Volume 9, Chapter 609 – Empress (Part 3)

“I knew it! Cultivators are also born from fathers and mothers; they too must observe filial piety!”

“That’s right, and besides, she’s the sixth princess of the dynasty. For her to act like this is a terrible influence. She truly deserves punishment!”

“Son, do you see this? This is the fate of an unfilial daughter. You must obey your parents in the future, no matter what.”

The surrounding pedestrians were pointing and whispering among themselves; some even clapped their hands in delight.

At this moment, Lin Ran finally understood the sinister intentions of her brothers. Ordering her capture in broad daylight, their goal was to destroy her reputation completely.

Lin Ran’s heart burned with resentment. As a princess, she did not fear death, but she feared dying without dignity.

Very soon, Lin Ran was escorted back to Consort Jin’s chambers by a group of guards. Outside the gates, tens of thousands of people had gathered. Not only had the entire imperial court assembled, but a large contingent of imperial guards was also stationed to maintain order.

Lin Ran felt her heart sink into despair. Her brothers had staged such an ostentatious display, clearly they wanted her name ruined forever.

“Little Ran… wuu… I told you long ago to… to leave… Why didn’t you listen… to your mother’s words?”

Upon seeing her daughter brought back, Consort Jin collapsed immediately, covering her mouth as sobs escaped uncontrollably.

“What exactly do you want from me?”

Lin Ran steadied herself and asked calmly.

“What do we want?”

The First Prince, Lin Guo, did not answer directly. Instead, he walked to the center and addressed the gathered officials: “Esteemed ministers, if I remember correctly, according to the customs of the Western Radiance Dynasty, when one’s parents pass away, the children must observe three full years of mourning before leaving their home, is that right? Otherwise, corporal punishment is mandated.”

“Yes, yes, that’s correct.”

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The officials all nodded instinctively.

“Of course,” Lin Guo continued, “I’m speaking of commoners. But as for the royal bloodline? We are not only children but rulers over the people. If a royal offspring fails to complete the three years of mourning and secretly leaves the palace, that is not only unfilial but also disloyal! By the laws of the land, such behavior must be punished severely!”

Lin Guo’s words carried weight as he turned toward Lin Ran: “Sixth Sister, am I wrong?”

“That was because you forced me,” Lin Ran said, her teeth gritted.

“We forced you? Heh, and who saw this? Who heard it? You would slander even your own brothers? You wound me deeply, Sixth Sister!”

Lin Guo covered his chest theatrically, but his expression turned cold in an instant. “Esteemed ministers, it has been merely half a month since Father’s passing, yet this so-called Sixth Princess sneaks out of the palace, witnessed by nearly the entire city! The consequences are vile. As a princess, she has shown disloyalty and a lack of filial piety. Do you believe she should not be punished?”

“What? The entire city saw her? Has she not utterly disgraced the royal family? How can this be remedied?”

“If that is the case, then punishment is inevitable. If we shield her simply because she is a princess, who would uphold filial piety from now on? Who would uphold the laws? Without this, won’t our Western Radiance Dynasty descend into chaos?”

“Indeed. With His Majesty’s passing, the Western Radiance Dynasty already faces a time of great hardship. If we do not make an example of her, then whoever inherits the throne in the future will face nothing but rebellion.”

The crowd of ministers had been stirred into outrage and began speaking in unison.

“I must remind you,” Consort Jin cried angrily from the side, “Lin Ran is a cultivator. The laws of the mortal realm cannot judge her!”

“So what if she’s a cultivator? Cultivators are still born of parents, are they not? Do cultivators get to disregard loyalty and filial piety?”

The Third Prince, Lin Tai, raised his voice indignantly.

“That’s right,” the Fifth Prince, Lin Min, immediately added. “I’ve never heard of any Immortal Alliance decree allowing cultivators to abandon filial duties. Even Poyun Peak, where Sixth Sister trains, punishes disciples for such offenses. If they discover this, she will be expelled without hesitation.”

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“That’s correct,” the Seventh Prince, Lin An, chimed in coldly. “If Poyun Peak casts her out, she’ll no longer hold the title of Cultivator, and then the state laws can punish her as they please.”

“I’ll draft a letter to Poyun Peak myself later today,” Lin Guo sneered. “Do you have any objections?”

“Heh… hehehe… You really went through all this trouble just to destroy me,” Lin Ran said, a helpless smile curling her lips. She knew now that nothing could reverse the verdict — not even her master could save her.

