Jiang Ruan felt her head throbbing painfully, her entire body light and devoid of strength. She struggled to open her eyes, but saw no bright daylight. A damp, sickly-sweet smell filled her nostrils—both strange and familiar. She forced herself to remember and was startled to realize it was the smell of blood.

She shifted her body and slowly crawled up from the ground.

This was a dark, damp place where black worms crawled across the floor. The worms were rotting and disgusting. Something seemed to flash through her mind, too quick for her to grasp. Her hand touched something hard beside her, with some viscous liquid on it. She struggled to lift her head. Suddenly she heard a “creak” as someone outside seemed to be speaking. A beam of strong sunlight shone in, so bright she could barely keep her eyes open.

A woman’s voice rang out: “Hurry, Her Majesty wants to see with her own eyes. Move faster—don’t keep the Empress waiting on you little sluts.”

Immediately after, several palace maids walked in. Their expressions seemed to show either fear or disgust, strangely lighting oil lamps as they walked deeper inside, all the way to Jiang Ruan’s side. However, they seemed to completely ignore Jiang Ruan’s presence, not even glancing at her. Instead, they bent down to lift something from the ground. Jiang Ruan slowly frowned, watching them warily. Those people acted as if they hadn’t noticed her at all, as if she didn’t exist. Jiang Ruan tentatively stood up, but no one stopped her movements. After thinking, she lowered her head and followed these palace maids out.

As soon as she left that room, she was met with blinding sunlight—she seemed to have not seen such daylight for a long time. Turning around, her gaze met directly with what the palace maid was carrying, startling her heart. She unconsciously stepped back two paces and nearly fell.

The palace maid held a wooden basin containing something monstrous lying face-up. Its limbs were completely invisible, only a basin full of fresh blood could be seen. It no longer resembled a human form. If placed before others, they certainly couldn’t tell what it was, but falling into Jiang Ruan’s eyes, it stirred up stormy waves in her heart. That thing was none other than herself from her previous life! Herself, made into a human pig and beaten to death in a wooden basin!

In the current wooden basin, that “Jiang Ruan” was already dead—just a cold corpse, completely stripped of dignity. Jiang Ruan stood to one side, watching through gritted teeth as the palace maid carried the corpse. A leading palace maid walked in front—that person was clearly Hudie.

Hadn’t Hudie been driven out of the Jiang residence by Jiang Susu long ago and sold to a brothel? How had she become a senior palace maid again? As Jiang Ruan watched, a thought suddenly flashed through her mind. In her previous life, after being beaten to death with clubs, she had been reborn at the manor. What happened after that, she had no way of knowing. Now this corpse still existed, and old acquaintances still looked the same as before. Could it be that Heaven had opened its eyes, allowing her to witness the final outcome of her previous life?

Hudie led the group of palace maids carrying the wooden basin all the way to a garden. Jiang Ruan could see clearly that the flower garden was behind Kunning Palace. Kunning Palace—Jiang Ruan’s heart trembled. Could it be…? Indeed, just as they reached the garden entrance, she heard a familiar voice saying: “This palace doesn’t care about anything else, as long as they cannot reincarnate, never able to be reborn for all eternity. How about that?”

“This poor Daoist will follow Your Majesty’s orders and give his utmost effort.”

Jiang Ruan laughed coldly. Since no one could see her now, she walked inside. Sure enough, the woman sitting on the high seat wore full empress court robes, truly magnificent and noble. Her face smiled like blooming flowers, with features as clear and beautiful as a fairy, carrying several points of reserved nobility. The nine-tailed phoenix hairpin on her head gleamed golden in the sunlight, spreading its wings as if ready to fly. Every movement displayed the nobility of one who ruled over all women under Heaven—it was Jiang Susu.

At this moment, Jiang Susu was leaning sideways in her soft chair. In the vast garden, only she sat while palace maids and eunuchs stood in a row, all showing traces of fear on their faces. The blue-robed man standing before Jiang Susu, dressed as a Daoist, was none other than Daoist Xukong.

