Yin Jin'an has passed away.
That dashing, spirited, and unruly young man has now fallen into eternal sleep.
That boy who was unmoved by the spring breeze, unperturbed by the summer cicadas, unsadulterated by the autumn wind, unsighed at the winter snow, oblivious to his own wealth and status, and daring to confront injustice and unfairness... is gone.
Xie Zhaozhao's eyes were blurred with tears.
Suddenly, they saw a young boy at the Xie family private school, and everyone agreed that he was the most handsome.
She is very lively, but not annoying.
He could read and memorize very quickly, and he hoped that after he finished memorizing, he could go to the tree to catch birds.
He searched every bird's nest in the Xie family garden.
Xie Zhaozhao was very well-behaved when she was learning etiquette. At a young age, she already showed the demeanor of a top-class young lady.
The only connection between them was a particularly beautiful "fan bird" that he brought out. The bird looked like a pigeon; when it lowered its head, the feathers on its head would "whoosh" open, and when it raised its head, the fan-like feathers would close.
At that time, she was learning manners and kept her eyes straight ahead.
Despite her deep affection for the bird, she restrained herself, for she could not show that she cared about anything, lest she reveal any weakness.
Later, he stopped coming.
Later, his reputation for being reckless and unruly spread throughout the capital.
He indulges in philandering, drinking, gambling, and whoring; his head is covered in sores and his feet ooze pus—he's utterly wicked!
She was a woman of exceptional social standing, and their paths never crossed again.
In his previous life, he died young in Guan Yingying's den of iniquity.
In this life, she found him early on, made money, acquired land, and turned her reputation around.
That flamboyant young man rode his horse through the streets, his face full of arrogance.
"So you're Xie Zhaozhao?"
"What do you, a woman, want with us?"
"Just say what you want to say! Let me tell you, I can't learn to be like your brother, and don't tell me either."
"Xie Zhaozhao, let me tell you, we can't read books, and we can't do anything else. We're just useless."
"Aren't those the thirty-six states of nomadic tribes? You want me to fight them? No way, I don't know how to lead troops into battle."
"Why are you giving me such a lousy place? It's a place that neither the Tartars nor the Khitans want. What am I supposed to do with it? It's not even suitable for growing crops."
"Tell me, what can I do?" the boy said bluntly. "Stop making empty promises and stop saying nice things. Just give me the task."
...
A seemingly invulnerable heart can often be defeated by a simple word of comfort; an impenetrable facade can often crumble completely in front of someone who truly understands you.
At that time, he was considered a bad seed by people, but because of her question, "Do you want to do it together?", he flew like a moth to a flame, fighting against fate and struggling to climb out of the mire.
He is only nineteen years old and has already been enfeoffed as a marquis. After this battle in the Northwest, he may be enfeoffed as a first-class duke or even a king.
However, he was killed by her relatives (Empress Xie).
He died at the young age of nineteen, a flower-like youth!
Xie Zhaozhao looked at his young face, her heart aching.
She and he were best friends, but because of the difference between men and women, she could not cry loudly.
The lights and the darkness blended together, the deathly silence and the heartbreak mingled together, and when a gust of wind passed by, it felt as if someone was cutting into one's soul with a knife.
She could hold back her tears, but she couldn't suppress the sadness in her heart. Before she knew it, tears were streaming down her face.
Zhou Shaoyu said to Hua Zisheng, "Give Xiaoyao Hou a bath and change his clothes."
"yes."
Hua Zisheng quickly ordered someone to bathe Yin Jin'an and change her clothes, as it would be too late for her to get dressed and her body would become hard.
"Let's go, everything will be alright." Zhou Shaoyu helped Xie Zhaozhao, who was crying so hard her body went limp, back to the Hall of Diligent Governance.
Emperor Hui ordered that Empress Xie and Dong Qin be taken to the Imperial City Prison and imprisoned.
The Imperial City Guard and the Military Command worked tirelessly to arrest Empress Xie and Dong Qin's people.
With the two leaders gone and so many killed by Yin Jin'an, the 100,000 troops from Baiyue City were completely wiped out.
When Emperor Hui saw them return, he said to Xie Zhaozhao, "You and Jingchen, take the child and stay in Mingde Palace for now. You can stay in the palace until the Crown Prince's investiture ceremony and the Crown Princess's investiture ceremony are completed."
Xie Zhaozhao held back her tears and knelt down to express her gratitude.
Emperor Hui stared at her for a long while, then said to Hua Zisheng, "Call everyone here."
A short while later, Imperial Physician Zhong, Wei Ziying, and four or five people from the Imperial City Guard arrived.
Emperor Hui said to them, "What last words did Marquis Xiaoyao leave behind? Tell me."
Xie Zhaozhao suppressed her grief and looked at Physician Zhong and his group. She also wanted to know what Yin Jin'an had said before he died.
Physician Zhong knelt down and said, "When I went to treat Marquis Xiaoyao, he was already dying. I remember his last words."
"First, inform Her Highness the Princess: everything will be handled in accordance with the letter."
"Secondly, I would like to inform Your Majesty that I am willing to exchange my military merits and the Yin family's military token for Xie Zhaozhao's safety."
Wei Ziying handed over Yin Jin'an's military tally to Emperor Hui.
Emperor Hui held the troop deployment order of the Yin family army and glanced at Xie Zhaozhao a few times with a gloomy face.
Upon hearing Yin Jin'an's last words, Xie Zhaozhao clenched her fists tightly, her heart overflowing with sorrow, trying to hold back her tears.
That night, Xie Zhaozhao did not leave the palace. She stayed at Mingde Hall with Zhou Shaoyu and Zhou Qiheng, a family of three.
However, after Zhou Qiheng and Xie Zhaozhao went to Emperor Hui's bedroom, Zhou Shaoyu saw that they had fallen asleep.
He knelt before Emperor Hui and begged for mercy for Xie Zhaozhao and the Xie clan.
Emperor Hui looked at him and said, "Jingchen, you must know that a monarch must not act on emotion."
“Father, those who wished to spread their virtue throughout the world in ancient times first governed their own states; those who wished to govern their states first regulated their own families. Therefore, only when families are at peace can the state be at peace. Your son is in love with Lady Xie, and she also holds your son in her heart. In this life, your son only wants Xie Zhaozhao. If Father cannot grant this promise, your son will have no choice but to give up the world.”
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