“Nothing more to say? Then confess and accept your sentence!”

Lin Guo grinned triumphantly and declared loudly: “Lin Ran, as the Sixth Princess, you should have led by example, embodying the virtues of the royal family. Yet you abandoned the palace during the mourning period, disloyal and unfilial, tarnishing the dynasty’s name. By imperial law, you are stripped of your title and demoted to a commoner, to be imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice’s dungeons while awaiting judgment.”

Then, Lin Guo turned to Consort Jin: “Liang Jin, as an Imperial Consort deeply cherished by Father, you were entrusted with guiding the royal offspring. Yet you failed so grievously, raising such a daughter. You have betrayed Father’s trust. For your negligence, you are sentenced to the Cold Palace, forbidden from stepping outside its gates for the rest of your life.”

Plop!

Upon hearing this, Consort Jin collapsed to the ground. She knew better than anyone what the Cold Palace meant, life there was a fate worse than death.

“Heh… I truly regret it!”

Lin Ran suddenly raised her tear-streaked face toward the heavens, her voice trembling with fury. “I should have fought for the throne from the very beginning! Then I wouldn’t be left like this, slaughtered like a lamb!”

“Guards! Take her away at once!”

Lin Guo barked impatiently, fearing any unexpected changes.

“Yes, Your Highness!”

The imperial guards received the order and surged forward, their faces fierce and merciless.

“You still have time to regret.”

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A hoarse voice suddenly echoed, and Qi Huang appeared by Lin Ran’s side.

Startled, the imperial guards froze and instinctively stepped back two paces.

“You…”

Lin Ran’s eyes widened as if she had seen a lifeline. Her face flushed with sudden hope.

“Bold intruder! Who dares trespass into the palace? Seize her at once!”

Lin Guo roared furiously.

The guards regained their composure and charged forward, weapons drawn.

“Begone.”

Qi Huang spat the word lightly. A surge of overwhelming Divine Sense burst out like a tidal wave, sweeping in all directions. Everyone nearby was hurled into the air, including the princes themselves. Only the experts protecting them softened their landings, preventing serious injury.

Consort Jin was quick-witted and seized the opportunity to rush to her daughter’s side.

“Sixth Princess,” Qi Huang said evenly, glancing at her, “do you see now? Without becoming empress, you cannot even protect the people closest to you, let alone the citizens of the Western Radiance Dynasty.”

“I will become an empress! I will be the first Empress of the Western Radiance Dynasty! Can you help me? I’m willing to pay any price!”

“With me here, you need pay no price,” Qi Huang replied calmly. “But I must confirm one thing: if anyone stands in your way, do you have the resolve to eliminate them all? Including your brothers.”

“Yes!” Lin Ran nodded firmly. “If they abandon familial ties, I won’t cling to them either.”

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“Good. Leave the rest to me.”

Qi Huang smiled faintly, stepping forward as her voice thundered through the square: “Hear me well! From this moment forth, Lin Ran is the next Emperor of the Western Radiance Dynasty. Those who follow her shall prosper; those who oppose her shall perish!”

“And who do you think you are?! Guards, seize this traitor! No, kill on the spot!”

Lin Guo’s fury boiled over; he had no idea his survival earlier had been pure mercy.

“Die.”

Qi Huang cast him a disdainful glance. In the next instant, Lin Guo’s body exploded like an overripe melon, scattering red and white across the ground. Those closest to him were caught in the blast.

No one had expected this black-clad figure to kill the First Prince so brazenly before everyone’s eyes. Shock froze the crowd; they stood rooted in place, staring blankly as if turned to stone.

Lin Ran, too, was stunned. She had never imagined that the seemingly carefree Qi Huang would act with such ruthless decisiveness.

“How dare you! You killed my brother before the entire court! Kill her! Avenge the First Prince!”

Lin Tai, the Third Prince, howled like a maddened beast, utterly failing to consider why his brother had exploded from a single glance.

“Yes, Your Highness!”

The imperial guards, trembling but obedient, charged once more, alongside the bodyguards of the remaining princes.

“Then die, all of you.”

Qi Huang showed no mercy. Her Divine Sense surged outward again, crushing everything in its path. Everyone who dared to charge exploded into bloody mist, regardless of strength or cultivation, blooming one after another like ghastly flowers of death across the palace grounds.