[Warning: The first world features a male protagonist who transmigrates into a male character. This book also features many female protagonists who transmigrate into male characters. If you mind this, please leave immediately!!!]

The Purple Spring Palace is shrouded in mist and haze; they desire to seize the desolate city and make it their imperial home…

Golden dragons coil around pillars, white jade steps lead to a magnificent palace, and glazed tiles form a cage that has bound countless emperors, all vying for the dragon-carved throne.

The emperor, clad in a yellow robe, stood high on his throne, looking down at the kneeling figures below. The atmosphere in the hall was solemn and quiet, with only the sounds of rapid heartbeats and low breathing filling the air.

"Hmph, An Jingqiu, as the dignified regent, you do not diligently build up the court, nor do you seek benefits for the people. Instead, you harbor wolfish ambitions, condoning your subordinates to break the law and disrupt order, and even committing the heinous act of rebellion. Your crimes deserve to be punished with death!"

The emperor was the first to speak, breaking the silence.

"Your Highness probably didn't expect that even General Gu, whom you trust the most, would betray you and stand on my side."

Yu Ling knew that these words were just meant to provoke her, but she remained surprisingly calm.

She wasn't the original owner; she was just a passerby who had been thrown into this world by the system to survive.

Imperial power and she were nothing but fleeting clouds...

Originally intending to rebel, she was outmaneuvered and severely injured, her life hanging by a thread. Even if she were to arrive now, she would be at her last gasp. Survival? Ha…

The bright yellow figure stood before Yu Ling, but it was all a blur. The sharp pain in her chest made Yu Ling's consciousness almost disappear.

His internal energy was destroyed and his heart meridians were damaged. He also suffered multiple fractures due to the intense fighting.

The blood seeping from the wounds all over his body stained his dark blue robe, dripping down the hem and spreading out a crimson stain.

"General Gu is the commander of a nation, how could I possibly control him? Your words are truly laughable."

Villains have always died from talking too much, but that only happens when they have the upper hand. Now, if they can buy themselves some time, their chances of survival will increase exponentially. Yu Ling, enduring her discomfort, continued...

"Ha, it's all about the victor and the vanquished. Why waste so much breath? Kill me or torture me, I'll take it."

Without getting angry or hysterical, Yu Ling simply whispered her thoughts, word by word, her eyes closed, a self-deprecating smile playing on her lips.

The forced smile touched the emperor on his throne and also stung the generals waiting beside him.

The young general, clad in light armor and possessing a dignified appearance, finally couldn't resist and bowed to the emperor on the throne.

"Your Majesty, the entire Regent's lineage has been executed. Could you... spare the Regent's life?"

Gu Cheng once owed the prince his life, but his sister threatened him with her own life to turn against the emperor. Looking at the regent who was seriously injured but was not in a sorry state, he couldn't help but feel a lot of emotions.

He ruined him. Who would have thought that someone who was once second only to the emperor would have such a miserable day?

Hearing Gu Cheng's plea for mercy, Yu Ling frowned slightly. In such a tense atmosphere, pleading for her, who was almost an enemy of the emperor, did this guy really want her to die sooner?

As expected, upon hearing this, An Jingxuan impatiently rubbed his temples, signaling General Gu to shut up. His expression already showed some dissatisfaction, and his words were cold and devoid of any emotion: "Does Your Highness have anything else to say?"

The loyal and upright fall often, while the wicked rise to higher positions. Where can one find the true dragon? It's all just the historian's words. It's all just the historian's words... The losers will bear all the infamy and blame.

At times like these, any reason or excuse is a sign of the loser's cowardice, a humble defense, and a fear of the consequences of failure.

“An Jingqiu plotted a rebellion, and his crime deserves to be punished. I have nothing to say,” Yu Ling said.

"Your Majesty, you must not be lenient! The crime of treason deserves the punishment of executing nine generations of his family. I urge Your Majesty to execute this scoundrel as soon as possible so that you can rest easy."

Seeing that the atmosphere was becoming increasingly awkward, the personal eunuch Li, who was standing to the side, also spoke in a high-pitched voice, respectfully offering his advice to the emperor.

The emperor's expression began to change, but he still did not give the order easily.

hateful……

We can't delay any longer. If these gossipy fellows' words provoke the emperor's wrath, he will truly be doomed this time, with no chance of survival.

We can't hold on any longer... We have to retreat to advance!

"Heh, what's wrong, can't bring yourself to do it? Then I'll help you out."

Yu Ling suddenly looked up at the emperor, her bloodshot eyes filled with even more intense mockery.

Having lost too much blood and nearly fainted, Yu Ling hardened her heart and used her nimble tongue to find the poisonous packet hidden between her teeth. After hesitating for a moment, she swallowed it down with a sudden gulp. The poison quickly took effect, and a mouthful of blood involuntarily spilled from her mouth.

Even a regent as exceptional as he was, when he sought death, did so with nobility, aloofness, and elegance. His face did not contort or become ugly due to the pain of the poison; instead, his brows were relaxed and his expression was at ease.

Because his life was not taken away by his enemies.

Seeing the mighty Emperor, looking astonished, hastily rush down from his throne, Yu Ling suddenly grinned, then burst into uncontrollable laughter, laughing until tears of blood streamed down her face.

"In the end, you still couldn't let go of the compassion in your heart."

Yu Ling sighed, letting out a soft murmur that she made sure the person in front of her could hear it.

"Brother..."

Losing to you is truly shameful...

The emperor automatically filled in the blanks of Yu Ling's unfinished words, and for some reason, he became furious. Instead, he didn't want this fellow to go to the Yellow Springs so easily.

That's all...

"Summon the imperial physician..."

An Jingxuan lowered his eyes, looking at his half-brother lying in a pool of blood. The veins on his pale face were clearly visible, his bluish-black lips were tightly pursed, and the eyes that had always stared at him with a cold and respectful yet sinister and ruthless gaze would finally remain closed.

But the emperor was not so happy; instead, he felt something was wrong.

An Jingqiu wasn't the type to give up so easily, was he? He schemed so relentlessly for the throne, so why did he finally falter? Suicide? That's not like him at all.

An Jingxuan could almost guess what the original owner had been doing before Yu Ling arrived.

He used clever words and flattering tactics to persuade Gu Cheng, engaging in verbal battles, pleading for mercy and playing the victim with kinship, and then suddenly assassinating the emperor when he was off guard. Even though his rebellion failed and he was sure to die, he still wanted to take a piece of the other man's flesh.

It seems I still don't understand my younger brother well enough.

"How is the situation?" An Jingxuan asked.

"Your Majesty, the Prince was already exhausted, and on top of that, he took the Five Poisons Powder, which is extremely poisonous... Please forgive us for being powerless to help him."

The imperial physician who came to treat her looked serious and carefully reported Yu Ling's condition to An Jingxuan.

"Hmm, what are the chances of a full recovery?"

"Less than 10% can only be treated with acupuncture to detoxify, followed by herbal medicine to prolong life."

"It was quite a coincidence," the imperial physician said respectfully. "The poison, which should have been fatal upon ingestion, had somehow ended up in his trachea. The amount of poison he had ingested was too small, which is why he was able to stay alive."

The imperial physician naturally had no idea that this was something Yu Ling had deliberately created. Although she was only on her last breath and could only be kept alive by precious medicines, it was precisely because of this "last breath" that the emperor lowered his guard and did not kill her so quickly.

The seemingly inescapable predicament has been broken.