Nangong Yi had been busy with his enthronement, while Ming Li had returned to the Prime Minister’s manor to laze around.
Nangong Yi’s ascension to the throne was smooth. Most of the court officials had pledged allegiance to him. Although a small number of officials held opposing views, their resistance was futile.
A few days later, Ming Li heard that Nangong Yi had been assassinated. The assassin was the male protagonist, Nangong Jin, but Nangong Jin was eventually captured by Nangong Yi’s men.
Time returned to three days prior.
That day, Nangong Yi was handling affairs in the imperial study. A figure suddenly appeared behind the screen behind him – it was Nangong Jin.
Nangong Jin held a cold, gleaming sword. He stood not far from Nangong Yi, his sword pointed directly at him, his expression somewhat frenzied. *Nangong Yi, what right do you have to sit on this throne! I am the true emperor of Da’an Kingdom!*
Nangong Yi’s expression remained calm throughout. "Nangong Jin, ask yourself with a clear conscience, do you truly have the right to occupy this position? Since taking it, how many innocent civilians have you killed! How many regions in Da’an have suffered from famine and ruin under you, how many people have been displaced and left homeless!"
However, Nangong Jin could not hear Nangong Yi’s words at this moment. All he knew was that if Nangong Yi before him died, his throne would be irrecoverable. The court officials were now all on Nangong Yi’s side, and he had no recourse.
Nangong Jin lunged at Nangong Yi with his sword. As the sword was about to strike Nangong Yi, a faint reddish-gold light suddenly enveloped Nangong Yi. Nangong Jin, on the other hand, was violently repelled by this light, crashing heavily against the imperial study wall, spitting out a mouthful of blood, and fainting.
Seeing this, Nangong Yi’s expression froze for a moment. Suddenly recalling something, he took out the pendant Ming Li had given him at the tea house last time. However, the pendant was now broken.
Nangong Yi: "......?!" Looking at the broken pendant in his hand, his eyes darkened.
He spoke to the people outside the imperial study’s doors with a chilling tone, "Come, drag him out and lock him up."
The palace doors opened, and those outside entered and dragged away the unconscious Nangong Jin. Immediately, the vast imperial study fell into silence.
After a long while, Nangong Yi sat back on the dragon throne, looking at the broken pendant in his hand with a dazed expression.
Ming Li sat in the same restaurant where she had met Nangong Yi last time, her gaze falling on Nangong Yi, a minor character, sitting opposite her and drinking from a wine cup, her eyes filled with a strange curiosity.
Ming Li: "......?!" *Didn't this guy say he couldn't drink?!*
Slightly tipsy, Nangong Yi spoke to Ming Li, "Ah Li, do you know why I asked you here today?" He didn't use "Your Majesty," as he felt it would create distance between him and the woman before him.
Ming Li replied indifferently, "I don't know. You're always causing trouble, disturbing my sleep."
Nangong Yi suddenly put down his wine cup, his gaze fixed on Ming Li's bottomless dark eyes, and asked her very cautiously, "Ah Li, would you be willing to be my Empress?"