The Imperial Prison was as still as the dead, the weak light dispersing from the torches flickering in the corners of the walls, and the weeds growing out of the cracks in the walls cast mottled shadows on the ground. The air was filled with the scent of mold, clinging to one's body and impossible to get rid of. It was as if, from the moment one entered the Imperial Prison, this moldy scent would grow upon them. The environment of the cell that Yang Zhuofei was in couldn't be said to be good. In the empty cell, only a single, palm-width strand of sky could be seen, no luxury of brocade and fine meals, nor silk and a soft bed, only water-like porridge and a pile of rotten straw. Though Yang Zhuofei hadn't been born in a well-off family, but the past half of her life had been lived in what could be counted as luxury, and there were always a few people around her serving her, and even if, in recent days, she'd been put under house arrest by Jiang Changbai, she'd had go...

"Who is it?!" a woman's voice sounded from the house. Though the voice was very low, the sound was loud and clear, and Jiang Changbai and Song Juguang could hear how little confidence was in this seemingly-harsh voice. Hearing the voice, they wanted to leave; after all, their original intent was only to furtively come here, and they hadn't intended to startle anyone. Who could have imagined that the motions of the woman in the residence were quicker than theirs, and before they'd managed to mount their horses, the doors were pushed open. The three of them looked at each other, their figures all filled with indescribable embarrassment. It was Jiang Changbai who responded most quickly, and she said, "The two of us were late in entering the capital, and didn't manage to make it to the next town before nightfall. We remembered when we'd passed through here before, and stayed a night in an old woman's home. That's why we came, but it seems now that...

Translator's note: This chapter is belated, as life got away from me. Thank you all for your patience. -  Jiang Changbai didn't pay her any attention; in an instant, her gaze swept past her, and shifted to look at Xie Qianbing. "What's the situation outside the Palace?" With a fight at the Imperial Palace's gates, the capital most certainly was affected. In comparison to interrogating Wu Lianyi, clearly knowing first about the situation in the city was more important. And Xie Qianbing had come here from her residence, and naturally understood best. Luckily, almost no worry appeared on Xie Qianbing's face. "Responding to Bixia, the might of the rebel forces ought to not be much, and adding on that the capital hasn't been stable in the past dozen or so years, the people are all experienced. On the way here, this minister only saw that the doors and windows of all the houses were closed securely, and there was barely anyone on the streets. But there ...

Though Wu Dongmu was broad and portly, and appeared quite foolish, when it came to the time of extreme risk to life, he was as nimble as a rat, and in a few seconds, he slipped into the crowd, such that Song Juguang's head ached a bit too. A ferocious ruthlessness flashed in Song Juguang's gaze, and she leaped to chase after him, but she hadn't gone far when she was obstructed by the soldiers in the middle of battle. Raising her gaze, she saw Wu Dongmu fleeing even further away, like a dog with its tail tucked between its legs, and her hands surreptitiously formed a seal, and the next moment, she turned and rushed towards the Rear Court. What was insignificant and what was not, she could still tell clearly. Over there, ever since Meng Daosheng had brought soldiers into the Imperial Palace, she'd pressed towards the Rear Court, cutting through thorns and overcoming all obstacles along the way, the battlefield behind her left largely to the sisters she'd brought along...

In this moment, the absurdity in Shen Yanyi's mind was greater than the fear. In this short half a day, her mood had gone through far too many ups and downs. It was as if this life of hers wasn't hers, but rather having been controlled and threatened by multiple different people. Just a moment before, she'd been immersed in the despair of losing her life, and in the next moment, she'd been moved by another's forgiveness. But now, this life could be counted as having returned to her. Jiang Changbai's expression was one of hard to hide emotion as well. She gazed at Shen Yanyi, and in a flash, a complicated set of emotions welled up in her. It wasn't that she hadn't seen the dead before; but even if she were more cold-hearted, she wasn't willing to see the life of someone who'd followed by her for a dozen or so years gradually disappear before her. The grief and anger mingled in her eyes, but she only said lowly, "If We don't allow you to...

"Hahahahahaha—" Wen Qing had only just finished speaking when Yang Zhuofei's near-maniacal laughter rose from behind the group. As it turned out, the imperial guard from just then had been hasty, and had only bound her hands and feet, but hadn't stuffed a cloth into her mouth. Now, having received this news, Yang Zhuofei believed even more so that Jiang Changbai wouldn't live for long, and so had laughed loudly, causing the gazes of the group to turn back and fall on her. As she laughed, Yang Zhuofei said, "Ah, you foolish girl—did you think that, as long as you confined this princess in the Palace, everything would be well? Did you believe that, as long as you were Emperor, you'd look down on the world with a thousand hands and a thousand eyes, and that you'd know all the matters of this world? Now that this princess' people have breached the Palace, you won't be able to stay on the Imperial much longer; it would be better for you to take of...

Jiang Changbai had just finished speaking when Shen Yanyi fell to her knees with a thud, practically falling to the ground. Only at this moment did she realise how much she'd overestimated herself; all of her plans, all of her jealousies, all of her unwillingness, in the end, it all came to nothing. She'd killed Han Yu, but soon enough, she herself would be be walking in her footsteps. Perhaps when she reached the path of the Yellow Springs, the two foes could even walk shoulder to shoulder for a bit. There was just one thing she couldn't understand. Shen Yanyi drew a deep breath, and raised her head to look at Chang Jiaye, standing by Jiang Changbai's side. She couldn't figure out when it was that Chang Jiaye had discovered her plans, or how she'd made the decision; when she'd revealed it to Jiang Changbai, had her mind hesitated in the slightest, and at this moment, what was her opinion on her? Shen Yanyi had too many questions she wanted to know the answe...