The only difference was that, despite repeated requests from the people of Prime Minister Ren's residence for Qiao Zhen to visit their ailing eldest son, Qiao Zhen never agreed.

It wasn't until Lu Yuanliu broke into the princess's residence that he asked Qiao Zhen to see Lu Yuanchuan one last time.

Qiao Zhen did go after all. When she entered Lu Yuanchuan's bedroom, she saw that Lu Yuanchuan was already emaciated. In just one month, the handsome young man had become nothing but skin and bones.

His face was sallow, and only his hazy eyes were still struggling to stay open. Even in a deep coma, he was still muttering something.

Qiao Zhen reached out and traced the contours of Lu Yuanchuan's face inch by inch. She leaned down and listened closely. Those four very soft words cut her heart like a knife.

One drop... two drops... until she was sobbing uncontrollably, Qiao Zhen finally couldn't help but gently rest her head on Lu Yuanchuan's body, "Chuanchuan, the road to the Yellow Springs is cold, you must wait for me, to walk with you."

She leaned forward and traced the shape of Lu Yuanchuan's lips with her own, and Lu Yuanchuan subtly curved the corners of his mouth.

On this day, Lu Yuanchuan also stopped breathing.

Life went on, and Qiao Zhen locked herself in her room for a whole month. When Emperor Qi gave her the final order, Qiao Zhen finally opened the door and came out.

She began to assist the second prince and became the only princess in the history of the Qi Kingdom to hold power.

After Emperor Qi's death, Qiao Zhen seized the throne from the second prince and launched a war, becoming a woman who brought disaster to the country.

Ten years later, the world was unified, and the fearsome heroine Qiao Shi personally presented the imperial seal to the second prince.

The Second Prince was wary of Qiao Zhen, so he sent Lu Yuanliu to imprison her.

Qiao Zhen looked at Lu Yuanliu's still youthful face, her gaze distant and lingering, as if she were looking at another person through his skin. "Second Young Master Lu, how have you been?"

Lu Yuanliu held the imperial edict in his hands, but instead of reading it aloud, he reached out to Qiao Zhen.

Qiao Zhen smiled faintly at Lu Yuanliu, black and foul-smelling blood spilling from the corner of her mouth.

Lu Yuanliu turned his head away from Qiao Zhen's gaze, heartbroken, "Princess, why are you doing this to yourself?"

Qiao Zhen slowly shook her head. "I owe so much in this life, to the generals and people of Li Kingdom and Qi Kingdom. Unifying the world is the best compensation for them. Now that my wish has been fulfilled, I should go and follow Chuan Chuan."

"Ugh!" She vomited a mouthful of congealed blood, her body growing increasingly weak. Sitting on the soft couch, she continued, "Chuan Chuan has been waiting for me for a long time... Before he left, he said to me—'Zhen Zhen, I'm cold...'"

Lu Yuanliu heard Qiao Zhen's voice fall silent, and when he turned his head, he saw that she was already lying peacefully on the soft couch.

He had already breathed his last and died.