The last time the siblings entered the Yinian Hall was during a life-or-death confrontation.

This time, entering the Hall of Longevity marks the end of an era.

It was already the hottest time of summer, and as Gan Qiongying stepped into the Yinian Hall, she frowned deeply because there was a very strong smell of urine inside, and the air was not circulating well.

The once magnificent palace still has its framework, but it is now empty and dilapidated, like mold spreading on food, permeating the entire sleeping quarters.

There wasn't even a maidservant in the room. Gan Qiongying pulled Gan Lin inside, frowning and enduring the unpleasant smell. After finding Kou Ning'an lying on the bed, she stared at Kou Ning'an for a long time without being able to react.

Gan Lin's expression was clearly one of shock. Since returning to the palace, he had been sending people to torture Kou Ning'an, but he had never seen her.

In Gan Lin's memory, Kou Ning'an was still the powerful Empress Dowager who, despite being slightly at a disadvantage, could always easily turn the tide and force them to flee the capital overnight.

Moreover, because Kou Ning'an killed Li Quan, Gan Lin's hatred for Kou Ning'an grew stronger and stronger, and he had demonized Kou Ning'an into a ferocious and terrifying monster.

But when they actually saw Kou Ning'an, and saw her now completely abandoned by the Kou family, a discarded pawn abandoned by power, lying on her bed barely clinging to life, the siblings both fell silent.

Because Kou Ning'an didn't look like an empress dowager at all. She was just an ordinary old woman who was bedridden and had no one to take care of her, not even as good as an old nanny.

Perhaps because of her limited mobility, the smell of urine around her was even stronger. The chamber pot was right next to her with the lid half open, and there were many unidentified water stains on her bed.

Kou Ning'an was as delicate as a porcelain doll back then; even when she was so angry that she vomited blood, she would never show any sign of distress.

But at this moment, her hair was disheveled and covered with white hair, her face was covered with yellowish-brown spots and deep furrows, and she was as thin as a skeleton.

It seems like only a little over a year has passed, and she has gone from a well-maintained empress dowager to an old woman on the verge of death, tormented by illness and circumstances.

Looking at the person lying on the bed, Gan Qiongying could not imagine that she and Gan Lin had been oppressed by such a woman and forced to drink poison in order to survive.

Kou Ning'an had her eyes closed, but she slowly turned her head, probably after hearing the sound.

She thought it was a nanny or maid who had come to humiliate and torment her; Kou Ning'an's eyes were filled with pain and despair.

But when she saw Gan Qiongying and Gan Lin, her eyes suddenly shone with a terrifying light, filled with churning hatred and even an undisguised joy.

She was in the palace, and all the people she could rely on were gone. Some of her loyal servants had even been executed by her own hand because of her initial suspicions.

Kou Ning'an only regretted it at this moment, but it was too late. She was imprisoned in the deep palace and had no way of getting news from the outside world.

Despite enduring so much humiliation and suffering, she still managed to survive, living a life devoid of dignity, yet she persevered through it all because she wanted to know news of the Regent, Sima Rui.

Those palace maids couldn't possibly tell her anything, nor could they possibly know anything, which is why she wanted to see Gan Lin.

But Gan Lin refused to see her all along, only sending people to torment her. Kou Ning'an really couldn't hold on any longer. If it weren't for Sima Rui and her only child, Kou Ning'an would never have allowed herself to live like this.

Now that Gan Lin and Gan Qiongying have appeared together, how could Kou Ning'an not be overjoyed?

Now that things have come to this, the successes and failures, the hatred, and even the humiliation can no longer enter her heart or eyes. She only wants to know how Sima Rui is doing!

Therefore, the moment Kou Ning'an saw the siblings, she asked in a hoarse voice, "Where is the Regent? Where is the Regent now!"

"How is he?!"

Kou Ning'an asked three questions in a row, panting heavily as she sat up in bed, propping herself up on her arms.

But she quickly fell back down; she didn't eat for a long time, and her health deteriorated.

