The commotion was so significant that even Liu Qianzhong was alarmed and came to investigate personally.

"What’s going on? How could I be poisoned? Wasn’t the poison meant for Liu Yunyao? Why am I the one suffering?" Lin Mengxian was frantic, her composure shattered as she grabbed the alchemist by the collar and screamed at him.

"Fix this now, or Yunheng and my father will make sure you pay!" she threatened, her voice trembling with rage and fear.

"This isn’t the poison I used—I can’t undo it, Your Highness! I swear, I only laced Liu Yunyao’s utensils! I don’t know how you were exposed!" the alchemist stammered, desperation creeping into his voice.

Liu Qianzhong overheard every word from a distance. With a heavy sigh, he turned and walked away without so much as a glance at Lin Mengxian or the alchemist.

Scheming and betrayal were nothing new in royal circles, but for them to expose themselves so blatantly was downright humiliating. Not only did Liu Qianzhong leave without intervening, he even instructed the palace guards and alchemists to ignore them—let them face the consequences of their own actions.

Lin Mengxian was just a consort, after all. Disgraced and now poisoned, she wasn’t worth his attention.

Her skin had already begun darkening, yet she still clung to the alchemist, her grip desperate.

"You’re an alchemist—you must have a way to cure this, right? Save me, now!" she shrieked, her voice bordering on hysteria.

Meanwhile, Hongling watched from afar, amusement dancing in her eyes as she eagerly awaited Lin Mengxian’s demise.

Soon, Lin Mengxian’s legs gave out, and she collapsed, her entire body now a sickly shade of black. The alchemist shoved her away in panic, no longer caring about her royal status.

"Don’t touch her—the poison spreads on contact!" he warned, hastily checking his own hands. When he saw the ominous darkening creeping up his fingers, he frantically swallowed every poison pill he had.

But a quick internal scan revealed the poison was already advancing toward his core. Even cutting off his hands wouldn’t stop it now.

He dropped to the ground, channeling his energy to seal his core, desperately trying to slow the toxin’s spread. Yet despite his efforts, the poison only hesitated briefly before infiltrating his core and surging through his body.

Lin Mengxian’s fate was far worse. Her flesh rotted from within, black venom oozing from her eyes, nose, and mouth. The maids recoiled in horror, too terrified to approach as her agonized screams filled the air.

"Damn it! You’ve killed me!"

The alchemist took one look at Lin Mengxian’s agonizing state and let out a despairing sigh. Without hesitation, he drew a dagger and plunged it into his own heart, ending his life before the poison could take hold—sparing himself the torment Lin Mengxian was enduring.

Lin Mengxian, however, had no such mercy. Her spiritual energy had completely corroded, her bones and flesh were rotting away, and she couldn’t even lift an arm. All she could do was writhe on the ground, her bloodcurdling screams echoing far and wide.

"Kill me! Please, have mercy!" she begged the maids, desperate for release from her suffering.

But none dared lay a hand on her, fearing retribution. They stood frozen, leaving her to endure the agony until the bitter end.

"Tch. Serves you right. Honestly, I almost feel like putting you out of your misery myself!" Hongling remarked from a distance, her voice dripping with cruel amusement.

Lin Mengxian’s cries grew weaker and weaker until, finally, her entire body dissolved into a pool of blackened sludge—a grotesque and pitiful demise.

"Holy hell! Since when did Her Highness learn such a brutal technique? Just watching that gave me chills!" Hongling muttered under her breath, shuddering before turning to report back to Liu Yunyao.

The alchemist’s corpse, too, had begun to rot. Unable to stomach the sight any longer, Hongling left, knowing it would soon meet the same fate—a liquefied, inky puddle.

When she returned to Liu Yunyao, she found the princess already aware of the commotion. Lin Mengxian’s screams had echoed throughout the palace—there was no hiding what had happened.

Yet, despite the uproar, no one dared investigate. Emperor Liu Qianzhong had given strict orders to stay out of it.

He had, however, sent an alchemist to check on Liu Yunyao. But the princess dismissed the visitor with a calm assurance that she was unharmed, sending them away without further inquiry.

"Pathetic. A royal consort, outsmarted by a child—and foolish enough to try harming her in the first place," Liu Qianzhong remarked with a weary shake of his head upon hearing the news.

Still, he knew this would only deepen the rift between Liu Yunyao and her half-brother Liu Yunheng, as well as Lin Yuan’an. War was likely brewing, but he resisted the urge to intervene.

"Let them settle their own affairs," he muttered, washing his hands of the matter. He would not involve himself further.

When he chose to step back initially, he had already foreseen such events unfolding—knowing lives would be lost. What he hadn’t anticipated, however, was how Liu Yunyao’s actions would earn his admiration, while the princes left him thoroughly disappointed.

As for Liu Yunyao and Liu Yunheng, whoever emerged victorious in the end, experiencing the upheaval of a dynasty firsthand might not be such a bad thing for them.

The conversation between Lin Mengxian and the alchemist before her death wasn’t heard only by Liu Qianzhong. Several elders, guards, and maids within the palace also overheard, ensuring the news spread like wildfire.

In no time, the entire royal capital was abuzz with rumors—Consort Lin Mengxian had attempted to poison and assassinate Liu Yunyao, only to succumb to the poison herself. This incident further elevated Liu Yunyao’s standing among the major factions.

By now, the Sixth Prince had also returned to the capital. Apart from two close aides under Ye Liuyun’s slave seal who still supported him, he commanded little significant influence.

During his trip outside the capital, he had managed to recruit over two thousand martial practitioners as a stopgap measure. However, these men couldn’t enter the palace to confront Liu Yunyao directly, so they dispersed and hid throughout the city, biding their time.

Upon receiving the news, both Liu Yunheng and Lin Yuan’an were seething with rage. With Lin Yuan’an’s backing, Liu Yunheng had already mustered fifty thousand soldiers and was preparing to march back to the capital to demand answers from Liu Yunyao.

After some deliberation, Lin Yuan’an agreed to the plan this time.

The more level-headed of the two, he advised Liu Yunheng, “The fact that the king has remained silent about the consort’s sudden poisoning within the palace walls suggests he’s tacitly allowing this conflict between you. Right now, we lack the strength in the capital to challenge Liu Yunyao head-on. We must secure your father’s support instead.

When you return with your troops, don’t enter the city. Station your forces outside the walls, have them don mourning attire, and feign preparations for a siege—but under no circumstances should you actually attack.

Meanwhile, I’ll rally my own forces and demand an explanation from the king. Together, we’ll pressure the throne. With the sheer size of our combined armies, we can force your father to reconsider his stance.

Ideally, we’ll compel Liu Yunyao to leave the city and confront you directly. Once he steps out, strike immediately—no matter who accompanies him. Eliminate him on the spot.

Didn’t you previously ally with the Sixth Prince? It’d be best to collaborate with him now, letting him deal the fatal blow to Liu Yunyao. Then, you finish off the Sixth Prince. Once they’re both dead, your father will have no choice but to ensure your safety!”