Lin Fengzhi was the first to step forward. The moment he heard the voice, he knew it was Ye Liuyun speaking on behalf of Queen Liu Yunyao. Instantly, he realized he was already bound to her—his daughter had just been acknowledged as the queen’s sister, and there was no way he could extricate himself. The only option left was to stand firmly by Liu Yunyao’s side.

Besides, Liu Yunyao’s coronation had been completed in full ceremony. She was the rightful queen and deserved command over the praetorian.

Yet, the chief commander of the guards strode in at that very moment, leading a contingent of soldiers.

In a booming voice, he declared, “Though Queen Yunyao has ascended the throne, I once swore allegiance to the former king—”

Before he could finish, Ye Liuyun had already grasped his stance. With a flick of time-manipulating power, he froze the moment and branded the commander with a slave seal. Delving into the man’s consciousness, he discovered a soul contract signed with Liu Qianzhong. Without hesitation, Ye Liuyun erased it.

Then, releasing the time freeze, he compelled the commander to continue under the slave seal’s control: “...Therefore, I have decided to relinquish command of the praetorian to the deputy commander. I wish to resign my post and retire to the countryside!”

The abrupt resignation of the chief commander sent shockwaves through the hall. Even Lin Fengzhi was taken aback.

Following Ye Liuyun’s silent instruction, Liu Yunyao calmly announced, “Granted! Lin Fengzhi, by royal decree, you are hereby appointed as the new chief commander of the praetorian. The former commander is permitted to retire. Both of you shall proceed with the handover immediately.”

“As Your Majesty commands!” The two commanders bowed and swiftly led the guards out of the hall to complete the transition.

The sudden resignation stunned the praetorian, but since it was voluntary and the former commander facilitated a smooth transfer, order was maintained without chaos.

No sooner had Lin Fengzhi finalized the handover than Lin Xiaoxiao arrived, bearing Ye Liuyun’s next directive: all guards were to sign loyalty contracts pledging allegiance to Queen Yunyao.

Given that Liu Yunyao was now the rightful ruler, this demand was perfectly reasonable. With the former commander assisting Lin Fengzhi in persuading the officers, the entire guard swiftly complied, signing the contracts without protest.

Once military control was secured, Lin Xiaoxiao relayed Ye Liuyun’s final order: Lin Fengzhi was to mobilize the guards and forcibly relocate Liu Qianzhong to the Ancestral Temple Palace. Under the pretense of heightened security, other royal family members were also confined to prevent unrest.

Throughout the ordeal, Liu Qianzhong sat rigidly in place, his face dark with fury. Ye Liuyun had the Vespera suppress him with an oppressive aura, rendering him mute—making it seem as though he had silently acquiesced to every decision.

Only after Liu Yunyao declared the coronation complete and the banquet concluded, with all guests departed, did she finally permit Lin Fengzhi to dispatch guards and escort Liu Qianzhong to the Ancestral Temple Palace.

Liu Qianzhong realized he was being restrained by a master cultivator, undoubtedly the powerful figure behind Liu Yunyao. Knowing resistance would be futile, he departed silently without further protest. Later, he sent his guards to summon the Grand Preceptor for a meeting, to which Liu Yunyao consented.

After being revived, the Grand Preceptor was brought before Liu Qianzhong and recounted the events involving Ye Liuyun. He advised the former king to refrain from meddling in imperial affairs now that he had abdicated. By arbitrarily arranging Liu Yunyao’s marriage, Liu Qianzhong risked plunging the dynasty into another bloodbath. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"Alas! It seems I’ve truly grown old," Liu Qianzhong sighed. From that day onward, he withdrew from court politics entirely, shutting his doors to visitors and devoting himself solely to cultivation.

Meanwhile, the Grand Preceptor continued assisting Liu Yunyao, strategizing to maintain stability throughout the empire.

Back at the banquet, the moment Liu Qianzhong departed, Ye Liuyun immediately ordered Lin Fengzhi to raid Lin Yao’s residence. The entire Lin family was executed on the spot for the crime of deceiving the sovereign. Lin Chengzhou didn’t even make it out of the palace before the praetorian cut him down.

This was typical of Ye Liuyun’s methods—when pulling weeds, one must remove the roots. He never left loose ends, especially knowing he’d soon depart the empire. He wouldn’t allow any future threats to Liu Yunyao.

The outside world remained unaware of Ye Liuyun’s orchestration, attributing everything to Liu Yunyao’s decisive actions. The ruthless display cowed all dissenters into silence—none dared voice opposition lest they meet immediate execution.

The subsequent massacre of Lin Yao’s household taught the major factions a stark lesson. Liu Yunyao was nothing like her predecessor. Where Liu Qianzhong had acted cautiously due to his comparative weakness, Liu Yunyao moved with lightning decisiveness—annihilating barbarian tribes at will, exterminating entire ministerial households without hesitation, seizing control of the imperial guard the moment she claimed the throne. Such terrifying resolve forced even her staunchest critics into fearful compliance.

As officials pondered how to approach the new monarch, fresh reports emerged from the palace. After dismissing the court, Liu Yunyao summoned all royal clan members to "solicit opinions." Though most had supported Liu Qianzhong, she showed no mercy—those bold enough to oppose her were slaughtered on the spot, their families purged by the imperial guard. Even those who merely harbored silent dissent were banished to remote planets for life.

The survivors, thoroughly intimidated, unanimously approved her reforms—including abolishing the centuries-old tradition restricting royal marriages to the Liu and Lin families alone.

With these developments, no one dared challenge Liu Yunyao’s authority ever again.

Liu Yunyao then proceeded to purge the remaining factions loyal to the Left Minister with ruthless efficiency, leaving no stone unturned. Every force that had supported him was completely eradicated.

With each elimination, she appointed new officials in their stead, placing unwavering trust in them and encouraging them to carry out their duties without hesitation. This reassured the remaining officials that Liu Yunyao wasn’t seeking to diminish their power—only to remove those who opposed her.

Liu Qianzhong was no fool, nor was he one to disregard the greater good. Besides, even if he disapproved, he no longer had the strength to challenge Liu Yunyao. Thus, he issued a public declaration endorsing her policy of allowing royal marriages beyond just the Liu and Lin families.

This sent a clear message to all officials: even the retired king had yielded. The wisest course of action was to fall in line with Liu Yunyao.

Of course, it also helped that she hadn’t stripped them of their authority. In fact, she rewarded those who had steadfastly supported her, promoting many young talents from their ranks.

As a result, the entire dynasty regarded Liu Yunyao with a mix of fear and reverence. Everyone agreed that she was a master strategist—perhaps even more suited to ruling the Twin Star Systems than Liu Qianzhong himself.