Shi Changming replied neither humbly nor arrogantly: “Since this commoner has come here, I have already prepared for the worst, but this commoner believes that Your Ladyship is not an unreasonable person!”

“Do you think that by saying this, I won’t punish you two?” Without waiting for Shi Changming to speak, she already shook her head: “Unfortunately, you are wrong!”

This sentence made Jiang Caiping’s heart clench entirely. Just as she was about to speak, Yunyi spoke first: “Jiang Caiping, the matter between you and me is difficult to judge right from wrong, so let’s not speak of it. I only ask you one question: over these years, have you ever felt guilty toward Jixiang?”

Jiang Caiping looked at her with a complex expression. After a long while, she gently nodded, “Yes! That day I only wanted to teach you a lesson. I never thought it would cause Jixiang’s death. She is the person I have wronged most!”

“Good.” With this word, Yunyi let out a soft breath, “I want you to establish a perpetual memorial tablet for Jixiang in a temple. Every year during Qingming and the Cold Food Festival, on her birth anniversary and death anniversary, you must go to the convent to offer incense.”

Jiang Caiping listened quietly. After waiting a while and not hearing Yunyi continue, she inquired: “What else?”

Yunyi returned to sit in her chair, raising her eyebrows with a smile: “I have already finished speaking. What else do you want me to say?”

Jiang Caiping looked at Yunyi in astonishment. Finished… meaning this was Yunyi’s punishment for her? Just this?

Back then, she had helped Jirong deal with Yunyi. Now that the latter had been restored to favor and had specifically brought her back from Luoyang to Chang’an, she had always thought that even if she wouldn’t face death, she would certainly not escape severe punishment. Who would have thought it would merely be establishing a tablet for worship… wasn’t this too light?

Shi Changming had the same thoughts, which was why he had specifically rushed all the way from Luoyang, yet who would have thought…

He probed: “Your Ladyship, you don’t blame Caiping anymore?”

Yunyi sighed softly, “I said before that the rights and wrongs between Caiping and me have long been impossible to distinguish clearly. Those four years of cultivation should be considered what I owed her. The only thing that bothers me is the matter of Jixiang. If Caiping had no regret about this, then this wouldn’t be the punishment. Remember, during Qingming and the Cold Food Festival, on birth and death anniversaries, you must not miss even one.”

A great weight lifted from Shi Changming’s heart, “To be honest with Your Ladyship, actually two years ago, this commoner already accompanied Caiping to establish a perpetual memorial tablet for Jixiang in a temple, and we often go there to pay our respects.”

His words brought a trace of a smile to Yunyi’s face, “That’s good. You may go.”

“Thank you, Your Ladyship!” Shi Changming thanked her repeatedly. Seeing Jiang Caiping still standing there in a daze, he said in a low voice: “Wife, quickly thank Her Ladyship for her grace in not punishing.”

Jiang Caiping came back to her senses, raised her eyes to look at Yunyi, and said hoarsely: “You’re willing to forgive me?”

Yunyi smiled bitterly, “It’s not a matter of forgiveness or not. Four years ago I already told you that the sisterly affection between us was finished, and from then on we would be strangers. I summoned you this time only to seek a word of account for Jixiang. After today I will never see you again. Take care of yourself.”

At this moment, Jiang Caiping’s heart suddenly surged with heavy regret. Thinking carefully about it, aside from the matter with Xuanba, Yunyi had never wronged her in any way, and had even specifically explained to her many years later, yet she had joined forces with Jirong to harm her, causing her to be confined in Mingyue Convent for four whole years.

“I…” Jiang Caiping had only said one word when Yunyi raised her hand to interrupt, “I have said everything I wanted to say. Everything ends here. You may go.”

Hearing these words, Jiang Caiping’s heart filled with darkness. She understood that at this moment, even if she repented, it would be impossible for her and Yunyi to restore their old friendship. As she had said, from now on they would be strangers, never to meet again until death.

“Let’s go.” Facing Shi Changming’s words, Jiang Caiping nodded and left with him. When she reached the threshold, she stopped, turned back, and said to Yunyi in a low voice, “I’m sorry.”

She regretted it, but it was all too late. Between them, it could only end with those three words: “I’m sorry.”

Watching the departing figures of the Jiang Caiping couple, Ruyi said with a complex expression: “Princess, is this how the matter of Jixiang ends?”

Yunyi sighed, saying distantly: “When I was looking at her just now, scenes from our time in Honghua Commandery kept floating through my mind. If it weren’t for me, she wouldn’t have been dragged into her twenties before marrying and having children. Ruyi, I… really couldn’t bring myself to be ruthless. I’m sorry!”

Ruyi remained silent for a long while, then shook her head: “This servant understands. Even if we killed her whole family, Jixiang wouldn’t come back to life. Jixiang was most considerate of the Princess. I believe she wouldn’t blame you.”

Yunyi silently gazed at the azure sky outside the door, as Jixiang’s face and voice once again appeared before her eyes…

On the nineteenth day of the ninth month of the seventh year of Wude, Li Yuan formally abdicated, becoming Great Emperor, while Li Shimin ascended to the emperor’s throne in Xiande Hall, receiving the homage of all officials. Starting from the following year, the era name was changed to Zhenguan.

Regardless of how his imperial position came to be, and regardless of whether Li Yuan was truly willing to abdicate and become Great Emperor, none of this could change the fact that Li Shimin had become the new emperor of the Great Tang!

When his hands gripped the armrests carved with dragon heads, Li Shimin swore in his heart that the Great Tang Empire would certainly become even more powerful under his rule, making all directions come to pay tribute!

However, what puzzled Li Shimin was that Zhao Jin, who should have returned before his enthronement, was nowhere to be seen. The people Duan Zhihong had sent to investigate outside the city had also found no clues. Could it be… that Zhao Jin’s mission in the Turkic lands had not gone as smoothly as he had expected, and he had failed to bring back Empress Xiao? But even so, he should have returned to Chang’an to report to him.

Li Shimin felt uneasy. After noon, he summoned Duan Zhihong to Xiande Hall and instructed: “Send people to investigate outside the city again to see if there are any traces of Zhao Jin. If there still aren’t any, send a team of soldiers to search along the route to the Turkic lands. We must find him as soon as possible.”

“Yes, I will go immediately.” As Duan Zhihong was leaving, a eunuch entered and whispered something in Wu Yu’s ear. The latter nodded and bowed to Li Shimin: “Your Majesty, General Du has arrived, saying he has urgent matters to report.”

A trace of surprise flashed through Li Shimin’s eyes. Today was his enthronement day, a time of universal celebration. What urgent matters could there be? Though he found it strange, Du Ruhui was one of his trusted generals, so he immediately said: “Let him enter.”

Soon, Du Ruhui appeared in Xiande Hall. Before Li Shimin could ask questions, he had already said urgently: “Your Majesty, Zhao Jin has returned!”

Li Shimin was startled, then said: “Since he has returned, why hasn’t he come to see me?”

“In response to Your Majesty, it’s not that Zhao Jin won’t come, but that he cannot come.” Saying this, Du Ruhui recounted the entire matter in detail.

After paying homage to the new emperor today, he had returned to his residence. The place where he lived was quite close to Chunming Gate. From afar, he saw a crowd gathered there. Out of curiosity, he went over to take a look and saw a man covered in blood lying on the ground, unconscious. What shocked him most was that this person was actually Zhao Jin, whom Li Shimin had sent as an envoy to the Turkic lands a month ago.