At the Soaring Phoenix Palace.

　　Imperial Concubine Lin sat gracefully on a luxurious chair. Her long fingers softly caressing a gold phoenix robe, a complacent smile hanging on her lips. Her beautiful eyes glanced at the woman held to the ground by a guard and said in a provocative voice, “I just don’t understand how a face like Yours could receive so much love from His Imperial Majesty. I’m a thousand times prettier than You, so why won’t he pay full attention to me? All the pampering I’ve received is probably on account of the fact that my little sister is the concubine of the nobleman Xia Yu.”

　　She couldn’t accept it. The Empress certainly wasn’t beautiful or all that virtuous. She wasn’t even from an all-powerful background, so why did His Imperial Majesty choose her to become his Empress?

　　The title of the Empress should be mine!

　　I’m the only one who is suited to be the Mother of the Nation!

　　The Empress raised her head, smiling coldly and staring daggers at Concubine Lin, whose gorgeous, delicate face was as beautiful as peonies, “Imperial Concubine Lin, We are the Empress of this country, you stormed in and broke into the Soaring Phoenix Palace, aren’t you afraid that His Imperial Majesty will punish you for your impudence?”

　　“Hahaha!”

　　Imperial Concubine Lin laughed loudly, her blood red nails lightly tracing the intricate phoenix embroidery on the phoenix robe, her eyes filled with taunting.

　　“This phoenix robe is really beautiful, it’s a waste for You to be wearing it. In this entire world, only I can truly bring out its beauty! Don’t You agree, Your Imperial Majesty, the Empress?”

　　She laughed mockingly, raising her head to observe the Empress’ changed expression, “Besides, His Imperial Majesty has met His demise, so don’t even hope for Him to come save You. Furthermore, the one behind His Imperial Majesty’s demise was Your precious son, Pang Ran. Tsk tsk. That Pang Ran sure is bold, conspiring with an outsider to assassinate His Imperial Majesty. The Imperial Advisor is now on his way with his guards to lock him up, he will be beheaded soon!”

　　Hong!

　　Like a bolt of lightning appearing from clear skies, the Empress’ cold, indifferent face immediately turned pale. Her body began to tremble, her dark eyes showed deep pain. His Imperial Majesty has met His demise? And the one responsible for it, was Ran’er?

　　How could it be? This cannot be true! It’s definitely not true!

　　“It was you!”

　　Suddenly, the Empress reacted, struggling to charge towards Imperial Concubine Lin, Her eyes filled with fiery rage, she looked as though was ready to gobble someone up.

　　“You caused His Imperial Majesty’s demise! It must be you! Imperial Concubine Lin, you’re certainly full of daring, His Imperial Majesty has been treating you well, and yet you assassinated Him! Haha, you want to destroy His Imperial Majesty and Ran’er, and Us? Do it, then. Even if you descend into hell, we will be together. You, on the other hand, will live out your life old and alone. Hahaha!”

　　The Empress let out a crazed laugh, and Her vermillion hairpins fell to the ground, causing Her hair to be in disarray like a madwoman.

　　She had always known that Imperial Concubine Lin loved His Imperial Majesty, just as much as the Empress herself loved Him. But She never thought that hatred would grow from that love and that Imperial Concubine Lin would end up assassinating His Imperial Majesty.

　　Imperial Concubine Lin’s eyes darkened, a cold smile hung on her face, “You think I would fulfill Your wishes? Never! I’m not letting You die, so You can never be together! All of you! Make sure to beat her ruthlessly, I’m sure that the feeling of beating up an Empress will be quite enjoyable!”

　　After she had finished, the court eunuchs and palace maidens rubbed their hands gleefully, walked forward.

　　These were all Imperial Concubine Lin’s lackeys, whatever she says, goes. Seeing as the Empress was now incapacitated, Black Tortoise Country pretty much belonged to Imperial Concubine Lin, and seeing as Imperial Concubine Lin had painted the Sixth Prince as the criminal who assassinated His Imperial Majesty, even the Xia family would not have very much to say.

　　In this instance, would anyone pity the Empress’ suffering?

　　Not to mention the fact that beating up the high and mighty Empress would be a very enjoyable feeling!