Chapter 126, the final chapter. In this life, they will never be separated again, but Bai…

Another arrow came hurtling through the air, but Mu Wei blocked it with his sword.

He drew his sword again and delivered a swift and deadly blow to Lady Liu.

As Lady Liu fell, another arrow was shot out, heading towards the Phoenix Emperor.

"Protect the Emperor!"

"Commander Wan, how dare you commit regicide! You are rebelling!"

As the Emperor instinctively dodged, Consort Dou on his left also moved, her dagger barely raised before she was subdued by Feng Chengying and Mu Miaohua.

"Feng Zhen, what are you waiting for? This whole mess is aimed at you. They've been plotting to frame you for not being of the Feng family bloodline. If you don't fight back, you'll die! Feng Chi won't survive, and the Feng family will have no successor. This world belongs to the capable. Why don't you act now!"

Consort Dou screamed hysterically, her jewels swaying wildly, glaring fiercely at Mu Miaohua, "Don't think I don't know about your shameful affair with His Majesty, you two... Waaah..."

Her jaw was removed by Feng Chengying, and she could no longer speak.

"Your Majesty, now that things have come to this, do you really want to see the world descend into chaos?"

The speaker was Commander Wan, a former confidant of Dou Yan, the former commander of the Changming Guard. The two arrows from earlier were both his work. He approached step by step and stood beside Prince Xin.

Prince Xin's face was dark and gloomy, it was unclear whether he acquiesced or hesitated.

The Changming Guard, originally tasked with protecting the people, has now turned against them, pointing their swords at the civil and military officials and their wives.

Screams continued, and panic gripped the people.

Some people advised Prince Xin not to commit such a heinous crime.

He looked up at the sky, sighed deeply, and then said to the Phoenix Emperor, "Brother, you forced all of this upon me. You have no children of your own, and you should have prioritized the stability of the country and adopted a son to inherit the throne as soon as possible. But you not only disregard the overall situation, but also tried to kill me. I am the one who will rule the world for the Phoenix clan. How can I allow you to act so recklessly?"

"Those who wish to usurp the throne will always find a pretext," the Phoenix Emperor said coldly, his sharp eyes surveying the situation before him.

Judging from the current situation, he is at a disadvantage.

The palace is guarded by the Changming Guard, and it must be surrounded by the Tianwu Guard outside the palace, facing both internal and external troubles.

"Your Majesty, you've been planning this day for a long time, haven't you?"

“Brother, we are brothers, and there are some things we both know. It was I who arrived in time to quell the rebellion, but you did everything you could to prevent me from entering the palace, which prevented me from seeing Father Emperor off on his deathbed. Father Emperor was misled by you and had no choice but to pass the throne to you in his confusion.”

"Your Majesty's ability to distort the truth has truly grown. Back then, you clearly led your troops into the capital long ago, but suddenly disappeared when you were only twenty miles away. When the capital was in chaos, you remained inactive, waiting to reap the benefits. How could Father not know about such a chilling and despicable act?"

Prince Xin flicked his sleeve and said righteously, "Brother, this is truly a case of 'wanting to find fault, one can always find a pretext.'"

"Your Highness, why waste your breath on him? Give the order quickly!" Commander Wan urged.

Those who supported him shouted, "Your Highness, we can't wait any longer!"

Prince Xin, as if driven to the brink, still put on a show, saying to everyone, "I am the fourth son of the late emperor. My younger brother, Feng Ji, has no children, yet he has gone against the tide and slandered me for not being of the Feng clan bloodline. He clearly wants to cut off the Feng clan's lineage. What are his intentions? Today, as the elder brother, I can only teach my younger brother on behalf of our father, so that I will not be ashamed before the ancestors of the Feng clan!"

He glanced around and said sharply, "Those who wish to help the Feng Clan, please step forward!"

Some people stepped forward, some remained unmoved, and others watched from the sidelines. The number of people who stepped forward was far fewer than he had expected, and his face immediately darkened.

"Feng Zhen, you are not of the Feng clan bloodline and clearly intend to rebel. Why speak so righteously? Do you really think we are all fools?"

After Gu Zheng finished his mockery, he raised his arm and shouted, "Gentlemen, this man intends to seize the country. He is truly a wolf in sheep's clothing. How can we allow him to act so presumptuously!"

"The Duke of England is right. He's an illegitimate son, yet he's spouting nonsense here. If he were to succeed in usurping the country, how could we possibly continue to serve as officials?"

In a short time, quite a few people echoed this sentiment.

Prince Xin's expression grew increasingly grim, his eyes revealing a murderous intent.

Commander Wan urged again, "Your Highness, stop wasting time talking to them and give the order quickly!"

Giving orders is easy, and killing people is easy, but if most of the court officials are killed, even if one obtains the throne, it will not be stable, and one will not be able to silence public opinion.

Prince Xin hesitated to act, waiting for these people to fall into their trap first.

