How Dare You!? (This is Ridiculous)

Xiao Tiancai stayed behind to prepare the medicine, but Yu Wanyin, fearing Xiahou Dan’s impatience, left him with Cen Jintian and returned to the palace first.

—And it was fortunate she made that decision.

Halfway through the journey, the Shadow Guard’s voice came from outside the carriage window: “Your Highness, we’re being followed.”

“Are they sent by His Majesty?” That was Yu Wanyin’s first thought.

Shadow Guard: “No. They mean harm. We must hurry back.”

The carriage abruptly sped up, racing forward before coming to a sudden halt. Yu Wanyin was thrown forward, crashing into the wooden wall of the carriage.

Chaotic sounds of fighting erupted outside the window as the Shadow Guard hissed, “Assassins!”

The whinny of horses. Amid the chaos, the attackers severed the carriage’s traces, and the panicked horses bolted, leaving Yu Wanyin’s carriage encircled.

The carriage swayed violently as Yu Wanyin steadied herself, fingers brushing the hidden gun in her sleeve. She lifted a corner of the curtain to peek outside.

The sky had darkened, and the streets were deserted, the common folk having fled. Over a dozen assailants, disheveled and resembling street thugs, were locked in combat with the well-trained Shadow Guard—yet they held their ground effortlessly, blocking all her escape routes.

They were here for her.

She had miscalculated. The guards she’d brought were far from enough. She hadn’t expected the enemy to be so brazen as to attempt murder in broad daylight.

If she died here, how would Xiahou Dan react?

Outnumbered, the Shadow Guard faltered for a moment, allowing one assailant to breach their defenses and leap onto the carriage. The attacker cut down the coachman, tore the curtain aside with a sharp rip, and vaulted inside. Spotting Yu Wanyin, he raised his blade and swung at her—

Yu Wanyin’s mind went blank. Instinctively, her hand retreated into her sleeve, gripping the gun—

The assailant seemed to freeze for a split second, his gaze flickering downward, tracking the movement of her hand—

Yu Wanyin had already drawn the gun, leveling it at his forehead—

At this critical moment, she inexplicably hesitated.

Something was wrong.

Her hesitation caused the attacker to stiffen mid-motion, even retracting his blade halfway to cross it defensively over his chest—an instinctive guard.

Something was wrong!

Before the thought fully formed, her body reacted faster than her mind, as if honed by countless near-death experiences into an uncanny instinct. Her muscles tensed rigidly, forcibly halting her finger from pulling the trigger.

The next second, the whistle of an arrow split the air, and a bloodied arrowhead pierced through the man’s chest.

Yu Wanyin’s gun slid back into her sleeve.

The assassin before her bulged his eyes in shock, swayed, and collapsed.

With his fall, the carriage doorway was left exposed. Still gasping for breath, Yu Wanyin saw the figure standing outside.

Xiahou Bo, clad in white robes, his hair half-tied, stood poised like a jade tree in the wind, a carved bow held steady in his hands. Clearly, he had fired that arrow.

Xiahou Bo also took in the figure inside the carriage.

Dressed in men’s attire, empty-handed, and pale with fright.

Their eyes met, and in that single glance, Yu Wanyin knew Prince Duan had seen through her disguise—or rather, he had known it was her in the carriage long before he acted.

Xiahou Bo’s voice was calm: “What lawless ruffians dare commit violence in broad daylight?” He ordered his men, “Arrest them all. Remove that corpse from the carriage as well—let this young master recover from the shock.”His subordinates swiftly joined the fray, assisting Yu Wanyin’s Shadow Guards in swiftly dispatching the group of "madmen." They then dragged away the corpses and respectfully helped Yu Wanyin down from the carriage.

Yu Wanyin: "...Thank you for saving me, Your Highness, Prince Duan."

Xiahou Bo pretended not to recognize her and smiled. "You know who I am? As the saying goes, saving someone means seeing it through to the end. Your carriage is damaged, and it’s getting late. Why not let me give you a ride?"

