Disguised as a man, she became the biggest villain in the book.

Zheng Yuxiang had already gotten what he wanted, and Wen Lian had lost all his usefulness. Therefore, Zheng Yuxiang ordered his men to dispose of Wen Lian.

Wen Lian's death was gruesome. He was first subjected to brutal torture, then mercury was poured into his face and viscera. Unable to withstand the toxicity of the mercury, he died in agony. After his death, his body was forcibly bent into a kneeling position of repentance, his entire body was covered with mud, and finally, his body was made into ceramic. This ceramic statue was placed in the county town that Wen Lian had once governed, and the graves on the mountain were the final resting places of those he had persecuted to death.

Wenlian's body knelt there forever in this way, seemingly begging for forgiveness from the innocent victims who died. The mountain became their resting place, and a silent condemnation of Wenlian's crimes.

文府

When Grand Commandant Wen learned that Wen Lian had been arrested, he was furious and executed all the servants responsible for guarding him, shouting, "You useless lot! You can't even keep an eye on one person!"

"Who is it? Who dares to do such a thing? We must find this person! I'm afraid others already know about our Wen family's affairs. If we don't find this person and get rid of him as soon as possible, our Wen family will be finished!" Grand Commandant Wen gritted his teeth in anger, his voice filled with rage and fear.

Wen Yihong paced anxiously back and forth in the room, racking his brains.

He couldn't fathom who possessed such powerful abilities to abduct Wen Lian without anyone noticing.

...........

Prime Minister's Mansion

"Father, how much of Wenlian's words can we believe?" Zheng Luoqi asked.

"I don't know if it's true or not. If it is, this is a chance to completely bring down the Wen family. Whether it's true or false, we'll find out by investigating. As for what happened back then, it will also give your mother and those innocent disaster victims an explanation," Zheng Yuxiang said.

Zheng Yuxiang's gaze gradually turned cold and sharp. He slowly stood up, a cold smile on his face.

"As for the Wen family, one day I will make them all pay with their lives for your mother." Zheng Yuxiang's voice was as cold as ice, filled with deep hatred for the Wen family.

A sharp glint flashed in Zheng Luoqi's eyes. She nodded silently, indicating her support and cooperation.

"The talent show is coming soon." Zheng Yuxiang suddenly changed the subject, but his words had a hint of conspiracy in them.

Zheng Luoqi frowned. She knew that the imperial selection was an important opportunity that could determine the future direction of the court.

She calmly considered and planned how to use this talent show to further solidify her and her father's position in the court.

"Father, how should we plan this talent show?" Zheng Luoqi asked.

Zheng Yuxiang smiled slightly, a cunning glint in his eyes. "Our first priority is to place our people among the candidates to ensure she gets selected."

"Go and arrange the selection. Since these families are already preparing to side with the emperor's faction, shouldn't we send them some 'small gifts'?"

“Yes, Father.” Zheng Luoqi withdrew.

..........

Royal Palace

"Chu Ran, what do you think of our move to join forces with the Wen family?" Xue Huaiyu and Ye Chu Ran sat facing each other, each holding a chess piece.

"This move may seem risky, but the benefits outweigh the drawbacks," Ye Churan replied calmly.

"How so?" Xue Huaiyu raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Although the Wen family is ambitious and attempts to control both the court and the harem, the Prime Minister has more say in the court. Many of Wen Taiwei's supporters in the court have been replaced by the Prime Minister. Although Wen Taiwei still holds a certain position in the court, he is still far behind the Prime Minister."

"If it were the late emperor, his harem would have been large and prosperous, and with the empress dowager's effective management of the harem, the power of the harem combined with the power of the court, which could have rivaled the prime minister. But now, Your Majesty, you have only recently ascended the throne, and the harem is not yet full. Even if the empress dowager manages the affairs of the harem, it will be difficult to bring any real benefits to the Wen family."

"Therefore, Your Majesty, by selecting officials through the imperial concubine selection, you can attract some officials through marriage and make them side with you. Currently, there are still a large number of neutral ministers in the court, among whom the faction led by Imperial Censor Chen is quite influential. Although on the surface their power may not seem as strong as the Prime Minister's, their strength should not be underestimated, and they can still provide strong support for Your Majesty."

"Although we have now joined forces with the Wen family, it is hard to guarantee that the Wen family will not harbor any treacherous ambitions. Therefore, I think it is not unreasonable to support a family that can rival the Wen family, so that they can check and balance each other, thus ensuring Your Majesty's safety."

"What Chu Ran said makes perfect sense!" Xue Huaiyu nodded in deep agreement after listening to Ye Chu Ran's analysis, his eyes shining with approval.

.................

The time for the draft is fast approaching.

Chen Mansion

In the study

"Do you know why I called you here?" Chen Tongyu looked at the daughter he had raised away for more than ten years. Before he knew it, she had grown up so much. It seemed that he had never really looked at her closely. A sense of guilt suddenly welled up in his heart, and his tone softened.

Chen Xianlin shook her head nervously, indicating that she did not know why her father wanted to see her.

"The day of the Emperor's selection of consorts is approaching. I know that the Emperor is quite interested in you, so I have come to ask you if you are willing to enter the palace?" Chen Tongyu looked at his daughter in front of him, a complicated expression in his eyes.

Chen Xianlin's heart skipped a beat, but she maintained her composure on the surface. She knew this day would come sooner or later, but she hadn't expected it to come so soon. She recalled every encounter with the Emperor, from the initial competition to his rescue, and now to his concern; she realized that she had fallen for him.

Chen Tongyu looked at his daughter in silence, feeling somewhat anxious. He hoped she could make a wise choice that would satisfy both the family's interests and her own happiness.

Chen Xianlin took a deep breath, slowly raised her head, and said with a firm gaze, "Your daughter will leave the decision entirely to your father."

After spending so much time together, she knew clearly that she had fallen for him. She had already fallen for this supreme man who was so gentle with her.

The promise made under the lanterns during the Qixi Festival made her completely fall in love with it and couldn't extricate herself.

Hearing his daughter's words, Chen Tongyu was very pleased. He naturally understood Chen Xianlin's thoughts, so he nodded in satisfaction to express his approval.

"If anything happens in the future, remember to write a letter home, and your father will do his best to help you," Chen Tongyu said earnestly.

"My daughter understands." Chen Xianlin nodded to indicate that she was aware.

"Alright, go and get ready. The talent show is in a few days."

"Your daughter takes her leave." Chen Xianlin bowed and withdrew.