Chapter 175 This will be them...
Yan Yi left early and returned late every day, serving by Xiao Yujing's side as if she had enrolled in an "elite class for passing the imperial civil service exam," and even received one-on-one exclusive teaching, from which she benefited greatly.
Initially, the officials who were summoned to the small court assembly had some reservations, believing that a woman should not appear in such a solemn and serious occasion, and that it was suspected of interfering in politics.
The next day, they were given a severe dressing-down by Xie Zhao, who arrived in a huff.
“Ge Erdan, when your mother and wife were besieged in the city by the enemy, cut off from water and food and forced to eat tree bark, wasn’t it me, the Empress, who disguised myself and went into the city to help rescue your whole family? When you were crying your eyes out in front of me, why didn’t you say that I was interfering in politics from the harem?”
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. This humble subject... had absolutely no such intention."
The Minister of Revenue, in his fifties, was so reprimanded that his face turned red, and he couldn't even lift his head. He stammered, "Your Majesty gave me a new name a long time ago. I'm now called Ge Zhongda..."
He is no longer the Ge Erdan who used to wander the streets carrying goods!
"Hmph, I don't care what you call yourselves now. You haven't even washed the mud off your legs yet, and you're already showing off your power as meritorious officials who followed the emperor? If we're talking about rules, which one is more important than the rules of the Xie clan of Chenliu?"
Xie Zhao put on a stern face and swept her imposing gaze over everyone. Not a single person dared to meet her eyes; they stared nervously at the tips of their shoes and remained silent.
Who could blame her, this Empress was not only of noble birth, but also the wife who had accompanied His Majesty in conquering the country, the founding emperor and empress.
Even His Majesty doesn't dare to speak loudly in front of the Empress. What are they so bored as to dare to offend her?
Xie Zhao gave them a thorough dressing-down, then softened his tone and explained gently, "Princess Yan is the only bloodline left by His Majesty's own sister. They were separated due to war in their early years and it was only with great difficulty that they were found again. She is his own blood relative. His Majesty has her serve by his side to carry out errands and deliver messages. Isn't that much safer than using outsiders whose backgrounds are unknown?"
Everyone agreed and dared not utter another word.
Xie Zhao was satisfied. She turned to Shen Lingyue, who had been watching the whole thing in a daze, and waved to her. She smiled and said, "Let's go, Yue'er. Your aunt will take you to see the opera and stroll around the garden."
Only after the two had walked far away did a courtier dare to raise his head and mutter softly, "Where did His Majesty's two nieces come from? They don't look like him at all."
The person next to him nudged him gently, "Hey, why do you care if they look alike or not? Anyway, His Majesty and the Empress dote on them, so we should be more respectful to the two princesses in the future."
In the evening, Shen Lingyue returned to Xianning Palace and excitedly shared her day's experiences with Yan Yi.
While Yan Yi was busy with important matters, she was not idle either. She spent her days either going to the West Garden with Xie Zhao to watch the young and handsome men compete for her affections, or getting together to gossip about the past of the founding heroes.
So-and-so's family used to be blacksmiths. He married the daughter of a butcher. The couple would fight each other with knives whenever they disagreed, but they remained unharmed after twenty years of marriage.
So-and-so was known in the military for not liking to wash his feet. On the battlefield, when he took off his boots, he was like a biological weapon, causing the enemy to retreat and dare not approach.
There was also someone who, before joining Xiao Yujing, was a notorious "lord killer," with every rebel leader he served dying mysteriously within three months. The more conventional explanations included assassination, death in battle, and succumbing to disease. Even more outlandish stories included choking to death on a fishbone, or dying from bleeding uncontrollably after sneezing and reopening a boil on his back…
Unfortunately, he himself was very talented in military affairs, but he was plagued by bad luck and always brought misfortune upon his lord.
After Xiao Yujing accepted him, he lived in fear for several months, so much so that he could only sleep with one eye open. Finally, after half a year, he became famous among the rebel armies in various places, attracting more strategists to join him.
"They say this is destiny, Nike King!"
Shen Lingyue, holding a box of melon seeds, munched on them and said happily, "I'm going to compile all this gossip into a book and fabricate it as an unofficial history circulating among the people in the early days of the founding of the Great Ye Kingdom."
Once they return to the Qingxi Dynasty, they can use this booklet to their advantage when they argue with others—"Your ancestors didn't like washing their feet!" "Your ancestors accepted bribes to play with birds!"
"And also, those handsome young men in Xiyuan are really quite good-looking."
Shen Lingyue covered her mouth and chuckled, winking at Yan Yi: "Not only is she multi-talented, but she's also incredibly perceptive. She knows what I want the moment I raise my hand, and with just a glance, her collar 'accidentally' opens up a large section..."
The phrase "three palaces and six courtyards" can be summed up in one word: awesome!
Yan Yi shook her head helplessly, but Shen Lingyue quickly pointed to the sky and swore before she could: "I was just watching for fun, joining in the excitement, I really didn't do anything else, it was all just acting, my heart only belongs to our Xiao Zhou brother~"
They are all hotels, but Pei Jinghuai is home!
"...You've said everything, what else can I say?" Yan Yi gently flicked her forehead, as if she finally understood why Xiao Yujing indulged Xie Zhao so much.
The child only has this one little hobby, so let's just let her have it.
Shen Lingyue rolled over on the bed, rested her head on Yan Yi's lap, and looked up at her: "Actually, it's quite interesting to watch them squabbling and whispering among themselves around Empress Xie. It's like a palace intrigue drama."
