Chapter 4: All Calculations

Lin Jinyan shouted sternly, "Zhou Yuexue! You called my father 'Uncle' for so many years, and all the time you lived in the Lin household, he treated you with the same affection as his own child! How could you bear to treat him like this!"

Zhou Yuexue stepped forward, grabbed Lin Jinyan by the throat, and hissed viciously

"Treated me like his own child? During all those years I lived in the Lin household, I had to humble myself and walk on eggshells! I pampered you and gave way to you! I was respectful to your father and grandfather, only hoping they would see my worth! To promote my father to an official position, to secure a good marriage for me! And what was the result?"

"Your grandfather said my father lacked talent and learning, and only bestowed upon him a fifth-rank idle post! They arranged a marriage for you with the Crown Prince! And for me? They actually wanted to marry me off to that fool, your cousin Lin Jinyun!"

Watching Lin Jinyan struggle to draw breath, Zhou Yuexue’s voice turned mocking

"You possess such a fine family background, yet you are aloof and naive! In terms of looks, talent, and wit, in what way am I inferior to you? It is merely that I was not born from Gu Qinglan’s womb. How could I not hate you!"

"That is why I ruined your marriage to the Crown Prince! I want to destroy the Lin and Gu families who looked down upon me! I want to take everything that is yours! Did you really think Chengyao truly loved you back then, and only changed his heart after ascending the throne?"

"That is not true, Lin Jinyan. The one in his heart has always been me. From the very beginning, he was targeting the Lin and Gu families; he never had a shred of sincerity toward you."

Seeing the resentment filling Lin Jinyan’s broken, blood-stained face, Zhou Yuexue leaned in closer and whispered into her ear

"Do you know why you remained childless after three years of marriage? It was because Chengyao drugged you; you will never be able to have children in this lifetime."

"Your cousin’s legs were also crippled because of you. Your aunt is skilled in medicine, and he feared she would discover the drugs in your system. To distract her, he specifically arranged for someone to cripple your cousin’s legs during the chaos of the Third Prince’s rebellion."

"Chengyao always told me that your 'noble lady' demeanor was dull and uninteresting, and that you couldn't stir the slightest bit of interest in him."

Lin Jinyan turned her head, glaring at Zhou Yuexue with a face full of disbelief and rage

"I gave my whole heart to him, Chu Chengyao! My grandmother cherished you, which is why she wanted you to marry into the Lin family to protect you for a lifetime! What immense kindness the Lin and Gu families showed you! Yet you plotted against them to this extent! You and Chu Chengyao are both inhuman beasts!!"

Zhou Yuexue laughed coldly

"Because you were in the way, my and Chengyao’s first child could not be born! It forced me to personally get rid of my own child! This Empress position should have been mine all along!! You have sat in this seat for two years; now it is time to return it to me!"

Lin Jinyan cursed furiously, "Shameless harlot!"

Zhou Yuexue stood up and began to wipe the bloodstains she had picked up from choking Lin Jinyan off her hands with a handkerchief, saying triumphantly

"Heh, the 'harlot' in your mouth will become the Empress of Tianchu tomorrow, the mother of the world. As for you, you can only linger on in your dying breaths. Oh, I forgot to tell you, the reason the enthronement ceremony was delayed for two years was to wait for the fall of the Gu family. The Emperor’s choice for Empress has always been me."

Lin Jinyan cried out with blood-chilling rage, "You two are so vicious!! Are you not afraid of retribution?!"

Before Zhou Yuexue could speak, a shrill voice came from outside the door

"His Majesty has arrived!"

Zhou Yuexue immediately put on a soft, charming expression and walked toward the door.

As the others knelt to welcome the Emperor, Lin Jinyan, trembling stiffly, slowly turned her head toward the door.

She looked at the man to whom she had once given her heart, the man who had now brought her family to ruin—the Emperor of Tianchu, Chu Chengyao.

At that moment, Chu Chengyao walked into the room. His gaze did not linger on Lin Jinyan for even a second; he walked straight toward Zhou Yuexue, who was currently bowing to him.