Outside the capital, a carriage stopped. The young boy looked towards the direction of the capital, his gaze deepening significantly.
After a while, the carriage curtain was lifted, and a pair of well-maintained hands reached out, followed by a woman in luxurious brocade robes. She looked at the scenery outside with a dazed expression. Upon seeing the young boy, she asked in surprise, "Zi Xuan, why are we here? Have we left the palace?"
The young boy turned around, his deep gaze filled with gentleness. He looked at the woman and asked with a smile, "Mother Consort, shall we leave the palace?"
The woman was stunned. After a long moment, tears welled up in her beautiful eyes. "Zi Xuan, are you..."
The young boy smiled and said, "Imperial Sister..." Realizing this address was no longer suitable for him, he said, "Mother Consort, shall we live in Beijiang from now on?"
The woman trembled, and tears fell one by one. "Zi Xuan, for Mother Consort, you have given up the position you always dreamed of?"
The young boy's gaze paused, his smile stiffening slightly, but he maintained it. Only when he turned away did the smile falter. He looked towards the capital and said slowly, "Mother Consort, in this life, besides the supreme position, there are many things worth cherishing."
The woman shook her head, crying profusely, "It is all my fault for implicating you, Mother Consort..."
"Mother Consort, you could give up your dignity and pride to beg His Majesty for me, so why can't I give up my ridiculous dream of being emperor? You are the dearest person to me in this world."
The young boy turned back, looking at the woman with a smile tinged with tears. "Mother Consort, from now on, you will no longer have to worry about me. We can live each day well."
The woman was taken aback. She reached out, and the young boy walked forward. The woman held his hand and said with a smile, "Good."
"Mother Consort, let's go!" The young boy got into the carriage and helped the woman inside. As the carriage curtain was completely lowered, he glanced towards the capital before retracting his gaze and entering the carriage.
Goodbye, capital...
Imperial Study
Xue Yan walked forward and looked at the Empress, whose head was buried in memorials. She said softly, "Your Majesty, Prince Xian has departed the capital."
She saw the young girl's fingers holding the memorial move slightly. "Your Majesty, Prince Xian left a letter for you."
"Leave it here!" the young girl said indifferently without lifting her head.
"Yes." Xue Yan placed it down and was about to leave.
"Has the Prime Minister shown any signs of waking up?" the young girl asked.
Xue Yan shook her head. "Not yet, but Imperial Physician Shen said he should wake up within these two days."
"Good, you may go!" the young girl said.
After Xue Yan left, the young girl put down the memorial. Her eyes were already filled with a dark expression. Having dealt with the Regent's faction, she realized how many things an emperor had to do, so many things...
Hua Yunjin, you will definitely get better.
This desolate land is lonely without your company.
Glancing at the letter on the table, she picked it up and slowly opened it.
"Imperial Sister: Please forgive me for calling you Imperial Sister one last time. Perhaps at this moment, this letter is what you least wish to see, but I have still written it. This is the first and last one. Never ask me to return to the capital."
The last sentence, she saw that Xue Zixuan had hesitated for a long time before writing it.
The young girl gazed into the distance. All that was in the past was now merely the past.
She stood up and walked out of the Imperial Study. A ray of sunlight happened to fall upon her, enveloping her in its warm glow.
She knew her reign had begun...
"Your Majesty, Xue Yunlan has gone missing on the way to escort the Regent's family members to Nanjiang," Xue Yan hurried forward and whispered.
Xue Zining blinked slightly. "Missing?"
Xue Yan nodded. "Yes. Should I send people to pursue?"
"No need," she shook her head. Time was long, and there would be opportunities to meet.
Xue Yunlan's temperament absolutely would not allow her to stay quiet in Nanjiang. Therefore, escaping was only a matter of time.
Let her see just how far she could run.
Prime Minister's Residence
"Sir, you are finally awake?" the servant sighed with relief.
Hua Yunjin opened his eyes.
Looking at the familiar surroundings, he knew that Heaven had bestowed a few more days upon him.
"Sir, the Hua family patriarch sent a letter just now, asking me to give it to you once you woke up..."
Hua Yunjin frowned. "Give it to me."
Taking the letter, his expression changed drastically. He grabbed the quilt and got out of bed, saying, "Prepare the carriage."
Hua Yunjin entered the prison and walked to the end. He dismissed the jailers and stepped forward. Inside the cell sat a man.
His snow-white brocade robe was still spotless, but the bloodstains on the man's back were visible, dyeing his entire back red.
"You... you are injured. I'll call for an imperial physician..." Hua Yunjin said.
The man raised his eyes. On his refined and handsome face, a trace of exhaustion was evident, and the stars in his eyes were dim. "You've come..."
Hua Yunjin took out the key he had obtained from the jailer, unlocked the cell door, and stepped forward, saying, "Jing Ge, it's you, isn't it?"
The man looked at him faintly. "My name is not Jing Ge. I am Yan Zhao. Has Prime Minister forgotten?"
Hua Yunjin's gaze paused. "Jing Ge, have you forgotten me?"
Yan Zhao raised his eyes, his gaze and tone were light and cold. "Prime Minister, I do not know the 'Jing Ge' you speak of."
"Whether you admit it or not, I know you are Jing Ge. Where have you been all these years? Mother misses you terribly." Hua Yunjin sighed.
"Prime Minister, you have found the wrong person for reminiscing." Yan Zhao lowered his gaze, ignoring Hua Yunjin.
"I haven't found the wrong person. Since you are unwilling to admit it, it's alright. I will go to His Majesty and have you released." With that, Hua Yunjin turned to leave.
"Prime Minister, you have forgotten. I am from the Regent's faction," Yan Zhao said slowly from behind him.
Hua Yunjin's departing steps halted. He turned around, and suddenly, his vision went black. Before he lost consciousness, he thought, Heaven, have you really taken back those few days?
He was unwilling...
He still had so many things to do.
Prime Minister's Residence
Imperial Physician Shen wiped the sweat from his face. After a while, he approached the young girl, whose expression was so cold it could freeze. "Your Majesty, the Prime Minister has been poisoned."
"Is there a cure?" the young girl asked coldly.
Imperial Physician Shen shook his head. "There is none."
As his words fell, Imperial Physician Shen felt an unprecedented pressure bearing down on him. "I will try again."
"Was there anything unusual when the Prime Minister woke up today?"
The servant did not dare to hide anything and quickly replied, "After the sir received a letter, he went to the prison."
"Went to the prison? What was he doing there?" the young girl asked again.
The servant said, "To... to see Yan Zhao."
The young girl's gaze turned sharp. Two words escaped her lips, like frost in late autumn.
"Yan Zhao..."
"Someone, prepare the horse..." The young girl stood up and walked outside.