Even the old emperor's harem had never been this lively; Consort Gao was truly a pillar of stability.
Yan Yi smiled gently: "Actually, there's no difference. When you put men in a woman's position, they will naturally become women."
Just like how they used to make so much noise under the banner of the Goddess of Mystery, in the end, they just wanted to see more women break free from their bound fate and embark on a brand new life.
They should have been natural allies, instead of being divided into isolated islands by artificially created camps such as legitimate and illegitimate children, wives and concubines, mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law, sisters-in-law, etc.
"Ah, another day of envying Empress Xie." Shen Lingyue clasped her hands together and made a wish: "If I hadn't met Pei Jinghuai, I wish I could experience a life like that too..."
Yan Yi smiled and covered her mouth, "Say less, hurry up and turn off the lights and go to sleep. I have to accompany His Majesty to court tomorrow morning."
Shen Lingyue climbed to the bedside to blow out the lamp, shaking her head and sighing:
Wherever the King of Rolls goes, he's the King of Rolls—that's terrifying!
...
This is the twenty-fifth day since Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi disappeared.
Meng Wanyin has recently stopped daring to go to Songhe Hall, because every time she goes there, the Grand Madam will ask her: Why haven't the two granddaughters-in-law returned yet? No matter how cool it is on the estate, can it be as comfortable as living in the mansion?
What's worse is that the Mid-Autumn Festival is just three days away, a time for family reunions. If Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi don't show up soon, the Grand Madam will really be unable to keep up the good work.
Meng Wanyin was constantly worried, and she couldn't even muster the energy to groom the cat. She held the fluffy ball and stroked it gently, asking softly, "My darling, when will your Sister Yan and Sister Yue come back?"
If the two of them don't come back soon, Weibo'er and Xiaobaixian's kids will start digging holes and burrowing in the mansion.
That day, upon hearing from Mother Qi that the Xuan Nu Palace, which was overseen by Princess Tong'an, had finally been completed, Meng Wanyin immediately ordered her men to prepare a carriage and leave the city.
The Xuan Nu Palace was bustling with worshippers, and people from the surrounding area came to kneel and pray.
Meng Wanyin kowtowed every three steps as she devoutly entered the hall, kneeling before the majestic, radiant statue of the Goddess Xuan Nu, and silently prayed.
As she stood up, she heard someone behind her call out "Madam Meng".
"Greetings, Your Highness." Upon seeing the visitor, Meng Wanyin quickly bowed and greeted him.
Princess Tong'an helped her up and politely asked, "Auntie, are you also here to pay respects to the Goddess Xuan Nu?"
Meng Wanyin forced a smile: "Yes, please bless my two children..." She choked up at the end and quickly turned her face away, wiping her eyes.
"They will definitely return safely." Princess Tong'an said solemnly, as if making a promise.
She looked up at the towering statue of the deity. In the swirling smoke, the deity lowered his brows and eyes, remained silent and indifferent, his expression compassionate as he looked down upon the world.
Goddess Xuan Nu, please bless your most loyal apostle.
Yan Yi, A Yue, you won't let me walk this path alone, right?
...
That night, Pei Jinghuai was summoned to Jiusi Academy.
Looking at the candles lit at varying heights throughout the room, the full-length bronze mirror with red ropes wrapped around its four corners and talismans pasted on it, and the large bathtub placed in the center of the room, he was completely baffled.
"Pei Da, what do you want to do?"
His injuries had long since healed. These days, he had been going out early and returning late, searching everywhere he could think of where Shen Lingyue might have gone, but to no avail.
Another fruitless day, Pei Jinghuai was seething with anger when Pei Jingyi inexplicably summoned him, speaking rudely, "Are you playing tricks on me? Are you trying to summon a spirit?"
Pei Jingyi said calmly, "You guessed it. I am going to summon the spirit."
He asked Pei Jinghuai, "Do you remember when a wandering Taoist priest came to the manor during the tenth anniversary of my birth mother's death?"
Pei Jinghuai racked his brains for a long time before waving his hand and saying, "That guy was a madman who talked a lot of nonsense. In the end, didn't Dad kick him out?"
Pei Jingyi said to himself, "He said he knows the art of summoning souls, which can allow my soul to leave my body and see my relatives in another world."
"…Pei Jingyi, wake up!" Pei Jinghuai, unable to contain himself any longer, waved his fist at him. "First of all, Princess Qinghe has been gone for many years. Life and death are separate, and the living and the dead are separated. All this talk of summoning souls is utter nonsense! Secondly, even if you could really see the spirits of the dead… do you think they are already, already dead?!"
“Of course they didn’t die,” Pei Jingyi corrected earnestly. “But to us now, they are indeed ‘people from another world,’ aren’t they?”
Pei Jinghuai gradually calmed down and followed his train of thought: "You mean, if they really went back... back to their original place, we can use this method to re-establish contact with them?"
"There's no other way anyway," Pei Jingyi asked him. "Or are you just going to keep waiting like this?"
After a moment's hesitation, Pei Jinghuai made up his mind, "Let's do it!"
He then asked Pei Jingyi, "Tell me about this so-called method of summoning souls, and how I should cooperate with you?"
"You don't need to do anything, just stand here and watch. When I give you the signal, pull me up."