Especially after being stabbed by Li Quan, Kou Ning'an suffered a direct injury to her lungs and internal organs, leaving her with insufficient breath. She woke up every night nearly suffocating, and even suspected that she would suffocate to death in her sleep one day.

In addition to her previous addiction to nourishing soup, Kou Ning'an has been suffering pain and torment every moment since the soup was suddenly stopped.

Despite her devilish appearance, her eyes shone with an astonishing brightness.

After asking the questions, he stared intently at the siblings, like someone drinking poison to quench their thirst. Even though he knew the news wouldn't be good, he couldn't help but ask again, his voice hoarse.

Gan Qiongying felt a pang of sorrow, but not a trace of pity.

Weren't she and Gan Lin just playthings in this man's hands, ants that he could crush at will?

Gan Lin endured no less torment than Kou Ning'an.

Therefore, Gan Qiongying didn't stand on ceremony and said directly, "It's been a long time since I've seen the Empress Dowager. You really are... tough as nails, you still won't die even after all this."

She also had to drag Gan Lin along, causing her to expend energy and lose weight.

Kou Ning'an didn't care what Gan Qiongying said; she had nothing left to care about now.

All my persistence, stubbornness, and sense of shame have been completely worn away by the repeated torment.

She stared intently at Gan Qiongying's lips, wanting to hear even the slightest news about the person she cared about most from her.

"What...what happened to him?!"

Kou Ning'an's voice was extremely unpleasant; her throat had been scalded by the nanny who had been tormenting her recently.

Gan Qiongying felt very uncomfortable listening to this. She turned her head and glanced at Gan Lin, only to find that Gan Lin's gaze towards Kou Ning'an had for the first time erupted with undisguised hatred.

It was a kind of hatred that made you want to die with her and perish together.

This woman killed Li Quan!

Gan Qiongying immediately grabbed Gan Lin and held his hand tightly.

As if suddenly snapping out of her daze, Gan Lin's deep hatred and pain slowly receded as Gan Qiongying kneaded him.

Gan Qiongying pushed Gan Lin away from Kou Ning'an's sight, making him stand where he couldn't see Kou Ning'an. She took Gan Lin's cold hand, touched Gan Lin's face, and said, "Wait here for your elder sister."

Gan Lin, however, grabbed Gan Qiongying's hand and said, "Sister, I'm fine."

He smiled and said, "I'm really fine..."

Unfortunately, his words were not very credible, because his face had become so thin that it was just a narrow strip.

Gan Qiongying made him stand there, then turned to Kou Ning'an and said, "If you want to know about the Regent, then I will tell you."

“I was the one who captured him and I was the one who sent him away. First, I sent him to your brother, where your brother tortured him like a toy. Then, while he was still hot, I sent him to the iron mine under your brother’s control.”

"You know your brother's methods. Can anyone who gets out of his bed be considered human?"

Kou Ning'an was so excited that she was trembling all over. Although she had known about it for a long time, and even turned against the Kou family because of it, the Kou family actually wanted to protect that beast Kou Ningyu!

But Gan Qiongying's casual remark was like inserting a sharp knife into Kou Ning'an's chest, then twisting and turning the handle.

"It's you!" Kou Ning'an's voice was hoarse and extremely unpleasant, even worse than the evil witches in fairy tales.

She had dignified and reserved qualities ingrained in her very being, and what she cared about most in her life was dignity. But now Kou Ning'an had nothing left.

Like a demon with severed limbs, she struggled to crawl toward Gan Qiongying, the hatred in her eyes almost tangible.

"You poisonous woman!"

Gan Qiongying chuckled upon hearing this: "Why don't you look in the mirror before calling me a poisonous woman?"

"Isn't his miserable state all thanks to you? You, his good mother, gave him unparalleled power, raising him into an arrogant, willful madman who treats human life like dirt. Doesn't he deserve this fate?"

"You knew all along that he was torturing Ganlin with insects, and not only did you not restrain him, you even personally fed Ganlin poison. You should have known that I would never let him get away with this."

