Fearing being killed for his overwhelming merits, the empress decided to marry him.

In late May, the princes and nobles who had come from all over the country to celebrate the Empress also left the capital one after another, exiting through the nine gates to return to their own fiefdoms.

Aside from the incident involving Prince Xiang, Jiang Lan, the journey to the capital to meet the emperor went relatively smoothly overall, at least securing a livelihood for most of the sons of marquises.

The carriage of the Prince of Xiang's residence slowly traveled on the road to Jingzhou.

Compared to their high spirits when they arrived, everyone in the Prince of Xiang's mansion now looked haggard.

Of all the places visited during this trip to the capital, the Prince of Xiang's residence became the biggest joke, leaving everyone humiliated.

Changsun Ying sat in the carriage, her face blank, staring at the scenery rushing past the window.

"Here you go. From this day forward, our marriage is severed."

Jiang Lan threw a letter of divorce, stamped with the royal seal, in front of Changsun Ying.

From now on, we'll have no further connection whatsoever.

Hearing Jiang Lan's resentful words, Changsun Ying only gave a cold laugh, then lowered her head to pick up the letter of divorce and glanced at it casually.

Jiang Lan snorted coldly: "The fork in the road is just ahead. We'll part ways there."

Changsun Ying said nothing, but silently put away the letter of divorce.

Even now, she was still unwilling to lose to Jiang Mengxuan like this.

But why, why wouldn't Shen Lang choose him?

With the capabilities of the Changsun family, combined with his own abilities, Shen Lang could easily carve out his own territory and establish a powerful empire.

Why was he willing to stay by the Empress's side?

"Xu~"

Suddenly, the carriage stopped.

The coachman glanced ahead and then said to the passengers, "Your Highness, it's Lord Changsun."

"understood."

Jiang Lan responded and looked at Changsun Ying again.

"Your father is here to pick you up. Get out of the car."

Changsun Ying showed no hesitation, grabbed her bundle, and prepared to disembark from the carriage.

Jiang Lan concluded by saying, "Don't worry, I will treat the children well. You don't need to worry."

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Your Highness."

After thanking her, Changsun Ying lifted the carriage curtain and jumped down.

After she got off the carriage, it continued on its way without any sign of stopping.

Ever since learning that her princess had been longing for another man she couldn't afford to offend, Jiang Lan felt like she was being cuckolded. At the same time, she had no desire to continue having any entanglements with the Changsun family and just wanted to leave this place of trouble as soon as possible.

Under the scorching sun, Changsun Yang had been waiting for a long time, accompanied by a group of servants.

"Father."

Upon seeing her father, Changsun Ying felt a surge of grievance, and tears welled up in her eyes.

She seemed to have returned to her teenage years, when she was still a girl and could snuggle in Changsun Yang's arms.

"Ah~"

Changsun Yang sighed, then ordered someone to bring him a cup of wine.

"It's all your father's fault for spoiling you. Otherwise, you wouldn't have made such a fool of yourself."

Changsun Ying quickly explained, "Father, I was wronged. Jiang Lan forced me to do that."

"enough."

Changsun Yang shouted.

"Even at this point, you still don't realize where you went wrong?"

Changsun Ying: "Father, you should know that the person I want to marry has always been Shen Lang. It was you who forced me to marry the Prince of Xiang. Otherwise, I wouldn't be in this humiliation today."

Changsun Yang shook his head: "Wrong is wrong. You don't need to make excuses. If you hadn't used such despicable means to instigate people to seduce the Regent and His Majesty, would we have suffered this disaster today?"

Do you know how deep the bond is between His Majesty and the Regent? How could he be harmed by such a petty trick of yours? You've really gotten yourself into big trouble this time!

However, Changsun Ying stubbornly insisted, "Father, I'm just not reconciled. Why does the Empress have everything?"

Yet she even tries to steal the man I love? Why does she receive such favor and affection from Shen Lang? What is it about me that I lack compared to the Empress?!

Changsun Yang's pupils widened instantly, and the wine he was about to hand over fell to the ground without him noticing.

He never imagined that even at this point, his daughter would still not realize the truth.

Suddenly, Changsun Ying grabbed Changsun Yang's hand and said urgently, "Father, let's raise an army!"