So in her previous life, Daoist Xukong had maintained contact with Jiang Susu all along. He hadn’t only contributed to making her bear the fate of bringing misfortune to her husband and mother at the manor—it seemed Jiang Susu had promised him many benefits. Otherwise, how could a wandering Daoist from the wilderness enter the palace? She just didn’t know what he had come to do now.

“Your Majesty, this slave has brought the items,” Hudie stepped forward and said carefully.

Jiang Ruan stood to one side, watching coldly. She saw Jiang Susu, upon hearing this, begin to laugh softly. She laughed extremely beautifully, as if from genuine inner joy, appearing very pleased. Her melodious laughter could be heard throughout the entire garden. She was naturally beautiful, and her smile was also very captivating. But at this moment, the expressions of everyone in the courtyard didn’t show infatuation because of this. Instead, they revealed traces of fear, simply because the monster in the wooden basin looked too terrifying. Ordinary people would feel afraid after just one glance, yet Jiang Susu stared at the contents of the basin with great satisfaction, as if nothing could be more interesting.

Everyone remained quietly silent. After a long while, Jiang Susu seemed to have laughed enough and finally straightened up, casually pointing to one side: “This palace and she were at least nominally sisters. Considering we once lived under the same roof, this palace doesn’t want to be too ruthless. This palace has always been soft-hearted, so I’ll grant them mother and son a reunion.”

These words were spoken lightly, as if weightless, but Jiang Ruan’s heart was shocked. Immediately she felt her blood almost stop flowing, a chill pouring down from head to toe, soaking her entire being until half her heart turned cold. She looked somewhat woodenly in the direction Jiang Susu pointed, and saw a small body lying carelessly on the ground. That body was so familiar that she only needed one glance before tears welled up.

Jiang Ruan let out a difficult shriek from her throat—a sound that no longer seemed human, despair that reached her very bones and transformed into hatred. She had thought that watching Pei’er being violated in the wooden basin and herself being beaten with clubs was the most desperate moment. Only now, seeing Pei’er’s corpse with her own eyes, did she realize how much her heart could hurt. Images already sealed in her memory came vividly alive again—she had never forgotten any of that pain. Jiang Ruan collapsed beside Pei’er, crying heartbrokenly. However, her voice couldn’t reach these people’s ears. The outcome of this life wouldn’t change—she was already dead, and Pei’er was dead too.

The small body lying on the ground was covered with crisscrossing wounds, each one horrifying to behold. Just looking at them was heart-stopping. Even treating a small child, they could be so ruthless. Jiang Ruan felt her heart being cut by knives. What tremendous terror must Pei’er have endured before dying?

“Your Majesty is merciful,” the hypocritical fake Daoist Xukong said fawningly. He quickly walked to Jiang Ruan’s side and picked up Pei’er from the ground. His strength was obviously great, and Pei’er’s small body seemed incredibly fragile in his hands. Jiang Ruan lunged forward, but her hands only passed through Pei’er’s side—she couldn’t touch him at all.

Daoist Xukong grabbed both Pei’er and Jiang Ruan’s corpse, placing them together in a sandalwood box, then closed the lid. Immediately after, several strong guards came forward and nailed the box shut with long nails. The lid was densely covered with yellow talisman papers inscribed with blood-red cinnabar curses that were illegible. Daoist Xukong sat cross-legged before the box, closed his eyes, put his hands together, and chanted for a quarter-hour before suddenly opening his eyes. He reached for a bowl of chicken blood prepared on a nearby table, took a mouthful, and sprayed it all over the coffin-like box. Then he exhaled deeply and ordered people to throw the box into a dried well in the southwest corner of the garden.

After completing all this, Daoist Xukong walked before Jiang Susu, as if claiming credit: “Your Majesty, this poor Daoist has completed the ritual. That demoness and evil star have been sealed in the Nine Star Formation, suppressed under this dried well for all eternity, unable to reincarnate or find liberation. They can never emerge again to harm people.”

