De'an, Year 11
Nan Yin, daughter of General Nan Xiaoming, occupied the position of Empress, raising the Seventh Prince Yu Jingchen.
Wind Chant Palace
Nan Yin was with the young prince, Yu Jingchen, who was sleeping soundly. Nan Yin sat nearby, gently rocking his cradle.
A handsome young man in white appeared in Wind Chant Palace. He was Gu Yin, the Imperial Preceptor, the most powerful figure in the Yuan Dynasty aside from Nan Xiaoming. This was because... the current Emperor believed in ghosts and spirits.
"Why have you come?" Nan Yin asked as Gu Yin arrived, her brow furrowing.
"Just to see..." Gu Yin's gaze fell upon Yu Jingchen in the swaddling clothes.
"Seventh Prince... you have finally achieved what you desired, Yin'er." Gu Yin walked to Yu Jingchen's cradle.
"What do you want?" Nan Yin looked at Gu Yin warily.
"What? Are you afraid I'll harm him? I'm merely here to see what this Seventh Prince you adopted is like." Gu Yin's eyes, fixed on Yu Jingchen, deepened.
"Gu Yin, this is Wind Chant Palace!" Nan Yin lowered her voice.
"I know, I came to Wind Chant Palace. You don't need to emphasize it again, Yin'er." Gu Yin smiled as always, but his smile seemed to lack something it once had.
"Gu Yin, I am the Empress now. Mind your manners!" Nan Yin grew agitated. Over the years, she had become more imposing.
"Yes, Your Majesty the Empress. I apologize for my disrespect just now. Please do not mind." Gu Yin bowed in mock deference.
Their relationship had ultimately reached this point, and it could not, nor would it, change.
"Are you not afraid of future troubles by raising someone with no blood relation to you? Some people are ungrateful wretches. They are not your own flesh and blood, no matter how much you give, they will never see it. Why bother? When the bond breaks, don't end up as enemies," Gu Yin said.
"I need a child. I need a child to possess this empire. I will raise him into a capable emperor and ensure he firmly occupies that position." Nan Yin had completely changed.
"Yes, he will be a capable emperor..." Gu Yin murmured, looking at Yu Jingchen, a person fit only to be an emperor.
Nan Yin did not understand Gu Yin's demeanor and tone, but... she was determined to reach the highest position. Only from that vantage point would she have the right and ability to protect those she cared about.
Gu Yin even considered if he could prevent future troubles by simply killing Yu Jingchen. But if he were to do that...
"Gu Yin, I am not the Nan Yin of the past." Nan Yin seemed to want to tell him something, but Gu Yin acted as if he did not understand.
"Why not? Are you no longer Nan Yin?" Gu Yin asked, seemingly in earnest.
"You..." Nan Yin appeared to want to say something but did not.
Gu Yin turned to look at her. They met each other's gaze. Compared to before, they both seemed to have changed...
Tiansheng, Year 2
The Empress Dowager returned from offering prayers at the temporary palace.
Ci'an Palace
Nan Yin summoned Gu Yin. Gu Yin saw Nan Yin through a screen. The light in her eyes seemed to have faded.
"Gu Yin..." Nan Yin's voice was hoarse.
"It's good you're back and well..." Gu Yin told her.
"I am not reconciled... Gu Yin," Nan Yin confessed.
"Fate is sealed, why persist? You have been given a second chance. Let it go, alright?" Gu Yin looked at Nan Yin with complex emotions in his eyes.
"Gu Yin... this time is different. I know I made a mistake... but I cannot just give up like this. Things have progressed this far, I cannot do nothing." Nan Yin lifted the curtain and walked out.
Gu Yin closed his eyes. Fine, let her have her way.
End of December, Tiansheng, Year 3
Prince An, Yu Jing'an, rebelled. Empress Dowager Nan Yin and the Grand General of the Realm colluded with Prince An in rebellion. General Nan Su was beheaded by His Majesty. Empress Dowager Nan Yin was imprisoned in Ci'an Palace and, half a month later, immolated herself within its walls.
Imperial Preceptor's Estate
Gu Yin opened his eyes. He had been unconscious for over a month.
Yin'er...
Gu Yin quickly got up.
"Imperial Preceptor, you're finally awake?" The attendant serving him showed surprise and joy upon seeing Gu Yin emerge.
"Have there been any major events in the palace these past few days?" Gu Yin asked, his voice clearly laced with apprehension.
"Imperial Preceptor... Empress Dowager and General Nan colluded with Prince An in rebellion. General Nan was personally beheaded by His Majesty..." the attendant said.
"Where is the Empress Dowager?" Gu Yin's eyes reddened.
"The Empress Dowager has been confined in Ci'an Palace," the attendant replied.
Upon hearing this, Gu Yin did not hesitate any longer, rushing towards the imperial palace without regard for anything else.
A month prior, he had foreseen this calamity for Nan Yin. He had wanted to stop it, but the moment he intended to go to the palace, he had fainted.
Gu Yin arrived at Ci'an Palace, but by then, it was already engulfed in flames. Nan Yin! Gu Yin's eyes widened. He paid no mind to the raging fire and plunged headlong into the inferno.
Yin'er... Gu Yin searched aimlessly for her. But why wasn't she there? Finally, he saw the person he yearned for. He ran towards her, his white robes now stained black.