Pei Jingyi picked up a red rope from the ground, tied one end to the frame of the bronze mirror, and the other end to his wrist. Then, under Pei Jinghuai's shocked gaze, he took a long step into the bathtub and submerged himself completely in the water without hesitation.
...
Late at night, Yan Yi was still asleep when she suddenly felt something pull her body downwards, and her consciousness quickly fell into a deeper space.
It was pure blackness, boundless and endless, with no sky or ground in sight, like a giant cage without fences.
Yan Yi felt as if she were walking on a pile of cotton, light and airy, unable to exert any strength. She stretched out her hands and groped her way forward, trying to find an exit.
Is anyone there?
She shouted loudly, but could not hear any sound coming from herself.
An endless darkness and deathly silence surged in like a tide, relentlessly encroaching upon her. Anyone with a weak will would likely be driven mad by this despair.
Yan Yi gave up calling for help and continued forward, her mind racing.
First, we need to determine where this is. Is it a dream? The subconscious? Or the space of consciousness that Little Moon mentioned?
If it's the latter, could it be the location of the cheat system that hasn't responded since they arrived?
This fits the situation Little Moon described as "energy depletion".
...It can't be some kind of underworld or the River of Oblivion, can it?
Yan Yi thought to herself, as if trying to comfort herself.
The next second, a blinding white light suddenly shot in from the front, like a hole being torn in a piece of black cloth. Immediately afterwards, a human-shaped object was thrown in through the hole.
Yan Yi squinted, raised her hand to shield her eyes from the dazzling light, but quickened her pace as she rushed toward where the light was coming from.
As she ran, she looked up and froze in place.
The wet, almost transparent white figure opposite them was actually... Pei Jingyi?!
She could no longer control herself, shouting his name, her speed increasing, her body becoming lighter and lighter, almost as if she were floating.
Pei Jingyi seemed to have seen her too, and his face lit up with an uncontrollable ecstasy as he staggered toward her.
Both of them were running toward each other, but the distance between them was getting farther and farther, as if an invisible giant hand was maliciously stretching the rope, making it longer and longer.
Buzz—
Yan Yi suddenly regained her hearing. She heard something break, followed by a tremendous sound of countless stones tumbling and collapsing in the darkness, like a mountain collapsing and the earth splitting open.
Behind Pei Jingyi, the tear was slowly closing, and the white light filtering in was growing weaker and weaker.
Yan Yi suddenly had a bad feeling.
Pei Jingyi shouldn't be here.
If he cannot return before the white light disappears, something will surely happen that she will regret for the rest of her life.
"Pei Jingyi! Go quickly! Go back!" Yan Yi shouted desperately at him, her voice gradually becoming hoarse, but it seemed so insignificant amidst the overwhelming sound of boulders rolling down all around.
Pei Jingyi heard nothing. From the moment he saw Yan Yi, his eyes could no longer see anything else. He only wanted to run faster and faster.
He wanted to take his wife home.
In a moment of desperation, a golden light suddenly burst forth from Yan Yi's body, and she seemed to lose all weight, able to move freely in this boundless space.
As if it were just a thought that moved her body at will, she instantly closed the distance between the two of them and came to Pei Jingyi's side.
"...A-Tan!"
Pei Jingyi grabbed her hand tightly. "Where have you been? I can't find you anywhere... Shall we go home?"
Yan Yi, however, had no time to answer him. Her eyes were fixed anxiously on the "exit" behind Pei Jingyi, which was getting farther and farther away and weaker and weaker.
"There's no time to explain, get out of here." Yan Yi pushed Pei Jingyi back with all her might, her eyes unconsciously filling with tears. "Yun Zhao, believe me, I will definitely come back to find you, I promise!"
She unleashed all her strength and shoved Pei Jingyi away. Watching him retreat backward, filled with disbelief and the pain of separation, he disappeared into the white light.
Yan Yi finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The next second, the world collapsed, and her consciousness once again plunged into boundless darkness.
...
"Pei Jingyi!"
Pei Jinghuai pulled him out of the water, his face pale with fright. He kept pounding Pei Jingyi's abdomen until he coughed up a mouthful of water. His cold, pale face slowly opened his eyes, his gaze still somewhat unfocused and unsteady.
"You son of a bitch, you're a lunatic!" Pei Jinghuai couldn't help but curse. "Are you trying to summon a ghost or commit suicide? Do you want me to be accused of failing to save someone in distress? Let me tell you, if you really drown, I'll be the heir of the Marquis's mansion, and the whole family will be mine!"
He grumbled and cursed for a long time, but Pei Jingyi not only didn't talk back, but also smiled happily.
Pei Jinghuai: ...Oh no, has he lost his mind?
"I saw her." Pei Jingyi chuckled softly, repeating, "Huaizhou, I really saw your sister-in-law." Pei Jinghuai: ...
After a moment of silence, he suddenly reached out to untie the red string around Pei Jingyi's wrist.
"Just tie this on and then soak it in water, right?"
Pei Jingyi realized what was happening and immediately grabbed his wrist to stop him. "No, this method is very dangerous. If she hadn't pushed me out in time, I really wouldn't be back."
"...Be reasonable, I was the one who dragged you up here."
Pei Jinghuai glared at him angrily, "So what if it's dangerous? You've already seen your sister-in-law, can't I see A-Yue too?"
Who do you think you are! Are you really that cowardly and afraid of death?
“Huaizhou, I can’t guarantee you’ll succeed.” Pei Jingyi calmed down from his immense joy and advised him, “Yan Yi and I have a telepathic connection, do you and your sister-in-law have one too?”
