Li Hanyue's strength was evident as she slapped Qiu Xin, sending her sprawling to the ground, the fall likely painful. Blood trickled from Qiu Xin's mouth as she propped herself up, trembling on her hands and knees, and crawled toward Li Hanyue.
"Your Highness," she called, tilting her head back. Aside from the crimson stain on her lips, her face was pale, and she clutched Li Hanyue's skirt, eyes pleading as her disheveled hair framed her tear-streaked face.
"Such actions warrant the extermination of nine clans, yet you dare to plead for mercy?" Li Hanyue scolded sharply, dismissing Qiu Xin's hand with disdain. Qiu Xin collapsed again, her strength seemingly spent, her eyes vacant and confused as she began to weep.
"How dare you cry? You still have the audacity to cry? Let's see if I don't beat this audacious servant to death today!" Li Hanyue shouted, rolling up her sleeves, ready to charge forward. Xianyue, standing behind her, felt a chill overtake her smile. Did Li Hanyue not realize that her actions only fueled suspicion? Was she ready to throw her image away? But in the face of life and death, that image was worth nothing.
"Are you trying to kill someone to silence them, Your Highness?" Xianyue stepped forward, blocking the furious Li Hanyue.
"Princess, please spare me!" Qiu Xin, suddenly finding strength from somewhere, crawled to Xianyue's side. "Everything is my fault, I acted on my own accord, it has nothing to do with Your Highness!"
Her face, stained with blood and tears, twisted in pain as Qiu Xin grasped Xianyue's hand. The desperation in her once fearful eyes was now profound despair.
Using her family's lives as leverage, it seemed Qiu Xin was ready to take all the blame. Was this foolishness or loyalty? Did she really think that this would protect her family from Li Hanyue's wrath? How ridiculous.
"I have served Your Highness for so long, and I know she has always wanted to bear a child for the Emperor. Even if she can't win the love of the Crown Prince, at least she could have a child as a substitute. The Emperor has always been fond of the late Empress and has not allowed the concubines to bear him children. Your Highness has treated me well, so I decided to take a risk. If something were to happen to the Crown Prince and the Princess, the Emperor would surely change his mind for the sake of the kingdom."
"Qiu Xin!" Li Hanyue yelled, rushing forward. "How can you be so foolish?"
"Even for my sake, you can't harm the Crown Prince and the Princess!"
"Your Highness, it's my fault; I am useless and cannot help my mistress," Qiu Xin lamented.
The two of them embraced each other, crying together.
Xianyue glanced at the officials behind her, many with red-rimmed eyes, evidently moved by the display of loyalty between the master and servant. Then she looked at Feng Xuanling, who, despite his anger, showed hints of guilt as he gazed at Li Hanyue.
She had always known that her father was a man of deep feelings and obligations. The more he neglected her, the deeper his love for the late Empress seemed to be. How could a lovesick emperor not be affected by such sentiments?
For those women who had been forced into the harem, the occasional favor was merely a formality, a way to silence the courtiers. What right did he have to blame them for their situation?
However, Qiu Xin had some cleverness about her; even in her final moments, she sought to beautify her mistress's image. No wonder she had become Li Hanyue's trusted maid.
"Your Majesty, although Qiu Xin's actions are unforgivable, everything she did was for me," Li Hanyue said, releasing Qiu Xin and raising her tearful eyes toward Feng Xuanling.
"Your Majesty, this is all my fault; it has nothing to do with the noble concubine," Qiu Xin pleaded, kneeling beside Li Hanyue, both of them looking up at Feng Xuanling.
"It is my fault," Li Hanyue insisted, grasping Qiu Xin's hand and shouting.
"It is my fault," Qiu Xin echoed, crawling forward and breaking into sobs as she looked at Li Hanyue.
"Your Majesty, this little maid dared to conspire against the Crown Prince; her crime deserves punishment, but her intentions may be forgiven. As for the noble concubine—"
Before the elder statesman could finish his sentence, another voice interrupted. "Although the noble concubine was unaware, this maid is still under her service and should be punished for her negligence."
"The matter of the Crown Prince's attack is serious; it should be thoroughly investigated by the Ministry of Justice."
"How could a mere maid have such power? Is she supposed to be all-powerful?"
"The Crown Prince was worried about the Princess; upon learning she was in danger, he would naturally act without a detailed plan."
