with fright and scrambled back.

In the dead of night, a dark figure silently sneaked into a side hall of the Cining Palace.

Prince Huo Cong of Nanjun, dressed in a low-key dark-colored casual robe, stood tall and had a refined and gentle face. However, his seemingly gentle eyes concealed a sharpness and ambition.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty the Empress Dowager." Huo Cong bowed respectfully, his voice gentle.

The Empress Dowager stared intently at him, as if grasping at the last straw: "Prince, now you are the only one I can trust."

Huo Cong looked up, his face showing doubt: "Why does Your Majesty say this? Is there some trouble in the palace? I will do my best to share Your Majesty's worries."

The Empress Dowager took a deep breath, lowered her voice, and spoke seductively: "Huo Lin favors his concubine, persecutes his stepmother, eliminates loyal officials, and now he even wants to force me to my death. He is unworthy of his position, unkind and unfilial, and unfit to be a ruler!"

She leaned closer to Huo Cong, her gaze intense: "Aren't you just looking for an opportunity? Now I'm giving you that opportunity. As long as you bring down Huo Lin, I will support you to ascend the throne. At that time, you will be the ruler of this world!"

Huo Cong's heart pounded, and his eyes dimmed slightly.

Since being punished by Huo Lin with a salary reduction, he has kept a low profile. Although he has not been to the capital for a long time, he still knows about the power struggle between Huo Lin and the Empress Dowager.

It is said that the Empress Dowager has gone mad, and now it seems that this is not unfounded.

Should he be made emperor?

Even if his ambition is so great that he can swallow up an entire imperial city, his stomach will eventually burst.

He wants power, but he's not stupid.

Thinking this to himself, Huo Cong showed a look of fear on his face.

"Your Majesty, please be careful with your words. I would never dare to have such an improper thought. His Majesty is the late Emperor's legitimate son, and his claim is perfectly legitimate..."

"Righteous and legitimate?" The Empress Dowager sneered, interrupting him, her eyes flashing with even more madness. "What if he isn't a descendant of the late Emperor?"

Huo Cong's pupils constricted sharply: "Wh...what?"

The Empress Dowager revealed a strange smile, carefully took out a long, narrow wooden box wrapped in bright yellow silk from under her pillow, and handed it to Huo Cong.

"This is a secret edict that the late emperor entrusted to me before his death." Her voice was hoarse, carrying a chilling excitement. "See for yourself."

Huo Cong suppressed the turmoil in his heart, his hands trembling slightly as he took the wooden box, untied the silk, and opened the lid.

Inside was a slightly worn, bright yellow silk scroll. He unfolded it and quickly scanned it, his expression growing increasingly grave with each glance.

"This...this..." Huo Cong feigned shock, his hands trembling so much he could barely hold the silk. "Empress Dowager, this matter concerns the very foundation of the nation; it is of utmost importance!"

The Empress Dowager stared intently at him: "What? Are you afraid? As long as this edict is made public, Huo Lin will be despised by the whole world. At that time, who in the imperial clan is more suitable to inherit the throne than you?"

Huo Cong quickly calculated in his mind that the authenticity of this secret edict was hard to distinguish. It was very likely that the Empress Dowager had forged it in desperation, but the workmanship was exquisite and the seals were complete, enough to pass for the real thing.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but it's far from enough to bring down Huo Lin.

A sudden inspiration struck him, but his face showed a mixture of confusion and panic, which ultimately transformed into a resolute acceptance born of "forced" compliance.

"Your Majesty, I will obey all your arrangements. For the sake of our ancestors' legacy, I would gladly die for it!"

The Empress Dowager looked at him and a satisfied smile appeared on her face: "Good! Good! I knew I hadn't misjudged you. Go now and wait for my news."

"Your subject obeys the decree." Huo Cong respectfully withdrew, and the moment he turned around, his face showed no trace of fear, only cold calculation.