Shengshi'an

Inside the Empress's Kunning Palace, the Empress's gaze fell upon the Emperor.

Watching the figure slowly fall, the Empress stood up and walked step by step to the Emperor's side, a smile appearing on her face. "I have finally avenged Ah Chen!"

The Emperor turned his gaze to the Empress, frowning, and almost instinctively spoke, "What are you saying? Ah Chen is already dead, don't you know that!" His words carried a hint of rebuke, "What are you trying to do?"

"What for?" The Empress shook her head at the Emperor. "Of course, it's to kill you to avenge Achen. Weren't you the one who killed Achen back then?"

"Don't talk nonsense. He's my son. How could I let someone kill him!" Despite saying this, she lacked confidence and turned her head away with a hint of guilt.

Upon seeing this, the Empress knew that everything Xie Sili had said was true—he was her biological father, and the current Emperor had ordered his execution.

The faces of Xie Jingche and Xie Jingyan flashed through her mind. The Empress squatted down and looked at the Emperor, a hint of mockery in her eyes. "Tell me, why did you kill Achen back then! He was clearly your favorite son, and you gave him everything he had, yet you killed him in the end."

"I didn't!" the emperor protested again. "How could I possibly kill my own son!"

The Empress looked at him, laughing for a moment before bursting into tears. "Yes, how could you kill your own son? He used to admire and respect you so much, hoping to become a good emperor like you. Why did you kill him!"

"I didn't!" the emperor said again. "He is my son, how could I possibly kill him?"

“But you are the one who killed him.” The Empress said, placing a token in front of the Emperor. “Do you know where this token came from? It was torn from someone else’s body when Ah Chen died. Others may not recognize it, but Ah Chen and I both do. It’s a token that only your guards would wear.”

When the emperor heard the empress's words, there was no pain on his face from the revelation of the truth; instead, there was only hatred and disgust etched in his eyes.

How could I not love it?

How could one not hate?

At first, he was the successor he had personally groomed, but in the end he became a cruel executioner. In his pursuit of the so-called throne, he ultimately drove his son to his death.

"I did nothing wrong!" The emperor looked at her with no remorse, only disgust for his own son.

"He's too outstanding. He wants to be emperor. I'm not old yet. I can still be emperor. I won't allow that to happen." As the emperor spoke, his eyes reddened, but no tears fell.

“He is my son, but he shouldn’t have crossed my line. It’s all his fault! I’m not at fault.”

The empress listened to his words, laughing for a while before bursting into tears. "No, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have married you, I shouldn't have become empress. If I weren't empress, my Ah Chen wouldn't have died!"

She laughed again as she spoke, "So you'll go to hell with my Ah Chen, we should both go to hell."

As she spoke, she lit a torch. "Your Majesty, do not be afraid. I will always be by your side on the road to the Yellow Springs."

By the time Xie Sili and the others arrived, she had only managed to rescue the dying empress from the fire.

"Ah Li, I'm going to be with Ah Chen now." The Empress said, taking her hand. "From now on, I'll be leaving Ah Che and Yan Yan in your care."

Xie Sili looked at her and nodded. "Don't worry, I will take care of them until they can live well in this world. But I will not hide their identities from them. How they choose to live in the future is up to them."

The Empress nodded at her, and after calling Jun Qichen's name twice, she slowly closed her eyes.

Xie Sili did not bury the Empress and the Emperor together. Instead, after cremating her, he secretly sent her to Jun Qichen's tomb and built a new tomb next to his.

After the emperor's death, the eldest prince and the third prince plotted a rebellion, both wanting to ascend the throne themselves. However, Jun Qiyu swiftly suppressed them with ruthless methods.

After being imprisoned, the eldest prince and the third prince both committed suicide in prison, and declared that they would never work under Jun Qiyu again.

After everything settled down, Jun Qiyu was supported by the new ministers to ascend the throne. During the rebellion, they had learned about Jun Qiyu's ruthless methods. Even without the emperor's knowledge, he had replaced the entire Imperial Guard with his own men. Only then did they realize that His Highness the Prince of Yan was never a spoiled brat.

