"How have you been since that day?"

After they realized each other's identities, the modern working mother was the first to ask a question. Her face was half-lit and half-shadowed by the light behind her, and she asked in a soft tone.

Are you alright?

Seemingly stumped by this simple question, the daughter of the prime minister, who was disguised as a man, choked up as she was about to speak, while the enchanting concubine who had ascended the throne as empress remained silent in the shadows for a long time.

Seemingly unaware of the bitterness in the silence, or perhaps simply lost in her own thoughts, half-hidden in the shadows, the modern working mother continued, "Or rather, have you... ever regretted it?"

Have you ever regretted it?

A casual question caused the enormous shadow to engulf the Prime Minister's daughter's body even more, and made the golden and silver crown on the Demon Consort's head even heavier and more oppressive.

The air fell into a suffocating silence.

Seemingly sensing the bitterness in the silence, the working mother slightly raised her head, gazing at the sky with a somewhat bewildered expression.

"I don't think I'm doing too well..."

Even after the prince and princess get together, they are not guaranteed happiness.

After a fierce struggle, life doesn't always go as planned.

In the otherwise peaceful and gentle accompaniment, countless faces suddenly flashed by, merging with countless echoes sung in beautiful voices, like venomous snakes coiling around people, demons.

"How could I have a daughter like you? You don't know how lucky you are."

"I'm sorry, judging from your past personality, you are too assertive, we are not a good match."

"Mom, we were doing just fine before, why are you doing this?"

"No company would dare hire someone so assertive..."

"You're too domineering. What if one day you report me too...?"

...

A beautiful voice, raised several pitches, suddenly rang out, surrounding the young working mother like a shadow, making her voice sound even more lonely.

"Have I ever truly regretted it when I wake up in the middle of the night?"

"I have no idea."

Listening to this long, quiet sound, the young lady of the Prime Minister's mansion, disguised as a man, also fell into a long memory.

Because of her unconventional struggles, in reality she has become a mound of yellow earth beneath a lonely tombstone, her soul wandering day and night in her former home, gazing at her former friends.

Literary figures and poets wrote her story into songs and plays, which were then performed and sung on stage every day.

Her former friends, along with their families, came to cry for her several times.

Her mother berated her for her foolishness and audacity, and cried until she went blind.

Her father considered her a disgrace and rarely mentioned her anymore.

In aristocratic families, to prevent women from rebelling and fighting like she did, the youngest daughters of the family were disciplined even more strictly.

...

She fought back, her roars, the echoes of her death—after they faded, it seemed as if nothing was left behind, as if she only saddened those who cared about her, and as if she made the situation of women in the world even worse…

Countless beautiful voices sang their questions in unison, like a tidal wave crashing down.

Was I wrong?

Do you regret it?

Is it worth it?

As the enormous shadow swallowed her entire body and face, leaving only a bewildered little dot in the darkness, the daughter of the prime minister, disguised as a man, opened her mouth, only to find that she could not give an answer.

Did she ever regret it?

She didn't know either.

In the long, unbearable silence, a slightly dignified and elegant old woman's voice calmly said, "I have no regrets, but I am a little tired."