Outside the door, she watched him, smiling. The man who used to call her Ah Ning upon meeting was here, yet she was about to leave.
She thought she would be sad, nostalgic. Sometimes, meeting meant parting. She would not forget this person who had occupied her thoughts.
"Yan Zhao, take care!"
She looked at him, seemingly trying to engrave his image in her heart, to never forget.
He nodded, "Take care!"
The first ray of morning sun fell upon her. She reached out to touch it, and smiled, whispering, "Ah Ning, thank you..."
Thank you for giving me this brief yet brilliant and warm life.
Goodbye!
Tears welled up in her eyes, eventually streaming down her face.
Yan Zhao saw a faint, translucent soul radiating light, becoming transparent before finally dissipating like smoke.
"Ah Ning, don't leave me again..." He stepped forward and held her tightly in his embrace.
"I won't," she replied, hugging Yan Zhao back.
Returning to the Desolate Marsh, Xue Zi Ning enumerated Xue Wen Jie's ten heinous crimes in court. He was to be beheaded at the Southern Market the following day.
The night before his execution, Xue Zi Ning visited the Dali Temple.
Xue Wen Jie saw her and sneered, "The victor reigns, the vanquished falls. I lost, but I do not concede. If Xue Zi Ning hadn't had so many people helping you, you would never have succeeded."
"Xue Wen Jie, water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it. This is simply the will of the people, which is why you were unstoppable."
"You only had Xue Jing Yun's help. Otherwise, the dominion of the Desolate Marsh would have belonged to me," Xue Wen Jie said dismissively.
Xue Zi Ning shook her head. "No, even without him, you would not have succeeded."
"Now that you've succeeded, of course you'd say that. There's no point in saying more. I lost, and that's that..."
"Xue Wen Jie, where did Xue Yu's soul go?" Xue Zi Ning asked, this was what she truly wanted to know.
Xue Wen Jie sneered, "Xue Yu? He was truly a stubborn fool. He probably imagined completing his mission and returning to Feng Yin even as he died."
"What exactly did you do to him?" Xue Zi Ning's gaze turned icy as she asked, word by word.
Xue Wen Jie laughed heartily, "Him? He's dead. I cruelly soaked him in a special medicinal solution and killed him."
"Xue Wen Jie, you are not human," Xue Zi Ning said angrily.
Xue Wen Jie sneered, "I am not human? If I hadn't done that, I would have been the one to die back then..."
"You deserve to die."
"When did you transfer the soul?" Xue Zi Ning asked, word by word.
"Do you think I wouldn't have known if you had placed him by my side?"
"So? It was you who consummated the marriage with Xue Yun Lan?" Xue Zi Ning asked coldly.
Xue Wen Jie remained silent, saying no more.
"Xue Wen Jie, you truly stopped at nothing to gain this throne."
"You will be beheaded at the Southern Market at noon tomorrow. Xue Wen Jie, enjoy these final moments!"
Xue Zi Ning exited the room and saw Xue Yun Lan being brought in by the guards. She stepped forward and whispered, "Xue Yun Lan, at this moment, I pity you. All along, the one who was tender and loving with you, who spoke of romance, was not Xue Yu, but..."
She leaned closer and said, word by word, "Your father, Xue Wen Jie."
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Xue Yun Lan looked at her in disbelief.
"I am saying that the one who consummated the marriage with you was not Xue Yu, but your father, Xue Wen Jie..."
Xue Yun Lan trembled and widened her eyes, staring at her.
"What? You find that incredible? I find it incredible too?"
"Take her inside. It's their last night; let them have a father-daughter reunion," Xue Zi Ning said coldly.
"No, no..." Xue Yun Lan cried out in terror.
"Xue Zi Ning, you are not human..."
Xue Zi Ning narrowed her eyes, suddenly turning. "I am not human? Very well, then I shall be a person who is not human. Feed them the medicine."
A guard stepped forward, grabbed Xue Yun Lan's chin, and forcefully poured the medicine down her throat. Xue Yun Lan collapsed on the ground, her nails digging into the floor, her lips bleeding as she bit them. "Xue Zi Ning, you are not human..."
Xue Zi Ning squatted down, her gaze clear and alluring, like a vengeful spirit from hell. "You harmed so many people. Who, then, is not human? Xue Yun Lan..."
"Take her inside," Xue Zi Ning stood up and turned to walk away.
Inside, Xue Yun Lan's enraged shouts could be heard.
Exiting the Dali Temple prison, Feng Jiu stood at the entrance, her expression solemn.
"You heard everything?" Xue Zi Ning asked.
Feng Jiu nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "This subordinate did not know that Feng Yu..."
"I have failed him..."
Feng Jiu shook her head. "Your Majesty, Feng Yu did so willingly."
Xue Zi Ning looked up. "There will be no such incidents in the future. Henceforth, the country will be prosperous and the people at peace."
"Your Majesty, this subordinate has investigated some matters concerning Xue Yun Lan."
"Speak," Xue Zi Ning said.
"Xue Yun Lan and Xue Wen Jie have no blood relation."
Xue Zi Ning froze. "Xue Yun Lan is not Xue Wen Jie's flesh and blood?"
Feng Jiu shook her head. "No, she is a child adopted by Xue Wen Jie, though Xue Yun Lan herself was unaware of this."
Xue Zi Ning said, "So that's how it is. No wonder Xue Wen Jie was not enraged. She was merely his adopted daughter."
She had felt some reluctance earlier, but now she was at ease.
In the middle of the night, a fire broke out in the Dali Temple prison.
When Xue Zi Ning arrived, Xue Yun Lan was tightly choking Xue Wen Jie, yelling, "I treated you as my father, but you never treated me as your daughter. Since that's the case, let us die together!"
Xue Wen Jie looked at her and chuckled softly. "Very well, then let us die together!"
"Your Majesty, should we extinguish the fire?" Feng Jiu arrived with her men.
Xue Zi Ning shook her head. "No need."
Xue Yun Lan looked up at her and said, "If possible, please convey my apologies to Xue Yu at his grave."
"I will," Xue Zi Ning replied.
"Thank you..." Xue Yun Lan said, looking at her.
Then, dragging Xue Wen Jie, she plunged into the inferno.
The fire raged for a day and a night. The cell where Xue Wen Jie was held was specially constructed and far from other cells, so it did not spread.
As the fire died down, the two charred bodies were clearly visible. Xue Zi Ning said, "Bury them properly!"
Exiting the Dali Temple prison, the morning light shone upon her.
She walked forward, seeing a man standing against the light, and walked towards him with a smile. "Yan Zhao..."
"Ah Ning, let us get married!"
"Alright!" she replied.
The Empress of the Desolate Marsh and the Crown Prince of Xue Kingdom were to be married for the second time. This time, the Empress of the Desolate Marsh invited envoys from various countries to celebrate.
"Your Majesty, quickly try on the wedding attire. The Crown Prince had the best embroiderers from Xue Kingdom make it for you," Xue Yan said, handing her the wedding gown.
Xue Zi Ning saw that the wedding gown was embroidered with dragons and phoenixes in flight, inlaid with luminous pearls and adorned with gems, truly magnificent and dazzling.
"Your Majesty, when you wear it, you will surely stun everyone."
"Stop your flattery. Where is Ping An?" Xue Zi Ning asked Xue Yan.
Ping An was the child of Xue Yan and Xue Song.
Xue Yan replied helplessly, "Ping An is too mischievous. I've left him in Xue Kingdom."