Who could have imagined that this handsome and elegant gentleman was actually black-hearted and ruthless, willing to mercilessly turn against the foster father who had nurtured him, Chancellor Wei, all to climb to the position second only to the emperor and above all others.
He could also feign tenderness, showering Lu Mingtang with false affection and concern, even stooping to become her consort, only to turn around and lead troops to massacre the princess's residence, trampling her sincere love underfoot.
In her past life, the cunning Chancellor Wei had not foreseen this, nor had anyone else—including Lu Mingtang, who had paid the ultimate price with her life.
Now, reborn and facing Jiang Chaosheng again, Lu Mingtang was surprisingly calm.
She looked at him calmly, met his gaze steadily, and even curved her crimson lips into a faint smile.
In her past life, she had been blinded by love, allowing Jiang Chaosheng to manipulate her at will. But in this life, no one understood his ambition and ruthlessness better than she did.
So this time, it was her turn to strike back.
Nothing was more thrilling than making a sworn enemy lose everything he possessed and everything he cared about, step by step.
Just thinking about it made Lu Mingtang's blood boil with excitement.
She could hardly wait to confront Jiang Chaosheng. This time, she would not lose, and he, Jiang Chaosheng, would lose everything, groveling at her feet!
Jiang Chaosheng naturally noticed Lu Mingtang's direct gaze. But this gaze lacked the admiration of the past; instead, it held a kind of… excitement, like a predator eyeing its prey.
For a moment, he was struck by her blood-stained, bewitching appearance.
But soon, he frowned. Lu Mingtang seemed different now, and he disliked chess pieces that strayed from the board and refused to obey.
Clearly, Lu Mingtang's disobedience had disrupted his meticulously laid plans.
Lu Yan had not been struck by the poisoned arrow, and Prince Yong had been exposed instead, forcing Jiang Chaosheng to adjust his plans on the fly to salvage the situation.
It seemed he needed to reassess this chess piece. If she truly refused to obey, he would simply eliminate her.
Chess pieces could be replaced, though it was a pity to waste his earlier efforts.
"Chancellor Wei arrives just in time. I was about to slaughter a pig. Why not join me in admiring how the pig's loyalty compares to that of a man?"
Lu Yan's sarcasm was undisguised, but Chancellor Wei responded not with anger but with a smile. "Your Majesty jests. Men and pigs are naturally different. Prince Yong has made a mistake and deserves punishment. But he is, after all, Your Majesty's close kin. Harming one's own brother would surely tarnish Your Majesty's imperial dignity."
"I have slain many brothers today. Why did Chancellor Wei not plead for them then? Yet now, you speak to me of brotherly affection?"
Chancellor Wei sighed. "I arrived too late to dissuade Your Majesty in time. That was my failure. I beg Your Majesty to show mercy for the sake of brotherhood and spare Prince Yong's life."
"And if I refuse?"
Chancellor Wei met Lu Yan's dark, sinister gaze, his faint smile unwavering. "Your Majesty is young and may not understand the gravity of the situation. I can only advise. If Your Majesty refuses to listen…"
He paused, glancing to his right and behind him. Commander of the Imperial Guard Lin Zhao stepped forward, openly positioning himself before Lu Yan.
"Your Majesty appears to be suffering from another headache, clouding your judgment. I must ask Your Majesty to retire and allow the imperial physicians to examine you thoroughly. The health of Your Majesty's dragon body concerns the safety of the entire realm and cannot be taken lightly."
Though Chancellor Wei's words were framed as a request, they were in fact an unyielding demand, showing no regard for Lu Yan's authority as emperor.
At the same moment, Ling Xiao stepped in front of Lu Yan, confronting the arrogant Lin Zhao head-on without yielding an inch.
"If Chancellor Wei says I am ill, then I must be ill. In that case, why don’t I just hand over the throne to Chancellor Wei? After all, someone with a mind as troubled as mine is hardly fit to be emperor."
Chancellor Wei bowed respectfully and said, "I dare not. Your Majesty ascended the throne by the grace of Heaven, and with Your Majesty’s noble bearing, you are destined to become a wise ruler in the future."
Not even a ghost would believe such words, for no one desired Lu Yan to be a puppet emperor more than Chancellor Wei himself. Though he stood beneath one man, he wielded the imperial power that placed him above all others.
