Chapter 677 It's all time to end this.

In the blink of an eye, it's almost Lunar New Year's Eve again.

Since Li Qingluo encountered trouble at the Shunyang Marquis's residence when she took Fangfang out of the palace alone last time, Duan Rongshi has temporarily refused to allow her to leave the palace alone.

After finally finishing his business, he was able to leave Jinling City with his wife and daughter.

Because it is winter.

Therefore, Duan Rongshi also sat in the spacious carriage.

She would rest on her father's lap for a while, and then in her mother's arms.

She's a child who can't stop.

She is full of cleverness and cuteness, and Duan Rongshi is now pampering her more and more, sometimes even holding her in his arms when he goes to court.

Of course, none of the officials dared to utter a single word about whether the new emperor's actions were unbecoming of an emperor.

Because nowadays, women in Jinling and even the entire Dayue region are becoming increasingly assertive.

Who dares to impeach the princess for bringing her to the court?

All of this is because His Majesty was the first to announce that half of the world also belongs to the Empress.

Even the Empress was addressed as "Long Live the Emperor."

At first, the court officials didn't think there was anything wrong with it.

Because at that time, the new emperor and empress had indeed conquered the country together, and both the Great Chu and the Great Liang wanted to seize the new emperor.

Now it's too late for any of them to regret it.

He could only watch as women all over the world rose up one by one.

And this is exactly the result that Li Qingluo, as Empress, most wanted to see.

It may be a long time before true gender equality is achieved in this world, and there is still a long way to go.

But there's no rush.

She was able to fight for women's rights, to help them walk with their heads held high on the streets, and that was the first step she could take.

Changing the true status of women requires centuries or even millennia of change.

Maybe one day, that day will really come?

After leaving the palace, Duan Rongshi took Li Qingluo to Qishan.

There is a private courtyard halfway up Qishan Mountain.

The sign hanging on the gate of the villa reads: Guiyuan.

As soon as Li Qingluo and Duan Rongshi entered, they were greeted by a group of adorable mute servants.

Before Duan Rongshi faked his death and left, he settled the mute slaves here, and now, in the blink of an eye, it has been four years since they lived here.

They are getting old.

Some, as always, warmly surrounded them.

This wasn't the first time Li Qingluo had come to see them.

But everyone was still very excited, and some even kept rubbing their red eyes and wiping away tears.

Li Qingluo knew that they were just too lonely and isolated.

Moreover, since they and Duan Rongshi have been away for the past few years, they have nothing to rely on.

Li Qingluo: "Why don't you come to the palace with us?"

“If you go to live in the palace, we can still see you often and take care of you.”

The mute slaves frantically made hand gestures.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty."

“We are all used to a free and unrestrained life and do not want to enter the palace.”

"Moreover, the princess can be protected here."

"We are very happy and free."

"The mute slaves are already very content that you come here occasionally."

As they spoke, the mute slaves took Fangfang away to play.

Li Qingluo looked at Duan Rongshi helplessly.

Duan Rongshi: "Let them be."

"Anyway, I will support them until the end of their lives."

Li Qingluo: "Then shall we go see Mother?"

Back then, Duan Rongshi was ordered by the Chu Emperor to return to Daliang and steal the remains of Zongzheng Qingyue.

Duan Rongshi took the opportunity to move his mother's remains out of the Great Liang Imperial Mausoleum and bury them in a fairyland outside the cave where he and Li Qingluo had fallen.

I believe that here, Zongzheng Qingyue's soul can finally find true peace.

"Mother, we have brought your granddaughter Fangfang to see you."

"Mother, we all miss you very much."

"But please rest assured, Mother, we are all well."

"Mother, thank you for everything..."

If Zongzheng Qingyue hadn't sent Li Qinglu back to be reborn, there wouldn't be this life of Duan Rongshi and Li Qinglu.

There would be no chance of releasing this little life.

In this life, they will live long and peacefully.

Fangfang knelt in the snow, calling out in a childish voice, "Grandma..."

Then he obediently kowtowed several times.

Duan Rongshi gently patted Fangfang's little head, then lowered his hand and took Li Qingluo's hand beside him.

The three of them played in the snow for a while longer.

Fangfang and her mother smashed their father into a giant snowman.

The three men's joyful laughter echoed through the mountains and forests for a long time, never ceasing.

Sha Yi even went into the water to catch some fish.

After enjoying grilled fish together in the cave, everyone reluctantly left this otherworldly realm.

However, on their way back to Jinling, they were assassinated.

Hundreds of people surrounded Li Qingluo and Duan Rongshi.

Because they were traveling incognito, they only brought about twenty guards with them this time.

But Li Qingluo and Duan Rongshi were not flustered.

Duan Rongshi even calmly carried Fangfang out of the carriage himself.

Looking at the group of people before him, which was neither too many nor too few, he stood atop the carriage, exuding an imperial aura, and coldly asked, "Royal sister, aren't you going to come out and greet us?"

The new emperor was once a notorious killer.

Now that the emperor is wearing the dragon robe, even if it is just a private outfit, the natural dragon aura emanating from him is already terrifying enough.

