After daybreak, the killing in the capital gradually subsided.

Empress Chu’s troops first secured the imperial city, escorting Xiao Yu out of the palace. Xiao Yu, dressed in imperial robes with a sword in hand, proclaimed loudly:

“Empress Chu has returned to court. The Xie clan admits guilt. Surrender your weapons and you will not be killed.”

Then Xie Yanlai, wearing a mask, knelt and surrendered himself.

The true members of the Xie clan had perished in the fighting. The remaining troops mobilized by the Xie clan, seeing that the tide had turned, abandoned their resistance.

Officials were all invited out from their homes, and even uninvited commoners rushed out, shouting in waves about protecting the Emperor and welcoming Empress Chu—

But everyone only saw the Emperor; they did not see the Empress.

“Is she injured?”

“She must be busy.”

The people discussed anxiously among themselves, filled with concern.

Chu Zhao was indeed injured, but it didn’t impede her movement. Nor was she busy. She strolled through a shaded garden, with Xiao Man beside her, holding a sword in one hand and a cup of wine in the other.

Around them, more than a dozen guards followed closely, their footsteps disturbing the tranquility of the residence.

“Third Young Master’s residence always has hidden wonders, so different from others,” Chu Zhao remarked, looking around admiringly.

Standing under a cluster of osmanthus trees before the door, Steward Cai coldly said, “The world is yours now. You can view a residence anytime, but the Third Young Master is only conscious for a short while. You’d better not miss it.”

Chu Zhao didn’t speak further. She merely smiled and walked forward. Xiao Man and the guards followed, so many people that they would nearly fill the room.

“Is the Empress so fearful?” Steward Cai sneered. “Our Young Master is already in this state.”

Chu Zhao stopped and glanced at him.

“Even if the Third Young Master were a corpse laid out here, I would still be cautious,” she said. “That’s a compliment. You should be pleased.”

Before Steward Cai could respond, laughter came from inside.

Though the man’s voice lacked its former strength, it was still clear as a spring: “The Empress speaks truly. I am very pleased by your compliment.”

Chu Zhao said nothing more and stepped into the room, where she saw Xie Yanfang lying on a gauze-draped couch.

His black hair was spread out, his face white as paper, his thin lips bloodless. He appeared ethereal and refined, yet unreal like ink mountains in a painting.

“After a year without seeing you, Third Young Master has grown much thinner,” she said.

Xie Yanfang smiled: “The Empress is also thinner. You have suffered.”

“To achieve one’s wishes, one must endure hardships that others would not,” Chu Zhao replied.

Xie Yanfang nodded: “Indeed. That’s why I’m glad you’ve returned, Empress.”

So had he also achieved his wish? She who didn’t want to be Empress had to fight her way back to become one.

Chu Zhao walked toward the bed.

“Hey, be careful,” Xiao Man held her back, speaking quietly while glaring fiercely at the bedridden young master.

Her arm had been crippled by his hand.

Though the man now seemed as fragile as thin porcelain, his faint smile and the cold aura surrounding him still sent chills down one’s spine.

“Don’t worry. The Third Young Master won’t kill me now,” Chu Zhao said, taking the wine cup from Xiao Man and sitting down beside the bed.

Xie Yanfang watched her with a smile.

“The Xie family has all fled,” Chu Zhao said. “Why didn’t you run?”

After entering the city, besides going to the imperial city, troops were also sent to attack the Xie residence, but the Xie family members had all disappeared, and even the servants were gone.

Yet Xie Yanfang remained.

It couldn’t be because Xie Yanfang was too ill to move, or wasn’t worth taking.

To the Xie family, Xie Yanfang was like a dead body, but they would still have treasured and taken him.

“Me?” Xie Yanfang leaned against his pillow and looked at her. “I was waiting for you.”

Chu Zhao made a sound of acknowledgment: “I see. When a trapped beast enters the cage, it’s certainly most satisfying to witness it personally.”

Xie Yanfang smiled, neither confirming nor denying.

“Running or not makes no difference. The Xie clan has already been condemned. There is nowhere beyond the Emperor’s reach,” Chu Zhao said. “The Xie clan cannot escape.”

Xie Yanfang nodded: “The Empress speaks truly.” He leaned against his pillow and looked around the room. “The birth and death, rise and fall of all things under heaven are predetermined. There was no Xie clan at the beginning of the world, so if they’re gone, they’re gone.”

Chu Zhao smiled: “You sound as if you don’t care about the fate of the Xie clan.”

“I’m at peace with it,” Xie Yanfang said with a smile.

“You’re not at peace; you only care whether life and death, rise and fall are within your expectations. If they are, you’re at peace; if not, you would never rest,” Chu Zhao said coolly. “Xie Yanfang, you are the person least at peace in this world, because you’ve only ever seen yourself.”

Xie Yanfang raised his hand to rub his brow, seemingly pondering her words: “Is that so? But that’s not important. What matters is that the Empress has returned.”

Chu Zhao laughed: “See? Even now you only care about that. You still only see yourself, not me.”

Xie Yanfang looked at her.

Chu Zhao gently turned the wine cup in her hand.

“Third Young Master, I returned only so that I could leave.”

“This is the lesson you taught me.”

“I previously believed that A-Yu had grown up, and that you sincerely protected him. With you here, I thought I could safely withdraw.”

“Later I realized that the only one who could ensure my safe withdrawal was myself.”

“This time I came back to accomplish just that.”

Xie Yanfang frowned and said: “Unless you sit here and hold it in your own hands, how can there be anyone trustworthy in this world to let you feel secure?”

