As Lin Zaozao saw the mocking smile playing at the corner of Ye Zhao's lips, a sense of unease stirred within both of them.
After all, mere verbal promises without any concrete actions couldn't be considered as bargaining chips.
"Both of you, if you want to collaborate with me, then you need to show something substantial. If you continue to speak without sincerity, I won't waste any more time with you," Lin Zaozao said in a nonchalant tone.
Hearing Lin Zaozao's indifferent voice, Ye Zhao and Ye Mu understood that if they continued with this insincere conversation, the current emperor of Han Country wouldn't have the patience to continue.
But did she really not care about Ruo Qiu's life?
Ruo Qiu, that exceptional individual who not only held the power of countless families but was also the object of desire for the noble ladies of Lan City!
In Lan City, some noble ladies were willing to pay a fortune just for a night with Ruo Qiu.
Unfortunately, Ruo Qiu had wealth and skilled guards surrounding him, preventing those noble ladies from ever having the opportunity to capture him in their beds.
Although their mother, the empress, had the opportunity to get close to Ruo Qiu, he was ultimately saved by the Demon Lord Mount Han.
This extraordinary individual, Ruo Qiu, surprisingly couldn't captivate the young empress of Han Country, who still appeared to be inexperienced.
Thinking about their own clan, Ye Zhao shook her head slightly in response to the anxious Ye Mu. Then, she turned around and spoke in a serious tone to Lin Zaozao, who was sitting on a chair.
"Your Majesty Mingzhu, we have the antidote for Ruo Qiu. Moreover, besides the antidote, we also possess the military defense layout of Canglan Country.
With this military defense layout, if you ever want to conquer Canglan Country, it would be as easy as turning your hand."
Finally, as Ye Zhao presented something tangible, Lin Zaozao's expression immediately changed from casual to serious.
These two sisters were ruthless individuals.
Or rather, these twin siblings were two heartless individuals.
Canglan Country was their home, yet they were able to readily hand over the military defense layout of Canglan Country to her, enabling her to conquer it.
If that military defense layout wasn't a fake, then what kind of irreconcilable grudge did they have with the Empress of Canglan? They were willing to cause such significant harm to their enemy, even at the cost of significant self-damage.
"Dashan, take the antidote provided by Ye Zhao and the military defense layout of Canglan Country. Have them checked for authenticity," Lin Zaozao commanded.
"Understood, Young Mistress."
Seeing Dashan hand over the items in his hands to the covert guards, Lin Zaozao turned her head and looked at the two sisters locked in the prison cell.
"The items you both have given are impressive, and I am satisfied. However, if you want to collaborate with me, I need to verify the authenticity of the antidote and the military defense layout.
As future partners, may I ask both of you a question?
As the beloved daughters of the Empress of Canglan, why are you betraying your mother?" Lin Zaozao questioned, her eyes filled with doubt.
Facing Lin Zaozao's questioning, Ye Zhao took a deep breath and looked at Xiao Liuli, who had been standing silently beside Lin Zaozao.
"I will call you Mingzhu from now on! Our empress mother gave birth to more than ten children in her lifetime. However, only seven of them survived to adulthood.
Among these seven adult children, only six are still alive.
Our eldest sister, Ye Xi, is the next Empress of Canglan. She was an exceptional person, but she was tragically poisoned by our empress mother's own hands.
Our third brother, Ye Yi, and fifth brother, Ye Nuo, were also poisoned by our empress mother with an incurable toxin. Although Ye Yi recovered from being mute due to the poison, Ye Nuo was destined to have a short life because of the irreversible poison.
Our fourth sister, Ye Yu, was knowledgeable and loved to hide in her room reading. But because of our empress mother's cruel methods, she has become insane.
The reason why we, the sisters, have been able to live healthy lives until now is because our father and his clan protected us so well.
It is precisely because our father's influence is too great that our empress mother has shifted her focus to him and his clan.
By sending us, the sisters, to Han Country as envoys to die, our empress mother aims to break our father's wings and firmly control the power behind him.
Once our father is under our empress mother's control, he will undoubtedly meet his demise.
If you don't believe what I'm saying, you can ask Ye Nuo, our mother, how she dealt with his father and his clan."
Upon hearing Ye Zhao's words, Lin Zaozao turned to look at Xiao Liuli. Seeing him nod, she couldn't help but furrow her brows.
Lin Zaozao turned back and looked at the pale-faced Ye Zhao and Ye Mu, and asked the question she wanted to ask the most.
"Ye Zhao, Ye Mu, I want to ask you now. Is your empress mother really your biological mother?
People say that a tiger doesn't eat its cubs! Since all of you are her children, why would she want to harm her own children?"
Upon hearing Lin Zaozao's doubts, Ye Zhao, Ye Mu, and Xiao Liuli were stunned.
Is their empress mother really their biological mother?
If not, why would she insist on killing all of their siblings?
Now, the eldest sister, Ye Xi, is already dead. Ye Yi is also being suspected by the empress mother, and the fourth princess, Ye Yu, has gone insane. The fifth prince, Ye Nuo, was turned into a short-lived ghost by her.
And Ye Zhao and Ye Mu, who are most likely to become the Empress of Canglan, have now been abandoned by their empress mother, who sent them to Han Country to find death.
If all the empress mother's children die, then who will she pass on the throne to?
Or perhaps, their empress mother, the Empress of Canglan Country, has gone mad.
While Ye Zhao and Ye Mu were still in a daze, Lin Zaozao spoke again.
"Just now, in the hall, you intentionally said that if both Ruo Qiu and I die, the armies of Canglan and Fengshuo will conquer Han Country. Is that true?"
"Yes, it's true."