He then unleashed the murderous aura he had been deliberately suppressing. When he uttered those words, all the black people present were so terrified that they dared not move for a moment.

The new emperor actually guessed their identities?

Was the new emperor prepared all along, waiting for them?

The crowd dispersed.

Duan Xiyue appeared at the back of the crowd and walked out.

"Fifth brother, it's been years since we last met. I never expected our reunion to be like this."

“You are now the emperor of the world, while I, your elder sister, am the loser in the struggle for power… We, siblings, have come to this day.”

"But tell me, if I were to kill you here today—would it be possible to successfully storm the palace and seize the throne?"

Duan Rongshi: "Royal sister, you're joking."

"Let's not even talk about how your few hundred men can't take me down today, let's just say that even if you do manage to take my head..."

"Before you even enter the capital city of Jinling, your troops will be wiped out by the Northern Army, leaving no trace of their remains."

"Even if you manage to break into the palace, will the empire I conquered truly recognize you as the new emperor?"

Li Qingluo also climbed out of the carriage.

She stood beside Duan Rongshi, looked at Princess Xiyue, and shook her head.

“Princess, Ah Shi has known about all your movements these past few days.”

"He hasn't sent troops to take you down because he's thinking of your relationship as siblings."

"Princess, it's time to end all of this."

Duan Xiyue looked up and laughed bitterly.

"Finish?"

"Finish!?"

"My husband! My two sons! My beloved daughter Nanping... all gone! How can I possibly end this?!"

"Back then, I begged him not to send Nanping away for a political marriage..."

"He is also Nanping's maternal uncle! Yet he still cruelly threatened me and heartlessly sent my Nanping to that cannibalistic place!"

"To be honest, my desire to fight my way back to Jinling is not to seize your throne, Fifth Brother."

"I will personally torture Duan Rongjue alive! I will make him wish he were dead, I will make him suffer the cruelest punishment in the world, and I will make his wife and children suffer the same fate he has inflicted on me, so that they may all die because of him!"

"Go to hell, all of you! Go to hell!!"

Duan Xiyue roared madly, her eyes bloodshot, screaming out her hatred, her pain, and her resentment.

Duan Rongshi: "So, does Your Highness intend to drag all those who are loyal to you down with you to pay for their lives?"

"Your Majesty, I can entrust Duan Rongjue to you for disposal."

"As long as you dare to come with me."

After saying that, Duan Rongshi turned around, picked up Fangfang, and crawled back into the carriage.

Xi Yue looked up in disbelief: "R-really?"

"You're going to hand Duan Rongjue over to me to deal with?"

A wary look of doubt flashed in her eyes: "Could this be a plot by you to deceive me and capture me?"

Li Qingluo: "Whether you believe it or not is up to you, Princess."

“Ashi is still holding back the pressure from the entire court to execute the former crown prince because he knows you must be resentful and full of hatred.”

"He still cares about your sibling relationship, otherwise, as the eldest princess, would we have only brought these twenty-odd guards out of the city today?"

"If the princess trusts us, she can come into the city with us."

"If you don't believe it, you can try fighting your way out today."

After Li Qinglu finished speaking, she turned around and got into the carriage.

Fangfang rushed into her arms and called out in a childish voice, "Mother."

Duan Xiyue, who was outside the carriage, felt a jolt in her heart when she heard the word "Mother".

She had one daughter and two sons with her husband during her lifetime.

Now that all three of her children have met such a terrible end, how could she, as their mother, not be heartbroken and in unbearable pain?

His once black hair is now streaked with white.

Whenever she hears the innocent voice calling "Mother," Duan Xiyue is reminded of the time when her three children called her "Mother."

Duan Xiyue's heart will be filled with even more hatred, and she will be even more unable to accept or forgive Duan Rongjue's ruthlessness!

At this point, whether we believe them or not, how could the outcome be worse than being in hiding all day long, wanting to make a comeback but being completely powerless to do so?

Rather than living in agony every day, like a walking corpse, why not take a gamble!

Anyway, she has nothing left.

Duan Xiyue turned to look at her old subordinates who had sworn to follow her to the death, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

"I am leaving now, and whether I live or die, none of you should follow me."

"From now on, go and pursue your own lives in this vast world!"

"Don't look for a useless master like me again."

After saying that, Duan Xiyue boarded the carriage and rode away with Li Qingluo and the others.

The remaining tribesmen looked at each other in confusion, wondering, "Does the princess not want us anymore?"

"Then, where should we go, and what should we do?"

Pei Qinghong, the leader of the Shadow Guards, emerged from the woods.

"If you wish to be free, you may leave now. However, from this day forward you must live in anonymity and never mention your past or former identity again."

"Otherwise, anyone who reveals that they were once a subordinate of the princess will be brought to justice by the court."

"Those who don't want to leave, come with me."

If hundreds of people were released at once, they would surely become bandits and outlaws. So how could Duan Rongshi really release them all?

However, changing their identities and rejoining the army would not be a bad idea, as it would be a way to take in these people who were once loyal to Xiyue.

Xi Yue seemed to know that her younger brother would not exterminate all of her old subordinates.

Inside the carriage, she whispered, "Thank you."

"Did Fifth Brother leave the city today specifically to wait for me to appear?"