The whole family was brutally murdered? The ruthless heiress's eldest daughter went berserk aft

The atmosphere was somber during the morning court session the following day.

"Your Majesty! The Crown Prince has colluded with the rebels, harboring treacherous intentions. The evidence is irrefutable!" The Minister of War, holding a secret letter, spoke in a booming voice, "Last night, I personally searched the Crown Prince's residence and, in addition to the secret letters exchanged with the northern border, also discovered a large quantity of weapons!"

"This..." The emperor gripped the armrest of his throne, his face grim. "Is there any other evidence?"

At this moment, the Vice Minister of Rites stepped forward: "Your Majesty, I also have evidence. Last night, the Crown Prince led men to besiege an ancient temple on the outskirts of the city, intending to assassinate the Holy Maiden. Fortunately, the Imperial Guards arrived in time. The commander of the Imperial Guards can testify to this."

The Imperial Guard Commander immediately stepped forward: "Your Majesty, it is absolutely true. At that time, the Crown Prince led dozens of men in black and surrounded the ancient temple."

"Your Highness, do you have anything to say?" the emperor asked in a deep voice.

The Crown Prince stood tall in the hall: "Father, please investigate! This is all a frame-up! I went to the ancient temple to save Xiao Qin, the disciple of the High Priest. As for the secret message and weapons, they were all deliberately arranged!"

"Your Highness!" the Minister of War roared, "The evidence is irrefutable, how dare you still try to deny it? The marks on these secret letters are all genuine!"

Ning Feng, standing to the side, spoke up at the opportune moment: "Your Majesty, in my opinion, this matter is already very clear. The Crown Prince not only secretly formed a faction but also intended to harm me. Such actions are truly chilling."

The courtiers in the hall echoed, "Your Majesty, please investigate thoroughly!"

"The Crown Prince's actions are utterly rebellious!"

"For the sake of the country and its people, the Crown Prince should be deposed immediately!"

The emperor closed his eyes for a long time before opening them: "Issue my decree: The evidence of the Crown Prince's collusion with the rebels is irrefutable. Effective immediately, he is hereby deposed as Crown Prince, demoted to commoner status, and imprisoned in the Eastern Palace, forbidden from leaving."

"Father!" the Crown Prince cried out urgently, "I'm innocent!"

"Enough!" The emperor slammed his hand on the dragon throne. "Guards, escort the Crown Prince back to the Eastern Palace!"

As the Crown Prince was taken away, Ning Feng's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile. Meanwhile, the High Priest, standing not far away, watched all this with a solemn expression.

The emperor rubbed his temples: "Court adjourned!"

The sun sets in the west, inside the Imperial Study.

The emperor put down the secret letter in his hand, his brows furrowed. He picked up his teacup to take a sip, only to find it had gone cold.

“Commander Lu,” the emperor suddenly spoke.

"Your subject is here." Lu Ming, the commander of the Imperial Guards who was guarding outside the door, immediately entered and knelt down.

"Tell me again what happened last night," the emperor said, setting down his teacup. "Be sure to provide detailed accounts."

Lu Ming hesitated for a moment: "Your Majesty, last night the Holy Maiden reported that she had discovered the Crown Prince's connections with the northern rebels, and that the Crown Prince would be making moves at an ancient temple on the outskirts of the city. I received the order and led men there, and indeed we saw the Crown Prince leading his men to surround the ancient temple..."

“Wait,” the emperor interrupted him, “You said the Holy Maiden came to report?”

"Yes."

"Why wasn't the secret letter from the Crown Prince's residence discovered first, but rather the Holy Maiden knew the Crown Prince was going to the ancient temple first?" The Emperor's gaze was piercing. "Don't you find this order strange?"

Lu Ming was stunned, then broke out in a cold sweat: "This..."

"Go, investigate this matter secretly," the emperor said in a deep voice. "Remember, don't alert them."

"As you command."

As soon as Lu Ming left, the emperor summoned his personal eunuch: "Go and invite Lord Zeng here."

Before long, Zeng Yuanshan, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, rushed over.

"His Majesty."

"What do you think about the Crown Prince's matter?" the Emperor asked.

Zeng Yuanshan bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I find something strange. Although the seals on those secret letters are correct, but..."

“But what?”

“However, the locations and times mentioned in the letter don’t match the Crown Prince’s recent whereabouts,” Zeng Yuanshan said in a low voice. “Moreover, my men conducted a covert investigation and discovered that someone was active in the northern border a few days ago, inquiring about the style of the Crown Prince’s official seal.”

