The Emperor's First Love

by Usui Takumii

not mine, asia novel. Beware edited mtl. DROPPED.

Jiang Wanqing transmigrated into a palace intrigue novel as the male lead's tragically deceased first love, destined for a bleak end due to her inherently pure and kind nature. Fortunately, by simply following the plot until her character's demise, she could return to the modern era. Thus, she diligently played her role, thinking the end was near, but her impeccable acting and the successful establishment of a kind-hearted, tragic white lotus persona made it impossible for her to die as planned at the crucial moment. Jiang Wanqing: Every mistake is mine.

Chapter 1

Changhua Palace.

The young palace maid Baor carried a tray and had just reached the palace gate when she heard a mournful cry from the west, a mixture of weeping and lamenting, extremely sorrowful. She couldn't help but roll her eyes when no one was looking.

It had been over half a year, yet the tears of Consort Li seemed endless, like the waters of the Yangtze River.

Intermittent crying came with the wind: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, your concubine is wronged... wronged!"

Baor paused, looking back at the distant glazed tiles, and sighed.

This deranged Consort Li, who cried all day, seemingly unaware... that her beloved Emperor had already passed away.

The Crown Prince had already ascended to the throne.

Thinking of this, Baor quickened her pace towards the main hall.

Baor was young and hadn't been in the palace for long. Just a few days after her arrival, she was assigned to Changhua Palace - a place once considered a prime posting, as it was the residence of the legitimate Empress.

The former Emperor had been famous for his romantic exploits since his youth, yet, throughout his life, he only had one child, the five-year-old little prince who ascended the throne a few days ago.

The prince was born to a low-ranking concubine. When he was just a few months old, that woman, for some unknown reason, hanged herself out of fear of punishment. The Emperor then had the child brought to the Empress for upbringing.

Until seven months ago.

With an imperial edict, the Emperor confined the Empress to Changhua Palace, condemning her to a life of isolation, equivalent to being banished to the cold palace, leaving her with nothing but an empty title.

In her time at the palace, Baor had hardly ever heard anyone mention the Empress.

She was like a taboo in the palace, deeply avoided by everyone. If not for seeing her and serving her every day, Baor might have imagined this fallen Empress as a fearsome creature.

Yet, her mistress... was clearly an ethereal beauty, the epitome of gentleness and kindness.

Jiang Wanqing was reading in the side hall.

Ever since the decree, only Baor and a new eunuch, Rong Ding, were left to serve here.

The veterans of Changhua Palace had either passed away or been reassigned, leaving none behind.

Despite Baor and Rong Ding's efforts to tidy up, the vast palace inevitably appeared somewhat dilapidated due to their limited capabilities.

Jiang Wanqing, dressed in a simple white gown, her black hair neatly tied in a bun secured with a pale jade pin, her face bare of makeup, sat leisurely on the couch, leaning against the window in a languid posture, her pale and delicate fingers slowly turning a page.

The mournful cries of Consort Li faintly echoed from outside the window.

Baor, worried that the Empress might be saddened by this, hurriedly put down the tray, intending to close the window: "Your Highness, please have your meal. Look, today's dishes are quite delightful."

Jiang Wanqing gently held her hand, smiling: "I'm reading 'The Injustice to Dou E'. Leave the window open. Consort Li's heartfelt crying adds to the atmosphere."

Baor was startled: "…Your Highness?"

Jiang Wanqing shook her head without elaborating, glanced at the dishes served, and smiled again: "Thoughtful as always, all my favorites."

This invigorated Baor: "Exactly! Even when the former Emperor was here, our palace's meals weren't too bad, but they can't compare to these past few days!" After a pause, she grinned, her round eyes curving: "Everyone below has their eyes open, knowing that His Highness the Crown Prince has ascended the throne and you will soon leave here. After all, you raised the Crown Prince, you should rightfully be the Dowager Empress—"

Jiang Wanqing listened, not delighted but rather surprised: "Why?"

Baor stammered: "Because, because you raised the Crown Prince…"

Jiang Wanqing smiled wryly: "I am not his birth mother; I only raised him for a few years. Besides, the Crown Prince is just a child, what decisions can he make?"

Baor's mouth slowly closed, and her crescent-moon eyes also clouded over with disappointment.

Jiang Wanqing picked up her chopsticks and began to eat some dishes.

After a while, Baor spoke up: "Then it must be the Regent who decides."

Jiang Wanqing lowered her gaze, noncommittal.

As Baor served tea and water, she murmured, "If the Regent wishes, he might bring you to Cining Palace—"

Jiang Wanqing paused with her chopsticks, then suddenly laughed.

Baor, puzzled, asked, "Your Highness, what's the matter?"

Jiang Wanqing looked up: "Baor, you entered the palace too late. It's fine if you're unaware of the palace affairs, but do you also not know about the rumors that were once rife in the streets and alleys of the capital?"

Baor's face flushed: "My family is from Qiongzhou, and my father is an official in a small place. I really don't know much about the capital."

Jiang Wanqing spoke gently: "I'm not blaming you."

After the meal, as Jiang Wanqing saw Baor preparing to clear the tableware, she suddenly remembered something and asked, "How is Rong Ding? Has he recovered from the beating he received earlier?"

Baor thought for a moment and replied, "I saw him a few days ago, he seemed almost recovered, just complained of dizziness—I think he's just being lazy and doesn't want to get up. I'll go check on him later."

Jiang Wanqing nodded.

Only after Baor had left did the person on the couch let out a sigh of relief and reveal a smile.

Finally… it's almost over.

It hasn't been easy.

Jiang Wanqing was born in the 21st century, a modern-day individual who lived peacefully until the age of 17, a beautiful age like a blooming flower. Yet, due to a car accident, her soul transmigrated into a palace intrigue novel she had read, becoming a milk baby girl character with the same name and age of three years old.

This character in the original story never appeared, always living in the memories of others.

—Mainly in the memories of the male protagonist.

The male lead, named Ling Zhao, was a young and accomplished prince. From a young age, he led troops into battle, achieving countless military honors over the years and was conferred the title of Prince Yan. However, he was a man of few words, extremely reserved. His father, the emperor, favored him less than his prematurely deceased elder brother, Crown Prince Ling Xuan, the son of the late Empress Yuan.

Ling Xuan was frail and indulged in pleasure, hardly suitable to be an emperor.

Yet, the old emperor was adamant about Ling Xuan succeeding the throne.

Ling Zhao's mother and the female character's mother were close friends, making the two childhood sweethearts who harbored feelings early on.

The male lead was a heroic young prince, and the female character, a beauty from childhood, grew even more stunning, becoming renowned in the capital for her beauty. A seemingly perfect match, but fate had other plans.

Once, Ling Zhao led troops to a perilous victory, suffering severe losses and personal injury.

Upon returning to the capital, the old emperor chided him for repeatedly disobeying orders in the field, leading to a rare confrontation where Ling Zhao sternly criticized his father for heeding the counsel of mediocre court officials and making strategic military errors.

This resulted in a complete fallout between father and son.

Due to Ling Zhao's unyielding stance and refusal to admit fault, the old emperor almost stripped him of his title and imprisoned him.

The female character, terrified, begged her father, Minister Jiang, to intercede on Ling Zhao's behalf, but being a seasoned court official, he wisely refused.

Surprisingly, Crown Prince Ling Xuan offered to intervene, with a condition.

He proposed to the old emperor to grant him marriage to the female character as a reward.

Out of desperation, she reluctantly agreed.

With Ling Xuan's intercession, the old emperor allowed Ling Zhao to redeem himself by being stationed at a crucial frontier garrison.

Released from prison, Ling Zhao, without even time to freshen up, rushed to confront the female character about her betrothal to the crown prince, appearing utterly haggard and disheveled.

He questioned whether she agreed to the marriage for his sake and if she was coerced by the crown prince.

With tears, the female character denied it and heartbreakingly turned him away.

In the second year of Ling Zhao's frontier duty, the old emperor passed away, and Ling Xuan ascended the throne.

Though the female character became the new emperor's queen, dignified in status, her heart remained with Ling Zhao. She reluctantly shared the imperial bed, often secretly weeping in sorrow.

Ling Xuan, unwilling to force her but troubled by her lingering feelings for his brother, often ended their encounters in discord.

Several years into the marriage, they had never consummated it.

Eventually, something pushed Emperor Ling Xuan to his limits. Although he didn't depose her, he confined the female character to Changhua Palace, estranging the emperor and empress.

Ling Xuan, frail and sickly, died as emperor after less than seven years. Bizarrely, before his death, he recalled Ling Zhao from his distant post, appointing him as Regent to assist the young emperor in his will.

The female character, burdened with guilt, felt she wronged both emperors and chose to end her life with a white silk noose. In her suicide note, she asked the Regent, out of past affection, to spare her family and take care of the young emperor.

Ling Zhao was deeply affected and learned from his mother that the female character had indeed married his brother for his sake.

Hence, she became his unattainable love, until two years later, a girl resembling her, the novel's protagonist, entered the palace, triggering the main palace drama.

In the original story, the female character was genuinely kind and beautiful, loved by two emperors and admired by the original protagonist.

Alas, her life was full of romantic struggles and a tragic end.

This made Jiang Wanqing's situation difficult.

Unlike many transmigrators, she had a happy life in the modern era, with loving parents and a comfortable middle-class life—owning a car, a house, and recently receiving a significant sum from old house compensation, indicating even better days ahead.

Suddenly transmigrating into a noble girl from a Minister's family, she struggled to adjust.

She missed her family and the advanced, convenient life of the 21st century.

Suffering as a mild phone addict and internet user, she found every day in the ancient world torturous, missing her parents and modern comforts like air conditioning and internet.

One day, a dream informed her that her transmigration was a clerical error in the underworld. She could return to modern times by completing the original novel's plot.

Her real body lay in a coma from the car accident, with each year in the ancient world equating to only a day in the modern world. Completing her role would reunite her with her body.

So, Jiang Wanqing endured.

From the Minister's sheltered daughter to the lonely palace, she dutifully played her role as the tragic female character.

To her, male lead Ling Zhao and her nominal husband Ling Xuan were like NPCs, helping her complete her mission and earn rewards.

Only the young emperor, known affectionately as Fufu, was different for her.

According to the original plot, soon after becoming Regent, Ling Zhao coerced the young emperor into abdicating, seizing the throne for himself.

He always remembered the female character's last words. He didn't trouble the young emperor, granting him a princely title and allowing him to temporarily reside in the palace.

This decision nearly led to a disaster later.

As the young emperor grew, under the manipulation of a scheming eunuch, he developed hatred towards Ling Zhao and repeatedly tried to harm him, but never succeeded.

Eventually, the young emperor's true identity was revealed.

It turned out he wasn't of royal blood at all, but a child born from an affair between a palace concubine and another man, leading Ling Zhao to order his death by beating.

After transmigrating, Jiang Wanqing was cautious around others, but she had a soft spot for the little baby and couldn't bear to see him meet such a fate.

So, one night, she bargained with a ghost in her dream to take Fufu back to the modern era with her.

The ghost agreed, but there was a condition.

In the original story, the female character hung herself, but if Jiang Wanqing wanted to take Fufu with her, she had to be sentenced to death by Ling Zhao.

Jiang Wanqing agreed without hesitation.

In this era of feudalism, in this palace of intrigue and helplessness, it's not easy to live a dignified life but easy to seek death.

This condition seemed too simple.

Jiang Wanqing smiled slightly, picked up her book, and turned another page.

It was almost time...

She just needed to sit here calmly, waiting for her 'first love', whom she hadn't seen in years, to visit her uninvited for a reunion.

— The drama had already ended; it was just waiting for the final curtain call.

Chapter 2

The late emperor's golden coffin was in the Yong'an Hall, awaiting burial.

The hall was filled with wailing for days, chilling even in the heat of summer, but now it was much quieter.

A young eunuch wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked up at the glaring sunlight.

The emperor had passed away at an inopportune time.

It was the peak of summer's scorching heat, with even the breeze feeling hot against the skin.

In the past few days, several royal relatives and noblewomen who were crying at the mourning ceremony fainted due to exhaustion.

As he withdrew his gaze, he suddenly saw a tall figure approaching, followed by a group of attendants. He quickly composed himself and, along with other palace staff and guards, knelt down to pay respect.

Despite the intense heat, his back was drenched in cold sweat.

It wasn't from the heat; he was purely frightened.

Only after the procession passed did he dare to stand up and turn to look at the back of one of the figures.

The person had a tall, commanding presence, standing at least half a head taller than the others. His silhouette was rigid and unbending, reminiscent of a sturdy pine in the snow or an unyielding long spear.

His mere presence seemed to cool the air, leaving a lingering sense of oppression.

The young eunuch let out a long sigh of relief.

He heard whispered conversations from his colleagues nearby.

"The Regent has spent so much time on the battlefield, his aura is truly intimidating."

"Where is he going, I wonder?"

"My guess is the Tai'an Palace—I heard the emperor cried a lot last night."

"Ah, it's pitiful."

"If the Regent has let go of the past and moved on, that would be good. But I fear he still harbors memories…"

"How could he forget? When the Grand Emperor passed away, the Regent returned to the capital for the mourning. After visiting the late Emperor and Empress Jiang in the palace, he vomited blood once back in his residence and fell gravely ill. Everyone said it was from excessive grief, but I think it was more likely from anger."

