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

The emperor needed her as a weapon to check the princes and clean up the court, but at the same time he also had to ensure that the weapon was firmly in his hand and would not backfire.

A cold sweat instantly broke out on Yun Jin's back.

As expected, the Emperor became suspicious of the origins of Grey Falcon and Zhao Jianing, and may even have already sensed something.

She immediately rose from her seat and knelt down, touching her forehead to the ground: "Your subject will remember your teachings, Father! Everything I have done is for your sake and for the court; I have no selfish motives whatsoever!"

All the men around me are loyal and righteous, and are willing to die for the court!

"Your Majesty, I will obey your every command for the rest of my life and would never dare to fail in your grace!"

Her voice carried just the right amount of fear and determination.

The emperor stared at her for a long time, seemingly trying to find the slightest pretense on her face. Finally, he waved his hand and said, "Get up. Remember what you said today. I'm tired. You may leave. The day after tomorrow, the third prince invites you to his residence to admire paintings. Go. It's good for brothers and sisters to visit each other more often."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I take my leave."

Yun Jin bowed and left the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Only after walking a long way and feeling the night wind did she realize that her inner robe was soaked with cold sweat.

The emperor's summons was less of an encouragement and more of a stern warning and a drawing of a line.

Her future path must be within the limits permitted by her father; she must be "useful" enough and "obedient" enough.

At this moment, in the secret chamber of the First Prince's residence, the atmosphere was even more intense than the Emperor's warning.

"Useless! A bunch of useless trash!"

Like a raging trapped beast, Yun Jie smashed almost everything he could in the secret room.

Expensive porcelain and jade artifacts were shattered on the ground, and the rosewood table was kicked so hard it was about to collapse.

"Liu Wenyuan! Zhou Kang! And those fools! They ruined my grand plan! And let that vile woman climb to the position of Princess Jingguo by stepping on my bones! The Imperial Edict! The Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince! Does she deserve it?! Does she even deserve it?!"

Mr. Jia stood in the shadows with his hands hanging down, his face equally grim. Only after Yun Jie had vented his anger did he step forward and whisper, "Your Highness, please calm down. Things have come to this point, and your wrath will not help. The most urgent matter is how to deal with this."

"How to deal with it?!"

Yun Jie suddenly turned around, his bloodshot eyes glaring at Mr. Jia.

"That vile woman is currently enjoying the Emperor's favor, wielding great power in the salt administration, and has even received the title of 'Jingguo' (meaning 'pacifying the country'). Even that slippery third prince is starting to curry favor with her! My money is gone, my support in the southeast is broken, and those opportunists in the court are beginning to waver! Tell me, how should we deal with this?!"

"Your Highness, it is precisely because he enjoys the Emperor's favor and is showing off his talents that he is heading for his own demise."

Mr. Jia's eyes flashed with a cold light. "His Majesty can praise her today, but he can also destroy her tomorrow. The more proud she is, the deeper the thorn in His Majesty's heart will be. What we need to do is not to confront her head-on, but to let her drive that thorn in His Majesty's heart into her own heart."

Yun Jie, panting heavily, stared at him: "Go on!"

"First, continue the offensive in the court. The memorial impeaching her for 'befriending military generals' and 'privately recruiting soldiers' can be submitted tomorrow."

The guard commander surnamed Zhao, whose origins are unknown, is the best point of entry.

Even if we can't bring her down in one fell swoop, we must make Her Majesty suspicious and deter her from easily using these "Jianghu forces" again.

Mr. Jia counted on his fingers, "Secondly, spreading rumors. For example, he said that Princess Jingguo not only confiscated the property of her family in Jianghuai, but also fabricated charges against her, eliminated dissidents, and even... had close ties with certain border generals who held military power. Rumors kill people, and the most effective ones are the invisible ones."

Yun Jie's eyes flashed: "Anything else?"

Mr. Jia lowered his voice even further, carrying a chilling murderous intent: "Thirdly, and most importantly, we must nip this in the bud."

Last time, "Night Owl" failed because it underestimated the enemy's security. This time, we cannot afford to fail again.

They mobilized all the elite members of "Night Owl" and hired top assassins from "Blood Shadow Tower" at great expense, employing a two-pronged approach.

Not only must Yun Jin be killed, but also the mysterious "accountant" beside her, and any other possible advisors, must be eliminated in the chaos!

Once Yun Jin dies, the power behind her will be like a tree without roots. Even if His Majesty is furious, he will have no evidence to prove it and will ultimately have to let the matter drop.

"And Your Highness, you remain His Majesty's eldest and most powerful prince!"

Yun Jie's eyes flashed with a fierce light, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked: "Blood Shadow Tower? You're confident in your abilities?"

"Blood Shadow Tower never misses a job, as long as the price is high enough."

Mr. Jia stated confidently, "They excel at creating accidents, poisoning, and long-range sniping, making them virtually impossible to defend against. Combined with 'Night Owl's' frontal assault and the creation of chaos, Yun Jin has absolutely no chance of survival. The timing is set for her return journey from the Third Prince's residence to admire paintings the day after tomorrow. By striking on the way, they can muddy the waters and even... frame the Third Prince."

"Fine!" Yun Jie gritted his teeth, a ferocious smile spreading across his face. "That's it! At all costs, I'll make that bitch and all the demons behind her disappear completely! Mr. Jia, you're in charge of this matter. The necessary funds will be drawn from my private treasury—as much as you need, I'll give you!"

"Your subordinate obeys!" Mr. Jia bowed, a hint of smugness flashing in his eyes.

However, what they didn't know was that in this supposedly top-secret room, under an inconspicuous tile on the roof, a figure almost blending into the night was listening to their conversation word for word.

……

The Jingguo Princess's Residence, Tingtao Pavilion.

It was late at night, but Yun Jin was wide awake, still reading under the lamp the latest instructions sent by Su Che through secret channels.

The letter was short, but every word carried immense weight: "With glory comes danger. His Majesty's suspicions, the First Prince's hatred, and the Third Prince's schemes must all be dealt with with caution. The appointment for tomorrow can be kept, but thorough preparations are necessary. The people in the household should be screened again. In the coming days, do not eat anything from outside, and do not touch unfamiliar utensils. A storm is brewing; wait and see."

Just as I was concentrating, I heard a very faint, rhythmic knocking sound coming from outside the window.

Yun Jin's heart tightened; this was the emergency contact code left by Zhao Jianing.

She gestured for Qingdai to be on her guard, then walked to the window and asked in a low voice, "What is it?"

A deliberately hushed voice came from outside the window: "Your Highness, there is urgent news. 'Listening' has reported that the First Prince has decided to take action against you. He has mobilized all the forces of 'Night Owl' and hired assassins from 'Blood Shadow Tower' at great expense. The plan is to assassinate you on your way back from the Third Prince's residence the day after tomorrow. The target is not only you, but also Mr. Su."

Yun Jin's pupils contracted sharply. Although she had expected it, hearing about the other party's vicious and two-pronged plan still sent a chill down her spine.

Blood Shadow Tower! That's a notorious assassin organization that strikes fear into the hearts of many in the martial arts world!