Kou Ning'an looked at Gan Qiongying, her eyes filled with hatred and an unconcealable fear.

Gan Qiongying knew best how to sting her, and continued, "But once you're in the iron mine, you'll at most be doing some manual labor that isn't fatal."

Gan Qiongying said, "Your son is quite capable. He became a small leader and almost found an opportunity to escape."

Gan Qiongying looked at Kou Ning'an's constantly trembling eyelids and sighed, "But how can I release a turtle that's been put into a jar back into the pot? I had no choice but to have someone puncture his only good eye while he was sleeping at night."

"Then he went blind. Oh right, I only had one eye gouged out. The other eye was blinded by your good brother."

"But he didn't die even though he went blind; he's still alive."

Gan Qiongying said, "He's still in his own mansion, plotting with his savior-like companion how to overthrow the court, how to ascend the throne, and how to find a doctor to heal his gouged eyes..."

"When Gan Lin and I arrived just now, we had already sent someone to bring him into the palace."

Kou Ning'an's face was covered in tears, and her eyes were so red that it looked like she had been stabbed twice.

He was gritting his teeth, but blood was already welling up at the corner of his mouth. He quickly collapsed onto the bed, coughing violently until he coughed up a mouthful of blood, and small red spots appeared on his chest.

Breathing became increasingly difficult.

Gan Qiongying just stared at her. She was never a malicious person, yet she felt no pity for Kou Ning'an.

"I was originally thinking of letting you and your daughter see each other one last time before you die..."

Kou Ning'an suddenly raised her head, her lips trembling as she looked at Gan Qiongying, her eyes bursting with undeniable surprise.

It turns out that even a cold-blooded bastard can break all his principles for the one he loves, and would rather live as a ghost than not get news of him and see him one last time...

But Kou Ning'an tormented the man she loved, her Ganlin, to such an extent that even now that she is the emperor, the wounds in her heart still cannot heal and continue to bleed.

How could Gan Qiongying tolerate Kou Ning'an getting what he wanted?

Therefore, Gan Qiongying said, "But I have changed my mind now, I will not let you meet."

"You'll never see him, even if you die, but you'll probably hear his voice, because he'll be here soon."

After Gan Qiongying finished speaking, she didn't waste another word on Kou Ning'an. Kou Ning'an screamed and fell off the bed, knocking over the chamber pot. The floor was covered in filth, and she crawled through the mess, trying to chase after Gan Qiongying.

"No!"

No! Don't!

"No! No!—"

As Gan Qiongying led Gan Lin to the door, Kou Ning'an finally cried out in anguish, "I beg you! I beg you! Let me see him—"

"Let me see my Ruier again!"

Kou Ning'an never bowed her head in her entire life. She was proud, intelligent, and outstanding. As a woman, she climbed to the pinnacle of power, and countless lives were lost under her command. Yet, Kou Ning'an never had nightmares.

Even though she was defeated, even though she became this inhuman and ghostly state, and was tortured by the nanny every day, the physical pain could not make her bow her head.

She never begged anyone to let her go.

But at this moment, she was actually pleading with Gan Qiongying and Gan Lin: "I beg you, I beg you... He's blind and crippled, he can't do anything anymore, please spare his life... I beg you!"

Kou Ning'an's voice echoed in the empty hall, like a cuckoo crying blood, mournful and tragic.

However, Gan Qiongying and Gan Lin only paused for a moment before pushing the door open and leaving without even looking back.

When they fell into Kou Ning'an's hands, did Kou Ning'an ever show any mercy?

Gan Lin was so pitiful, powerless to resist, and even obediently served as their puppet.

Yet they still hold them in their palms and torment them repeatedly.

The victor is king, the loser is villain; Gan Qiongying had no excessive pity to pity such an old hag.

The two of them left the Yinian Hall, and Gan Lin's hands were still ice-cold.

Gan Qiongying stood at the entrance of Yinian Hall, gripping Gan Lin's hand and rubbing it vigorously. Looking at Gan Lin with heartache, she said, "She can't hurt us anymore. Have your men come and pour all the kerosene on us. Today, the Empress Dowager will die in the palace from a fire..."

