Feng Ninghe, clad in white, possessed an ethereal aura, her face both cold and radiant, a vision of unparalleled beauty.
Even after reclaiming her identity as Empress, her attire remained largely unchanged from before.
"Are you the former Empress?"
A collective gaze, tinged with doubt, fell upon her.
Feng Ninghe stood gracefully, her form serene. She nodded calmly, her clear, resonant voice softly stating, "Indeed."
These firm words, however, incited the anger of the populace.
"The Empress's ascension has brought ill fortune to Lin Country! You are the one who caused my daughter to become like this!"
"Give me back my daughter's life!"
"One who brings ill fortune is unfit to be Empress!"
The crowd clamored, surging forward, their fury seemingly poised to engulf Feng Ninghe!
Before they could reach her, they were halted by soldiers.
Bai Niannian, ever impatient, seeing the misled villagers shouting, quickly interjected, "This has nothing to do with the Empress. How could she possibly bring ill fortune to Lin Country! This is all man-made!"
"Nonsense!"
"Looking at you, it's clear you're trying to absolve the Empress of blame!"
"The Empress has just ascended the throne, and this has happened. This is ill fortune!"
"Before this, Lin Country had never experienced such a thing!"
The villagers retorted one after another, their clamor instantly drowning out Bai Niannian's voice.
Bai Niannian's delicate face contorted, her expression growing anxious. "Master, I can't get a word in. They won't give me a chance to speak."
Understanding Bai Niannian's distress, Feng Ninghe gently patted her shoulder in reassurance.
Then, she channeled her spiritual energy, her voice echoing throughout the entire yamen: "The souls of these young women have departed their bodies, which is why they have become like walking corpses, devoid of consciousness. This is not a natural disaster, but a man-made one."
As soon as she spoke, the villagers immediately countered, "My daughter is kind-hearted and has never offended anyone. How could this be man-made?"
"Exactly. My daughter rarely leaves the house, is introverted, and rarely speaks to others. This is absolutely not man-made! It is a natural disaster!"
The villagers remained stubbornly convinced.
The scene descended into chaos.
Lin Yuran's crimson lips curved into a triumphant smile, her mood exceptionally good.
The more chaotic the scene, the happier she became.
The Imperial Advisor quickly interjected, "Everyone, please be quiet! The Empress is here to help us solve this problem. Simply causing a disturbance will not resolve anything!"
The villagers grumbled, and at this moment, quieted down considerably. "Then we shall see how the Empress intends to resolve this matter!"
Feng Ninghe casually produced a small bottle of medicine from her spatial jade bracelet and handed it to Bai Niannian. "Have all these young women take this. The pill can ensure their bodies remain safe for a short period."
With their souls departed, the young women had become like walking corpses, and their bodies could not survive for long.
If they were cultivators, their spiritual energy would protect their bodies, allowing them to be preserved. However, these young women were ordinary people.
Receiving the instruction, Bai Niannian did not dare to delay. She quickly took the medicine and approached the young women.
However, the villagers immediately blocked her path. "What is that medicine in your hand? Who knows if it's poison! My daughter has already become like this, what more do you want her to become?"
"Exactly! She's already like this, she can't get any worse!"
The villagers eyed Bai Niannian with extreme vigilance, instantly surrounding her and preventing her from approaching.
Bai Niannian's cultivation had reached the Nascent Soul stage. These villagers were no match for her. With a mere flick of her finger, they would all fall.
However, she could not lay a hand on these defenseless villagers.
Even if the villagers attacked her, they would likely not be able to harm her. But if she retaliated, under the absolute disparity in cultivation, these villagers would face dire consequences.
"If you do not wish for your daughters to live a little longer, you may continue to block her."
At this moment, a cold, clear female voice rang out.
Feng Ninghe's delicate face was stern, her expression unchanged.
The Imperial Advisor also chimed in, "The Empress has always cared for her subjects. She would not harm you! The pill is a good thing, you should accept it."
The Imperial Advisor's words caused the villagers to hesitate, and they exchanged glances.
Feng Ninghe raised her eyes slightly and spoke again, "Their souls have departed their bodies. Without food or drink, how long do you think they can live? I personally refined these pills. After taking them, their bodies will be preserved, awaiting the return of their souls. Moreover, I am standing right here. If anything goes wrong, you can find me at any time."
These pills were originally refined by her for the young women of Chenjia Village. The surplus was now proving useful.
The villagers found her words reasonable and parted to make way.
The young women with weaker constitutions had pale faces, their limbs already stiffening.
Bai Niannian, not daring to delay, quickly administered the medicine to the young women.
"Let me help you."
Su Xian proactively offered her assistance.
Upon taking the medicine, the young women's complexions immediately began to improve.
One woman's eyes widened in surprise. "Look! My daughter's complexion has clearly improved!"
"And my daughter, her breathing has become much steadier!"
In an instant, the villagers' tense nerves relaxed considerably.
Su Hongxiu gently swayed a bone fan with her slender fingers, her face, serene as if bathed in spring breeze, held a hint of contemplation. "To extract a person's soul is not easy. The person behind this is not simple if they possess such ability. They would not take so many young women's souls for no reason; there must be a purpose."
By taking the souls of these young women, they were using the villagers' anger to pressure Feng Ninghe.
If she could not resolve this matter smoothly, her position as Empress would be unstable.
On the surface, it appeared the mastermind was targeting her. However, upon closer reflection, the souls being absorbed were all from young women, suggesting other potential uses.
Understanding the gravity of the situation, Feng Ninghe cast a look of approval at Su Hongxiu. "You are correct. Furthermore, all the victims are young women."
Su Hongxiu clicked her tongue. "To be capable of extracting souls, it must be for some improper purpose."
"Empress, you insist that what happened to these young women is not a natural disaster but man-made. But how do we know that there are no souls within the girls' bodies?"
Lin Yuran spoke, a hint of mockery in her seductive expression. "Empress, are you perhaps trying to fool these villagers?"
Her voice was particularly grating.
At this moment, Bai Niannian had finished administering the medicine to the young women. She scoffed in response, "Lin Yuran, you are a princess and a cultivator. Can you not tell whether their souls are within their bodies?"
Cultivators possessed extraordinary divine senses.
Those with slightly higher cultivation could discern the truth.
Lin Yuran, being a peak Nascent Soul cultivator, how could she not see?