Shocking! Five men are in love with the same woman!

Lingyan gently raised her head, her gaze sweeping calmly across the surroundings like autumn water. She saw that the wide palace road was deserted, so quiet that even the wind seemed to have stopped breathing.

She knew they must have transferred all their people away and were waiting for her here on purpose.

However, since this was in the palace, no matter how treacherous their intentions, they wouldn't do anything excessive.

It's nothing more than saying some excessive things.

So she calmly asked, "May I ask what business you princes have with me?"

Her voice was not flustered at all; instead, it revealed a calm and composed demeanor.

The second prince had an air of refined elegance, but his eyes looked lewd no matter how you looked at them.

He smiled and waved his fan, saying, "I just wanted to talk to my sister-in-law."

Lingyan felt utterly disgusted.

He was originally a hypocrite and utterly deceitful person, but now he's putting on a refined and gentle act here, which is truly disgusting.

She frowned slightly, her tone indifferent: "Your Highnesses are too kind. But I wonder what you have to say that requires you to block my way here and speak to me privately?"

The eldest prince, being straightforward, said bluntly, "Naturally, it's a secret that cannot be known to outsiders."

His gaze lingered on Lingyan, his tone revealing a hint of flirtation, as if he were testing her reaction.

The Seventh Prince followed closely behind, his voice full of provocation: "Sixth Sister-in-law, I used to think that the pleasure between men was the most intoxicating, but since I met you, Sixth Sister-in-law, my heart has been only for you. The pleasure between men is now as tasteless as chewing wax in my eyes."

A wicked smile curled at the corner of his mouth, his eyes filled with greed, as if he wanted to devour Ling Yan whole.

Lingyan thought to herself: Is this seventh prince really so straightforward and blatant?

But I don't believe you for a second!

You are not interested in men?

Judging from his expression, he's clearly someone who partyes every night; he's just trying to fool you!

The Eighth Prince spoke timidly, but his voice carried a hint of determination: "Sixth Sister-in-law, I have been unable to forget you day and night since I met you."

The Eighth Prince was rumored to be timid and cowardly.

Looking at it now, what a coward!

It's clearly an act.

The tenth prince eagerly interjected, "Sixth sister-in-law, all of us brothers genuinely love you. We don't ask you to remarry, because that's impossible anyway."

After all, she is very likely to become the future mother of the nation, so how could she possibly remarry?

The Eighth Prince picked up the conversation, his voice full of seduction: "We just want to have some fun with Sixth Sister-in-law, but don't worry, Sixth Sister-in-law, we will keep this a secret and be very careful so that no one finds out."

The second prince chimed in, "Yes, Sixth Sister-in-law has really made us brothers restless. We will definitely serve you well and let you experience unprecedented pleasure."

The Seventh Prince was even more direct. He nodded and smiled, "Sixth Sister-in-law, you only have Sixth Prince as your man now, which is a bit too monotonous. Such a beauty like you, it would be a waste to let him enjoy you alone. Why don't we brothers serve you together and make sure you feel like you're in heaven, experiencing pleasure beyond measure?"

Having said that, he began to lewdly laugh, the sound of which was particularly grating.

The other princes exchanged glances, a lewd glint in their eyes, and laughed along with the seventh prince.

Lingyan didn't understand why they were so sure she would agree.

Look at their expressions now, they are so confident, as if victory is already in their grasp.

She didn't know that it was precisely because her expression remained calm throughout that she was so successful.

There was no shyness, no anger, no rebuke, and no obstruction.

He didn't even blush, nor did he frown.

Doesn't that mean she's willing?

Otherwise, he would have already looked embarrassed and angry, and started cursing.

Once their laughter subsided, Ling Yan slowly spoke, her voice full of amusement: "Finished?"

Her tone was both questioning and provocative.

The group nodded, assuming she had tacitly agreed to their suggestion, and satisfied smiles appeared on their faces.

However, Lingyan's next move surprised them greatly.

She said calmly, "I'm leaving now that I've finished speaking."

He then turned and left, his steps firm and swift.

Her actions stunned the group; they had never expected her to do such a thing.

Then, Lingyan's path was blocked by them again.

The eldest prince shouted angrily, "What do you mean by this? Are you playing us for fools?"

His voice was full of anger and unwillingness.

Ling Yan smiled knowingly and said, "I was just teasing you! You've been found out! I just wanted to see just how shameless and despicable you could be."

As soon as Lingyan finished speaking, the princes' expressions changed drastically, and anger surged into their hearts like a tidal wave.

They were thoroughly enraged by Lingyan's teasing, their reason overwhelmed by anger, and they wanted to forcibly take her away regardless of the consequences.

Ling Yan smiled coldly at their actions.

With a flick of her sleeve, a faint powder drifted out and silently landed on the group.

