The leaves were rustled by the wind; those gleaming eyes were incredibly low, flashing in the lush vegetation, as if something were crawling forward. Jiang Changbai, suddenly seeing it, was startled, and unconsciously retreated half a step. Song Juguang, seeing Jiang Changbai's peculiarity, followed her gaze and looked between the vegetation. At this time, that thing had drawn even closer, its whole body gleaming black, only a line of white spots beneath its jaw. A pair of eyes stared at the two; although the eyes were small, the killing intent within them was overflowing, and seeing it, one's fine hairs stood upright. It was the black bear that that hunter had wasted her life for without gaining. Just then, Song Juguang had listened to He Leyong's words, and had only taken it as the mountain not having any great wild beasts at all, and the words of the old, tea-selling woman at the foot of the mountain were only her subjective conjecture. As a result, she'd lowered her...

He Leyong was naturally an incredibly intelligent person; how could she not guess that, having come now, Jiang Changbai and Song Juguang had a request for her? After all, from the time her identity had been exposed and she'd been chased out of the Prince's residence, she'd lived in Mount Tongshan. Mount Tongshan was only a day's travel from the capital, but in the past six or so years, He Leyong hadn't received any news from the capital. To say nothing of the matter of, then, the matter having been brought before emperor by the imperial censor, causing Emperor Tai to be infuriated, such that even Prince Ling had been scolded heavily. If there truly wasn't some matter, then presumably, they wouldn't have come to find her. Jiang Changbai had always only had reverence for this teacher, and so, she hadn't thought of concealing it, and said candidly, "Laoshi, we want to invite you to enter the court as an official." But the next moment, He Leyong...

Song Shijiu returned to the room with the same expression as usual; for a rare turn, Li Shiyi wasn't reading, and was sitting on the bed, folding up a few light grey coats; she raised her eyelids to look at Song Shijiu, and it seemed like a meager smile was hung on her face; she asked, "Will you wash your face? I'll pour the water." Song Shijiu let out an "en", sitting down on the bed with her arms crossed, and watched the clothes Li Shiyi had folded in a daze. She'd folded even the clothes neatly and carefully, the creases like a framework, regular and at angles. She thought and thought; in the end, she felt that Li Shiyi hadn't been like this before; before, she'd been both done as she wished and been free and at ease; stealing from coffins and robbing tombs, if she truly feared the laws of the heavens, then why was she in this profession? She gazed at Li Shiyi, holding up and pouring out of a copper pot, and felt a particular idea was faintly ...

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 ...