Lan Shanyang's face was as dark as the night sky outside, devoid of any brightness.
Lan Linxue looked at Lan Shanyang and quickly led the people below to bow and pay their respects.
"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty!"
Lan Shanyang acted as if he hadn't heard anything, simply standing there quietly watching Xu Jinlan, who was trembling not far away.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! I am innocent! I am innocent!"
Xu Jinlan is afraid of Lan Shanyang, she has always been afraid!
She was different from Hu Qianyu, who loved Lan Shanyang with a passionate and obsessive love.
However, she was indeed afraid of Lan Shanyang. In fact, many times she was very grateful that the emperor didn't think much of her or anyone else in the harem. This way, she could live quietly in a world without him and quietly cause upheaval.
At this moment, Lan Shanyang stood before her, silent, his dark, icy gaze enveloping her like the night. Thinking of her earlier conversation with Lan Linxue, Xu Jinlan felt as if her last taut nerve might snap at any moment.
Therefore, faced with Lan Shanyang, who was so unpredictable, she could only say that she was innocent; she couldn't find any other words to say.
As a woman, she knew this night would be her grave; she knew she wouldn't survive. Her secret, kept for so many years, had been exposed by Lan Linxue without warning; her life was over.
But as a human being, her survival instinct led her to make a final struggle.
Lan Shanyang looked at the disheveled woman before him, his tightly closed lips unable to utter a trace of warmth. Perhaps it really was time for him to end all of this.
Lan Linxue felt a little uneasy because of Lan Shanyang's actions. After all, this was the Emperor's own business. Although he was her father, there were some things that no one else could touch.
Now Lan Linxue is starting to regret it, regretting that she didn't listen to Qin Kou'er's advice.
Qin Kou'er told him not to get involved in this matter, but he was only trying his luck. He never expected that he would actually encounter something his father absolutely didn't want anyone to see. This was quite unexpected.
The situation was beyond awkward. Lan Linxue felt he had to do something to ease the tension; otherwise, even if Xu Jinlan didn't go crazy, he himself wouldn't be able to bear such oppression.
"Father, your son..."
"Xu Jinlan, how dare you tell others what you've done? Tell me, over the years, your Xu family has committed countless evil deeds both inside and outside the palace, why haven't you all died out yet?"
Lan Linxue's words were interrupted by Lan Shanyang.
Lan Shanyang's voice was deep and gentle. But everyone who heard it felt a chill run down their spine.
The emperor was angry, and very angry.
Lan Linxue immediately lowered his head and remained silent. Although Lan Shanyang's words did not directly address him, he clearly heard his father's resentment towards him.
Standing to the side with her hands hanging down, Lan Linxue decided not to say a word from now on.
Xu Jinlan began to tremble uncontrollably. She looked at Lan Shanyang, trying hard to look away from him, but for some reason, she had no strength to do so. Lan Shanyang stared at her, as if a huge boulder was pressing her down under his pressure.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, your concubine..."
"You have never been my subject!" Lan Shanyang stared at Xu Jinlan, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "From the first day you saw me, I hated you! I hated you from the bottom of my heart! I hated your and your father's tyranny, I hated your bullying. If Hu Qianyu has had even a shred of sincerity towards me all these years, you haven't even shown the slightest pretense! From the very first day I saw you, I wanted to get rid of you. I never imagined that this process would take twenty years. Tell me, isn't that a miracle?"
Xu Jinlan looked at Lan Shanyang, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.
"If you hate me so much, you should have said so back then! You shouldn't have married me..."
"If I hadn't married you, why would Hu Tianyong have obediently helped me reclaim this empire! You all willingly offered yourselves to me; I couldn't refuse or shake you off. I just never imagined this would last for twenty years. My best twenty years! You've really gotten off easy!"
As he spoke, Lan Shanyang gave a cold laugh, took two steps forward, and slowly sat down in the chair. He looked at Xu Jinlan on the ground with a cruel and cold gaze, as if she were a trapped beast about to die.
"For so many years, you've all dreamed of becoming my Empress. But even if I let you die of old age in this palace, you'd never touch the Empress's position. I love it when you go mad over this, because only when you're mad can I live, only then can I find a glimmer of light. Heh, you didn't expect this, did you? Several times you were wrongly accused, not by Hu Qianyu, but by me! When you framed someone, I felt happiest! You killed my Empress, so I'll make you suffer a fate worse than death! Hahahaha!"
Lan Shanyang's laughter was chilling, and Lan Linxue looked at her father and felt a chill run down her spine.
Biting her lip, Lan Linxue secretly looked up at Lan Shanyang.
At this moment, Lan Shanyang's eyes held a bloodthirsty cruelty that sent chills down one's spine. Even Lan Linxue felt a chill run down her spine.
Lan Linxu stealthily moved her feet, wanting to walk up to Lan Shanyang, but Shuanghua secretly pulled her back.
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