Lan Yan saw that Prime Minister Lin was still like this at this time, and waved her hand, "Come, punish the Lin family woman and make her speak properly."
Mei Dong then threw the Lin family woman to the ground, holding a long wooden board nearby, and struck the Lin family woman's back repeatedly.
"Ahhh!" The Lin family woman's face turned pale, and she couldn't help but cry out. She looked up at Lan Yan and shouted, "Your Majesty, this commoner is willing to say anything."
Her gaze then fell on Prime Minister Lin.
Prime Minister Lin glared at the Lin family woman and shouted, "Answer properly, this is in front of Her Majesty."
"Prime Minister Lin, you are too presumptuous!" Lan Yan said angrily, "Without my command, you are not allowed to speak. Lin family woman, tell me everything you know, and I will spare your life."
The Lin family woman hesitated, but the pain in her back made it impossible for her to think. She cried out, "It was Lin..." However, her peripheral vision caught Prime Minister Lin holding a handkerchief, and her eyes trembled. It was her father's.
She bit her lip and changed her words, "It was solely my own fault. I was unhappy with Her Majesty's refusal of marriage. Seeing someone attack Her Majesty, I harbored wicked intentions. This commoner has nothing more to say."
She lowered her head, having always wanted to maintain her status as a Lin family woman, precisely to prevent others from bullying her and her father. But now, she could do nothing.
Prime Minister Lin's lips curved upward with satisfaction, and he said to Lan Yan, "Your Majesty, since she has confessed, please deal with her properly."
Lan Yan looked at Prime Minister Lin's smug expression and suppressed her inner rage. "Prime Minister Lin, why the hurry? There are still those black-clad men who need to be punished."
"Furthermore, Prime Minister Lin's failure to discipline his family is also a crime. I have already investigated and found that your son administered medicine in the hay last night, causing the horses to go mad, and he himself was trampled by the horses."
Prime Minister Lin saw Mei Dong handing over the hay and knew there was no escape. "Your Majesty, it is my fault for not raising my son properly. I will discipline him when I return."
Admitting this was much simpler than admitting to the assassination.
Lan Yan said, "Very well, since Prime Minister Lin says so, then I shall punish. Lin Zhi has paid the price. From now on, do not go out casually, lest you harm others and yourself."
"As for you, the father is responsible for the son's misdeeds, and with the matter of the Lin family woman, you shall remain confined in your residence and reflect. Without my command, you shall not step foot in the court."
Prime Minister Lin was stunned, not expecting Lan Yan to dismiss her from her duties. "Your Majesty, this punishment seems a bit too severe!"
Lan Yan simply looked at him coldly, "Prime Minister Lin, during your time at home, you shall properly learn what it means to be a subject, and what the duties of a Prime Minister are!"
Prime Minister Lin still wanted to retort, but then saw Minister Jun rushing over, holding a memorial.
"Your Majesty, it has been confirmed that the assassins encountered in Lin Jian bore the marks of Hao Kingdom. It must be that Hao Kingdom, with its wolfish ambition, had long ambushed here to assassinate Your Majesty. Fortunately, Your Majesty is blessed with great fortune, truly a blessing for our Yan Dynasty."
Minister Jun exclaimed with deep gratitude.
Lan Yan's eyes darkened. This matter was actually related to the neighboring Hao Kingdom. She looked at Prime Minister Lin, whose expression remained unchanged, yet she felt that this matter was somehow connected to Prime Minister Lin.
Since Hao Kingdom was now involved, she needed to devise a plan. "Prime Minister Lin, you will escort your son away now. Oh, and before you leave, you will watch the Lin family woman being executed."
"By my decree, the Lin family woman shall be beaten to death!" This old fox, Prime Minister Lin, could not be easily dealt with, but she could still be intimidated.
Prime Minister Lin could only bow and say, "Yes, Your Majesty." She would overthrow the empress sooner or later, and Hao Kingdom was the best opportunity. She remembered the messenger from Hao Kingdom and knew she had to contact them.
Lan Yan snorted coldly, turned, and looked at Minister Jun who was following. "You are the Minister of Justice. You will handle those black-clad men. You don't need to follow me."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Minister Jun said with a fawning smile. Her son had saved the empress, and her own status would surely rise in the future. She then said, "Your Majesty, I heard Ye Lan is injured. May I see him?"
Lan Yan stared at Minister Jun, naturally knowing that Jun Ye Lan did not have a good relationship with her. "He needs to rest."
Minister Jun looked regretful and respectfully saw Lan Yan off. She walked to the side and met Jun Jiu, who was approaching. She sighed, "Her Majesty won't even let me see Jun Ye Lan, let alone discuss matters with him."
Jun Jiu's eyes flickered. He grabbed Minister Jun's arm and smiled, "Mother, Big Brother has never cared for us and will not sincerely help you. If I am allowed into the palace, I will definitely help you."
Minister Jun's eyes brightened, and she fell into thought. She looked at her son's gentle and charming demeanor. He was indeed much better than the cold Jun Ye Lan, but Her Majesty currently only favored Jun Ye Lan.
She felt a hint of melancholy and patted Jun Jiu's hand. "Let your mother think about it first."
Jun Jiu smiled, affectionately let go of his mother, and walked towards his tent.
As he passed Lin Zhi's tent, he could still hear shouts from within. He murmured, "What a fool. Not only did he fail to harm Jun Ye Lan, but he also made Jun Ye Lan even more favored by Her Majesty. I would never be like this."
Rather than believe his elder brother would help him and the Jun family, he preferred to believe in himself.
At this moment, Lan Yan had prepared a few small dishes in the kitchen. Jun Ye Lan was injured and could only eat light meals, so she brought them back to his tent. She saw Jun Ye Lan leaning against the headboard reading a book and said, "You only detoxified yesterday. Why aren't you resting more?"
Jun Ye Lan looked at Lan Yan's worried expression and shook his head. "My injuries are not serious, and reading does not strain me. As for you, have you investigated yesterday's events?" He was faintly worried that those people would target Lan Yan again.
Lan Yan sat by the bed and told him about Prime Minister Lin and Hao Kingdom.
"Hao Kingdom has repeatedly violated our Yan Dynasty's borders. We should have dealt with them long ago." Jun Ye Lan actually longed to go to the battlefield to kill enemies and defend the country, but alas, he was a man. "Your Majesty, you should seize this opportunity to recruit soldiers and stockpile grain. A war with Hao Kingdom is inevitable sooner or later."
Lan Yan's understanding of this world was not as deep as Jun Ye Lan's. She nodded. "I will issue the order. Jun Ye Lan, I've noticed you understand these matters very well and have been reading military books before. Do you wish to go to the battlefield?"
Jun Ye Lan was startled; Lan Yan had guessed correctly. He clenched the book in his hand and said, "If, one day, I have something I want to do, perhaps I will leave you. What will you do?"
Lan Yan thought for a moment, looking at Jun Ye Lan's serious expression, and smiled, "Of course I will support you. Having something you want to do is a very good thing." Moreover, even if Jun Ye Lan left her, she could go find him.
She was never one to passively wait for things to happen. What if the good impression she had painstakingly built up declined?
Jun Ye Lan put down the book and performed a deep bow. "Thank you, Your Majesty." At this moment, he was willing to believe Lan Yan's promise from the bottom of his heart, to not be confined to the palace and to have the opportunity to venture far.