"Anger?"

"Indeed. If not for that year's turmoil, Empress Jiang and he would have been... Alas!"

"Such a tragedy, such a tragedy..."

Tai'an Palace.

After much effort, Empress Dowager Li finally managed to soothe the young Emperor to sleep. But it wasn't long before the little child woke up again. This time, he didn't wail or scream, just curled up in a corner of the bed, wiping away his tears pitifully.

The residents of Tai'an Palace weren't the late Emperor's consorts but the consorts of his father, the Grand Emperor. Now, only a few of them remained.

Empress Dowager Li was one of them.

Over the past few days, she suddenly went from being a relatively obscure Empress Dowager to the center of everyone's attention, as if in a dream.

Besides being the widow of the Grand Emperor, she had another identity.

She was the mother of Regent Ling Zhao.

Empress Dowager Li waved her hand, dismissing the wet nurse who tried to lift the young Emperor from his bed, and gently said, "Fuwai, be good, don't cry..."

The young Emperor, his eyes red, rubbed them with his chubby little hands and asked with a sobbing voice, "Empress Dowager, where is my father? Where did he go?"

Empress Dowager Li sighed, "Your father... he's gone to a place and can't come back for now."

The young Emperor sniffled and hesitantly asked, "Then... what about my mother?" Suddenly overcome with sadness, tears began to fall as he cried, "Where's my mother? I want my mother, bring back my mother... wuwu..."

The palace attendants, softened by the scene, silently bowed their heads and wiped away their tears.

The little Emperor had lost his mother only a few months after birth. Empress Jiang had raised him for years, fostering deep maternal affection, but then tragedy struck. Now, even the late Emperor was gone, leaving the child pitifully alone.

The child was still young, his cries filled with childish innocence. In just these past few days, his little face had noticeably thinned.

Empress Dowager Li, watching him, felt her heart ache, her brows knitted in worry, unsure how to console him.

After a stalemate, a calm and cold voice came from behind: "You will see her again."

Upon seeing the newcomer, the palace maids and eunuchs promptly knelt down in a wave, chanting in unison, "Greetings to the Regent, His Highness, long live a thousand years."

Ling Zhao, expressionless, gestured for them to rise.

Empress Dowager Li turned around, surprised, "You're here?"

Ling Zhao nodded slightly, "Paying respects to my mother."

Empress Dowager Li shook her head, her anxiety somewhat eased by his presence, and subtly signaled, "…Think of something quickly. He's just a child. If he keeps crying like this, it could harm his health."

Ling Zhao glanced sideways at the little bundle of tears curled up in the corner of the bed.

Since Empress Jiang's incident, the young Emperor had been raised by the late Emperor, looked after by wet nurses, nannies, and palace maids. He was not familiar with Empress Dowager Li, but her kind and compassionate appearance had won some affection from him, unlike Ling Zhao.

The Regent, accustomed to the sights of war and bloodshed, though handsome, carried an intimidating aura that chilled ordinary people, let alone a five-year-old child.

The young Emperor, frightened by him, dared not cry out loud anymore.

Ling Zhao stood a few steps away from the bed, looking impassively at the young Emperor, "Why is the Emperor crying?"

The young Emperor glanced at him, his voice soft and sticky, "I want to see my father and mother."

Ling Zhao's expression remained unaltered, "You probably won't see your father again, but as for your mother..." He paused, his cold and deep eyes finally showing a flicker of emotion, "...you will see her eventually."

The young Emperor, delighted, blurted out, "When?"

Ling Zhao answered, "Not today."

The young Emperor pursed his lips in disappointment.

Empress Dowager Li sighed in relief, smiling, intending to embrace the young Emperor.

Ling Zhao suddenly said, "Mother, wait."

Empress Dowager Li paused, staring at him in astonishment.

Ling Zhao extended his hand, adding, "Please lend me a handkerchief, Mother."

Empress Dowager Li, realizing what he meant, couldn't help but laugh: "Do you not have one?"

Ling Zhao briefly said, "Yes, but it's only for my use."

Empress Dowager Li gave him a look and handed over a handkerchief embroidered with red plums.

Catching it, Ling Zhao extended his hand to the young Emperor, "Wipe your tears."

The young Emperor, intimidated, obediently wiped his tears with the handkerchief, leaving only his round, swollen eyes still red, curiously and fearfully staring at the unfamiliar man.

Seeing him stop crying, Ling Zhao then said to Empress Dowager Li, "I have some matters to attend to in the former court, I must leave first."

Empress Dowager Li quickly interjected, "Wait a moment, come with me, I have something to discuss with you privately."

Ling Zhao nodded and followed her to the side hall.

Once alone, Empress Dowager Li sent her trusted Lady Wang to guard the door before whispering, "Zhao'er, I've heard some rumors... I know it's not my place to meddle in former court affairs, and I can't make decisions, but whatever you plan to do, you must remember the favor the late Emperor showed you. Fu'wa is a pitiful child, and now that you carry the heavy burden of regency, standing above all, you must not harbor any improper thoughts."

At this point, Empress Dowager Li looked a bit anxious, stealing glances at her son, but his expression remained unchanged.

Unable to hold back, she sighed and continued, "If it weren't for the late Emperor pleading on your behalf in front of your father, it's uncertain whether you could have been released from prison that year."

Ling Zhao remained silent for a long time, then suddenly smiled lightly, "His favor towards me?"

Empress Dowager Li's heart chilled, her thoughts drifting to the inhabitants of Changhua Palace, feeling even more sorrowful: "This... is merely the cruelty of fate."

Ling Zhao scoffed coldly, "No, Mother, there's no such thing as fate or divine will, only the wickedness of human hearts."

Empress Dowager Li frowned, "He did save your life after all!"

Ling Zhao's expression turned icy, "Do I cherish this life so much?"

Empress Dowager Li was rendered speechless, at a loss for words.

Ling Zhao stepped back and bowed, "Your son takes his leave."

Yanwang Mansion.

During the mourning period for the late Emperor, the mansion's plaque had not yet been replaced, still bearing the old title of Yanwang Mansion.

In a quiet side hall by the garden, the silence was so profound that one could hear a pin drop.

Ling Zhao sat alone at the head seat, the place for guests across him still warm with a teacup steaming, yet the visitor had already left.

His visitor, the strategist Zhang Yuan, had just been there.

"Your Highness, if not now, then when?"

"With just an edict of abdication, without shedding a drop of blood, you could ascend to the throne that rightfully belongs to you!"

"Isn't this the natural order of things?"

"Who in the court can match the contributions you've made to the Great Xia? Think of the days spent guarding the borders, the injuries you've endured, the blood you've shed over the years!"

"The new emperor is but a child of five, how can he bear the heavy burden of governing a nation?"

"Your hesitation stems not from the late emperor, nor the revered imperial ancestors, could it possibly be because of... Empress Jiang?"

Ling Zhao lifted his eyes to a puddle of water on the ground.

Zhang Yuan abruptly brought up that person, sparking his anger, causing him to smash a tea cup. Now, although a servant has cleaned up the shards, the puddle remains unevaporated.

Empress Jiang, Empress Jiang.

He couldn't even discern whether his hatred was for Zhang Yuan mentioning that person, or the grating title itself.

Jiang Wanqing.

Suddenly, Ling Zhao felt weary.

Before the late emperor passed, he was urgently summoned from the frontier, traveling day and night. Then came the national mourning, countless affairs of the previous reign awaited his decisions, coupled with the funeral and the incessant crying of the young emperor... He had hardly closed his eyes for a good sleep these days.

Yet, it was only upon thinking of these three deeply ingrained characters that he truly felt tired.

He raised his hand, pulling out an embroidered handkerchief from his bosom.

The handkerchief was old and simple in design, adorned with a delicately embroidered lotus flower emerging from the water. In the corner, a few small characters were stitched in red silk thread.

Good fortune, wishes fulfilled, peace.

These were given to him by Jiang Wanqing, who had stayed up all night before his first military campaign.

Ling Zhao gently caressed the delicate pink lotus on the handkerchief, his brows gradually furrowing as his gaze shifted to a long scar on the back of his hand.

That year, upon hearing that Jiang Wanqing was promised to his elder brother, the crown prince, he rushed to the minister's residence. There, the young lady, looking haggard and pale, admitted the truth. In a desperate plea for him to leave, she pressed a hairpin against her tender neck, and in the ensuing struggle, the silver hairpin drew a bloody line across his hand.

She turned deathly pale at that moment, breaking down into silent tears.

She pleaded, "Please, let me go."

Narrowing his eyes slightly, Ling Zhao carefully placed the handkerchief back into his chest and stood to leave.

Perhaps it was time for a visit to the Changhua Palace.

Chapter 3

Changhua Palace, now akin to the cold palace, was deserted, its vast space eerily empty. The servants' quarters, once bustling, were nearly vacant, allowing Bao'er and Rongding to each occupy a whole room.

Bao'er, armed with a feather duster, forcefully pushed open a door.

The room was dim and musty, as if it hadn't been aired out in days, filled with an odd smell.

Looking up, she saw a bed large enough for six or seven people, with only one person lying across it. Despite the heat, they were uncovered, sleeping on one side with their body slightly curled.

The person was alarmingly thin, their back turned to her, with a glimpse of a pale, slender neck visible among disheveled black hair.

Hands on her hips, Bao'er loudly said, "Look at you! Arguing with the staff from the Imperial Kitchen, you've been punished and it's been days. Are you planning to keep feigning illness?"

Rongding simply ignored her.

Anger flaring, Bao'er scowled, "There are only the two of us left to serve in the Changhua Palace. If you keep shirking your duties, am I to bear all the work alone? Get up and help me attend to the Empress Dowager."

Still, there was no response from the person on the bed.

Bao'er, fuming, thought about using the feather duster to hit him, but as she stepped closer, she heard Rongding cough softly and say, "The Empress Dowager... isn't she actually the Dowager Empress?"

Bao'er paused, then replied, "That depends on what the Regent decides."

Rongding laughed oddly, his tone indescribable: "What reason would he have to refuse?"

Bao'er stared at him for a moment, then suddenly closed the door and leaned in, "Little Rong, you haven't been in the palace long, but still longer than me. Do you know why things between the late Emperor and our lady ended up like this?"

Rongding didn't respond.

Bao'er wasn't really expecting an answer, she just sat down beside the table, murmuring, "Could it really be that the Emperor's infidelity broke her heart? Ah, it turns out even the most virtuous women can be heartbroken."

Rongding broke the silence unexpectedly, "How is your lady... doing?"

Baoyu, not noticing his odd form of address, replied, "What's not to be good about the Empress? She spends her days reading and drinking tea. You know how distressing Lady Li from the west cries all day, yet the Empress never seems to care. If I had her temperament, I could have become a Buddha."

Rongding smiled, "That's good then."

Baoyu stood up, tapped the bed frame with the feather duster, and huffed, "I'm giving you two more days. If you keep lazing around pretending to be sick, I'll tell the Empress!"

Having said that, she turned and left.

The door opened and then closed; Rongding slowly sat up from the couch.

The young man was exceptionally handsome, albeit currently wan and emaciated, with deep-set eyes and a sickly pale complexion. Only his slender eyes held the deepest black of the imperial city's forbidden palace.

He slowly raised his hand, closely examining the fingers roughened and calloused from manual labor.

These were, of course, not his own hands.

After a long moment, he sighed heavily, shaking his head with a bitter smile.

He had once been the master of the imperial city, the ruler of all under heaven, his coffin still resting in Yong'an Hall, not yet interred in the imperial mausoleum. Yet, upon reopening his eyes after death, he who should have been the former emperor, enshrined in the Grand Temple... was reborn as a lowly false eunuch, serving the cold palace Empress he had imprisoned.

From a revered emperor above tens of thousands, to a life as trifling as a weed, trampled upon by others.

How absurd.

Since the Regent's visit, the young emperor has become much more obedient.

This morning, as Lady Li fed him porridge, he ate silently until half a bowl was gone before quietly saying, "Lady Li, I can't eat any more."

Lady Li smiled, picked up a handkerchief, and wiped his mouth, "Please eat a little more, Your Majesty. You need strength."

The young emperor hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

Lady Li praised him, "Your Majesty is so sensible."

Though she said this, her gaze towards the young emperor carried a touch of pity.

Lady Li found it odd that the young emperor, being the sole son of the late emperor and having been raised by Empress Jiang before being appointed Crown Prince, held such a high status. Yet, the child showed no arrogance. Instead, there was a timidity about him, an extreme shyness.

After finishing his meal, the young emperor slowly reached out, grasping Lady Li's sleeve, "Lady Li, can I see my mother today?"

Empress Dowager Li's expression darkened: "Not yet, wait a few more days. Your imperial uncle will take you to see your mother then."

The young Emperor pouted, holding back tears, choking out, "Father said the same, that Fuwa would soon see Mother. But then he left for another place, and I still haven't seen her."

Empress Dowager Li sighed, drawing the child into her arms, gently patting his back to comfort him.

Thinking of the person in Changhua Palace, it would be a lie to say it wasn't heartbreaking.

