Qing Xia knelt half-way on the ground, lying beside the bamboo bed watching Qin Zhiyan’s expression. Sorrow slowly surged in her heart, but she couldn’t do anything—she could only sit quietly by his side, helplessly watching his pain.

Time passed minute by minute, yet Qin Zhiyan’s complexion grew increasingly pale, his body emanating a deathly chill, as if he were already a corpse.

Qing Xia slowly reached out her hand and tightly grasped Qin Zhiyan’s hand.

Without speaking, without words, just holding tightly.

There was a person who suddenly appeared in her life, suddenly walked in so boldly and openly, and by the time the owner noticed, roots had already taken hold.

Qing Xia pressed her lips together tightly. She tremblingly reached out her hand to touch Qin Zhiyan’s forehead, speaking softly: “I will definitely help you.”

I will definitely take you out of here. Once upon a time, someone had said these words to her, and now, grasping that person’s hand, her voice was light but firm as she said, “I will definitely help you.”

The wind outside the window blew gently. Qing Xia wore a moon-white long dress, the hem stained with faint bloodstains. She held Qin Zhiyan’s hand, slowly resting her head against his body. Tears gradually moistened the bedding, and she pressed her lips together tightly. After a long while, her shoulders trembled slightly.

The thin man lay with his eyes closed, seeming to have already fallen asleep, the air completely quiet.

After a very long time, the woman also seemed to have fallen asleep.

“Yima’er…”

A deep voice sounded in the room, so faint it was barely audible, yet it clearly rang out: “I’m… sorry…”

The moon gradually slid down from the treetops, and the long night was about to pass.

When morning came, it was Qin Zhiyan who gently pushed Qing Xia’s shoulder. She opened her sleepy eyes and saw Qin Zhiyan’s warm smile.

Though his complexion was still pale, it was no longer the deathly gray of the night. His eyes sparkled with gentle light, his lips had regained their color. He sat on the bed, looking at Qing Xia who had rested her head on his leg, smiling faintly: “You’re awake.”

Qing Xia slowly raised her head, slightly stunned. After a moment, she smiled gently: “I’m awake.”

Just as she was about to stand up, her feet suddenly gave way and she nearly fell to the ground—kneeling on the ground all night had made her legs completely numb. Qin Zhiyan quickly supported Qing Xia’s body with swift hands, hurriedly getting down from the bed to help her sit on the bed frame. He crouched in front of her, gently massaging Qing Xia’s legs, speaking softly: “Are your legs numb?”

“Oh… yes.” Qing Xia was stunned for a while before reacting and quickly responding.

Qin Zhiyan gently tapped Qing Xia’s legs, again and again, his head slightly lowered. Bright sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating his face and creating a golden halo. Qing Xia felt momentarily dazed. She stared blankly at Qin Zhiyan until he slowly raised his head to look at her, smiling as he said: “Feeling better?”

It was as if everything from the previous night was just a nightmare Qing Xia had experienced. But the dark red bloodstains on her clothes served as a stark reminder that everything had truly happened.

A trace of melancholy crept into Qing Xia’s heart. She nodded without speaking.

By tacit agreement, neither of them mentioned the events of the night. When they closed the green bamboo door, a gentle breeze blew from the distance, lifting the white hem of Qing Xia’s dress. She looked up at the strange halos and beautiful birds in the sky, feeling as if something in her heart had been locked away along with that door—so many memories and newly sprouted emotions were sealed within that bamboo door.

Petals scattered everywhere with the breeze, dancing in the air. In front of the verdant bamboo forest, the white-clothed woman with clear, beautiful features looked like a transcendent fairy.

“Yima’er, let’s go.”

Passing through the dense bamboo forest, around the steaming hot springs, across a clear stream, they reached a hillside covered with yellow flowers.

Everything here was so magical. The sky seemed so close, as if within reach, as though one could grasp sunlight with an outstretched hand. Yet when standing on the hilltop, one discovered that what seemed so near was still watching from afar.

This was the Azure Wood Hall of Emperor Qin’s Mausoleum, not some paradise. More than a thousand years ago, a woman had guarded this place alone until her death. Now they were leaving this place—outside there might be storms, but there was also more important reality and hope.

Standing on the hilltop, Qing Xia turned around to see the hillside covered with yellow flowers. Qin Zhiyan wore a blue-green long robe, his brows and eyes distant, his smile gentle. His black hair was tied up, floating softly in the breeze.

“Qin Zhiyan, after we leave, we’ll still be friends, right?”

Qin Zhiyan smiled faintly. In her memory, he always smiled with such light, carefree manner, never showing any other expression.

“Yes.”

“Mm.” Qing Xia nodded heavily, then resolutely turned around.

In the distant expanse of heaven and earth, a massive green gate that could almost support the sky itself stood majestically, towering high into the clouds. Standing beneath it, Qing Xia seemed as small as an ant.