“Burning to death is the cruelest way to die. I allow you to stand here today and listen to her scream. To ease your grief over Li Quan’s death.”

"But you have to promise me that after today you will forget all of this, and that today will be the end of it all."

"We still have a long way to go and many happy and fulfilling things to do. It's really not worth getting stuck in the past because of people like this."

"When Li Quan risked his life to assassinate the Empress Dowager, it wasn't just so you could escape to a safer place, but so you could completely escape the shadow cast over you by Empress Dowager Kou Ning'an."

"How heartbroken would Li Quan be if he saw you like this?"

With red eyes, Gan Lin finally couldn't hold back her tears as she heard Gan Qiongying say that, and they fell like rain.

He reached out and hugged Gan Qiongying, nodding frantically while choking back tears.

At this moment, the regent was also carried over by the palace servants. There were many people busy in the courtyard, and the smell of kerosene gradually permeated every place.

The regent still holds the title of regent, and Gan Lin intends to make him fail and die completely under this title.

Sima Rui was thrown to the ground by two palace servants. He frantically groped around on the ground for a moment, trying to crawl and sit up.

At times, Sima Rui was just like Kou Ning'an in the palace; they both tried their best to live a decent life.

But power gave them a respectable facade, yet it could not conceal their broken and ugly souls.

Just as Gan Qiongying was about to step forward, Gan Lin grabbed her hand and took a step forward.

He stepped into his deepest fear, and although his fingers were still trembling slightly, he would no longer have to be trapped in a deep nightmare because of the name "Sima Rui".

"Long time no see, Your Majesty, you are as dashing as ever." Gan Lin's voice was slightly hoarse, and after he said these words, it was as if a heavy sword that had been hanging over his head for years had finally fallen.

Upon hearing this voice, the regent was suddenly terrified and nearly went mad.

He struggled backward, disregarding his image, his hands flailing wildly, shouting, "Gu Qing, Gu Qing, save me!"

"Gu Qing—" The Regent was clearly terrified and was no longer the arrogant and willful man he once was.

Even the strongest bones cannot withstand the relentless whipping of years, and even the most unruly nature is worn away by the humiliation he once could not even imagine.

If it weren't for Gu Qing taking care of him later, Sima Rui wouldn't be alive today.

After being sent back to his residence, Sima Rui was constantly worried that he would be killed and that he would not survive.

He didn't want to die, he really didn't want to die!

His only remaining obsession now is to survive!

He would often tell the people who cared for him that he wanted to go back to the time when he held power, but Sima Rui knew very well that it was impossible.

His eyesight is incurable; he can never go back to the way things were.

He said that because he was afraid Gu Qing would leave him, afraid Gu Qing would abandon him, and afraid that if he couldn't make a promise, Gu Qing would beat him like those people who used to make him work.

He could sense that Gu Qing wasn't a good-natured person, and he also knew that Gu Qing had deliberately watched him suffer many times.

But Sima Rui has nothing left but Gu Qing now, and he can't live without her.

Today, a group of people broke into his residence and took him away, saying that the emperor wanted to see him. Sima Rui was trembling with fear from the moment he got into the carriage.

Now that he has heard the emperor's voice, Sima Rui cannot even imagine how the emperor, who had suffered so much at his hands, will torture him now!

He can't die, he has to go back and find Gu Qing!

Gan Qiongying and Gan Lin watched as Sima Rui crawled on the ground, trembling with fear, no longer displaying the demeanor of the regent who once held sway over thousands.

With the enemy like this, there is nothing left to fear.

Gan Qiongying felt Gan Lin's slightly trembling fingers gradually stop, and his eyes even showed a little confusion.

His past nightmare was finally exposed in broad daylight, and Gan Lin discovered that Sima Rui was nothing special after all.

The fine layer of cold sweat on Gan Lin's back gradually dissipated. He looked down at Sima Rui for a moment and said, "Whose name are you calling, Gu Qing?"

