Shen Miao had a lengthy dream.

That dream seemed very long, longer than a lifetime. As an observer, she watched herself grow from a babbling infant into a lively little girl, from a lively little girl into a graceful young woman, then to a woman in her prime, then to the untouchable Empress of the six palaces, and finally to a deposed Empress in the Cold Palace, becoming nothing but ashes in the raging fire.

She watched herself fall in love with Fu Xiuyi, begging Shen Xin to marry her to Fu Xiuyi. She sat on the side desperately trying to stop her foolish behavior, but it was in vain. No one could hear her words, so she could only watch everything happen again.

From an observer’s perspective, Shen Miao now truly understood how foolish her actions had been back then. The most terrifying part was experiencing again that heart-wrenching pain. Her girlhood had ended after marrying Fu Xiuyi. Those carefree days, even when people called her stupid, were at least free and joyful. But when she became the Princess Consort, she was forced into a world of schemes and intrigues.

Even her twins couldn’t escape it.

The people around her left one by one, and the main branch of the Shen family gradually declined. The former prosperity was like flowers blooming to their fullest in spring, but when spring passed and summer came, they withered with the autumn winds, appearing increasingly cold and shabby.

In that dark life with barely any light, there were some things she had overlooked. Those things were like stars in the heavy night, obscured by other things, becoming indistinct, yet occasionally discovered, bright as ever. They were also like the embers of fireworks accidentally entering one’s courtyard, bringing a touch of vibrant color, making the dull, cold night come alive.

She saw Xie Jingxing.

Not as that mischievous youth, not as the hero who died on the battlefield, but proud and arrogant as in her previous life, riding a tall horse, carrying a longbow, overthrowing a dynasty amid laughter and conversation. In the clear moonlight, he drank the farewell wine she offered, and on the dark day when the city fell, he fulfilled a wish she couldn’t accomplish in her entire life.

They had watched fireworks together in daylight, as if they hadn’t missed that New Year’s Eve appointment from the past. Though they were mere acquaintances, he became the most indispensable person in her life.

Because of him, her wishes were fulfilled. Because of him, she was reborn.

But the fate in that life was too brief. Such a beautiful, promising destiny was interrupted by the tricks of fate. It was regrettable, which is why there was the opportunity in this life to continue that brief fate.

All unspoken questions seemed no longer necessary to ask; many things dissipated in that moment, including questions and answers.

Past karma shapes future outcomes.

Shen Miao slowly opened her eyes.

Her gaze fell upon a canopy the color of clear skies after rain. An exquisite sachet hung from one corner of the canopy, likely to mask the bitter smell of medicine. The fragrance mixed with the medicinal scent, creating an intriguing aroma.

Shen Miao looked to her side.

A young man was slumped at her bedside, one hand still tightly holding hers. His eyes were closed, his chin showing faint stubble, not very noticeable but distinguishing him from his usually pampered appearance.

His hand was well-defined, long-fingered, and warm, completely enveloping hers. Shen Miao only moved slightly, and Xie Jingxing immediately woke up.

Seeing her eyes open, Xie Jingxing was stunned for a moment, seeming not to have reacted yet. After a pause, he suddenly said: “You’re awake.”

Shen Miao nodded.

“Is anything wrong?” Xie Jingxing asked urgently. “Should I call Gao Yang to examine you?”

He usually maintained a lazy, indifferent demeanor, as if nothing in the world mattered to him, but now he showed rare anxiety. Shen Miao said: “No need. I’m fine.” Then she asked: “How is Master Pei?”

Xie Jingxing’s face immediately darkened.

Seeing his expression change, Shen Miao was taken aback, then understood. Was Pei Lang despicable? Certainly. In her previous life, he had taken blood from her fingertip for Madam Mei. Though she wasn’t sure if Madam Mei’s “fate-changing” was real, there was still a sense of aiding the villain. And that “root and branch” comment to Fu Xiuyi indirectly led to Fu Ming’s fate.

Shen Miao’s feelings toward Pei Lang were complex. She could have forgiven him for herself, but regarding Fu Ming, she could never forgive Pei Lang. Yet Pei Lang had ultimately exchanged his life for her chance at rebirth.

It was an indescribable feeling. One cannot purely feel gratitude or hatred toward a person, so all one can do is draw clear boundaries. Shen Miao didn’t want to maintain a relationship of “owing” or “being owed” with Pei Lang. The previous life was over, and in this life, she didn’t want to owe Pei Lang anything, nor did she want Pei Lang to owe her. She remembered clearly that when the child-like assassin lunged forward, Pei Lang had taken the most severe blow for her. If Pei Lang died because of her, then the entanglement of these two lives would truly be impossible to sever.

