Gan Qiongying stepped into the Yinian Hall once again, but her state of mind had undergone a complete transformation.

She stood in front of the chaise longue, looking down at the Empress Dowager, abandoning all pretense of politeness, and asked her directly, "What did you call me here for? To laugh at your half-dead state?"

“There’s a saying in this world: ‘To be old and not die is to be a thief,’” Gan Qiongying said. “People like you should just die. Don’t linger in this world.”

After hearing her words, Kou Ning'an's expression worsened, her eyes showed a hint of despair, and her breathing became much heavier.

However, no one noticed her condition immediately, nor did anyone tenderly touch her chest or offer her hot tea, because everyone in the bedchamber that night had been killed by this wicked woman.

Even Aunt Hu, who had been with Kou Ning'an her whole life, was no exception.

"You won." Kou Ning'an finally managed to squeeze out these words after catching her breath for a while.

"I will no longer make things difficult for Gan Lin, but don't be too smug. Gan Lin... needs the support of the Kou family and the assistance of the Regent, otherwise he will not be able to stand firm in the court!"

Kou Ning'an is indeed Kou Ning'an; even at this point, he's still trying to scare Gan Qiongying.

Although Gan Qiongying didn't know what methods her beloved God of Wealth had used to keep the Regent from entering the palace until now.

In fact, Gan Qiongying is no longer afraid of the Regent entering the palace. She has already brought Kou Ning'an to the brink of death, so what can the Regent do if he enters the palace?

The Regent cared more about his reputation than Kou Ning'an. The lies Gan Qiongying told that night were like nails driven firmly into Kou Ning'an's heart. Before the two of them could find out everything, they dared not make any rash moves.

Moreover, Gan Qiongying hadn't had time to write love letters to Li Hua these past few days. On one hand, she had to take care of Gan Lin, who was acting like he was having an addiction attack, and on the other hand, she took advantage of the time difference to write furiously every night, compiling the wonderful book and having her shadow guards send it out to find someone to copy and print it. It wouldn't be long before it was sent to various places in Nanzhao.

Gan Qiongying also arranged several ways to spread the information among the people, making it absolutely impossible for anyone to guard against.

Now the lie has become the truth, and the Empress Dowager and the Regent can easily find out.

Even if they manage to stop it in time after they find out, it will definitely scare them so much that they can't sleep, fearing that while they're asleep, another "landmine" will explode somewhere else.

Even if the regent really does disregard everything, at worst we'll all go down in flames!

However, since Li Hua had held people back for her, she had to make good use of this opportunity so as not to waste Li Hua's efforts.

“The Kou family is deeply entrenched, and Gan Lin and I certainly don’t have the ability to confront them. But how many years has the Regent reigned? Once he dies… there will be plenty of other ‘Regents’ to take his place.”

"Is there a lack of sycophants and treacherous individuals in this world?"

Kou Ning'an's eyelids twitched violently. She propped herself up on her arms and sat up from the chaise longue, pursing her lips tightly and glaring at Gan Qiongying.

Perhaps to make her complexion look better, she applied lipstick as if she had just eaten a dead child.

Gan Qiongying looked down at her coldly, but she was not blinded by this brief victory.

The Kou family's influence extends throughout the entire capital of Yin. Although she discovered that Gan Lin did indeed have some talent to be emperor during her visit to the palace, Gan Lin still could not become emperor.

The Kou clan's power was not the most terrifying aspect; what was most terrifying was that all the clans were interconnected, and their combined strength was unimaginable, capable of bringing a country to a standstill.

Gan Qiongying was not confident that she could protect Gan Lin from being surrounded by wolves and truly become an emperor with real power by relying on Kou Ning'an alone.

Even for Kou Ning'an, the process of promoting the regent has been fraught with difficulties over the years. If there is a serious conflict with the interests of her family, and the Empress Dowager is no longer the "top tree" of the Kou clan, there are still countless concubines in the harem who can take her place.

The current Empress Ganlin has been in the palace for a long time. She is also the legitimate daughter of the Kou family, and she is the warning that the Kou family gave to Kou Ning'an.

None of us are people who can turn the world upside down at will, so discussing the fate of the world and the checks and balances of imperial power here is actually a bit ridiculous.

However, Gan Qiongying, though she saw clearly, pretended not to. She acted as if she was moved by what Kou Ning'an said, and wore her non-existent ambition on her face.

"Of course, if you promise me one thing, I'll consider sparing the Regent's life."

Kou Ning'an remained silent for a long time, her eyes filled with a hatred that seemed to want to devour Gan Qiongying alive.

But in the end, for the sake of her "child" who was in endless trouble outside the palace and whose fate was unknown, she still agreed to Gan Qiongying's request.

"Tell me, as long as I can do it."

Gan Qiongying nodded and said, "It's not difficult at all, it's very simple."

"Go and cook a big pot of nourishing soup, and I'll wait here."

Upon hearing this, a fleeting look of satisfaction flashed across Kou Ning'an's eyes. The nourishing soup was addictive; if one didn't drink it, one would suffer from a splitting headache and profuse sweating.

Moreover, this nourishing soup has no antidote at all. The person making the soup can change the medicinal properties at any time by adjusting the heat and the timing of adding the medicinal ingredients.

Kou Ning'an thought that Gan Lin couldn't hold on any longer and that Gan Qiongying had come to her for medicine. She even thought that the initiative had returned to her own hands.

"Okay," Kou Ning'an said lightly, and with the help of her maid, she actually went to cook soup.

Gan Qiongying wandered around the Empress Dowager's palace. That night, when she went mad, she smashed the room into a mess.

I felt incredibly happy. How could that old hag deserve such good things? Even she doesn't have them. I smashed them all!

Gan Qiongying was just as arrogant today, wandering around the house. When the old witch was making soup, Gan Qiongying would grab any valuable new items that were placed on the table, play with them for a while, and then throw them on the ground.

At first, Kou Ning'an would take a look, but later she simply ignored it. She even thought to herself that this was all Gan Qiongying was capable of.

He's just a madman.

However, after she had finished brewing the nourishing soup, had it placed in a food box, and handed it to Gan Qiongying, preparing to negotiate with her again, Gan Qiongying scoffed and asked her, "Why did you put it in a food box? Do you think this soup is what I wanted?"

"Do you think that because you can't quit Ganlin, you have another reason to threaten us?"

“It is indeed a little difficult for Gan Lin to quit this soup, but you know that I raised him from childhood, and you should also know how obedient he is to me.”

"Don't even mention giving up a bowl of soup. If I wanted him to die, he wouldn't even blink before slitting his throat. I'm not afraid to tell you, Physician Xiao said that after just four or five more times, Gan Lin will no longer want to drink soup."

"This soup isn't for Ganlin."

Gan Qiongying stared at Kou Ning'an and said, "This soup is for you."

Gan Qiongying thought of how Gan Lin had been tormented these past few days. She gritted her teeth, and although she had a smile on her face, the hatred and malice in her eyes were so intense that they seemed to turn into thin blades and slowly tear Kou Ning'an in front of her apart.

“Drink this whole bowl in front of me, and I will spare the Regent’s life.”

"If you don't drink it... you'll receive news of the Regent's sudden death tomorrow morning!"

Gan Qiongying was obviously lying, but she really had to let Kou Ning'an taste the medicine herself.

Physician Xiao said that this medicine is extremely insidious and poisonous. Once you start drinking it, you can become addicted after just one dose, and quitting is extremely difficult.

Gan Qiongying is determined to make Kou Ning'an suffer the consequences of her actions.