This scoundrel is a bit of a swordsman.

Leaning against the carriage, Daji, who was drinking from a wine jug she'd somehow acquired, looked up at the person on the imperial palanquin, smiled slightly, and then looked away.

However, her gaze lingered on Xiao Xingchen, and to guard against the worst-case scenario, she even started drinking. She needed an excuse to make a move, and being drunk was a foolproof one.

Otherwise, years later, if anyone finds out she fought for a man here, she'll be too ashamed to show her face.

After all, she's a person who cares about her reputation.

"Mother, your child is unfilial!"

Ling Xue and Ling Feng, the two siblings, knelt before the imperial carriage. At this moment, all sense of propriety and face had been cast aside; their eyes were only on their birth mother inside the carriage.

"My son, you've grown up so much, that's wonderful. It seems they're going to use me to blackmail you this time, aren't they?"

"Your subject is not afraid,"

The empress in her plain dress sighed deeply, then slowly rose. The curtains moved without wind, revealing the empress's true face.

Her simple yet elegant demeanor, with her long hair flowing over her shoulders, despite being confined to the cold palace, showed no signs of age on her face. She simply stood there, giving the impression of a supreme being.

Even as a deposed empress, she was still someone who looked down upon everyone; no one disagreed with that, as if it was her rightful place.

This was the first time in over a decade that she had appeared before a large number of people.

She gently raised her hand, and those who hadn't yet stood up felt a gentle force supporting their bodies, allowing them to slowly rise to their feet.

"What is this?" someone exclaimed.

The deposed empress was no ordinary person; this one move alone was enough to shock anyone who witnessed it.

A master, an absolute master—this thought flashed through their minds, and their gazes toward the Empress became even more mysterious.

"No one has said that the Empress of the Great Qian Dynasty is a cultivator. The Nebula Pavilion has seriously failed in its duty."

Chen Miao's face was grim. No one in the world knew that such a powerful figure was hidden deep within the palace of the Great Qian Dynasty. Just that move he had just made was probably beyond the capabilities of even a Grandmaster.

This signifies that the Empress has achieved a level of control over her power, a level of mastery over the power of the Purple Mansion that has reached a terrifying stage.

Such a person could be confined to the Cold Palace? What a joke! Those who thought this were all shocked, sensing the unfathomable depths of the Great Qian Dynasty, a place teeming with experts.

"I've lived a peaceful life for over twenty years, and you still won't leave me alone?"

The deposed empress paid little attention to her children, but instead looked up at the sky, as if someone there was staring back at her.

"Fine, fine, I'll see what you're up to."

"Xue'er, Feng'er, get up. The road is under your feet. Don't worry about me. Walk your own path well. When you encounter thorns, cut them down with your sword."

"Yes, mother."

After sighing, the Empress lost interest. Ultimately, it was just a child's tantrum, not worth her attention.

She gazed into the distance, her eyes seemingly uninterested in everything and everyone around her, a chilling indifference that spoke of a disillusionment that even the destruction of the world was of no concern to her.

As for other matters, they hardly stirred any emotion in her heart. Even with her own children, she didn't offer them many instructions, because this was their path to follow.

Ling Xue and Ling Feng stood up at the same time, then glared angrily at the city wall.

"Why did you invite my mother here?"

"Hehe, what a touching mother-son bond! It's a pity that the deposed empress has acted perversely, harmed loyal officials, and formed cliques for personal gain. This third question doesn't need to test anything; all that's needed is for the eldest sister to publicly put the deposed empress on trial. As for the evidence, it will be sent immediately."

"What did you say? You're courting death?" Ling Feng was enraged, drawing his sword and pointing it at the Crown Prince. But the soldiers on the city wall were no ordinary men; seeing someone threatening the Crown Prince, they immediately shouted in unison, all aiming their weapons at him.

"The filial son interrogates his mother, what a grand drama! This is meant to force Huangfu Lingxue to her death. If she interrogates her, she will be considered an unfilial person in the world; if she doesn't, she will be seen as lawless and disrespectful of the laws of the Great Qian Dynasty, and will be branded as someone who cannot distinguish right from wrong. What a ruthless scheme! This time, the Crown Prince has won."

Chen Miao couldn't help but feel some sympathy for the Eldest Princess. For a woman, this was a difficult hurdle; to advance was familial love, to retreat was righteousness. It seemed a mastermind was orchestrating this, aiming to utterly destroy the Eldest Princess.

"Heh, what a scheme! You want me to publicly try my own mother so that you can label me as unfilial. Consort Xian, you've really gone to great lengths for me, a princess who's been banished. Aren't you afraid of Father Emperor finding out?"

Huangfu Lingxue's mind was in turmoil. This time, she was powerless to resist the final blow. She couldn't possibly judge her own mother, but letting her go would be disloyalty, and disloyalty and filial impiety. They would make those four words firmly etched onto themselves.

Being labeled as disloyal and unfilial would have devastating consequences for her.

She was furious, wishing she could draw her sword and kill everyone on the city wall right there and then. But she couldn't. After more than ten years of forbearance, she never imagined she wouldn't even be allowed to enter Yong'an City.

"Eldest sister has misunderstood us. The deposed empress has been imprisoned in the cold palace for twenty years. It's time to announce to the world that we will establish a new empress for our Great Qian Dynasty."

Perhaps carried away by his pride, the Crown Prince's words caused a stir among the crowd. Even the princes behind him exchanged knowing glances, then exchanged knowing looks with each other.

Ling Xue was stunned, also shocked by these earth-shattering remarks. To presume to establish an empress—this crown prince must be insane!

For a crown prince to utter such words in such a public setting, it's no surprise that news will spread quickly, reaching all the kingdoms. However, for those kingdoms, a useless crown prince is clearly more in their interest. Not only will they not oppose him, but they will also do everything in their power to protect him.

This was also Chen Miao's thought at the moment: this crown prince must be protected; whether or not they could conquer the Great Qian Dynasty in the future depended entirely on this crown prince.

"Elder sister, are you going to interrogate her or not? Don't worry, even if you don't, I will still let you into the city. After all, this is Father's decree, and we can't stop it, right?"

"As for the deposed empress, there are laws and regulations governing her punishment; I believe she will receive a fair judgment."

With the crown prince's words, the scene outside the city gates reached its climax. In the past, if the city gates had been blocked for this long, people would have already started to protest.

But today is different. This big news has opened the eyes of many ordinary people, and even merchants from other countries and passing officials are quietly waiting for the outcome.

Intelligence was sent in all directions, and officials gathered to await news of the grand spectacle unfolding at the city gates.

The higher one's position, the more aware one is of the impact of today's events.

Some had speculated that the arrival of the Eldest Princess and the Sixth Prince in the capital was a strategic move by Emperor Wu to break the monopoly of power in the court. However, it now appears that this move was about to be thwarted before it even entered the city.

The princess trembled all over. This was the first time she had been forced to this point. Relying on her sword immortal power, she hadn't encountered such a difficult situation in a long time. She would never hesitate to resolve a matter with a single sword strike. But now, drawing her sword was absolutely out of the question.

But how can she break this deadlock without using her sword? She's bound by filial piety and loyalty; any move she makes will be used against her. She never imagined she'd fail, but now it seems…

Her mother seemed unconcerned about these matters, leaving everything to her to decide. Even after her mother emerged, she didn't pay much attention to her and Ling Feng. Moreover, from her mother's actions just now, how could she not see that her mother possessed terrifying power? Even her master probably couldn't have made so many people rise so easily.

The fact that her mother, who possessed such power, was willing to be confined to the cold palace for twenty years left her somewhat confused and unable to understand what had happened.