Slender willows sway in the breeze

Chapter 130 Feigning Sadness
Bei Chenhan gave a bitter laugh: "Having the world in my heart? In your eyes, Father, when have I ever had the opportunity to realize my ambitions? I am already eighty years old, and I will be old in a few years! I have no choice but to resort to this desperate measure and seize this last opportunity."

Bei Chenyao trembled with rage. "Opportunities are earned, not obtained through scheming and trickery. If you truly possessed the talent to govern the country, how could I not have seen it? You unfilial son, stubbornly clinging to your delusions, have committed such a grave error, and still show no remorse!"

Bei Chenhan lowered his head and remained silent, his face filled with despair and regret.

He knew that his actions were irreversible and that severe punishment awaited him.

Bei Chenyao took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. "Guards, throw Bei Chenhan into the imperial prison and keep him under strict guard until he is sentenced to death. I want the world to know that anyone who attempts to harm the country and its people will be punished accordingly!"

The guards stepped forward and dragged Bei Chenhan out of the palace.

Bei Chenhan's figure gradually disappeared from everyone's sight, leaving only his desperate cries echoing in the palace.

Luanming Palace

"pat".

It was the sound of a book falling.

The Empress looked at the maid who had reported to her in shock: "The Crown Prince has been placed under house arrest?"

The maidservant trembled and said, "Yes."

Her eyes widened, her face filled with disbelief, and she was speechless for a long time.

After regaining her composure, the Empress was extremely anxious. Ignoring the palace maids' attempts to stop her, she hurriedly headed towards the Hall of Mental Cultivation where Bei Chenyao was.

When she arrived, she disregarded etiquette and rushed inside.

Bei Chenyao was in his study, his face grim as he looked at the memorial on the table detailing Bei Chenhan's crimes.

When the Empress saw Bei Chenyao, she knelt down with a thud, tears streaming down her face.

"Your Majesty, please spare Han'er! He must have been bewitched and made a terrible mistake in a moment of confusion!" the Empress cried, her voice filled with endless sorrow.

Seeing the Empress like this, Bei Chenyao felt angry, but he couldn't help but feel a little sorry for her.

People are always so strange.

He was extremely dissatisfied with the empress when she was domineering and wielding power in the palace.

But now, Bei Chenhan is under house arrest. Looking at his well-maintained face, which still shows signs of aging, and the few gray hairs on his head, I felt a pang of pity for him.

Ultimately, it was he who wronged her back then.

Her strong presence in the palace was also for the sake of her children.

He sighed deeply and said, "Empress, please rise. Bei Chenhan has committed the heinous crimes of colluding with evil cultivators and plotting rebellion. The evidence is irrefutable. How can I easily forgive him?"

The Empress did not rise. Instead, she crawled forward a few steps, grabbed Bei Chenyao's robe, and cried out, "Your Majesty, Han'er has longed for your approval since he was a child. He wholeheartedly wanted to share your burdens and serve the country. He must have been deceived by that evil cultivator Lin Yan, which led him down this path of no return! Please, for the sake of his many years here, show leniency!"

Bei Chenyao frowned and said, "Empress, I am also heartbroken that Bei Chenhan has done such a thing. But the law is merciless. If I easily forgive him, how can I explain to the people of the world? And how can I deter those who harbor ill intentions?"

The Empress raised her head, her eyes brimming with tears, and looked at Bei Chenyao, saying, "Your Majesty, please spare his life for my sake! I am willing to take the punishment in his place, I only beg Your Majesty to spare his life."

Seeing the Empress pleading so earnestly, Bei Chenyao felt a mix of emotions.

After a long silence, Bei Chenyao slowly said, "Empress, Bei Chenhan's crimes must be punished, but I will consider the father-son relationship and take leniency into account when determining the sentence. You need not plead for him anymore; go back and rest well." Seeing that Bei Chenyao's attitude had softened, the Empress felt somewhat relieved. She slowly rose, curtsied to Bei Chenyao, and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty. I take my leave."

The Empress appeared distraught and feigned sadness as she returned to Luanming Palace.

But in his heart, he was secretly planning his next move.

With Bei Chenhan under house arrest, her years of planning had come to naught, but the resentment and ambition in her heart grew wildly like weeds.

She reminisced about her youth.

At that time, in order to consolidate his throne, Bei Chenyao sacrificed the interests of her family, which led to the gradual decline of her maternal family.

From that moment on, the seeds of hatred were sown in her heart.

She pinned all her hopes on Bei Chenhan, wanting her son to ascend the throne so that she could regain her family's glory and take revenge on Bei Chenyao.

Now that Bei Chenyao is crippled, she has decided to take matters into her own hands.

She knew there were evil cultivators acting as spies within the palace, and if she could utilize them, along with the forces she possessed…

Late at night, the Empress dismissed all the palace servants, lit an oil lamp that emitted an eerie glow in her bedchamber, closed her eyes, and muttered incantations.

A moment later, a dark figure slowly emerged from the darkness; it was Xuanji Hall's spy planted in the palace.

"Your Majesty, what brings you here?"

The shadowy figure asked respectfully.

A ruthless glint flashed in the Empress's eyes as she said, "Go and tell Lin Yan that I am willing to cooperate with him to seize the throne. As long as he helps me achieve my goal, I will certainly not treat him unfairly."

The figure in black was slightly taken aback, seemingly not expecting the Queen to take the initiative to propose cooperation.

But he reacted quickly: "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will certainly convey your message to the Hall Master. However, this matter still needs to be considered carefully. What are Your Majesty's plans?"

The Empress sneered and said, "Gu Changzhou and the others must be strengthening their defenses now, so we cannot act rashly. Have Lin Yan secretly gather men and wait for the right opportunity. I will try to disrupt their plans and create chaos in the palace. When the time is right, we will cooperate from within and without to seize the throne in one fell swoop."

The figure in black nodded and said, "Your Majesty's foresight is admirable. However, this matter is extremely risky, so Your Majesty must proceed with caution and lest you expose yourself."

The Empress snorted coldly and said, "Do you need to tell me that? Just do as I say, and I will reward you with wealth and honor after it's done."

The shadowy figure responded and vanished into the darkness as a wisp of black smoke.

The queen stared in the direction the shadowy figure had disappeared, her eyes gleaming with greed and ambition.

Meanwhile, in other parts of Zhongzhou City, Elder Lang and Elder Di Sheng led their respective sects' disciples, together with the imperial army, in a final purge of the remaining evil cultivators in the city.

They left no corner unchecked, and every suspicious place was thoroughly searched.

The common people spontaneously provided them with clues, helping them to capture the hidden evil cultivators in one fell swoop. On the Night Shadow side, the Shadow Guards successfully tracked down a few evil cultivators who had managed to escape.

After a series of fierce battles, these heretical cultivators were all captured.

As the cleanup operation progressed, the situation in Zhongzhou City gradually stabilized, and the lives of the people slowly returned to normal.