The second hand ticked away, drilling into Song Shijiu's ear, a pressure as if urging her to open her mouth. She gazed at Li Shiyi; she was still a slender bamboo, the cool breeze and floating moon, slim and elegant, like the clean origin within the turmoil and chaos of war. The Taishan Fujun was good, and the xiansheng who inquired of the coffins was fine as well; actually, she'd always been this attractive; at that time, how had it been that she'd though, at that time, that she was like an enchantress? She couldn't quite remember. She followed blindly in suit of her, as if having been wrapped within a shell, hidebound by convention. Only in this moment, she felt the inflexible clock having run into her mind, the second hand, at one side, separated from the hour hand, letting out a ticking " beng " sound, like some sort of lamenting sound of termination. Her curled lashes were like the clock's hand as well, touching as they closed, then breaking apart. Sh...

Today's morning court was exceptionally brief. In the curtain of darkness the night before, when everyone been preparing to lock their doors, the three of Yan Gaoge, Wen Congyun, and Nie Tianzong, carrying the imperial edict, led forces to, one after another, surround the residences of a number of court officials. The three of them had been Song Juguang's personal guards before, and had no relatives nor friends in the court, and as a result, weren't sentimental in the slightest. Seizing and imprisoning all happened at once. If it had been done another time, the next day's court would definitely have the ministers whom those whose houses were searched and whose possessions were confiscated had made friends with pleading for leniency. But, perhaps, the matter of someone being killed by beating on that day of ascension was still fresh in their minds; this time, there actually wasn't anyone who dared to express an opinion. "Since no one has any matters to report, t...

"Bi Yushuang; the name I was called before I entered the Palace, and now as well." Bi Yushuang's face had some bewilderment, and she blinked, asking, "It's just that it's been a long time that no one has called me; then, what about you, what are you called?" Jiang Changbai was somewhat hesitant; it seemed as if she didn't want to cause this elder of hers who was six years younger than her to know her identity, so she didn't reply at all, only furtively rubbed at the coil of beads in her hand. Yet Song Juguang wasn't the slightest bit concerned, and replied easily, "Song Juguang, the 'guang' of 'radiant light'." As a result, Jiang Changbai also had to reveal her name. Even if Bi Yushuang had lived deep in the palace for many years, she still knew the taboo name [1] of the current emperor. She saw her complexion change dramatically at once, the smiling expression of before disappearing in an instant, and she rushed to...

"Bullshit!" A Yin couldn't restrain herself, breaking the startled air. Chun Ping, startled, drew her shoulders up; her pupils hadn't shrunk the slightest bit, and her eyelids trembled, looking at her with extreme restraint. In her eyes, A Yin drew her spirit back, her sternum rapidly sinking, and she lowered her voice, furrowing her brows. "Think carefully; could it possibly be that you're confused? Passing this start of the year is only barely reaching the fifteenth year of Minguo; were these past ten years wasted?" She added, "President Sun passing at the start of the year, do you remember it or not?" Chun Ping swallowed a mouthful of saliva, her gaze flickering with anxiety, and she gazed at Song Shijiu, with her brows tightly knitted, and only then thinly said, "Sun-xiansheng isn't in my memories at all." It was as if a fog had risen in her clear eyes, doubtfully and indistinctly looking at everything; the great freneticness ...

Another half month later, Chun Ping had acclimated a lot; although she wasn't fond of speaking, occasionally she'd smile. The reason was unknown, but she got along the most with Song Shijiu, and often would follow along with her close by, sitting quietly. Song Shijiu was like a small dragon which had found its tail, and raised the corners of her proud mouth exceptionally aloofly. Many days had passed, and Song Shijiu had also gradually grasped some tricks. It wasn't clear if Chun Ping had some sort of congenital deficiency, but when she was about to exit the door and saw strangers, she was guaranteed to have a fever that night; but it would only last a single night, and the next morning, she'd once more be as lively as a dragon and as animated as a tiger. Although her mind was well, in the end, her body was weak; Song Shijiu didn't dare to disturb her, so she didn't take her out again. Fortunately, she wasn't too fond of wandering about all over, and mostly ...

Jiang Changbai felt that, sometimes, being the emperor wasn't necessarily as unrestricted as being a princess before. And, when she was eating lunch, this feeling became even stronger. A single dish had to be tasted for poison by two palace maids, and only then could be placed before her; eating some extra the day before meant that the next day she couldn't eat anymore. It was said to be her identity becoming more respected, but the fixed framework of the restrictions of social conventions and taboos on her also increased. "Bixia." Jiang Changbai had just thought of it, when now, Xun Zhu also tasted the food, and placed it before her. A simple steamed fish; it didn't have any sort of decoration. Yet, seeing it, Jiang Changbai's eyes brightened, and she raised her head, saying to Song Juguang, sitting by her right side, [1] "You truly came just in time; if you'd come a day late, you wouldn't be able to eat this steamed fish." Song Juguang, he...

The capital became hotter and hotter. Even though every day there was an unending stream of ice being brought in on carts from as far as the icehouse in the capital's suburbs to the Palace, the inside of the Imperial Palace still remained very hot. Jiang Changbai spent the overwhelming majority of the day hunched over the table responding to memorials, but the person fanning her had changed from Xun Zhu into a new palace maid. And Xun Zhu was only employed to stand and attend at her side, waiting for Jiang Changbai's instructions prompted by sudden impulse. But it seemed as if these instructions wouldn't emerge at all within a day. Jiang Changbai had wholeheartedly thrown herself into the memorials on the table. The Great Li hadn't appointed a Grand Chancellor; when the past few generations of emperors had been on the throne, they'd all specially appointed ministers to constitute a cabinet, to first attend to the memorials that had been sent in and read them over, a...

Chun Ping's immature, tender nails scratched at Song Shijiu's palm, her face still lacking an expression in the slightest, not even clever obedience, only biting her lip as she gazed at her, not intending to speak one more word. In her sparse brows and the furrowed ridge of her brows, Song Shijiu felt a rather vigorous obstinance, seeping out of the thin, weak girl, as if seeing the the Li Shiyi of then, wandering about in a desperate plight and not fond of speaking. She counted herself as incredibly fortunate; the divine bones bestowed by the heavens were wanton and unrestrained, and by the time she'd been reincarnated, she was also protected well by Li Shiyi, growing to be lovely and innocent and at ease, never having had a time where she endured hardships. Thinking on it carefully, the greatest hardship she'd endured was nothing more than previously chasing after Li Shiyi's love, yet not gaining it. However, now she had Li Shiyi, and she was satisfied to the poin...