No matter how desperately the Grand Princess pleaded, detailing Xiao Man's crimes, the court ministers remained unmoved. It seemed no amount of promises or bargaining chips from the Grand Princess could sway them.
"You, are you truly willing to watch the empire of Lan Yue be destroyed in this woman's hands?"
"Grand Princess, if we were to support you, it would be the true destruction of Lan Yue's empire!" a minister spoke, "Since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has been diligent and dedicated; no one has dared to offend our Lan Yue. The peace and stability Lan Yue enjoys today are thanks to His Majesty's significant contributions."
The Grand Princess widened her eyes, staring at the speaking minister, "What does Lan Yue's stability have to do with her?"
"Grand Princess, have you been in Bianjing for too long, and your information is so out of date that you are blind and deaf?" Yao Ran said coldly, "Yusheng attacked Beirong, and Beirong was on the verge of falling, yet Yun Qi made no move. Don't you understand why?"
"That's because Yun Qi had to guard against Yusheng and couldn't spare any attention for Lan Yue."
Yao Ran thought to herself, she used to consider the Grand Princess incapable but at least sensible. Now, how could she be so lacking in judgment and so foolish as to be unable to see the situation clearly?
"It's because Yun Qi has been incorporated into Lan Yue's territory," Yao Ran said calmly. "While the Grand Princess was busy fighting for power and position, His Majesty had already taken Yun Qi."
"Impossible, this is absolutely impossible!" the Grand Princess exclaimed. "If she had taken Yun Qi, why wouldn't I have heard a single whisper?"
"You not knowing does not mean it didn't happen," Yao Ran stepped forward. "Grand Princess, do you truly believe you could ascend to the throne by inciting a palace coup? It's impossible. Once His Majesty is harmed, Yun Qi will surely fall into chaos, and Lan Yue will be the primary victim."
"Stop trying to scare me with alarmist talk!" The Grand Princess regained her composure and pointed her sword at Yao Ran. "What kind of intoxicating charm has she cast upon you that you would protect her so fiercely, even fabricating such an unbelievable lie to save her? Do you take me for a three-year-old child?"
"What I've said is the truth. Whether the Grand Princess believes it or not is up to you," Yao Ran retreated to Xiao Man's side. "Your Majesty, Grand Princess..."
Xiao Man raised her hand, stopping Yao Ran's next words. "Lan Ya, I will ask you one last time, do you wish to continue?"
The Grand Princess sneered and pointed her sword at Xiao Man. "Xiao Man, it's too late to be afraid now. I truly didn't expect you to be so careless as to let me handle matters of court, giving me the opportunity to contact the officials. Your current predicament is all due to your arrogance!"
Xiao Man nodded as if accepting a lesson. "Arrest her."
The Grand Princess was stunned. Arrest her? Xiao Man was about to become a prisoner, and she wanted to arrest someone else?
Just as the Grand Princess was about to mock her, a dagger plunged into her chest from behind. The Grand Princess looked sideways and saw that the person who had acted was none other than her consort, Yun Jing.
"Yun Jing... you... you..."
Yun Jing's expression was icy. He applied force, driving the dagger deeper into the Grand Princess's body. "Your Highness, I am also a person. When you no longer treated me as one, I had no choice but to betray you."
The Grand Princess's eyes reddened. She had never imagined that the one who would betray her in the end was the man she had never truly valued. In her eyes, men were merely playthings, even her consort. If she found a man who could bring her more benefit, she would replace him immediately.
"How dare you betray me!" The Grand Princess drew her sword to stab him. Yun Jing quickly retreated, falling to the ground. Seeing the Grand Princess's frenzied attack, he was terrified.
"Your Majesty, save me."
Xiao Man beckoned, and immediately, hidden guards appeared, dragging Yun Jing forward. Yun Jing let out a sigh of relief, a smug smile appearing on his face. "You treated me like a plaything, to be called and dismissed at your will. You probably never thought that one day, you would die at the hands of a plaything!"
"You..."
The Grand Princess spat out a mouthful of blood, her body swaying. She propped herself up with her sword, "I treated you well!"
"You did treat me well, forcing me every day to lobby the sons of court officials to come to the Grand Princess's mansion for your pleasure. For the sake of power, you didn't treat the gentlemen of the Princess's mansion as people. In your eyes, we were all bargaining chips, chips to control various factions. How can someone so heartless, ungrateful, and cruel as you be fit to be an emperor?"
"Yun Jing!"
"Originally, I wanted to poison you. But the Empress summoned you to the palace, and the poison I gave you was not enough to kill you. Fortunately, you gave me the opportunity to act!"
"Poison..." The Grand Princess was filled with shock. Yun Jing had poisoned her? When? How? She had her food tested daily. How could Yun Jing have succeeded? Then the Grand Princess remembered. Because she was concerned about her beauty, she ate bird's nest soup every day, and Yun Jing had specifically found some bird's nest for her. "It was the bird's nest."
"Yes, the bird's nest," Yun Jing stepped forward. "I put poison in the bird's nest. Of course, it wouldn't be detected if tested alone. When combined with the calming incense I burned for you, it would become a slow-acting poison, gradually taking your life!"
"You... you are so vicious!" The Grand Princess was both angry and indignant. She prided herself on her intelligence, yet she was being schemed against by someone close to her. She spent her days plotting against others but overlooked those around her!
"Grand Princess, you must hold on," Jing Shihan supported the Grand Princess. The Grand Princess must not die now. If she died, it wouldn't be a rebellion, but treason. "Several princesses, are you going to stand by and watch? The Grand Princess is your sister. Even if you are not blood sisters, the bond you grew up with is stronger than that of blood sisters. Are you going to watch the Grand Princess be murdered?"
Seeing that the other princesses remained indifferent, Jing Shihan gritted her teeth. "Your Highnesses, do you really think the Empress will let you off? The Grand Princess is just the beginning. Once the Empress fully controls Lan Yue, the Grand Princess will be a warning to you."
She thought that with their lives at stake, the princesses might waver somewhat. However, the other princesses showed no sign of movement. The Second Princess even leaned against a nearby stone pillar, closing her eyes as if dozing.
As for the Fourth and Fifth Princesses, they appeared bored and were betting on how many rounds the Jing mother and daughter could last against Xiao Man, even drawing Xiao Man's gaze.
The Grand Princess could see clearly that these people would not step forward. They were already terrified by Xiao Man. Even if they were given the courage of heaven, they would not dare to oppose Xiao Man.
"Why, why are you all helping Xiao Man?" the Grand Princess struggled to ask. To this day, she didn't understand what was so good about Xiao Man that made them all so loyal to her.
"Because she can tolerate us, and you cannot!"