At 100 years old, he joined the army in place of his granddaughter, and became a national war god.

Ziyun Mountain, the secluded and elegant room of Ziyun Temple.

A mountain breeze drifted in through the window, but it couldn't dispel the lingering chill inside.

The words of Consort Xu, who had just threatened to kill the emperor, still echoed among the beams and pillars, each word piercing the heart and each sentence rebellious.

Just as she was in a state of utter confusion and filled with boundless hatred, a majestic and icy voice suddenly boomed from behind the screen in the inner courtyard.

The voice was extremely familiar, carrying the unique majesty and weight of an emperor, and imbued with thunderous fury, instantly shattering all the hostility and silence in the room.

Consort Xu trembled violently, as if struck by lightning. The madness and determination that had just lingered in her eyes were instantly swallowed up by bone-chilling fear.

She froze on the spot, her breath stopped, her fingertips turned icy cold, and even her heartbeat seemed to stop.

The next moment, the screen moved slightly, and a towering figure slowly stepped out.

He wore a dark dragon robe embroidered with mountains and rivers, with a five-clawed golden dragon coiled around his body, and the golden threads reflected his cool and aloof face.

Consort Xu's mind went completely blank. Her legs suddenly gave way, her knees buckled, and she collapsed heavily onto the bluestone ground with a thud.

The hard floor tiles slammed against her knees, causing them to ache, but she was completely oblivious, enveloped by immense fear.

She looked up in a panic, her pupils contracting sharply, her voice trembling uncontrollably: "Your Majesty...Your Majesty! What are you doing here?"

A storm raged within her, filled with astonishment and bewilderment.

Today, she broke with the Emperor's study and harbored deep resentment. Filled with personal hatred, she secretly left the palace and fled the city. No one knew her whereabouts except herself.

She left all the palace guards and personal maids in the palace, and no one followed her along the way, keeping her movements completely secret.

How could the emperor, who resides in the deep palace and is busy with countless affairs of state, suddenly appear in Ziyun Mountain, a hundred miles away, and in this secluded Taoist temple?

In a state of extreme panic, Consort Xu subconsciously turned to look at Master Ziyun beside her, her eyes filled with questioning, astonishment and disbelief.

She had known Master Ziyun for many years and trusted him implicitly; he was her only refuge and secret escape route in this deep palace.

She had always thought the Taoist priest was a wise and virtuous man she could confide in, but now she suddenly realized that from the moment she stepped into the Ziyun Temple, she had already fallen into a trap!

The Taoist priest clearly knew the emperor was there, yet he remained silent throughout, listening quietly as she poured out all her resentment and uttered treasonous words about killing the emperor. He didn't utter a single word, coldly watching her step by step into the abyss of no return.

hide!

Scheming!

use!

Countless cold words flooded her mind, sending chills down Consort Xu's spine and filling her heart with icy coldness.

At the same time, Master Ziyun stepped forward, his expression respectful and solemn, and bowed deeply to the figure in the dragon robe, his manners impeccable and without the slightest error: "This humble Taoist, Ziyun, greets Your Majesty. Long live Your Majesty!"

This bow completely shattered the last shred of hope in Consort Xu's heart.

It’s over.

It's completely over.

Treason and regicide are the most serious crimes in history, punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family and death without a complete corpse!

Her mad words, those words of desperation and murderous intent directed at the emperor, were clear and distinct, and must have reached His Majesty's ears.

Even though she held the esteemed position of Imperial Concubine and enjoyed the Emperor's favor for many years, she had no chance of survival after committing such a heinous crime!

Extreme fear instantly shattered all her pride and rage.

Consort Xu could no longer maintain her composure. She stumbled forward, kneeling and crawling, and knelt before Xiao Jinghuan. Her dark hair was disheveled and clung to her pale cheeks, and tears streamed down her face, soaking her magnificent palace dress.

