Seven days later.

The envoys from Southern Chu appeared in the capital of Northern Qi. Ruyi, as the chief minister of Wenyuan Pavilion, received them personally.

Murong Jiao stepped forward and clasped his fists: "The Fourth Princess of Nanchu, Murong Jiao."

"The Prime Minister of the Northern Qi Cabinet, Rong Zhaoyang!"

Ruyi returned the gift, and after a brief introduction, both of them looked at each other in silence.

Murong Jiao had not expected that in such a short time since she left, Ruyi had gone from an orphan who left the Prime Minister's Mansion to her current position above everyone else, with a graceful demeanor, calm eyes and a righteous character.

Ruyi also didn't expect that when she saw Murong Jiao again, the person in front of her was completely different from the Shen Jiaojiao in her memory who would fall down at the slightest gust of wind and cry at any time.

At this moment, she looks like a woman who is hard to tell whether she is male or female, with her back straight, white clothes fluttering in the wind, and clear and determined eyes. How could there be any trace of worldly air in her?

Ruyi had to admit that the woman in front of her was very powerful.

The two looked at each other for a while, and Murong Jiao said "I'm sorry".

Ruyi looked at her for a moment and said, "If I were you, I might not do better than you."

Who can be so rational when facing the murderer of their mother?

They all have a long way to go, and only by wading through the mud step by step can they know who they are, why they are alive, and see the truth clearly.

"After all, we are all mortal."

Ruyi let the past go with the wind and made a gesture of invitation, "Princess Four, please."

The two walked side by side to the Foreign Affairs Embassy.

Ruyi was wearing a light golden round-necked robe, as gentle as jade.

Murong Jiao was dressed in white, looking cool and extraordinary.

Everyone was stunned. "When they meet, they forget their grudges with a smile. Who in the world can do this? These two people have great courage in their hearts."

"The Prime Minister naturally put aside his personal grudges for the sake of peace. After all, Murong Jiao is the fourth princess of Nanchu. She was left outside and suffered all kinds of grievances. If she died in Northern Qi, Nanchu would definitely go crazy."

“Murong Jiao is also a powerful figure. If it weren’t for their conversation, I would find it hard to believe that she was the former Shen Jiaojiao.”

"Yes, after enduring humiliation and suffering in order to avenge her mother, and going through so many hardships, she now returns with a clear and open mind. It is obvious that she was acting before."

“They are all people who achieve great things.”

There was constant discussion all around.

Ruyi and Murong Jiao walked in front, both with mixed feelings.

Ruyi looked ahead and said, "I didn't expect that our farewell would be like this."

"yes."

Murong Jiao sighed, "I have lived for twenty-six years for revenge, but one day I found out that it was all just a dream."

"What are your plans for the future?"

Ruyi glanced at her.

Murong Jiao took a deep breath, paused and looked at her, "I have already written to my father and mother, saying that the grudge between you and me is a personal one and has nothing to do with Northern Qi or Southern Chu. If you want revenge, I have no complaints."

Once you mistake your enemy, it is difficult to undo the damage.

Ruyi looked at her and recalled the past events.

After a moment, he laughed, "Aren't you also a chess piece? The Ghost Doctor uses you, and the Shen family father and son are also using you. You are just a spy trained by the Fourth Prince of Nanchu, the Ghost Doctor and others, and a medium for the Shen family father and son to vent their inner filthiness."

"You and I are both victims. There is no need to kill each other."

Ruyi turned around and looked in the direction of the Golden Throne Hall. "Now, women in our dynasty can go to school, do business, join the army, and become officials. I think this is the prosperous world I want, not that all women can only stay in the backyard and fight to the death around the only one or two men they can come into contact with."

"I'm only sixteen."

She glanced at Murong Jiao and said, "You are only twenty-six."

"We still have many years to go, so why look back? I have been caught in the rain before, so I don't need to tear up other people's umbrellas."

She looked at Murong Jiao, her lips curled up, as bright as the rising sun, "Good fortune and misfortune go hand in hand. If I had never died, felt pain, and crawled in the dark, I would not have seen the truth, and I would never have reached this height today."

"In a sense, all those who hurt me in the past are my benefactors."

"the same as you."

Murong Jiao was moved and his heart trembled.

"You are really different." She looked at Ruyi and took a deep breath. It seemed that something cold in her body had dissipated. "If everyone I met in the first half of my life was a ghost, then you are the only light."

"The only normal one."

"He is also the only person I cannot help but admire."

"If you and I switched places, I probably wouldn't be able to do it like you."

"Today I am the envoy of Southern Chu, and you are the host of Northern Qi. But I can see that there is a difference between you and me. You are already standing on the top of the mountain, overlooking the vast mountains and rivers, and looking up at the brilliant stars in the sky. There is too much hope and beauty in your eyes. The world is full of vitality in your eyes. You are full of ambition and naturally don't care about the past storms."

"Relatively speaking, hatred is too small. It cannot contain your magnificent vitality."

"And I..."

Murong Jiao took a deep breath and lowered his eyes in disappointment, "After all, I still have a long way to go. Maybe it will take a few more years before I can be like you."

"But I feel lucky to have met you."

"Let's go. Today we meet for the sake of peace and prosperity. The people of both countries will be grateful to you. Without you, I would be in Northern Qi and it would be difficult for me to stir up trouble in Chu."

A wishful smile.

The two walked into the Foreign Affairs Office together. Murong Jiao said, "It was you who helped me. Otherwise, I would have to come back as a spy and die tragically in Northern Qi. I would not know who I am and who I am working for until I die."

Ruyi asked her, "Is your stomach disease healed?"

Murong Jiao smiled bitterly, "My stomach problem has healed, but there is an extra poisonous insect in my body."

"This may be the retribution for going astray."

Ruyi raised her hand and felt her pulse. "Wait another half a month, when your face is almost healed, I can force the poison out for you."

“May you have a new beginning.”

She looked at Murong Jiao, and met his clear eyes with mixed feelings.

For a person like this, acting like Shen Jiaojiao is also risking his life, right?

The past is too painful to recall.

Murong Jiao sighed, "There is no turning back in life."

If she could start over again, how much she hoped to meet a bright woman like Shen Ruyi when the time, place and people were right?

Then, her soul will be illuminated, right?

…

The terms of the peace negotiation went particularly smoothly.

Exactly half a month later, Murong Jiao witnessed the wedding of Ruyi and Rong Yan. Looking at the harmony between the emperor and the empress, a sincere blessing appeared in his eyes.

This blessing is different from others.

Others hope that Rong Yan and Ruyi will grow old together.

In addition to her blessings, she also had a secret hope: she felt that the happiness and success she desired would be like a lighthouse shining in the distance, so that from now on, whenever she thought of it in the distant south, there would be light in her heart.

That would give her the strength to move toward the light.

Before leaving, she left a note for Ruyi with only one sentence on it: I hope that in the future we can look at each other across the mountains and rivers, and both of you are well.

(end)