“Stop trying to scare me with baseless threats. You’re just a woman—how could you possibly have the power to remove a Minister like me?”

Lin Xiong’an did not believe her at all. He refused to accept that a mere woman could shake his official position.

“I don’t have that power,” Zhao Hanya said with a smirk. “But have you forgotten who my father is? He’s the Grand General of the Nation. All it takes is for him to report you to the Emperor.”

“If he accuses you of colluding with the Crown Prince and Prince Rui, do you think the crimes you’ve committed wouldn’t be enough to have you executed multiple times over? And tell me, once the Crown Prince and Prince Rui find out that you’ve been playing both sides, do you really think they will still protect you?”

Zhao Hanya stood up and approached Lin Xiong’an, leaning close to his ear to whisper softly.

Cold sweat broke out all over Lin Xiong’an’s body.

How… how did she know?

No, she had no evidence.

She was bluffing.

Trying to reassure himself, he quickly regained his composure and feigned ignorance, gritting his teeth as he spoke.

“What nonsense are you spouting? A mere woman, daring to discuss matters of the royal court? Do you not realize such talk is punishable by death?”

“I’m only speaking to you about this now,” Zhao Hanya replied with a sly smile. “But once they find out, how long do you think you’ll survive?”

“You…!”

Lin Xiong’an was rendered speechless.

Only now did he truly see the woman he had been married to for over a decade.

All those years of gentleness and virtue—nothing but an act.

The real Zhao Hanya terrified him.

Yet, at the same time, he felt an overwhelming sense of resentment.

The woman he had always looked down upon and dismissed had suddenly turned the tables on him with such ruthless tactics. How could he tolerate this?!

But for now, he had no choice but to endure.

“Enough. Will you write the divorce letter or not?”

Zhao Hanya took a step back, increasing the distance between them, and repeated her question.

“I’ll think about it,” Lin Xiong’an replied, intending to buy himself time to come up with a plan.

“Fine, I’ll give you three days. If you still refuse by then, your illegitimate child, your crimes, and even your official position—let’s just say none of those might remain intact.”

Zhao Hanya didn’t press him further.

She knew there would be no immediate resolution today, so she gave him time to consider.

“Zhao Hanya, we’ve been husband and wife for so many years. Do you really have to be this heartless?”

Lin Xiong’an clenched his teeth, glaring at her in anger.

Zhao Hanya looked at him and suddenly felt like laughing. She scoffed and said,

“Heartless? Lin Xiong’an, when I married you, I dreamed of being a good wife and mother, supporting you and raising our children together. For so many years, I almost forgot who I truly was.”

“But what happened? You had an affair with Wang Siqin and even fathered that wretched daughter, Lin Qianqian. You even swapped out my own child, forcing me to raise your mistress’s daughter while my own flesh and blood suffered out there in the world.”

“Tell me, who’s the real heartless one here? But let’s not even talk about that. Let’s talk about what happened before our marriage. If I hadn’t been drugged that night, I wouldn’t have lost consciousness. Do you really think I would have willingly shared a bed with you? And do you know who drugged me?”

Lin Xiong’an’s face paled as he listened, cold sweat dripping down his back.

How did she find out?

He had been so careful—there was no way she should have uncovered the truth.

“What are you talking about? What drug? Weren’t you the one who pulled me into bed that night?” he stammered, pretending not to understand.

“It doesn’t matter if you deny it. It’s been years, and I no longer care. But as for the divorce letter, you will write it. Otherwise, I’ll make sure you regret ever crossing me.”

Seeing his pathetic display, Zhao Hanya lost interest.

She waved her hand dismissively.

“Enough. Get out.”

“You’ll regret this, Zhao Hanya!” Lin Xiong’an yelled, his voice shaking with guilt as he rushed out.

“Remember, you only have three days,” Zhao Hanya called out after him as he reached the door.

After Lin Xiong’an left, the room fell into an eerie silence.

Lin Yuxin quietly stepped forward, taking her mother’s hand and asking softly,

“Mother, have you made up your mind?”

“Yes,” Zhao Hanya said with a smile, gently ruffling her daughter’s hair. “From now on, I’ll live my life on my own terms.”

“Mother, when did you start suspecting Father?” Lin Yuxin asked curiously.

She had watched this whole confrontation in silence, afraid of interrupting her mother’s performance.

[But how did Mother discover Lin Qianqian’s true identity? If I remember correctly, in the original storyline, Mother never found out—even until her death. I don’t think I accidentally let anything slip… did I?]

Zhao Hanya chuckled at Lin Yuxin’s furrowed brows and said,

“I started suspecting when I heard you mention how much Lin Qianqian resembled Wang Siqin. So, I had people investigate, and they uncovered quite a lot.”

“What did you find, Mother?” Lin Yuxin eagerly poured her mother a cup of tea, eyes shining with curiosity.

Ooh, gossip! I need to hear this!

“Only that Wang Siqin and Lin Qianqian are indeed related, and that your father has been raising an illegitimate son in secret.”

Zhao Hanya wasn’t deliberately hiding anything—it was just that the events from fifteen years ago had become difficult to trace.

Even her skilled shadow guards could only confirm that she had been drugged on purpose, but the true culprit remained unknown.

However, from her probing earlier, she now had a strong guess about who was behind it. Not that it mattered anymore. Once the divorce was finalized, she’d have all the time in the world to deal with them.

“Mother, it doesn’t matter if some things remain unknown. As long as you leave Father, a new life awaits you,” Lin Yuxin comforted her.

[Seems like Father’s involvement with the Crown Prince and Prince Rui hasn’t been uncovered yet. Well, that makes sense. They haven’t made any major moves, so it’s understandable that Mother hasn’t noticed.]

[But after today’s confrontation, Father will probably make a desperate move. I need to be prepared.]

Zhao Hanya glanced at her daughter, a faint smile on her lips. A glimmer of cold determination flashed in her eyes before quickly fading.

“Yes, I know. By the way, how’s that boy you rescued?” she asked, shifting the topic.

“Oh, him? He’s still very wary of me. But that’s understandable—he was abused for so long that he doesn’t trust anyone. I plan to let him decide whether to stay or leave once he’s fully recovered.”

Speaking of the boy, Lin Yuxin became distracted and forgot all about their previous topic.

“Alright, it’s up to you. You don’t have to continue your etiquette lessons for now. Just focus on taking care of that child and stay inside the residence. The national banquet is coming up soon, and foreign envoys will be attending. Our family will also be present, so prepare yourself.”

Zhao Hanya held Lin Yuxin’s hand as she instructed.

“Understood! Mother, I’ll go check on him now!”

Lin Yuxin practically fled the room.

[Wow, Mother talks so much now. That was intense! But hey, no more etiquette lessons—woohoo!]

Zhao Hanya chuckled and shook her head.

Lin Yuxin returned to her courtyard and checked on the boy, who was lying on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

She walked over, bent down, and softly asked,

“What’s your name? You know, I saved you, but I still don’t know what to call you! I’m Lin Yuxin. What about you?”

The boy turned to look at her, shrinking back slightly before hesitating and whispering,

“Qiu Tinghao.”

His voice was hoarse but pleasant.