Empress Dowager Li watched Jiang Wanqing grow up, knowing she was a good child, and almost became her daughter-in-law, which should have been a beautiful story.

In the end, it was a pity.

Another day passed, and Rongding finally agreed to get out of bed and came to pay his respects.

However, upon seeing Jiang Wanqing, he remained silent for a long time, his pride from his past life preventing him from kneeling. He thought, despite once being an emperor of dignity, how had he fallen so low as to kneel before his own Empress, whom he had confined in Changhua Palace?

This Empress was the one he had locked away.

She was his wife, whom he loved yet hated and felt helpless about.

Fortunately, Jiang Wanqing was busy writing and didn't notice him.

Spread out in front of her was a piece of rice paper with four numbers written on it.

Zero six two seven.

Bao'er came over with tea and curiously asked, "Your Majesty, what is this?"

Jiang Wanqing replied, "It's nothing, just writing for fun."

Baoyu looked for a while, then asked, "Is it someone's birthday?"

Jiang Wanqing said, "No."

It's not anyone's birthday; it's just the unlock password for her phone.

Since her transmigration, through the long twenty years, she would visualize her parents' faces in her mind while reciting her phone number, phone and computer passwords, afraid she'd forget them if she ever returned to the modern world.

Alas, she hoped she could return before her phone was cut off for non-payment.

Jiang Wanqing stopped writing, looked at Baoyu, and then gave Rongding a glance, saying to him, "Little Rongzi, you'll have to endure a bit on the outside. Others have their masters to back them up, but I can't stand up for you."

Rongding was slightly startled, his lips moved silently for a moment before he managed to utter two words after a while: "…Your Majesty."

Jiang Wanqing smiled warmly, "Both you and Baoyu, if you can find a better situation sooner, it would be for the best. You shouldn't have to suffer with me here."

Baoyu was the first to respond, "I am willing to serve Your Majesty!"

Jiang Wanqing shook her head, looking at the ink on her pen tip, and said softly, "I'm sincerely advising you, not testing you. Everyone must look out for themselves – I am, and so should you."

She is doomed to a life of unrest; the fewer people she drags down with her, the better.

Baoyu started to swear lifelong loyalty to her master, going on and on.

Rongding suddenly said, "In his lifetime, the former emperor had only one Empress, you. Now that the young emperor has ascended, you are rightfully the Dowager Empress of Great Xia, and you will eventually move to the Ci'ning Palace."

As soon as he finished speaking, the sky suddenly darkened as if thick clouds had covered the scorching sun, and the cicadas sounded in waves, their laziness tinged with a hint of helplessness.

Jiang Wanqing turned back, surprised at him, only to see the young man's face pale, his eyes long and downcast, his lips tightly sealed, devoid of color.

She smiled slightly, saying, "Then you are mistaken."

Rongding wanted to ask questions but had to give up due to Baoyu's persistent declarations of loyalty to Jiang Wanqing.

He had too many questions.

He wondered if Ling Zhao was really that good, worth her constant concern throughout her life.

He wanted to know why, now that Ling Zhao was the Regent, she didn't try to summon him to see her.

…

But what he wanted to ask most was one thing —

— In their seven years of marriage, did she truly never have him in her heart?

Rongding looked up to see Jiang Wanqing staring blankly in the direction of the palace towers, precisely towards Yong'an Hall where the mourning was held, and he felt a stir in his heart, asking, "Is Your Majesty missing—"

Jiang Wanqing interjected, "Yes, I'm wondering how Fuwa is doing."

Rongding was speechless, feeling a heavy pressure in his chest. Unwilling to be discouraged, he pressed on, "Don't you miss... the late Emperor?"

Jiang Wanqing frowned, puzzled, "Miss the late Emperor? Why should I?"

Rongding felt even more suffocated with frustration.

Jiang Wanqing walked to the window, stood by it, and said softly, "Ah, I miss holding Fuwa high up."

Baoyu echoed, "The Emperor must be missing you too, Your Majesty. The deep mother-son affection between you and the Emperor ensures he will not mistreat you."

Rongding, somewhat irritated, asked, "Don't you think of the Regent?"

His question was abrupt and impolite, prompting Jiang Wanqing to turn and glance at him.

Rongding calmly stated, "The Emperor is young, and the Regent is in his prime, with a strong and assertive nature. It seems he and Lady Li will be in charge of the palace affairs."

Jiang Wanqing nodded, with a half-smile, "You're right, it's time to think about him."

Rongding heard the sound of his own teeth grinding.

Jiang Wanqing stood by the window, the brilliant summer sunlight streaming through the lattice, casting mottled shadows on her face, her skin bathed in light, nearly translucent in its fairness.

She was extraordinarily beautiful, not just for her delicate and pleasing features but for the aura about her.

Like a water lily in a pond, untouched by dust, she appeared frail and pitiable, yet her essence was cool and aloof, naturally proud and unbending.

Rongding quietly lowered his gaze.

Over the years, he watched her evolve from a precious daughter of the Minister to the most honored woman under the heavens, the Empress of the Great Xia, who he then decreed to be confined in the deep palace, hidden from daylight.

Everything around changed, but no matter the circumstances, Jiang Wanqing never did.

Vast power, endless wealth, and glory were but fleeting clouds to her.

She remained unchanged.

He had once resented her aloofness.

"Huh?" Jiang Wanqing, listening intently, heard some disturbance in the distance and turned to instruct Baoyu, "Go out and see what's happening."

Soon, Baoyu ran back, breathlessly reporting, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty... it's the Princess of Jinyang, she's coming here."

Jiang Wanqing raised an eyebrow.

The late Emperor had decreed that no idle person should approach Longhua Palace.

This Princess of Jinyang, daughter of a different royal prince and the novel's female antagonist, secretly loved Ling Zhao from her childhood. After Jiang Wanqing's fictional demise, she finally married Ling Zhao to become Empress. However, due to her haughty and thoughtless nature, she was manipulated into opposing the protagonist, not surviving half the story.

It wasn't unusual for royal relatives and ladies of the court to visit during mourning rituals; thus, the Princess of Jinyang's presence in the palace was not strange.

But why come to Longhua Palace?

Author's Note: The reborn male antagonist makes his appearance.

The trajectory of this book probably goes like this:

The beleaguered male lead really wants to date.

The reborn male antagonist also really wants to date.

The female lead, who has traveled into the book, has no interest in romance and just wants to "collect her lunch" and go home.

Chapter 4

The Princess of Jinyang's father, the King of Pingnan, commands a region, having four sons yet only one precious daughter raised by his side, sent to reside in the capital's estate only after reaching ten years of age.

Thus, the Princess of Jinyang grew up spoiled and willful, and having practiced martial arts and weaponry from a young age, she harbored admiration for Ling Zhao, who was distinguished in martial prowess and military strategy, seeking every opportunity to interact with him since her youth.

From that moment on, Jiang Wanqing became a thorn in her side.

Her manner was forthright and direct. Since Ling Zhao was the seventh among the princes, she always called him "Seventh Prince" or "Your Highness the Seventh." It never seemed to matter until one day at a flower viewing banquet, she heard how Jiang Wanqing called him.

A simple "Seventh Brother," just two effortless words, yet when spoken softly by the young girl's rosy lips, they carried endless affection and intimacy.

It infuriated her.

Disgusting, loathsome, and sickeningly clingy.

No matter how Princess Jinyang looked at Jiang Wanqing, she found her unbearable. The more Ling Zhao liked Jiang Wanqing, the more she detested her, often deliberately seeking trouble only to be rebuffed.

The girl, serene as an orchid in a deserted valley, showed a girlish demeanor only in front of Ling Zhao. To her peers and others, she always appeared aloof and tolerant, her gaze tinged with a faint coolness as if disdainful of conflict, making others seem petty and malicious by contrast, which was frustrating.

Fortune smiled upon her when Jiang Wanqing did not marry Ling Zhao but became the Crown Prince's consort.

Princess Jinyang thought Ling Zhao would finally realize she was the one who truly cared for him, only to find he still pined for that faithless woman.

Now, with the former Emperor deceased and Jiang Wanqing still young and secluded in Changhua Palace, Ling Zhao had plenty of reasons to visit, offering chances to rekindle old flames.

Spurred by the whispers of those around her, both resentful and fearful, Princess Jinyang stormed toward Changhua Palace on her palace visit today.

"Princess! This is unwise!"

Her maid Biqing hurried after her, anxiously unsure of what to do, "The lady in Changhua Palace, the former Emperor strictly forbade anyone from seeing her without permission. If you go like this, and word gets out—"

Princess Jinyang snorted loudly, "I don't know what you're talking about! I'm lost, can't remember the way, I just know to keep going forward!"

Knowing her mistress was feigning ignorance, Biqing was powerless to argue.

Upon reaching the side gate of Changhua Palace, the guards initially wanted to stop her, but a fierce glare from Princess Jinyang made them hesitate. Her lavish attire and the entourage behind her clearly marked her as nobility, and her fierce gaze suggested she was not to be trifled with, leaving them too wary to recklessly intervene.

Princess Jinyang, growing increasingly smug, marched into the grand hall without halting.

The vermilion doors on both sides showed signs of wear, with paint peeling off in several places, revealing the decline of its owner.

Princess Jinyang felt a surge of satisfaction knowing her rival was not faring well, but the sight of someone approaching from the side hall froze her smile into an awkward stiffness.

It had been seven years.

Jiang Wanqing was only sixteen when she married, and after seven years in the deep palace, she still retained the appearance of her maiden days, with her delicate figure and graceful demeanor, even the gentle yet cool charm in her brows and eyes remained unchanged.

Seeing the uninvited guest, she arched her delicate eyebrows: "Princess?"

Originally coming to provoke and gloat, Princess Jinyang found her confidence waning in the presence of her unchanged old acquaintance. She puffed up her chest, as if this gesture could bolster her courage: "I got lost, that's how I ended up in this forsaken place."

Jiang Wanqing's gaze swept over her face like a cool moonlit breeze. After a moment, she smiled, took a seat to one side, and said lightly: "I see."

Princess Jinyang silently appraised her.

Jiang Wanqing was dressed simply in unadorned white, her hairpin also of pure white jade, making her dark hair and ink-like eyes stand out even more.

A young palace maid and a slender eunuch emerged from the inner room, standing behind Jiang Wanqing, seemingly unsure whether to serve tea to the guest.

Without looking up at Bao'er, Jiang Wanqing simply stated, "The humble tea and water of Changhua Palace won't suit Princess Jinyang's taste."

Her words not only directed the servants but also served as a reminder to Princess Jinyang.

The fiery phoenix-like woman strode up to her, sneering, "I suppose when you were grandly announced as the Crown Prince's consort, with the whole world celebrating, you never anticipated ending up like this!"

Jiang Wanqing nodded, reflecting, "When I married the late Emperor, he was still the Crown Prince, his father, the Emperor, in good health. Indeed, I did not expect to become Empress so soon."

"Ha!" Princess Jinyang's sharp laughter echoed as she looked around, "Spare me the act, Jiang Wanqing. Everyone knows the late Emperor had grown tired of you, leaving you with the title of Empress in name only, essentially discarded."

Unperturbed, Jiang Wanqing maintained her composure, "Ultimately, the late Emperor never issued a decree to depose me, doesn't that prove he still cared for me, unable to part with me?"

Rongding, standing behind her, had a change in expression, gazing intently at her silhouette.

Impatiently, Princess Jinyang retorted, "What you and the late Emperor were to each other is none of my concern. You're adept at putting on a facade in front of men, but I know your true colors," she glared disdainfully at the woman in plain clothes seated before her, coldly stating, "It's too late for regrets now, don't bother."

Puzzled, Jiang Wanqing asked, "Regret what?"

Princess Jinyang scoffed, "Still pretending? When the Regent Prince clashed with the late Emperor and was thrown into prison, you thought he was utterly defeated, with no chance of turning the tables, so you turned to the late Emperor. You must regret that now."

Bao'er, after hearing this, turned white with anger and exclaimed, "How dare you insult our lady like this?"

Princess Jinyang looked at her with disdain, deeming her unworthy of conversation, and demanded from Jiang Wanqing, "Dare you say it isn't so?"

Jiang Wanqing smiled leisurely, "Bao'er, serve the tea."

Bao'er, frustrated, exclaimed, "My lady!"

Jiang Wanqing chuckled, "We will need to talk further, and while Princess Jinyang may not enjoy the tea, I need to moisten my lips."

Bao'er bowed her head and complied.

Biqing, who had followed into the hall, tugged at Princess Jinyang's sleeve, frowning and calling out, "Princess..."

Princess Jinyang, with a cold face, brushed her hand away, keeping her gaze fixed on Jiang Wanqing, "Fine, I'll listen to your excuses."

Jiang Wanqing, patient as ever, waited for Bao'er to bring the hot tea, took a cup, blew on it to cool it down, took a sip, and then said, "When I was young and naive, there were indeed interactions with the Regent Prince, but always with propriety, without any personal attachment. After marrying the late Emperor, my heart belonged only to him. The late Emperor cherished me greatly, and I devoted myself to him wholeheartedly."

Rongding was visibly shaken, his gaze towards Jiang Wanqing filled with shock and curiosity.

