The Empress has abandoned me? I'll support a new emperor and destroy your kingdom!

"Some drafts of correspondence, the handwriting of which, upon identification, bears some resemblance to the handwriting of several princes from the previous dynasty... The content mostly involves 'criticism' of His Majesty's... female ascension to the throne, as well as some sketches of military deployments, though not detailed, but..." Gao Tianci did not finish his sentence, but the meaning was self-evident—this was excellent "evidence" to frame Su Che for "colluding with the imperial family, plotting rebellion" or even "treason."

Lin Chu's fingers dug sharply into her palm. Of course, she knew it was a forgery. How could Su Che leave such an obvious handle? This could only be Gao Tianci's doing; he wanted to cement Su Che's guilt and also use this opportunity to further weaken any remaining forces that might sympathize with Su Che.

To use or not to use?

If he used it, Su Che would never be able to recover, and he could be even more "legitimate." But... this also meant that he would be completely tied to Gao Tianci, and would continue down this path of fabricating evidence and framing loyal officials.

"Your Majesty," Gao Tianci added fuel to the fire when he saw her hesitation, "Hesitation will only lead to more trouble. Su Che is an exceptionally capable man. If he cannot be captured and killed in Jiangqiong, he will surely become a major threat in time! We must make the people of the world, especially those in the court who still harbor illusions about the traitor, see his true colors and sever all such thoughts!"

Lin Chu closed his eyes. The scene of Su Che in Luofeng Gorge, who toyed with and defeated three hundred elite soldiers, flashed through his mind; his cold message, "In Jiangqiong, I'll be waiting for you to come visit."

Fear ultimately overwhelmed the last vestige of hesitation.

"Granted." She opened her eyes, her gaze cold and resolute. "Compile the 'evidence' and proclaim it to the world. Anyone who continues to advocate for Su the traitor or question the court will be treated as an accomplice, without exception!"

"Your Majesty is wise!" Gao Tianci was overjoyed, bowing to accept the order, a glint of triumph and ruthlessness flashing in his eyes. Now, Su Che would be utterly disgraced in the eyes of the people. And he, Gao Tianci, would become the number one hero in eliminating the traitor and consolidating the empire!

After Gao Tianci withdrew, the hall returned to silence.

Lin Chu slowly walked to the window, looking out at the palace garden brightly lit by the sunlight. Flowers bloomed in profusion, eaves and brackets stood out, everything seemed peaceful and noble.

But she knew that some things had been completely changed from the moment she tacitly allowed Gao Tianci to surround the Su residence, from the moment she wrote that hypocritical "love letter," and from the moment she openly announced those decrees at the court assembly.

This palace, this empire, is being dragged into a vortex of suspicion, purges, and bloodshed by her own hands.

The instigator, however, has already left and is now in another country, coldly observing everything here.

"Su Che..." she murmured the name silently, with hatred, fear, and a sense of bewilderment that she herself was unwilling to admit—a complete loss of control.

What exactly do you want?

What good will it do you to escape to Jiangqiong, that chaotic, impoverished, and precarious place?

Do you really think that you can make a comeback there, rise again, and take revenge on me?

absurd!

Lin Chu shook her head vigorously, as if trying to shake off these weak thoughts. She was the Empress, the ruler of the Tianming Empire! No matter how powerful Su Che was, he was just a person, a traitorous defector! What did personal bravery and wisdom amount to in the face of absolute national power?

She turned away, no longer looking at the blinding sunlight outside the window.

"Eunuch Chen."

"This old servant is here."

"By imperial decree, I will bathe and fast, and three days later, I will offer sacrifices to Heaven at the Imperial Ancestral Temple to reassure our ancestors—that the treacherous minister has been eliminated and the empire will be forever secure."

She wanted Heaven, her ancestors, and all the people of the land to see that she, Lin Chu, was the chosen one. Anyone who betrayed or threatened her would only face certain death!

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The order was given, and the massive imperial machinery roared back to life, preparing for the Empress's sacrificial ceremony. Imperial warrants for Su Che's arrest were plastered throughout the streets and alleys; the purge of the "Su faction" continued, and the court was shrouded in a chilling silence.

It seems that everything is back on track.

However, the chill that hung over the empire, the fear deeply ingrained in the Empress's heart, and the figure that silently disappeared into the mountains and rivers of Jiangqiong, far beyond the southern border, all foreshadowed—

The storm has not subsided.

It has only temporarily moved away from the eye of the storm, and under another sky, it is quietly accumulating an even more terrifying power.

At this moment, in the eye of the storm, within the magnificent imperial palace, the aloof and supreme empress, in making her final, ruthless decision—attempting to appease herself and her empire through sacrifice and bloodshed—did not realize:

When she personally and firmly nailed the label of "traitor" to Su Che, she also opened a door to a deeper and darker abyss for herself and the future of this empire.

On the other side of the door, Su Che's cold gaze returned, along with a silent declaration:

"The game has begun."