"What did you say?"

Changsun Yang's mind went blank, and he was completely stunned by Changsun Ying's words.

Changsun Ying said, "Shen Lang doesn't like our daughter because he feels she doesn't have anything that catches his attention."

Then let's just start a rebellion! With my father's prestige among the powerful clans of Guanzhong, and our immense wealth,

I can definitely raise a mighty army and march on Jinling. Once we storm the city and depose the Empress, Shen Lang will surely be willing to accept me.

Father, I'm begging you, please help me this one more time, okay?

Changsun Yang felt a chill run down his spine as he looked at the crazed glint in his beloved daughter's eyes, whom he had pampered since childhood.

"Do you know what you're saying? Do you know how many families will be torn apart and lives lost because of this?"

"I don't care. If they use their lives to prove my devotion to Shen Lang, then they will die a worthy death."

Changsun Yang took a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes.

Originally, he planned to fake Changsun Ying's death, then change her name and identity to ensure her a worry-free life in the future.

This was also a promise made by the Empress: as long as Changsun Ying didn't cause trouble, she wouldn't pursue the matter.

But Changsun Yang knew that the reason the Empress chose to forgive Changsun Ying was not because she was magnanimous, given her cunning.

Instead, Jiang Mengxuan is currently pregnant, and her maternal instincts make her unwilling to commit any more killings for fear of affecting the good karma of the child in her womb. She only wishes that Changsun Ying will never appear in front of her and Shen Lang again.

Unexpectedly, Changsun Ying was deliberately pushing herself and the Changsun family to the brink of ruin.

For the sake of a man, they are willing to sacrifice the lives of all living beings in the world. What kind of thought process is this?

Moreover, Changsun Yang knew his daughter's character very well; once she made up her mind about something, she would definitely carry it out to the end.

Once he had made up his mind, Changsun Yang immediately made a decision.

When he opened his eyes again, there was no emotion in them, and a murderous intent shone through his deep pupils.

"Father, please promise me, please, Father, for your daughter's happiness, please help me one more time, okay?"

"Humph."

Changsun Yang snorted coldly, flicked his sleeve, and his face was devoid of any emotion.

"If you're still so stubborn now, don't blame your father for being ruthless."

"Father, what do you mean by that?"

"Guards, escort the young lady on her way!"

Suddenly, a white silk ribbon bound Changsun Ying's delicate neck.

Before Changsun Ying could react, the servants on both sides each pulled hard.

"Uh~"

Changsun Ying let out a soft gasp, her eyes widening as a feeling of intense suffocation filled every corner of her mind.

She clutched the white silk ribbon around her neck with one hand, while trying to grab Changsun Yang's back with the other.

Changsun Ying couldn't believe that her loving father would ultimately take her life himself.

Why? Why is this happening?!

Unfortunately, no one answered her anymore.

While she was feeling lost, the scene before Changsun Ying suddenly changed.

A dashing young man on horseback galloped toward him from the distant street, his azure military uniform reminiscent of the day he first met him at the port of Luoyang.

"Shen Lang! You came to see me, didn't you?"

Changsun Ying shouted excitedly, and with a strength she didn't know she had, she broke free from all restraints and ran towards the direction the fast horse had come from.

The moment the figure on horseback reached out his hand to her, Changsun Ying burst into tears, grabbed his palm, and leaped onto her horse into the man's arms.

At this moment, her dream finally came true.

"I've finally waited for you, my hero!"

Changsun Ying nestled happily in the man's arms as the horse galloped swiftly into the distance...

In reality, Changsun Ying's arms fell limply to her sides, and she died with her eyes open, but a hint of a satisfied smile appeared on her face.

"Master, Miss has passed away."

"I...I understand..."

Changsun Yang, however, was already sobbing uncontrollably; after all, she was his daughter whom he had cherished for over twenty years.

"Daughter, don't blame your father. Blame yourself for being so ungrateful."

"If you live, my Changsun family will surely be implicated, and the powerful clans of Guanzhong will suffer devastating blows because of your madness."

Changsun Yang held his daughter in his arms, his sorrowful cries echoing along the official road and reaching all the way to the heavens.