When Mu Hanshi targeted the Marquis of Anyuan's residence and the Earl of Xingyi's residence, he conveniently cut off the supply of all the pleasure pills in the capital. Based on the estimated timeframe, those who had already taken the pills would definitely experience some effects after a few days of abstinence.

However, at this moment, he realized something was wrong, because so far, no one had shown any signs of dejection.

"Feng Zhen, what are you waiting for?"

Gu Zhengze's eyes told him that things might not be under his control.

He frowned, but his eyes were sharp as knives.

Without a doubt, he guessed that his plan had been seen through long ago and that someone had turned the tables on him. His sharp gaze was fixed on Mu Hanshi, who was being helped to sit on the ground by Shen Qinglu.

Mu Hanshi's eyes were closed, as if he were dead.

What does it feel like when life is slipping away?

What does death taste like?

Shen Qinglu experienced all of these things.

In the final days of her previous life, her body had deteriorated drastically; it was less like she was waiting for a kidney transplant and more like she was waiting to die.

Because of the torment of her illness, she had to use pain medication, and her conscious time became increasingly shorter. Sometimes, even when her mind was clear, her body couldn't move, and she couldn't open her eyes, as if her body couldn't bear the weight of her soul, leaving it to drift around.

"Dad, Azhu can't wait any longer."

"There is no other way but to wait."

"There is another way."

"What method?"

"I will donate a kidney to her."

"Nonsense! You have a heart condition, you're courting death! I don't agree!"

She couldn't wake up, but her heart was crying.

In the short span of one's life, if one is fortunate enough to encounter relatives who value one more than life itself, what is there to fear? Even if one is afraid of death, one can die without regret.

So she died.

Then she came back to life, and the person who was willing to give up his life for her could still disregard his own life for her.

What kind of destiny is this!

She fed him the life-saving medicine she had brought, her hands trembling violently, tears streaming down her face.

Suddenly she felt a gentle tickle on her palm. Looking at the person she was holding, who still looked like a dead person, she was incredibly excited.

Seeing her with tears streaming down her face, yet vaguely appearing to be smiling, everyone assumed she was overwhelmed with grief.

"Gentlemen, I know you have your concerns, but the fate of the nation is paramount, and the country cannot be without a successor." Prince Xin raised his arm and cried out, "His Majesty has no son, and Prince Chen will not survive either. To ensure the peace of the realm, I urge you all to join me in asking His Majesty to abdicate in favor of a worthy successor!"

"You, a bastard's son, dare to call yourself virtuous?" Gu Zhengze said sarcastically, addressing the crowd, "How can someone with such a tainted background and treacherous conduct be fit to be the ruler of the world?"

"Gu Zhengze, you have been attacking me in every way. Could it be that you harbor rebellious intentions?" Prince Xin pointed at him, his murderous intent fully revealed. He then looked around at the crowd, his words threatening.

"His Majesty has no son, and Prince Chen is also no longer fit. Do you want to see the Feng family's empire without a successor, leading to chaos throughout the land?"

"Who says my Feng family has no successor? Am I not a human being?"

Everyone was shocked and looked at Feng Chengying. Because he had been traveling outside as a man for many years, his aura was different from that of women in their boudoirs. His heroic spirit was no less than that of men, and he also possessed the noble dignity of a member of the imperial family.

Someone murmured, "Princess Luanhe was just as brave as a man, it's such a pity..."

"Luanhe, you are a woman, and should be virtuous and gentle. If you can persuade your father to prioritize the country and abdicate in favor of me without bloodshed, I will surely guarantee you a lifetime of wealth and honor!"

"You, a man of unknown father, dare to covet my Feng family's empire!" Feng Chengying handed over Consort Dou to Mu Miaohua, then slowly raised his head and stepped forward, like a king surveying the world, and said to everyone, "I am a member of the Feng family, and I can guarantee that all my children will have the blood of the Feng clan. As for my talents, I am no less than any man, as you all have witnessed."

Immediately, many people began to whisper among themselves, their voices growing louder and louder, including some voices of support, which made Prince Xin's face darken.

"Your Majesty, I humbly request that Princess Luanhe be made Crown Princess!"

As soon as Gu Zhengze said this, quite a few people agreed with him.

He looked at Prince Xin with a half-smile, his eyes clearly showing provocation.

"Your Highness, we can't wait any longer!"

"Your Highness, please give the order!"

The supporters of the King pleaded, each one eager to get started.

The atmosphere was tense, the sky seemed to be stained with blood, and a battle was about to break out.

"Brother, turn back before it's too late. Do you really intend to defy the will of Heaven?"

The Phoenix Emperor's words not only failed to dissuade Prince Xin, but instead enraged him.

He laughed in fury, "You, Feng Ji, you fooled everyone by pretending to be indifferent to power back then. In terms of maternal lineage, you are inferior to me; in terms of seniority, you are behind me; and in terms of talent and methods, you are far inferior. This world should have been mine all along!"

"Your background is shameful. Your father spared your life and protected your wealth and honor because of your innocence. How dare you repay kindness with enmity! You are truly beyond redemption!"