“Very good.” Jiang Susu smiled with satisfaction: “Since this palace is the Empress of Great Jin Dynasty, I must bear responsibility for it. Even blood relatives cannot be allowed to destroy Great Jin’s entire realm for personal feelings. Since they are a demoness and evil star, naturally they cannot be allowed to emerge and cause chaos. Daoist, your ritual work was hard. Later this palace will report this matter to His Majesty and record your merit.”

Daoist Xukong was naturally overjoyed: “Many thanks for Your Majesty’s favor.”

While they spoke happily here, Jiang Ruan listened with alternating chills and heat throughout her body. Jiang Susu actually hated her to this extent—even in death, she wouldn’t let her go. Having Daoist Xukong perform rituals to trap her soul in endless torment, never to be reborn! If not for Daoist Xukong being merely a fake Daoist with an empty reputation, wouldn’t everything have gone exactly as she wished? People say the most poisonous is a woman’s heart, but Jiang Susu’s thoughts were truly too extreme!

Jiang Ruan looked toward that pitch-black dried well. So this was her and Pei’er’s final resting place in their previous life—a bottomless dried well deep in the palace, buried deep with rotting fallen leaves. She felt like crying and laughing at the same time. So in her previous life, she had died so miserably that even her final burial place was completely without dignity.

She felt her vision blur, and without her moving, the scene before her eyes changed completely. The door was extremely familiar—wasn’t this the Minister’s residence?

Jiang Quan sat in his study while Jiang Susu, dressed in splendid clothes, subtly revealed arrogance in her manner. Jiang Quan looked rather displeased: “How could you act so recklessly! I told you long ago not to act rashly in this matter. Since she was already paving the way for you, why did you need to do such unnecessary things? If this becomes gossip, wouldn’t all my careful efforts be wasted!”

Xia Yan, with beautiful features and gentle, graceful movements, smiled consolingly: “Master, don’t be angry. Calm your mind and see what Susu has to say. This child isn’t someone without sense. From childhood to now, what kind of person she is—don’t you know?”

Jiang Susu quickly concealed a trace of impatience in her eyes, speaking respectfully and innocently: “Father, your daughter knows her mistake and will never commit such errors again. Your daughter only wanted to frighten her, but didn’t expect the servants to act on their own and make her into such a state. Father, please don’t be angry with your daughter—it’s not worth harming your health. Your daughter will never dare again.”

Her appearance was perfectly submissive and obedient. The anger on Jiang Quan’s face gradually dissipated, and he only sighed deeply: “I originally only wanted to use her to pave the way for you. If the Jiang family could righteously eliminate relatives, we could also earn a good reputation outside, and your position as Empress would be more stable and win more popular support. Now that she was privately disposed of by you, fortunately no one outside discovered it—they only said she committed suicide from guilt. Susu, when you do things, you must do them decisively. You mustn’t leave evidence for others to catch.”

His tone was entirely that of a loving father, every word showing concern for Jiang Susu.

Jiang Susu smiled slightly: “Father can rest assured. Susu understands—everything has been cleaned up.”

“That’s even better.” Jiang Quan breathed a long sigh of relief, as if a stone had fallen from his heart. Jiang Ruan stood quietly to one side watching. Her eyes no longer held hatred, only bone-deep coldness—a coldness that even the most frigid ice of deep winter couldn’t match. Her gaze was empty, her crimson dress like a fire bursting from her soul, ready to burn anyone who came near until not even bones remained.

So this was the truth of her previous life. When her father Jiang Quan learned of her death, learned that she had been privately executed by Jiang Susu, not only did he not cry out for her injustice or speak of her grievances, but everything inside and out showed concern for Jiang Susu. He feared Jiang Susu had left evidence that could be caught by others, endangering her position as Empress. Regarding his own daughter, he only said lightly “do things decisively.”