Putting down her teacup, Jiang Wanqing sighed deeply, "Unfortunately, I was not blessed enough. With the late Emperor's passing, leaving me alone in this world, my heart died with him. If there's any regret, it's only that I didn't meet and marry him sooner, wasting precious time."

Princess Jinyang's face turned to shock, she stuttered after a pause, "Nonsense! You used to call him 'Seventh Brother' so affectionately, and now you say you—"

Jiang Wanqing looked up, her gaze as cold as snow in winter, casting an unheated shadow on her, "I also call my brothers 'eldest brother' and 'second brother.' Does that mean I harbor feelings for them too?"

Princess Jinyang angrily retorted, "You're twisting my words, making unjust arguments!"

Jiang Wanqing responded, "Believe it or not, that's entirely up to you."

Princess Jinyang glared at her for a long while before scoffing, "You're saying you've never liked the Prince?"

Jiang Wanqing's expression slightly changed, she coldly stated, "Princess, the only person I've ever cherished lies within the golden coffin in Yong'an Hall. I am the late Emperor's legitimate Empress, please show some respect."

Princess Jinyang suspiciously asked, "So, all your previous actions towards the Prince were fake?"

Jiang Wanqing remained indifferent, "What you refer to as 'all those actions,' what are they? The Regent Prince was the seventh son of the Grand Emperor, a man of noble status. My mother and Lady Li are old acquaintances, was it not my duty to treat him with all due respect?"

After a moment of silence, Princess Jinyang probed, "Is that all?"

Jiang Wanqing affirmed, "That's all."

Princess Jinyang paced the hall, suddenly turning around with her chin up, "Jiang Wanqing, aren't you afraid I'll take your words to the Prince?"

Jiang Wanqing, seeing her walk into the trap, gently smiled, "As you wish."

Princess Jinyang's eyes widened, "Don't think I won't dare!"

Jiang Wanqing nonchalantly replied, "If you dare, go now."

The Princess of Jinyang clenched her teeth, "I'll go right now! I'll repeat every word you said to my father without missing a single one!"

Jiang Wanqing said, "Feel free to do so."

Feeling provoked, the Princess of Jinyang angrily declared, "I'm going now!"

Jiang Wanqing nodded, "Go ahead."

The Princess of Jinyang took a deep breath, "I'm really going now!"

Jiang Wanqing, without lifting an eyelid, said, "Not seeing you out."

The Princess of Jinyang stomped her foot forcefully, turning to Biqing, "Let's go!" She stormed off, only to turn back and point at Jiang Wanqing, "I want to see how long you can be smug!"

After the departure of the Princess of Jinyang and her servant, Longhua Palace returned to tranquility.

Jiang Wanqing's words were clearly heard by both Baoyu and Rongding; while Rongding remained silent, Baoyu was moved to tears, convinced of the late Emperor's philandering and Jiang Wanqing's unchanging devotion. Suddenly, she knelt down, tears streaming down her face, "Your Majesty, it's a pity the late Emperor can no longer hear your words."

Jiang Wanqing smiled, "Whether he hears them or not doesn't matter; someone will."

Baoyu, with tears in her eyes, looked towards the empty gateway, choking up, "If the late Emperor knew of Your Majesty's feelings, he would never have allowed you to suffer here."

Jiang Wanqing remained calm, "Even with the house arrest, he neither shorted my food and clothing nor created obstacles to trouble me; it can hardly be called suffering."

Baoyu wept, "Among all the women in the harem, only you were truly devoted to the late Emperor..."

Jiang Wanqing then fell silent.

Rongding observed this seemingly gentle and quiet master.

The words Jiang Wanqing spoke, not just to the Princess of Jinyang but even to him, a party involved, left him completely baffled.

He was unaware of the depth of his Empress's feelings towards him.

From their wedding night to the days he spent in Longhua Palace on the first and fifteenth of each month, he saw Jiang Wanqing always restrained and forbearing. Her face betrayed nothing, yet her eyes, dark and bottomless, were filled with endless sorrow.

Once, his hand rested on her slender shoulder, and she trembled slightly.

It was an instinctive repulsion.

Yet, this same Jiang Wanqing claimed in front of the Princess of Jinyang that she loved only him in this lifetime.

Absurd... utterly absurd.

As he was internally conflicted and filled with doubt, he heard Jiang Wanqing call out, "Little Rongding."

These crisp and pleasant three words felt like a bucket of cold water poured over him.

Rongding's mouth twitched slightly as he stepped forward, "...Your Majesty."

After Jiang Wanqing finished half a cup of tea, she lazily said, resting a delicate hand on her neck, "Come and rub my shoulders."

Author's note: Male antagonist: Don't make such a fuss.

Female lead: Don't overdo the inner drama.

Chapter 5

Jiang Wanqing, seemingly tired, rested one hand on the tea table, supporting her fair forehead with closed eyes. Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, presenting a side profile of extreme softness and a gentle demeanor.

Rongding approached slowly, hesitantly raising his hand, not dropping it for a long while. Clenching his fist, he realized his palm was full of cold sweat. After a moment, his hand landed on her slender shoulder, tapping gently.

Jiang Wanqing's eyebrows slightly raised, without opening her eyes, "Your technique has become rusty."

Rongding said stiffly, "Forgive me, Your Majesty."

Jiang Wanqing smiled, "Alright, you are forgiven. Continue."

As Rongding massaged her shoulders, he stole glances at her.

Jiang Wanqing remained tranquil, her beautiful features both familiar and strange to him, and this strangeness... stemmed from the alienation between them as husband and wife.

Up to this moment, Rongding suddenly realized that despite many years of acquaintance, his memories scarcely included moments this close to the Empress.

In Longhua Palace, even a minor eunuch had closer contact with Jiang Wanqing than he did.

...And that was a fake eunuch.

This thought soured Rongding's mood even further.

He had awakened on a bed in the servants' quarters, where this eunuch, having been punished, was wailing in bed from the beatings.

Discovering the eunuch to be a fake, he was both shocked and enraged. He was furious that the management had been so incompetent as to allow a man, not fully castrated, to infiltrate the harem, and shocked that... this fake eunuch had been serving in the Empress's palace without his knowledge. The consequences could have been dire had the man been dishonorable.

But exposing the truth was unthinkable, a sure path to self-destruction.

Distracted by these thoughts, Rongding's movements became absent-minded, and his hand inadvertently brushed the woman's cheek. That brief touch, soft and smooth, left a lasting impression on his heart.

He immediately ceased, murmuring low, "Forgive me, Your Majesty."

His voice was somewhat hoarser than before.

Jiang Wanqing opened her eyes, smiling slightly, "You used to come to Longhua Palace and worked silently, barely speaking in my presence, like a mute gourd. After being beaten, you've become more talkative, yet always asking for forgiveness."

Rongding's brow furrowed imperceptibly, fearful the Empress might notice something amiss, and said with downcast eyes, "It's... it's because I'm clumsy, upsetting Your Majesty."

He couldn't bring himself to utter the words "this servant," swallowing them instead.

In his previous life, he was accustomed to smooth sailing. Not only as an emperor but even before, when he was merely six or seven years old, he was designated as the crown prince, the most favored among all his brothers by the emperor. Thus, aside from his frail health and his wife's indifference, his life could be considered fulfilled.

How could he ever utter the words "this servant"?

Bao'er chimed in, "Not just clumsy, but also slow-witted! When that annoying Princess came making a scene, flaunting her authority before Her Majesty, you didn't even try to stop her, to protect our Empress... you fool!"

Rongding repeated, "Forgive me, Your Majesty."

Jiang Wanqing's lips curved into a slight smile, shaking her head, "Jinyang is just like that, beyond your control. Don't blame yourself."

Bao'er indignantly said, "Your Majesty! You're just too soft-spoken."

Jiang Wanqing said, "Everyone, leave. Let me be alone for a while."

Bao'er acknowledged and left with Rongding.

As they exited the palace, walking towards the back hall together, Bao'er suddenly turned, whispering, "Little Rongding, did you catch everything Her Majesty said?"

Rongding nodded, expressionless.

Bao'er's eyes sparkled with curiosity, "According to Her Majesty, it seems like she had interactions with the Regent in their younger days."

Rongding remained indifferent, not glancing her way, "So what if they did?"

Bao'er pressed, "Aren't you curious about what kind of interactions they were?"

Rongding abruptly stopped, giving her a sidelong glance.

Bao'er felt a chill from that look, momentarily speechless. By the time she thought to retort, asking why he glared so fiercely, he had already moved ahead.

In the floral hall of the Regent's mansion, Jiang Shangshu sat waiting, his tea had cooled, the steam dissipated, and the green leaves settled at the bottom of the cup.

He, unaware, took a sip and immediately frowned.

A considerable time passed, yet the Regent remained unseen.

Soon, a figure approached.

Jiang Shangshu hurriedly stood up, adopting a respectful demeanor, "My lord—"

The newcomer smiled, "I've come to see you, Minister Jiang. How are you?"

Looking up, Jiang Shangshu realized it wasn't the usually stern-faced Regent but Qin Yanzhi, the Regent's most trusted aide and the head of the household guards.

Jiang Shangshu's anxiety grew as Qin's polite demeanor seemed to mock him, "Is the Regent back from the palace?"

"I'm unworthy of such honor," Qin demurred, "The Regent hasn't returned, hence my visit to inform you. With the recent passing of the former Emperor and the new Emperor being so young, the Regent has been extremely busy."

Jiang Shangshu's heart sank, hanging in limbo.

Despite Qin's courtesy, Jiang, experienced in court politics, sensed the sarcasm—knowing his visit wasn't for official matters but to mock him for seeking the Regent's attention under pretense.

Jiang recalled his wife's tearful accusations before he left home.

"It's all your fault! You've ruined Wanqing's life!"

"You thought the Regent's imprisonment was the end. You hindered Wanqing from seeking help for him, fearing the Emperor's wrath, and forced her marriage. You never imagined the Regent's resurgence."

"Now, with the young Emperor and the Regent holding power, your sleepless nights are for your official hat, not once considering Wanqing's plight in the palace."

His past mistake not only harmed his daughter but also offended the Regent.

After the Regent regained his freedom, his attempts to visit Wanqing were blocked by Jiang, except for the first unpreventable encounter.

This deepened their rift.

With the Regent currently preoccupied and his attitude on the court neutral, it was hard to discern his true intentions.

After years apart, the once silent young man remains sparing with his words, his emotions hidden, but the youthful vigor has settled into a sharp, cold gleam in his eyes, no longer easily revealed.

Such inscrutable intentions.

After much deliberation, Minister Jiang felt it necessary to make this visit.

Unfortunately, he waited in vain for the Regent.

Concealing his embarrassment, Minister Jiang said, "Since I have no pressing matters today, I will wait a bit longer."

Qin Yanzhi raised his hand, summoning a maid and ordered, "Didn't you see the minister's tea has gone cold? Bring some fresh tea."

The two maids apologized, 'Forgive us, Sir Qin,' and soon returned with new tea.

Qin Yanzhi turned to glance back at the path, noticing the drizzle outside, he politely said, "It's hard to say when this rain will stop. Please, feel free to wait here, and do not spare those who neglect their duties."

Minister Jiang thanked him, "Much appreciated, Guard Qin."

He understood that although Qin Yanzhi might not hold a significant official title, as the Regent's trusted aide, his current status was not to be underestimated.

Qin Yanzhi looked at the fine rain outside, with a smile that didn't reach his eyes, "After all, this is a royal residence; there should be some hospitality. For instance, it's not right to let a guest wait outside in the rain, is it? That would be a joke if word got out." He turned back, his voice gentle, "Don't you think so, Minister Jiang?"

Minister Jiang felt a jolt of anxiety, and despite years of navigating the political arena, he couldn't help but blush.

He vividly remembered the year Ling Zhao made repeated visits, only to be stopped by the gatekeeper on his instructions, claiming he and Jiang Wanqing were not home. Once, it poured with rain, and the stubborn young man waited outside for hours.

He remembers it clearly because, as Ling Zhao waited outside, Jiang Wanqing cried in the study, begging him to at least let her go out if not letting Ling Zhao in, to persuade him to return.

Back then, Ling Zhao was just a disgraced prince, burdened with guilt. Having already pledged allegiance to the previous emperor, he sternly refused to let his daughter get involved with him.

Who would have thought, against his hopes, Ling Zhao didn't die in battle or of illness in a border town. When the old emperor fell ill, he unexpectedly summoned Ling Zhao back and appointed him as the Regent.

The old emperor had been wise all his life, how could he be so muddled at the end!

Jiang Shangshu, meeting Qin Yanzhi's sarcastic gaze, chuckled awkwardly, "Yes, yes."

The atmosphere in the floral hall grew awkward, but fortunately, at that moment, a young lady's charming voice suddenly rang out: "Guard Qin, they said you were here... Where is His Highness?"

Qin Yanzhi turned around and saw it was Princess JinYang, to whom he bowed: "Greetings, Your Highness."

Princess JinYang frowned, "Don't give me that formal nonsense! Has His Highness not returned yet? Why didn't you accompany him to the palace?"

Qin Yanzhi explained, "There were some minor matters at the mansion, His Highness instructed me to return first to handle them."

Disappointed, Princess JinYang sighed and waved her hand, "Never mind, I'll wait for him at the front."