"The victor is king, the loser is villain; you are beyond redemption!" he commanded. "Those who help me ascend the throne today will have rendered meritorious service to three generations, and I will never betray them!"

"bass"

The commander closest to him drew his sword, the blade suddenly changing direction and plunging straight into his chest. Before he could believe his eyes, the commander withdrew the sword and proceeded to stab his two sons.

"Traitors and rebels deserve to be punished by everyone!"

Consort Dou was terrified and could not speak, only able to scream incoherently.

Commander Wan looked at her with a pained expression.

"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is a loyal subject. He once said that as a descendant of the Dou family, dying to protect one's lord is the greatest honor. I have followed him for many years and cannot stand by and watch the Dou family's reputation, which he cherishes most, be tarnished. Changming Guards, listen to my command! Prince Xin is plotting rebellion, and we will protect Your Majesty to the death!"

He did that earlier to force Prince Xin to take action; once Prince Xin gave the order, the charge of treason would be confirmed.

The Changming Guards shouted "Protect the Emperor!" and turned their weapons around, pointing them at those who had previously supported Prince Xin. This reversal left many people still in shock.

At this moment, the palace gates opened wide, and Shen Kunyao strode in, followed by Mu Lin and Yu Jingliang.

"Your Majesty, we have successfully completed our mission. The Tianwu Guards outside the palace have all surrendered."

"No, I have not lost..." The sword that struck Prince Xin's chest had slightly deflected, but he was still breathing. He looked defiantly towards the palace gate, "I have not lost..."

"Are you referring to those private soldiers you've been training for years and who have been lying in ambush outside the city?" Shen Kunyao asked him.

His pupils dilated. "I will not lose."

"Your Majesty, this old minister is late in coming to your rescue!"

"It's General Shen!"

The person who arrived was Shen Kunyao's father, Shen Yuan, followed by the three sons of the Shen family.

Prince Xin coughed up a mouthful of blood, swayed a few times, and then breathed his last.

Cheers erupted.

The bloodstains faded, and the sky returned to its clear, azure hue.

Mu Hanshi opened his eyes at some point and looked at Shen Qinglu gently.

Shen Qinglu's emotions surged, and tears streamed down her face instantly.

Heaven allowed them to be reborn and together again after death, so why is she hesitant to acknowledge him? Does she want to wait for another separation by death?

"elder brother……"

"A-Zhu, you've acknowledged me now!"

*

Two weeks later.

The rebellion of Prince Xin has been quelled, the rebel leader is dead, and his remaining wives, concubines, and children have been demoted to commoners and are no longer allowed to bear the surname Feng. The Anyuan Prefecture and the Xingyi Earl's Prefecture have been treated similarly, and their names have been removed from the capital.

Other members of the gang were punished according to the severity of their crimes, and were not held jointly liable.

Following this upheaval, many officials in the court felt uneasy and their reaction to the establishment of the Crown Princess was not particularly strong. With the encouragement of Mu Hanshi and the Mu, Shen, and Gu families, the Phoenix Emperor finally announced to the world that Feng Chengying had been appointed as the Crown Prince.

After Feng Chengying became the crown prince, he appointed a number of officials in one go, and Su Qihe was one of them.

When he left Beijing to pick up his family and take up his post, Shen Qinglu specially went to see him off.

They were once father and daughter, which can be considered a kind of fate.

Before parting, he bowed to Shen Qinglu repeatedly.

In the distance, there is lush green grass and fresh green leaves, an endless expanse of sea and sky; nearby, there are towering city walls, the most prosperous place under heaven.

Pedestrians and carriages kept coming and going through the city gates. Everyone had a different face and expression. If you looked closely, you could see that the women's appearance was very different from before.

As the familiar scent drew near, she immediately turned around. "Everyone knows you're seriously injured and are recuperating in seclusion. Didn't we tell you to stay in the carriage? What are you doing out here? It wouldn't be good if someone saw you."

On the day of the palace turmoil, Mu Hanshi appeared to have been hit by an arrow, but in reality, he was protected by soft armor and was not injured. The reason he pretended to be seriously injured was to use the rumor that his wound was difficult to heal and required rest to dispel the idea of ​​some people wanting to submit a memorial requesting that he be made the Crown Prince.

"Now that the Crown Princess has been established, it is time for me to come out and meet people."

"In TV dramas, the thing men want to do most after time-traveling is to conquer the world. Don't you really want to be the emperor?" She looked at the greenery in the distance with longing in her eyes.

"No. Once things stabilize, I'll go with you wherever you want to go."

"Okay, it's a deal."

She was delighted, but her eyes gradually darkened. "Brother, did you really not date or get married later?"

"No."

"After your parents passed away, weren't you lonely?"

Mu Hanshi tightened his grip on her hand, his eyes dark and unfathomable. "I have memories, I'm not lonely at all."

The wind scattered their words, drifting across the vast天地 (heaven and earth).

Reunited in another world, meeting and embracing each other, what a fortunate encounter!

They will never be separated again in this life, and will stay together until their hair turns white.