As Wu Yaohui had said, the next day, the guards brought a eunuch to be beaten to death in the courtyard. The screams were so terrible that Tian Yu had nightmares every night. But if she were to tell Wu Yaohui how to make explosives at that moment, the world would probably be in real chaos. In the middle of the night, a young palace maid secretly slipped Tian Yu a package. Tian Yu opened it and found a poem she had written in blood, "Jiang Cheng Zi," along with a letter from Eunuch Xu: telling Tian Yu to hold on and not to say anything, even if they all died, it didn't matter, and also about Li Linfeng's collusion with the Emperor to frame Zhao Moyan.

Tian Yu laughed and then cried. In this palace, some people helped her so much because they liked her poems, even at the cost of their lives. But some people, whom she treated with all her heart, could still hurt and harm her.

Two more days passed in self-blame and anguish. As the dosage increased, her memory began to fade. To combat the effects, she desperately tried to stay conscious. On the morning of the third day, she awoke with a momentary lapse in memory, but the cries of the young eunuch outside triggered a headache, and she began to frantically try to recall everything. Even so, she could only remember important people and events; many familiar faces were forgotten, and her memories of Old Zhao Village grew increasingly hazy. This was also the fourth day of her hunger strike. The mental and physical torment combined caused her to collapse before she even reached the door.

When Tian Yu woke up, Wu Yaohui stood in front of her bed, looked at her, and said in a deep voice, "Tell me how the explosives came about?"

"Explosives? Yes, it's smoke..." Upon hearing Wu Yaohui's words, Tian Yu felt compelled to answer. She couldn't stop him before she spoke, but thankfully, she coughed because she was too weak, interrupting her words. Tian Yu instantly regained her senses.

Biting her own lip, blood flowed from the corner of her mouth. Wu Yaohui pinched Tian Yu's mouth, forcing her to open it, but Tian Yu refused to give in and intended to bite off her own tongue. Wu Yaohui angrily said, "I promise to release them, and I will let you see Li Xingyun tomorrow!"

Tian Yu then released her mouth, which was now a bloody mess.

Wu Yaohui walked to the door, and Tian Yu, struggling to her feet with blood gushing from her mouth, stammered, "Give me back my child!"

Not long after Wu Yaohui left, the child was carried to Tian Yu's palace by the nanny. The imperial physician also came to see Tian Yu's injuries and applied medicine. The physician looked unfamiliar and secretly slipped Tian Yu a bottle of medicine and a note before leaving.

After everyone left, Tian Yu opened the note. It was from Li Xingyun; the medicine in the bottle could keep her conscious, and they were already trying to rescue her. She was asked to wait a little longer. Tian Yu smelled the medicine, hid it, picked up the child, and whispered, "I'm sorry for dragging you into this. I'll take you home tomorrow, okay?"

The little boy smiled and nodded, seemingly in agreement.

The next day, Wu Yaohui invited Li Xingyun to the palace as promised. Tian Yu ate something and was able to get up with difficulty. She personally put on makeup to cover her pale face, making her look much better. After putting on a beautiful gauze dress, Tian Yu let Li Xingyun in. Li Xingyun, carrying a medicine box, saw Tian Yu sitting smiling by the bed. Because there was an outsider present, Li Xingyun bowed and wanted to take Tian Yu's pulse, but Tian Yu refused. Tian Yu said, "Didn't the Emperor tell you? I just want to see my brother today."

"Tian Yu, let me take a look at you."

"No need, I feel fine! Someone prepare lunch, I'd like to dine with Physician Li."

The two had lunch together. Since there were palace maids and eunuchs around the whole time, they talked about the old Zhao village. Tian Yu felt that her memory was becoming clearer and clearer. She didn't know if it was because of Li Xingyun's medicine or because she had come to terms with it. Recalling the past was no longer so painful.

Amidst their laughter and conversation, the sun was about to set. When Wu Yaohui heard a servant report that their conversation seemed ordinary, he wondered if Tian Yu really just wanted to see Li Xingyun. He left Consort Li's palace to go and see for himself.

Li Xingyun glanced at Tian Yu as he picked up the medicine box. Tian Yu smiled, and the two walked for a long time before reaching the palace gate. Li Xingyun opened his mouth as if to say something, but Tian Yu shook her head, and he could only swallow his words. Tian Yu handed the little boy from the palace maid's arms to Li Xingyun and said, "Take good care of him and find him a good family."

"Don't worry! I will."

Wu Yaohui arrived and stopped Li Xingyun from leaving. He ordered a search of Li Xingyun. The eunuchs searched the room, opened Li Xingyun's medicine chest, and found nothing. They then took the child to examine her. Tian Yu looked at Wu Yaohui, who looked at the child before waving for Li Xingyun to leave the palace. As the palace gates closed, Tian Yu smiled at Li Xingyun. Li Xingyun, carrying the medicine chest in one hand and the child in the other, felt that he probably couldn't save her this time. He reached out to pull her out, but he couldn't.

After the palace gates closed, Wu Yaohui said, "I have fulfilled the Empress's promise to you. What about you?"

"His Majesty's birthday is in three days. I, the Empress, will certainly present a grand gift. Your Majesty, please be patient. The making of this explosive is quite complicated. I need to be alone and quiet for these three days. Otherwise, if one step goes wrong, someone could die."

"Alright! I'll give you three more days." Wu Yaohui said happily. She had already waited three years, so what was three more?

After Li Xingyun returned, the princess hurriedly opened the medicine box, saw that it was empty, and said, "You gave her the explosives?"

"She took it herself."

As Li Xingyun spoke, he rummaged through the medicine box and finally found the medicine bottle that he had painstakingly sent to the palace. He shook it hard to open it and found that it was not medicine. He found tweezers and took out the contents, which was a note: "The late Emperor and Zhao Moyan were harmed by the Emperor and Consort Li and are related to the Meng Kingdom. There are things that the Prince will need in the future in Qinyuan. Remember to go and get them."

Three days later, the Emperor's birthday banquet was held, and the palace was filled with celebrations. Ministers were present at the banquet, as were Prince Wu and the other three princes and the princess. When Prince Wu saw Tian Yu enter, he seemed to have been in a dream. After Li Xingyun returned from the palace, they all knew that Tian Yu's condition was very poor. However, today Tian Yu came to the main hall in a magnificent dress. After bowing, she said, "Today is the Emperor's birthday banquet. I have specially prepared a song to dedicate to the Emperor and to all of you."

After Wu Yaohui, seated in the high position, expressed his agreement, Tian Yu walked to the center. The servants brought up the zither, and Tian Yu reached out and gently stroked the strings, almost laughing. She had learned a lot since coming to this unknown ancient place; she could even play the zither.

The sound of the zither filled the air as Tian Yu, still recovering from a mouth injury, sang softly with a slightly different voice:

These years alone

The wind passes and the rain goes

There have been tears and mistakes

Do you still remember what perseverance is?

You'll only understand if you've truly loved.

Loneliness will come, and I will look back.

There will always be dreams, and there will always be you in my heart.

Friends for life

Those days are gone.

One sentence for a lifetime

A lifetime of love in a cup of wine

Friends are never alone

A word of friendship will make you understand

There are still wounds and pain.

I'm still here if we have to go.

I'm still here if we have to go.

These years alone

...