Pei Jinghuai: ...I should have drowned you just now!
"What I mean is, I only saw her, I didn't see my brother and sister-in-law."
Pei Jingyi quickly changed his words, carefully choosing his phrases, "Do you still remember those things we did together in the past? Your sister-in-law always inexplicably saw secrets that no one else could possibly know, even secrets from ten or twenty years ago?"
Pei Jinghuai snorted and said unwillingly, "You just want to say that your sister-in-law's magic power is higher than A-Yue's, so that's why the two of you are 'connected'."
"In any case, they must all be doing well now, and they are trying to find a way to reunite with us."
Pei Jingyi stepped out of the bathtub, changed out of his soaking wet clothes, and although his face was still pale, his overall mental state was different from before.
He patted Pei Jinghuai on the shoulder: "Go back and wait for news. Everything will be alright."
...
Yan Yi suddenly sat up, panting heavily, her body covered in cold sweat.
As if sensing something, Shen Lingyue opened her eyes groggily, "Your leg is cramping again? Let me rub it for you—"
Yan Yi grabbed her hand, her tone more urgent than usual: "I just dreamt about Pei Jingyi."
"Oh..." Shen Lingyue hadn't reacted yet, "You miss him, don't you? I've dreamed about Pei Jinghuai too."
"No, it shouldn't be called a dream, it's more like... our spacetime briefly overlapped."
Yan Yi touched her chest; her heart was still pounding fiercely.
She composed herself and slowly recounted the dream she had just had to Shen Lingyue.
"That sounds so mystical, like an out-of-body experience?" Shen Lingyue's imagination ran wild. "You and Pei Jingyi's brainwaves connected, and then you sent his consciousness back into his body?"
Combined with what Yan Yi saw—Pei Jingyi was dripping wet and as pale as a ghost—Shen Lingyue slapped her thigh, “Could it be that he’s in some kind of mortal danger? Isn’t that how it’s written in ‘Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio’?”
Yan Yi also felt that Pei Jingyi's condition was very strange when she saw him earlier. She was really afraid that he might lose his mind and do something self-harming when he couldn't find her anywhere.
"We need to get back quickly," she murmured to herself, her furrowed brows unable to conceal her inner anxiety.
She called out to the golden light that had never responded in her heart again and again.
Please, please think of a way. No matter what, you have to send them back...
In the latter half of the night, neither of them could sleep. They lay in bed holding hands, anxiously welcoming the dawn of a new day.
The rooster crowed three times, and Shen Lingyue sat up resignedly. "Still no change... Hmm?"
Her head suddenly swayed, and the scene before her eyes flowed like ripples on water. The images in her vision turned into countless rotating blocks of color, and the whole world seemed to have become a giant kaleidoscope.
"Yan Yan, what's going on? Why am I suddenly getting presbyopia?" Shen Lingyue hurriedly called out to her, reaching out and groping around, gesturing wildly, looking both comical and helpless.
Yan Yi also noticed this unusual change. Although they were still in the Xianning Palace, something had changed.
Her gaze fell on the low table under the window, where a few sprigs of red plum blossoms were diagonally inserted in a jade vase, and her pupils constricted.
Wait, where would plum blossoms come from in mid-August?
Looking around again, the brand-new utensils that Xiao Yujing had just sent over not long ago now all looked dull and worn, as if they had been used for many years.
"Something's wrong. Let's change our clothes and go out to check it out."
Before Yan Yi could finish speaking, Xiu Xin, the palace maid who served them, rushed in with a pale face and said in a panic, "Your Highnesses, His Majesty... His Majesty and the Empress request that you go to the East Warm Pavilion immediately!"
Seeing Xiu Xin's red eyes and the way she was trying to hold back her tears, Shen Lingyue blurted out, "How come you've aged so much all of a sudden?"
It's strange, can a person grow white hair overnight?
As if realizing something, Yan Yi got out of bed and quickly walked to Xiu Xin, asking her in a low voice, "What year and day is it today?"
“Yes… the fifth day of the eleventh month in the eighth year of Taiyuan.” Xiu Xin was a little confused, but still answered instinctively.
Yan Yi's expression changed instantly, and her body swayed slightly uncontrollably.
On the fifth day of the eleventh month of the eighth year of the Taiyuan era, at the third quarter of the hour of Si (
According to the historical records of Daye, Emperor Taizu... died on his deathbed.
The two quickly changed into thick winter clothes and put on fur cloaks. As soon as they stepped out of the Xianning Palace gate, they were covered in snowflakes.
The entire palace was shrouded in a silvery white, the leaden sky hung low and oppressive, and the north wind howled, as if the gods were sobbing softly.
Shen Lingyue supported Yan Yi, her steps light and quick, her calves aching from the tension.
As she walked quickly, she kept asking, "What happened? Weren't we still in the second year of Taiyuan yesterday? Has the Goddess Xuan Nu finally recharged? But she can't just send us to six years later."
They want to return to 140 years in the future. If they keep jumping around every six years, won't they really become old monsters?
Is it time folding?
Yan Yi couldn't explain the supernatural phenomena surrounding the two of them either, but she had just met Pei Jingyi across time and space last night, and this morning she was sent to six years in the future, to the point where Xiao Yujing was about to die.
She silently pressed her hand to her heart, feeling annoyed for the first time that she didn't have a system she could connect with.
This feeling of having to guess everything was really testing her reaction speed.
etc……
Is it a communication system?
