Who on earth is the person standing behind her?

"The Prince's Estate has sent an invitation, requesting your presence..."

The laughter inside the room died out instantly.

Ye Qingyan and Chen Huai'an exchanged a glance, both catching a hint of playful amusement in the other's eyes.

The invitation was not addressed to old man Ye, but specifically named her.

Prince Duan.

Making a move so soon?

He certainly thought highly of her.

Ye Qingyan curled her lips.

A Feast at Hongmen, no less.

Since it had been extended, she might as well go.

She couldn't possibly let them make a wasted trip.

She raised her voice to tell the steward outside, "Understood. Bring the invitation here."

The banquet at the Prince's Estate, ostensibly an invitation, was more of a show of force.

Every single guest seated at the tables was either wealthy or noble, newly favored retainers under Prince Duan's command, with their noses pointed straight up at the sky.

Ye Qingyan sat among them, pouring herself a cup of wine and completely ignoring the probing, scrutinizing glances cast her way.

"Miss Ye is truly young and promising."

Prince Duan raised his cup, a smile that didn't reach his eyes plastered across his face.

"I hear that Miss Ye's commercial house rakes in thousands of gold pieces a day, wealthy enough to rival a nation."

Ye Qingyan raised her own cup, touching it lightly against his.

"Your Highness flatters me too much. I'm merely making a meager living."

Had this Prince Duan set his sights on her commercial house?

"Miss Ye is too modest."

Prince Duan lowered his cup and leaned forward slightly.

"You must be well aware of the current situation in the capital. Wise birds choose their trees to nest in; I wonder if Miss Ye has ever considered finding a towering tree for herself that can shield her from wind and rain?"

The intention to co-opt her could not have been clearer.

Ye Qingyan rolled her eyes internally.

Good grief, is he really trying to play the overbearing CEO recruitment trope with me?

Does he want me to be his personal ATM?

Ye Qingyan put on an expression of pure, innocent amusement. "Is Your Highness that towering tree? Though, looking at it, it seems a bit crowded under your branches."

Prince Duan's expression stiffened slightly.

Before he could speak, a goatee-wearing strategist beside him stood up.

Stroking his beard with a mysterious and self-important air, the strategist cast a frivolous, up-and-down glance at Ye Qingyan.

"Miss Ye jests."

"His Highness's great tree naturally boasts luxuriant foliage, fit for those capable of commanding it."

His tone abruptly shifted, becoming sharp and biting.

"It's just that this humble one is curious: as a mere woman lacking power and influence, how did Miss Ye achieve what she has today? Surely, you must have resorted to some... rather extraordinary methods?"

As soon as these words fell, raucous laughter erupted across the hall.

The so-called young talents stared at Ye Qingyan with unmasked, filthy greed.

Ye Qingyan's temper flared instantly.

Oh, really?

You little nobody, how dare you try to throw dirt on me in public?

Do you have any idea how venomous your great-aunt's tongue can be?

If I don't roast you until you question the meaning of life today, my name isn't Ye Qingyan!

Just as she was about to roll up her sleeves and go to work, a crisp "ding" echoed in her mind.

[Rebellious subjects! How can We tolerate mere petty officials disrupting Our court!]

[We bestow upon you the "Art of Imperial Governance" so you may let them witness true celestial might!]

Ye Qingyan: "Huh???"

What on earth?

The Art of Imperial Governance?

System, did you take the wrong medicine today? You're giving me this?

The next second, an indescribable sensation surged into her heart.

That was a desire to control everything, a chilling indifference that viewed all living things as mere straw dogs.

In her eyes, the world instantly became exceptionally clear, as if she were viewing it from a divine perspective.

The complacency on the face of the goatee-wearing strategist opposite her.

The tacit approval and probing in Prince Duan's eyes.

The hidden agendas of everyone at the banquet.

Everything, absolutely everything, was as clear and transparent as patterns on the palm of her hand.

Ye Qingyan slowly raised her eyes.

Her gaze had changed.

Gone was the banter and casual amusement from moments before, replaced by a bone-chilling, ultimate majesty.

It was the gaze of one who had reigned supreme for a long time, holding the power of life and death over all.

She stared straight at the goatee strategist, her lips parting slightly.

"Are the methods of Us something a disposable pawn like you is qualified to fathom?"

"Us"?

A dead silence fell over the entire hall.

Everyone froze in place.

The smile on the goatee strategist's face instantly congealed.

Ye Qingyan's voice continued.

"Utter one more word, and We will ensure your entire household fails to see tomorrow's sun."

"Gulp."

The goatee strategist's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard.

He wanted to retort, to say, "You wouldn't dare."

Yet, meeting Ye Qingyan's eyes, not a single word could escape his throat.

That gaze told him she wasn't issuing a threat.

She was merely informing him of an inevitability.

A sheet of cold sweat instantly drenched his back.

His legs turned to jelly, and he could barely keep his footing.