She repeatedly kowtowed heavily, her forehead hitting the ground, each sound piercing and mournful:

"Your Majesty, please forgive me! I know I was wrong! I beg Your Majesty to have mercy and spare my life!"

"Just now, I was blinded by the deep-seated hatred for the Xu family, and in a moment of anger, I uttered incoherent and nonsensical words! That was by no means my true intention!"

"Your Majesty, I have served you for many years, staying by your side in the deep palace. I truly respect and love you, and have never harbored the slightest thought of disobeying or murdering you! I beg Your Majesty to see the truth and forgive my momentary lapse of judgment!"

Her forehead kept hitting the ground with a dull thud, as regret, fear, and panic surged within her.

Having lived in the inner palace for many years, she was well aware of the emperor's ruthlessness and the strictness of the law. She knew that if what she said today came true, what awaited her would be a tragic end: being deposed, imprisoned, and having her entire family implicated.

She dared not imagine her fate and could only humbly beg for mercy, pleading for survival with every possible means.

The figure in the dragon robe looked down at Consort Xu, who was prostrate on the ground, trembling and weeping. His deep dragon eyes were cold and piercing, without a trace of pity. A heavy pressure enveloped the entire elegant room, making it suffocating.

Then, a slender, slightly cool hand slowly reached out and gently touched her tear-stained cheek. The movement seemed gentle, but the force of the fingertips carried endless pressure and coldness.

"Xu Jinniang, oh Xu Jinniang."

The emperor's deep voice rang out, filled with disappointment and coldness: "How lenient I have been with you! Of the three thousand concubines in the harem, I have favored you alone, bestowed upon you the honor of a Noble Consort, protected the dignity of your family, and tolerated your repeated arrogance and willful behavior. I have forgiven you all without holding you accountable."

"I thought you were grateful and content, but I never imagined that the person I pampered and cherished so much harbored such wicked thoughts in your heart, plotting to take my life day and night, disregarding the turmoil of the Great Qian Dynasty!"

Every rebuke struck Consort Xu's heart like a heavy hammer.

She was terrified, her body trembling violently, her head banging against the ground more and more rapidly, repeatedly begging for mercy, not daring to utter a single word of protest, completely consumed by despair.

In that moment of utter oppressive silence, where even the air seemed about to freeze,

"Hahaha……"

Two clear, unrestrained laughs suddenly rang out simultaneously, instantly shattering the somber atmosphere in the room.

Wearing a dragon robe, Xiao Jinghuan threw his head back and laughed loudly. The majestic and cold aura he had just exuded had completely disappeared, replaced by a hint of contempt in his eyes.

Master Ziyun, standing to the side, stroked his beard and laughed, his eyes filled with smug satisfaction and calculation.

As the laughter subsided, the imposter emperor's smile faded. He looked down at Consort Xu, whose face was filled with terror and who was nearly exhausted. His tone suddenly changed, all imperial coldness gone, replaced by a hint of mockery: "Senior brother, how was my performance? Was it convincing enough? I managed to frighten the dignified Consort Xu into a state of utter confusion and panic!"

Master Ziyun nodded repeatedly, his eyes full of admiration:

"Absolutely perfect!"

"Junior Brother's illusionary imitation skills have already reached a state of perfection!"

"His demeanor, tone of voice, expressions of joy and anger, and even the subtle habits of His Majesty's frowns when deep in thought—all have been meticulously replicated!"

"Let alone the Imperial Concubine, even if the senior officials and personal eunuchs of the court were present, they would have no chance of making a sound argument!"

Senior brother? Junior brother? Imitation?

These few words were like a thunderclap!

Consort Xu, on the verge of collapse, froze, all fear instantly frozen on her face, replaced by utter astonishment and bewilderment.

She looked up blankly, her eyes blurry with tears, staring at the "emperor" before her. Her mind went blank, and she couldn't come back to her senses for a long time.

It's fake...it's actually fake?