But judging by Xie Jingxing’s expression, Shen Miao knew he had misunderstood. When Xie Jingxing got angry about these things, Shen Miao strangely felt he resembled the wolf pup raised in Luo Sui’s Luo family army.

She quickly tried to smooth the fur of this little wolf pup, saying: “He saved my life, after all, he’s my savior. Being saved by a stranger who sacrifices himself, such kindness cannot be accepted lightly.”

Xie Jingxing’s expression slightly relaxed, saying: “Gao Yang examined him. He woke up once last night. He’s lucky to be alive.” Then looking at Shen Miao: “But you wouldn’t wake up. If you hadn’t awakened, I was planning to chop off that Daoist’s head.”

“Daoist?” Shen Miao was stunned: “Are you referring to Daoist Chiyan?”

“What Daoist or not?” Xie Jingxing said with contempt: “Just a charlatan making money off people.” The so-called “Daoist Chiyan” had bid farewell to the Rui Prince Mansion early that morning, taking a fine antique vase from the hall as a parting gift. Who knows what kind of master spends his days scheming for money?

After hearing Xie Jingxing say the Daoist had taken a vase and left, Shen Miao felt confused. That long dream had answered many of her questions. It might not be real, but somehow, Shen Miao felt that everything in that dream was the complete story of her previous life.

The Daoist was indeed someone she had met on her way back to Ming Qi from Qin. She had thought he was a refugee disguised as a Daoist to beg for food. Being Shen Xin’s daughter, she had some kindness in her heart and gave him a bowl of water to drink, never expecting it would lead to so many complications.

If in her previous life she had truly listened to the Daoist and not taken the road back to the capital, perhaps all those tragedies wouldn’t have happened. But if she could do it all over again, even knowing it was a road of no return to the underworld, she would still make the same choice, because her twins were in that deep palace.

But the Daoist had indeed fulfilled a fated connection.

Shen Miao remembered clearly.

In the dream, her body had been burned to ashes by the fire Fu Xiuyi ordered, leaving nothing behind. However, her resentment was too strong and wouldn’t dissipate. Madam Mei sent people to perform rituals; she couldn’t become a vengeful ghost, nor could she reincarnate. Her soul was trapped within the palace walls, wandering daily, growing weaker with each passing day.

All her belongings had been burned. If not for the red string in Xie Jingxing’s possession, she would have likely dispersed into the elements long ago.

The red string spared her some suffering. In those days when she couldn’t reincarnate, Shen Miao’s spirit dwelled in the red string on Xie Jingxing’s wrist, passing days in a daze.

Until the day the city fell.

She saw Fu Sheng die at the hands of his people. She saw Madam Mei and Fu Xiuyi bound and brought to the city tower, watched them die from countless arrows piercing their hearts. She watched as the palace she had hated all her life burst into flames from within, reduced to ashes. The unfulfilled wish, the reluctant soul, finally found complete peace in that moment.

The red string broke, and she could let go. So time suddenly reversed, and with Pei Lang sacrificing his life, she was reborn.

Xie Jingxing, seeing Shen Miao’s silence, frowned and asked: “What’s wrong?”

Shen Miao came back to herself and looked at him without speaking.

She was somewhat excited. She had said there was no connection with Xie Jingxing in her previous life, yet in this life, they were tied together by coincidence and couldn’t be separated. It turned out there was an entanglement from her previous life. Back then, Xie Jingxing owed her a wish, just a casual remark, but he kept his promise and personally settled the score with Fu Xiuyi and his wife, avenging her.

She softly asked: “Xie Jingxing, do you have any wishes?”

Xie Jingxing glanced at her: “What? You want to fulfill it for me?”

“I can grant you a wish,” she said seriously. “If I can fulfill it, I will do my utmost.”

Her demeanor was so solemn that it caught Xie Jingxing’s attention. After a moment, he smiled ambiguously: “Alright.” He moved closer to Shen Miao’s ear and said softly: “My wish… You can fulfill it.”

Shen Miao asked: “What is it?”

“Give me a child,” he said casually.

Shen Miao stared at him for a while. Xie Jingxing rubbed his nose and was about to speak when he heard Shen Miao answer: “Alright.”

Xie Jingxing was stunned.