Come to think of it, she actually did meet one...
"I see!"
Yan Yi suddenly shouted, turned to Shen Lingyue excitedly, and said, "I know how we should get back."
When the two arrived at the East Warm Pavilion braving the wind and snow, the area in front of the dragon bed was already filled with trusted court officials, nobles and generals.
Among them were several resilient women, no longer young, their faces weathered by time. These were the female marquises and generals whom Xiao Yujing had personally convincingly bestowed upon them after arguing with the court officials.
They huddled around Xie Zhao, who was in tears, standing closer to the imperial bed, clearly separated from the male officials on the other side.
Yan Yi also saw a middle-aged man in his forties standing by the screen beside the bed. He was still handsome and had an outstanding demeanor. He was looking at Xiao Yujing lying on the bed with a solemn and complicated expression. He was surrounded by a heavy sadness that seemed to engulf him like a tide.
It was Xie Wuyai.
The Xie family head, who was willing to hide his identity and stand silently behind Xiao Yujing, could not openly hold her hand even at the very end of his lover's life.
Yan Yi had no idea what had happened during the six years they had skipped. Perhaps Xie Wuyai and Xie Zhao had tried many methods, but they still could not reverse Xiao Yujing's fate of dying before the age of fifty.
At that moment, Xiao Yujing opened his eyes as if sensing something. After his gaze swept around the crowded warm pavilion for a moment, he locked onto Yan Yi and Shen Lingyue and gently waved in their direction.
Xie Zhao also noticed her movements, raised his red and swollen eyes, and said in a hoarse voice, "Yan'er, Yue'er, come forward. His Majesty has something to tell you."
"Your Majesty... Uncle..."
Shen Lingyue staggered over, half-kneeling on the footstool, tightly grasping Xiao Yujing's hand, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably.
How could this happen? They had dinner together yesterday, and the woman from my hometown seemed quite energetic. How could she have changed so much in the blink of an eye...?
She could no longer control herself and burst into tears, holding Xiao Yujing's hand.
"Don't go, don't go! We need you, and Da Ye needs you too..."
Shen Lingyue's crying was like a switch, and in an instant, the hall was filled with sorrow. The old generals and ministers knelt on the ground, wailing and desperately trying to persuade the monarch they had followed and served for most of their lives to stay.
"Silly child, don't cry. Everyone dies, and I'm no exception."
Xiao Yujing breathed heavily, and with difficulty raised his hand to stroke her cheek, "To have met you all in the last part of my life, I have no regrets."
Yan Yi slowly knelt down in front of the bed, carefully taking her other hand in his, "Your Majesty..."
Xiao Yujing met her gaze and nodded.
"I understand what you mean. This is not your home after all. Go back soon and don't keep the people who care about you waiting too long."
Upon hearing this, Yan Yi understood. As the system host, Xiao Yujing must have known long ago that the system would automatically detach once the host died.
Then she could devour Xiao Yujing's Favored Concubine System, just like she devoured You Fengnian's Plagiarism System last time, to replenish her energy and send her and Xiao Yueliang back to the Qingxi Dynasty 140 years later.
Yan Yi closed her eyes and tried to mobilize the ineffable golden energy within her body.
Gradually, the palms of her and Xiao Yujing's clasped hands began to heat up, and golden light, visible only to the two of them, flowed within each other's bodies, like a tug-of-war, being pulled little by little from Xiao Yujing's body to Yan Yi's side.
This also means that Xiao Yujing's life force is slowly fading away.
Shen Lingyue looked left and right, then suddenly stood up and strode up to Xie Wuyai, her bright red eyes staring at him.
"It's come to this point, what are you still afraid of? What do you have to be afraid of?"
She pushed Xie Wuyai hard, her eyes red-rimmed, and said, "Go quickly, don't do something you'll regret for the rest of your life!"
Xie Wuyai finally reacted, strode to Xiao Yujing's bedside, and, in full view of everyone, tightly embraced her.
"Ayu, wait for me. I'll come find you after I've settled the children..."
Xie Wuyai's tears fell onto Xiao Yujing's face. She opened her eyes and gave him a pale, weak smile. "Coward, you finally dare to come and hug me?"
Xie Wuyai laughed, trying to make his tone sound lighter: "Anyway, the compilers of history books in the Hanlin Academy are all my students. If they have the guts, they can write 'One female and one male, flying together into the Purple Palace'."
Xiao Yujing was amused by him and kept laughing, but then she started coughing until Yan Yi had let go of her hand at some point.
Xie Zhao rushed over, crying, but the sound of her crying gradually faded into the distance, becoming almost inaudible.
Xiao Yujing opened her mouth, but ultimately leaned against Xie Wuyai's chest, holding Xie Zhao's hand, and passed away with a smile.
...
"This is what Ayu asked me to give to you."
Inside the Fengxian Hall, Xie Zhao, dressed in plain clothes, was no longer the lively and cheerful person she used to be. With swollen eyes, she handed a large package to the two of them.
“There is a letter inside, written by Ayu to her great-great-granddaughter, Princess Tongan. She said it was the only thing she could do for this most promising descendant, and that she would understand once she read the letter.”
Xie Zhao then pointed to the various porcelain bottles in the package, "These are some trinkets that Ayu redeemed in the system shop. I don't need them anymore, but you might find them useful in the future."
Shen Lingyue had spent the most time with her, and upon hearing Xie Zhao's parting words, which sounded like a farewell, she couldn't help but step forward and hug her tightly.
