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

His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable firmness.

Gu Ye nodded without hesitation. "Of course! I swear in the name of the Emperor that no matter the outcome, I will never hold the Lin family accountable! If I break this oath, may I be struck down by heaven and earth!"

Hearing Gu Ye's vow, Lin Haobo finally felt completely relieved. He bowed again and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Gu Ye looked at Lin Haobo and said sincerely, "Young Master Lin, you must be tired from your long journey. Why don't you rest for a day and we can set off back to the capital early tomorrow morning?" He paused and continued, "I hope that Young Master Lin can use his best energy to treat my wife."

Lin Haobo had originally intended to suggest that they could depart immediately, but upon hearing Gu Ye's words, he no longer insisted. He nodded and said, "Then thank you very much, Your Majesty."

Gu Ye looked at Lin Haobo, his eyes filled with gratitude and hope. He believed that Lin Haobo would definitely be able to save Xue Wei.

He turned to Zhang Jing and said, "Zhang Jing, would you please arrange for Young Master Lin to get some rest?"

Zhang Jing nodded. "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will make the arrangements immediately."

After saying that, he led Lin Haobo and Meng Ling away from the front hall.

As Gu Ye watched them leave, he silently prayed that Lin Haobo could truly unlock the power of the contract.

He could hardly imagine how painful it would be to lose Murong Xuewei.

The next morning, Xiao Sining arrived at the palace full of anticipation, hoping to see Gu Ye again. She also hoped to take the opportunity of visiting Murong Xuewei to show her gentleness and thoughtfulness, thereby winning Gu Ye's favor.

However, she was stopped by Liuli at the entrance of Fengqi Palace.

"Princess Anning, Her Majesty the Empress is unwell and will not receive guests today." Liuli said coldly, standing expressionless in the doorway, showing no intention of moving aside.

Xiao Sining's smile froze, a hint of displeasure flashing in her eyes, but she quickly concealed it, replacing it with a worried expression. "Miss Liuli, I heard that Her Majesty the Empress is seriously ill, and I am very worried. I have brought some precious medicinal herbs to visit her. I hope you will make an exception for me."

As she spoke, she gestured to the maid behind her to present an exquisite gift box, her tone sincere, "These are all tonics that I have collected from various places, which are extremely beneficial for conditioning the body."

Liuli glanced at the gift box, a disdainful sneer curling her lips. "I appreciate the Empress's kindness, Princess. However, the palace is full of rare treasures, and the Empress's medicinal herbs are the finest of the best, carefully prepared by the Imperial Hospital. I'm afraid what you've brought is beneath her notice." She paused, her tone becoming even sharper, "Please take it back for yourself, Princess, to avoid wasting it."

Xiao Sining's face instantly turned ugly. She suppressed her anger, but her tone remained gentle. "Miss Liuli, this princess has come sincerely to visit Her Majesty the Empress. Please, Miss, do not..."

“Princess,” Liuli interrupted her rudely, “I know you mean well, but Her Majesty the Empress really needs to rest and is not fit to receive guests. Please leave.” Her tone was icy, leaving no room for negotiation. “Someone, escort Princess Anning out of the palace.”

Two guards responded and walked up to Xiao Sining, gesturing for her to enter.

Xiao Si Ning's face turned from white to green, then from green to red. She gripped the handkerchief in her hand tightly, almost tearing it to shreds. She, a princess, had been so humiliated by a palace maid!

She took a deep breath, struggling to control her simmering anger, but her tone still carried a hint of restraint. "Liuli, how dare you treat me like this! Do you know who I am?"

“This servant knows the princess’s identity,” Liuli interrupted her again, her tone laced with sarcasm, “but this is Fengyi Palace, the Empress’s palace. This servant only obeys the Empress’s orders.”

Xiao Sining could no longer tolerate Liuli's provocation. She suddenly raised her head, glaring at Liuli with eyes filled with burning hatred. "You just wait! I won't let you get away with this!"

With that, she turned and left, leaving Liuli standing there, sneering.

Watching Xiao Sining's departing figure, she thought disdainfully, "Just a princess of a fallen kingdom, yet she dares to compete with our Empress."

Xiao Sining returned to the Princess's residence, burning with rage. She swept the teacup off the table, the sharp, piercing sound of shattering porcelain mirroring her current mood. "Damn it! How dare a mere servant be so insolent!"

She was trembling with rage, and even her exquisite makeup couldn't hide her ferocity.

She paced back and forth angrily, cursing Liuli incessantly. Her sharp and sarcastic tone was a stark contrast to her gentle demeanor in the palace just moments before.

"Liuli! You wretched servant! You just wait! I won't let you get away with this!"

Just then, Ning Feng walked in from the backyard. She was still wearing her flamboyant bright red dress, which contrasted sharply with Xiao Si Ning's fury at this moment.

"Oh, what's going on? Who has angered our princess again?" Ning Feng asked in a light and teasing tone.

Seeing Ning Feng, Xiao Si Ning seemed to have found an outlet for her anger. Pointing at the shards on the ground, she roared, "It's all because of that damned Liu Li! She actually dared to stop me from entering Feng Yi Palace! She actually dared to humiliate me like this!" By the end, her voice was trembling with sobs, a mixture of grievance and anger.

Ning Feng walked to Xiao Si Ning's side, her tone tinged with sarcasm. "What? Did you run into trouble in the palace? You can't even handle a palace maid. Sister, your path to becoming Empress is probably not going to be easy."

Xiao Sining glared fiercely at Ning Feng, her eyes filled with resentment. "It's all because of you! If your plan hadn't gone wrong, how could I, how could I have suffered such injustice!"

Ning Feng chuckled lightly, unconcerned. "Plan? I have no plan for you to go to Phoenix Perch Palace to get scolded."

"What?" Xiao Sining was stunned. She didn't understand Ning Feng's meaning. "Your plan was for me to visit Murong Xuewei and gain her trust, right? But now, I haven't even entered the Fengyi Palace!"

“Alas! She is indeed hopeless,” Ning Feng said, walking up to Xiao Si Ning. Her tone suddenly turned icy. “Alright, we can begin the next step.”

Xiao Sining was still immersed in the anger of being humiliated by Liuli and the veiled sarcasm from Ning Feng, and didn't react for a moment. "Next step? What next step?"

Looking at Xiao Sining's dull-witted appearance, Ning Feng couldn't help but feel a little annoyed, but she still patiently explained, "Didn't you want to get rid of Murong Xuewei and take her place? Now, the opportunity has come."

These words struck Xiao Sining's chaotic thoughts like a bolt of lightning. She abruptly raised her head, looking at Ning Feng, her eyes filled with shock and confusion. "You, you mean...?"

“I didn’t say anything,” Ning Feng said with a cold smile. “However, if you don’t hurry, I’m afraid you’ll really have no hope of becoming Empress.”

Xiao Sining finally realized what was happening. She quickly grabbed Ning Feng's hand and asked anxiously, "Then, what should we do next?"

Ning Feng looked at Xiao Si Ning, a sly glint in her eyes. She beckoned Xiao Si Ning over, and Xiao Si Ning approached somewhat bewilderedly.