Chapter 6 — My Mother, the Crowned Queen

Fierce anger contorted Tieu Mang's features as he brought his heavy blade down with terrifying force, smashing a delicate blue-and-white porcelain vase into a million sparkling shards that scattered wildly across the floor. Bloodshot eyes bulged from his rigid, fleshy face as he glared with unadulterated hatred at the regal figure sitting high upon the imperial dragon throne.

My daughter entered the palace ten full years ago, bearing your children and serving by your side, yet you had the audacity to murder her in cold blood!

Yen Tam Hac merely chuckled softly, his hand gently patting my back with an infuriatingly tender motion. He could not even be bothered to cast a single glance in the direction of the enraged general.

That precious daughter of yours orchestrated a scheme involving a dead infant and a heavy dose of forbidden medicine, all to smuggle out and swap with my own beloved flesh and blood.

The fact that I did not chop her up and feed her to the stray dogs is already a generous display of my enduring mercy for the sake of our past.

Throwing his head back, Tieu Mang let out a booming, maniacal laugh that shook the rafters.

Spare me these pathetic, deceitful lies and stop trying to pull wool over my eyes!

You have simply harbored a deep-seated terror of the military might commanded by the Tieu Family Army, and you are using this pathetic excuse to rid yourself of us once and for all!

He lunged forward, thrusting the tip of his blood-stained saber directly toward the bridge of Yen Tam Hac’s nose.

Yen Tam Hac, your days of sitting upon that dragon throne have officially come to an end!

As we speak, every single corner of the imperial palace has been completely surrounded by my fifty thousand elite troops. Not even a stray fly could possibly escape this enclosure!

You will issue an imperial edict of self-blame this very instant, abdicating the throne and handing the supreme rule over to my newly born nineteenth grandson!

If you comply, perhaps I might show some shred of benevolence and leave your corpse intact!

Hearing these chilling words, my heart plummeted into an icy abyss. So Tieu Mang was fully aware of the healthy newborn boy that Tieu Tinh Dung had brought in as a body double! The father and daughter had plotted this treasonous scheme long in advance, intending to hoist a fraudulent prince onto the throne while the Tieu family secretly manipulated the sovereign to command the entire realm! Such a vicious and calculated conspiracy took my breath away. The atmosphere within the grand hall grew suffocatingly heavy, crushed under the weight of impending doom. Eunuch Hai knelt limply on the cold stones, kowtowing frantically without even being able to let out a proper scream. Little Lei blocked the imperial steps fiercely, gripping a tiny dagger while his legs shook uncontrollably, yet he refused to retreat a single inch. The invisible spiritual chat stream overhead was flooded with despairing cries of lamentation. It is over, we are truly dead this time. That old monster Tieu Mang is too ruthless; he even prepared a fake prince beforehand. Even though Yen Tam Hac is a scoundrel, he genuinely cared for his daughter, but alas, father and daughter alike are destined to perish here today. I stared intently at the firm line of Yen Tam Hac's jaw, my soul turning to cold ashes. Having transmigrated into this world less than two hours ago, was I already facing execution by decapitation? What kind of ruthless hellish opening chapter was this! Was I about to be forced into yet another reincarnation cycle for the eighth time? The infant language skill gifted by the King of Hell would truly go to waste. But precisely at this critical moment, right on the razor's edge of life and death, Yen Tam Hac smiled. He slowly set down his teacup, letting out a cold, mocking chuckle that pierced the tense silence.

Fifty thousand troops? Not even a bird could fly away?

Finally lifting his head, a terrifying, bone-chilling aura of murderous intent erupted from his previously calm eyes.

Tieu Mang, have you been guarding the desolate borders for ten whole years to the point where your brain has completely frozen solid?

For a split second, Tieu Mang was stunned, and then unbridled fury took over.

You are at death's door and still dare to run your mouth! Men! Seize this tyrannical ruler at once!

He swept his arm outward in a fierce gesture, signaling his loyal generals standing behind him to step forward and capture the emperor. One second. Two seconds. Three seconds. The grand hall remained in a dead, suffocating silence; not a single soul moved. The trusted generals who had followed Tieu Mang stood frozen in place, their boots glued to the floor, refusing to even spare their commander a single glance. Tieu Mang whipped his head around, his eyebrows knitting together in fierce confusion.

Are all of you struck deaf? I said capture him!

Without warning, the leading deputy general at the front drew the heavy sword from his waist. Instead of swinging it toward Yen Tam Hac, he executed a swift twist of his wrist, placing the razor-sharp edge directly against Tieu Mang's throat.

Grand General, please forgive me for this offense.

The deputy's voice was as cold as glacial ice, entirely devoid of human warmth. Tieu Mang’s entire body shuddered violently, his eyes bulging as if they might pop out of their sockets.

You... all of you intend to commit treason?!

The deputy let out a frosty, contemptuous huff.

The true traitor here is you; we are merely acting upon the secret decree of His Majesty to purge the realm of rebels.

The moment those words faded, the torches blazing outside the grand hall shifted in unison into a new, disciplined formation. Thunderous hooves echoed from every conceivable direction, surging forward like an unstoppable tide to completely encircle the bewildered rebel forces trapped outside the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Holding me securely in his arms, Yen Tam Hac slowly stood up from his seat. The overwhelming pressure of absolute imperial authority washed over the hall like a tidal wave.

Tieu Mang.

He descended the imperial steps one deliberate step at a time, his voice dripping with deadly frost.

Did you genuinely believe that for the past ten years, all I ever cared about was making children in the inner harem?

The situation had completely flipped in an instant. Tieu Mang, who had been arrogantly defying the heavens just moments before, was now pinned brutally to the cold green tiles by the very subordinate he trusted most, his knees slamming down hard. No matter how hard he tried to process it, his mind refused to accept the reality.

Impossible!

Tieu Mang roared in sheer madness, bulging veins throbbing furiously across his temples.

Those are soldiers cultivated by the Tieu family alone! How could they possibly obey your command!

Yen Tam Hac finally stepped right before him, looking down with an expression of supreme detachment.

You are simply far too greedy, Tieu Mang.

You skimmed military rations, forcefully seized fertile lands, and stuffed every ounce of blood-stained wealth rightfully belonging to your soldiers straight into your own private treasury.

Did you truly think that by dangling that foolish woman Tieu Tinh Dung before me, you could sleep soundly without a single worry?

Yen Tam Hac stared down at him with a gaze sharp enough to slice through bone.

Over the past ten years, I have fathered eighteen imperial princes.

The outer court and the inner chambers alike cursed me as a decadent ruler lost in female beauty, and naturally, you believed the exact same thing, didn't you?