"When did the princess acquire such formidable experts? Just their aura alone could kill me—what terrifying cultivation level must that be! Even with all my troops, I’d never withstand their ambushes!"

At this realization, Lin Fengzhi made an immediate decision—to pledge his allegiance to the princess.

After all, he was already in too deep to wash himself clean. Besides, aligning with the princess wasn’t a bad choice. Her influence was growing rapidly, and she clearly held the upper hand now.

"Not a problem at all! Serving Her Highness is an honor! In fact, I sincerely hope she ascends to power soon and restores peace to the royal capital. From this day forward, whatever orders the princess issues, I, Lin Fengzhi, will carry them out without fail. Though I may lack talent, my loyalty is absolute!"

Having made up his mind, Lin Fengzhi promptly accepted the Interspatial Ring the princess offered and began declaring his allegiance.

Liu Yunyao nodded in satisfaction, knowing he had fully surrendered to her will.

This move had killed two birds with one stone—not only had she eliminated the Fang family, but she had also gained a powerful ally. With Lin Fengzhi on her side, the other princes would find it nearly impossible to challenge her militarily within the capital.

Lin Fengzhi examined the Interspatial Ring with his spiritual sense and was pleasantly surprised by the abundance of resources inside. Eager to prove his worth, he suggested, "Your Highness, the Sixth Prince still has a few hidden strongholds in the capital. Should we purge them as well?"

"Thank you for the reminder, Commander. But let’s leave my sixth brother’s forces untouched for now—they may prove useful later." Liu Yunyao knew the Sixth Prince was already under Ye Liuyun’s control, meaning his forces would eventually fall into her hands anyway.

Moreover, if the Fourth Prince ever returned to the capital to confront her, he would surely seek allies. At present, the only one who could pose even a slight challenge to Liu Yunyao was the Sixth Prince. Better to let the Sixth Prince engage with the Fourth Prince first and see what schemes unfolded.

Meanwhile, the Fourth Prince, Liu Yunheng, was busy recruiting soldiers near the border with the help of his uncle, Lin Yuan’an. When news of Lin Fengzhi’s defection reached him, he flew into a rage and demanded his uncle lead troops back to execute the traitor.

"Have you lost your mind? Marching border troops into the capital? That’s outright rebellion! What were you thinking?" Lin Yuan’an scolded him sharply.

"Then what should I do? If this continues, I won’t even be able to return to the capital!" Liu Yunheng snapped impatiently.

"It’s just a temporary setback. Once your recruitment is complete, you can return with your own forces—no one will dare question you then. By that time, Lin Fengzhi won’t be able to touch you, and those fickle opportunists will flock back to your side," Lin Yuan’an replied calmly.

"So what am I supposed to do now? Just sit and wait?" Liu Yunheng pressed.

Lin Yuan’an turned to Liu Yunheng with a question. "Of course, we can’t just sit around waiting to be struck down. Didn’t you try poisoning Liu Yunyao before? None of it worked?"

"None of it. That girl is too sharp—I bet she didn’t even touch anything from the palace!" Liu Yunheng snapped irritably.

"What if your mother invited her to a banquet? Would she still refuse to eat?" Lin Yuan’an replied with a knowing smile.

At this, Liu Yunheng’s eyes lit up. "You’re right! Why didn’t I think of that sooner? I’ll go talk to Mother right away."

Lin Yuan’an nodded approvingly and added, "Have your mother frame it as a peace offering to mend the rift between you and that girl. She won’t dare refuse a single bite. But don’t poison the food or wine—coat her utensils instead. One taste, and she’s done for."

"Uncle, you’re a genius!" Liu Yunheng praised enthusiastically.

"One more thing," Lin Yuan’an cautioned. "You should ease up on your feud with the Sixth Prince for now. That girl took advantage of your infighting, and I doubt he’s faring any better. The two of you must join forces against her, or she’ll pick you off one by one."

"Work with him?" Liu Yunheng balked. Their recent clashes had left deep-seated resentment between them.

"Times change. Think of the bigger picture," Lin Yuan’an urged. "If he’s not a fool, he’ll agree. Just lay out the stakes for him."

"Fine, I’ll try. But even if I agree, he might not!" Liu Yunheng finally conceded. He set off to arrange his mother’s involvement and then reached out to the Sixth Prince.

Upon receiving the Fourth Prince’s proposal for an alliance, the Sixth Prince immediately reported it to Ye Liuyun, who was currently occupied with securing the uncharted southern territories.

"Accept it. Pretend to cooperate while keeping tabs on his movements. Report back to me at once," Ye Liuyun instructed bluntly. Still, he withheld the ultimate goal of aiding Liu Yunyao, wary of the Sixth Prince slipping up.

Thus, the Sixth Prince seized the opportunity and feigned agreement with the Fourth Prince’s proposal.

Meanwhile, after wiping out the Fang family, Liu Yunyao braced for the Fourth Prince’s retaliation. Soon enough, she received an invitation from Princess Consort Lin Mengxian, offering to mediate between her and the Fourth Prince over a banquet.

"Your Highness, that woman is vicious—she’s bound to strike during the feast. You shouldn’t go!" Hong Ling pleaded, trying to dissuade her.

Liu Yunyao pondered for a moment. If Lin Mengxian intended to harm her, the methods would likely be limited to poisoning or assassination. With the Vespera and the invisible Nine-Headed Demon Dragon accompanying her to the banquet, safety wouldn’t be an issue. As for poison, she had mastered the Ten Thousand Toxins Scripture and wasn’t the least bit concerned.

"Of course I’ll go! Why wouldn’t I? I’d love to see what tricks she has up her sleeve." Liu Yunyao agreed without hesitation.

Once Lin Mengxian was dealt with, the Fourth Prince would lose his last foothold in the royal capital.

On the day of the banquet, Liu Yunyao arrived clad in battle armor, with dual-layered soft armor worn visibly on the outside. In contrast, Princess Consort Lin Mengxian had dressed meticulously for the occasion, though her sharp, unkind features still grated on Liu Yunyao’s nerves.

The banquet was set in a small pavilion by the lake in the palace’s rear garden—a picturesque location. The Vespera stayed close to her, while the Nine-Headed Demon Dragon lurked in the distance as backup. Hong Ling, along with another maidservant, accompanied her. Despite attending a banquet, Liu Yunyao had come fully prepared.

"My, my! What’s with the armor for a simple meal?" Lin Mengxian sneered.

"With the capital so unsettled lately, it’s best to be cautious," Liu Yunyao retorted coolly, striding into the pavilion without a second glance.

"Ambush in the water!" The Vespera immediately sensed the presence of martial cultivators beneath the lake’s surface and warned Liu Yunyao through a covert mental transmission.

"Hold your attack. Let them make the first move," Liu Yunyao replied silently.

The banquet table was small, placing Liu Yunyao and Lin Mengxian in close proximity.

"I arranged for a cozier table so we could chat more easily. Come, sit!" Lin Mengxian explained with feigned warmth, gesturing for Liu Yunyao to take the seat beside her.

Having cultivated the Ten Thousand Toxins Scripture, Liu Yunyao had developed an acute sensitivity to poisons. A single glance at the tainted tableware beside her confirmed Lin Mengxian’s intentions.

"Let’s see who’s deadlier," Liu Yunyao mused with a faint smirk, settling into her seat with deliberate ease.

Lin Mengxian poured her a cup of wine with exaggerated hospitality.

"Yunyao, I know there have been... misunderstandings between you and Yunheng. I invited you today in hopes of mending those wounds and reuniting you siblings."

With that, she handed the poisoned cup to Liu Yunyao.