"Since the late emperor’s passing, the Royal Menagerie has not seen such liveliness in a long time. Chancellor Wei, you certainly have a refined taste for enjoyment today."
The dignified and elegant Empress Dowager Zhang arrived in a palanquin, moving in their direction.
"Greetings to Empress Dowager. May the Empress Dowager enjoy boundless blessings and eternal peace."
As everyone knelt in reverence, Lu Mingtang noticed that when Empress Dowager Zhang stepped down from the palanquin, a beautiful young woman immediately approached and respectfully offered her hand for support.
Lu Mingtang recognized her at once—she was Zhang Ke’er, the legitimate daughter of the second branch of the Pingyang Marquis household, Empress Dowager Zhang’s maternal family.
In her previous life, after Lu Yan died from poisoning, Prince Yong ascended the throne, and Empress Dowager Zhang had arranged for this niece of hers to become his empress, aiming to solidify the Zhang family’s influence in both the court and the inner palace.
However, before their position could be consolidated, Zhang Ke’er was forced to drink poisoned wine for adultery, becoming the shortest-lived empress after Lu Yan, the shortest-lived emperor.
As Zhang Ke’er followed Empress Dowager Zhang forward, her gaze occasionally drifted stealthily toward Lu Yan’s direction.
Lu Mingtang instantly understood—in this life, she had altered the course of history. Lu Yan had survived the poisoned arrow, and now Empress Dowager Zhang intended to push her niece into Lu Yan’s orbit.
Realizing this, the smile on Lu Mingtang’s lips deepened.
The fish was swimming right into the net.
"His Majesty is still young and prone to playful distractions. Entrusted by the late emperor, it is my duty to restrain His Majesty in a timely manner to prevent neglect of state affairs."
Despite having conspired with court officials to elevate Lu Yan to the throne over the corpses of other princes, he had the audacity to claim he was acting on the late emperor’s orders. If the late emperor’s spirit were aware, his coffin lid would not stay shut as he sought vengeance!
"His Majesty’s playfulness merely reflects his youthful spirit. If he had someone warm and caring by his side, he would surely mature quickly. Ke’er, come and greet His Majesty."
Zhang Ke’er took a step forward and curtsied gracefully to Lu Yan. "Ke’er pays her respects to Your Majesty."
"My incompetent brother has only this one daughter, whom he treasures dearly. If not for my recent discomfort, I would not have been willing to bring her into the palace to keep me company. Ke’er is sixteen, just a year younger than you, Your Majesty. She is gentle and caring by nature. Being close in age, you young people will surely find common topics to discuss. Ke’er is new to the palace and not yet familiar with its surroundings. When you have time, Your Majesty, please take her around to explore."
Zhang Ke’er stepped closer, getting a clear view of the Young Emperor’s appearance up close. His strikingly handsome features set her young heart fluttering like a startled deer, and she shyly lowered her head.
Yet she failed to notice the eerie, creeping smile that spread across Lu Yan’s dark eyes. "If the Empress Dowager is willing to let her accompany me in play, I will naturally enjoy playing with her thoroughly."
It remained to be seen how many days she could withstand his games. But judging by her delicate and fragile demeanor, she likely wouldn’t last even a single day. How utterly dull.
With a new plaything in hand, Lu Yan no longer fixated on Prince Yong, leading his entourage away from the Beast Garden.
Within the Imperial Garden, red walls were blanketed in snow, and wintersweet blossoms had just begun to bloom among the pavilions and towers.
Lu Yan settled into the waterside pavilion. Before he could act on his murderous intent, Lu Mingtang spoke first: "I have heard that Lady Zhang is exceptionally skilled in flower arrangement. The wintersweet in the Imperial Garden is blooming beautifully today, and His Majesty's bedchamber happens to lack a vase of wintersweet for decoration."
"I would be honored to serve His Majesty."
Zhang Ke'er eagerly accepted the task and turned to gather the flowers. Lu Yan lifted his gaze toward Lu Mingtang, his dark eyes swirling with a sinister and perilous intensity.
Far from being intimidated, Lu Mingtang proactively reached out and placed her hand over his.
"Your Majesty, you cannot kill her."