"You still don't know who Gu Qing is? How could Gu Qing possibly save you? The only reason he's held back from killing you is because he doesn't dare disobey my orders!"

Gan Lin slowly released Gan Qiongying's hand, walked to Sima Rui's side, and even squatted down to look closely at Sima Rui's disheveled appearance and fearful expression.

Was I seen this way in Sima Rui's eyes back then? Perhaps even more pathetic than this.

Gan Lin gritted his teeth, every word dripping with malice.

"You've been calling me Gu Qing for a long time now, haven't you remembered who Gu Qing is yet?"

"Back then, the Minister of Rites and his family were falsely accused by your people of treason. Some were imprisoned, some were beheaded, and all the women were forced into prostitution. Two of their sons were twins, and because of their stunning beauty, they were sold into brothels..."

"These twins, one named Gu Ming and the other Gu Qing, were once renowned talents in Yindu. Does the Regent really not remember them?"

Upon hearing Gan Lin's words, Sima Rui froze, as if struck by lightning.

But a moment later, he shook his head frantically.

He simply couldn't believe it, and dared not believe it.

He shook his head and kicked his legs backward.

"Don't come any closer! Don't kill me! I need to go back to Gu Qing... I need to go back to Gu Qing!"

"You're still looking for Gu Qing? You haven't fallen for her, have you?"

Gan Lin's voice was as if it had been poisoned as she said, "I only knew that the Regent was impotent, but does the Regent actually have homosexual tendencies?"

"But what can we do? The person who sent you to Kou Ningyu's mansion and made you be beaten and tortured like a dog for several days was Gu Qing."

"Gu Qing was the one who sent you to the iron mine and subjected you to all kinds of beatings and torture."

"When they discovered you'd become a minor leader and were trying to escape, it was Gu Qing who blinded you in the middle of the night..."

"Are you still going back to find Gu Qing?" Gan Lin knelt on the ground, looking at the Regent. At this moment, his smile was like a snow-capped mountain about to collapse, cold, sharp, and full of danger.

"Gu Qing was the one who put you in the sedan chair this morning. Since you like Gu Qing so much, why don't you let Gu Qing personally see you off on your way?"

Gan Lin stood up from the ground and said to one of the group of people dressed as eunuchs not far away, "Come out, Gu Qing. Considering how much the Regent trusts you, send him on his way."

Gu Qing was dressed in eunuch's clothes. He had always been a cold and indifferent person, but now, entrusted with an important task, his eyes shone with the light of finally getting what he wanted.

He quickly turned and walked to the side, where there was a large pile of kerosene cans. He picked up a can at random and walked to the Regent's side.

She seized the regent's hand.

The moment Sima Rui touched Gu Qing, his trembling stopped, and he climbed onto Gu Qing's back like a puppy dependent on its owner.

"Gu Qing, you've finally come... You've finally come to pick me up! We have to get out of here! They're going to kill me!"

"Rui'er!" At this moment, Empress Dowager Kou Ning'an, who was locked in her bedchamber, heard a sound outside, but could not hear the voice of the person she longed to hear. She couldn't help but shout with all her might.

Unfortunately, the Regent was holding Gu Qing and couldn't hear or listen to anything anymore.

When he was in so much pain that he was about to die, every time he was on the verge of death, it was Gu Qing who saved him.

Gu Qing would always appear when he needed her, pulling him back when he was contemplating suicide, and gently feeding him water...

There is no such advanced concept as Stockholm in this world, but Gan Qiongying understood after a few glances that Sima Rui was completely trapped in Stockholm syndrome.

People who suffer from this condition usually fall in love with and become endlessly dependent on the person who torments them. They magnify even the smallest kindness, turning into someone who trusts and cares about no one but that person.

Gu Qing knelt beside Sima Rui, his face fierce and resolute. He dipped a cloth in the kerosene from the jar and slowly applied it to Sima Rui's body.

While applying the ointment, she said gently, "Don't be afraid, I'll take you away soon..."

"Gu Qing, Gu Qing... I'm scared, let's go home quickly."

