Chapter 111 Shuangcheng-jie Passes By (The End): Leaving Behind Mysterious Numbers (Note: This is a forum post, so buy with caution!)

In order to one day be able to practice archery and become as skilled as His Majesty and Lord Xun, the young Prince Qin longed to grow taller every day, to be as tall as Lord Xun, and ideally as tall as His Majesty.

There were still some troubles along the way. His Majesty still couldn't keep the fire hidden. His superb archery skills were exposed in front of Marquis Xun. Coincidentally, the young King Qin was also present that day.

Recalling that day, she had just finished school and was passing by the Changwei Archery Range with her attendants when she remembered that it was the day His Majesty practiced archery, so she followed along.

As expected, the young King Qin saw Her Majesty the Empress outside the pavilion. She had changed into a more practical round-necked, narrow-sleeved robe in an official green color, with a leather belt around her waist, and she was adjusting her wrist guards with her eyes downcast.

Zhong Shen stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Your subject greets Your Majesty."

"School's over?" Xi Congshuang turned her head to the side, pointing to the pavilion with her other hand, which was now wearing a wristband. "Are you hungry? There are some pastries there, go and eat them first."

This unconventional empress had little experience in raising children. She felt that the child was still short and stocky after several years and needed to eat more to make up for the lack of nutrition the Prince of Qin's residence had suffered during those years.

If Her Majesty the Empress hadn't personally confirmed that the child was physically and mentally healthy and had no hidden ailments, she wouldn't have escaped the prescription written by Xi Congshuang herself.

Zhong Shen was indeed hungry, and he bowed formally, saying, "Thank you for your reward, Your Majesty."

He turned around and walked towards the pavilion to eat pastries.

At seven years old, she was still growing. After a morning of classes, her breakfast had long been digested. She knew that Xi Congshuang had prepared this food specifically for her.

Because His Majesty does not like to eat outside of mealtimes, he at most only drinks tea.

Xi Congshuang raised her hand, and the servant beside her promptly presented her with a thumb ring on a tray. She put it on, pinching the ring at the base of her thumb, and walked toward the target.

After eating a few pastries to fill his stomach and drinking some tea, Zhong Shen suddenly saw someone coming from the entrance. His eyes lit up, and he prepared to put down his teacup to speak.

The newcomer smiled, raising a long, slender finger to his lips, and silently whispered, "Shh—"

Who in the world would dare to appear in His Majesty's presence and still ask people not to make a sound? Only Marquis Xun could do that, and his favor remained undiminished, year after year, day after day.

Not only did Zhong Shen remain silent, but the attendants and the two officials who were writing furiously also kept quiet and continued writing in silence.

Unaware of the person approaching from behind, Xi Congshuang drew her bow with effort under the smiling gaze of the person behind her. The heavy bow, which was usually used by Xun Suihuang, was easily drawn open, forming a full moon shape.

He closes his eyes, aims at the bullseye a hundred paces away, and after a moment, casually lets go.

The arrow nocked on the bowstring was suddenly released and hit the center of the target precisely. But that wasn't enough. Xi Congshuang casually drew another arrow and fired it, then another.

"Whoosh—! Whoosh whoosh!" Three arrows followed closely behind each other, their arrowheads piercing and splitting the previous arrow in two, falling to the ground.

This archery technique was incredibly precise, and the control was terrifying. It was far from being considered poor skill; even the head of the imperial guards would have to applaud it.

The many servants present seemed unfazed, as if it were commonplace. Xi Congshuang waved her hand, ordering the guards near the target to clear the broken arrows from the target and the ground. The guards' practiced movements completely confirmed her guess.

This woman is an absolute shot, with impeccable accuracy; her eyesight is exceptional.

"..."

Zhong Shen dropped the pastry he had half-eaten, inwardly cursing his bad luck.

Ahead, Xi Congshuang seemed to sense something and turned around, meeting Xun Suihuang's gaze behind her.

Xi Congshuang: "..."

"..." Xun Suihuang said, "Your Majesty said your aim isn't very good. After seeing you today, I have a new idea about aiming poorly. But then Your Majesty won't need me to teach you, right?"