After ascending the throne, Jun Qiyu carried out a series of reforms. All the ministers who crossed his bottom line were purged. Finally, he announced that from now on, Longmen Academy would officially become an official academy.

Inside the Siyuan Garden.

Xie Sili turned his gaze to Xie Yi, Xie Sichuan, Xie Sinian, and the others. "With the new emperor on the throne, the court is unstable, and we still need you." He then patted Xie Yi on the shoulder. "From now on, I'm entrusting this to you."

"Does Sister want to leave Chang'an?" Xie Sichuan asked first. "Will Sister come back in the future?"

Xie Sili smiled and said, "Of course I will. This place is my home too." She then patted Xie Sichuan's head. "But I don't know when I can come back. I probably won't be back for at least ten years."

"Ache and Yan Yan are staying in the palace?" Xie Sinian turned his gaze to Xie Sili. "I think His Majesty intends to groom him."

“That was the path that A-Che and Yan-Yan chose themselves. I believe Jun Qi-Yu will definitely nurture them well.” Xie Si-Li said, then turned his gaze to Xie S-Nian. “However, you are now the Right Prime Minister and also serve as the Crown Prince’s Junior Tutor. You must do your job well in the future.”

Making Xie Jingche the crown prince was Jun Qiyu's own decision. He did not tell anyone that Xie Jingche was the child of the former crown prince, only that they were his son and daughter. He even directly made Xie Jingche the crown prince at the enthronement ceremony, and Xie Sinian was appointed as the crown prince's tutor, and from then on, he was responsible for Xie Jingche's studies and homework.

Xie Sili had discussed this matter with Xie Jingche. She even told Xie Jingche that he didn't have to make this choice, but Xie Jingche said that he was willing to shoulder this responsibility, this heavy responsibility that once belonged to his father.

She even said that she would protect the world after he ascended the throne. Xie Sili respected Xie Jingche's decision; it was his own choice, and she would not stop him.

Before leaving Chang'an, she went to the palace again to see Jun Qiyu.

She met Jun Qiyu at the agreed location; he was dressed in all black.

It seems that one can see what he will look like more than ten years from now with just one glance. He is an emperor of all ages and a wise ruler throughout history.

"Xie San." Jun Qiyu greeted her familiarly, "I heard Mu Feng wanted to see me."

"I'm leaving." Xie Sili turned her gaze to Jun Qiyu. "I won't be returning to Chang'an for at least ten years, and I probably won't be returning to Yuzhou City either." As she spoke, she handed the jade pendant to Jun Qiyu. "This is a jade pendant from the black market. You can use it as you see fit. Xie Sinan is now in charge of the black market, so any intelligence can be transmitted through the black market."

"Didn't you say you didn't know who was behind the black market?" Jun Qiyu asked in surprise. "In the end, you're still the one behind the black market."

"That's not important." Xie Sili shook his head at her. "What's important is that you will become a wise ruler in the future, right?"

Jun Qiyu chuckled, "What if I became a tyrant?"

Hearing his half-joking, half-serious words, Xie Sili replied without hesitation, "I will personally kill you, and I mean it! And most importantly, don't hurt Xie Jingche and Xie Jingyan, or I will know everything you do."

Jun Qiyu laughed, "Your temperament is still the same as before, not changed at all." He looked at Xie Sili beside him and after a long while said, "Don't worry, Ache and Yan Yan are my elder brother's descendants. I will not hurt them. I will do my best to help him become a qualified emperor."

Watching Xie Sili turn and leave, Jun Qiyu remained silent, unable to utter the words that were stuck in his throat.

He never had the courage to tell her before that the reason he wanted to become emperor was so that she could wear the empress's clothes once, so that she could fulfill her original wish.

In his previous life, he was unable to give her the position of empress. By the time he obtained the position, Xie Sili was already dead.

Now that she's so free and unrestrained, what right does he have to propose giving her the position of Empress?

But it doesn't matter, he still has a chance, at least for the next ten years, he still has a chance to pursue her again.

"Your Majesty, don't you like women? Why don't you pursue them?"

