After long separation came reunion, and his beloved wife was with child. All the hardships of the journey vanished completely. Li Mu’s joy was beyond words.

Night fell quickly. After dining together, he took her hand and was about to stroll by the river for a walk when he suddenly saw red light rising in the distance from the direction of north Jiankang.

The city seemed to be on fire!

In moments, definite news reached them both.

The imperial palace was on fire. The first hall to catch fire was where Gao Yongrong resided.

“…General Gao has dispatched men for emergency firefighting and ordered this servant to report to the Grand Marshal and Madam. The fire was too fierce. The Empress Dowager… has perished in the rear hall of Taichu Palace…”

The messenger knelt there, head bowed, and stopped speaking.

Li Mu quickly glanced at Luoshen and asked for details.

The man said: “According to imperial clan members who escaped the fire, the Empress Dowager secretly summoned them to the palace tonight. After arriving, they learned she was planning harm against the Grand Marshal. Liu Shizhong also went. Liu Shizhong’s attitude was disrespectful, angering the Empress Dowager, and when Liu Shizhong mocked her in return, the Empress Dowager flew into a rage. She drew out a previously hidden dagger and stabbed Liu Shizhong wildly. They fled in terror, and then the rear hall caught fire…”

“Palace servants had been ordered not to approach earlier. When they discovered the fire and heard the Empress Dowager’s cries for help from inside, the flames were already too fierce to enter…”

As the man continued speaking, Luoshen stared at that cluster of jumping red light in the distant night and was stunned.

A hand quietly reached over from beside her and grasped hers.

Luoshen came to her senses, turned to look at Li Mu, and saw him gazing at her with hidden worry in his eyes. Suppressing the shock caused by this sudden news, she composed herself: “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me…”

Though she spoke thus, thinking of their sisterly relationship from childhood to adulthood, she still felt an indescribable sadness rise in her heart and fell silent.

Li Mu embraced her, gently patting her back soothingly, and said softly: “I’ll take you back to your room first, then go to the city to see.” With that, he lifted her horizontally, carried her inside, placed her on the bed, covered her with a quilt, ordered the maid to stay by her side, and hurried away.

Luoshen couldn’t sleep or settle her mind. She dozed fitfully, waiting until finally, early the next morning, Li Mu returned.

He had arrived yesterday after camping in the open and sleeping rough, already exhausted without much rest. Last night’s incident must have left him completely worn out. Seeing his return, she quickly rose, asking if he was hungry and calling for food to be brought.

Li Mu’s eyes were bloodshot. He shook his head, helped her lie down, and told her to rest more.

Luoshen gathered courage and asked about the palace fire.

Last night’s great fire that started in Taichu Palace’s rear hall, aided by wind, blazed fiercely all night until finally being extinguished at the fifth watch.

The fire not only destroyed the entire Taichu Palace but also affected several nearby palaces.

That was secondary.

When clearing the ruins of Taichu Palace’s rear hall, they discovered two charred corpses locked together. From their clothing, one was clearly Liu Hui, the other Gao Yongrong.

From their positions, it was obvious that after the fire started, Gao Yongrong had tried to escape but was desperately held back by the leg by Liu Hui, unwilling to die alone. Both ultimately perished together in the flames.

Li Mu pondered briefly but ultimately concealed the details, only saying the fire had been extinguished and Gao Yongrong had unfortunately died.

Luoshen was silent for a moment, then said: “My sister must have had many grievances before death.”

Li Mu comforted her: “Don’t be sad. Rest assured, I will give her a grand burial according to proper rites.”

Luoshen thanked Li Mu and smiled slightly at him.

“Langjun, you needn’t worry about me either. Sister’s sudden death this way does sadden me, but rest assured, I know what to do.”

She sighed.

“Sister’s end reminds me of another person.”

“When Murong Ti occupied Jiankang that day, he used me to humiliate you, then died as he did. How similar to my sister.”

“My sister was obsessed with holding power and nearly buried Jiankang City and its people. Murong Ti was fixated on revenge, wanting the entire Guanzhong and even the whole world to be buried with him for his pain and humiliation. In their view, no matter what they did, even if it enraged heaven and man, they had reasons that could convince themselves. But they didn’t know that others in this world have suffered pain and should have hatred no less than theirs. Yet those people wouldn’t inflict their pain and hatred on others.”

“When hearts are filled with hate or desire, even becoming the highest emperor under heaven cannot bring satisfaction. Their fate wasn’t caused by others but was self-inflicted.”

“I am so fortunate. My husband is precisely that person completely different from them.”

She raised her eyes, gazing at Li Mu, speaking word by word.

Warmth surged in Li Mu’s heart as he embraced Luoshen, holding her close for a long time, unwilling to let go.

…

Luoshen slept long and deeply beside Li Mu. When she awoke it was already dusk, the sun slanting west, half the room bathed in gold.

Such quietness surrounded her ears, only the even breathing of the person beside her pillow.

She slowly opened her eyes.