"His Majesty has passed away, but please take good care of yourself, eat well, and sleep well..."
"I know, I'm not as fragile as you think. I used to eat bran and grass roots when we were fighting. Have you ever eaten them?"
Xie Zhao released Shen Lingyue and pulled Yan Yi into his arms, saying earnestly, "A hundred years from now, I, Ayu, and my elder brother will all become stars in the sky, watching you continue on your journey."
As if she had made up her mind, she turned and walked out of the hall, waving to the two of them without looking back.
"Go, child, go back."
The palace doors closed again, and Fengxian Hall returned to the dim state it had been when they arrived.
The only difference was that a small shrine had been added to the tall shelf.
Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi stood facing each other, their hands clasped tightly, together holding the bundle.
"Yan Yan, do you think we can take anything back with us?" It was too quiet around her, and Shen Lingyue couldn't help but mutter, "If we could, we should take more antiques back..."
A golden light flashed, and the hall was empty again, without a single person in sight.
It was half an hour later when Xie Zhao finished settling the women and relatives of the officials who had gone to the palace to mourn, and returned to Fengxian Hall.
She pushed open the door and called out twice, but no one responded. She searched the hall inside and out several times before finally feeling relieved.
...
"We're back?"
Shen Lingyue looked around in disbelief. This was a place completely different from Fengxian Hall. "What is this place?"
Layers of gauze swayed in the wind, and she subconsciously walked forward. When she reached out and lifted the last layer of gauze, the huge statue of the Goddess of Mystery appeared before her, its gentle and compassionate gaze enveloping her.
As if her heart had been struck by something, Shen Lingyue knelt uncontrollably on the prayer mat.
"May the Goddess Xuan Nu protect me..."
They're really back!
Yan Yi was a step behind, and walked out carrying an unharmed bundle. She recognized the familiar layout as the Xuan Nu Palace, which she had only seen on blueprints before.
The moment Yan Yi lowered her eyes to face the statue, her heart calmed down, and her body felt as if it were being soaked in warm water, making her feel completely comfortable.
The two were both stunned until a joyful voice rang out.
"Yan Yi, A Yue!"
Princess Tong'an emerged from the inner room holding a scroll of Taoist scriptures. She could hardly believe her eyes. She screamed and rushed forward, embracing the two of them tightly, weeping with joy.
"It was not in vain that I copied scriptures and made vows day and night, praying to Buddha, the Three Pure Ones, and all the gods and Buddhas in the sky for protection. Finally, you have been returned to me."
However, as soon as she hugged Yan Yi, she felt that something was not quite right.
Yan Yi was more than five months pregnant when she disappeared, and now she's only about seven months along. How come her belly has grown so much? It looks like... she's about to give birth?
Could it be twins? But Aunt Wen never mentioned that.
Princess Tong'an herself was a mother of two and had a keen eye for the stages of a woman's pregnancy. Just as she was about to ask Yan Yi what was going on, her gaze swept downwards and she noticed that a large patch of Yan Yi's skirt was soaked.
She gasped and quickly called to Shen Lingyue, "Help her into the inner room, I'll go get someone now!"
Before Shen Lingyue could react, she asked Yan Yi in a daze, "Are you feeling unwell?"
Yan Yi belatedly lowered her head, as if she understood something, and gave a bitter laugh, her voice tinged with uncertainty.
"I think, probably, it seems, I'm about to give birth?"
...
When Pei Jingyi and Pei Jinghuai arrived at Xuan Nu Palace after receiving the news, Yan Yi was already preparing for childbirth, accompanied by Princess Tong'an and Wen Xian.
Pei Jingyi's legs went weak when he entered the room. If Pei Jinghuai hadn't caught him in time, he would have tripped on the threshold.
Even so, he was still in a daze and couldn't come back to his senses.
Counting the days, Yan Yi is only less than seven months pregnant, yet she's suddenly about to give birth... There's an old saying that seven months is a good time to live, and eight months is not. I wonder how much suffering she's endured during her disappearance, and how well the mother and child are being cared for. And now she's giving birth...
For the first time, Pei Jingyi hated himself for reading too many medical books, and also hated himself for having such a good memory. He remembered clearly those tragic cases of premature births, difficult births, and the deaths of both mother and child. The more he thought about it, the paler his face became, and cold sweat poured down his forehead, as if he was about to collapse at any moment.
"No, I have to go in and be with her. Please let me in..."
He tried to rush into the house like a headless fly, but was stopped by Shen Lingyue and Pei Jinghuai.
"Brother, don't be nervous, relax, take a deep breath—"
Shen Lingyue pinched his arm hard to make him listen to what she was saying.
"I've examined Yan Yan. Her pulse is healthy and strong, and the baby is full-term. She's not premature. You can rest assured and wait here."
Pei Jingyi frowned even more deeply after hearing this. "What nonsense are you talking about? How can seven months suddenly become ten months? Do you mean that one day on earth is three days in heaven?"
"What 'Heaven and Earth'?" Shen Lingyue was completely confused, counting on her fingers, "We first went back to the second year of the Taiyuan era, and then to the eighth year of the Taiyuan era..."
Just before Yan Yi was taken into the delivery room, I only had time to grab her hand and say something like "reverse entropy" or "singularity".
If even she couldn't understand it, then these two men would be even less likely to understand it.
Shen Lingyue nodded to convince herself that since they had already time-traveled, the baby had only grown for four months in over a hundred years, which was already quite restrained!
