After dawn broke, the slaughter within the capital gradually ceased.

Empress Chu’s troops first secured the imperial palace, then surrounded Xiao Yu as he walked out. Xiao Yu wore dragon robes, gripped a blade in his hand, and proclaimed loudly:

“Empress Chu returns to court. The Xie clan admits guilt. Lay down your weapons and you won’t be killed.”

Then the masked Xie Yanlai knelt and surrendered with bound hands.

The true Xie clan members died fighting in the chaos. The remaining troops mobilized by the Xie clan, seeing the situation was hopeless, all abandoned resistance.

Officials were also invited out from their homes. Even citizens who hadn’t been invited ran out, surging forward shouting about protecting the Son of Heaven and welcoming Empress Chu—

But everyone only saw the Emperor. They didn’t see Empress Chu.

“Was she injured?”

“She must still be busy.”

The people discussed amongst themselves, worried and uneasy.

Chu Zhao was indeed injured, though it didn’t impede her movement. She also wasn’t busy, strolling leisurely through a shaded garden. Beside her, Xiao Man held a blade in one hand and a cup of wine in the other.

Around them, over a dozen guards followed closely, their footsteps breaking the residence’s quiet.

“Third Young Master’s residence always has hidden depths, truly distinctive,” Chu Zhao said, looking around with an admiring expression.

Ahead, Steward Cai standing beneath a clump of osmanthus trees by the entrance said coldly: “Now all under heaven belongs to you. You can view a residence anytime. Third Young Master’s lucid time is only this brief—you’d best not miss it.”

Chu Zhao said nothing more, smiled, and walked forward. Xiao Man and the guards followed. So many people surging inside could fill the room.

“Is Empress Chu so timid?” Steward Cai sneered. “Our young master is in such a state.”

Chu Zhao stopped and glanced at him.

“Even if Third Young Master were a corpse laid out here, I would still be vigilant,” she said. “This is a compliment. You should be pleased.”

Before Steward Cai could respond, laughter came from inside.

Though the man’s voice wasn’t as strong as before, it still rang clear as spring water: “The Empress speaks correctly. I’m very pleased by your compliment.”

Chu Zhao said nothing more and stepped inside to see Xie Yanfang on the gauze-draped bed.

His black hair fell loosely, his pale face like paper, thin lips completely bloodless. Ethereal and pure, yet unreal as ink-washed distant mountains in a painting.

“After a year apart, Third Young Master has grown much thinner,” she said.

Xie Yanfang smiled: “The Empress has also grown thin. You’ve suffered.”

“To achieve what one desires requires enduring hardships ordinary people don’t endure,” Chu Zhao said.

Xie Yanfang nodded: “Indeed. So I’m very pleased—Empress, you still returned after all.”

So he also achieved what he desired? She who didn’t want to be Empress still had to fight her way back to be Empress.

Chu Zhao walked toward the bedside.

“Hey, be careful.” Xiao Man blocked her, saying quietly, glaring viciously at the young master lying down.

Her own arm had been crippled by his hand.

Though this person was now as fragile as thin porcelain, that faint smile and the cold aura emanating from his entire body still made one’s heart grow cold.

“No need to worry. Third Young Master can’t bear to kill me now,” Chu Zhao said, taking the wine cup from Xiao Man’s hand and sitting down by the bed.

Xie Yanfang watched her with a smile.

“Everyone from the Xie family fled,” Chu Zhao said. “Why didn’t you flee?”

After entering the city, besides going to the imperial palace, they had also sent troops to attack the Xie residence. But the Xie family members had all vanished—even the servants were gone.

Only Xie Yanfang remained.

It couldn’t be because Xie Yanfang was too ill to move or wasn’t worth moving and was abandoned.

To the Xie family, even if Xie Yanfang were a corpse, they would treasure and take him along.

“Me?” Xie Yanfang said, leaning against his pillow to look at her. “I was waiting for you.”

Chu Zhao made an “oh” sound: “That’s right. Of course watching a trapped beast enter its cage is most satisfying in person.”

Xie Yanfang laughed, neither confirming nor denying.

“Fleeing or not fleeing makes no difference. The Xie clan’s crimes are established. Throughout the vast realm, there is no land that is not the sovereign’s,” Chu Zhao said. “The Xie clan cannot escape.”

