On the day of the palace coup, the weather was extremely bad, with dark clouds pressing down on the city and heavy rain pouring. The capital was located in the north, surrounded by mountains on both sides, and the mountain winds were fierce.

The speed of the palace coup was as fast and urgent as the mountain winds.

Like other civil and military officials, Shen Meng was attending the morning court in the Golden Luang Palace.

Apart from the gloomy weather, she stood quietly in place, watching the officials of the Imperial Censorate eloquently criticize other officials.

In their excitement, Shen Meng could even see the white spittle of several high-ranking officials of the Imperial Censorate in the air. Before that stuff splashed on her, she discreetly moved to a different position, letting someone shield her from the flying disaster.

The Empress’s health had improved in recent days. Although she didn’t attend the morning court as frequently as before, occasionally she would request memorials from courtiers for her review. After all, the longer the Empress ruled, the more reluctant she was to relinquish power.

After she regained consciousness, the imperial princess who replaced her as regent was forcibly stripped of her authority, and the officials under her were all suppressed and exiled by the Empress one after another.

Some people thought that the other two imperial princesses would have their time to shine, but in reality, the Empress didn’t trust any of her daughters. The influence of each princess was more or less affected.

However, the extent of their current power and the degree of suppression by the Empress varied. In short, the more powerful one emerged, the more ruthlessly they were suppressed, and the more powerful their wings, the more suspicious the Empress became.

But after the Empress fell ill for several months, there were significant changes in the palace and the court, perhaps because the suppression intensified. The imperial princesses were somewhat unwilling, and with encouragement from below, coupled with not particularly close kinship with the Empress.

Choosing an auspicious day, the eldest princess rebelled!

When the civil and military officials in the Golden Luang Palace were surrounded by rebels, the eldest princess, accompanied by her guards, surrounded the Empress’s sleeping quarters.

Considering their blood ties, she persuaded her mother, the Empress: “Mother, you’re frail. Don’t worry about state affairs anymore. Besides, when you were seriously ill, didn’t I manage state affairs well? What else are you worrying about?”

“Rebellious daughter, give up this idea!” The Empress spat out blood, raised her somewhat withered hand, and was about to slap the eldest princess. However, before her hand could reach her face, it was intercepted by the eldest princess.

The usually docile and obedient eldest princess looked particularly fierce: “I didn’t want it to come to this either. It’s all because you’ve pushed me, Mother. I’m not young anymore, yet you insist on clinging to this position. Moreover, when I was young, didn’t you say that this position would eventually be mine? But what have you done? Finally giving me some power, when you’re slightly better, you eagerly suppress me. I’m also your daughter, yet you can be so ruthless to me!”

She had also seen through it; there was never any familial affection within the royal family. She genuinely wanted that position, and so did her two sisters. But despite the Empress’s advanced age, she firmly grasped onto the power in her hands and refused to let go. She even attempted to clip off all her wings, which forced her hand, so it’s no wonder she was ruthless.

After uttering threatening words, she softened her tone: “You are my mother, so naturally, I won’t harm you. As long as you write the edict of abdication, I will ensure your safety and the lives of my two sisters.”

The Empress knew very well that if she abdicated, she would only be confined within the palace, a powerless former empress. After all, as people age, and especially after a severe illness, the Empress’s heart softened even more than before.

Facing the eldest princess who was pressuring her to abdicate, she closed her eyes, revealing a weary expression, and tears streamed down her face.

She withdrew her hand from the eldest princess’s grip, her voice trembling: “If you ascend to the throne, will you guarantee the safety of your two sisters?”

This was tantamount to relenting. The eldest princess was overjoyed and hastily promised, “Mother, don’t you know my temperament? I will fulfill what I promise you. Just sign this abdication decree…”

The Empress picked up the vermilion pen, her hand still trembling slightly. The eldest princess’s eyes became increasingly fervent. As she saw the Empress sign her name on the decree, she couldn’t wait to grab the bright yellow decree to affix her own seal.

However, in that moment of contention, a feathered arrow pierced her chest. Before collapsing, the eldest princess still maintained her posture of tightly clutching the decree.

