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It was stated that an accomplice of the assassin had already been captured, had confessed to all crimes without hesitation, and had even revealed that over the years, the Imperial Advisor’s Hall had been using Shangguan Qing’s treatment as an excuse to collude with Shangguan Yan.

And Shangguan Yan’s return to Shengdu had also been part of their plan from the very beginning.

The assassins who infiltrated the Crown Prince Estate had merely been Imperial Advisor’s Hall’s death warrior in disguise. The destruction of the imperial mausoleum was also the work of the Imperial Advisor’s Hall.

As for the multiple injuries Shangguan Yan had suffered since returning to Shengdu, they were nothing more than deliberate self-inflicted wounds to gain the Emperor’s pity and sympathy.

If not for the fact that the Emperor was too busy with official affairs yesterday to meet Shangguan Yan, which led Shangguan Yan to grow suspicious and order his subordinates to secretly infiltrate the imperial palace to investigate the Emperor's movements, the Emperor might never have discovered this secret.

But the most crucial revelation was that, according to the captured death warrior, Shangguan Yan still held an unknown trump card in her hands—something so secret that even he, as her closest death warrior, had no idea what it was.

One thing was certain: Shangguan Yan had come prepared this time. She would stop at nothing, using every possible means to reclaim everything she had lost.

Upon hearing all this, Gu Jiao could barely hold back the urge to applaud Imperial Noble Consort Han.

The story was so well-crafted, backed by seemingly solid reasoning, that even she almost believed it.

This woman truly had both ambition and courage in equal measure.

Rather than waiting for the real Emperor to return to the imperial palace and expose her, she took the initiative to strike first.

This way, even if the real Emperor did return, she could turn the accusation around and say—"Shangguan Yan, so this was your trump card all along? You actually found someone to impersonate the Emperor just to seize the throne?"

The most brilliant move in her entire scheme was not just “exposing” Shangguan Yan’s ambitions but rather tainting the reputation of the Imperial Advisor’s Hall beyond repair.

Originally, the Imperial Advisor’s Hall was the most trusted institution under the Emperor, and the Imperial Advisor himself was the most qualified person to discern the authenticity of the Emperor. But now, with the Imperial Advisor being labeled as a co-conspirator in Shangguan Yan’s rebellion, how much credibility would his words still hold?

The family gathered in the study of the Maple Courtyard.

Except for the children.

—Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun were classified as children.

Gu Yan’s face darkened as he and Gu Xiaoshun returned to their room.

The moment Steward Zheng left, the two of them immediately pressed themselves against the wall to eavesdrop.

Inside the study, Grandaunt and Old Chief sat at the head of the table. To Grandaunt’s left sat Lady Nan and Master Lu, while to her right sat Duke An, Gu Jiao, and Xiao Heng.

Gu Chengfeng did not take a seat. With furrowed brows and one hand gripping his chin, he paced back and forth in the room.

He muttered in frustration, "I just can’t figure it out. Since Han shi has already reinstated the Crown Prince, why didn’t she clear her own name as well and proclaim herself Empress? She has the Emperor in her hands, and she has the imperial decree. What’s stopping her?"

Gu Jiao thought for a moment before answering, "Han shi believes that the curse technique was done by Imperial Consort Wang. To clear her own name, she would have to eliminate Imperial Consort Wang first. And to proclaim herself Empress would mean making an enemy of the entire harem. Right now, she doesn’t have the energy for that."

Xiao Heng nodded in agreement. "Besides, the Emperor she controls is ultimately a fake. No matter how bold she is, she still feels a sense of unease. Reinstating the Crown Prince is already a risky gamble—she needs to observe the court’s reaction first. Only when she’s sure no one is suspicious will she proceed with the next step."

Gu Chengfeng asked, "So, has anyone in court started to suspect anything?"

Xiao Heng shook his head. "Everything happened too suddenly. Right now, they probably haven’t had time to process it. But once they return home and think it over carefully, someone might start noticing inconsistencies. That said, the Emperor has always been unpredictable. No one dares to openly question any of his absurd decisions."

Gu Chengfeng felt his brain struggling to keep up. "If that’s the case, why is Han shi still being so cautious? Why not just have the fake Emperor kill us all?"

Xiao Heng replied, "Because we have the real Emperor. As long as he’s in our hands, he remains a threat to Han shi. What she did today wasn’t just testing the court’s reaction; it was also testing us. She wants to see how we will respond."

Gu Chengfeng made a sound of understanding, though his expression showed some lingering confusion. "Then what should we do?"

Master Lu made a chopping motion with his hand. "Storm the imperial palace! Kill the fake Emperor!"

Xiao Heng shook his head again. "That won’t work."

By now, Han shi would have already fortified her defenses. The Imperial Guards and the Commandery Office would be on high alert. Even with someone as skilled as Long Yi, they couldn’t possibly take down an entire army.