Xi Congshuang: "…………"

Saying that she treats teaching archery as a hobby would be counterproductive.

For three days, His Majesty was unable to find a way to enter the tunnel or knock on the door of the Marquis of Pingding.

The young Prince Qin, who was present but failed to warn the emperor in time, was also implicated. For those three nights, His Majesty visited him late at night, tested him on where he was writing, and then left with his hands behind his back.

With messy hair and sleepy eyes, Zhong Shen: "...?"

Huh? His Majesty just left like that?

Zhong Shenyuan had no idea that he had a much greater burden to bear than this.

When she was eight years old, Xi Congshuang, annoyed by her constant nagging, made her the Crown Princess and sent her to the Eastern Palace, which had been prepared long ago.

When her child turned eighteen, Xi Congshuang suddenly had a whimsical idea: she felt that after working for so many years, she should take a long vacation.

She couldn't just stay in Yongdu after the holiday, that would be too boring, so she planned to go on a private visit, but without any entourage or a large number of guards, only with the Marquis of Pingding by her side.

She always made decisions quickly, and announced the matter in less than three days, even sending the imperial seal to the Eastern Palace.

He then abandoned the empire, leaving the Empress Dowager to oversee the court, and prepared to travel the world.

Zhong Shen was terrified. After waking up, he placed a jade seal on his bedside table and chased after the emperor from Beiding Gate. He finally caught up with the emperor's carriage and grabbed Xi Congshuang's sleeve, begging her not to leave.

Xi Congshuang raised her hand and patted her head: "It's okay. I did a pretty good job when I was temporarily assigned to this position. You have thirteen years of internship experience, so you'll only be better than me. Keep up the good work, I'll be back in a while."

Xun Suihuang: "...Is this really okay?"

Xi Congshuang was surprised: "I think it's very good."

Zhong Shen was completely bewildered. Over the years, she had long been used to Xi Congshuang's sudden and incomprehensible words. She was already confused, and was even more bewildered by the phrase "very good." She stood there pleased for a while before realizing that something was amiss.

“No, this isn’t a matter of years of experience! Your Majesty, please don’t abandon me—” Zhong Shen looked up to find someone.

Looking again, the person was gone, the carriage had driven away, and it was too late for regrets.

"Take me away—Your Majesty!"

Zhong Shen chased after him a few steps on the official road, trying to stop him.

The carriage continued on its way, clattering forward.

"..."

When one plan fails, another is devised.

"Your Majesty, do you know that I heard people arguing when I came here?" Zhong Shen finished speaking in one breath under the horrified look in the eyes of the Chief Secretary of the Eastern Palace. "A peasant woman nearby was unhappy that her newlywed eldest daughter-in-law ate sixteen eggs in a row, so she argued with her. The eldest daughter-in-law angrily scolded the peasant woman for giving the eggs to a widow's son and depriving her own family of food."

"The peasant woman berated her fat daughter-in-law, saying that eating sixteen eggs a day meant she was a reincarnated starving ghost. The eldest daughter-in-law ignored her and slapped her husband repeatedly, asking if he would give her any more eggs. As the argument escalated, the widow came out to mediate. The daughter-in-law noticed that the child looked remarkably like her husband, suspecting that they had been having an affair. So she called her family from the neighboring village to prepare for a divorce and, incidentally, smashed up her husband's house."

The Crown Prince's Chief Secretary: "..."

I remember Her Highness the Crown Princess only rode by for a short while, how did she know?

No, why tell His Majesty about such trivial matters?!

What shocked the Crown Prince's Chief Secretary even more happened.

The departing carriage suddenly braked, and Zhong Shen's eyes lit up with hope.

A face with a beauty mark at the corner of her eye peeked out from inside the carriage. She asked, "Where is she? I'll go see her."

"..."

Zhong Shen was on the verge of tears, realizing that he was not as important as the peasant woman's sixteen eggs.

However, Xi Congshuang, who was standing in front of Beiding Gate, did not lie to Zhong Shen; she returned to Yongdu before the new year.