Ah, so that’s how it is.

The lightning-fast thought that had flashed through Yu Wanyin’s mind finally crystallized.

The assassin’s earlier behavior suggested he had anticipated she was armed and had even taken precautions against the weapon’s power.

But how could he have known she had a gun? The only traces her bullets had left in this world were on Bei Mountain, where she had been in disguise at the time...

—Bei Mountain.

Who would go to the trouble of investigating the traces on Bei Mountain? Even if someone saw the bullet holes, most would suspect Xiahou Dan. Who would think those traces could be connected to a mere palace consort like her?

The answer stood right before her, smiling faintly.

Xiahou Bo gestured to his carriage. "After you, young master."

This was a self-directed, self-acted farce. Both the assassins and the rescuers had been arranged by Prince Duan.

They clearly hadn’t intended to kill her—otherwise, they wouldn’t have gone to such lengths. If she hadn’t guessed wrong, this entire performance was meant to force her to reveal her hand, to determine whether she carried a weapon and what secrets it held.

Prince Duan was testing her—and through her, Xiahou Dan’s hidden cards.

But so far, he hadn’t succeeded.

Yu Wanyin smiled. "Then I’ll trouble Your Highness."

She quickly exchanged a glance with her Shadow Guards, signaling them not to act rashly, then calmly boarded Prince Duan’s carriage.

As the carriage began moving, Xiahou Bo sat beside her and asked amiably, "Where does the young master reside?"

"Your Highness jestes," Yu Wanyin cut straight to the point. "Please take Wan Yin back to the palace."

Xiahou Bo dropped the pretense as well. "I’m relieved you’re unharmed, Wan Yin. Fortunately, I happened to be nearby and heard the commotion in time." He looked at her with concern. "The city is in chaos lately. Why would you leave the palace at such a time?"

Yu Wanyin: "...A court official fell ill, and my unmarried younger sister happens to be fond of him. She asked me to check on him. So I requested permission from His Majesty to leave the palace under the pretext of visiting the sick. For some reason, he’s been unusually kind to me lately and agreed."

Hiding the truth was pointless—if they had followed her this far, they could easily trace her movements. She could only downplay Cen Jintian’s significance in her words.

Xiahou Bo seized the key detail. "So you told him that... but the truth is otherwise?"

From the start, one question had nagged at Yu Wanyin: Xiahou Bo could have simply killed her quickly and searched her corpse for answers. Yet he’d chosen to sacrifice several of his own men rather than harm her.

The earlier scene had unfolded on a public street and dragged on long enough that Xiahou Dan must have heard of it by now—he might even have sent pursuers. Given how conspicuous this carriage was, kidnapping her elsewhere unnoticed seemed impossible. Did that mean Xiahou Bo genuinely intended to return her unharmed to the palace?

Why?

Had Yu Wanyin not known Xiahou Bo’s true nature, his tender gaze might have led her thoughts astray.But she knew all too well what kind of old scoundrel he was.

First, she ruled out the possibility that he had genuinely fallen for her.

She quickly analyzed the situation in her mind: Once she and Xiahou Dan stepped outside the bedchamber, they had been persistently acting out the drama of a "chasing wife to the crematorium" scenario—Xiahou Dan often yielding, while she remained elusive. In other words, to the ordinary palace servants, their relationship didn’t appear particularly close.

The inner chambers of the bedchamber had undergone countless purges, leaving only those who would never leak secrets.

If Xiahou Bo truly knew how much her "Heavenly Eye" had aided Xiahou Dan, would he still go to such lengths to test her?

Therefore, he didn’t know. He might not even have given up on recruiting her yet.

Thinking this, Yu Wanyin slowly adopted a sorrowful expression. "Truthfully, I just couldn’t bear staying in the palace any longer. I came out to scout escape routes, planning to flee the city when the opportunity arises."

Xiahou Bo raised an eyebrow slightly. "Is His Majesty not your destined one?"

