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...

Today, the heavens seemed to quite favour Shen Yanyi; the leader of the currently on-duty imperial guards in the Imperial Palace was Chang Jiaye, whose relationship with her had always been good. Chang Jiaye, seeing Shen Yanyi, who had changed her clothes, hurrying over, covered in the dust of travel, said with a smile, "How is it that such a busy person has found the time to come spend time with me? Don't tell me that you wanted to find her majesty in the Palace and got lost and so dazedly came to me. Go any further and it's the Rear Court; you'd best not rush in like a fool." After she finished speaking, Chang Jiaye sniffed; she felt that there was a strange scent around Shen Yanyi today. But her thoughts didn't go towards the scent of blood; after all, she'd always felt that the impression Shen Yanyi gave one was that of a scholar; there couldn't be the slightest connection drawn to the scent of blood. Shen Yanyi raised her head to look at Chang Jia...

No matter how Bi Yushuang scolded her, this thought had still taken root in Liang Jiwen's mind. Liang Jiwen had her own plans in her mind; Jiang Changbai couldn't be counted as having treated her badly—at least, she treated her better than those who shared blood with her. If she were to cause trouble in the Great Li in the name of so-called supreme power, then that really would be being unable to recognise others' good intentions. But if she were to return to Shejin, then that would be an entirely different matter. To speak of it properly, the grounds for her going to be the King of Shejin were more proper and grounded than Jiang Changbai's grounds for being the Great Li's Emperor. After all, according to the legal system of the Great Li, at most, Jiang Changbai could be counted as a collateral relative; if not for the fact that everyone else had died, then this position perhaps truly wouldn't have fallen to her. But ideas were only ideas, and Liang Jiwen knew ...

"Bixia, this subject wishes to ask you for a favour." Yang Zhuofei knelt on the ground, but the expression when she raised her head to look at Jiang Changbai was hardly beseeching, as if success was already at hand. Jiang Changbai could faintly guess what Yang Zhuofei was about to say, yet she still asked, "Oh? Let Us hear it." "Prince Yu passed on so many years ago, and the manor hasn't had even a single support. Now, Mingyou has already grown up. This subject requests Bixia in earnest to pass the title of Prince Yu on to Mingyou, for him to establish himself, and continue to burn the imperial family's incense." Having spoken to this point, Yang Zhuofei paused, and pulled out a scroll from her breast, deferentially raising it above her head with her hands. "This is a petition from the people." "A petition?" Jiang Changbai's words were a bit astonished, and she indicated to Xun Zhu to bring the scroll to her. On it were pres...

Translator's note: Thank you all for your patience! The next updates should be on schedule. -  Liang Jiwen was waiting in the front hall, her mind quite on edge. And, fortunately, because of this, she didn't see the the rapidly-departing Song Juguang. By the time Jiang Changbai had finished changing and come out from the back, Liang Jiwen was still a bit bewildered that the Emperor's ears were flushed. But she didn't have the mind to think much about it, and said anxiously, "Bixia, I want to leave the Palace." Jiang Changbai looked at her. "Didn't We allow you to leave the Palace? Just go note down your name; there's no need to come ask Us about every matter." Having just finished speaking, Jiang Changbai turned, about to leave. Liang Jiwen hurriedly obstructed her. "No, my meaning is, I want to leave and live outside the Palace." "You want to move out of the Palace." "Exactly." "And why is that?" Jiang...