The first year of Huangze, the winter of the one hundred and seventy-second year.
Snow fell heavily, blanketing the entire Huangze Continent in white.
Outside Zhaoyuan Palace, a figure stood clad in armor, facing the wind and snow, with countless Imperial Guards lined up neatly behind him.
He raised his head, his gaze shifting slightly as he watched the figure in imperial yellow slowly emerge from Zhaoyuan Palace.
She stood amidst the falling snow, like a plum blossom braving the wind.
Snowflakes landed on her body and face, yet she did not even blink.
She looked down at him as if he were an ant. In that moment, a flicker of jealousy rose within him, but he quickly let it go.
No matter how noble she was, how regal her demeanor, was she not now cornered by him in this small Zhaoyuan Palace?
He stepped forward and said coldly, "Imperial Sister, surrender, and your Imperial Brother will grant you a swift end. Otherwise, do not blame me for forgetting our kinship."
Before his words had even fallen, he saw a trace of mockery appear on her fair face. "Xue Zixuan, when have you ever remembered kinship? If you had, you would not be standing here today."
"This throne rightfully belonged to this king, yet Father Emperor bestowed it upon you..." He stepped forward, grabbed her by the neck, and said through gritted teeth.
"Do you know why?" She smiled sweetly, her gaze clear and deep.
He faltered for a moment, then said coldly, "Why?"
Her red lips parted slightly. "Because you are the bastard born from the illicit affair between Noble Consort Chao and Imperial Uncle."
His eyes froze. "You are spouting nonsense!"
"Why would I lie? You want to know why Father Emperor was always so distant towards you? It's because you are not his imperial son at all."
"Silence, I told you to be silent..." he roared, throwing her aside with one hand.
Her body crashed heavily to the ground, and she spat out a mouthful of blood.
She struggled to lift her head, looking at him with a sinister smile. "You are a bastard, a bastard..."
"Shut up." He placed a foot on her head, stopping her from uttering those shocking words.
She laughed, tears mingling with blood. It was a pity she knew the truth too late, so very late.
For this bastard of another, she had fallen out with Father Emperor, who never forgave her until his death.
And now, retribution had arrived.
"Your Highness, the Grand Tutor has arrived with a hundred thousand troops and has surrounded this place."
The sudden voice of the guard made Xue Zining's already dimming gaze suddenly light up, as if a dying ember had rekindled.
His gaze turned cold, and he then looked at her mockingly. "Imperial Sister, you don't think the Grand Tutor is here to save you, do you?"
She did not deign to answer him. She knew the Grand Tutor must be here to save her. As soon as she learned that Xue Zining had control of the Imperial Guards, she had ordered Xue Yan to secretly deliver the tiger tally to the Grand Tutor's manor. This way, the Grand Tutor could command the Xue family army guarding the palace to come to her rescue. She thought the Grand Tutor would be too late, but he had arrived just in time.
She heard footsteps approaching. She struggled to lift her eyes and saw the figure stepping on the snow.
Clad in white as pure as snow, his robe fluttered in the fierce, cold wind. Her vision was becoming blurred.
"Yan Zhao, save me..."
However, what she saw was the Grand Tutor bowing to Xue Zining. "Your Highness, the Xue family army is now under my command and will obey all orders!"
Her entire body trembled. What had she heard? How could this be?
She stared intently at the slender figure. "Yan Zhao, you..."
"Imperial Sister, are you surprised?" Xue Zining mocked her.
"Why? Yan Zhao, tell me..." She had trusted Yan Zhao the most, yet the one she trusted most was the one who had betrayed her the deepest.
The white figure stood there, silent, not looking at her.
Xue Zixuan let out a low laugh, filled with ridicule. "My dear Imperial Sister, I truly don't know whether to call you clever or foolish. From the moment the Grand Tutor entered the court, he was already mine."
"Yan Zhao, when I met you at the Flower Wine House, it wasn't by chance, it was all meticulously planned, wasn't it?"
She stared fixedly at the white figure, even though she could no longer clearly see his features.
After a long while, his deep voice finally came. "Yes..."
"Hahahaha..." She laughed heartily, blood, not tears, flowing from her eyes.
She suddenly grabbed the foot pressing on her face and pushed it away forcefully. She rolled, scrambling to her feet.
In the biting cold wind, she held her long sword, her imperial yellow dragon robe fluttering in the wind. Looking at the imperial brother she had doted on since childhood, looking at the man she had once wholeheartedly loved, she smiled forlornly. "Xue Zixuan, Yan Zhao, I curse you to never find peace in this life or the next."
Her gaze was too desolate, like an emissary from hell. Even Xue Zixuan couldn't help but take a step back.
Her sword swept across her neck. She knew it was all coming to an end.
As she closed her eyes, she seemed to see a fleeting trace of sorrow in his gaze.
She closed her eyes and whispered in her heart, "Yan Zhao, if there is a next life, I will never fall in love with you again."
In the wind and snow, the white figure stood there, unmoving for a long time.