Even women who travel through time can become prime ministers and nobles.

As expected of the Wang family of Taiyuan, a family renowned for its poetry and literature, Wang Leyao nodded her thanks and followed His Majesty's footsteps, sitting upright beside him.

The late summer breeze outside the palace, carrying the stench of blood, blew in, making one's nose sting.

Wang Leyao sat upright with her back straight. She wore a magnificent phoenix robe, yet showed no trace of timidity.

Her gaze swept over the mess in the hall. Bloodstains were visible under the dragon throne, weapons were scattered all over the floor, and several eunuchs were trembling as they cleaned up the mess.

But that lingering hostility seemed to have seeped into the cracks of the gold-brick floor, and it just wouldn't go away.

When her gaze fell upon her son, Shen Yanzhou, Wang Leyao's hand, which was holding the jade ruyi, tightened suddenly, her knuckles turning white.

Shen Yanzhou's crown prince's robe was stained bright red, with bloodstains winding down from his shoulder, soaking the fabric and forming dark brown lumps.

A few drops of blood still clung to his face, making his usually gentle features appear cold and ruthless.

The Crown Princess Lin Chuying, whom he was holding in his arms, had her eyes closed, her face as pale as paper, her hair disheveled, and a trace of dark red blood at the corner of her mouth. She was clearly in a deep coma.

"Prince."

Wang Leyao called out softly, her voice devoid of much emotion, but the slight tremor at the end betrayed the worry in her heart.

Shen Yanzhou looked up at the sound and saw his mother sitting upright beside His Majesty. His tense jawline softened slightly.

He was about to reply when Lin Chuying in his arms suddenly groaned and frowned, as if she were in great pain.

Shen Yanzhou's heart clenched instantly, and he subconsciously held the person even tighter, his feet unconsciously shifting towards the Empress.

Just then, a suppressed cough came from the corner of the hall.

Shi Wanxia was squatting on the ground when she saw Cui Zhihao struggling to get up. His thin body swayed, and he almost fell back down.

She quickly reached out and, with some difficulty, helped him up.

Cui Zhihao's official robe was ripped open with a large tear, revealing raw, bleeding flesh.

He seemed oblivious, gritting his teeth and swallowing the excruciating pain coursing through his body, as he struggled to bow towards the throne, supported by Shi Wanxia's arm.

The moment his knees touched the ground, he felt a sharp pain that made cold sweat bead on his forehead, but his voice remained strong and resolute, carrying a sense of recklessness.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress,"

Choi Ji-ho's voice was terribly hoarse; every word he uttered sounded like shards of glass stuck in his throat.

"In my humble opinion, Prince Rongyang and the Third Prince's faction are treacherous and ambitious, plotting rebellion and regicide. The evidence against them is irrefutable, and they must not be allowed to live!"

Upon hearing this, the hall fell silent; you could hear a pin drop.

The eunuchs, who were still cleaning up the mess, froze, their heads bowed, wishing they could bury their heads in their chests.

Those courtiers who had been observing from the sidelines earlier dared not utter a sound.

Everyone knows that Prince Rongyang is His Majesty's younger brother, and the Third Prince Shen Yanhui is His Majesty's once beloved son.

But today's palace coup was caused by the Third Prince personally leading his private army into the palace and heading straight for the throne. This charge of treason is an ironclad case.

Shen Yuxi sat on the dragon throne, his fingertips lightly tapping the armrests, producing a dull sound.

His gaze slowly swept across the hall, finally landing on the third son, Shen Yanhui, who was being held down on the ground by the Imperial Guards and was still putting up a stubborn resistance.

Shen Jinyu's hair was disheveled, her face was covered in blood and dust, and her brocade robe was torn to shreds.

He glared at his father on the throne, his eyes filled with resentment and bitterness, and he roared, "I refuse to accept this! Why is Shen Yanzhou allowed to sit firmly in the position of Crown Prince? Why is Father so obviously biased! I am the most suitable person to inherit the throne!"

"enough."