Prince Duan's smile froze on his face as well.

He stared at Ye Qingyan with a mixture of shock and suspicion.

Could this woman before him really be the daughter of a common merchant from the marketplace?

This imposing aura, this overwhelming pressure...

She clearly resembled a true ruler!

More like a born emperor than he, an imperial prince, ever could!

Ye Qingyan paid no more attention to the terrified strategist.

Her gaze slowly swept across the entire assembly.

Bolstered by the "Art of Imperial Governance," every subtle expression and breathing rhythm of everyone present became intelligence gathering for her.

The Minister of Punishments on her left, who appeared utterly loyal, was actually insatiably greedy and had just been calculating how to extract a larger cut from Prince Duan's purse.

The Director of Military Operations on her right, harboring immense ambition, always believed his contributions were the greatest and felt deeply resentful that the Minister of Punishments had received more rewards.

Heh, a bunch of rabble.

Ye Qingyan picked up her wine cup, offering a faint smile toward Director Zhang of the Ministry of Military Operations.

"Director Zhang, I've heard so much about you! It is an honor to finally meet you!"

Director Zhang was momentarily stunned, rising to his feet in flattered surprise. "Miss Ye is too kind."

"Director Zhang has guarded the borderlands for His Highness with arduous merit and towering achievements. You are truly a pillar of the nation."

Ye Qingyan spoke in a flat tone, yet every word struck straight at Director Zhang's pride.

His military achievements were his greatest source of pride!

"Unlike certain people," Ye Qingyan glanced indifferently toward the Minister of Punishments, "who only know how to wag their tongues and yet dare to claim credit and demand rewards before His Highness."

The face of the Minister of Punishments instantly turned pale as paper.

Director Zhang, on the other hand, straightened his back, a sharp gleam in his eyes as he cast a look of utter disdain and hostility toward the Minister of Punishments.

Prince Duan's expression turned even uglier.

Ye Qingyan was intentionally sowing discord among his subordinates right in front of him!

Yet every word she spoke was so painfully reasonable that he could find no room for refutation.

He could only heave heavy sighs of suppressed rage.

Ye Qingyan set down her wine cup and turned her attention back to the Minister of Punishments.

"Of course, Minister Li's ability in adjudicating cases is also something I greatly admire."

The color, which had just slightly returned to Minister Li's face, tightened once more.

"I have several properties under my name that happen to be lacking an astute and meticulous scholar like Minister Li."

"If Minister Li is willing to lower yourself, an annual salary of one hundred thousand taels of silver—how does that sound?"

"Pfft—"

Someone nearby spat out their wine directly.

One hundred thousand taels of silver!

To go and be a mere managing steward for her?

This was practically rubbing the Minister of Punishments' face fiercely into the dust!

Minister Li's face flushed deep red with humiliation, his entire body trembling with rage.

"You... you insult me!"

Ye Qingyan raised an eyebrow, her expression innocent yet icy.

"Insult? Minister Li thinks too much."

"We merely feel that you shouldn't be wasting your breath and taking a sinecure in this imperial court."

"You!"

Minister Li was so angry he nearly choked on his breath.

Over on Director Zhang's side, he was barely holding back his laughter.

He had long despised this sycophant.

In an instant, the atmosphere in the banquet hall turned utterly bizarre.

The internal rift within Prince Duan's faction had been laid completely bare on the table by Ye Qingyan in just a few short sentences.

The allies, who had previously shared a united front, now looked at each other with nothing but suspicion and resentment.

Sitting in the main seat, Prince Duan's face was ashen.

He felt as though the carefully orchestrated Feast at Hongmen had turned into a massive joke.

And he was the court jester.

He had set the trap wanting to test Ye Qingyan's hand.

As a result, Ye Qingyan had simply flipped the table over.

"Enough!"

Prince Duan could no longer contain his fury, slamming his hand onto the table as he stood up.

"Miss Ye seems to have had a bit too much to drink today."

"Someone, show the guest out!"

This banquet could no longer continue.

Ye Qingyan slowly rose to her feet, smoothing her sleeves as if everything that had just transpired had nothing to do with her.

She offered Prince Duan a perfunctory, unconventional bow.

"Thank you, Your Highness, for your hospitality."

"Today's wine was quite good."

With that, she turned and walked away, her steps composed, her back aloof and proud.

Leaving behind a room of "newly favored elites" staring at each other with various conflicting thoughts.

Prince Duan glared fixedly at the direction of Ye Qingyan's departure, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

Until her figure completely vanished through the doorway.

He finally turned to his closest confidant, his voice laced with dread.

"This woman... is by no means an ordinary individual."

The confidant kept his head lowered, too afraid to answer.

Prince Duan drew a deep breath, murderous intent blazing in his eyes.

"Send people to investigate!"

"Even if you have to dig three feet into the earth, find out for me!"

"Just who is standing behind her!"