Feng Muqing's sharp and relentless voice cut through the tension. "What a joke! An illegitimate daughter from the Prime Minister's Mansion dares to repeatedly defy her superiors. Does Prince Ning grant you such audacity?" Her intense demeanor and piercing gaze sent a shiver down Sikong Rulang's spine.

An unmistakable aura of danger hung in the air, raw and palpable.

Sikong Rulang's countenance darkened, and for a brief moment, he dared not draw a breath. The ...