11th year of De'an
Nan Yinwei, daughter of General Nan Xiaoming, is the Empress and raises the seventh prince, Yu Jingchen.
Wind Chant Palace
Nan Yin was keeping the little prince Yu Jingchen company. The little prince was sleeping soundly, and Nan Yin was sitting beside him, gently rocking the cradle.
A handsome young man dressed in white appeared at Fengyin Palace. He was Gu Yin, the current Imperial Preceptor and the most powerful person in Yuan Dynasty besides Nan Xiaoming. This was because… the current Emperor believed in ghosts and gods.
"Why did you come here?" Nan Yin asked when she saw Gu Yin arrive, her brows furrowing immediately.
“Come and take a look…” Gu Yin’s gaze fell on Yu Jingchen in the swaddling clothes.
"Seventh Prince... Yin'er's wish has finally come true." Gu Yin walked to Yu Jingchen's cradle.
"What are you going to do?" Nan Yin looked at Gu Yin warily.
"What? Are you afraid I'll harm him? I'm just here to see what this seventh prince you adopted is like." Gu Yin's gaze on Yu Jingchen deepened.
"Gu Yin, this is Fengyin Palace!" Nan Yin lowered her voice.
"I know, I've come to Fengyin Palace, Yin'er, there's no need to emphasize it again." Gu Yin smiled as always, but compared to her smile before, it always seemed like something was missing.
"Gu Yin, I am now the Empress. Be mindful of your manners!" Nan Yin was somewhat agitated. In the past few years, she had become even more authoritative.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I was just being disrespectful. Please don't take offense." Gu Yin made a gesture of curtsy.
Their relationship is what it is now, and it cannot be changed.
"Aren't you afraid of unforeseen problems if you raise someone who isn't related to you by blood? Some people are just ungrateful wretches; they're not your own flesh and blood. No matter how much you give, they won't see it. Why bother? In the end, they might become enemies." Gu Yin said.
“I need a child, a child to rule this country. I will raise him to be a qualified emperor and let him sit firmly on that throne.” Nan Yin was like a completely different person.
“Hmm, he would be a qualified emperor…” Gu Yin said, looking at Yu Jingchen, “a man who is only suitable to be an emperor.”
Nan Yin didn't know why Gu Yin had such an expression and tone, but... she would definitely reach the highest position. Only when she stood in that position would she have the right and ability to protect the people she cared about.
Gu Yin even wondered if killing Yu Jingchen directly could have prevented everything that followed. But what if he did that…
"Gu Yin, I'm not the same Nan Yin I used to be." Nan Yin seemed to want to tell him something, but Gu Yin seemed not to understand.
"Why not the same? Aren't you Nan Yin?" Gu Yin asked, seemingly seriously.
"You..." Nan Yin seemed to want to say something, but didn't say it.
Gu Yin turned to look at her, and the two stared at each other. Compared to before, they both seemed to have changed...
The second year of the Tiansheng era
The Empress Dowager returned from worshipping Buddha at the temporary palace.
Cixi Palace
Nan Yin summoned Gu Yin, and when Gu Yin saw Nan Yin through the screen, the light in her eyes seemed to have disappeared.
“Gu Yin…” Nan Yin’s voice was a little hoarse.
“It’s good that you’re back…” Gu Yin told her.
“I’m not reconciled… Gu Yin,” Nan Yin told her.
“Fate is already set, why bother? We’ve started over, why not give up?” Gu Yin looked at Nan Yin, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
“Gu Yin…this time is different. I know I was wrong…but I can’t just leave it at that. Things have already developed to this point, and I can’t do nothing.” Nan Yin lifted the curtain and came out.
Gu Yin closed her eyes. Oh well, let her be.
At the end of December of the third year of the Tiansheng era
Prince An, Yu Jing'an, rebelled. Empress Dowager Nan Yin and the General of the State colluded with Prince An to plot a rebellion. The General of the State, Nan Su, was beheaded by His Majesty. Empress Dowager Nan Yin was imprisoned in Cixi Palace. Half a month later, Empress Dowager Nan Yin committed suicide by setting herself on fire in Cixi Palace.
Imperial Preceptor's Mansion
Gu Yin opened his eyes; he had been unconscious for over a month...
Yin'er...
Gu Yin quickly got up.
"Grand Preceptor, you're finally awake?" The servants were pleasantly surprised to see Gu Yin emerge.
"Has anything major happened in the palace these past few days?" Gu Yin asked, his tone clearly tinged with apprehension.
"Imperial Preceptor... The Empress Dowager and General Nan colluded with Prince An to rebel, and General Nan was personally beheaded by His Majesty..." the servant said.
"Where is the Empress Dowager?" Gu Yin's eyes reddened.
"The Empress Dowager is imprisoned in Cixi Palace," the servant continued.
Upon hearing this, Gu Yin didn't linger any longer and rushed towards the palace without a second thought.
A month ago, he foresaw Nan Yin's calamity... He wanted to stop it, but just as he was about to go to the palace, he fainted.
Gu Yin rushed to Cixi Palace, but when he arrived, it was already engulfed in flames. Nan Yin! Gu Yin's eyes widened. Completely disregarding the fire, he rushed into the vast inferno without hesitation.
Yin'er... Gu Yin searched aimlessly, but why wasn't she there? Finally, he saw the person he had been longing for. He ran towards her, his snow-white robes stained black.
Nan Yin vaguely saw someone walking towards her, dressed in white… Nan Yin had already lost consciousness.
"Yin'er!" Gu Yin called out as he rushed towards Nan Yin, but Nan Yin could no longer open her eyes.
"Yin'er!" Gu Yin cried out anxiously, pulling her into his arms. "Yin'er..." Panic gripped Gu Yin's heart, but Nan Yin could not give him a response.
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