The gate bore ancient patterns and strange birds and beasts. Large patches of fiery red flowing clouds drifted in the sky, their colors extraordinarily magnificent. A faint woody fragrance gently echoed in the air. Qing Xia reached out her hand—the wound on her hand still hadn’t healed and was wrapped in layers of white cloth, exposing only a small section of pale fingertip. Feeling along the heavy, ancient patterns, a sense of millennia of vicissitudes suddenly surged in her heart.

A thousand years ago, hadn’t there also been such a woman, wearing a simple moon-white dress, standing gently outside this door, softly touching it?

“Rumble!” A thunderous sound suddenly rang out. Qing Xia was slightly startled, feeling as if someone on the other side of the door was violently pounding against it. With a change of thought, she slowly turned around to look directly at Qin Zhiyan standing behind her.

The man’s gaze also swept over. He looked at Qing Xia with a calm expression, not a trace of turbulence, yet still with hints of warmth flowing from the corners of his eyes.

“Qin Zhiyan, will you forget me?”

Another thunderous rumble shook dust from the massive gate, cascading down. Qin Zhiyan reached out to shield Qing Xia from the dust in front of her eyes, then shook his head: “No.”

“That’s good,” Qing Xia smiled slightly: “I won’t either.”

“Yima’er!”

Just as she was about to reach out, Qin Zhiyan suddenly called out to Qing Xia. Qing Xia was startled but didn’t turn around, only listening to the man behind her speak faintly: “In this world, many people are born destined to bear certain missions and responsibilities. I am the same.”

Nodding faintly, Qing Xia took a deep breath and reached out to give a gentle push. The heavy wooden door suddenly rumbled, making a tremendous sound of millennia of vicissitudes, then slowly opened under Qing Xia’s gentle touch.

The gate that those on the other side had tried so hard to open without success now thundered open under Qing Xia’s light touch.

The magnificent main hall of the royal tomb gradually appeared before their eyes, yet Qing Xia no longer had any mind to appreciate it, because the moment the door opened, she also saw thousands of densely packed light-armored soldiers. Their anxious gazes passed directly through Qing Xia, projecting to the space behind her, then gradually transformed into wild joy.

“Third Prince!” The deafening voices rang out simultaneously as all soldiers knelt down in unison, spreading their joy as they looked up at that man who, despite wearing a blue-green long robe under the sunlight, still radiated sharp brilliance.

“All rise.” A deep voice sounded behind her. The man walked forward from behind Qing Xia, passing by her with firm steps, showing no trace of weakness or fatigue, like a general commanding thousands of troops, possessing heavy authority and charisma.

“Your Highness, are you unharmed?” Zhongbo’s delighted voice rang out from the crowd. The elderly man rushed forward with joy on his face, then suddenly noticed Qing Xia behind Qin Zhiyan and called out strangely: “Miss Tang?”

Yes, after passing through that great door, the former Qin Zhiyan became the Third Prince, and Yima’er became Miss Tang.

Like Pangu’s giant axe suddenly cleaving a great chasm between the two.

She stood on this side, unable to cross over. And he would absolutely never come over.

“Your Highness! The Northern Xiongnu troops attacked Fengya City. General Mu completely routed them, and the Yan Regiment has occupied Fengya. Should we further occupy the northern territories?”

“Your Highness! The Feng and Li great families were plundered by the Northern Xiongnu, and most of the family descendants died in the chaos. Thanks to General Mu’s timely arrival, the common people suffered no casualties.”

“Your Highness! The Northern Border Camp is now under the control of the Yan Regiment. The Feng family’s personal army died in the river when the great river burst its banks while crossing Cangwu River.”

“Your Highness! The Southern Border barbarian tribes have broken with Southern Chu, Eastern Qi has declared war on Chu, Xichuan is supplying grain to Southern Chu. Should we join the war?”

“Your Highness…”

Chaotic voices continuously echoed in Qing Xia’s ears. She looked at that distant figure who, though thin, remained upright, and felt a wave of desperate confusion. She suddenly couldn’t suppress the urge to turn around and take one more look at the beautiful landscape behind that Azure Wood gate, but in the end she restrained herself. She slowly withdrew from the crowd, step by step walking out of Qin’s most sacred main hall.

Ahead lay the brightly lit main hall pathway leading to that cold but real world outside.

Behind her was a large group of Qin’s military nobility and generals. They surrounded Qin Zhiyan, forming a cold human wall that blocked even sight itself.

“Qin Zhiyan, what’s the first thing you most want to do after we get out?” “Gather people and seal the imperial tomb.”

“Qin Zhiyan, if we two walk out of here, wouldn’t we also be tainted with worldly concerns?” “What we have isn’t being tainted with worldly concerns—what we have is treating money like dirt.”