Chapter 82: Chapter 67: Yu Lan, Do You Plead Guilty

He was heaven’s favored son, always high and mighty—young, noble, arrogant, and aloof, with pride bigger than the heavens. When had he ever begged anyone for anything? 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Mrs. Li knew her son Li Yucheng’s pride better than anyone.

Back when she had merely mentioned the matter of a collar, he had locked himself in an iron cage. No matter how she pleaded or cried, he refused to come out.

But this time...

For Yu Lan, he had taken the initiative to beg her.

It was hard to describe the shock Mrs. Li felt at that moment, all because of Li Yucheng.

’He must be hopelessly in love with her,’ she thought.

Willing to go to such lengths for her.

At the same time, Mrs. Li understood one thing with deep certainty: if they couldn’t protect Yu Lan this time, Li Yucheng would absolutely not go on living alone.

There was no precedent for a male to live on peacefully after his Female Master died.

Even the proudest and strongest male, at the moment his Female Master perished, would find his spirit crushed by grief and would silently follow her in death.

’But how long has Yu Cheng even known Yu Lan? Is he already so certain?’

Mrs. Li bit her lip hard, swallowing the sob caught in her throat, and answered in a hoarse voice.

"Alright, I understand."

"I will find a way to protect her. Yu Cheng, you must eat well and rest well now. Don’t you dare let something happen to you before anything has even happened to Lanlan."

"You wouldn’t want Lanlan to worry about you, would you?"

The myriad of arguments in Li Yucheng’s heart were all shattered by that single sentence.

He really didn’t want to make Lanlan worry.

Even if he was the cause of that worry.

’A beautiful young female like her should always be smiling, full of passion, freedom, and joy.’

In front of Mrs. Li, the usually untamable and wild Black Panther nodded, obediently eating and obediently going to sleep.

"Why, Mother..."

Watching this scene, Li Yufei was utterly indignant.

She was convinced that her older brother had been so easily deceived by that vicious female, Yu Lan, only because he hadn’t had much contact with outsiders.

’If she and Mother join forces now to expose her true colors, my brother will surely come to hate Yu Lan.’

But before Li Yufei could finish, Mrs. Li cut her off with a sharp glance.

The words died on her lips.

"Don’t bring this matter up again," Mrs. Li commanded sternly.

Li Yucheng had already lost his heart to Yu Lan; it was a lost cause. The least she could do was not let him be caught in the middle, confused and in pain.

Her son had suffered enough over the years.

He had finally found a moment of ease and happiness, and she only hoped it could last a little longer.

’Isn’t honey licked from the tip of a blade still sweet?’

A sharp glint flashed in Mrs. Li’s eyes as she commanded in a low voice:

"Mobilize all Li Family personnel on the Central Star. Do whatever it takes to create a counter-narrative on the Star Network and clear Yu Lan’s name."

"At the same time, have our people go undercover. Get the weapons and Starships ready. Prepare for a Prison Break."

If Yu Lan was convicted and couldn’t leave the trial platform...

...then the Li Family would have no choice but to prepare for a life-or-death struggle and break her out of prison directly.

’Then again, that might be for the best. After the Prison Break, Yu Lan would have a blacklisted identity, unable to appear in any public setting.’

’She could stay with Li Yucheng forever and ever.’

’Then Yu Lan would have to rely on the Li Family, and she would surely treat Li Yucheng extremely well.’

’That would be quite good, too.’

Mrs. Li was very satisfied with this potential outcome.

With the order given, the entire Li Family mobilized. The Li Family’s elite soldiers—meticulously trained and heavily funded—donned their disguises, and their Starships took to the skies, heading straight for the Central Star.

*

「At this moment」

Central Star.

To prevent any unexpected complications and stop Huo Zhanting, Su Xingye, and the others from finding a way to turn the tables for Yu Lan, Louisa decided to go all in.

She whispered in Queen Belina’s ear and arranged to have Yu Lan sent to trial on the very day of her arrest.

Furthermore, the entire event would be broadcast live on the Star Network.

She wanted everyone to witness the moment Yu Lan was convicted.

Afterward, the Royal Family would never again acknowledge they had a criminal Princess.

And her throne would be secure.

Louisa smirked as she watched Yu Lan being led toward the trial platform in the distance, then raised her hand and made a gesture to someone.

「The next second」

The live stream began.

Countless furious interstellar netizens flooded into the stream.

[Death to Yu Lan! Death to Yu Lan! Death to Yu Lan!!!]

[Daily question: When is Yu Lan going to die!]

[Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting. To think that when the Hope Potion first came out, I admired and believed in her so much. I thought the Empire had finally welcomed an unprecedented genius who would lead us to a greater future.]

[I never thought it was fake, fake, FAKE! It was all fake.]

[The so-called Hope Potion was actually deceptive P-material. Doesn’t she know how many people died the last time deceptive P-material was used?]

[Tens of millions of males! The interstellar crematoriums probably had to take reservations!]

[Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting.]

[How could someone be so vicious, doing something like this for their own selfish gain.]

[A demon! A demon! She’s a demon!]

[Hell is empty and Yu Lan is on Earth! Just die! Let her die! What’s there to even try? A vicious female like her should just be sentenced to death!]

In the very first second the stream went live,

thousands upon thousands of furious netizens flooded the stream, cursing like mad.

This was the fury of billions of interstellar netizens.

And more hateful comments were on their way, being furiously typed out.

Louisa, seeing this, couldn’t help the smug curve of her lips.

’Hated to this extent... Yu Lan, how can you possibly compete with me?’

’Even if Queen Belina wanted to protect you and announce your identity as a Princess, the furious netizens would probably strip you of it immediately.’

This situation was a death trap set for Yu Lan.

Countless people cursed her, wishing for her immediate death. But if the truth were to be revealed... the deeper the love, the deeper the hate; the deeper the hate, the deeper the love, and the deeper the guilt.

Louisa still didn’t understand. They were furious because they felt deceived, because they had once so genuinely believed in Yu Lan and fanatically supported her.

Once they discovered that Yu Lan had been herself all along, that there was nothing wrong with the Hope Potion, a tidal wave of guilt would wash over them. And as for Louisa, who had orchestrated it all...

...she would be finished, too.

Amidst the countless curses, even the online shills hired by Mrs. Li, Su Xingye, Huo Zhanting, and Shen Zueran couldn’t gain any traction.

They could only watch helplessly as Yu Lan walked, step by step, toward the trial platform.

The Chief Justice slammed his gavel on the bench. His voice, heavy, solemn, and oppressive, rang out.

"Yu Lan, you illegally used deceptive P-material to fake the Hope Potion, nearly causing the deaths of tens of millions of males. Do you plead guilty!"