Knowing his master likely preferred not to see the princess, Qin Yanzhi hesitated before asking, "May I know the matter, Your Highness? His Highness has been very busy recently. If it's not urgent, perhaps I could convey the message—"

"It is urgent, extremely urgent!" Princess JinYang interrupted him, impatiently brushed past him, and walked into the misty rain, shielded by her maid's umbrella.

Chapter 6

The main red door of Changhua Palace was locked, leaving only a secluded side door open for Bao'er and Rongding's convenience, guarded by rotating sentries.

Just as Bao'er stepped out of the servants' quarters, intending to join her master, her gaze flickered, and suddenly, she stopped in her tracks.

The palace gate... was open.

The usually chained and locked gates were now wide open, with guards and several others standing there.

Since her arrival at Changhua Palace, Bao'er had never felt the sunlight so bright and beautiful, streaming through the majestic open gates, bringing the intense heat of midsummer.

The guards respectfully moved aside, and a well-dressed eunuch was obsequiously smiling, bowing, and speaking to a tall man in brocade.

The man was handsome but had a notably cold demeanor, listening to the eunuch's endless chatter without moving a muscle.

Bao'er watched him with great curiosity.

Outside the palace gate, Ling Zhao slightly furrowed his brows.

The head eunuch of the Internal Affairs, Wei Zhizhong, immediately noticed, turned his head, and sternly scolded Bao'er, "How dare you! You have no manners, not kneeling before the Regent?!"

Startled, Bao'er felt a chill of fear, hurriedly kneeling and bowing deeply, "This servant greets His Highness the Regent!"

Wiping sweat from his forehead, Wei Zhizhong respectfully said, "Your Highness—"

Ling Zhao gave him a glance.

Wei Zhizhong had intended to discipline the girl to please the Regent, but the sudden glance from him made him swallow his words mid-sentence.

Ling Zhao withdrew his gaze, looking at Bao'er who remained motionless on the ground, and remarked, "This palace maid is barely fourteen, her recklessness suggests she was newly assigned to the palace, directly to Changhua Palace for duties."

Wei Zhizhong, bowing his head, responded, "Your Highness is correct. In a rush of events—" he glanced at the plaque hanging above the palace gate and coughed, "—some were executed for their crimes, others expelled. Assigning inexperienced palace staff here was by the late emperor's directive."

Ling Zhao said no more, standing with his hands behind him, gazing at the main hall across the courtyard, where nothing lay, yet he kept his eyes fixed.

After a while, he finally turned back, "Have you remembered what I told you last time?"

Wei Zhizhong nodded vigorously, "Yes, I have relayed everything and personally overseen it to ensure no mistakes. These past few days..."

He stopped, uncertain how to refer to the master of Changhua Palace: calling her the Empress might not be appropriate, calling her the Dowager Empress required the Regent's consent, and calling her the deposed empress or Jiang seemed incorrect since the late emperor never officially deposed her.

Eventually, he simply stated, "The meals in Changhua Palace these past few days have been prepared according to the recipes provided by Your Highness."

Ling Zhao resumed his distant gaze towards the palace doors, remaining silent.

Wei Zhizhong, having served in the palace for many years and being a deputy in the Internal Affairs under the late emperor, found the Regent's mind much harder to read—silent, expressionless, making it difficult to gauge his thoughts.

He vaguely felt the Regent might wish to enter, to speak with Jiang, who was neither truly the Empress nor the Dowager Empress, but hesitated too long to dare to ask Bao'er to invite her out.

Better to say less before understanding the Regent's intentions—more words, more mistakes.

Indeed, Ling Zhao ultimately didn't enter and turned to leave.

Wei Zhizhong followed him obsequiously.

Ling Zhao, without looking back, ordered: "Find some reliable people to clean the courtyard. It's only summer; what a state to be in."

Wei Zhizhong agreed, bowing long after Ling Zhao had departed, then turned, scolding Baoyi still kneeling, "What kind of service is this for the master? It's just summer, and leaves are everywhere—"

Surveying the large courtyard, he noticed only a few fallen leaves in a corner, not fully withered, clearly recent.

Baoyi, with a grievous expression and tears swirling, protested her lone efforts couldn't keep pace.

Wei Zhizhong rebuked her forehead forcefully: "Dare to talk back!"

Baoyi, tears falling, lowered her head in submission.

Wei Zhizhong ordered the eunuchs: "Get reliable people for thorough daily cleaning of the palace's approaches and courtyards."

The eunuchs acknowledged and dispersed to relay the message.

Wei Zhizhong, with a fleeting glance at Baoyi sobbing softly, remarked lightly, "Stop your crying; serving your master is a great fortune not everyone gets."

Once the doors were relocked and everyone had left, Baoyi rose, dejectedly entering the main hall, then the side hall where Jiang Wanqing usually resided, calling out plaintively.

Jiang Wanqing was reading, with Rongding attending. Noticing Baoyi's red eyes, he teased her unusual tears.

Baoyi, frustrated, appealed to Jiang Wanqing.

Jiang Wanqing gestured her closer, drying her tears with her handkerchief, asking softly what happened.

Baoyi inquired if she knew who had visited.

Jiang Wanqing guessed, "With such a stir at the palace gate, it must have been the Regent."

Baoyi was astonished, "You knew?!"

Jiang Wanqing calmly noted, "Who else commands such presence? Did he frighten you?"

Alone with Jiang Wanqing, Baoyi vented her frustration: "The Regent was unreasonable! He blatantly ignored the truth. I had just cleaned the courtyard, and it's not autumn for leaves to fall so quickly; only a few had drifted to a corner, yet he criticized the state of it."

Jiang Wanqing comforted: "Baoyi, don't take it to heart. He appears very dignified, sometimes overly sensitive. He was waiting for me to come out to see him. Unwilling to lower his dignity to see me, he found himself an excuse to leave."

Baoyi doubted: "Really?"

Jiang Wanqing's lips curled into a smile: "Once, after a disagreement with me, he disappeared for days. Eventually, he brought me pastries from Jixiang Tower, claiming it was on his way. From Yanwang Mansion to Jixiang Tower, and then to Shangshu Mansion, he practically circled half the capital. My second brother laughed about it behind his back for a long time, saying despite his tall stature, his actions were childishly obstinate."

Baoyi chuckled.

Rongding turned away, looking out the window: "My lady seems to know the Regent quite well." His tone was faint, seemingly casual, yet tinged with a hint of acidity.

Jiang Wanqing glanced over, catching his gaze. The youth's eyes were clear, his features delicate and appealing.

Rongding smiled: "My lady, when I first came to Changhua Palace, the other eunuchs mocked me, saying I had no future. Now, it seems, following you... my prospects are boundless."

Jiang Wanqing responded to Baoyi: "The pastries sent earlier, I've saved some for you. Go and enjoy them."

Baoyi, excited by the treat, happily left.

Jiang Wanqing sighed, watching Baoyi leave, but spoke to Rongding: "Rongding, you're different from that naive girl; you're smart."

Rongding bowed his head, standing properly: "If my lady prefers smart people, I'm smart. If she likes fools, I can be a fool too."

After his rebirth and all its shocks and 'surprises', he had calmed down.

Looking on the bright side, although he wasn't as fortunate as in his previous life, he gained a healthy body and was close to the wife he couldn't have before, which could be seen as fate.

This life might not be worse than the previous one.

Jiang Wanqing lowered her gaze, turning a page of her book: "If you're truly smart, you'd know following the right master leads to a bright future. Think about it yourself."

Chapter 7

Upon returning to the mansion, Ling Zhao dismounted his horse, the long ride calming his mind.

Visiting Changhua Palace so abruptly... was indeed a bit presumptuous.

In what capacity had he gone? As the Regent?

What was the reason? To see the late emperor's queen, the new emperor's dowager, or his sister-in-law?

Mulling over these matters, Ling Zhao couldn't help feeling irritable. Just as he entered, Qin Yanzhi approached him, whispering, "Your Highness, Minister Jiang has been here. He waited for a while but left after not seeing you return. I persuaded him to leave."

Ling Zhao nodded, took a few steps, and scoffed, "Spare some time to give him a few pointers, so he knows his place. If he remains within his bounds, I won't strip him of his official hat. It's better than him scaring himself, always looking guilty in my presence in the palace."

Qin Yanzhi responded, "Understood. Also, Princess JinYang visited."

There was no need for him to mention it.

Princess JinYang had been waiting in the hall for a long time and rushed forward eagerly when she finally saw him, then suddenly stopped, glancing at Qin Yanzhi, "I have a few words for His Highness. You may leave us for now."

Qin Yanzhi inwardly chuckled, the princess really didn't see herself as a guest, but maintained his composure and respectfully said, "Then, I shall take my leave."

Princess JinYang also sent her maid out to wait outside.

Ling Zhao, impatient to deal with her, got straight to the point, "What do you want?"

Princess JinYang fidgeted, her cheeks turning red, suddenly murmured softly, "Qi Ge (Seventh Brother)."

Ling Zhao gave her a glance, his tone cold, "Speak plainly."

Princess JinYang's face flushed with embarrassment and frustration, "You... you're infuriating!"

Ling Zhao stated, "I am occupied with official duties. If there's nothing important, you should return early."

Seeing his dismissive and indifferent manner, Princess JinYang, annoyed, huffed and quickly said, "I went to Changhua Palace."

As she expected, Ling Zhao immediately turned back, staring at her for a while, anger evident in his eyes, "...All useless."

His comment was directed at Wei Zhizhong and his subordinates, despite his explicit instructions to diligently care for Changhua Palace, yet Princess JinYang still managed to intrude.

Her words were light, yet Princess JinYang clearly heard the term 'useless' and thought it was aimed at her. Her face turned from red to pale as she scoffed, "Right, in your eyes, I'm useless, everyone is useless, only that person in Changhua Palace is perfect. But her heart has been with the late emperor, she has long forgotten you!"

Ling Zhao demanded, "What are you spouting?"

"I'm not spouting nonsense!"

In her anger, Princess JinYang repeated everything she had heard in Changhua Palace, even exaggerating Jiang Wanqing's true love for the late emperor and how she vehemently denied any past affection for Ling Zhao.

After speaking her piece, she saw Ling Zhao's face remained expressionless, which made her even more frustrated, "Don't think I'm speaking ill behind her back. I'm the villain here—it was she who asked me to tell you. After all the hardships you've endured in war, still thinking of her, and her? Pampered by the late emperor, coaxed with treasures, and yet she easily cast you aside!"

Ling Zhao, seated at the head, inquired, "Are you done?"

Princess JinYang retorted, "Don't believe me? Go to the palace and ask her yourself!"

Ling Zhao looked up at her.

Princess JinYang huffed and fell silent.

Ling Zhao calmly stated, "If you're done, leave. Have Qin Yanzhi escort you out."

Fuming, Princess JinYang bit back, "It's like casting pearls before swine—not recognizing a good heart." Mid-sentence, she felt calling him a dog was too disrespectful and turned her head to shout, "You'll regret this!"

After a moment, Qin Yanzhi entered, having seen Princess JinYang storm off. Anticipating that the fiery princess had clashed with His Highness, he reported, "Your Highness, I've arranged for someone to escort the princess back."

Ling Zhao, lifting a cup of tea, declared, "Tomorrow morning, accompany me to the palace. Ask Wei Zhizhong how he managed to let JinYang barge into Changhua Palace."

Qin Yanzhi nodded, then cautiously ventured, "Your Highness, today, have you perhaps..."

Ling Zhao did not respond.

Qin Yanzhi realized, after all the commotion, Princess JinYang had seen Empress Jiang, yet his master hadn't stepped foot in Changhua Palace, unsure of whom his displeasure was directed at.

After a moment of contemplation, Ling Zhao asked, "The cat that Fifth Brother sent last time, the one with a gentle nature and friendly to people, is it still being kept in the mansion?"

Qin Yanzhi found his question odd but answered, "It's still here."

Ling Zhao instructed, "Send it to the palace tomorrow as a plaything for the emperor, to distract him from his grief and ceaseless crying."

Qin Yanzhi, puzzled at first, soon grasped his master's intention and was momentarily speechless—his master, always shy around Miss Jiang, probably planned an 'accident' during the cat's delivery, hoping it would run into Changhua Palace, giving him an excuse to enter.

With all the power at his disposal, a simple visit became an elaborate scheme.

As Qin Yanzhi was about to leave, he paused at the door, turned, and said, "Your Highness, have you considered Mr. Zhang Yuan's advice?"

Ling Zhao looked up at him.

Qin Yanzhi, bracing himself, added, "I know I shouldn't speak out of turn, but Mr. Zhang speaks with your best interests at heart, his words full of reason. 'The night is long and full of dreams,' please, Your Highness, don't let emotions cloud your judgment."

Silence lingered for a long while.

As cold sweat dripped down Qin Yanzhi's forehead and he was about to kneel and apologize, he suddenly heard a faint laugh from ahead, looking up in astonishment.

Ling Zhao stood and declared, "The abdication decree has been prepared. On the day of the late emperor's burial, it will be announced through the young emperor." Approaching Qin Yanzhi, he paused, glancing sideways, "What, do you also think I would show undue mercy?"