Hearing Huai En's voice, Jun Qiyu turned his gaze to him, "Eunuch Liang, you're Xie San's man, aren't you?"

Huai En paused for a moment, but still nodded at Jun Qiyu, since Xie Sili had instructed him to accept this identity before leaving.

There are only two possible outcomes for accepting this identity: the first is to leave the palace and find a place to retire, such as Yuzhou City, which he has always longed for; the second is to continue serving the new emperor and remain his chief steward.

How did Eunuch Liang come to know Xie San?

“I’m not really one of your people, Miss. I’m one of the late Crown Prince’s people.” Huai En looked at Jun Qiyu and said calmly, “It was the late Crown Prince who contacted me and made me trust you. Later, you cured my leg ailment. I’m very grateful to you.”

"Eunuch Liang, do you still want to stay in the palace?" Jun Qiyu didn't look at him, but instead looked into the distance. "If you want to stay in the palace, then stay by my side and serve me. I happen to need someone to serve me too."

If you're unwilling, I'll let you retire back to Yuzhou City; I'm sure you'd be very happy about that.

Liang Huaien bowed respectfully to Jun Qiyu, "If Your Majesty does not despise me, I am naturally willing to serve you like a dog or a horse, and I am willing to stay in the palace to serve you."

Jun Qiyu responded with an "Mmm," then said, "Then stay here. That way, you'll have one more person to talk to about Xie San."

"Then how did Your Majesty come to know the young lady?"

"I was being chased by my enemies and was saved by Xie San, it's that simple." Jun Qiyu turned to look at Liang Huaien beside him, and as he turned to leave, he muttered the same sentence to himself.

Perhaps it was because his rebirth brought about a different butterfly effect that his Ali became a freer Ali.

The day Xie Sili left Chang'an was in late autumn and early winter.

She saw Jun Qiyu, Xie Jingche, and Xie Siyan in a familiar place.

"Auntie!" The two children ran towards her at the same time.

"Auntie, please don't leave. I can't bear to see you leave Chang'an." Xie Jingche spoke first. "After I ascend the throne, I will give you a prestigious title, making you the only aunt in the world."

Xie Sili squatted down and rubbed Xie Jingche's head. "It's enough that you have this intention. Your aunt doesn't care about those so-called honorary titles. Remember what your aunt and Mr. Zhuge said. Be a good emperor in the future, and don't be like the late emperor."

Xie Jingche looked at her and nodded, "Auntie, don't worry, I will definitely study hard with the young master and will not let Mr. Zhuge down."

Xie Sili then turned his gaze to Jun Qiyu, "Remember what I said, don't become a tyrant, or I really will kill you."

Jun Qiyu gave her a hug, "Don't worry, I will give you a peaceful and prosperous Jun Kingdom."

Xie Sili glanced at them, then mounted his horse and rode away without even looking back.

"Uncle, are you really not going to pursue Auntie?" Xie Jingche looked at Jun Qiyu. "You clearly like Auntie a lot, don't you?"

"Liking someone doesn't necessarily mean keeping her by your side. Let her fly freely. As Si Ze said, that's the world that suits him better."

"So, Uncle isn't planning on getting married?"

Hearing Xie Jingche's voice, Jun Qiyu smiled and said, "After I train you to be the new emperor, I will go to find her. She will be my only wife in this life."

It is also the destination of his two lifetimes.

Perhaps parting now is for a better reunion in the future.

So, as long as she is still there, one day, I will be able to hold her in my arms again, just like in my past life.

"A-Che." Jun Qiyu turned his gaze to Xie Jingche.

Noticing the gaze the young man was giving him, Jun Qiyu smiled and said, "Let's work together to realize the world that your father wanted to protect back then. That's our shared aspiration."

"Okay." Xie Jingche said, and then squeezed Jun Qiyu's hand.

"Let's create a new world together, a new world that our father wants to see."

Jun Qiyu suddenly remembered the words Xie Sili had spoken in his previous life.

Let us work together to create a peaceful and prosperous world, Your Highness.

Ali, I will create a peaceful and prosperous world for you.

—The End—