Shen Miao stared at him, her lips slightly curved into a smile. Unlike her usual restrained, somewhat reserved smile, this was genuine, as if she truly felt joy. There was even a touch of tenderness.

Xie Jingxing instinctively reached out to feel her forehead, saying: “You’re indeed still unwell.”

Shen Miao pushed his hand away, saying: “Xie Jingxing, on my birthday, you were frightened, weren’t you?”

Xie Jingxing withdrew his hand, seeing her calm demeanor without anything unusual, and relaxed slightly. Following her question, he asked back: “What do you think? I thought…” He didn’t continue. Even now, recalling that scene, Xie Jingxing couldn’t help but feel a lingering fear. Shen Miao was lying in a pool of blood, unconscious, as if she would never wake again. His heart had been seized with a terror he hadn’t felt even when leading the Xie family army to the Northern frontier for the first time, or when ambushed with his life in jeopardy.

He, too, had things he feared, people he was afraid to lose, vulnerabilities. And all three were the same—the person before him.

“Let me make amends,” Shen Miao said. “Isn’t your birthday long past? Today can be a belated celebration, how about that?”

Xie Jingxing looked at her, bewilderedly: “I appreciate the thought. But you’re not well, don’t exert yourself.”

“It’s just a flesh wound,” Shen Miao volunteered: “Let’s go out.”

Her behavior since waking up was indeed unusual. Firstly, Shen Miao wasn’t one to seek amusement, and secondly, she seemed much more approachable than before. She had always maintained a somewhat formal demeanor. Though it wasn’t clear why she habitually put on airs, Shen Miao was a person with strong self-esteem; otherwise, she wouldn’t have given Xie Jingxing the cold shoulder for so long. Such active, almost ingratiating behavior was quite surprising to Xie Jingxing.

He narrowed his eyes and asked: “Have you done something behind my back that you shouldn’t have?”

“Yes,” Shen Miao nodded seriously.

“Related to Pei Lang?” Xie Jingxing’s face grew cold.

Shen Miao took a deep breath. She felt Xie Jingxing’s character truly couldn’t be indulged—his thoughts had gone in such a strange direction. She returned to her usual demeanor and asked: “Are you going or not?”

While her emotions were hard to read, before Xie Jingxing could respond, a voice came from behind: “Go.”

Gao Yang entered, looked at Shen Miao, and said: “I heard you were awake, so I came to check. The wound is just superficial, not affecting anything internally. Nothing serious.” Then to Xie Jingxing: “You should also go out and stretch your legs. You’ve been cooped up in the room these days without even going out for sunshine. The weather is nice; just don’t come back too late.”

He then picked up the medical box in the room and left.

Xie Jingxing and Shen Miao stood facing each other in silence. After a moment, Xie Jingxing smiled: “What do you want to do?”

“Since coming to Longyi, I haven’t gone out to explore,” Shen Miao said. “I’m not familiar with Longyi either. Let’s just walk around, and you can tell me about this place.” Shen Miao suddenly remembered something and said: “Oh right, that day outside Bixiao Tower in the pavilion, I had Ba Jiao buy many fireworks. They should still be there. Let’s take those along too.”

“Who watches fireworks in broad daylight?” Xie Jingxing stared at her: “Did your brain get injured too?”

Shen Miao countered: “Have you ever seen daytime fireworks?”

Xie Jingxing said: “Only a fool would have seen that.”

“I’ve seen them,” Shen Miao answered.

Xie Jingxing looked at her dubiously.

“Night fireworks are beautiful, but daytime ones aren’t necessarily inferior. You haven’t seen them, so I’ll take you to see them.” Shen Miao smiled slightly and was about to get out of bed. But having been bedridden for days, her legs were stiff, and as she tried to stand, she winced in pain.

Seeing this, Xie Jingxing stood up with a smile, folding his arms as if watching a show: “Do you want my help?”

“Can you?” Shen Miao saw his expression and knew he was up to no good.

Xie Jingxing said: “If you beg me, I’ll help you.” He bent down, as if wanting to hear Shen Miao humble herself before him.

Shen Miao felt Xie Jingxing’s personality was truly unpredictable. He was forceful to the point of being domineering, with schemes and calculations beyond his years even as a youth. But now he was like a boy who enjoyed pranks, tirelessly teasing others.

She stared at Xie Jingxing’s handsome, spirited profile, and suddenly felt her heart move. She was straightforward, giving Xie Jingxing’s cheek a quick kiss.

