Chapter 96
The heavy air in the imperial hall thickened as the great doors creaked open. The murmurs of officials and nobles quieted, all heads turning toward the entrance.
A figure stepped inside, draped in dark robes embroidered with silver, the shimmering threads catching the dim candlelight. She walked with measured grace, neither hurried nor hesitant, her gaze steady as it swept across the gathered court.
The moment she crossed the threshold, the Emperor’s sharp eyes flickered with recognition. The Third Prince’s smirk froze for a fraction of a second before he quickly masked it with a polite expression. Liang Feng, standing alone at the center of it all, let out the faintest breath of relief.
Yet, it was the older ministers who reacted first, those who had served the court long enough to recall a certain noble lineage. Some shifted in their seats, exchanging uncertain glances.
It was the Feng Clan’s youngest young miss.
Feng Jiao Xue came to a stop before the imperial dais and, with deliberate precision, withdrew a jade sigil from within her sleeve. The deep green stone gleamed under the hall’s light, its surface engraved with the unmistakable emblem of the Feng Clan’s patriarch.
The weight of her presence shifted in an instant.
She wasn’t just some rogue cultivator interfering in court affairs. She stood before them as an official representative of the Feng Clan. one of the most influential noble houses in the empire.
Seated among the court, her second uncle stiffened. His fingers curled slightly against the armrest of his chair, his carefully maintained expression betraying a flicker of unease. Complicated emotions churned beneath his gaze, though he said nothing.
Feng Jiao Xue bowed gracefully, lowering her head just enough to acknowledge the formalities but not enough to suggest submission.
"Your Majesty" her voice was calm, unwavering, "I come representing the Feng Clan."