Jiang Quan treated her as a stepping stone for Jiang Susu’s position as Empress as if it were natural and proper. But he forgot that she too was the Jiang family’s legitimate daughter. One could be abandoned like worn shoes, while the other was treasured like a bright pearl. At least now, Jiang Ruan had no trace of affection left for Jiang Quan. If possible, she would willingly use every ugly and painful method to torture him, viewing him as a true enemy.

Jiang Susu seemed to suddenly remember something: “Jiang Dan is becoming increasingly disobedient now. Her husband is merely doing work for His Majesty outside, yet now she acts mighty with her first-rank imperial title. I see she doesn’t even respect me.”

Jiang Ruan was startled—Jiang Dan’s husband actually worked for Xuan Li? And Jiang Dan had been elevated to first-rank imperial title?

Jiang Quan shook his head: “No matter how capable she is, can she surpass you? Susu, you must remember that whether in the Minister’s residence, the palace, or under all of Great Jin Dynasty, she cannot compare to you. Only you are truly the daughter of my Minister’s residence. Her husband currently enjoys His Majesty’s trust and is also a great support for you in the palace. Don’t act childishly—you must remember to get along well with her.”

“I understand.” Jiang Susu pouted unhappily. Standing to one side, Jiang Ruan suddenly understood. Things from her past and present lives that she couldn’t comprehend became clear at this moment. With Jiang Dan’s personality, how could she willingly serve as a chess piece for the Jiang residence, paving the way for Jiang Susu? It turned out her merchant husband had long been working for Xuan Li. Jiang Dan truly had methods—after her death, she had even obtained an imperial title through that husband. In the end, she was the only one sacrificed in her previous life.

Looking at this ironic scene before her, she felt a salty taste in her mouth. Immediately after, the scene changed again. This time it was a magnificent palace she had never been familiar with, but the man sitting on the bed’s edge in bright yellow robes was all too familiar.

That was her lover from her previous life and mortal enemy of this life—Xuan Li.

His formerly gentle, jade-like appearance had been replaced by the unique composure and restraint of an emperor. Wearing dragon robes, Xuan Li looked completely different from the man in Jiang Ruan’s memories. He always smiled slightly, his smile like a spring breeze, and even if it was just a false mask, it was still pleasing to behold. But now Xuan Li’s brow was deeply furrowed, his expression much more haggard—no trace of his former triumphant appearance could be found.

“Eunuch Chen,” Xuan Li spoke to the small eunuch before him: “This emperor cannot sleep again tonight.”

“Would Your Majesty like to visit the Empress? She is gentle and understanding—perhaps she could calm Your Majesty’s mood.”

“No need.” Xuan Li waved his hand: “It’s the same anywhere. This emperor still has nightmares daily. Those nightmares trouble this emperor so he cannot sleep. Whenever I wake from dreams in shock, I always feel… I always feel someone is watching this emperor.”

Jiang Ruan stood beside the dragon bed, looking at the somewhat disheveled Xuan Li and laughing silently and coldly. So he too had times when he couldn’t sleep? He had schemed patiently, using her as an excellent chess piece to send into the palace. Now that his great enterprise was complete and he alone enjoyed this supreme imperial position, could he also suffer sleepless nights? What could it be for? Didn’t people who did wrong eventually receive retribution? In his nightmares, did she appear as a vengeful ghost seeking his life?

“Your Majesty works too hard for state affairs,” Eunuch Chen said.

“Only after sitting in this position does one feel the fatigue. It’s like this emperor feels that all the women in the harem are equally boring! Not even comparable to Jiang Ruan from back then…” He seemed to remember something, a trace of regret appearing on his face: “It’s just a pity. If she hadn’t been of that status, this emperor truly had some affection for her initially.”