After finally calming Pei Jingyi down and preventing him from rushing inside, Pei Jinghuai immediately hugged Shen Lingyue tightly, as if he had found a lost treasure.
"Where did you all go? You scared me to death!"
With red eyes and gritted teeth, Pei Jinghuai threatened her fiercely: "If you ever dare to leave me alone like this again, I'll... I'll drown myself like Pei Da and become a ghost to find you!"
Shen Lingyue's eyes widened. "No way, did Big Brother really do that?"
She just made a casual remark, never expecting that Pei Jingyi and Yan Yan would almost have a love story between a human and a ghost.
Pei Jinghuai mercilessly exposed the man, "Hmph, if I hadn't acted decisively and wisely, the Marquis's mansion might be holding someone's funeral right now."
Shen Lingyue hugged his face and kissed him several times, "Mmm, Brother Xiaozhou, you're so great!"
Cough cough, it feels like just yesterday that she was surrounded by handsome men, so why does she feel a little guilty when she suddenly sees Pei Jinghuai again?
Shen Lingyue secretly reminded herself that she absolutely must not reveal the fact that she had gone to the garden with Xie Zhao, absolutely not!
The young couple huddled together in a corner chair, whispering secrets to each other. Pei Jingyi paid no attention, his eyes, ears, and mind filled with nothing but the closed door in front of him.
After an unknown amount of time, Wenxian came out of the room with a solemn expression.
Pei Jingyi jumped to his feet and strode towards her, "Imperial Physician Wen, my wife, she, she..."
Wenxian carefully spoke, "This is the first time the young master's wife has given birth, so the labor will be longer. In addition, her frame is relatively narrow, making it difficult for the baby to emerge. So it's a bit challenging. Please wait a little longer."
Pei Jingyi looked into the cracked door behind her and vaguely heard Yan Yi's suppressed moan.
His fingernails dug deep into his palms, Pei Jingyi forced himself to remain calm. "Imperial Physician Wen, I also have some medical knowledge. Don't give me those laymen's nonsense. Just tell me, is Yan Yi's pregnancy going smoothly?"
Wenxian was speechless for a moment, and her silent silence was more unsettling than any answer.
"ah……"
At that moment, Yan Yi seemed unable to hold back any longer and shouted out loud.
Pei Jingyi's expression changed, and he rushed in without a second thought.
Shen Lingyue suddenly jumped up and rushed towards the small bundle that had been lying on the table unattended.
"Ahhh, I remember now, Empress Xie left something for us!"
Since it's a favored concubine system, there must be items related to childbirth!
Shen Lingyue rummaged through a pile of small porcelain bottles for a long time before finally finding a bottle of "Mother and Child Safety Pills".
She gripped the porcelain bottle tightly and chased after them inside.
"Big brother, quickly give Yan Yan this, it's guaranteed to work!"
Wenxian stared in disbelief at the two people who rushed in one after the other.
Not long after, a loud baby cry came from inside.
"It's born! It's born!"
Pei Jinghuai jumped up with joy and ran to the door, asking incessantly, "Is it a boy or a girl? How big and how heavy is it? Bring it out quickly so I can see it."
Shen Lingyue called out through the door, "It's a boy, weighing seven pounds. Mother and child are safe!"
Wenxian breathed a sigh of relief and quickly returned to the inner room.
Seeing Pei Jingyi kneeling by the bed, holding Yan Yi's hand tightly, his nose pressed against the back of her hand, a hint of tears glistening in his eyes.
Yan Yi was covered in sweat, but her eyes were filled with relief and joy. She stroked Pei Jingyi's cheek and whispered, "I promised you, so I came back."
Pei Jingyi's mind went blank at that moment, and he couldn't say anything. He just kept nodding hard and said in a trembling voice, "Then you have to promise me that you will never leave again."
Yan Yi smiled and said okay.
"Hey, what's wrong with you two, you two forgetful couple?"
Shen Lingyue, holding her freshly cleaned and wrapped-in godson, her nephew and great-nephew, pretended to be dissatisfied and handed him between the two of them, "Don't you want the baby?"
Pei Jingyi quickly reached out and took it. When he looked down, he met the baby's dark eyes. The father and son stared at each other, and at that moment they seemed to feel a strange blood connection.
He carefully placed the swaddled baby next to Yan Yi, saying, "Madam, please give him a name."
This little life came somewhat suddenly and mysteriously, but isn't it also a blessing from heaven?
Yan Yi gently touched his cheek with her fingertip. "Then let's call him Pei Jiheng, or Ashi as his nickname."
In remembrance of him, he was a child of time.
...
On the fifth day of the eleventh month of the same year, Princess Tong'an accompanied Emperor Qingxi to the imperial mausoleum to pay homage to the founding emperor.
Witnessed by all the officials and in full view of everyone, the Qilin stone statue that had stood on the sacred path for over a hundred years suddenly split open, revealing a wooden box inside. Inside the box was a gold tablet ten inches long and three inches wide, inscribed with the following text:
"I, by the mandate of Heaven, have established this dynasty. Learning from the past to understand the future, I have witnessed the rise and fall of dynasties. The five planets align in Kui, and Yin and Yang revolve. Our dynasty has spanned five generations, with imperial daughters ruling the court, their imperial grace extending across the land, recreating the primordial order, and ensuring its prosperity for a thousand years. Seeing this edict is as if I were present; the descendants of the Xiao family must not disobey. Secret Edict of the Great Ancestor, the Holy and Martial Emperor of the Kaiyuan Era."
