【My wife】.
These two ancient seal characters, composed of dazzling starlight, are like an invisible yet incredibly heavy brand, deeply engraved on Lin Wanwan's soul.
In an instant, she understood.
I understand completely now.
From now on, she will no longer be the Lin family woman who needs to rely on a marriage of convenience to stay in this deep palace.
She was no longer the empress who needed the emperor's favor to gain a foothold in the harem.
She is his wife.
She was his only wife, whom he promised to marry with the entire country as his dowry, a wife he vowed to have for life, a wife who would have no concubines in the harem.
This identity transcends all etiquette and ancestral rules, and even surpasses the title of "Empress" itself.
This is a sacred and unbreakable contract that belongs only to the two of them.
A genuine, radiant smile slowly bloomed on Lin Wanwan's lips.
She gripped Xiao Che's hand tightly, conveying all her emotions and responses to him through their clasped hands.
At that moment, the deafening roar that had been swirling over the entire square finally began to subside.
It wasn't because the soldiers were tired.
It was because the sky had brightened.
A brand new, vibrant red sun finally broke free from the horizon and burst forth from behind the ruined outline of the palace, blackened by the flames of war!
The golden light, like a sword wielded by a god, instantly pierced the last vestiges of darkness in the long night, dispelling the stench of blood and smoke that filled the air.
The warm sunshine, without reservation, bathed this land that had survived the catastrophe.
It illuminated the ruins of the palace, the corpses scattered everywhere, and the faces of the survivors—faces stained with blood and tears, yet brimming with hope.
It was like a sacred baptism.
All the killing, fear, and despair of last night have been swept away.
It brought... new life to this ancient imperial city and to this empire that had just experienced a catastrophe.
Xiao Che held Lin Wanwan's hand and stood side by side.
He bathed in the warm morning light, quietly gazing at the capital city before him, a city ravaged yet brimming with hope.
His gaze was deep and far-reaching.
After a long while, he slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, as if he wanted to expel all the fatigue and killing intent of the previous night.
He turned his head to look at Lin Wanwan beside him, his voice soft as if afraid of disturbing the hard-won dawn.
"it's over."
These three words are very simple.
Yet, it is very heavy.
It signifies that a thrilling palace rebellion has come to a complete end.
This means that the shadow that had loomed over him for more than a decade, like a persistent, malignant tumor, has completely vanished.
This also means that they have finally won.
However, after listening, Lin Wanwan shook her head slightly.
She gently rested her head on Xiao Che's strong shoulder, her movements filled with complete reliance and trust.
Her gaze, too, was fixed on the rising sun in the distance, her eyes gleaming with a light even more brilliant than the sun itself.
A faint smile, yet one brimming with boundless anticipation, graced her lips.
She answered in the same soft voice:
"No,"
"It has begun."
What ended was only war and chaos.
What began was their era, a brand new future for this country.
Upon hearing this answer, Xiao Che was taken aback.
Then he smiled.
That smile came from the heart, filled with boundless joy and doting affection.
yes.
it's over.
And so it began.
He raised his hand and gently ruffled Lin Wanwan's hair, his eyes filled with tenderness.
However, this moment of warmth is ultimately fleeting.
As he slowly turned around, he faced his army and subjects once more.
The tenderness and doting on his face vanished completely in a short moment!
Instead, there was an absolute majesty and coldness belonging to the emperor, which was so imposing that one dared not look directly at it!
It was as if the gentle and tender man from just moments ago was merely an illusion.
Standing here at this moment is a... iron-blooded monarch who is about to usher in a new era!
His gaze fell on Shen Ce, who was standing at attention not far away, waiting for orders.
Shen Ce's heart skipped a beat. He immediately stepped forward, knelt on one knee, and said in a deep voice, "Your subject is here!"
Xiao Che's voice was cold and clear, devoid of any emotion, yet filled with undeniable, thunderous power!
He issued the first order from the victors after this palace coup!
"Issue my decree!"
"Immediately summon all surviving civil and military officials to the temporary council tent to take stock of the guilty officials and discuss national affairs!"
His gaze slowly swept over the palace square, which was completely stained by blood and war, and a cold disgust flashed in his eyes.
He suddenly waved his hand, his voice rising abruptly, like a sharp sword drawn from its sheath, its edge fully revealed!
"This land is tainted!"
"I demand that you, by today!"
"—Clean it up!"
"My lord, I obey the order!!!"
Without the slightest hesitation, Shen Ce kowtowed heavily to accept the order!
He could clearly sense the unquestionable determination to eradicate the threat completely contained in His Majesty's order!
"Clean it up!"
These four words, though seemingly simple, are filled with bloodshed and iron-fisted methods!
This means that a top-down, thorough... Great purge is about to begin!
All those who participated in the rebellion, all those who had ties to the Regent, all those who harbored ulterior motives during this catastrophe…
They will all be mercilessly swept into the dustbin of history!
The end of an old era is inevitably accompanied by a thunderous reckoning!
Shen Ce accepted the order and left.
His booming voice began to echo across the square!
"By His Majesty's decree! All officials must proceed to the council tent immediately, without fail! Those who disobey will be treated as traitors!"
"All soldiers, listen to my command! Seal off the entire city! Inventory all surrendered soldiers! Confiscate weapons! Anyone who dares to harbor traitors will have their entire family executed!"
One after another, orders filled with a chilling atmosphere were swiftly relayed.
The atmosphere in the square, which had just recovered from the joy of victory, instantly became tense and grim once again!
The clarion call for liquidation has officially sounded!
Upon hearing this, the civil and military officials kneeling on the ground were all startled and dared not be negligent in the slightest. They all got up from the ground, straightened their already disheveled official robes, and, under the guidance of the Imperial Guards, walked solemnly toward the huge temporary council tent erected on one side of the square.
They knew that what followed was a brutal political storm that would determine the fate of countless people.
Xiao Che ignored the commotion behind him.
He simply took Lin Wanwan's hand again.
Under the spotlight.
Under the gaze of countless eyes filled with awe, worship, and a hint of curiosity.
He and she walked side by side.
Slowly, they walked towards the council tent, the one that would determine the future of the entire empire.
Behind them lies the bloody end of an era.
And ahead of them lies a new era, one that they themselves will create.
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