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

At this, her eyes brightened with a smile, and she leaned closer to Xie Yanfang, saying softly:

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

Xie Yanfang looked at the girl leaning toward him and said: “Impressive. I truly hadn’t thought of that.”

His eyes curved in a smile, full of genuine admiration.

“And the Imperial Guard imprisoned in the jail—you didn’t kill them. After experiencing this life-and-death situation, they will be even more useful.”

“I will think of more new methods to rebuild a clear and honest court.”

“More importantly—”

At this point, Xie Yanfang finished her sentence with a smile: “More importantly, in Yunzhong Commandery, you hold military power, carving out your territory.”

Chu Zhao’s eyes sparkled as she asked: “How is it? Haven’t I arranged things well?”

“Deng Yi entering court to constrain A-Yu, A-Yu controlling the Imperial Guard to restrain the court officials, you staying away from court with Yunzhong Commandery as a shield—being A-Yu’s support yet also his… threat,” Xie Yanfang pondered. “This three or four-way system of mutual dependence and vigilance is indeed chaotic but not scattered, with proper tension and relaxation.”

Chu Zhao’s eyes curved into a smile, like a student hearing praise.

Seeing her smile, Xie Yanfang also smiled gently.

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

“However, I still don’t understand—what would be so bad about you staying here?” Xie Yanfang sighed softly.

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

Xie Yanfang looked up at her. After more than a year without seeing her, she had grown even thinner. With her black hair and white face, her eyes still shone like stars.

Through those eyes, the person standing before him still seemed like the girl who had rushed to his home seeking friendship.

She was still weighing.

Weighing people and matters, whether they were worth her getting lost in them.

Xie Yanfang nodded: “I understand now.”

This imperial city wasn’t worth her getting lost in.

Neither was he worth it.

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

Xie Yanfang didn’t answer. His gaze fell on her hand as he asked: “Is that wine for me?”

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

Xie Yanfang reached out, but the girl didn’t hand the cup over, seemingly hesitant.

He smiled slightly and reached further, his slender fingers grasping the wine cup, also holding the girl’s hand.

Chu Zhao was startled for a moment. The next instant, the cold fingers withdrew, taking the wine cup with them.

Xie Yanfang drained the wine in one gulp, then lay back on his pillow.

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

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

Xie Yanfang smiled at her.

“I thought I was loving myself,” he said. “But it turns out I wasn’t.”

Wasn’t what? Chu Zhao was slightly stunned. Looking again at Xie Yanfang, she saw he had already closed his eyes. The white porcelain wine cup slipped from his hand.

He had peacefully fallen asleep.

……

……

When A-Le entered, there were no longer any guards in the room, only Chu Zhao sitting alone by the bed, seemingly finally able to examine this Third Young Master of the Xie family at ease.

As she gazed at him, she couldn’t help but smile.

The Third Young Master probably didn’t know that in her previous life, he had examined her corpse in the same way.

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

After all, the Empress Chu of that life wasn’t worth a second glance.

“Miss,” A-Le said softly, “are you alright?”

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

A-Le stepped forward, looking around before lowering her voice: “Xiao Man told me… that Xie Yanfang… he… he said he loves you.”

It was unexpected that Xie Yanfang had feelings for her mistress.

Killing someone who said they loved you—surely that would make one feel… not so good?

Especially since this was Xie Yanfang! A-Le couldn’t help but look at the figure on the bed. Despite being weakened by illness for so long, the young master was still pleasing to the eye.

Chu Zhao understood and smiled: “I’m not upset at all. This is good. I’m happy, though I’m happy for myself.”

She looked at Xie Yanfang.

“He loves me not because he’s so good, but because I am good.”

Xie Yanfang had said this to her before—that she was worthy of his affection.

But at that time, she hadn’t fully grasped it. Now she understood the meaning of those words.

If she were still the Chu Zhao of her previous life, how could Xie Yanfang have loved her?

Now she wouldn’t be excited or even grateful when someone liked her.

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

Chu Zhao stood up, gently stroked Xie Yanfang’s face, smiled, and turned to leave.

……

……

Outside the Xie residence, troops stood in formation. Chu Zhao paused briefly as she emerged until she saw a figure in bright yellow.

“Sister!” Xiao Yu jumped down from his horse and called out as he ran toward her.

After a few steps, he stopped, looking at her with fear in his eyes.

Chu Zhao said: “Your Majesty.”

She had called him “Your Majesty”… Xiao Yu’s already pale face grew even paler. He tried to force a smile, but who knew if the smile looked worse than crying.

“Do you have anything 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 by taking advantage of your affection for me.”

Chu Zhao shook her head and said: “No, you shouldn’t have failed to cherish what you had. A-Yu, you survived by luck. You should cherish everything—whether it’s me or others, and this Great Xia.”

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

Chu Zhao walked forward to stand before him. The once mischievous boy was now almost as tall as her.

After daybreak, he had been rushing around the city, using his imperial authority to comfort the people and intimidate rebels. 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 poked his forehead. “But I won’t forgive you next time, understand?”

Xiao Yu’s face instantly lit up with a smile.

“Sister,” he called out emotionally, reaching out to embrace Chu Zhao.

Chu Zhao allowed him to hold her briefly, then raised her hand to pat him: “Alright, let’s return to the palace. There’s still much to do.”

Return to the palace. Xiao Yu stood up straight with joy: “Good, let’s return to the palace.”

Chu Zhao nodded with a smile and walked forward.

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

Sister… had not taken his hand.