Qin Yanzhi was overjoyed, "Your Highness is wise!"

Ling Zhao continued, "These days, my only concern has been how to ascend the throne, not whether I should."

The throne was his ultimate goal, but the person in Changhua Palace... he was determined to keep at all costs.

Reminded of Jiang Wanqing, Princess JinYang's words echoed annoyingly in his ear, making him irritable. After causing such a commotion outside Changhua Palace today, how could she not hear? Her refusal to come out, could it be because of what JinYang said... No, that's impossible.

Ling Zhao's gaze darkened, instructing Qin Yanzhi, "Go find that cat now, lock it in a cage, and make sure there are no mistakes."

Qin Yanzhi: "..."

Changhua Palace was enveloped in deep night.

It was Bao'er's turn to keep watch tonight, but the girl, prone to sleepiness, soon dozed off. Jiang Wanqing woke up startled from a dream, sitting up while Bao'er remained asleep, oblivious to everything.

Jiang Wanqing had no intention of waking her.

They say cold nights are long, but for Jiang Wanqing, summer nights were equally unbearable.

Especially this year, with its exceptional heat. A brief rain had fallen earlier, hoped to cool the air, but to little avail. Lying in bed, her whole body sweated, her clothes clinging uncomfortably, feeling suffocated, almost wishing to strip down to her undergarment for some relief.

Her status, however, forbade such actions.

This nightmare, undoubtedly, was a product of the heat.

In her dream, she returned to the modern era she had long left behind. Under the blazing sun, she was in a convenience store, buying a chocolate ice cream bar. Eager to cool down, she tore off the wrapper, about to take a bite, when a hand suddenly snatched the ice cream away.

Turning, she saw a flawless handsome face, belonging to her recently deceased husband.

Ling Xuan, with a smile, held the ice cream high, teasingly said, "As the esteemed Crown Prince, ordinary worldly items hardly catch my interest. Miss Jiang, if you wish to repay me, why not offer yourself in return?"

Desperately, she tiptoed, crying out, "Give it back to me, give it back!"

Ling Xuan, leisurely responded, "I won't, not unless you offer yourself in return."

After much effort and jumping, she almost touched the precious ice cream, which had nearly melted away, its cream dripping onto the ground, forming a mess.

Jiang Wanqing abruptly woke up.

That shameless, infuriating line from Ling Xuan in her dream was something he had actually said.

At that time, the old emperor was furiously enraged, and Ling Zhao faced danger. Like a scene from a novel, Ling Xuan had someone convey a message and secretly met Jiang Wanqing.

Their meeting took place on the second floor of a teahouse, in a private room with a window facing the river.

The Crown Prince, leaning against a cushion by the window, appeared as languid and pale as ever, bloodless. He held a small hand warmer, his gaze on her, a faint smile touching his eyes and lips, softly repeating, "As the esteemed Crown Prince, ordinary worldly items hardly catch my interest. Miss Jiang, if you wish to repay me, why not offer yourself in return?"

Jiang Wanqing was always more cautious and wary around Ling Xuan than Ling Zhao.

After all, Ling Zhao was the novel's protagonist, with detailed descriptions of his character and growth. Ling Xuan, on the other hand, was more of a stranger than even the side characters, known only as a short-lived invalid who stole the protagonist's beloved.

Both characters from her past memories, the author detailed Jiang Wanqing's beauty and tenderness, but merely glossed over Ling Xuan.

Jiang Wanqing always feared compromising her character in front of Ling Xuan, leading to changes in the storyline, which exhausted her.

Only after Ling Xuan's death did Jiang Wanqing truly let go, sparing him little thought until this night.

To calm herself, she began to recite her phone number, phone password, computer password, and then... she paused, mouth slightly open in shock, struggling to recall those numbers, but to no avail.

Jiang Wanqing bent over, burying her face in the blankets.

Still unable to remember, no matter how hard she tried.

Despite all precautions, she had forgotten her payment password... Would there come a day when she forgot her parents' names and faces as well?

Her frail body trembled slightly as she bit her lip, fighting to keep the feelings of injustice and fear from spreading, preventing the mist in her eyes from forming tears.

After a long moment, Jiang Wanqing clumsily put on her shoes and socks, opened the window, and let the moonlight quietly fall on her.

With her hair loose, she knelt on the ground, hands clasped in front of her, silently and devoutly praying, "To the gods above, if I can safely return to the modern era, I vow to never read romance novels again, especially not ones about transmigration."

"I would trade ten Ling Xuans for a single ice cream, no need for chocolate filling, red bean would suffice."

"I would trade ten Ling Zhaos for half an hour of air conditioning."

…

Rongding, rubbing his eyes, walked to the door, and saw through the heavy curtains a woman in a thin undergarment, her long black hair reaching her waist, kneeling helplessly with her hands in front of her, silently praying with muffled sobs.

He was startled, noticing Bao'er still deep in sleep, and his brows furrowed.

He had arranged for innocent palace servants to come here to prevent anyone from planting spies around Jiang Wanqing, waiting for a chance to harm her. But Bao'er, that careless girl, was being far too negligent.

Seeing Jiang Wanqing still kneeling, Rongding felt a pang of pity and approached quietly, "Your Majesty, the floor is cold, kneeling too long is bad for your knees."

Jiang Wanqing, startled, relaxed upon seeing him, "You make no sound when you walk."

Rongding apologized softly, "Forgive me, Your Majesty."

Jiang Wanqing let him help her up and walk to the bed.

As the moonlight shone, Rongding saw her red-rimmed eyes, his heart tightening, and he asked softly, "Your Majesty, what's wrong?"

Jiang Wanqing, having cried during her prayer and still choking up, trembled, "Nothing... it's just too hot, I can't sleep, it's bothersome."

Rongding paused, then understood.

Of course, his queen, pampered from a young age, was accustomed to being cared for on hot nights. This discomfort was unfamiliar to her, undoubtedly making her feel aggrieved.

Rongding fetched a fan and sat on a small stool by the bed, softly saying, "Your Majesty, please sleep peacefully."

Jiang Wanqing murmured an acknowledgment, too tired from crying to think further, and soon fell asleep. She vaguely felt a cool breeze in her dreams, like an old-fashioned fan turning slowly from long ago, warm and familiar.

That night, Jiang Wanqing slept soundly, a rarity. Upon waking, her vision gradually cleared to see Bao'er standing guiltily aside, and by the bed... a youth with a weary face.

Dark circles under Rongding's eyes, he still held the worn fan.

Had he been fanning her all night?

Upon Jiang Wanqing's awakening, Rongding set down the fan, his voice hoarse and tired, instructing Bao'er, "What are you waiting for? Her Majesty is awake, bring some water."

Bao'er sighed timidly and left.

Jiang Wanqing sat up, sighing and gently patting the youth's hand, "Little Rong, you are a good person. It's a pity for you to be by my side."

Rong Ding paused, his mind fuzzy from staying awake all night, and instinctively covered her warm, soft hand with his other hand.

His straightforward reaction caught Jiang Wanqing off guard. With twenty years of ancient etiquette drilled into her, she instinctively scolded, "How presumptuous!"

Rong Ding snapped to attention, quickly withdrawing his hand, "Your Highness, please forgive me."

Jiang Wanqing propped herself up on the bed, staring at him for a moment before breaking into a smile, "...You're really foolish." She gathered her hair, "Go back and rest. You haven't slept all night; aren't you tired? With Bao'er by my side, you can be at ease."

Rong Ding replied, "Yes."

Leaving the room, wandering aimlessly for a while, Rong Ding looked down at his distinct, slender fingers slowly coming together, making a few tentative grips.

He gazed fixedly, not looking up, his long eyelashes casting shadows over his weary eyes that gradually filled with tender affection, a faint smile playing on his lips.

It wasn't that he had never held her hand before, but those were mostly for show in public, a matter of formality.

If he remembered correctly, this was their first private hand-holding.

Indeed, fortune and misfortune go hand in hand, from adversity comes prosperity.

He knew then, this life might not really turn out so bad after all.

The author has a note for readers: The male lead's character, when matched against the male supporting character, is set for a disadvantage...

In this story, the least lovesick character is the female lead, whose depth of emotion relies largely on the imagination of the male lead/male supporting character/passersby.

Chapter 8

When Rong Ding woke up, it was past noon. Dressed neatly, he walked through the main hall to find Jiang Wanqing sitting by the window, working on embroidery, occasionally giving Bao'er some instructions.

Outside the window, cicadas chirped in waves under the sunny weather. The lady in plain clothes slightly bowed her head, a few strands of black hair falling beside her ear, her delicate fingers moving gracefully, presenting a scene of tranquil times.

Rong Ding didn't wish to interrupt, so he stood still.

Bao'er looked at her own work, then at Jiang Wanqing's, couldn't help but sigh, "Your Highness, your hands are so skillful, I could never be as meticulous as you."

Jiang Wanqing shook her head, smiling, "It's not innate, it's all practiced. When I was young, my family hired a tutor to teach me and my sisters the qin, embroidery... I was the most diligent learner."

Bao'er joked, "Did your sisters slack off?" Almost immediately regretting her words, she hastily added, "Please forgive me, Your Highness, I just spoke without thinking—"

Jiang Wanqing reassured, "My sisters didn't slack off; I was just particularly devoted. Back then, I thought having one more skill would always be useful."

This was true.

At that time, she thought if she mastered a musical instrument in ancient times, she could at least be considered a connoisseur back in the modern era, perhaps even making some extra income. If she learned embroidery... at the very least, she could boast about it to her parents. After all, she was considered lazy at home, often chided by her mother for not being able to sew a button.

Forced to leave her parents and come to this unfamiliar era, she found herself living the life of a young mistress and became more diligent.

Jiang Wanqing felt a bit wistful, setting down her embroidery, and upon seeing Rong Ding standing aside, exclaimed in surprise, "Why didn't you say anything when you arrived? I've saved some food for you, go take it."

On a tray set aside were several leftover dishes: almond tofu, Buddha Jumps Over the Wall (a luxurious seafood dish), bird's nest with chicken strips soup, and Eight-Treasure porridge, among others.

Not to mention in a place equated with a cold palace like Changhua Palace, even the residences of lower-ranked concubines might not boast such fine dishes.

Seeing him stand there dumbfounded, Bao'er thought he was stunned by the sight and giggled, "Rong Ding, the mistress has rewarded you, aren't you going to thank her? Since entering the palace, you haven't seen such good food, have you? Are you dying of envy?"

Rong Ding countered, "Have you?"

Bao'er was momentarily choked up, unable to respond, and shot him a glare before ignoring him and turning to Jiang Wanqing, "Mistress, the Regent looks fierce, but he came by yesterday, and today our food is even better than before. It seems he plans to take you out soon."

Jiang Wanqing dismissively said, "Is he very fierce?"

Bao'er replied, "He looks fierce. Eunuch Wei is afraid of him, and so am I—but Eunuch Wei said before leaving that I am fortunate." Glancing at her mistress out of the corner of her eye, she chuckled again, "See, Eunuch Wei hinted as much. Your position as the Empress Dowager is almost assured!"

Jiang Wanqing shook her head, sighing, "Silly girl."

Just then, a commotion arose outside, but it quickly subsided.

Jiang Wanqing looked out the window, seeing the palace gates closed. She guessed something must have happened near the side gate and instructed Bao'er to find out what was going on.

Bao'er left and did not return for quite some time.

Jiang Wanqing propped her chin with one hand and pointed to the food on the table, asking Rong Ding, "Doesn't it suit your taste?"

Rong Ding calmly replied, "If it's a reward from the mistress, I naturally like it."

Jiang Wanqing smiled, "Bao'er thinks I'm going to be the Empress Dowager, and that makes her fortunate. What about you?" She looked into the young man's slender, beautiful eyes, softening her voice, "In your opinion, what place in the palace is the best to be?"

Without hesitation, Rong Ding said, "I've heard Lady Li is gentle and tolerant towards others. Now that the Regent is in power, her palace must be a good place to be." Jiang Wanqing nodded in approval. After a moment of silence, he indifferently added, "But for me, being by your side is the best assignment."

Jiang Wanqing was taken aback, not having the chance to ponder further as Bao'er had returned, barely concealing her amusement, "Mistress, that Guard Zhang made quite the fool of himself!"

Jiang Wanqing inquired, "What happened?"

Bao'er, covering her mouth to stifle a laugh, explained, "After the Regent left the court, he came here with a cat, supposedly a gift for Tai'an Palace, perhaps to amuse Lady Li or the Emperor. But as they neared our palace, the cage door suddenly opened, and the cat escaped. In his attempt to catch it, Guard Zhang chased it around the yard, nearly letting it into the hall. Fortunately, he caught it in the end. The Regent mocked him for being outsmarted by a cat, scolding him for his incompetence."

Jiang Wanqing raised an eyebrow, "Is it the man or the cat that's useless?"

Bao'er blinked her large eyes, "Obviously, it's the man. How could the cat be useless when it made a big man look like a fool?"

Rong Ding coolly remarked, "If four legs can't outrun two and it got caught before entering the hall, that's useless."

Bao'er, confused, opened her mouth, "Huh?"

Rong Ding scoffed, clearly disdainful, "If someone has legs but needs an animal to pave the way, what good are they?"