Xie Jingxing was stunned, and Shen Miao looked away, focusing on the sachet hanging by the bed.

“Shen Miao,” Xie Jingxing frowned at her, “you’re seriously ill. You need Gao Yang to examine you again.” He made as if to leave, and Shen Miao anxiously called out: “Xie Jingxing!”

He paused, turning back with a mischievous expression. Shen Miao realized she had been tricked and felt regret, but Xie Jingxing burst into laughter, suddenly stepped forward, and lifted her in his arms. Shen Miao instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck.

Xie Jingxing carried her outside like this, drawing looks from the servants of the Rui Prince Mansion. Shen Miao had never been so brazenly intimate with a man in either of her lives. Whether in the Prince’s Mansion or the palace, she had to maintain the dignity of an Empress. Even Madam Mei had probably never been carried by Fu Xiuyi in front of so many people. If that had happened, they would have been labeled a befuddled emperor and a femme fatale.

Was it that in her previous life she was a dignified and virtuous Empress, but in this life, she would bear the name of a femme fatale? Xie Jingxing certainly seemed like a befuddled ruler. As Shen Miao’s thoughts wandered, her gaze swept over the servants who covered their mouths to giggle. Annoyed, she pinched Xie Jingxing and said: “What are you doing? Put me down quickly!”

“Tsk, now you know how to be embarrassed?” Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow, his tone so malicious it made one want to beat him. He said: “Just now, someone was the one attempting to violate my innocence in broad daylight…”

To even use terms like “violate innocence.” Shen Miao could only try to calm herself.

But then Luo Tan approached. Luo Tan probably hadn’t expected to encounter such a scene, and despite her usually carefree nature, she was still a young lady and immediately felt awkward. Shen Miao asked Xie Jingxing to put her down. Luo Tan didn’t know where to look, and Shen Miao asked her: “You’ve had a difficult time these past days.”

“Not at all, not at all,” Luo Tan waved repeatedly, looking at Xie Jingxing nearby with some apprehension. At the time, she had been focused on avenging Shen Miao and had unleashed her anger on Xie Jingxing, but later regretted it. He was of high rank and authority, the Rui Prince of Da Liang. If he took out his anger on Shen Miao because of this, her sin would be great. But seeing Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing’s intimate manner now, it seemed they weren’t quarreling, which brought her some relief.

“Oh, right,” Luo Tan suddenly remembered something, reached into her sleeve, took out an object, and placed it in Shen Miao’s hand, saying: “This is what Daoist Chiyan gave me before leaving, asking me to pass it to you, saying it was a parting gift.”

It was a small wooden box with a chicken and a snake carved on it. Luo Tan said: “I don’t know why he would carve a chicken and a snake.”

Shen Miao: “…” She said: “These are a dragon and a phoenix.”

Daoist Chiyan’s carving skills were truly commendable. If Shen Miao hadn’t understood, she might not have recognized them as a dragon and phoenix. Luo Tan was stumped. Shen Miao opened the wooden box and pulled out two red strings.

“This…” Luo Tan said: “These are just two red strings, what’s special about them? He spoke so mysteriously, making us think it was something valuable. A medicinal herb would have been more practical. This Daoist is really stingy, having a valley full of medicinal herbs, yet giving this…”

But Shen Miao stared at the strings, her eyes flickering slightly.

In her previous life, she had received a string from the Daoist that had accompanied her for years, eventually finding its way to Xie Jingxing. Her spirit had once dwelled in that red string, which also served as the medium connecting her previous life to Xie Jingxing.

Suddenly, she felt a sense of familiarity with the red string.

She extended her hand and tied the red string on her wrist. Luo Tan watched her actions in shock: “You… young cousin, you’re not going to wear this?”

Shen Miao looked at the red string on her hand with satisfaction, then picked up the other one and said to Xie Jingxing: “Give me your hand.”

Xie Jingxing said: “I won’t wear it.”

“Give me your hand,” Shen Miao repeated.

Xie Jingxing looked at her incredulously: “I am a man.”

“This can ensure safety,” Shen Miao improvised. “If we both wear this, should you be in danger? I would know, and if I’m in danger, you would feel it.”

Luo Tan stood aside and weakly asked: “Is it… Really that magical?”

Shen Miao didn’t care whether it was magical or not. She believed Daoist Chiyan was very capable, and what he gave should be precious. Even if, as Luo Tan said, these were just ordinary strings, they held deep significance for her. They were more worthy of commemoration than gold or silver.