Nan Yin vaguely saw someone approaching her. White robes... Nan Yin had lost consciousness.
"Yin'er!" Gu Yin cried out. He rushed towards Nan Yin, but Nan Yin could no longer open her eyes.
"Yin'er!" Gu Yin panicked. He embraced her: "Yin'er..." Gu Yin felt a surge of fear, but Nan Yin offered no response.
As the roof beams were about to collapse, Gu Yin picked Nan Yin up. But as he moved, a beam fell. Gu Yin shielded Nan Yin with his own body, his back bearing the brunt of the burning wooden plank.
His back burned fiercely, but Gu Yin could not afford to dwell on it. He only wanted to get Nan Yin out safely.
When he carried Nan Yin out, he saw Yu Jingchen standing outside, hands clasped behind his back, his expression utterly cold. Gu Yin felt a sudden surge of hatred.
"Yin'er..." Gu Yin whispered, his voice trembling, looking at the person in his arms.
Nan Yin's hair had come undone. Gu Yin looked at her white hair: "Yin'er... I'm here. I'm too late..." Gu Yin's tears fell, his eyes red, his dignified demeanor gone.
Nan Yin was gone, gone forever.
"Imperial Preceptor, it is time to let go," Yu Jingchen's indifferent voice echoed. These words were like the final straw that broke Gu Yin's resolve.
He gently laid Nan Yin down and immediately charged at Yu Jingchen. Every move he made was a killing blow. Had it been any other time, Gu Yin might have been evenly matched with Yu Jingchen, but now, with his severely injured back, he was quickly at a disadvantage.
Gu Yin was repelled by a strike from Yu Jingchen, spitting blood as he fell to his knees beside Nan Yin.
Yin'er...
"Yu Jingchen... you will regret this..." Gu Yin looked at Yu Jingchen.
"What is there to regret? They brought this upon themselves, did they not?" Yu Jingchen said coldly, observing everything.
"Yu Jingchen... the cycle of heaven and earth. I shall see if you have the ability to defy destiny. The fate of three lives will ultimately turn to naught. You will be indifferent and heartless to those who love you, and those you love will be shattered into nothingness, a fleeting dream..." This was Gu Yin's final message to Yu Jingchen.
He picked up Nan Yin. The guards beside him drew their swords to block his path, but Gu Yin paid them no mind, walking forward without pause. The guards dared not act decisively, so they kept retreating.
"Yu Jingchen, instead of wasting your time here, you might as well go see Nan Zhiyun. I imagine... she will also be leaving soon." Gu Yin said. Yu Jingchen frowned. He looked at Gu Yin, and a sudden sense of dread washed over him.
Gu Yin took Nan Yin and left. He carried Nan Yin all the way to the Imperial Preceptor's Estate. The people in the capital avoided him as he passed. What Imperial Preceptor? What Empress Dowager? Look, how many people in the entire capital dared to approach him?
Nan Yin was carried back to the Imperial Preceptor's Estate by Gu Yin. He placed her on the bed as if she were a precious treasure.
"Fetch water," Gu Yin commanded. The attendants did not dare delay, immediately fetching water. Gu Yin carefully wiped the dirt from Nan Yin's face.
"I told you, why didn't you believe me? Look at you now, sleeping here, and he is still his Emperor, living freely and at ease." Gu Yin spoke as he cleaned Nan Yin.
"Yin'er, can you truly not see me? I know you don't feel completely indifferent towards me, do you? Why aren't you braver?" Gu Yin asked her.
"Yin'er, do you still want to go horseback riding? I'll accompany you, okay?" Gu Yin spoke to himself, wiping away all the dirt from Nan Yin's face.
Gu Yin reached into his clothes and took out a hairpin. It was the same one from before... No, it wasn't the same hairpin, because this one was not broken or repaired.
"I made this anew. It's identical to the previous one. I thought the broken one couldn't be restored, so I made a new one. Do you like it? I promise, this one is the same. I carved many, but only this one turned out truly identical. Shall I put it in for you?" Gu Yin placed the hairpin on Nan Yin.
She looked truly beautiful... just like when she came of age. Wearing a hairpin like this, in a red dress, she was breathtakingly beautiful.
Gu Yin held Nan Yin's hand. "Your hands are a bit cold. Shall I warm them for you?" He brought her hand to his face.
The burns on his back seemed to have vanished. He looked at Nan Yin, a faint smile on his lips, yet tears fell, his eyes filled with deep affection.
Nan Yin watched, her eyes welling up. At some point, her face was covered in tears. She wanted to wipe Gu Yin's tears away, but this was just an image, she could not touch him.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, these are all the memories of the Pavilion Master. He feared he might forget them, so he kept them sealed. The Pavilion Master never truly left. He has always been by your side, ever since your birth, accompanying you in his own way." It was the person who had always served Gu Yin.
This was Miao Yin Pavilion... what had just transpired were merely Gu Yin's memories.
"He has waited for you for three lifetimes. He has always been by your side, but you never knew. Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, the Pavilion Master truly cares for you. Even though he knew helping you would defy destiny, he still helped you without hesitation when you asked. But... how can destiny be defied so easily? To defy destiny is to fulfill it. All the outcomes were within the Pavilion Master's calculations. He knew what the end result would be, yet he walked towards it... The only exception was that you survived, and he took all the calamities for you." The person continued.