It snowed heavily that day. If we had been any later, the snow would have blocked the roads, and we wouldn't have made it back to Yongdu before the New Year.

Zhong Shen almost burst into tears of joy as he went to greet him.

To everyone's surprise, the first thing Xi Congshuang said to her after getting off the carriage was, "Well done. I'm back to hand over my work. After the New Year, Chengzhi and I will settle down in Jiangnan."

Zhong Shen: "?! ...

Under Zhong Shen's earnest pleas, Xi Congshuang agreed to postpone her abdication for two years. However, she would still spend a few months each year leaving Yongdu to travel the world with Xun Hou.

As long as Xi Congshuang did not step down, Zhong Shen would agree to almost anything. Two more years passed, and then it was winter again.

Before Zhong Shen could even feel happy about returning home, he heard Xi Congshuang talk about abdication. Zhong Shen, who had just been crowned, was reluctant to leave and wanted to beg to stay a little longer.

This time, Xi Congshuang did not agree: "Shen'er, what are you afraid of if you don't let me abdicate?"

Zhong Shen stammered, and what others called her excuses were actually her heartfelt words: "If Shen'er says that she can't bear to part with His Majesty, will His Majesty think that I am weak and useless?"

Xi Congshuang: "You don't need to be afraid, and I don't think you're useless. I've said it many times, Shen'er has done a great job."

Xi Congshuang never imagined that she would have such feelings one day. Looking at the woman in front of her who she had watched grow up, yes, she was no longer a child, but a woman who could stand on her own.

When she was little, she would chase after her every day. Even though they had very little in common in terms of personality and appearance, she treated her as kindly as she had treated her younger self.

As expected, her two lifetimes brought about significant changes to her.

"Life is short. I have already reached a high position in this world. Now that the world is peaceful and prosperous, I have no more worries in my heart. I only want to spend the rest of my life with my beloved." Xi Congshuang asked, "Do you still feel afraid now?"

After a long silence, Zhong Shen shook his head with red eyes: "Your subject will not."

In the seventeenth year of the Qiyuan era, the Empress abdicated in favor of her daughter, Crown Princess Zhong Shen, and became known as the Retired Empress. She moved to the Yingshui Palace, where she lived until her death.

Marquis Pingding also went to the Wenshui Palace to accompany the emperor for the rest of his life.

The retired emperor personally bestowed upon Princess Rouze, Lu Hongdou, that she frequently visited the Yingshui Palace for temporary residence. In her earlier years, she went alone, but in her later years, she brought several apprentices with her, turning the quiet palace into a chaotic mess.

The day he was to depart was a winter day. After handling everything and overcoming all objections, the man who personally escorted the other party into the imperial mausoleum he had built for himself sat in the room, lost in thought.

Only an unromantic apple was talking in the room.

"You did a fantastic job on this very difficult task!" Red Apple excitedly flapped its wings. "We've gained tons of energy and points!"

The red apple, unable to comprehend the feeling of death and separation, circled around her, excited that her mission was finally over.

Time has been dragging on for so long.

Xi Congshuang moved her eyes and looked down at the apple on her lap.

A red apple landed on the old man's lap, looking up. Its flapping wings unconsciously calmed down, as if it were at a loss. It tasted the heavy flavor of sorrow.

Emotions, no matter what kind, are sweet food to it, becoming the energy that powers its operation.

But the sadness it had just tasted was bittersweet, like biting into an extremely sour fruit.

"..."

The host's emotions gradually intensified.

"You're just an artificial intelligence, so it's a good thing you don't understand." Xi Congshuang slowly closed her eyes. "Let's go, see you in the next life."

Red Apple: "?" I don't understand, but I do as you say.

But it still wants to say: "I will not leave until the mission is completed. I will protect your soul during the mission selection process. There is no next life."

Feeling life gradually being stripped away from her body, the person, lighter than ever before, smiled silently, thinking to herself: I didn't tell you.

The figure sitting in front of the charcoal brazier fell silent. The warm winter sun shone through the window and fell on her, making her appear as a silent statue covered with the frost of time.

Someone's shout came from outside the room.

"Aunt, Shen'er has had lunch prepared in the kitchen. Would you like some?"