Hearing this, Xie Jingxing didn’t refuse anymore. Although still full of disdain, he allowed Shen Miao to tie the red string on his wrist, and finally, she secured it with a firm knot.

Luo Tan watched with a grimace. For a dignified man like Xie Jingxing, the elegant and noble Rui Prince, to wear such a thing on his wrist was hardly a beautiful sight. It wasn’t just that it was feminine; most importantly, the red string didn’t look valuable, a stark contrast to their fine attire, completely out of place.

Shen Miao said: “There.”

Xie Jingxing quickly withdrew his hand, discreetly moving his sleeve to cover the conspicuous red color.

Luo Tan said: “Well, I’ve delivered the item, and it seems you have plans, so I won’t disturb you any further. I’ll take my leave.” She winked at Shen Miao and said in a drawn-out voice: “Seeing little cousin like this puts my mind at ease!” Then she ran off.

Shen Miao: “…”

Xie Jingxing said, “Let’s go watch the fireworks.”

The servants of the Rui Prince Mansion: “…”

Cong Yang quietly asked Tie Yi: “It was the Princess Consort who was ill, but why does the master seem to have something wrong with his head? What fireworks can be seen in broad daylight?”

Tie Yi expressionlessly handed him a broom: “Sweep the floor.”

…

In Weiyang Palace, the Xiande Empress was reclining on a couch reading a book. She read leisurely, listening to her palace maid speak. Eventually, she put down the scroll, her face showing some relief: “It’s good that nothing serious happened. These days have been so eventful; I was about to go burn incense and pray.”

The news of Shen Miao being attacked was kept from outsiders but not from the Yongle Emperor and the Xiande Empress. Even Gao Yang had no solution, and the palace physicians were even more helpless. It had been a strange time indeed, with one incident after another at the Rui Prince Mansion. First, Xie Jingxing, and just as he narrowly escaped, it was Shen Miao’s turn. Thankfully, now that Shen Miao had awakened, it was like a weight lifted off everyone’s hearts.

The Xiande Empress put down her book, no longer in the mood to read. She stood up and walked to the window. It had rained the night before, but today was fine again, with no trace of the previous night’s howling winds, except for the plum tree by the window, its branches and leaves scattered on the ground from the wind and rain.

She murmured: “Longyi is not peaceful either.”

Dark clouds were gathering. Even a fortress like the Rui Prince Mansion had experienced two incidents since Xie Jingxing’s return to Da Liang. This was a signal—perhaps a warning, perhaps retaliation?

Because the Yongle Emperor had already begun to move against the Lu family.

Aunt Tao, a female official by the Xiande Empress’s side, had been with her since she was established as Empress, remaining her most loyal confidant over the years.

Aunt Tao said: “Today, Jing Consort went to find His Majesty in the imperial study. She went with tears in her eyes and seemed quite upset when she left. The palace maids from Jinghua Palace said that upon returning, Jing Consort punished several servants and smashed many objects, appearing extremely distressed.”

The Xiande Empress smiled slightly: “The Lu family has suffered a setback and wants to test His Majesty’s attitude, so naturally, they would approach through Jing Consort. Didn’t Madam Lu visit Jing Consort in the palace a few days ago?”

“His Majesty seems to have lost patience with Jing Consort,” Aunt Tao said. “Jing Consort has been more restrained toward you these days. If His Majesty truly moves against the Lu family, regarding Jing Consort, you see…”

“Let His Majesty decide,” the Xiande Empress said calmly. “Whether it’s sincere or false, I cannot see clearly. Once entering the palace, one understands these principles.” She looked at the worried Aunt Tao and instead smiled: “You don’t think I would care about these things, do you?”

Aunt Tao fell silent.

The Xiande Empress looked outside again and said: “Since becoming Empress, I no longer consider myself a woman. An emperor’s wife is not just a wife but someone who must share the burden of the realm with him. Fortune and misfortune, life and death together. I have never been afraid, I just regret…” She looked at her abdomen: “I… couldn’t give birth to my child.”

“If it hadn’t been for Jing Consort back then…” Aunt Tao gritted her teeth, her tone filled with resentment and unresolved heartache.

“Enough,” the Xiande Empress waved tiredly. She smiled, though that smile had a numb desolation: “With or without Jing Consort, it would be the same. This child, I could never have had.” She said softly: “Look at the palace—who has borne his child?”

“No one has. And no one will. So although I regret it, all the women in the palace share this regret, and my regret ceases to be regret. At least, my position remains unshakable,” she said.