Bao'er asked, "Who are you talking about?"

Rong Ding shrugged, "Whoever insists on keeping up appearances only to suffer is the one."

Jiang Wanqing let out a sigh, murmuring, "All for naught. I wonder how much of what I said yesterday reached him through Jin Yang's words..."

Bao'er, looking between Jiang Wanqing and Rong Ding, still confused, asked, "Mistress, Rong Ding, are we talking about the cat or Guard Zhang?"

Rong Ding picked up the tray with the leftovers and left.

Having sat for a while, Jiang Wanqing also stood up, "It's still early, I'll take a nap."

Only Bao'er was left, pondering hard and still not getting it, clutching her head in frustration, "...Why is that cat considered useless? Why?"

In Tai'an Palace.

The young Emperor was delighted to see the all-white cat. Initially timid, he only dared to squat aside and observe the fluffy creature inside the cage.

Qin Yanzhi smiled, "Your Majesty, this cat is gentle and friendly; it won't hurt you."

The young Emperor looked up at him skeptically, "Really? It won't scratch me?"

Qin Yanzhi bent down, opened the cage, and encouraged, "Really. You can pet its fur, Your Majesty."

The young Emperor slowly extended his 'dragon claw', retracting it halfway before reaching the cat.

The cat walked out of the cage, meowed twice, and rubbed against his leg.

The young Emperor laughed softly, growing bolder to pet it. Seeing the cat's docile nature, he happily played with it.

Lady Li, watching for a while and feeling reassured, turned to her son, who was as expressionless as on any other day, and sighed, "You've done well. I thought you harbored resentment towards the Emperor, but it seems, as his uncle, you truly care for your nephew."

Standing beside her, Ling Xiao's gaze on the cat in the Emperor's arms carried a hint of displeasure, "This cat is too lazy, slow, and not agile. It likely can't catch mice. It's of no use in my residence, better to gift it to the Emperor for amusement."

Lady Li, unable to help but laugh and chide, said, "What are you talking about? I know you care about the Emperor, there's no need to be so stubborn."

Ling Xiao then fell silent.

Approaching, Lady Li patted the young Emperor's head, ordered the cat to be put back into the cage, and instructed Nurse Peng, "Take the Emperor back. It hasn't been long since the late Emperor passed. It's fine for the Emperor to play with the cat, just don't let it get too rowdy and draw attention."

Nurse Peng obeyed and left with the young Emperor and the cat cage.

Hesitating for a moment and after ensuring privacy, Lady Li spoke, "The Emperor asks me several times a day when he can see his mother. What do you think... could they perhaps meet?"

Ling Xiao remained silent.

After scanning the surroundings and seeing Qin Yanzhi and the servants outside with no one else nearby, Lady Li patiently persuaded, "Xiao'er, although the late Emperor forbade Jiang Wanqing from leaving the Longhua Palace, he never issued a decree to depose her. Isn't that a sign of mercy? If you're wary because of the late Emperor's decree and refuse to let Wanqing out—"

Ling Xiao let out a scoff.

Feeling certain, Lady Li tentatively said, "If it's not because of the late Emperor's decree, then... do you still resent that child?" She sighed deeply, looking towards the direction of Longhua Palace with a sorrowful tone, "You shouldn't. Do you truly not know why Wanqing entered the Eastern Palace? During the seven years of the late Emperor's reign, Wanqing, as the central consort, took good care of me. The palace is full of opportunists; it's easy to kick someone when they're down but hard to offer help in need. Without her, my days in the palace would have been much harder, can you imagine that?"

Observing Ling Xiao, she continued, "Xiao'er, even for my sake, let go of the past, will you? Wanqing grew up under my watch, gentle and kind. Having her look after and educate the Emperor would be for the best."

Ling Xiao remained non-committal, his expression neutral, showing no signs of pleasure or anger.

Lady Li breathed a sigh of relief, "If it could be with the honors of the Empress Dowager—"

Ling Xiao looked over, his tone cold and firm, "Seven years ago, I never called her 'sister-in-law'..."

Closing his eyes, as if transported back to that harsh winter when the Emperor passed and he rushed back from the cold northern borders. Seeing the young Empress, the court banquet was simplified. He lifted his jade cup, feeling a fire burning in his chest, struggling to speak. Those two words seemed rooted in his throat, unable to be voiced.

After the banquet, returning to his residence, he momentarily zoned out before suddenly vomiting blood.

He vividly remembered the pungent smell of blood, unlike the carnage of battlefields. That scent merged in an instant with all his humiliation, pain, anger, and sorrow, etching them into his bones and blood, unforgettable until death.

Ling Xiao's eyes snapped open, his gaze sharp as a blade, his voice resounding with determination, "...and seven years later, I certainly won't call her 'Empress Dowager'!"

Lady Li was stunned, her shock palpable, "What will you do?"

Ling Xiao bowed to her and turned to leave.

In desperation, Lady Li followed, her voice breaking, "You won't even spare her life? You... do you want her to follow the late Emperor in death?"

Ling Xiao halted, turning back with a look of cold disdain as if a blizzard from the northern borders was sweeping through, "For Ling Xuan? He's not worthy!"

Leaving behind these words filled with endless resentment, he pushed open the door and walked out without looking back.

Watching his tall figure, Lady Li felt a chill down her spine, her legs gave way, and she collapsed onto a chair.

On the way back to the residence, Qin Yanzhi read the room, noticing Ling Xiao's somber mood. Today, unusually, he chose the sedan chair over riding a horse and remained silent throughout.

After a while, a corner of the sedan curtain was lifted, and Ling Xiao called out, "Yanzhi."

Qin Yanzhi approached, "I am here."

Ling Xiao fell silent for a moment before saying, "About the kennel in the residence..."

Qin Yanzhi thought to himself that he was indeed not giving up, while trying to suppress a laugh and putting on a serious face, he continued, "...Your Highness, it's said that there's a particularly swift little dog in the kennel, lively, cute, and clever. It might be a good idea to send it to the Emperor along with the cat, making a perfect pair."

Ling Xiao nodded and let the curtain fall.

As Qin Yanzhi walked forward, Ling Xiao's voice came through the curtain, "Make sure it's of a gentle nature, don't scare her."

The author notes: Lady Li's constant references to mother and son, and to the Empress Dowager, are truly like rubbing salt in the wound. It's a painful spot for the protagonist.

Chapter 9

After several days of scorching sun, the day Ling Xiao entered the palace brought gloomy, rainy weather, with heavy clouds pressing down, as if they couldn't bear the weight and were about to unleash a torrential downpour to wash away the accumulated heat.

The gloomy weather added a premonition of an impending storm to the solemn atmosphere of the palace, affecting every plant and tree within.

Indeed, by the time the morning court was dismissed and Ling Xiao headed towards the inner palace, a heavy rain began to pour, prompting the eunuchs to hurriedly provide him with an umbrella and a rain cloak.

Qin Yanzhi followed behind, carrying a dog cage, with a little eunuch holding an umbrella for him. In the rush, the little dog inside the cage was overlooked.

Since the dog was a gift for the Emperor, getting it wet would surely displease the Regent. Therefore, the little eunuch was both alarmed and frightened, his eyes darting around in panic. Seeing this, Qin Yanzhi offered a slight smile, removed his cloak, and draped it over the cage.

The little eunuch looked at him gratefully and said, "Thank you very much, Sir Qin."

Approaching Longhua Palace, Qin Yanzhi's hand by his side moved slightly, and he coughed softly.

As if understanding, the little dog suddenly jumped out of the slightly open cage door, sprinted with its short legs, and darted through the gap of the side gate into the palace.

The guards and palace servants were thrown into chaos, with the lead guard quickly ordering the gates to be opened to chase the dog.

Among them was Guard Zhang, who had previously embarrassed himself failing to catch a cat. Seizing this chance to redeem himself and impress the Regent, he eagerly made the first move to dash into the courtyard.

Qin Yanzhi, noticing his eagerness, subtly stuck out his leg at the perfect moment, tripping him.

Unprepared and focused solely on his task, Zhang lost his balance and fell forward, sprawling on the ground.

Laughter erupted among the surrounding eunuchs.

Ling Xiao called out, "Yanzhi."

At the Regent's command, the guards and eunuchs halted, no one daring to make another sound.

Understanding his master's intent, Qin Yanzhi smiled and instructed, "This rain won't stop anytime soon. Go find shelter from the rain. Longhua Palace is a restricted area of the inner palace, not a place for you to tread. Since the dog has run into the main hall, I will accompany His Highness inside."

The crowd obeyed and just as they looked up, they saw the Regent had already advanced into the courtyard.

With his tall stature and long strides, he walked with a dragon's grace and a tiger's strength. His black satin boots splashed through puddles, sending droplets flying, while the hem of his cloak undulated with each step.

"Sir Qin, this umbrella..."

Watching his master's retreating figure, Qin Yanzhi saw him hurry off without even bothering with the umbrella and sighed inwardly. Taking the umbrella from the eunuch's hand, he said, "Everyone, you may leave."

It was a rare rainy day. After breakfast, Jiang Wanqing settled in the side hall to read.

Li Gui Ren had been quiet for a few days, but that morning she began to cry again. Her weeping sounded mournful, but as the rain fell, her sobs seemed to tire, fading away.

Bao'er and Rong Ding attended her side. The day was overcast, and the sound of the rain was soft and continuous, making Bao'er drowsy and yawn repeatedly.

Jiang Wanqing flipped through the pages of a thin booklet nonchalantly, some of the pages worn and tattered.

After more than half an hour, a disturbance arose outside, not the gentle sound of raindrops but more like the approach of hurried footsteps.

Bao'er, leaning against a bookshelf and fighting off sleep, looked up blankly upon hearing the noise.

Rong Ding, however, was alert: "Your Highness, something's happening outside—"

Jiang Wanqing tossed the book aside, covering it with a few pieces of torn cloth, and said calmly, "Rong Ding, go have a look." Once he left, she had Bao'er help her put on her shoes and get down from the couch, then pointed outside and asked, "Yong'an Hall is in that direction, right? I remember correctly, don't I?"

Bao'er, puzzled, replied, "Yes, Your Highness."

Jiang Wanqing approached the dressing table, picked up a white silk flower prepared earlier, and pinned it into her coiffed hair. Then, she grabbed a string of jade beads from a drawer, clutching it tightly in her hand.

The footsteps in the courtyard drew nearer, intermingled with the delicate sound of water splashing.

Jiang Wanqing took a deep breath and solemnly knelt in the direction of Yong'an Hall, her mind racing through the troubles and hardships she had encountered since arriving in ancient times, her eyes quickly reddening.

Bao'er, worried, said: "Your Highness, why have you knelt down? Please get up. With such heavy rain outside, aren't you afraid of injuring your legs—ah!"

She gasped and covered her mouth, stepping back until she hit a cabinet.

A medium-sized dog, drenched, had run in from somewhere, tail wagging happily, circling around her before moving to Jiang Wanqing's side.

Bao'er quickly spread her arms to protect her mistress, angrily saying: "You little beast, don't come near our mistress!"

The puppy's eyes, filled with innocence, looked up at her, whimpering twice as if to plead, then, seeing that neither Bao'er nor Jiang Wanqing paid it any attention, slowly walked to the door, shaking off the rainwater from its fur.

Bao'er smiled, lips pursed: "You're quite sensible, not splashing rainwater on the mistress."

She approached, bent down to pick up the dog, and asked softly, "Little one, how did you end up here?"

Just as she finished speaking, Rong Ding's voice suddenly rose from outside, the young man's usually soft and gentle tone deliberately raised: "Greetings to His Highness the Regent, may the Regent be forever safe."

Bao'er was startled, her mind buzzing. Holding the dog, she knelt down in a flurry.

Soon, a pair of man's black satin boots entered her field of vision, stopping right in front of her.

Bao'er's heart thumped wildly, her gaze following the boots upward, only to see a dark cloak embroidered with cranes and auspicious clouds, the hem edged in meticulous golden stitching.

Ling Zhao stood in silence, his cloak perfectly still.

The sound of rain intensified outside, each droplet striking the window ledge, echoing like it hit directly in the heart.

Seven years had passed.

He finally returned to this palace that felt like a cage, rightfully and officially, back to her side. Hence, in the desolate and once-grand Longhua Palace, his eyes saw only one person.

Yet, what she left him with was merely a cold silhouette.

Jiang Wanqing knelt quietly on the ground, her back to him, a white silk flower atop her head, teetering as if about to fall, much like a white plum in the bitter wind and rain, poised yet precarious.

Ling Zhao's gaze lingered on the plain white silk flower.

Amidst her jet-black hair, only that stark white flower stood out, not just marking her status as the late emperor's widow but also reminding him—seven years have changed everything.

What was once a mutual affection had turned into silent estrangement.

His hand tightened beneath the cloak, Ling Zhao struggled to suppress the turmoil within, and spoke lightly, "The humidity is heavy on rainy days, stand up to talk."

Jiang Wanqing remained unmoved.

It was Bao'er who crisply responded, "Thank you, Your Highness!"

Rong Ding's eyebrows lifted at the naive simplicity of the young palace maid, and he couldn't help but smile softly.

