"Feng Ninghe! It's you again!"
Feng Tongtong's anger surged, and she let out a low growl, "What will it take for you to let me go!"
Facing the accusation, Feng Ninghe smiled.
In the darkness, her face was indistinguishable, her eyes glinting with a hint of coldness. Her indistinct face appeared sinister and terrifying.
She was like a soul-reaping ghost crawling from hell, and in truth, she was just that.
Feng Ninghe parted her lips, spitting out a few chilling words, "Five years ago, did you ever let me go? Moreover, poisoning the Emperor of Li is a capital offense. Do you still think you can escape?"
Feng Tongtong was in despair, her heart sinking into an abyss as she wailed, "Feng Ninghe, you wretched woman! If I ever get the chance, I will personally end you, and I won't give you any way to live!"
The voice filled with resentment, accompanied by the lighting up of the palace, abruptly ceased.
Everyone's gaze fell squarely on Baili Ye and Feng Tongtong.
Baili Yang stumbled, forcing himself to take a step back, and looked at Baili Ye in disbelief, "Big... Big Brother?"
The Emperor of Li, leaning on the dragon couch, coughed violently due to excessive emotion.
He trembled, pointing a shaky hand at Baili Ye, "You... you unfilial son!"
The Empress quickly reached out and patted the Emperor's chest, helping him to breathe, and softly admonished, "Your Majesty, your health is paramount."
The Emperor of Li was furious. Thinking that his own son, whom he had raised with such care, had attacked him, how could he sit still?
The Emperor of Li, too angry to care about his health, stumbled forward with the Empress's support to Baili Ye, "You scoundrel, I provided for you with good food and drink, and you attempted to murder your father!"
Baili Ye trembled in fear, his body slumping to the ground, weeping and kowtowing in apology, "Father, there are hidden circumstances to this matter, it's not as simple as you think, I can explain properly!"
Baili Ye was in a panic.
To ascend to the throne of the Emperor of Li, he had used his privileged position to approach the Emperor, infusing the Emperor's body with malevolent energy provided by Feng Qingcheng.
To ensure no mistakes, he had also prepared a backup plan.
Who would have thought it would come to this?
It was all Feng Ninghe's fault!
He could have naturally become the new Emperor of Li, but now that his scheme was exposed, it was difficult to even save his own life!
Feng Tongtong also knelt on the ground, her eyeballs darting around in her sockets, searching for a way out.
"It's one thing for the First Prince to bully others with his power, but now he has even attacked his own father. It is utterly inhumane!"
"Previously, the First Prince and Feng Tongtong plotted against Feng Ninghe. This person is full of schemes. Such a person dares to aspire to be the new Emperor of Li. I say these two dogs and bitches are a perfect match..."
The crowd erupted in a clamor, their discussions incessant.
Who would have thought that the one who poisoned the Emperor of Li was the First Prince!
The Emperor of Li had treated the First Prince well all these years, and in the end, the Emperor of Li had poured his heart and soul into raising an ungrateful wretch.
Not far away, Feng Qingcheng's eyes flickered, her fists clenched beneath her long sleeves.
She couldn't help but curse inwardly: two useless fools, unable to accomplish anything.
Feng Qingcheng had intended to use Baili Ye to eliminate Feng Ninghe. Even if the plan failed, she would suffer no loss.
But now, with both Baili Ye and Feng Tongtong captured, what if they revealed her?
Feng Qingcheng's nerves tightened, her gaze fixed on the two of them. If the situation turned unfavorable for her, she would intervene immediately to stop it.
The Emperor of Li's face turned red, his angry eyes fixed on Baili Ye, "I would like to hear what decent words can come out of a dog's mouth!"
Baili Ye tightly clutched the hem of the Emperor of Li's robe, weeping, "Your son was also misled by a villain, it was... it was Feng Tongtong!"
As if struck by an idea, he glared fiercely at Feng Tongtong, unhesitatingly throwing her under the bus to take the blame, "Feng Tongtong asked me to give the sacred grass to her! Feng Tongtong said that as long as she got the sacred grass, she could make me the Emperor of Li. I had no idea she intended to poison you, Father!"
Accused, Feng Tongtong was shocked, her mind a blank.
This matter was clearly orchestrated by Baili Ye.
She had repeatedly inquired, and Baili Ye had insisted on proceeding, even threatening her.
But now, facing disaster, Baili Ye had thrown her to the wolves without hesitation?
Baili Ye's face was contorted in misery, and he continuously wiped away his tears, "Father, you gave birth to me and raised me, your kindness to me is as great as a mountain. How could I treat you like this? I only wish for your health to recover?"
The Emperor of Li raised an eyebrow, his angry eyes fixed on Baili Ye, a question in his gaze, "Is that truly so?"
Baili Ye nodded vigorously, just to clear his name, "Everything your son says is true! Your son only cares about Father, how could he do such a heartless thing?"
He even deliberately looked at Feng Tongtong, giving her a series of meaningful glances.
Noticing Baili Ye's twitching eyes, Feng Ninghe raised her eyebrows and sneered, "So, putting poison leaves in the sacred grass was Feng Tongtong's idea alone, and the First Prince was completely unaware. Feng Tongtong, your heart is truly venomous, daring to attack the Emperor of Li. Your head will be severed on the spot!"
The slightly warning words made Feng Tongtong think of something, and she quickly exclaimed, "No! The First Prince is lying! The First Prince is the mastermind, how could I have the nerve to attack the Emperor of Li? It was the First Prince who enticed me to act for the sake of ascending the throne and becoming the new Emperor of Li!"
Madam Zhang, fearing her precious daughter would be implicated, quickly knelt and pleaded, "Your Majesty, Tongtong has been timid since childhood, she wouldn't even step on an ant. There are hidden circumstances to this matter!"
"Pfft..."
Feng Ninghe acted as if she had heard the greatest joke, covering her mouth and chuckling softly, her icy gaze casually falling upon them.
Her disdainful voice made Feng Tongtong flinch, and she gritted her teeth fiercely, looking at her, "Feng Ninghe, if it weren't for you, how could we have ended up like this?"
Originally, they still had hope of escaping, and it was all Feng Ninghe's fault!
Feng Ninghe calmly withdrew her gaze and looked at the Emperor of Li, "Your Majesty, if you ask me, both Feng Tongtong and the First Prince are at fault. Feng Tongtong indeed did not have the courage to plot against you.
However, they were guilty and tried to escape at a critical moment. The First Prince could not have been unaware of this. These are enough to prove that these two have long colluded, and while their lives might be spared, they cannot escape punishment."
The crowd immediately recalled the scene of Baili Ye and Feng Tongtong attempting to flee.
These two feigned stomach aches, but were caught dead in their tracks by Feng Ninghe.
If not for Feng Ninghe, these two would likely have already escaped.
The Emperor of Li's eyes turned bloodshot, and he stared at Baili Ye in disbelief, "Baili Ye, I never imagined I raised such an ungrateful wretch! Looking at you now, your nature is base, and you are unworthy of the throne! I have decided to strip you of your imperial title and exile you to the frontier, never to leave!"
Liujiang was a place specifically for exiling criminals, with a harsh environment and extreme savagery.
Anyone who set foot in Liujiang either died of illness or was killed by others; no one had ever returned alive.
Such a punishment was more agonizing for Baili Ye than death.
"Father, your son does not want to go to Liujiang! Your son was completely unaware of this matter, it was all Feng Tongtong's terrible idea!"