This is a poison powder specially made by Lingyan, which can cause intense skin itching, but is not fatal.

After the poison took effect, the princes immediately let out sharp screams. Their skin felt as if it was being bitten by countless tiny insects, and the itching was unbearable.

They kept scratching their bodies, trying to relieve the indescribable itching.

However, the more they scratched, the more intense the itching became, as if it were tearing their skin apart.

The princes had lost their usual elegance; they were disheveled and screaming loudly without any regard for their image.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Lingyan calmly left the place and then headed to a side hall of the Dragon Palace.

She was originally going to see the Eighth Princess, but decided against it now and will do it another time.

She sat quietly in a side hall of the Longteng Palace, drinking tea and eating snacks.

The pastries on the table emitted an enticing aroma. Lingyan took a small bite; they were crispy and sweet without being cloying.

Half an hour later.

Xiao Muyao came to find her, and the two left the palace together.

The carriage moved slowly, and Lingyan told Xiao Muyao what had just happened.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Muyao was filled with murderous intent, and a terrifying aura formed around his body.

He clenched his fists so tightly they cracked, and gritted his teeth as he said, "I knew it! The guards just reported that they got irritated by some kind of flower or plant in the palace, and their whole bodies are incredibly itchy. They're covered in red scratches, and even the imperial physicians are helpless. Father Emperor was furious!"

It turned out to be the case.

It's really cheap for them.

Lingyan comforted him, saying, "Don't be angry. They'll be itchy for seven days and seven nights. Consider it a lesson to them. We can't really kill them, can we?"

They knew they couldn't make this public, and could only say that they had gotten involved with the flowers and plants.

They wouldn't mention her at all, because they were even more guilty than she was.

No, she has nothing to be ashamed of.

Xiao Muyao was still furious, and said in a vicious tone, "I hope they'll give up on you after this incident, otherwise..."

Otherwise, he'll let them know the consequences.

Lingyan thought this was unlikely.

Lust is not so easily extinguished.

However, she won't be as gentle with them next time.

He was mainly confined to the palace, where he couldn't fully utilize his abilities.

Otherwise, would they only suffer this little bit?

………………

On the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, the atmosphere in the capital should have been festive and peaceful.

However, a sudden storm shattered this tranquility.

Xiao Muyao presented Emperor Jingzhao with a list of crimes committed by the Zhou family, including embezzlement, accepting bribes, bullying men and women, and disregarding human life.

Both the witnesses and the evidence were prepared very comprehensively and thoroughly, leaving the Zhou family with no way to refute them.

Everyone who sees this will say it's absolutely amazing!

They conduct investigations and gather evidence discreetly and secretly, leaving the parties involved with no room for defense—a swift, decisive, and fatal blow.

He is truly decisive and meticulous.

Emperor Jingzhao was furious!

He ordered the Imperial Guards to investigate and imprison all members of the Zhou family and confiscate their property.

The final result was that all 600 members of the Zhou family, including all servants and all those who had committed heinous crimes, were executed immediately.

The remaining accomplices were exiled to desolate lands.

Even family members who had not committed any crimes were implicated and punished.

Males over ten years old were also exiled.

Males under the age of ten who became criminals were barred from holding official positions for life.

All the women were sent to the brothels and could never be redeemed.

In other words, they could only stay in the Jiaofangsi (a government-run entertainment institution) for their entire lives until their death.

Their property was all confiscated and deposited into the national treasury.

Emperor Jingzhao was obviously very pleased, since the Zhou family had made no contribution to the court and often acted recklessly and committed numerous evils by relying on being the Empress Dowager's maternal relatives.

Now that he has finally gotten what he deserved, and it has even filled the national treasury, how can it not be considered a good deed!

The sixth brother handled this matter brilliantly; it pleased him greatly.

Zhou Xian was already in the Jiaofangsi (a government-run entertainment district), and she was already regretting it. She had never regretted it as much as she was now.

She knew that if she hadn't provoked Princess Rui last time and even harbored malicious intentions towards her, Prince Rui wouldn't have taken them seriously at all, wouldn't have remembered them, and this disaster wouldn't have happened.

It's all her fault! Why did she do such a wrong thing out of jealousy?

What's the use of regretting it now? What's done is done, and nothing can be changed.

She was trapped in the brothel for the rest of her life, unable to escape this quagmire.

She wasn't the only one who felt regret; the Empress Dowager did too.

She regretted pressuring him, regretted coveting the position of Princess Rui, and regretted challenging Princess Rui.

She just didn't expect him to be so ruthless, using a killing move right away, catching them off guard and leaving them unable to save themselves.

So the Empress Dowager was filled with regret, hatred, anger, and anxiety. Under such a blow to her spirit, she fell ill and never recovered.