Bao'er, holding the puppy and unable to assist Jiang Wanqing, impulsively handed the dog to Rong Ding, not caring who he was, then quickly returned to her mistress's side, whispering, "Your Highness, let me help you up."

Jiang Wanqing, counting her prayer beads, remained expressionless, her voice carrying a despair as if her heart had died, "With a dead heart, the body becomes but an empty shell. What use is there in well-being?"

Bao'er was shocked, never having heard the Empress speak such disheartened words before, as if truly all was lost, and she no longer wished to live.

A crisp cool fragrance wafted through the room, yet what Ling Zhao couldn't shake off, what kept haunting him, was the stench of blood from that year, his blood staining his clothing in a mottled pattern.

His fists clenched till the knuckles turned white, his features were all frost, "Do you think he can hear you through a golden nanmu coffin?"

Jiang Wanqing softly said, "Whether he can hear or not, what does it matter? With the Emperor gone, all my hopes and reasons for living vanished, leaving only Fuwa…" Her slender neck slowly drooped, her voice tinged with sorrow, "…he is the Emperor's only child."

Ling Zhao's anger surged, "He wasn't borne by you."

Jiang Wanqing sighed, "Fuwa is the Emperor's flesh and blood, a child I'm willing to protect with my life. And you, Your Highness…" She turned, tears glittering in her reddened eyes, "…would you treat him kindly?"

Through seven long years, through the winds of the north and the rains of the imperial city, through the intangible net woven of cold fragrance, she finally turned to look at him again.

Those familiar tear-filled eyes, which had wandered through his dreams countless times.

Even a heart forged in steel softened at this moment.

However, Jiang Wanqing's gaze was cold, the tears in her eyes not for him, and her words cut like knives, "For seven years, I've remembered that during the palace banquet, you hastily made excuses to return home, raising your cup without a toast, always owing me the address of sister-in-law."

She regarded him as if he were a stranger, "…Seventh Brother."

The air stilled for a moment.

The last two words fell, and even Qin Rongding, known for his always smiling demeanor, changed his expression, secretly sweating for the courageous Empress.

Bao'er, not understanding, looked at Ling Zhao, whose expression was darker than the storm outside, both frightened and puzzled—wasn't the Emperor older than His Highness? The Empress was his sister-in-law, so what was wrong with calling him "Seventh Brother"? Pondering, she vaguely remembered what Jin Yang Princess had mentioned… The Empress used to call him "Seventh Brother" affectionately since childhood.

The frost in Ling Zhao's eyes finally burst into a tempest, a furious storm consuming everything. He parted his lips, his voice taut, "—Qin Rongding."

Even the puppy in his arms felt the Regent's thunderous rage, squirming uneasily. Qin Rongding held it tighter, offering Bao'er a strained smile, "The puppy is wet; miss, come with me to find a cloth to dry its fur."

Naturally, Bao'er was reluctant; though naive, she sensed the Regent's hostility and did not want to leave Jiang Wanqing's side at such a moment.

Qin Yanzhi frowned, ignoring the little palace maid's resistance, holding the dog with one arm and forcefully pulling her arm, dragging her out.

Unable to break free, Bao'er looked back with every step, tears streaming down her face, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Let me go—"

Until she was pulled out the door, until the door closed, completely isolating the two inside, her cries of 'Your Majesty' remained fearless, boldly facing the man with the power of life and death.

Those eyes, which had once captivated many noblemen, hid a calm defiance in their serene depths...

It was a clear provocation.

The author's note: The heroine fears

The hero feels like vomiting blood every

The only winner, the little emperor, gained a cat and a

Chapter 10

The door closed.

Bao'er was still outside, knocking on the door, calling out in panic, "Empress, Empress."

But at this moment, Bao'er's voice and the sound of rain outside seemed to come from a distant place, not quite clear.

Ling Zhao, with a cold face, maintaining a forced calm, with fists clenched tightly and veins bulging on his forehead, took two steps closer, his voice low: "Will you stand up or not?"

Jiang Wanqing remained kneeling on the ground, turning her head away: "I'm not kneeling for you."

Ling Zhao let out a cold laugh.

Jiang Wanqing only saw him stride over, and before she could react, she was suddenly lifted into the air, her vision blurred, the world turned upside down—by the time she regained her senses, she found herself being carried on the man's shoulder, her hairpin fell to the ground, her hair cascading down like a waterfall, and a lone white silk flower also drifted to the floor.

Ling Zhao glanced at the silk flower out of the corner of his eye, seemingly unintentionally stepping on it as he passed.

Jiang Wanqing felt dizzy, managing only to cry out "How dare you!" before being gently placed on the couch. She sat up, still in shock, her face pale but flushed with anger: "You, you are outrageously bold and disrespectful, how dare you!"

Ling Zhao simply laughed: "…That sounds much more pleasant to my ears."

Jiang Wanqing's hair was disheveled, black strands messily falling onto her shoulders and back, a few locks on her forehead making her look pitiful. She clenched the prayer beads in her hand, her eyes filled with anger: "Shameless."

Ling Zhao, who had been bending down to speak with her, now knelt on one knee, looking directly into her eyes: "Bold, shameless, how dare you... After seven years, out of all the insults in the world, you still only know these few."

He sighed, a soft light flickering in his eyes as he softened his tone, "Seeing you like this, has anyone in the palace bullied you? Ling Xuan has confined you here, you... must have suffered."

Jiang Wanqing had been quite startled by his abrupt and forceful act of lifting her over his shoulder earlier. Now, regaining her composure and her heartbeat slowing, she wasn't in the mood to play out a script of long-lost lovers reuniting. Seeing him reach out to brush away the hair from her face, she coldly rebuffed him.

Ling Zhao smiled, not the least bit annoyed, "Are you angry?" His gaze dropped to her knees, asking, "How long have you been kneeling? Do your knees hurt?"

To any onlooker, this scene would be astonishing. The Regent was known for his stern demeanor, rarely seen smiling warmly at anyone over the past seven years, only offering cold smirks.

But Jiang Wanqing treated his words as if they were just wind passing by her ears: "As I was saying—"

Ling Zhao sighed, his voice softening, "Be good, listen, don't be stubborn to the detriment of your own health."

Hearing his increasingly unreasonable words, Jiang Wanqing felt the emotions suppressed for seven years erupt. She feared he might even forget this was the imperial palace, thinking they were back in the Minister's residence, merely a couple bickering.

Unable to bear it, she withdrew her foot that had lost a shoe, covering it with a thin blanket, and stated firmly, "I am the Empress Dowager of the late Emperor, the biological mother of the current Emperor, your imperial sister-in-law—this must have already been conveyed to you by Princess Jinyang."

The smile faded from Ling Zhao's face as he stood up, "I don't believe it."

Jiang Wanqing responded coldly, "Now that I have told you myself, you still do not believe?"

Ling Zhao fell silent.

Jiang Wanqing's deep, black eyes calmly met his, devoid of any lingering affection, "My lord, since childhood, I have been well-versed in 'The Admonitions for Women' and 'The Virtues of Women'. A woman follows her husband in marriage, and her son upon her husband's death. From the day I became the Crown Prince's wife, my heart belonged to only one man. Now that the late Emperor has passed, my heart is dead. All I wish for the rest of my life is to preserve the little bloodline he left behind, hoping only that the Emperor may grow up safely and govern in peace one day."

The color drained from Ling Zhao's face as he looked around, "He confined you in—"

Jiang Wanqing interrupted softly, "What the late Emperor did to me is a matter between husband and wife. The details need not be shared with outsiders. Lord, all you need to know is that however my husband treated me, it was with my full consent."

Ling Zhao nodded, his voice hoarse, "Such willing consent."

Jiang Wanqing fell silent for a moment, then lifted the blanket, intending to stand up. However, her right shoe was on the other side, so she had to step down with just one shoe on, taking a step forward.

Ling Zhao said, "Sit down."

His tone carried little emotion.

Hesitating for a moment, in that brief time, Ling Zhao had already walked over, picked up the embroidered shoe, and returned to slip it onto her foot.

Jiang Wanqing looked down at him.

When this man stood up straight, he was like a small, immovable mountain, standing alone in the world.

Compared to seven years ago, his features had deepened, shedding all traces of youthfulness, yet in the moment he bent down, a glimpse of his former self could still be seen.

—The young man who doted on her, cherished her, and valued her far more than himself.

In life, the more one yearns for, the more one loses.

Thus, from the moment she transmigrated to the past, becoming the 'Jiang Wanqing' of the book, she set her life's primary and sole goal—to complete her mission and return to the modern era.

Hence, for the people here, remaining detached and uninvolved is the only sensible course, to avoid future indecision caused by emotional entanglements.

Fuwa may be an exception, but Ling Zhao will not.

She knew early on that he was the novel's male protagonist, and his cherished 'Jiang Wanqing' was merely a role she meticulously played, step by step towards a supposed mutual affection, all through reluctantly honed acting skills. Strategy outweighed sincerity, with genuine feelings being pitifully scarce.

Ling Zhao stood up.

Jiang Wanqing stepped back to maintain a safe distance, looking at him, "Lord, will the Emperor ever rule in his own right?"

Without hesitation, Ling Zhao answered, "No."

This was the expected answer. Jiang Wanqing breathed a sigh of relief and asked directly, "Do you wish to be the Emperor?"

Ling Zhao calmly admitted, "Yes." After a pause, he closed his eyes, reopening them with a clear and straightforward gaze, "I owe him nothing... Wanwan, we owe him nothing."

Jiang Wanqing, knowing he referred to Ling Xuan and not the young Emperor, replied, "Wanwan is not for you to call. Even if you take advantage of the Emperor's youth and weakness to usurp the throne, I remain your imperial sister-in-law. That will never change. Respect your elders. Better recognize the reality sooner."

Ling Zhao, infuriated, scoffed derisively, "When Ling Xuan welcomed you as the Crown Princess, I was ordered to defend the Great Xia's borders, besieged by the Northern Qiang tribes, battling for a month with twenty-six wounds. After Ling Xuan ascended the throne, the capital thrived in peace and prosperity, thanks to what? Was it not the result of my leading the soldiers in the bitter defense of the north, risking our lives for this flourishing era?"

He approached the indifferent woman, lowered his head slightly, and asked slowly, in a low and steady voice, "Years of hard battles led to the retreat of the Northern Qiang. Now that the world is at peace, shouldn't I reclaim what I deserve?"

Jiang Wanqing, calm and composed, replied, "It's right for you to take back what you deserve, but as the Empress of the late Emperor, I also have my duties to uphold."

After a moment of silence, she lifted her gaze, her eyes now fierce, "Failing to protect the Emperor's throne is my fault. I've failed the late Emperor and have no face to live. Please, Lord, grant me death as mercy!"

Since entering, Ling Zhao had felt more aggrieved than in the past seven years combined, so much so he felt it might shorten his life by ten years. Yet, nothing angered him as much as her final statement. Thunderstruck, he incredulously asked, "What did you say?"

Jiang Wanqing smiled, "For a consort to commit suicide is a grave sin. When you ascend the throne, please grant me a decree allowing me to follow the late Emperor. It would be a release for both me and you."

Finally addressing the main issue, she felt a surge of satisfaction, her expression solemn, "Whether you're the Regent or you ascend the throne by manipulation, as long as I live, I will never cease to remind you of the illegitimacy of your rule! Even if you avoid seeing me, I will curse you daily. The way you've obtained the throne is exactly how you'll lose it, and one day you'll meet a bad end!"

Ling Zhao was speechless for a long time, his hands trembling under his cloak, until finally, he laughed in anger, "I've been cursed by countless Northern Qiang people in the past; one more from you makes no difference!"

He looked at her cold gaze, laughed again with self-mockery and disappointment, his voice lowering, "Wanwan, I fought wars for seven years, always with the thought of surviving to see you... Is this all you have to say to me?"

Not asking about his hardships outside, whether he had been injured or faced dangers.

She only said, she desired nothing but for him to grant her death.

Jiang Wanqing indifferently stated, "Serving as a subject and leading troops to pacify territories is your duty as a lord."

Enraged, Ling Zhao fiercely smashed a teacup on the table, which broke into pieces with a sharp, sudden sound, scattering cold tea all over the floor. His chest heaved, and his eyes reddened, "If this is what you wish, I shall fulfill it. Hard for you, such devoted loyalty towards him!"

Jiang Wanqing was inwardly delighted, but to hide it from him, she quickly turned away, adopting a haughty and disdainful demeanor.

Ling Zhao kicked open the door and stormed out.

Hearing the noise, Jiang Wanqing finally allowed herself a satisfied smile. After several deep breaths to calm her excited emotions, she turned around only to find him returning the same way, standing at the door with a dark expression, "One more thing."

Jiang Wanqing nearly had a heart attack, hastily masking her smile, and glanced at him coldly, "What is it?"

Ling Zhao, expressionless, said, "That dog was supposed to be sent to Tai'an Palace. It was due to the negligence of those below that it entered the palace. I came to take it back—" he turned his face away, his tone cold and hard, "—it wasn't an intentional visit."

With that, he turned and left, slamming the door so hard it echoed.

Jiang Wanqing watched the dust fall from the door for a long time before muttering, "…Crazy."

Author's Note: The male lead: Losing the argument, but this last bit of dignity, I still need it TAT.