The prince is fierce: Who dares to steal my woman?

Yang Rong, her eyes brimming with tears, sobbed, "Xi'er, my sister, it's all my fault..."

Indeed, if Yang Rong had listened to Li Yuerui's advice, the Crown Prince would be on the throne now, and her sister would not have been harmed and killed by Liu Kun.

Green Pearl frowned, a hint of pain flashing in her eyes: "Yinrui, how could you speak to the princess in such a tone?"

Li Yuerui resolutely replied, "The Qiu Chi kingdom has long been destroyed; there's no princess left!"

Green Pearl shouted sternly, "Silver Bud, this is outrageous!"

Just then, a low sob broke the solemnity. Yang Rong, the woman who was once the noble Princess Qiuchi but now had a life of hardship, shed tears like broken pearls. She hugged herself tightly, as if she could find a trace of lost warmth in doing so.

“Green Pearl, Silver Bud is right. Chou Chi has long been destroyed, and I am no longer a princess.”

At that moment, Yang Rong's thoughts suddenly returned to that warm and distant childhood—when she was still a carefree little Rong'er under her parents' knees, with her father's love, her mother's gentleness, and the whole family enjoying happiness and laughter echoing within the palace walls.

However, all this beauty vanished with the destruction of Qiu Chi, and now her only surviving sister has also left her, leaving her all alone.

Yang Rong's heartstrings were plucked hard, and she collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down her face: "Father, Mother, where are you? Rong'er misses you so much..."

"Princess……"

Seeing this, Green Pearl quickly stepped forward and gently helped Yang Rong up, offering her some support with her thin shoulders.

Li Yuerui hurriedly came forward, her eyes flashing with remorse, and said softly, "Princess, it's all my fault. I just uttered some rebellious words. Please forgive me, Princess."

Yang Rong shook her head, tears still streaming down her face: "No, there are no more princesses here."

At this moment, Yang Rong no longer possessed her former domineering and ruthless demeanor; instead, she appeared gentle and pitiful.

Seeing this, Li Yuerui quickly grasped Yang Rong's hand tightly: "Princess, please don't say that. Yinrui will listen to you in everything from now on, okay?"

Yang Rong looked up, her voice choked with emotion: "I'm telling the truth. From now on, there will be no princesses here, only sisters."

"Princess……"

Green Pearl and Li Yuerui's gazes, like two gentle beams of light, focused on Yang Rong. Their eyes held both surprise and a hint of indescribable emotion.

Yang Rong's voice was soft yet firm: "In the past, you have suffered a lot of grievances by my side. From now on, let us call each other sisters."

When the word "sisters" was mentioned, Yang Rong's eyes dimmed for a moment. After a pause, she continued, "I, Yang Rong, have already lost a dear sister. I can't lose you all."

Upon hearing this, Green Pearl and Li Yuerui felt a surge of warmth in their hearts. They smiled at each other and then nodded gently.

As for Yang Rong, among her "Four Beauties of the Capital," Zi Xuan was already devoted to Xiao Jin Yan, while Yin Rui and Lü Zhu each had their own agendas. This princess of a fallen kingdom was about to lose control of her team.

At this point, perhaps only by playing the emotional card can we win back the hearts of those who are about to drift apart.

Just then, He Qiongying slowly walked up to Yang Rong. Their eyes met, and it seemed as if they could see into each other's hearts.

"We are all fellow sufferers in this world..."

He Qiongying said softly, "Originally, Yang Rong encouraged Liu Kun to plot against the Crown Prince, but now Liu Kun has become their common enemy. Perhaps it is the workings of fate."

"Why must we have known each other before we meet?"

Yang Rong smiled faintly and slowly extended her hand. He Qiongying, seeing this, did not hesitate to place her hand in hers. The clasped hands were not only a mutual comfort, but also a symbol of burying the hatchet and facing their enemy together.

Just as this warm yet slightly melancholic atmosphere reached its peak, Xiao Jinyan suddenly said, "I have something I would like to say to you all."

He Qiongying said, "Please speak, Your Highness. We are all ears."

Xiao Jinyan said righteously, "That day, when the Prince of Guangling murdered the Crown Prince inside Xuanwu Gate, after learning of the Crown Prince's death, I had no choice but to support the Prince of Guangling to ascend the throne for the sake of the stability of the Song Dynasty. However, after observing him for some time, I feel that the Prince of Guangling is licentious and immoral, and is definitely not a suitable candidate for a ruler!"

He Qiongying asked, "Then... what does the young master mean?"

Although Liu Kun has not been on the throne for long, Xiao Jinyan has already seen through this guy's true colors. He thought to himself, "Liu Kun, I originally thought you were Li Shimin, but I didn't expect you to be even more of a bastard than Hu Hai. So don't blame me!"

"Jin Yan means that for the sake of the Song Dynasty and the people, the tyrannical and incompetent Emperor Liu Kun should be deposed, and a virtuous person should be chosen from among the princes of the Liu family to be the new emperor!"

He Qiongying nodded slightly, her eyes firm: "Your Highness is right. Liu Kun is licentious and immoral. The deposition of Liu Kun is inevitable."

Yang Rong was even more furious: "A villain like Liu Kun should not only be deposed, but should be torn to pieces to comfort my sister's soul in heaven!"

Xiao Jinyan's gaze was deep as he continued, "Crown Princess, Yang Rong, I am aware of the blood feud between you and Liu Kun, so there is no need to say more. Yinrui, you are currently a wanted criminal of Liu Kun. Once Liu Kun is deposed, you will regain your freedom and will no longer have to hide."

Li Yuerui's eyes shone with a longing for freedom and a vision for the future: "Your Highness, just tell us what to do! We will all listen to you. For the sake of all living beings, I, Yinrui, will go through fire and water without hesitation!"

Xiao Jinyan nodded slightly and said, "Right now, we need to take a two-pronged approach. On the one hand, we need to carefully select a virtuous and capable new ruler from among the princes of the Liu family to inherit the throne; on the other hand, we need to secretly accumulate strength, contact those loyal ministers and righteous men who also harbor discontent, and jointly plan a shocking coup to depose the incompetent and establish a wise ruler!"

He Qiongying bit her lip lightly, her eyes flashing with determination: "You are right, Your Highness. Although the Crown Prince has unfortunately passed away, with my status as the Crown Princess and the deep-rooted influence of the He family in the court, we can still gather some of the Crown Prince's loyal followers."

"Therefore, the safety of the Crown Princess is of paramount importance." Xiao Jin's tone was firm and left no room for doubt. "From now on, the Crown Princess shall live peacefully in this secluded manor far from the hustle and bustle of the world, and shall not easily step out of this place. The terrain here is hidden, and there are many traps and mechanisms for protection. Even the maids and servants are all handpicked by me. They are absolutely loyal and there will be no one who will reveal our whereabouts."

Upon hearing this, He Qiongying nodded slightly, a hint of gratitude flashing in her eyes: "I will leave everything to the young master's arrangements."

Xiao Jinyan then turned to Li Yuerui, who was standing to the side, his expression solemn: "Yinrui, you are exceptionally skilled in martial arts and should be a great asset to us. However, you are currently wanted by the imperial court and your whereabouts cannot be exposed. Therefore, I have decided to leave a team of elite men in the manor, all of whom will be under your command. You must remain hidden within the manor and ensure the safety of the Crown Princess."