"What are you doing to me? What do I smell like?"

"Something that's good for your body, something that can give you complete relief."

Gu Qing remained as soft-spoken as ever; even when killing someone, he never spoke harshly.

He wished Gu Ming could be here right now, watching him kill his enemies and avenge his family of hundreds.

Gu Qing had been by Sima Rui's side from the very beginning, acting as the one who tormented him while ensuring he wouldn't die. He never imagined that Sima Rui would gradually become more and more dependent on him.

He will listen to whatever he says.

However, Gu Qing only felt hatred towards Sima Rui from beginning to end. His entire clan of hundreds of people, his mother and sister, all suffered inhuman torture because this hateful man held power and allowed his subordinates to commit violence and frame others.

He did not kill the regent Sima Rui directly this year, purely because he could not let Sima Rui die too easily, since he had not yet received Princess Duanrong's next instructions.

But now it's finally time to put an end to all of this.

Gu Qing was already extremely disgusted with Sima Rui, but despite such loathing, he could still speak gently and kindly, demonstrating a mental fortitude that was truly extraordinary.

Sima Rui obediently let Gu Qing apply the kerosene to his skin, and quietly urged Gu Qing, "Let's leave quickly after you're done... let's get out of here as soon as possible..."

"Rui'er!" Kou Ning'an's voice was still very shrill, echoing throughout the front and back yards.

Unfortunately, Sima Rui is no longer normal. He only has Gu Qing in his mind and ears and has no idea who Kou Ning'an is.

I don't know whether I should feel sorry for them or laugh at them.

Gu Qing quickly covered Sima Rui's entire body with kerosene.

Then he easily broke free from Sima Rui's embrace and bowed to Gan Lin.

Gan Lin nodded and raised his hand. All the servants in the courtyard, who had already prepared the kerosene, followed Gan Lin's instructions and began to light the fire.

Under a clear blue sky and bright sunshine, the world is bright and clear.

Gan Qiongying stood in the courtyard engulfed in flames, looked up at the blinding sun in the sky, and then closed her eyes and smiled.

Sima Rui, engulfed in flames, writhed and rolled on the ground like an ugly worm. The burning pain made his voice exceptionally shrill, yet he was still calling out Gu Qing's name.

Gu Qing stood not far away, quietly watching the Regent Prince gradually curl up from the burning, until he could only open his mouth but could not move.

His eyes were red-rimmed, his fingers trembled slightly, but a twisted smile played on his lips.

Hatred should end in broad daylight. Kou Ning'an's screams, along with the flames, filled the entire Yinian Hall.

Kou Ning'an never got to see Sima Rui, and Sima Rui never got to be embraced by the person who truly loved him until his death.

Gan Qiongying thought that Gan Lin would wait until the two of them were completely burned to ashes before he would leave willingly.

But before Sima Rui could breathe his last, Gan Lin took Gan Qiongying's hand. This time, he walked in front, leading Gan Qiongying out of Yinian Palace.

Hatred is a double-edged sword; it is a two-way drain.

When you wield hatred and stab your enemy, you yourself will also be covered in blood.

Gan Lin was finally able to let go and was finally able to break free from the nightmare of being controlled.

He held Gan Qiongying's hand, his steps becoming lighter and lighter until he was even running.

A large group of palace servants and attendants followed behind them, while Gan Qiongying and Gan Lin, smelling of fire and gunpowder, sped through the garden full of colorful flowers, startling several butterflies that were collecting pollen.

The midday sun was blazing, as if it had exposed all the darkness in the world.

The siblings stopped running when they got tired, and Gan Lin turned around and smiled at Gan Qiongying.

There was no gloom in that smile; it was brighter than the sun overhead.

The smile of a loved one surpasses the finest wines and spirits in the world, as well as the warmth of the sun in the blazing sun, the comfort of a warm house in the cold winter, and the coolness of the summer.

Gan Qiongying sighed softly. Now she could finally stand tall and proudly give an account to the soul who had given up this body—look, I took good care of him.

I keep my word.

Rest in peace.