Xie Yanfang nodded: “The Empress speaks correctly.” He leaned against his pillow, looking around the room. “All things in heaven and earth living and dying, rising and falling—it’s all fate. The Xie clan didn’t exist in the beginning. If it’s gone, it’s gone.”

Chu Zhao laughed: “You sound like you don’t care about the Xie clan’s fate.”

“I’ve accepted it,” Xie Yanfang said with a smile.

“You haven’t accepted anything. You only care whether life, death, rise, and fall are within your expectations. If they are, you accept it. If they’re not, you absolutely won’t let it go,” Chu Zhao said flatly. “Xie Yanfang, you’re actually the person in this world who accepts things the least—because you’ve only ever seen yourself.”

Xie Yanfang raised his hand to touch his brow, as if pondering her words: “Is that so? But this isn’t important. As long as the Empress returns, that’s good.”

Chu Zhao laughed: “See? Even now you only care about this, only see yourself. You can’t see me.”

Xie Yanfang looked at her.

Chu Zhao gently swirled the wine cup in her hand.

“Third Young Master, I returned in order to leave.”

“This is the lesson you taught me, Third Young Master.”

“Previously I believed A’Yu had grown up and you were genuinely protecting him. With you in this realm, I could retreat peacefully.”

“Later I learned that the only one who can let you retreat peacefully is yourself.”

“This time returning, I came to do exactly that.”

Xie Yanfang frowned and said: “Unless you sit here and grasp it with your own hands, how could there be anyone trustworthy in this world to let you be at peace?”

Chu Zhao said: “It’s about making people trust me.”

Saying this, her eyes brightened with a smile. She leaned closer to Xie Yanfang and said quietly:

“Deng Yi is still alive. He can still be used.”

Xie Yanfang looked at the girl leaning close and said: “Impressive. I truly didn’t expect that.”

His eyes curved with a full smile—genuine praise.

“Also, the Custodian Guards imprisoned in jail—you didn’t kill them. Having experienced this life-and-death ordeal, they’re even more useful now.”

“I’ll think of some new methods to rebuild the court into clarity.”

“More importantly—”

Hearing this, Xie Yanfang took over, saying with a smile: “More importantly—Yunzhong Commandery. With troops in hand, ruling divided territories.”

Chu Zhao’s eyes brightened. She asked: “How is it? My arrangement is pretty good, right?”

“Deng Yi enters court to control A’Yu. A’Yu wields the Custodian Guards to control court officials. You distance yourself from court, using Yunzhong Commandery as a shield—both A’Yu’s backing and A’Yu’s—threat.” Xie Yanfang said thoughtfully. “These three or four parties depend on yet guard against each other. It’s truly chaotic yet cohesive, tension and relaxation well-balanced.”

Chu Zhao was like a student hearing praise, her eyes smiling into crescents.

Watching her smile, Xie Yanfang also smiled gently.

Though they had experienced life-and-death combat at the hunting grounds, it seemed as if nothing had happened between them.

“However, I still don’t understand—what’s wrong with you staying here?” Xie Yanfang sighed lightly.

“Perhaps because if I stayed here, I would no longer be myself,” Chu Zhao said.

Xie Yanfang raised his head to look at her. After over a year apart, she had grown somewhat thinner—black hair, pale face—but her eyes still shone brilliant as stars.

Through those eyes, standing here was still that girl who had rushed to his home to befriend him.

She was still weighing things.

Weighing whether people and matters were worth her sinking into.

Xie Yanfang nodded: “I understand now.”

This imperial city wasn’t worth her sinking into.

He wasn’t worth her sinking into either.

Chu Zhao also looked at him: “However, there’s something I don’t quite understand either. Third Young Master, you should understand what kind of person I am. Why did you insist on trying to control me?”

Xie Yanfang said nothing. His gaze fell on her hand and asked: “Is this wine for me?”

Chu Zhao lowered her eyes to the wine cup in her hand and said: “Yes.”

Xie Yanfang reached out. The girl didn’t hand over the cup, seeming somewhat hesitant.

He smiled slightly and reached forward again. His slender fingers grasped the wine cup and also grasped the girl’s hand.

