I am invincible, that's why I lie down. You're using your entire clan to rebel?

Chapter 150 What do you think would happen if I killed Empress Liyang at this time?

"Consort Hua,"

Zhao Qingxue spoke slowly,

"When I was in Liyang, I heard that the Zhao family in Jiangnan had an extremely large business, almost monopolizing the trade routes between the north and south. Your Majesty spent six years with the Zhao family, so you must have quite a bit of experience in business?"

Alarm bells rang in Xu Fenghua's mind.

She forced herself to calm down and slowly put down her teacup:

"Your Majesty flatters me. In the Zhao family, I merely served my husband and raised our children, managing household affairs. How would I know anything about business? Those business matters were handled by my father-in-law and husband; I... never interfered."

She spoke humbly and respectfully, perfectly embodying the image of a "virtuous daughter-in-law".

But a barely perceptible hint of mockery flashed deep within Zhao Qingxue's deep purple phoenix eyes.

"Is that so?" she said indifferently. "That's a pity. I thought that with Consort Hua's intelligence, she would definitely be able to make a name for herself in the business world."

Xu Fenghua felt a chill run down her spine.

She forced herself to remain calm, managing a perfectly timed bitter smile:

"Your Majesty is too kind. As a woman, it is my duty to be a good wife and mother; how could I dare to hope for anything more?"

Zhao Qingxue looked at her quietly for a long time before slowly nodding:

"Consort Hua is quite... open-minded."

That's a very meaningful statement.

Xu Fenghua sensed the sarcasm in the words, but her expression remained calm:

"I have simply... resigned myself to my fate."

"Accept your fate?" Zhao Qingxue raised an eyebrow. "That's a good word."

She paused, then added:

"However, I think someone like Consort Hua wouldn't... easily accept her fate, would she?"

Xu Fenghua's heart skipped a beat.

She raised her head and looked at Zhao Qingxue.

Their eyes met silently in the air.

At that moment, Xu Fenghua saw a complex light in Zhao Qingxue's deep purple phoenix eyes.

As a woman herself, and as someone in a high position, Zhao Qingxue seemed to understand her situation, her struggles, and her... resentment.

But then, the light disappeared, and was once again covered by calm.

Zhao Qingxue shifted her gaze and turned to Qin Mu:

"Your Majesty, it's getting late, I should return now."

Qin Mu nodded: "Your Majesty, please proceed."

Zhao Qingxue stood up, nodded slightly to Qin Mu, and then turned and walked out of the hall.

After Zhao Qingxue left, the hall fell into a brief silence.

Qin Mu slowly stood up, walked to the window, and looked in the direction where Zhao Qingxue had gone.

The morning light shone on him, making his dark robes gleam with a dull golden luster. He looked like a god bathed in light, yet he also exuded an indescribable eeriness.

Jiang Qingxue sat stiffly in her seat, her hands tightly clasped in front of her knees.

She lowered her head, her gaze fixed on the barely perceptible embroidery patterns on her embroidered shoes, as if trying to see through them.

Zhao Qingxue's last, pointed words were like a fine needle piercing the most feared spot in her heart.

Empress Li Yang... Could she really know something?

The way she looked at me, that complex, all-knowing gaze...

Xu Fenghua picked up the now-cold teacup and gently rubbed the cool porcelain wall with her fingertips.

Her expression appeared calm, but a thicker layer of frost seemed to have formed deep within her amber eyes.

Zhao Qingxue's probing and Qin Mu's response—every word echoed repeatedly in her mind, dissected, and reassembled.

This Empress Li Yang was not simply there to observe the ceremony and have tea. Her words, "easily accepting fate," seemed more like a scrutiny from afar, a kind of... silent exchange between fellow chess players?

No, impossible. Xu Fenghua quickly dismissed the thought.

Zhao Qingxue is the emperor of Liyang and the person Xu Longxiang is trying to ally with, but she could also become the biggest variable or enemy at any time.

at this time,

A lazy voice, tinged with a strange interest, broke the oppressive silence.

"What do you say?"

Qin Mu slowly turned around.

He didn't sit back in the main seat, but leaned against the low rosewood table by the window, one hand casually resting on the table, his fingertips unconsciously tapping the smooth wood surface.

The voice was so calm it was as if they were just talking about the weather.

"What if I were to kill Zhao Qingxue at this moment...?"

"boom--!!!"

These words struck the silent palace like a thunderbolt, without warning!

Jiang Qingxue's body jolted violently, and she almost couldn't help but jump up from the chair!

She looked up abruptly, her eyes instantly filled with extreme terror, her face draining of all color in a flash, turning ashen white.

Kill Empress Li Yang?!

Here? In the imperial city? In full view of everyone?!

How...how is this possible?!

This is absolutely insane!

If Empress Liyang dies in Qin, the two countries will immediately fall into a full-scale war that will never end!

By then, the flames of war will consume everything—this deep palace, this imperial city, this world… and her and Sister Xu…

Almost instinctively and hastily, she turned her head to look at Xu Fenghua beside her.

Xu Fenghua reacted just as violently, but she forcibly suppressed the instinctive trembling in her body.

The hand holding the teacup suddenly paused, and the cold tea in the cup shook violently, almost spilling out.

She gripped the cup tightly, her fingertips digging deep into the soft flesh of her palms with her strength, causing sharp pain, which barely allowed her to maintain a semblance of composure.

But deep within those amber eyes, a raging storm was brewing!

Kill Zhao Qingxue?!

Why did Qin Mu do this? Was it a test? A warning? Or was he really so arrogant that he thought he could ignore all the consequences?

No, that's not right... This is definitely not something I said offhand!

There must be a deeper meaning behind this.

Could it be... that Qin Mu has sensed something?

Did they detect a possible connection between the Dragon Elephant and the Departing Sun?

Therefore, this method is used to completely sever this connection and cut off all possibilities of external aid to the North.

If Zhao Qingxue dies here, Li Yang will surely be furious, and Long Xiang, as the Northern Prince present, will be the first to be suspected and implicated.

They might even be suspected by Li Yang!

After all, the relationship between Long Xiang and Zhao Qingxue is quite delicate.

At that time, the North will be attacked from both sides, a dragon and an elephant...

And that's not the most dangerous thing. The most dangerous thing is that if Qin Mu dares to kill even the Empress of Liyang, then what wouldn't he dare to do to Xu Longxiang?

Overwhelmed by immense fear and anxiety, Xu Fenghua felt a suffocating chill wash over her.

She has to stop it!

In any case, we must dispel Qin Mu's crazy idea!

The sisters' eyes met briefly in the air.

Qin Mu seemed unconcerned about their intense reaction.

He chuckled softly, the morning light illuminating his face, his eyes beneath the jeweled tassels deep and unfathomable, the curve of his lips a half-smile.

"Speak freely."

He said casually, his tone as relaxed as if he were encouraging them to discuss a trivial matter, "There are no outsiders here, and I would like to hear your opinions."

The air inside the hall seemed to freeze, so heavy that it was hard to breathe.

Jiang Qingxue and Xu Fenghua lowered their heads almost simultaneously, avoiding Qin Mu's gaze.

silence.

A chilling silence was spreading.

Only the suppressed breathing of each other and the frantic pounding of hearts in their chests echoed in their ears.

Xu Fenghua kept pondering how to deal with Qin Mu's crazy idea...