The Rebirth of a Concubine's Daughter and Her Heartless Lover!

Jedi strikes back, fate turns

Shen Yiyao stood within the towering palace, her deep gaze like a sharp sword, piercing through layers of mist as she gazed toward the distant palace walls. She knew that Shen Xuantong's conspiracy had quietly unfolded, and the turmoil within and beyond the palace had already stirred countless undercurrents. She wasn't overwhelmed, but rather deeply aware of the desperate situation she was about to face.

Shen Yiyao felt no trace of fear, only a deep calm and determination. She understood that if she wanted to stand out in this power struggle, she must first thoroughly understand every inch of her territory, control every moment of change, and ensure that all preparations were impeccable.

"Pass the order. For three days, the entire city will be under martial law," Shen Yiyao whispered, a glint of cruelty in her eyes. "No one is allowed to leave the palace, and no one is allowed to leave their respective residences. Secret agents must intensify patrols, leaving no blind spots."

She knew that Shen Xuantong had been secretly infiltrating everywhere, and every minister in the palace might not be her friend. In order to preserve her power, she had to take the most extreme and decisive measures to nip all possible threats in the bud.

Shen Xuantong's counterattack plan

At the same time, Shen Xuantong was secretly gathering forces. He not only held powerful military power, but also countless allies and resources, some even receiving direct orders from forces outside the court—those forces, while ostensibly loyal to the empire, secretly maintained ties with Shen Xuantong. Despite Shen Yiyao's meticulous work, she had overlooked this point.

Shen Xuantong's plan has reached the final step - he intends to use a military operation called "Bloody Battle of Northern Frontier" as a cover to launch a coup and seize the throne while Shen Yiyao is busy dealing with border issues.

"We can't wait any longer," Shen Xuantong whispered to his confidants. "Within three days, I will arrange for troops to enter the capital. If Shen Yiyao's vigilance drops by then, we will take action."

His plan was extremely thorough. By taking advantage of the war and tension in the outside world, he was able to make many people relax their vigilance, secretly mobilize the army in the palace, and eventually form an encirclement, wiping out all of Shen Yiyao's supporters in one fell swoop and taking back the power that once belonged to him.

Mysterious traitor

However, Shen Yiyao, knowing full well that Shen Xuantong had powerful supporters behind him, had already laid a tight net in the palace. She ordered her trusted spies to monitor ministers who might be colluding with Shen Xuantong around the clock, and at the same time, she sent many loyal eunuchs to secretly investigate anyone who had contact with Shen Xuantong.

As expected, Shen Yiyao's plan worked. Her informant quickly uncovered crucial intelligence: a former loyal confidant had been bribed by Shen Xuantong and became his inner circle within the palace. This traitor, surprisingly, had once been one of Shen Yiyao's most trusted attendants, possessing crucial palace secrets, including Shen Yiyao's whereabouts, the deployment of her guards, and her emergency response plans.

After hearing the news, Shen Yiyao sneered, with both anger and calmness in her heart. She knew very well that in this endless power struggle, trust was a luxury, and the only one who could control everything was herself.

"Come, bring him here." She ordered, her tone extremely cold.

Soon, the traitor was brought before Shen Yiyao. He knelt on the ground, his face pale, his forehead pressed against the cold stone. At this moment, he no longer had any dignity, only regret and fear.

"You once pledged your loyalty to me and promised me never to betray you." Shen Yiyao's voice was cold. "Why have you betrayed me now and gone to work for Shen Xuantong?"

The traitor lowered his head in silence, his eyes filled with endless guilt. But he knew that no amount of regret would be futile in front of the empress. Finally, his voice choked with sobs, "Your Majesty, please spare my life. Everything I have done is for the safety of my family. Shen Xuantong promised that if he succeeded in seizing power, he would protect my entire family..."

"Security?" A trace of contempt flashed in Shen Yiyao's eyes. "Since Shen Xuantong can threaten you, do you think he can protect your entire family?"

She stood up, slowly walked over to the traitor, leaned over and whispered, "You are already a pawn in my hand. The game is over."

The traitor's eyes were filled with despair, realizing he had no way out. Shen Yiyao waved her hand, and several eunuchs stepped forward, dragging him away and taking him to the dungeon.

She was not emotional, but rather calm and resolute. She knew that in this political vortex, any weak emotion was a deadly poison, and only ruthlessness and wisdom could keep her invincible.

The moment of counterattack, fate intertwined

Shen Yiyao knew that her time was running out. She had to seize the moment and take action as soon as possible to break Shen Xuantong's plan. She had no room to relax and had to reverse the situation in the shortest possible time.

Three days later, Shen Xuantong's "bloody battle in the northern border" plan finally unfolded. As word of Shen Xuantong's mobilization of troops spread, Shen Yiyao's heartbeat quickened. She knew that Shen Xuantong's true purpose behind all this was to mobilize troops from the capital under the guise of war, preparing to launch a deadly coup.

Shen Yiyao calmly analyzed the situation. She knew that Shen Xuantong's move meant he was ready to push her out from behind the scenes and onto the stage for a fight to the death. And she, too, would soon face the final decisive moment.

She immediately ordered the palace guards to impose martial law, block all exits, and prevent any external interference. At the same time, she also dispatched her most trusted confidants to secretly mobilize troops, preparing to take advantage of Shen Xuantong's "bloody battle in the northern border" to counterattack.

At this moment, the power struggle reaches a fever pitch, and the struggle between Shen Yiyao and Shen Xuantong reaches its final climax. This bloody showdown will determine the future of the empire and who will have the last laugh between her and Shen Xuantong.

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Chapter 51: Life and Death, Bloody Storm