Chu Zhao froze for a moment. The next instant, the cool fingers withdrew, taking the wine cup away.

Xie Yanfang drained the wine in one drink, then collapsed against his pillow.

“Probably because—” he said, “of love.”

Was this answering her question? Chu Zhao looked at him.

Xie Yanfang smiled at her.

“I thought I loved myself,” he said. “Turns out I didn’t.”

Didn’t what? Chu Zhao was slightly stunned. Looking again, Xie Yanfang had already closed his eyes. The white porcelain-like jade wine cup slipped away.

He slept peacefully.

……

……

When A’Le entered, there were no more guards inside the room. Only Chu Zhao sat alone by the bedside, finally able to examine this Third Young Master Xie at ease and leisure.

She watched and watched, then couldn’t help but smile.

Third Young Master Xie probably didn’t know—in that life, he had also examined her corpse like this.

Though he probably hadn’t looked as carefully as she was looking now.

After all, that life’s Empress Chu truly wasn’t worth a second glance.

“Miss,” A’Le said softly, “are you all right?”

Chu Zhao turned to look at her: “Why wouldn’t I be all right?”

A’Le stepped forward, looked left and right, and lowered her voice: “Xiao Man told me—she said Xie Yanfang, he, he said he loved you.”

Who would have thought—Xie Yanfang actually harbored affection for Miss?

After killing someone who said they loved you, surely your mood would be not quite good, right?

Especially since this was Xie Yanfang! A’Le couldn’t help glancing at the bed. Though he’d been ill and weak so long, the young master remained pleasing to the eye.

Chu Zhao understood and laughed: “I’m not unwell. This is very good. I’m very pleased—though I’m pleased for myself.”

She looked at Xie Yanfang.

“His loving me isn’t because he’s so good—it’s because I’m good.”

Xie Yanfang had also said this once—she was worthy of his affection.

Though at that time she couldn’t feel it deeply, now she already understood the meaning of these words.

If she were still that life’s Chu Zhao, how could Xie Yanfang love her?

Now she wouldn’t get excited or even grateful because someone liked her.

She would only love herself more, be grateful to herself.

Chu Zhao stood up, reached out to gently caress Xie Yanfang’s face, smiled, turned, and walked outside.

……

……

Outside the Xie residence, troops lined up like a forest. As Chu Zhao emerged, she paused slightly until she saw a bright yellow figure.

“Elder Sister.” Xiao Yu jumped down from horseback, calling out as he ran over.

After two steps he stopped, his eyes timid as he looked at her.

Chu Zhao said: “Your Majesty.”

She called him Your Majesty… Xiao Yu’s already pale face turned even paler. He tried to squeeze out a smile, but didn’t know if the smile he squeezed out looked worse than crying.

“Do you have something to say to me?” Chu Zhao asked again.

Xiao Yu murmured: “I’m sorry.”

He stepped forward.

“Sister Chu, I’m sorry. I was wrong. I shouldn’t have hurt you relying on your affection for me.”

Chu Zhao shook her head and said: “No. You shouldn’t fail to treasure what you possess. A’Yu, that you survived is good fortune. You should treasure everything—whether it’s me or others, and this Great Xia.”

Xiao Yu nodded: “Yes, Elder Sister. I understand now.”

Chu Zhao walked forward, standing before him. The former mischievous child was now almost level with her shoulders.

After dawn broke, he had been running about the city, using his identity as Son of Heaven to comfort the people and awe the traitors. His dragon robes had become somewhat disheveled.

Chu Zhao reached out to gently smooth his collar.

“Then I’ll forgive you this once,” she said, then reached out to poke his forehead. “But I won’t forgive you next time.”

Xiao Yu’s face instantly bloomed with a smile.

“Elder Sister.” He reached out to embrace Chu Zhao, choking out the words.

Chu Zhao let him embrace her, raised her hand to pat him: “All right. Let’s return to the palace. There’s still much to do.”

Return to the palace. Xiao Yu happily straightened: “Yes, let’s return to the palace.”

Chu Zhao smiled and nodded, walking forward.

Xiao Yu paused slightly behind her, looking at his own outstretched hand.

Elder Sister didn’t take his hand again.