“You loved me?” Hearing this, Jiang Ruan couldn’t help laughing, though the smile didn’t reach her eyes. Knowing Xuan Li couldn’t possibly hear her, she still said coldly: “You only loved a fool who worshipped you like a god, always obeyed you completely and asked for nothing in return. Back then I was too stupid to fall for your lies. Now you want to bring up these words—are you deceiving me or deceiving yourself? Xuan Li, you only love all the sacrificial victims who sacrificed themselves for your throne in this world. You sacrificed them, yet still want to hypocritically comfort yourself. How false.”

The figure in the bright yellow sleeping chamber gradually faded away. Everything before her became blurry again as Jiang Ruan walked through white mist, as if walking into a huge maze. She could only hear sounds like thousands of troops fighting beside her ears, the thunderous crash of city gates being broken, and the clash of swords everywhere. Someone was shouting loudly: “Terrible! Terrible! The Jinyiwei have entered the pass—”

Jinyiwei? This name was so familiar, as if she had heard it somewhere before. Jiang Ruan walked forward in confusion. She saw chaos in the Golden Throne Hall, blood flowing like rivers. Black-armored guards carrying swords constantly passed through the hall. The Imperial Guards outside were casualties everywhere, while in the hall, a man and woman in bright yellow clothes lay together at the bottom of the nine-tiered steps, as disheveled as she had been back then, except she had still been alive then, while they were already dead.

A black-clothed young man stood quietly before the dragon throne. His features were stunningly beautiful, but his eyes were cold as frost. Though he possessed an elegant nobility carved into his bones, it was suppressed by that coldness. A guard beside him said: “Illegitimate dog thieves who dare spout nonsense—who knows who the real treacherous rebels are! General Guan also sent that old dog thief Jiang Quan to the west. Master…?”

The young man turned and said indifferently: “Let’s go.”

Xuan Li and Jiang Susu—one had schemed to obtain the supreme power of the realm, the other had wanted to sit in the position of mother to the nation from the beginning, yet after their great enterprise was complete, they were killed by others. Even Jiang Quan himself met with decapitation. This young man was clearly the future emperor who had emerged midway to seize power. Jiang Ruan felt only satisfaction in her heart. Looking at that young man again, she felt her heart racing, feeling as if she had met him somewhere before, but truly couldn’t remember. She wanted to understand what this was all about, so she followed behind the young man, walking forward.

Walking straight to an imperial garden, she saw a middle-aged man with graying hair step forward: “Young Master, Grand Tutor Liu discovered something in the dried well. They fished out a box from the well containing two corpses. After investigation, it’s the legitimate eldest daughter born to the Jiang family’s first wife—the one slandered by her own father as a nation-destroying demoness.” He shook his head: “Ah, how could there be such a heartless father in this world?”

The young man and Jiang Ruan both looked toward the ground simultaneously. Two corpses, one large and one small, had already rotted beyond recognition, gray and black in appearance. However, one could vaguely see that the adult’s limbs were already mutilated, clearly having suffered great injustice before death.

Jiang Ruan looked indifferently at her own corpse. A purple-robed young man walked over. He was handsome but wore a circle of small whiskers on his lips, making him look quite comical. Looking at the corpses, he sighed: “Originally from the same roots, why torment each other so urgently? This woman was originally a palace beauty, and this child was the Thirteenth Prince, raised at her side. For mother and son to meet such an end together is truly lamentable.” Saying this, he bent down and removed his own clothes to cover the corpses, looking toward the black-clothed young man: “Third Brother, how do you think these corpses should be handled?”

“Since she was an imperial consort, she should rightfully enter the imperial mausoleum. Find an opportunity to properly bury them,” the young man said with lowered eyes. “Also announce to the world the truth about the ‘nation-destroying demoness.'”

Jiang Ruan was struck as if by lightning, staring fixedly at that cold, handsome young man. The injustices she thought would never be vindicated in this lifetime had suddenly seen light at the darkest hour. This young man’s single sentence was the last trace of warmth she received in her cruel life, the only attachment born at this dead end.

She suddenly widened her eyes and called out: “Xiao Shao!”