Yu Wanyin gave a bitter smile. "Does His Highness not understand whether he truly likes me or just my occasionally useful Heavenly Eye? When gods fight, lesser spirits suffer. At this point, I’ve given up on any notion of a destined one. I only wish to escape this den of dragons and tigers and live out the rest of my days in peace."

Xiahou Bo looked at her in surprise. "I understand?" A flicker of anger flashed in his eyes. "I am not like him. Wan Yin, if you were so afraid, why did you never come to me?"

Yu Wanyin: "..."

That wrong option stirred faintly in her mind before she forcefully crossed it out again.

This acting could win him an Oscar even in modern times. She just didn’t know who would outshine whom if Xiahou Dan were to perform opposite him.

Xiahou Dan... What was Xiahou Dan doing now? Would he lose his composure and send someone to intercept Prince Duan’s carriage? The current situation was as precarious as a pile of eggs—any spark could ignite the flames of war prematurely, and they hadn’t yet completed their preparations...

Yu Wanyin dug her fingernails into her palm. She needed to keep Xiahou Bo steady.

She closed her eyes briefly, summoning a lifetime’s worth of acting skills to perform earnestly before this Oscar-worthy opponent. With a heart full of sorrow, she murmured, "Wan Yin knows she could never compare to Consort Xie in Your Highness’s eyes."

She wondered how convincing her performance was—whether she had successfully portrayed the clueless, lovestruck fool oblivious to the undercurrents around her.

Xiahou Bo: "..."

Xiahou Bo smiled. "Has Wan Yin not seen it with her Heavenly Eye?"

Yu Wanyin: "Seen what?"

She expected him to say, "Xie Yong’er betrayed me," but instead, he uttered something entirely unexpected: "Seen my future."

Yu Wanyin: "?"

"Xie Yong’er once claimed she foresaw me turning the tide from the brink of disaster, ushering in a golden age, and leaving my mark in history," Xiahou Bo said, staring straight into her eyes. "Was she telling the truth?"

Yu Wanyin’s heart skipped a beat.

A deadly choice lay before her.

If she said "yes," she’d be handing Xiahou Bo a morale boost while making herself appear even more suspicious—if she knew he would win, why hadn’t she defected to him sooner?

If she said "no" or "I haven’t seen it," whether Xiahou Bo believed her was one thing, but whether she could safely step off this carriage was another matter entirely.

Xiahou Bo: "Hmm?"

Yu Wanyin didn’t have time to think it through. The words spilled out: "I truly hadn’t foreseen it before. It was only my personal inclination toward Your Highness that led me to offer advice through secret letters. Recently, however, I did dream of Your Highness being revered by the masses. But in that vision... the person by your side was not me.""Oh? If not you, then was it Xie Yong'er?" Xiahou Bo seemed to find the idea absurd.

Mentioning Xie Yong'er was even more incorrect—he now regarded her as a traitor, so this was clearly a lie. Yu Wanyin inwardly pitied Xie Yong'er but feigned confusion: "It doesn’t seem to be Consort Xie either. The woman resembled her but was younger. She also looked a bit like Xiao Mei, yet more dignified and beautiful. The way Your Highness gazed at her was something I never dared imagine."

At these words, Xiahou Bo fell silent.

Yu Wanyin reflected on her own words and realized she had accidentally delivered a perfect answer. This response shut down all of Xiahou Bo’s follow-up questions while logically explaining her previous actions.

Why reject the Emperor and insist on fleeing? Because she foresaw his downfall.

Why hesitate to seek Prince Duan’s protection despite her feelings? Because his future had no place for her.

Did she have weapons? Would she help the Emperor? Of course not—she was just an innocent bystander, a pitiful casualty.

Yu Wanyin, well played!

Xiahou Bo studied her, amused. "Well answered."

Yu Wanyin, guilty as a thief, insisted, "It’s the truth."

"The truth? Then your dream must be wrong." Xiahou Bo’s expression turned aloof, bordering on arrogance. "In this lifetime, I will stand beside no woman. If there must be one, it can only be you."

Yu Wanyin: "?"

