The Empress Dowager snorted coldly, her gaze towards Chu Yanxi filled with disdain. She had long known of Chu Yanxi's ambition, but she hadn't expected him to be so impatient, making a move so quickly after the Emperor had only been ill for a few days.
"Enough, there's no need to say more. I won't believe it. Let's get straight to the point. Why did you bring troops to storm in?"
The Empress Dowager stopped playing games with Chu Yanxi and directly asked what he wanted. She wanted to see what Chu Yanxi intended to do.
"Imperial Grandmother, your grandson is merely concerned for Father Emperor's safety and preventing anyone with ulterior motives from having wicked thoughts while Father Emperor is ill."
Chu Yanxi spoke with righteous pronouncements, appearing filial and virtuous. If she hadn't known what kind of person he was, she might have been fooled by his hypocritical display.
"The villain you speak of is you, isn't it? Chu Yanxi, you stormed in with troops while Father Emperor is gravely ill. Your intentions are as clear as the ambition of Sima Zhao to everyone. Do you need to continue pretending to be a gentleman? You scoundrel!"
"Chu Chenyi, don't force me to kill you!"
His true intentions exposed, Chu Yanxi became instantly enraged. He angrily stepped forward, grabbed Chu Chenyi's collar, and murderous intent flared in his eyes.
Feng Jin, hiding in the side hall, immediately realized the situation was dire. She hastily summoned a carrier pigeon, tied her earring to its leg, and released it.
Just as the pigeon flew away, the door to the side hall was violently kicked open. The guards, upon seeing Feng Jin, immediately shouted loudly towards the outside.
"Your Highness, someone is here!"
Hearing the commotion, Chu Yanxi violently flung Chu Chenyi aside and strode towards the side hall. His eyes lit up when he saw Feng Jin.
"So you were hiding here. With you in my grasp, I don't believe Ling Mohan can cause any more trouble."
With Feng Jin in his possession, what was there to fear from mere Ling Mohan?
"Take her away and guard her carefully. Make sure she doesn't come to any harm."
The soldiers stepped forward and dragged Feng Jin out. At first, Feng Jin cooperated fully, acting meek and timid. The guards escorting her let down their guard, thinking that a mere woman couldn't cause any trouble.
As soon as she stepped out of the side hall, several glints of cold light flashed from Feng Jin's hand. She swiftly threw silver needles, piercing the arms of the soldiers escorting her.
Groaning in pain, they instinctively loosened their grip on Feng Jin. Seizing the opportunity, Feng Jin quickly ran towards the Empress Dowager.
"Useless fools! Catch her for me!"
Chu Yanxi shouted furiously. Several grown men couldn't even control one woman, how useless.
Feng Jin quickly removed a hairpin from her head and held it to her neck, "Stop right there! Anyone who dares to step forward, I will kill myself immediately. Chu Yanxi, you want to use me to threaten Ling Mohan, right? If I die, how do you think Ling Mohan will react when he sees a corpse!"
"Stop everyone! No one is allowed to come closer!" Chu Yanxi panicked immediately. He knew clearly that if Ling Mohan found out Feng Jin had died at his hands, he would never let him off.
"If you want me to live, let me stay here. Have your men guard the outside, and I will obediently listen to you and not cause any trouble."
Feng Jin pressed the hairpin slightly harder, piercing her flesh a little. Blood immediately flowed out.
The conspicuous red stung Chu Yanxi's eyes. After much deliberation, he agreed to Feng Jin's request.
"I can agree to withdraw, but I will take Chu Chenyi with me."
As long as Chu Chenyi was not here, he would feel a little more at ease. Even if the Empress Dowager truly wanted to establish Chu Chenyi as the Crown Prince, with him not present and the entire imperial palace under his control, he had nothing to fear.
"No!" Feng Jin refused without a second thought. She knew Chu Yanxi's cruelty and feared that if Chu Chenyi went with him, it would be difficult for him to return safely.
"The entire imperial palace is now under your control, and so many people are guarding it. We can't escape even with wings. Are you worried we'll run, or do you lack confidence in yourself?"
Feng Jin's taunt was very effective against a conceited person like Chu Yanxi.
"This prince naturally does not fear. I doubt you can escape even with wings. I will leave him here and see what tricks you can play."
Chu Yanxi waved his hand at the men holding Chu Chenyi. They immediately released him and roughly threw Chu Chenyi to the ground.
Chu Chenyi, regaining his freedom, stood up somewhat disheveled, walked towards Feng Jin, and glared at Chu Yanxi with hatred. He swore to repay today's humiliation tenfold.
"Please trouble Your Third Highness to take your men and get out!"
Feng Jin did not dare to relax her grip on the hairpin. She knew clearly that her life was the only thing she could use to threaten Chu Yanxi at this moment.
"Let's go!" Chu Yanxi strode out first, followed closely by his soldiers.
After they left, Concubine Qin hurriedly went to tightly close the door, breathing heavily in relief.
Feng Jin's hands went limp, and the hairpin clattered to the floor. Feng Jin was also greatly shaken, and beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.
"Damn Chu Yanxi, you scoundrel! To do something like this, I will never let him off!"
"Just calm down. The entire imperial palace, inside and out, is full of his spies. We can't escape even with wings."
Feng Jin had not planned to escape from the beginning. Now, she could only hope that Ling Mohan would receive the news soon and arrive.
"Sitting here and waiting to die is not a solution. We must find a way to escape."
"We can't escape. Don't waste your energy. It's better to rest and conserve your strength."
Feng Jin's words completely extinguished the glimmer of hope that had just ignited in Chu Chenyi. The man's gaze fell on Feng Jin. "Staying here is a dead end. Chu Yanxi will absolutely not let us go!"
"No, Chu Yanxi won't let you go. He needs to use me to threaten Ling Mohan, so he definitely won't do anything to me. For him to ascend the throne, he also needs the Empress Dowager's support. That way, his illegitimate throne can be more stable, and he naturally won't do anything to the Empress Dowager."
"As for you... Chu Yanxi has always seen you as a formidable rival. Even if he doesn't kill you now, he will find various reasons to put you to death later. Therefore... between us, you are the only one who needs to worry about life and death the most, Prince Jing!"