1:15 AM (卯时一刻).
Xiao Heye accompanied her on the grassy bank of the stream, quietly watching the rising sun slowly emerge from behind the green mountains in the distance.
The first day of the new year.
Together they watched the sunset, the sunrise, and... the green hills and clear waters.
Leaving the palace, time seemed to slow down, and my mood was inexplicably nourished by this beautiful landscape, becoming more open and cheerful.
Xiao Heye suddenly leaned closer to her and gently kissed Su Tiyue's long, thick eyelashes.
Every part of her body silently exuded an alluring aura, making Xiao Heye unable to resist wanting to hug her or kiss her whenever he got close.
These unexpected actions were something even Xiao Heye himself hadn't anticipated.
But he did it.
"I can't put it down" is probably the best way to describe Xiao Heye's affection for her.
If I had the chance, I would love to spend every day with this adorable little thing, watching the sunrise and the sunset...
We also want to travel together and see all the mountains and rivers.
*
Because I didn't sleep all night.
On the way back to the palace from Qingxi Town, Su Tiyue was so sleepy that she snuggled in Xiao Heye's arms and took another nap in the carriage.
Su Tiyue slept the entire two-hour journey.
I don't know if she was really too tired, or... she was exhausted last night.
Logically speaking, Xiao Heye should be more tired than her.
Xiao Heye only dozed off for a while; most of the time, he just stared intently at the person in his arms.
The moon is so beautiful, he can't seem to get enough of looking at it.
...
Su Tiyue slept soundly and deeply, so much so that when she woke up, she was already lying on Xiao Heye's bed.
She lifted the quilt and got out of bed, but her legs felt strange.
I didn't feel any pain last night, but when I woke up, I felt a slight soreness in my lower back, lower abdomen, and legs.
She came out from behind the screen and found that Xiao Heye was not in the room.
Li Xun has also disappeared without a trace.
strangeness.
There shouldn't be anything happening on the first day of the Lunar New Year, so why does it seem like there's no one at Yelan Pavilion?
Su Tiyue rubbed her lower back and had only walked a short distance from the inner courtyard when she ran into Xiao Heye and Li Xun, who were returning from outside.
Seeing that she had woken up, her hands were still supporting her slender waist, looking frail and delicate.
Xiao Heye strode up to her, put one arm around her slender waist, rubbed it gently, and asked softly, "Awake? Why didn't you sleep a little longer?"
Her words were full of tenderness and affection, making Li Xun, who was standing to the side, seem somewhat superfluous.
Li Xun lowered his head and silently withdrew.
"Where did you all go? I woke up just now and didn't see anyone. I thought something had happened and was just about to go back to Tingyu Tower to ask what was going on." Su Tiyue turned her head to look at him and then noticed that Xiao Heye had changed into white clothes.
Clean and simple, with a touch of desolation.
Xiao Heye lowered his brows, stared into her eyes for a moment, looking as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.
Su Tiyue noticed that his expression was strange, so she frowned and asked, "Master Xiao, what's wrong?"
He paused, then said calmly, "Yue'er, the Empress Dowager... has passed away."
Su Tiyue was stunned, thinking she had misheard: "This is impossible. Yesterday I went to Lianyin Temple with her to pray for Beiliang, for the new emperor and Zhou Ziqi. The Empress Dowager is in good health and full of energy... This is impossible..."
She pushed Xiao Heye away, muttering to herself, and walked out.
She didn't believe it; she wanted to go to the Cining Palace to see the Empress Dowager herself...
But she couldn't take a single step. Her legs trembled, and she collapsed limply. Fortunately, Xiao Heye caught her in time.
Tears welled in Su Tiyue's eyes, her nose slightly red. She nestled in Xiao Heye's arms, sobbing softly, "Why did it happen so suddenly? When I saw the Empress Dowager yesterday, she was perfectly fine..."
She sniffled and began to sob.
Xiao Heye patted her back and gently comforted her, "The Empress Dowager has always been very insightful. She must have known for a long time that her health was failing, which is why she forced herself to leave the palace to fulfill her unfulfilled wish. Yue'er, you accompanied her on the last leg of her journey, so don't be too sad."
Su Tiyue cried and said, "That's why I feel even more regretful and heartbroken... I regret not saying more heartfelt words to the Empress Dowager yesterday, and I regret not noticing her unusual behavior sooner."
"Waaaaah..."
That day, Su Tiyue stood in the courtyard of Yelan Pavilion, hugged him, and cried for a long time.
Even after shedding many tears, one cannot find peace.
Before she passed away, the Empress Dowager was worried about the safety of Beiliang, and about the safety of Zhou Tingyue and Zhou Ziqi.
And what she worried about most was... whether the soul of the late Crown Prince had found peace.
In other words, the Empress Dowager's last wish was... that someone would remember Zhou Yuheng.
Don't forget.
The first day of the Lunar New Year.
People joyfully welcome the New Year and the new life.
This was the saddest and most heartbreaking time for Su Tiyue.
The Empress Dowager, who loved and cherished Su Tiyue the most in the palace, has passed away. Su Tiyue never imagined that some people, who were right in front of her one moment, would suddenly disappear the next.
The pain of separation by death is too cruel.
Too many regrets, too much reluctance, may we continue in the next life.
*
First the late emperor passed away, and then the Empress Dowager passed away; these two events did not occur far apart.
And Zhou Ziqi was born at this crucial time.
It's as if all of this foreshadows something...
People have become even more convinced of Master Salo's prophecies about destiny.
Zhou Ziqi was indeed an ominous sign, so the decision on whether to keep or leave Zhou Ziqi, which should have been made a month later, has recently been rife with rumors.
Rumors are circulating both inside and outside the palace that if Zhou Ziqi is allowed to remain, he may pose a threat to Northern Liang.
Because of this incident, Empress Dowager Shen Mei and Zhou Tingyue clashed several times.
The reason was that Zhou Tingyue felt that neither the death of the late emperor nor the departure of the Empress Dowager had anything to do with Zhou Ziqi.
Master Salo's words are completely unreliable.
Zhou Tingyue made up his mind to protect Zhou Ziqi, and he would stick to his principles no matter how many people opposed him.
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