The court was divided, officials arguing back and forth.
Xianyue remained silent, observing as if she were watching a play unfold.
"Enough!" Feng Xuanling slammed his palm on the table, his brows furrowing into a straight line. Pointing at the weeping Qiu Xin, he commanded, "Take Qiu Xin out and behead her!"
As soon as Feng Xuanling's order was given, the Imperial Guards rushed in. Qiu Xin stared at Feng Xuanling, her mind blank. Before she could even cry out for help, she was dragged away by the guards. Only outside the Golden Hall did her piercing cries echo back.
The onlookers shook their heads and sighed. In the palace, there were many such wronged souls, but what she cared about most was not her fate.
"Your Majesty..."
Li Hanyue knelt on the ground, looking pitiful with a face full of sorrow and grief.
"Regarding Li Guifei, due to her failure to educate her servants properly, she shall return to the palace for reflection and shall not leave Zhu Xuan Hall without my command."
Feng Xuanling glanced at Li Hanyue, waved his hand, and turned to look at Xian Yue, who stood nearby. "Today's matter shall be put aside for now. Without my consent, you are not allowed to step into this Golden Luan Hall."
Did she really think she wanted to be the empress and was fond of staying in this place?
"How does Father deal with those who harm my brother?"
Xian Yue walked up to Li Hanyue and looked down at her, only to see her looking back with a face full of arrogance.
"I humbly ask Father to seek justice for my brother."
Xian Yue knelt straight in front of Feng Xuanling.
"Once my words are spoken, they cannot be revoked."
After Feng Xuanling spoke, he glanced at Li Dequan and walked down from the golden throne, preparing to leave.
"I disagree."
Suddenly, Xian Yue squatted down, lifted her skirt, and drew a dagger from her pink boots, the blade gleaming with an unstoppable force as she thrust it towards Li Hanyue's chest.
The other officials present were completely stunned, their eyes wide open, staring blankly at Xian Yue, who stood up with the dagger in hand. If they were shocked by her words just now, they couldn't even begin to comprehend her actions now—it was as if they were dreaming.
Li Hanyue was equally caught off guard; just a moment ago, she was still delighted to have escaped this calamity. She tilted her head, staring dazedly at the dagger approaching her, completely forgetting to dodge.
"Be careful!"
Li Weian shouted loudly and was about to rush forward but was blocked by Liu Xinyou.
"You—"
Li Hanyue pointed at Xian Yue, still finding it hard to believe until that moment.
"Plop!"
Hot blood splattered onto her face, blurring her vision. The sharp blade was yanked out of her chest with force, and her white shirt instantly turned crimson.
Xian Yue stood upright, her snowy hands and the dagger she tightly gripped were dripping with blood. She reached out to wipe the blood flowing down her face, but her white complexion was smeared with red, and she remained oblivious.
Turning around, her blood-stained eyes looked at the officials who still hadn't regained their senses: "Anyone who plots to harm the Crown Prince shall be killed without mercy."
The officials panicked and stepped back in fear as Xian Yue approached; she resembled a little ghost from hell come to collect debts.
Feng Xuanling swallowed hard. Was this really his daughter with Sang Xiao? With such methods, who did she take after?
"Feng Xian Yue!"
Feng Xuanling called out, his voice trembling—not just from fear but from an unknown apprehension.
"Father."
Xian Yue glanced at Li Hanyue, now a corpse lying on the ground. That sword strike had taken all her strength; it had hit the vital spot. What she wanted was her death.
"You may not love me, spoil me, or care for me. You can treat me like a stranger with indifference; you can take every woman in the world to be your consorts, and I have no objections. But no matter what, you must protect my brother and never tolerate those who wish to harm him. Your people must not hurt my brother."
She was about to leave. In this harem, there were more than just Li Hanyue who wanted to kill their siblings. After today, she believed that if they wanted to act, they would have to think twice and would surely have their fears.
"You are the citizens of Feng Kingdom and my brother's subjects. If anyone dares to have ulterior motives or plot against the Crown Prince, this will be their fate."
She pointed at the blood-soaked Li Hanyue, her bloodied face icy cold.
"Your Majesty."
"Princess."
The air was thick with the scent of blood. From a distance came voices filled with excitement and agitation: "The Crown Prince has awakened."