A cold glint flashed in the emperor's eyes: "Investigate thoroughly. Make sure you get to the bottom of this."

“Yes. However…” Zeng Yuanshan hesitated, then stopped himself from speaking.

"Please speak freely."

"This matter is extremely complex, and I am worried..."

"I understand." The emperor waved his hand. "You just investigate; I'll take care of the rest."

As night fell, the emperor stood by the window of his study, gazing at the lights of the Eastern Palace in the distance, lost in thought.

As the moon rose above the branches, candlelight flickered in Ning Feng's bedchamber.

"Holy Maiden, something terrible has happened!" A man in black landed silently by the window. "His Majesty has dispatched the Imperial Guards to secretly investigate the Crown Prince's case."

Ning Feng, who was playing the zither, didn't stop her fingers upon hearing this: "Investigate then."

“But…” the man in black said urgently, “they’ve already tracked them down to the northern border.”

The melody shifted, and Ning Feng's lips curled into a cold smile: "Let them investigate. Haven't we already dealt with everything that needed to be dealt with?"

“Yes, but…” the man in black hesitated, “what about the old priest…”

The music stopped abruptly. Ning Feng raised her eyes, a cold glint in them: "What does he dare say?"

"The high priest has been frequently visiting to examine the prince recently."

"Heh." Ning Feng chuckled lightly. "He certainly knows how to read the situation." She stood up and walked to the window. "Go tell him that Xiao Qin is still in our hands."

“Yes.” Just as the man in black was about to leave, Ning Feng spoke again: “Also, tell General Zhao that it’s time.”

"General Zhao?" The man in black was taken aback. "Does the Holy Maiden mean..."

“This game,” Ning Feng gazed at the distant palace, “is about to end. Since the Emperor wants to investigate, let him investigate thoroughly.” She turned, her smile in the moonlight tinged with coldness, “And incidentally, let him see who is truly suited to control the court.”

"Understood, sir." The man in black bowed and withdrew.

Ning Feng sat back down at the zither, her fingertips lightly caressing the strings. A melodious tune flowed from her fingertips, spreading throughout the entire Holy Maiden's Mansion.

In the imperial study room.

"Your Majesty!" Zeng Yuanshan strode in, "The investigation is complete!"

The emperor put down the memorial in his hand: "Speak."

"The secret letter in the Crown Prince's residence was indeed a forgery," Zeng Yuanshan said in a low voice. "I discovered that a few days ago, someone secretly brought a batch of specially made paper and ink from Nanzhao, which is exactly the same as the paper used for official documents in our dynasty."

A cold glint flashed in the emperor's eyes: "Continue."

“More importantly,” Zeng Yuanshan took out a letter from his sleeve, “I found this in a house near an ancient temple on the outskirts of the city.”

The emperor unfolded it and his face immediately darkened. It was a letter detailing a plan to frame the crown prince.

"Can you confirm that it's Ning Feng's handwriting?"

“Absolutely true,” Zeng Yuanshan said. “Furthermore, I discovered that the men in black who besieged the ancient temple that night were all pre-arranged. They had laid an ambush before the Crown Prince arrived, just waiting for the Imperial Guards to ‘coincidentally’ arrive and arrest him.”

The emperor gripped the letter tightly, his knuckles turning white: "What a saintly woman! What a brilliant scheme to use someone else to do her dirty work!"

"Your Majesty, now..."

"Don't make a fuss yet," the emperor said in a deep voice. "Continue the investigation and see what other tricks she has up her sleeve."

"Yes." Zeng Yuanshan was about to leave when he suddenly remembered something. "Oh, right, I've also discovered something. General Zhao has been frequently visiting the Holy Maiden's Palace lately..."

The emperor's gaze sharpened: "Zhao Wuji? Does she intend to control the army?"

“Very likely,” Zeng Yuanshan said in a low voice, “and according to secret reports, Nanzhao seems to have been mobilizing troops on the border recently…”

"Very well..." the emperor sneered, "I'd like to see what she's really up to!"

After Zeng Yuanshan withdrew, the emperor stood alone by the window, gazing in the direction of the Holy Maiden Palace: "Ning Feng, Ning Feng, you are far too impatient."

Just then, a eunuch's voice came from outside: "Your Majesty, the Holy Maiden requests an audience."

A cold glint flashed in the emperor's eyes: "Summon them."