Seeing the little guy's sullen face, the two smiled helplessly, patted his little bottom, and prepared to coax him to sleep.

"Your Majesty, the old lady is not in any danger of death." After taking her pulse, the imperial physician reported her condition to Chi Yuan.

The injuries were indeed quite severe, and he is no longer alive, but who knows what will happen to him in the future.

It must be said, the imperial physicians were quite eloquent.

"Guards, take her to the dungeon and interrogate her at a later date. The Marquis of Dingyuan's family has failed in their duties and has offended a prince. They shall be fined two years' salary and confined to their quarters for a year of reflection, and shall not be allowed to leave."

Chi Yuan parted his thin lips slightly, and with a single sentence, he decided her future fate.

The old woman didn't speak, slowly closed her eyes, and let the guards lift her up and carry her out.

A secluded palace

"Crackling sounds..." A man looked grim after the eunuch who was reading the imperial edict left.

Enraged, he turned around and became a desktop cleaning master, sweeping his large hand across the room with force.

The porcelain on the table shattered on the floor.

“How could Mother be so abrupt? We still had a chance, but now we’ve ruined everything.”

His chest heaved rapidly; he was clearly furious.

The old man sitting on the mahogany chair did not speak, his hands resting on his cane in front of him.

Although old, his back remained ramrod straight. His every gesture exuded the dignity of someone in power.

He sighed heavily and looked out the window at the sky.

A thick fog blanketed the area, obscuring the bright moonlight with heavy, dark clouds, and a fierce wind howled.

The leaves outside the window rustled in the wind, and many fallen leaves and petals were carried into the room through the wide-open window.

Her clothes fluttered in the wind, and the wind made it hard for her to open her eyes.

It's just the calm before the storm.

The combined forces of Shen Bijue and Chi Yuan put immense pressure on them.

They had already experienced Shen Bijue's methods firsthand.

Like a venomous snake, once bitten, it never lets go, relentlessly pressing forward until it kills its prey. They felt like horses on a precipice, teetering on the brink of destruction.

Since that's the case, let's go all out and give it our all, so as not to let down all the hard work and planning we've put in over the years.

Ignoring his angry son, he simply closed his eyes slowly.

A familiar face from many years ago flashed into my mind.

I'm so sorry, Your Highness, I've let you down.

I'm sorry, Your Majesty, I haven't been able to fulfill your wish.

From the day his country fell, he repeated these two sentences over and over again.

It is both a reminder and hatred; both regret and resentment.

Knowing his sins were grave, he had no words to face the heavenly father and son after his death.

But if you and His Majesty have spirits in heaven, please bless this old minister.

May you also bless our former country.

"Let's get started."

He opened his eyes in the biting wind.

The angry middle-aged man stopped abruptly and stared at him in astonishment.

"If we don't act now, we'll miss our chance."

——————————————

The rain outside was drizzling down.

The rain has been so heavy these past two days, it hasn't stopped at all, and the original sacrificial ceremony plans have been postponed.

"Haa..." The fox cub hasn't been out to play for the past two days and is getting restless, wanting to go out and play.

But it was raining outside. So he shifted his attention, now he was very interested in the rain falling from the sky.

So Shen Yulou opened the window a little corner and let the little guy stick his feet out.

The cold raindrops hit the little guy's toes, and a cold wind swept through, but the little guy found it very fun and kept twirling his toes in the rain.

Seeing that it was almost time, Shen Yulou withdrew the fox cub's foot.

When I touched it, it was indeed ice-cold.

I quickly sat down to the side and used the warm, damp handkerchief next to me to wipe his feet.

The little guy was still fidgeting in Shen Yulou's arms when Chi Yuan bent down and held his hands to subdue him.