Chapter 1 The Empress's Second Life
In her first life, after Nan Zhiyun blocked the sword, the Empress seemed to age more than ten years in an instant. She died with guilt, guilty of not protecting Nan Zhiyun, guilty of letting Nan Zhiyun enter the palace.
However, after death, she did not truly leave. She woke up again in the spring of the following year. She woke up in the National Master's residence, but… only her consciousness remained. She was like a wandering soul, confined to the National Master's residence. No one could see her, except Gu Yin. He couldn't see her, but he could feel her presence and "hear" her speak.
When she learned that Yu Jingchen had bestowed the title of Consort Shu upon another woman, she desperately wanted to rush into the palace and question him. She harbored hatred for Yu Jingchen.
She knew her awakening in the National Master's residence was linked to Gu Yin, so she begged him for help. Gu Yin agreed, and thus she entered her second life.
Yet, she still existed only as a consciousness. Her consciousness appeared when Nan Zhiyun had been in the palace for just one month. Watching Yu Jingchen torment Nan Zhiyun in various ways, she wished to help Nan Zhiyun, but being merely a consciousness, she was powerless.
She found Gu Yin again. Gu Yin told her that sometimes, not changing things was the best course of action, and more importantly, fate could not be defied. Fate? She never believed in heavens. Gu Yin readily agreed to help her again, and so her consciousness returned to the Empress of that world.
After rebirth, she began to enact her plan. Yu Jingchen was nothing. If it weren't for her, for the Nan family, where would Yu Jingchen be?
She meticulously schemed, aiming to truly grasp the entire realm in her hands one day. If he suspected the Nan family's loyalty, why should the Nan family serve someone who schemed to destroy them?
Therefore, in that lifetime… she persuaded Nan Su to rebel. She plotted for two years, and at the same time, along with Yu Jing'an, they revolted.
Furthermore, to exact revenge on Yu Jingchen, she chose an extreme method. Yu Jingchen's feelings for Nan Zhiyun had changed; she wanted him to fall in love with Nan Zhiyun and then lose her, to make him understand the pain of losing a loved one, to make Yu Jingchen regret.
However, the Empress never expected that day… she failed. Yu Jingchen had been prepared long ago. He had made arrangements within the palace, and everything was within his control. Thus… regardless of whether Nan Su could return from her first life, Yu Jing'an could not succeed.
After the palace coup failed, Yu Jing'an's fate was sealed, and she herself was imprisoned. Nan Su was thrown into the imperial prison. In an instant, the Nan family was annihilated.
For that month, Yu Jingchen unleashed his fury. No one connected to the Nan family or Yu Jing'an was spared. By then, Yu Jingchen had developed different feelings for Nan Zhiyun, but regrettably, they were not kind.
Nan Zhiyun pleaded with Yu Jingchen, who met her with a cold gaze. Nan Zhiyun knelt for an entire day, but Yu Jingchen showed no mercy. Later… Nan Zhiyun secretly came to see her. Predictably, Yu Jingchen discovered her.
Yu Jingchen was a cruel man. He had Nan Su brought in, right in Ci'an Palace. Nan Zhiyun's repeated pleas, her desperate actions, and her secret attempts to see her completely enraged him.
Therefore… he executed Nan Su on charges of treason, in front of Nan Zhiyun, making her watch her father's head be severed. From that day on, Nan Zhiyun went mad…