He wanted to go outside to see what was going on, but found he couldn't get out!

The soul was trapped in place, unable to move.

Then he saw Ning Yao, who had already died, sit up from the mourning hall and walk out while the servants were dozing off.

The disappearance of the Third Miss's body immediately alarmed the entire mansion.

Then Ning Yao returned to the mourning hall and said that she was not dead.

Shen Ce was puzzled; he was now eager to know what was going on.

If he and Ning Qiong died, then why did I witness this scene?

If he were reborn, why isn't he in the palace?

In his previous two lives, he had never heard of the death of the third young lady of the Ning family. In fact, in his first life, he did something foolish: he took Ning Yao as a concubine the year after Ning Qiong died.

The unexpected turn of events was due to Ning Jin.

At that time, Ning Jin had just returned from the camp in the suburbs of the capital. Shen Ce remembered that Ning Jin went to the camp in the suburbs of the capital before Ning Qiong's accident.

After the incident, in order to suppress the Ning family, the Zhang family dismissed Ning Jin from her position.

Ning Jin's appearance rekindled Shen Ce's hope.

Since it happened before Ning Qiong's accident, did he still have a chance to save her?

He couldn't care less about the Ning family's strange behavior; his mind was filled with thoughts of Ning Qiong being bullied in the palace.

Perhaps his obsession ran too deep, for he found himself able to move again, but after taking just one step, he was plunged into darkness.

A voice in his ear told him that if he wanted to save Ning Qiong, he could only do so through Ning Yao, and that he must not harm Ning Yao or the Ning family!

These words were like a demonic chant, deeply etched into his mind.

When I woke up again, I was back at the same point in time.

At that time, sending Ning Qiong out of the palace was a major event, and he couldn't care less about the affairs of the court and the harem.

He was completely unaware that he had drafted an imperial edict in advance, making Ning Yao a concubine once again!

By the time he found out, it was too late.

He could only meet Ning Yao briefly before leaving the palace.

That one scene reminded him of the scene he witnessed at the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion that night.

Resurrection? Or possession by a different soul?

Filled with doubt, Shen Ce left the capital following the Zhang family's arrangements.

After much searching, they finally learned of Ning Qiong's whereabouts and headed straight for Licheng.

Neither he nor his guards dared to trespass into the manor outside Licheng.

Perhaps it was the separation of life and death from the previous two times that made him hesitant, fearing that things inside would be different.

After several final tests, he was overjoyed to confirm that Ning Qiong was inside, and even that the child who had died young was also there!

In his previous two lives, he was certain that his child had died young, but in this life the child survived!

Overwhelmed with joy, he injured his heart meridian, causing blood to gush out, and eventually fell ill. So, it was only natural for him to recuperate in Licheng.

He was kept in this state for more than half a year until today when Shen Wei found him and told him that the Ning family had moved south and all of them had moved to Licheng. Only then did he finally feel at ease.

He never forgot that voice; every day after leaving the palace, he would repeat that phrase silently.

Despite the doubts, these things were insignificant compared to Ning Qiong.

However, judging from all the events, Ning Qiong's safety and the preservation of the Ning family were indeed entirely due to Ning Yao.

Even his father-in-law, Duke Ning Wenyi, had an indescribable identity.

But so what? If in his first life he couldn't see his own heart because of his obsession with the throne, then in his second and third lives he only wanted Ning Qiong to be safe.

Now in his fourth life, besides wanting Ning Qiong to be safe, he also longs to rekindle their old relationship.

Despite all that he went through, his love for Ning Qiong remained undiminished; in fact, it only deepened to the core.

Ning Yao's thoughts were racing; it was too explosive!

She transmigrated into a book, and to make matters worse, the book she transmigrated into was a rebirth novel!

The male protagonist has been reborn so many times, is this some kind of Russian nesting doll?

She said that during their brief encounter in the palace, she sensed something was off. It turned out that the male lead had already been reborn for the third time at that time!

However, she never expected that her eldest sister's departure from the palace was actually a conspiracy between her father and Shen Ce.

She initially thought it was just her father's idea.

Looking back now, with the strict security of the palace, how could it have been accomplished without someone working in the inside?

Although it seems absurd, what Shen Ce reveals is still somewhat convincing.

His exhaustion and complete lack of vigilance clearly indicated that he trusted Ning Yao.

Ning Yao sat down opposite him: "You've come to tell me all this today, aren't you afraid that someone with ulterior motives will find out and use this to accuse you of spreading heresy?"

Ning Yao rested her chin on her hands and stared directly at Shen Ce: "Also, it seems you know about what happened in the capital. I killed Empress Zhang, deposed Prime Minister Zhang, caused chaos in the capital, and escaped from the palace. Any one of these actions is a capital offense punishable by the extermination of nine generations of your family."

"With all these weaknesses you have against me, it's not hard for people not to be wary of you!"

Ning Yao's gaze was intense, as if she wanted to see right through him.

Shen Ce was not afraid at all and answered seriously: "I only want to reconcile with your sister. I will not do anything to harm the Ning family or you."

"Regarding the Zhang family's matter, I still want to thank you. Although I will take action sooner or later, due to various reasons, I will not be as decisive as you. The capital will eventually fall into chaos, just like in previous lives. It is not your fault."

"As for the matter of escaping from the palace, how could it be an escape? Before I left the palace, I issued a secret decree that Consort Rong could leave the palace and return home when she turned sixteen, and she was free to marry!"

Ning Yao raised an eyebrow. This person really knows how to handle things. Just based on this last point, Ning Yao felt she could trust him.

"I'll accept your goodwill for now. As for what happens between you and my older sister in the future, it depends on her attitude. Our family won't interfere. She can be willing if she wants to, or she can be unwilling if she doesn't. No one can force her, do you understand?"

Shen Ce nodded: "I know."

"There's another point. In the eyes of the world, my elder sister is already Empress Zhaohui, who has been buried in the imperial mausoleum. The little prince also died young. No matter what, she can never enter the palace again. You need to think things through before making a decision."

Shen Ce looked dazed and said, "After experiencing so much, I realize how wrong I was. I'd do anything as long as she's willing."

She said the common people were suffering and asked me to return to the court to take charge of the overall situation. Since it was her request, I would listen to her.

Ning Yao stood up and walked to the window: "You don't need to worry about your eldest sister's safety. With me here, the capital and the world really need you to stand guard. Even if you are unwilling, it is your responsibility. Just consider it for your eldest sister's sake."

Shen Ce's words were tinged with bitterness: "Okay."

—

When Zhilan came in, Ning Yao was still standing by the window.

"Miss, it's late, you should get some rest."

Ning Yao pondered Shen Ce's last words before he left.

"The rumors of the reclusive Ning family emerging from obscurity have spread to all sides. The identity of the Duke of Zhenguo will be known to everyone sooner or later. At that time, the Ning family will become the target of the whole world. All I can do is protect the Yan Kingdom and become your greatest support!"