Ye Zhao regained her composure, mustering her courage to continue speaking.
"As long as we, sisters, can spread the news of your death and Ruo Qiu's death to Han Country at night, our Empress Mother will unite with the Empress of Fengshuo Country and seize the opportunity to send troops into Han Country during its chaos.
If Canglan and Fengshuo can conquer Han Country, then this piece of fat, Han Country, will be divided equally between Canglan and Fengshuo."
"Really? Canglan and Fengshuo have quite ambitious hearts. It's normal for your Empress Mother, as a female ruler, to desire expansion and territorial gains.
However, whether they can handle this piece of fat, Han Country, depends on whether they have the appetite for it.
After all, this big piece of meat that I possess is quite tough! Not only is it tough, but it also has bones.
I'm afraid that if they don't chew it properly, they might break their front teeth on the bones inside my meat!"
Lin Zaozao stood up from her chair early, her expression cold as she looked at Ye Zhao.
"Princess Ye, I will have people verify what you have said. Once it is confirmed that your words are true, I will give you a chance to 'take advantage of the chaos' and escape from the dungeon, leaving Han Country to deliver the message to your Empress Mother, so she can send troops to conquer my Han Country.
As for your dear sister, Ye Mu, she is already injured and should not move. Let her stay in Han Country to recuperate!
When we resolve everything, her injuries should be almost healed. Once her injuries are healed and your paternal clan is safe, Princess Ye Mu can safely return."
Seeing Ye Zhao's silence, Lin Zaozao glanced at Xiao Liuli and asked,
"Xiao Liuli, do you have anything to say to your sisters now?"
"Yes."
"Then stay here and take your time to talk! Dashan and I will go outside and wait."
Just as Lin Zaozao had just reached the corner of their sight, she stopped with Dashan.
Xiao Liuli had been protected too well by Ye Yi. She couldn't let her be alone with the cunning foxes Ye Zhao and Ye Mu.
Otherwise, with Xiao Liuli's foolish appearance, she might end up being sold by Ye Zhao and Ye Mu, and she would even have to count the money for them.
Seeing that Lin Zaozao wanted to eavesdrop, Dashan smartly stood aside and waited quietly.
"Azhao, Amu, how is San-ge? What about my father? Is he okay now?"
"Wuge, what do you think? You know what kind of person our Empress Mother is.
She doesn't even love her own children. Do you think San-ge and your father, Luo Xuan, are doing well?"
Hearing Ye Zhao's words, Xiao Liuli's eyes dimmed.
Although he had expected what Ye Zhao said, it still saddened him to have it confirmed now.
Seeing Xiao Liuli's dejected expression, Ye Zhao thought of his mission and spoke to console him.
"Wuge, San-ge is now Consort Mingzhu's husband. As long as the Queen Mother doesn't obtain Han Country, San-ge and the surviving members of your paternal clan will be safe.
So, Wuge, you don't need to worry about San-ge and your paternal clan now."
"Ye Zhao, Ye Mu, from childhood until now, although our sibling relationship has not been close,
But even though I am naive, I am well protected by my eldest brother and father. I am also the prince who has survived in the royal family of Han Country.
Being able to survive as a prince in the royal family of Han Country proves that I am not a fool. The things you both said earlier were half true and half false.
Did you really come to Han Country just as pawns abandoned by the Queen Mother? This time, apart from serving your father's clan, aren't you here to gain a free alliance and then obtain the position of the Empress Mother?"
"Ye Zhao, it seems you are hiding your true intentions!"
Ye Chao chuckled lightly.
"If I didn't have some cunning, with my original weak body, would I have been able to survive until adulthood?"
Xiao Liuli's eyes were filled with an unfathomable darkness.
"Indeed, we were misled by your sickly appearance. But Ye Zhao, what we said earlier was indeed half true and half false, but that Empress Mingzhu, did she ever believe us? Otherwise, do you think she left Ye Mu here just to recuperate?"
"Both countries are at war, so it is only normal for them to be cautious of you. If Empress Mingzhu wasn't the ruler of Han Country now, based on what you did to Poison Prince and Ruo Qiu, she would have killed you long ago."
As Ye Chao listened to Xiao Liuli's words, he couldn't help but laugh.
"Ye Zhao, you have been overly protected by our eldest brother. Empress Mingzhu didn't directly attack us, but she allowed Poison Prince to harm us with his toxins. Apart from him, who else in this world can cure those toxins?
Empress Mingzhu didn't directly attack us because she wanted to leave our lives in the hands of Poison Prince himself. You wouldn't happen to be falling in love with her, a cold-hearted person who protects her own interests, would you?"
As he listened to Ye Chao's mocking voice, Xiao Liuli's expression immediately turned cold.
"Cold-hearted and protective of her own interests? Ha! Ye Zhao, Ye Mu, I think the two of you are truly blind.
Cold-heartedness can also vary depending on the person. If someone wants to harm her, it would be foolish for her to warm up to someone with a cold heart. Empress Mingzhu didn't kill you earlier because of my plea.
As for being protective, what Empress Mingzhu protects is her beloved. If I could become the person she protects, I would be overjoyed.
So what if I have fallen in love with her? At least she dares to act and is open about her actions.
She is the person in this world, apart from our father and eldest brother, who treats me the best. Is it so strange that I have fallen in love with her?"
As Xiao Liuli admitted this, the expressions of Ye Chao and Ye Mu immediately turned cold.
"Ye Zhao, historically, empresses have often been heartless. For example, our mother, the Empress of Fengshuo Country, they only love themselves and will not fall in love with anyone.
Both you and our eldest brother falling in love with the Empress of Han Country at the same time, do you want to repeat our father's footsteps and lead a miserable life?"