He was too tired and could finally relax. He still slept deeply, not yet awakened. But one hand gripped hers tightly, still not letting go.

Held so long, where their palms touched had become damp with warm perspiration.

Luoshen didn’t wake him or withdraw the hand he held in his palm.

With the languid feeling of just awakening from sufficient sleep, she lay quietly beside him, feeling surrounded by the warm breath that seemed to carry his body temperature. In a trance, time seemed to flow backward to that dusk in Yi Cheng that year.

When she had first arrived there, she encountered the siege. It was also such a dusk with slanting light filling the room when she returned to find him, weary from his return, sleeping deeply on a low table to avoid soiling her bed. After much hesitation, when she approached to cover him with a quilt, he grasped her hand and she ended up lying on his chest.

Many years had passed, but that quiet dusk when he held her hand and wouldn’t let go still felt like yesterday when remembered.

Luoshen unconsciously moved closer to the man beside her when suddenly she felt an arm drape over her waist, drawing her gently closer.

Then a large, warmly heated palm carefully touched her swollen belly, gently caressing.

He was awake.

Luoshen reached out an arm and embraced his neck.

Li Mu kissed her, tender and lingering, releasing her only after a long while. With foreheads touching, both breathing slightly heavily, Luoshen heard him whisper in her ear: “A’Mi, thank you.”

Luoshen opened her eyes, gazing at him for a moment, the corners of her lips lifting slightly: “What are you thanking me for?”

“Thank you for understanding me.”

“These days, on the road back, I kept thinking about how you once told me you wanted to be empress of this world.”

“A’Mi, you were helping me succeed, letting me act without restraint, weren’t you?”

Luoshen smiled, leaned over to kiss him lightly, and said: “What does it matter whether it was my wish or yours? You’ve already yielded too much for me. I’ve long known that in this world, no one is more qualified to rule than you.”

“Langjun, I’ve waited so long for this day. Now that it’s finally come, I’m very happy.”

Li Mu gazed at her, slowly tightening the arm that held her.

As night gradually fell, Li Mu, worried she might be hungry, rose and dressed. After dining together, Li Mu took her hand and they slowly walked to the riverside.

A bright full moon rose from the heart of the river. Spring tides swelled secretly along the banks, flower shadows hazy. Luoshen leaned against Li Mu’s side, sitting in the riverside pavilion, listening to distant sounds of waves. In her mind, she couldn’t help recalling the images that had flashed when she fell into the pool that day.

Long ago, in this very place beneath her feet, in these same tidal waters, they had mercilessly swallowed a woman who walked toward them.

How unfortunate she had been, yet how fortunate.

“A’Mi, what are you thinking?”

Li Mu’s palm gently encircled her waist, kissed her earlobe, and asked her somewhat indistinctly.

Luoshen turned her head, gazing at the man in the moonlight, and smiled: “I’m thinking that my husband can not only pacify the world, but will surely be a wise ruler who can stabilize it in the future.”

Li Mu was startled, then laughed, saying: “A’Mi, there’s something I want you to know.”

“The dynastic name will be ‘Cheng.’ I wish to make Chang’an the capital. What do you think?”

This coming new unified dynasty would take “Cheng” as its name, presumably to commemorate their past time making Yi Cheng their home.

Compared to Jiankang, Guanzhong’s Chang’an was indeed more suitable as capital of a great nation.

She nodded, saying: “Long governance and eternal peace—that is Chang’an. May Great Cheng henceforth have peaceful prosperity, never knowing hunger, as befits Chang’an’s name of long governance and eternal peace.”

Li Mu laughed heartily, his laughter full of joy.

He took her hand and stood in the river pavilion, facing north across the river: “Throughout history, what endures without decay are only these majestic rivers and mountains, spring rivers and autumn moons. Blessed by Heaven’s great favor, allowing me to fulfill my wishes in this lifetime, I will hereafter do all I can to bring peace to the world and have no regrets.”

Luoshen laughed: “Yes, yes, His Majesty who founded Great Cheng is wise and mighty—whatever you say goes. How about this humble consort being first to pay respects to His Majesty?” So saying, she gracefully made as if to truly bow, but was lifted up by Li Mu.

“A’Mi, to what I just said, I must add one more thing.”

He gradually stopped smiling, his expression turning grave as he gazed at the smiling face in his arms.

“I, Li Mu—my heart toward you is also like river and moon, continuing through eternity. If there is a next life, and the life after that, through endless lives and worlds, Li Mu would wish to be again that youth you once saved.”

“A’Mi, would you be willing, the next time before passing in front of him, to save him once more?”

Luoshen looked at him, her eyes slowly growing moist.

Time flowing backward—who could know that the inadvertent backward glance of childhood would forge an unbreakable bond across two lifetimes?

And at this moment, her husband was promising her his life after life—if indeed this human world truly had endless lives, unceasing reincarnation.

She grasped the hand he had placed on her waist, lifted it up, spread each finger flat, then brought it to her lips.

“No matter how many times, I would be willing.”

She spoke, lowering her head to kiss the scarred palm.