After Qin Zhaoyue's interruption, although the imperial study remained silent, the suffocating atmosphere of despair and tragedy had quietly dissipated considerably.
Instead, a strange sense of ease, indescribable and pervasive, filled the air.
It was as if a crack had suddenly appeared in the towering Mount Tai, allowing some light and air to filter through.
The third and fourth princesses exchanged a silent glance, both seeing incredibly complex emotions in each other's eyes.
How can I put it? I simply can't describe the exact feeling in my heart.
In that short time, their minds were violently assaulted time and time again, and their cognition was repeatedly rubbed into the ground.
At this moment, I felt a numb, languid feeling, as if I had already gotten used to the shock.
Their gazes fell on Qin Zhaoyue, who was pouting and had a "I really lost out" expression on her face.
When exactly did this younger sister, whom they had watched grow up and always thought was the most unreliable, become able to give them such a strong sense of security?
It's really... a bit hard to accept, yet I can't help but feel a strange sense of conviction.
It seems that as long as she's there, no matter how difficult or desperate the situation is, it's not a problem.
Even if the Queen Mother is currently suffering from a fatal injury and her life is hanging by a thread, it seems... it's not a big deal?
The two quickly suppressed this rebellious and absurd thought, and simultaneously recalled their elder sister's solemn instructions when she left the capital:
If anything serious happens in Fengjing, you can discuss it with Xiao Liu.
In retrospect, they all greatly underestimated the hidden abilities of this sixth sister.
The fifth prince didn't have many ulterior motives; he simply stayed faithfully by the corner of the bed.
He stared intently at his mother, as if afraid she would disappear in the blink of an eye.
His three youngest children were also huddled around him, their little faces still pale.
Her gaze would dart anxiously toward her mother one moment, and then furtively steal a glance at her sixth sister the next.
Seeing that although she complained, her face showed a relaxed and indifferent expression, as if she didn't care at all and had everything under control, my tightly clenched heart quietly relaxed a little.
In this delicate atmosphere, hurried footsteps and the sound of clothes rustling in the wind came from outside the hall.
Soon, the commanders of the Xuanji Guard, who had received the urgent edict, rushed into the area and stood solemnly awaiting orders.
Pei Xiang, who had been practically carried there by the Qingluan Guards, staggered and panted as he rushed into the courtyard, with General Meng following closely behind.
Finally, everyone who was supposed to arrive arrived.
Qin Minghuang forced herself to stay alert; though her voice was weak, it carried an undeniable authority.
He ordered that the commander of the Xuanji Guard, the current prime minister Pei Xuanyun, and the commander of the Imperial Guard Meng Guang, who is also Meng Jian's grandfather and the current head of the Meng family, be summoned to the Imperial Study for an audience immediately.
When these high-ranking officials and core guards strode into the imperial study and saw the once-mighty empress lying on the soft couch, they were all struck dumb, shocked, and could hardly believe their eyes.
How could Your Majesty... how could you have aged and become so haggard?
His withered face, deeply etched wrinkles, and ominous bluish-black aura made him seem like a completely different person from the bright and majestic emperor in our memories, so much so that for a moment, no one dared to recognize him.
After the initial shock came overwhelming grief and fear.
Everyone knelt down in unison, their voices trembling uncontrollably.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!"
During the brief moment of waiting, Qin Minghuang quickly sorted out her thoughts.
Ever since she realized that the late Crown Prince might still be alive, she secretly dispatched Ling Duo, the commander of the Xuanji Guard, and used all the hidden channels to gather information.
As a result, they gradually uncovered some fragmented and seemingly plausible clues, each pointing to that chilling possibility.
The former crown prince once went on a near-mad rampage, slaughtering all his brothers and sisters in a single day, leaving none alive except for her and Yin Zhe.
Given such a horrific past, Qin Minghuang naturally wouldn't dare gamble her children's lives on the other party's mercy.
Therefore, Qin Minghuang decisively detained all the imperial heirs in the palace, and even concentrated them in Qinghui Palace.
He also dispatched Ling Muxue, a second-grade cultivator, to secretly and closely protect him, giving her a strict order not to leave for even a moment.
Due to previous arrangements, the palace's Xuanji Guard was actually severely lacking in true experts.
The defenses appear solid, but are actually weak inside.
If the enemy is indeed the former crown prince, given his understanding of the court and his remaining influence, he would most likely be able to find out some information.
On the surface, she was protected by Pan Yue, who was best at defense; in secret, Old Lady Xue, who guarded the armory, was also always by her side.
This was the safest arrangement she could make without causing widespread panic.
Despite having already identified the intelligence chief of the aristocratic families in Fengjing, the imperial examination cheating case still went awry.
Although this was somewhat unexpected, Qin Minghuang was not particularly alarmed.
Just like what Xiao Liu said back then in the Phoenix Palace:
Even if there really was cheating, so what?
Hasn't this happened in previous dynasties?
Did the imperial examinations resume normal operation after the disruption?
Did it delay the imperial court's selection and recruitment of officials?
The overall situation is settled, especially since women of high status have been included in the imperial examinations.
The results will be clear in just three years; this new force is enough to gradually turn the tide.
However, Qin Minghuang deliberately acted as if she was "in a rage," mobilizing all available Xuanji Guard forces to investigate the case in an overwhelming manner, creating the illusion that the palace's resources had been significantly diverted.
As for Jiang Wuyai, did she have any doubts? Of course, she did, but not many.
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