There was no reply from inside the room. Zhong Shen's heart sank, and he felt inexplicably panicked. "Aunt? Shen'er is coming in."

Of the three women who influenced her life, one left her—the Marquis of Pingding, who had fought on the battlefield in her early years. A hidden ailment, not noticeable in her youth but impossible to cure in her old age, became her death warrant.

The remaining two women were equally important to her. A strange sense of urgency made her push open the palace door, only to find that all the palace servants had been dismissed by Xi Congshuang at some point, and there was no one else inside.

Without hesitation, Zhong Shen went straight to the inner room and saw a figure leaning back in a chair with his head slightly bowed.

In that instant, the weight that had been hanging high in Zhong Shen's heart suddenly lifted.

A choked voice echoed from inside the hall: "Aunt..."

*

At the end of her first life, Red Apple, in order to make it easier to grab missions, hid the sleeping soul orb beside her.

It rushed into the crowded mission hall and finally managed to grab a non-blind box mission. After returning, it suddenly became very curious about the evaluation of Xi Congshuang.

This was the first time it had brought a host who had turned itself into an emperor, to the point that it could boast about it to the main god afterward.

Although it was its first time bringing a host, it ended up with a rebellious queen.

Regardless of whether Xi Congshuang was curious or not—she probably wasn't—the system was certainly very curious.

So he plunged headlong into the torrent of data, setting his sights a thousand years in the future, and began searching in the vast online world.

Because the Red Apple appears as a data stream, it can only travel through the network and collect all the information about Xi Congshuang using the data stream as a carrier.

"Huh? Why isn't it there?"

The red apple couldn't find any records about Xi Congshuang, which it found strange. So it searched for records about Emperor Suwu of the Yong Dynasty, and the records of the first empress of the Yong Dynasty were presented to the red apple in detail.

After Xi Congshuang passed away, Hong Pingguo also left that era, so we don't know what her posthumous title was, and we can only search for her by her given name.

Strangely, no information about Xi Congshuang could be found, but records of another empress could be found.

Red Apple: "?" Isn't this something I can find?

Everyone here is an empress, so why can't its host be on the list? The Eternal Dynasty History is not allowed to discriminate!

"Wait a minute." Red Apple suddenly remembered something. "I know the host's full name is Xi Congshuang, but the host that everyone knows is called..."

Red Apple changed "Xi Congshuang" in the search box to "Zhong Yan".

With a flap of its wings, it struck the search confirmation side, and countless data related to "Zhong Yan" flooded in, almost drowning the red apple.

The red apple was so tempted to choose that it was about to examine the data more closely when its wingtip accidentally hit a data stream and was sucked in. When it came to its senses, it found itself decoding a very popular post.

However, the information about "Zhong Yan" happened to meet Red Apple's requirements, so they stopped and continued to look.

Day 1 of striving to become a good cook: I've recently become obsessed with Nagashi, and I'd like to ask for information about her.

[Portrait of the Crowned Queen]

1l: "I firmly believe that Empress Qiyuan of the Yongchao Dynasty and Marquis Xun's relationship was not innocent!"

"I second that."

"Seconded +1".

Original Poster: "Seconded +10086!"

2l: "What kind of empress never marries, yet always has the Marquis of Pingding accompany her on her inspection tours, and even takes care of him when he is sick, feeding him medicine and tending to him without ever taking off her clothes? What kind of ruler and his ministers do that?"

"This is the only one, okay? My couple is getting married for a thousand years."

"I can't take it anymore, it's been a thousand years, but it really has been a thousand years, and our love is still going strong."

3l: "The fastest empress to ascend the throne in the world, she took the throne in 100 days and single-handedly defeated her two still-living brothers. Who is stronger than her?"

"Absolutely unique!"

"Truly unique..."

4l: "I always said that you can succeed in anything by abandoning medicine. Emperor Yongjing abandoned medicine to go into politics and became emperor directly. There is no one like him before or since."

"If you ask me, Zhong Yan can succeed at anything, okay? She founded an organization under her leadership when she was a teenager, and used her status as the founder to infiltrate the Prince of Sansi's palace, giving the Prince of Sansi a brief experience of being favored."