Han shi was simply waiting for them to walk into her trap.

Master Lu scratched his head in frustration. “We can’t kill him, so are we supposed to confront them in court? But who would believe that the Emperor we have is real? Not to be rude, but the Third Princess doesn’t exactly have the best reputation. The Crown Prince, on the other hand, is as cunning as they come, committing evil in secret while putting on a virtuous front. He has the people’s respect… Meanwhile, the Third Princess is practically a repeat offender when it comes to rebellion. No matter how you look at it, the Emperor she brings forth would seem more like the fake one.”

Han shi’s move had indeed struck right at the heart of the issue, leaving them with almost no room to maneuver.

Gu Chengfeng snapped irritably, “If the Xuanyuan Family were still around, we wouldn’t have to deal with all this nonsense! We could just lead the Xuanyuan army straight into the imperial palace, capture the fake Emperor, and behead him in public! At the end of the day, this is all the Emperor’s own fault! He had a loyal and steadfast Xuanyuan Family at his disposal, but no—he just had to favor the Han Family, the Nangong Family, and all those others! Now that things have gone wrong, I’d love to see which of the eleven great noble families will actually stand up for him! Who even still believes in him?”

Outside, near the doorway, the Emperor’s face turned pale one moment and flushed red the next.

Zhang Dequan didn’t dare breathe too loudly.

He never expected to hear such blasphemous words.

Yet, the reason they hit so hard was precisely because they were true.

If the Xuanyuan Family still stood strong in Shengdu, would these monsters and demons have ever dared to rise?

What others didn’t dare to do, Xuanyuan Li would do without hesitation.

What others didn’t dare take the blame for, the Xuanyuan Family would bear without fear.

Xuanyuan Li would never mistake him for an imposter. With just a single word from him, Xuanyuan Li would believe him.

In the end, he had destroyed his own strongest shield.

“…Your Majesty…”

Zhang Dequan opened his mouth, calling out in a hushed voice, but he didn’t know how to comfort him.

The Emperor said nothing. He simply turned around, step by step, and silently returned to his own room.

Zhang Dequan watched the Emperor’s retreating figure.

Even when he was betrayed by his own flesh and blood, even when the woman beside him turned against him, the Emperor had never looked so defeated.

Yet, the moment he remembered the Xuanyuan Family, he suddenly seemed so much older, so much more worn by the years.

The only ones who could have protected you, Your Majesty—the Xuanyuan Family—you were the one who destroyed them.

Your Majesty… do you regret it?

Inside the study.

Gu Chengfeng was still passionately cursing the Emperor of Great Yan, calling him blind and reaping what he had sown.

Grandaunt cracked a melon seed between her teeth and said flatly, “Enough, he’s already gone. Stop talking. You’re giving me a headache.”

“He left?” Gu Chengfeng plopped onto a chair and let out a long sigh. “All that talking really wore me out.”

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Description:

In the suspenseful supernatural novel “Records of Mortals,” Jiang Baiyan, once a solitary and impoverished youth, finds refuge in the Shi family of Chang’an due to his extraordinary bloodline. With his clear and captivating peach blossom eyes, this seemingly innocent young man conceals a fanatical and malevolent lunatic within. Destined to succumb to darkness amidst hardship and degradation, he becomes a harbinger of chaos.

When Shi Dai suddenly transmigrates, she takes on the role of the Shi family’s young lady, the one who subjects him to countless trials, eventually leading to her demise.

The twist? She never got to finish reading the novel.

From what she knew of the plot, Jiang Baiyan was just a silent, timid, and often bullied pitiable character.

***

Jiang Baiyan had never encountered someone like Shi Dai.

After he had slaughtered all the evil creatures in the garden, the blood-stained young man, exuding a murderous aura, approached her step by step, his lips curling into a malicious smile, "Scared?"

Shi Dai responded, “You’re really amazing! I applaud you until I spin like a spiral and fly around the moon three hundred times! And also——you have dimples when you smile!"

Jiang Baiyan: ...?

—

After seeing her at a lantern festival with another man, Jiang Baiyan lowered his eyes, his fingers twirling her hair. He said in a mocking and sinister tone, "The mansion in the western suburbs...if I hide you there, no one will find you, right?"

Shi Dai replied, "Does it come with meals and lodging? Can I sleep in everyday? Oh, and your cooking is the best!"

Jiang Baiyan: ...?

—

Jiang Baiyan was supposed to dislike her, even hate her, but as their separation drew near, his eyes turned red and he grabbed her sleeve, pleading, "Don't abandon me, alri—”

Shi Dai responded, "Alright, alright, I’ll only have you. Mwah."

Jiang Baiyan: ...?

He hasn't finished his lines yet though…

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