Her eyes widened, seemingly unable to believe she lost her life at the brink of success!

“Yan’er!” Watching her own daughter fall before her, despite her resentment towards her for pressuring her to abdicate, the Empress still exclaimed in shock, her voice filled with the pain of losing her daughter.

She spat out another mouthful of blood, lifted her head to look at the direction where the arrow came from. Standing there was a tall and burly Hun¹ woman, holding a finely crafted Hun woman bow in her hand, her hawk-like eyes maliciously fixed on her chest.

In order to pressure the palace, the eldest princess, whose wings had been largely clipped, colluded with her subordinates and the Hun woman. But the Hun woman obviously didn’t regard the eldest princess as a friendly ally. When the eldest princess seized the throne, she turned against her at the last moment.

Seeing her gaze, the Hun woman, who had existed unnoticed until then, placed another arrow on the bent bow. The arrowhead was aimed directly at her heart. With her life threatened, the Empress’s heart pounded like a drum.

However, the eldest princess was already dead, and the traitors hidden among her guards turned their blades against their “comrades” in chaos. The loyal guards to the eldest princess suffered heavy casualties, and it was already a mess. Nobody remembered to protect the Empress.

With a courage from an unknown source, the Empress mustered her frail body, attempting to escape from this blood-soaked battlefield. However, the tall and imposing Hun woman was like a vicious hawk, firmly locking onto her elderly prey.

The silver arrow slowly moved with the Empress’s position. The ferocious Hun woman grinned, revealing a mouthful of snowy white and eerie teeth.

Just as the Empress seemed destined to die at the hands of the Hun woman, a stronger arrow swiftly approached, knocking down the arrow that attempted to take the Empress’s life. The Empress was quickly surrounded by people wearing the uniform of the Imperial Guards, their weapons aimed outward, forming a human shield around her.

Like a divine intervention, the one who saved the Empress was none other than the third imperial princess. She wore silver armor, rigorously protecting her body.

Seeing the Empress’s surprised gaze, she raised her sword and shouted loudly, “Imperial Guards, why haven’t you subdued the rebels and traitors yet?”

The guards brought by the third imperial princess were all elites, well-prepared and overwhelming in numbers. They quickly subdued the rebel forces that had pressured the palace.

Protected, the Empress hadn’t had the chance to speak to her daughter when a new abdication decree was presented before her.

She looked at her daughter incredulously, “You…”

The latter smiled faintly, “Mother, for the sake of my unwavering loyalty, please sign this.”

The Empress, who had just regained some spirit, suddenly slumped, tremblingly signing the abdication decree.

When she came to her senses afterwards, she began to resent her third daughter’s ruthlessness. The timing of her arrival was entirely because she had been guarding outside from the beginning.

Or perhaps, the third imperial princess knew from the beginning that the eldest princess would rebel, and even speculated that the Hun woman would turn against them. The reason for waiting until after the eldest princess’s death to intervene was partly to avoid dirtying her hands and partly to seize the moral high ground to prevent backlash from scholars and public opinion.

On the Golden Luang Palace, before the civil and military officials had a chance to change sides, the third imperial princess appeared at the door with the Empress, who looked weary.

The rebel forces, who originally claimed to be fighting for the abdication of the Empress in favor of the eldest princess, now saw the guards carrying the bloody body of the eldest princess to the Golden Luang Palace, and the situation once again took a dramatic turn.

Looking at the third imperial princess, who seemed just as triumphant as in her memories, Shen Meng sighed lightly. The current situation was no different from her previous life.

Let the third imperial princess revel in her victory for now. What she needed to do now was to safeguard her own life.

If her guess was correct, the third imperial princess wouldn’t sit on the throne for long in this life. Instead, the former Empress, acting as a puppet, would be brought out again to continue as the puppet master behind the scenes.

Wait a little longer, just a little longer… Her child was about to be born in this life.

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¹”Hun woman” – refers to a woman from the Hunnic tribe, known for their strength and fierceness in historical contexts.