The original poster asked: "Who is the Prince of Sansi? All the princes enfeoffed in Yongchao were first-rank princes, right? Which county-level prince is he?"

Replying to the original poster: "Prince Xin, Zhong Sheng, often consults with Zhong Yan, who is still a retainer, about matters. No matter what he says, he always asks me to think it over, because he is too cautious due to his lack of strength."

5l: "However, some scholars who study Yongshi suspect that Sansi Wang's sudden rebellion may be related to the Dayong computer, and she repeatedly prevented Emperor Ling from seeing Sansi Wang."

"No, that can't be right. It's clearly because Emperor Ling himself loves to take pills and has damaged his body. He's so drowsy that he can't get up to see Prince Sansi."

"The only time he acted decisively was when he led his men to their deaths. King Sansi was really unlucky. Let's light a candle."

OP: "Then I'll light one (candle) too."

6l: "What does 'Yihaotang' mean? I've always been curious why the Empress would name the organization she founded this."

“I’ve decoded it. She did say it, taking the meaning of ‘a sprig of wormwood on snow.’ Maybe she wanted to poison everyone equally. I’ve always felt that she had a sense of the living being dying in historical records.”

“Go back upstairs, that’s not right. She would cheat in front of Marquis Pingding, pretending that she couldn’t hit the target with her arrow and asking him to teach her.”

"You said it yourself, in front of Marquis Pingding, hahaha, in front of Marquis Pingding, she's capable of anything, and she'll even ask her to climb over the wall to watch others argue, hahaha... hahaha."

"Sister, you're disturbing my eyes. As expected of a lady, a few words can make a delicious meal. I love it and I'll eat here again next time."

7l: "Hiss, that's not right. She specifically targeted the Zhong royal family. After ascending the throne, she turned the private organization she founded into a government-run hospital. During her reign, there were almost no plagues, regardless of their scale. Wait, I clearly replied to 5l, how come I opened a separate one?"

“That makes sense. Back then, there were no proper hygiene practices. Whenever there was a natural disaster, plagues would break out due to hygiene problems. There were dozens of such outbreaks during the reign of Emperor Yongling alone. Emperor Jing made a good improvement in this regard after he ascended the throne.”

"Although Emperor Jing reigned for one of the shortest periods among the empresses of the Yong Dynasty, the shortest being ten years while her reign lasted seventeen, the policies she left behind were the most widely implemented. Emperor Xuan, who succeeded her, even issued an edict forbidding future generations from changing ancestral rules, but only those related to Emperor Jing."

"As everyone knows, Emperor Xuan was a die-hard fan of Emperor Jing throughout his life. He wouldn't allow anyone to say anything bad about her. You can criticize her, but don't criticize your aunt, or you'll really get beheaded."

8l: "It is said that Zhong Yan had been lying low for a long time, originally planning to help Emperor Xuan ascend the throne when he grew up. But suddenly she passed the imperial examination in a hundred days in order to win the title of Marquis of Pingding?"

"Which sister came up with this joke? Never mind, I'll eat first..."

"It's not a joke, it's true! It was mentioned in Zhong Yan's manuscripts, and Emperor Xuan Zhong Shen himself admitted it! She herself was one of those who were rescued by Emperor Jing. No wonder she's the Yongdu fisherman, always catching one after another."

9l: "After reading the comments above, I don't care anymore. Sister Shuangcheng left a string of mysterious numbers as she passed by."

"Double Orange 99".

"Double Orange 99".

"..."

The red apple stared at the long building, clicking "expand" several times without loading the entire skyscraper, and fell into deep silence.

"Where have I gotten here?"

Suddenly, the red apple sensed a change in the data it was reading. As if grasping at a straw, it quickly refreshed the page to check.

The result was a second version of the original post: Actually, I was tired from finals and came up for a meal. I didn't expect everyone to be so in sync. I ate so much, sob sob. I want to work with you guys on Eishi again in my next life...

Red Apple: "..."

I don't understand, but God, I want to go home!

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A post that I feel will be personally liked by Snowflake.