The maidservant dared not say more, her speed in plucking the crabapple blossoms markedly increasing.
Lin Yu Ran gritted her teeth, almost shattering them: "All of you, stop! How dare you pluck the crabapple blossoms?"
The palace servants ignored her, continuing to pluck the flowers.
The Empress had returned. Lin Yu Ran, with her diminished status, was clearly not as influential as before.
Seeing the servants completely disregard her, Lin Yu Ran strode forward, intending to snatch the crabapple blossoms back.
However, Ji Bin Yu restrained her, shaking his head vigorously in negation. "No. If you act rashly, we will only give them grounds to criticize us."
His words were like a bucket of cold water poured from the sky, instantly dousing Lin Yu Ran's impulse.
With the Empress's triumphant return, this was not the time for her to be impulsive; otherwise, she would only become a pawn in others' games.
"Princess, something terrible has happened!"
Su Qi rushed in, panting, and hurried to Lin Yu Ran's side.
Lin Yu Ran's mood was already foul. Seeing Su Qi's hurried demeanor, her annoyance intensified. "What terrible thing has happened?"
Su Qi blurted out, "Everything you placed in your chambers has been thrown out! They say the chambers belong to the Empress and must be vacated for her!"
"What?"
Lin Yu Ran's eyebrows shot up. She strode forward abruptly. "Let's go see!"
Before a luxurious chamber.
Countless gold and silver treasures and clothing were being tossed out of the chamber.
Maidservants were busily clearing the room, throwing out whatever they found.
In a short while, a small mountain of belongings had accumulated in front of the chamber.
"Stop! All of you, stop!"
Lin Yu Ran could bear it no longer and shouted sternly.
She regretted not having tormented Lin Ning He severely. This little vixen had ordered the crabapple blossoms thrown out, and now she had ordered her belongings tossed from the palace!
Even if she hadn't become Empress, she was still a princess in name, how could she be so humiliated?
The maidservants paused their actions, but then resumed their work.
The Empress had given orders, and these maidservants dared not delay, so they complied.
A maidservant approached her, apologizing slightly. "Princess, the Empress said to throw out all your belongings and tidy up the chambers. The Empress also said this chamber is not for just any cat or dog to live in, and told you to scram back to where you belong."
The implication was that Lin Yu Ran was being likened to a cat or dog.
"She dares to insult me?"
Lin Yu Ran's face turned red with anger. Looking at the pile of clothes, carelessly discarded and forming a small mountain, it felt as though her dignity was being built into the pile.
This little vixen had barely returned and was already showing her dominance without mercy.
Having been accustomed to having her way in Lin Country for so many years, she could not accept such treatment.
Su Qi quickly beckoned to a few palace servants to gather the discarded clothing.
Lin Yu Ran clenched her fists, her delicate fingertips digging deeply into her flesh. Yet, she felt no pain as a cold, feminine voice hissed through her teeth: "Ji Bin Yu, she must die."
She knew that Lin Ning He had no evidence to prove the truth of what happened back then.
Otherwise, she would not still be alive now.
She began to feel fortunate that she had not been idle for the past century, but had cultivated many confidantes who could be useful at a critical moment.
If Lin Ning He dared to make a move, she would make the entire Lin Country pay!
What she could not have, no one else would get!
Ji Bin Yu's effeminate face was etched with malice. His male voice slowly descended, "Indeed, she must die. I have a plan we can try."
With the Empress's return, they would not be spared.
A confrontation between them was inevitable.
Upon hearing of a plan, Lin Yu Ran eagerly looked up at him. "What plan?"
Ji Bin Yu's lips curved upwards, his eyes gleaming with a sharp light...
The assembled crowd in the great hall chatted and laughed, relishing the events that had just transpired.
The former Empress's return to Lin Country, alive, meant that the princess who was supposed to ascend the throne now had no hope of becoming Empress, a matter that would surely be discussed by the cultivators for a long time.
The Grand Tutor wiped his slightly moist eyes and fixed his gaze on Feng Ning He. "Your Majesty, what truly happened a hundred years ago? If you were alive, why did you not return to Lin Country sooner? Why only now?"
This was a question on the minds of many ministers.
Feng Ning He gazed calmly at the people before her and deliberately patted the Grand Tutor's shoulder. "Today is a joyous occasion, let us not dwell on these matters. I will reveal the truth to you all in due course."
With too many eyes and ears in the great hall, it was inconvenient to speak of certain things.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries with the court officials, Feng Ning He left the hall and returned to her guest quarters. She did not immediately move into the chamber that rightfully belonged to her.
A chamber that had been touched by the wrong people naturally needed to be thoroughly cleansed before it could be occupied.
"Master, why not reveal the truth to everyone? Let everyone see the true faces of Ji Bin Yu and Lin Yu Ran?"
Xiao Zhao, transformed into the form of a child, stood before her, his young face etched with a hint of doubt.
The hundred years of accumulated grievances should have been settled long ago.
Understanding Xiao Zhao's doubts, Feng Ning He sat on a stool, her slender hand lifting a cup of tea to her lips. "For the past century, these two have been acting like tyrants in Lin Country, even winning over many hearts. There are many of their people in the palace. If we act rashly, it might lead to a mutual destruction."
She had been away from Lin Country for too long and was somewhat unfamiliar with the situation within the palace.
Now that she had returned to Lin Country, her priority was to understand the palace's dynamics, strip Lin Yu Ran and Ji Bin Yu of their power, and then expose their true nature to everyone.
She did not fear Lin Yu Ran and Ji Bin Yu, but she did not want others to suffer unjustly because of them.
If these two extremists were pushed too far, who knew what excesses they might commit, perhaps leading to more casualties...
Xiao Zhao gritted his teeth, his azure eyes filled with deep resentment. "A hundred years ago, these two colluded and deceived you, attempting to kill you! If your soul had not hidden within the spatial jade bracelet, you would no longer be in this world!"
Feng Ning He's gaze deepened. She lifted her tea cup and took a sip. "My phoenix bones were stripped back then, and they must be with Lin Yu Ran. We must find a way to discover their whereabouts. I also fear that if I act rashly, she will destroy the phoenix bones."
Only when the phoenix bones return to their rightful owner will her body be complete, and she will be able to unleash the phoenix fire that burns all things in the world.
Only by possessing the phoenix fire will her cultivation advance further.
There were too few phoenix bones in this body, and coupled with her previous healing of Xin Xin, she was unable to unleash the phoenix fire.
"Feng Ning He, is this your secret?"
Suddenly, a cool male voice echoed from outside the room.
Si Jian Ye stood there quietly, the sunlight casting a golden glow on his deep, ink-like eyes.
Beside him stood Si Xin Xin.
When he saw Feng Ning He and Xiao Zhao quietly leave the hall, he had also left with Si Xin Xin.