Shen Yuxi spoke softly, his voice revealing neither joy nor anger, but his deep eyes churned with a sense of loss and weariness that others could not fathom.

He truly loved this son.

The third son was intelligent from a young age, skilled in both literature and martial arts, and was once the apple of his eye.

But when did this child's eyes become filled only with lust for power and scheming?

For that supreme position, they were willing to fight each other, staining the imperial palace with blood.

That's it.

Shen Yuxi closed his eyes and gently waved his hand, as if trying to dispel something bothersome.

"Your Highness, take the Third Prince away."

A seemingly casual remark, yet it was like a death warrant, shattering Shen Jinyu's last hope.

He suddenly raised his head, staring at his father in disbelief, his lips trembling, unable to speak for a long time. Finally, he could only let out a shrill, cold laugh, a laugh filled with despair.

"Father! How cruel you are!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Shen Yanzhou gave a wink to the Imperial Guard beside him.

The Imperial Guards immediately stepped forward and dragged the still struggling Shen Jinyu away.

Shen Jinyu's roar grew fainter and fainter until it finally disappeared completely into the night outside the palace.

The atmosphere inside the hall remained oppressive, making it hard to breathe.

Many court officials were injured; some had their arms slashed, others had arrows in their legs. They leaned against pillars, pale-faced and unable to move.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the hall, and a group of imperial physicians rushed in, carrying medicine boxes.

They had received His Majesty's decree and entered the palace. Upon seeing the chaotic scene, they were all terrified and turned pale. They hurriedly began to bandage the injured.

The gauze used to stop the bleeding was quickly stained red, and the imperial physicians broke out in a cold sweat, fearing that if any nobleman were to suffer a mishap, they would lose their own heads.

Wang Leyao's gaze remained fixed on Lin Chuying in Shen Yanzhou's arms.

Seeing the imperial physicians frantically attending to others but unable to attend to the Crown Princess for the time being, her worries deepened.

Lin Chuying was a concubine she personally selected for the Crown Prince. She came from a prestigious family, was gentle and virtuous, and was a perfect match for Yanzhou. She was always very satisfied with this daughter-in-law.

Now that her daughter-in-law is unconscious and her life hangs in the balance, how can she, as the mother-in-law, not be anxious?

Wang Leyao took a deep breath, turned to look at Shen Yuxi beside her, her voice gentle yet carrying an undeniable firmness.

"His Majesty,"

She bowed slightly and said, "Your Majesty, I am worried about Ying'er's injuries."

"In my palace, there is a female physician with exceptional medical skills, whom I sought out from the common people years ago. She is skilled in treating difficult and complicated illnesses."

"Your Majesty, I wish to accompany the Crown Princess back to my palace for treatment, so that the imperial physicians can focus on treating the injuries of the court officials in the palace."

Shen Yuxi opened his eyes, looked at the worried Empress, then at the Crown Prince who was holding his wife and looked anxious, and finally nodded.

"That's right."

His voice was a little hoarse, "Have the Crown Prince go with you, and make sure the Crown Princess is cured."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Wang Leyao quickly got up and walked briskly to Shen Yanzhou's side.

Shen Yanzhou held Lin Chuying in his arms, his steps faltering slightly.

He was also injured, but he kept pushing himself through.

Hearing his father and mother's words, his tense nerves relaxed slightly, and he felt as if all his strength had been drained away.

"Mother," he called softly, his voice full of exhaustion.

"Let's go, let's go to Kunning Palace first."

Wang Leyao reached out and gently supported her son's arm, her gaze falling on Lin Chuying's pale face, her eyes filled with tenderness.

"Ying'er will be alright."

The mother and son carefully carried Lin Chuying as they walked out of the hall.

Shi Wanxia, ​​supporting Cui Zhihao, wanted to follow, but Cui Zhihao gently pulled her back.

Choi Ji-ho shook his head at her, looked at His Majesty on the throne, and said in a low voice, "I have something else to say to Your Majesty."

Shi Wanxia pursed her lips and didn't say anything more. She just silently supported him and stood there.