Chapter 143: The Summit Battle, My Pushed Majesty! Devouring the Princess, Princess Qi Offends Again (4)
A sudden beam of light burst forth in the lightning-filled, stormy sky.
This light was so brilliant, even the blazing sun couldn't outshine it.
Within that light, the shadowy forms of a dragon and phoenix suddenly appeared!
Sacred radiance spilled across the heavens, clearing the entire sky.
The apocalyptic scene vanished, and with it, the fear in everyone's hearts.
A dragon and phoenix—these divine beasts were unmistakable signs of heavenly blessing!
Then, a clear Dao voice echoed from the sky:
"The Human Sovereign is ordained by Heaven—how dare you defy Her!"
As the words fell, the Empress's faltering body was lifted upward, as if drawn by an unseen force.
She rose precisely toward the dragon and phoenix!
Eunuch Cao tried to stop her.
He attempted to approach, but an invisible pressure locked him in place.
In the end, he was completely immobilized, his aura utterly suppressed.
This turn of events left everyone stunned.
They instinctively looked at the Empress, now surrounded by the dragon and phoenix.
The phantom beasts circled in the sky, slowly merging with her form.
A glowing imperial yellow robe replaced her original attire.
The Empress closed her eyes. When she opened them again, her sovereign aura returned with full force.
She gazed down upon the capital, upon the once-invincible Eunuch Cao.
The Earthly Immortal, frozen mid-air, bent his knee under immense pressure.
He was forced to submit to the Empress!
This sight stunned everyone in the capital.
The day had already been filled with shocking twists and turns they would never forget.
But nothing would be more unforgettable than the dragon and phoenix descending from the heavens to subdue her enemy!
No one knew who started it, but people began to step into the streets.
They knelt, bowing deeply to the Empress.
"Long live the Empress! Long live, long live, ten thousand years!"
The chant spread and unified, rising into a thunderous cry across the capital.
The people believed deeply: anyone protected by the dragon and phoenix must be chosen by Heaven!
Under such a sovereign, their future could only grow brighter!
The Empress's prestige, once in decline, soared instantly to an unstoppable peak!
But amid the deafening celebration, those hiding in the shadows were completely lost.
At the Princess Qi residence.
"How... could this be?!"
The Princess Consort's voice was hoarse.
Her eyes were blank with disbelief, like a broken puppet.
Anyone who saw her now wouldn't be surprised.
Even the two hidden masterminds likely wore the same expression.
But the Heavenly Dao Sect leader and the Martial God were no ordinary women. They quickly recovered and began analyzing the situation.
They reviewed everything rapidly but couldn't determine where it went wrong.
Everything had gone as planned, everything had been prepared.
The process went smoothly. So why did it end like this?
Could it be, as that voice declared, that the Empress truly was chosen by Heaven?
Both the Heavenly Dao Sect leader and Martial God showed rare signs of doubt.
But... was that really the truth?
After her shock, the Princess Consort looked at Su Qing.
His face still wore the same calm expression, without the slightest hint of surprise.
As if he had known the outcome all along.
She felt a chill run down her spine, as if she had walked straight into a trap.
But she couldn't pinpoint where it had all gone wrong.
"It seems everything is now clear," Su Qing said with a smile.
"What did you do? Was this all part of your plan?" the Princess Consort finally lost her composure, demanding answers.
Su Qing just smiled silently, playing with the collar in his hands.
She no longer cared about saving face—she was desperate for the truth.
But before she could ask again, he shut her down with a single line:
"Auntie, you don't have the right to ask questions. You're not someone who breaks her word, are you?"
Su Qing smiled.
As a transmigrator, he had many advantages that this world lacked.
Like knowing the power of public opinion and how to guide it.
Not only did he understand it—he was a favored courtier of high standing.
With that, creating a national idol wasn't hard at all.
Give her the right stage and a worthy opponent, and everything would fall into place.
Some tried to strip the Empress of her legitimacy. He gave her an unshakable divine status!
This was the Empress he supported.
After today, the entire world would be debating this event.
Thanks to his orchestration, the Empress's image would be forever etched in the people's hearts.
Everything from earlier—the performance, the spectacle—could even make ambitious schemers repent!
Those unaware of Eunuch Cao's true identity would completely believe what happened.
And those who did know would believe it even more.
After all, who would think a supposed mortal enemy, an Earthly Immortal, would act in her favor?
"I'm not breaking my word. I just want to die knowing the truth."
"How did you do it? Why would the Sea-Stabilizing Needle listen to you?"
The Princess Consort stared hard at Su Qing, her eyes tinged with pleading.
Now that she realized it was all Su Qing's doing, working backward made the truth obvious.
But no matter how she thought about it, she couldn't figure out how he did it.
If she was going to die, she wanted to die understanding where she lost!
"Good question. You've hit the core. The answer is simple."
"You asked how I won over Eunuch Cao? The answer's been beside you the whole time."
Su Qing spoke calmly.
Since it was her final wish, he didn't mind giving her some clarity.
"...What?"
The Princess Consort's entire body tensed.
"You already know—it was Aunt Yun. Why even ask me?"
Su Qing reached out and gently stroked the older woman's hair.
She collapsed, strength drained from her body.
Yes. That was the only answer.
The Princess Consort finally realized her fatal mistake.
If she had another chance, she would never have let Su Qing and Yun Rong interact!
"Let me make it clearer so you fully give up. You know Yun Auntie's identity."
"And I knew it even earlier than you did. I even sent a letter to inform the Sea-Stabilizing Needle before you could."
It was all theater. She tried to buy time. So did he.