Now they finally know the whereabouts of their loved ones. Perhaps the emperor had already taken them for research, and they were long gone, their bodies turned to dust, their souls with nowhere to go.

The entire capital city of Beirong was shrouded in a gloomy haze, as if the sky was about to press down.

The jade carriage departed from the Crown Prince's residence and proceeded slowly toward the city gate. As it passed, the people watched with anger, hatred, and fear, yet at that moment, they also felt immense sympathy.

For a man who holds the world in his hands to speak out about such a thing requires immense courage and profound compassion.

At the city gate, the emperor, whom the generals had been waiting for, appeared.

That man, so domineering like a god, a figure unattainable, a man whose mere glance seemed blasphemous, a man who, even upon ascending the throne, had not worn the bright yellow nine-dragon robe, was now, with a red crown on his head and wearing a red robe, magnificent and beautiful, his features exquisite, outshining the shimmering light of the sky.

He walked step by step, and the crowd forgot to breathe, lost their words, and even their eyes followed him as he climbed the city gate.

On the city wall, everyone automatically stepped back.

Yuwen Yao stood outside the city gate, looking ahead. Behind the rows of bloody bones, he spotted the person at the very front of the crowd, the one she most wanted to see.

Qin'er, his Qin'er, so confident, so spirited, dressed in black, leading tens of thousands of soldiers, with an iron will.

Above the majestic city gate, that woman in red was so bright and flamboyant, and with her extraordinary beauty, she could captivate anyone who saw her and make them fall head over heels for her.

Nan Lingqin's breathing became slightly sluggish, her brows furrowed, and a chill emanated from her.

"Yuwen Yao, as you wished, I have come."

"It's so good to see you here."

At this moment, as he spoke these words, Yuwen Yao was happier than ever before. His smile spread from the corners of his eyes to his eyebrows. Across millions of people, untouched by worldly dust, under the night sky, with the palace fires flickering, his eyes, now tinged with the color of withered flowers, held only that one woman.

"Nan Lingqin, it is I, Bei Rong, who have wronged you."

Yuwen Yao said loudly, "I thank you for attacking the city without disturbing the people. I thank you for the true love you gave me. I thank you for bringing these 50,000 troops to the city, allowing our Beirong royal family to be completely saved."

His voice, carried by the wind through his inner strength, seemed to resonate throughout the first corner of Beirong, thunderous and powerful, with overwhelming momentum.

"Thanks?"

A cold laugh, tinged with sarcasm, rose from Nan Lingqin's lips to her brow. She stood with her long sword, gazing at the sky, her starry eyes cold and piercing.

"So, Yuwen Yao, will you abdicate in favor of Bei Rong, or will I take his sword and seize it?"

He smiled, his red robes fluttering in the wind, exuding an aura of unparalleled elegance. He parted his thin lips slightly and said, "Then, I will offer the world as my dowry. Will you marry me or not?"

I'll offer the whole world as my dowry; will you marry me or not?

His voice was mellow and deep, like a compassionate voice gently whispering in your ear.

Why would he say such a thing to her at a time like this?

It seems like I haven't heard that tone of voice for a very, very long time.

"Nan Lingqin, from now on, whether I live or die, or when I die, at least now, I want to tell you that I love you. I am stubborn and foolish, but I will always be faithful to you and never betray you."

He laughed, still laughing, "At least, in this life I only want to marry you. If I can live, even if the whole world were to be exchanged for you, what would I be afraid of?"

His smile widened, like a thousand peach blossoms in full bloom, dazzling and beautiful. In that instant, all the shackles binding him were pulled away. His body felt light, and his heart was pure. At this moment, he could finally look at Nan Lingqin with peace of mind and tell her that he loved her and that his love had never wavered.

Nan Lingqin's hands, hidden in her sleeves, tightened little by little.

The wind howled, and tens of thousands of people gathered around, yet there was a deathly silence.

“The people of Beirong are not at fault; it is the royal family of Beirong that is at fault. They have wronged you, wronged your mother, wronged the world, and wronged these 50,000 Yun soldiers. In the name of the Emperor of Beirong, I offer my apologies, and I, I apologize to you.”

His voice continued to travel through his inner energy from the top of the city gate.

“I know, my uncle, Prince Yong still has offspring in the world. It is perfectly legitimate for you to help him ascend the throne. From now on, I only wish you well.”

He looked at her, his gaze fixed on her from such a great distance, never wavering. His smile was like a gentle breeze embracing her as he whispered tenderly. He opened his arms, relaxed, and then, to everyone's astonishment and surprise, leaped from the centuries-old, decaying iron city gate.

The red figure attracted the attention of many.

"Silent gourd—" When Yu Qingyi, who had already been controlled by Yuwen Yao, arrived, he saw a red figure falling from a great height. As he fell rapidly, the figure smiled at him, a smile of utter ease.

He told him not to worry about him and to leave, to leave with nothing to lose.

Listening to the wind and the rain stopped Yu Qingyi, but hundreds of thousands of people were already in tears.

The ministers and city gate guards were all frozen in place, as if they had been filled with lead and branded with iron. Their pupils were glazed over, and all they could see was a peerless red figure slowly falling before them, so far yet so near.

The 50,000 Yun Clan members watched, and behind them, the 200,000 Southern Qi soldiers watched, and at that moment, they all held their breath.

This is so unexpected, so shocking.

The new emperor of Beirong actually atones for his sins with his death!

Suddenly, it seemed as if something was clearly understood in their hearts.

The Emperor did not want the young master to have any burden, so on the day she attacked the city, he would atone for his sins by dying. With his death, he would exchange his life for the life of the common people, destroy Yuwen Shu, and at the same time let Princess Lingqin let go of everything and focus on governing the country.

And what about Nan Lingqin at this moment?

She clutched her sleeve tightly, her eyes reddening and instantly welling up with tears. In her dark pupils, only a figure was falling slowly, just as her heart was experiencing despair bit by bit.

This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!