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

Another group of officials appeared extremely angry.

Their faces were flushed, their brows were furrowed, and their eyes burned with anger.

They believed that such coercive behavior was an offense to their dignity and was intolerable.

But they dared not resist, so they could only grit their teeth, their hearts filled with resentment, yet helpless.

Some officials remained silent.

They stood there quietly, as if deep in thought.

Lingyan and the other two took in everyone's reactions, their all-seeing gazes seemingly able to penetrate the heart.

The next moment, in the silence so profound that one could hear a pin drop, Ling Yan slowly spoke.

Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority that instantly shattered the oppressive silence.

She first faced Yao Taifu's group of ministers, who were officials from prominent families. Of course, there were also some who were not from prominent families.

Her gaze was piercing as she looked at them and slowly said, "You ministers not only participated in the infighting in the court, but also disregarded the interests of the country and had no heart for the country and its people. All you had was a greedy desire for power and wealth. You have committed numerous murders and other crimes. Your sins are heinous and too numerous to count. Now that I have taken control of Bei Li, I will no longer allow you to harm the country. Therefore, you must die, without any room for negotiation."

Lingyan's words were like a thunderclap in the hall, plunging the accused ministers into extreme panic and chaos.

Especially those who are not from prominent families.

At this moment, the fear in their hearts overwhelmed them like a surging tide.

Their faces were ashen, and their eyes were filled with despair and helplessness.

Normally, they rely on powerful families to secure a place in the imperial court.

But now, having lost their support, they are like rootless duckweed, teetering on the brink of collapse in this storm.

Their bodies trembled slightly, like fallen leaves in the autumn wind, ready to fall at any moment.

Their minds were blank, filled only with the fear of death.

At the same time, they began to regret their past choices and their involvement in this power struggle within the imperial court.

I regret abandoning my principles and bottom line for that empty power and wealth.

Some people even closed their eyes in despair, awaiting death.

They knew that at this point, any resistance would be futile.

Because they knew they had no other choice but to accept their fate.

Officials from prominent families also turned ashen-faced, their eyes filled with astonishment and fear.

They, who were usually so high and mighty, seemed to have lost all their confidence at this moment.

Some people's legs went weak and they almost collapsed to the ground, barely able to rely on the people around them for support.

Their hearts were filled with despair, yet they didn't know how to defend themselves.

What are they trying to justify? Don't they know what they've actually done?

Judging from her arrangement of officials, it shows that she already has a very clear and thorough understanding of the situation in Bei Li.

Therefore, she must have already investigated and known everything about them.

Their past crimes can no longer be concealed.

Moreover, the Crown Princess is so intolerant of injustices, she certainly won't let them off the hook.

That's why they were so terrified.

However, despite their fear, they still harbored a sliver of hope, feeling that they had their families to rely on.

At this moment, someone mustered up their courage and said, "Does the Crown Princess know the power of aristocratic families? Does she know the heritage and secrets held by our families? Our aristocratic families have accumulated countless wealth, connections and resources over generations, and we also have profound cultural heritage and mysterious skills. These heritages and secrets are the foundation of our families and the capital for us to stand in the court. If the Crown Princess rashly attacks us, it will surely cause a great uproar, and may even trigger the turmoil of the country."

As soon as he finished speaking, the surrounding aristocratic officials nodded in agreement, as if they had found a lifeline.

A hint of expectation lingered in their eyes, hoping to use this to threaten Lingyan and make her change her mind.

However, Lingyan replied indifferently, "I know. It is precisely because I know that you will harm the country that I want to eliminate you all. You aristocratic families think that you can do whatever you want because you have wealth, connections and resources, but you have forgotten that the national interest is above all else. In my eyes, your heritage and secrets are nothing but outdated things."

At this moment, all these officials from aristocratic families seemed to have been slapped hard across the face, their faces turning pale and then red.

She actually looked down on the traditions they had passed down for so many years.

They even thought it was a treasure.

They were utterly humiliated!

Then Lingyan changed the subject and continued, "However, it's possible that there are some good things among them, but that's alright. As long as I eliminate all your powerful clans, I can obtain all the inheritances and things in your possession. As for those connections and resources, I'm sorry, I don't need them. You are so useless, only fighting for your own selfish interests, disregarding the safety of the country and its people. Why should I keep you around to continue to harm the country?"

Lingyan's words were like a sharp sword, piercing the last shred of hope in the hearts of the aristocratic officials.

Their faces grew even paler, and their eyes were filled with despair.

They realized they had reached a dead end, with no way out.

Their past glory and honor have now vanished like a bubble.

They began to regret their actions, but it was all too late.

The hall fell into a deathly silence, and the aristocratic officials seemed like soulless walking corpses.

Their former pride and arrogance were utterly shattered at this moment.

At this moment, the atmosphere in the hall seemed to solidify, becoming so heavy that it was hard to breathe.

Not only were the officials from aristocratic families filled with immense fear and despair, but the other two groups of officials felt the same way.

They were all as if they were under a spell, not daring to even breathe, for fear that making the slightest sound would bring about their annihilation.

The oppressive atmosphere was like a giant, airtight net, tightly enveloping everyone and making them feel like they were suffocating.

But in this deathly silent hall, someone suddenly spoke.

Lingyan looked in the direction of the voice and saw that it was her old acquaintance, Grand Tutor Yao.

He stared directly at Ling Yan and loudly questioned, "You did all that on purpose in the street, deliberately punishing Yu'er so recklessly and deliberately spouting nonsense that disregarded the Empress. You knew His Majesty would protect you and stand on your side, so you deliberately provoked a conflict between me and His Majesty, didn't you?"

At this moment, Grand Tutor Yao had no more scruples.

Anyway, he's finished, and so is his family.

Of course, he wasn't afraid of anything and was determined to get to the bottom of his question.

Seeing that Lingyan did not answer, he continued to question her bluntly: "Also, the assassination attempt on you last time was probably orchestrated by your Great Zhao, wasn't it? But you deliberately put on a show for everyone, making me think that His Majesty did it, and His Majesty thought that I did it, thus further fueling the mutual suspicion and struggle between me and His Majesty. Then you secretly added fuel to the fire, making the struggle in the court even more intense, so that Great Zhao could reap the benefits. All of this is truly a clever scheme and a brilliant plan. I admire you!"

Grand Tutor Yao's words were like sharp blades, slicing through the oppressive atmosphere.

His face was full of anger and resentment, like a trapped beast driven to the brink of despair.

His eyes were fixed on Ling Yan, awaiting her answer, as if he were waiting for the final judgment.