Emperor Qingxi respectfully took down the golden tablet, held it high above his head, and announced to the crowd: "My eldest daughter, Xiao Zhuoying, is eloquent and knowledgeable in the classics and history, and insightful in understanding the intricacies of politics. Her filial piety and brotherly love are evident in the palace, and her benevolence is renowned throughout the court and the countryside. I observe that she possesses profound virtue and stability, and is resolute and decisive; she is indeed an excellent choice to succeed me."
In accordance with ancestral traditions and the will of Heaven, and respecting public opinion, and following due rites, she is hereby designated as the Crown Princess, to be placed in the Eastern Palace. She is bestowed with a golden book and imperial seal, and is ordered to manage ancestral temple sacrifices and assist in all state affairs. The relevant departments shall prepare the necessary ceremonies and choose an auspicious day for the grand investiture ceremony.
So be it.
...
The investiture ceremony was held at Fengtian Hall on the ninth day of the fourth month of the following year.
Spring is in full bloom, and Pei Jiheng, the eldest grandson of the Marquis of Changning, is already crawling all over the place following behind his scarf.
This time, Yan Yi carefully helped Shen Lingyue, who was more than six months pregnant, to witness Princess Tong'an wearing a nine-patterned dragon robe made by more than twenty embroiderers from the Imperial Wardrobe over several months. She then received the golden book and seal and led the civil and military officials in performing the four-bowing ceremony to Emperor Qingxi.
They then went to the Fengxian Hall to pay homage to the ancestors of the Xiao family.
Princess Tong'an's gaze lingered on the very top center of the shelf. The heavy nine-tasseled crown pressed against her forehead, the slightly swaying jade beads revealing the turmoil in her heart.
The spirit tablet of Emperor Gaozu Xiao Yujing, the Holy and Martial Emperor of the Kaiyuan Era.
She felt as if she had a thousand words in her heart, but in the end, they all turned into a deep bow.
In that letter spanning more than 140 years, she seemed to see a wise, powerful, kind and gentle grandmother gently stroking her head and saying to her, "Go, child, I will send you to go higher and farther."
...
After the ceremony, Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi accompanied Princess An to the highest pavilion in the East Palace.
Standing here, one can take in the vast palace city, and even half of the capital, with distant green mountains in sight and winding streams flowing through the city.
Standing atop the platform, it feels as if the entire landscape is within your grasp.
Princess Tong'an removed her heavy crown and casually placed it on the stone table. She let out a long sigh of relief, turned to look at the two of them, and her face still bore the familiar smile they knew.
"We've finally made it this far."
Yan Yi and Shen Lingyue bowed deeply: "Congratulations, Your Highness, on achieving your wish."
Princess Tong'an helped the two up and bowed deeply in return.
"I should thank you all, my celestial beings, my strategists, and my bluebird messengers."
If they hadn't brought back that letter that transcended time and space, allowing her to become the chosen restorer of the dynasty in front of all the officials, perhaps things wouldn't have gone so smoothly.
Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi exchanged a glance and spoke first: "Your Highness, you must know the identity of the founding emperor, and you should also know that the idea of a lasting dynasty and a reign for a thousand years is just a beautiful fantasy."
These "celestial beings" came one after another to quell the chaos, cultivate superior varieties, improve agricultural tools, and travel thousands of miles across the seas. They did not do it for the sake of the dynasty's longevity, but to ensure that every common person could have enough to eat, wear warm clothes, be cared for in old age, and have children to rely on.
Perhaps one day, children of nobles and commoners will be able to play under the same sky and breathe the same sweet air.
"All we do is hope that this land can avoid some detours, and that your era can reach that future that should belong to everyone, the future we have lived in, experienced, and even deeply cherish."
Princess Tong'an listened quietly to their confessions and smiled freely.
"The world changes over time, why must dynasties last for thousands of years? Since I have the good fortune to witness the end of history, I am unwilling to be just a few lines of footnotes in the history books. The future is still long. With you two and many more companions behind me, I will surely be able to walk this path steadily and illuminate the way for future generations."
This will be the tomorrow they choose together and create together.
(End of text)
-----------------------
Author's Note: Ahhh, it's here! I said I'd finish writing it all in one go, and I finally did it! [crying emoji][crying emoji]
There are so many things I want to say, but I don't have enough time, and I'm afraid that if I finish my closing remarks, I won't have the motivation to write the epilogue, so I have to hold it in! Hold it in!
And the ending of the main story here was planned long ago. Although I wrote less in the past few days and it seemed a bit slow, I can still control this situation (because I didn't originally plan to write too much political intrigue or brain-teasing stuff. You all know my comfort zone is eating melons, watching the fun, and stirring things up [covering face and peeking]. The extra chapter is called an extra chapter, but it will still write about some new policies and reforms in Tong'an, and then naturally introduce a few unexplained couples. I'm also trying to come up with some other things that everyone left comments wanting to see. I'll finish yours and then move on to yours [sprinkling flowers][sprinkling flowers] I'll try my best!
//Finally, I need to take two days of complete rest! The kind of rest where I can completely clear my mind and not think about any plot points! To be honest, I haven't had a single day of truly mindless sleep in the past five months TAT My CPU has been burning through gas constantly!
//Love you all! There are still little gifts for comments left in the last 24 hours of this chapter [heart][heart]
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