That persistent wrong option had resurfaced for the third time.

No way, no way—was this bastard actually serious?

This was completely out of character for him, yet upon closer thought, not entirely unfounded. In Demon Consort , as the male lead, he had been entangled in love and hate with Xie Yong'er for countless chapters, showing no signs of his current ruthlessness. In East Wind Blows at Night , he had fallen for Yu Wanyin at first sight, his love appearing genuine.

Could "romantic devotion" actually be part of his character setting? But if he were capable of love, why had he treated Xie Yong'er so cruelly?

As Yu Wanyin wrestled with these thoughts, Xiahou Bo suddenly took her hand.

She jerked back as if electrocuted, but his fingers tightened like iron clamps—the grip of a trained warrior—rendering her immobile.

Yu Wanyin hissed in pain. "Your Highness!"

"You’re trembling." Xiahou Bo leaned closer, his voice gentle. "Wan Yin, don’t fear me like this."

"I…" Yu Wanyin fought to steady her breathing. "I just don’t understand what about me could possibly merit Your Highness’s favor. In grace and beauty, I pale next to the woman in your dream. In talent, I’m no match for Consort Xie. As for the Heavenly Eye, haven’t you already awakened yours? And Consort Xie also…"

Where was the carriage now? At this speed, they must be nearing the palace. Would the gun in her sleeve fall out? If it came to that, could she kill him in an instant?

Xiahou Bo pressed a finger to her lips, silencing her. "You are the best. I’ve known it from the start."

Yu Wanyin shrank back instinctively. "I’m really not."

Xiahou Bo pursued relentlessly, closing the distance until their hair intertwined. "Then why did His Majesty choose you?"

…

Yu Wanyin was momentarily lost.

What did that mean? Why had she suddenly lost the thread?Her bewilderment had never been so genuine, yet Xiahou Bo chuckled softly, "Stop pretending. I've been waiting for you, from a long, long time ago..."

To be more precise, it was from that late night many years ago, during the hour of the Ox.

Xiahou Bo stood silently hidden in the shadows of the trees, listening to the trembling voice of the little maid not far away: "This servant... this servant served in a side hall nearby and often saw a figure lingering in the distance. The flower bed looked strange, so out of curiosity, I dug a little..."

Every word she spoke had been taught to her by Xiahou Bo.

Back then, he was a half-grown youth, and Crown Prince Xiahou Dan was just a child. He knew Xiahou Dan's mother, the Empress, had killed his own mother, and he also knew the reason he was summoned daily to the Imperial Study to endure beatings and humiliation was because the capricious Little Crown Prince had demanded a companion.

An ordinary illegitimate son might have forgotten his dignity, groveling and begging for mercy, just hoping the other would spare him.

But Xiahou Bo was different from birth.

Every day, he thought about how to kill Xiahou Dan.

Through deliberate observation, he gradually noticed the Little Crown Prince's bizarre behavior—sometimes as if possessed by something, unable to recognize ordinary objects in the world, yet spouting strange, mystical words. But this person reacted quickly; the moment a clue surfaced, he would effortlessly cover it up.

Xiahou Bo began following the Little Crown Prince and discovered that he would linger and inspect a patch of clematis every day.

After the Crown Prince left, Xiahou Bo dug into the soil and unearthed a note.

The little maid: "The handwriting on the note was bizarre, the sentences incoherent... This servant thought... perhaps it was left by an illiterate guard... This servant deserves death!"

In the quiet night, Xiahou Bo heard the Little Crown Prince speak with despair: "Stop acting. Are you afraid I'll harm you? Trust me, we're the same kind."

The same kind.

What same kind?

Lost in thought, Xiahou Bo listened as the conversation nearby continued.

"I—I only have you in this world... Are you really not?"

"Not... what?"

"Never mind. Now you know my secret."

Xiahou Bo peered quietly through the gaps in the leaves, watching as the little maid struggled violently, gradually weakening, until she lay still.

Even after coming of age and leaving the palace to establish his own residence, Xiahou Bo never forgot the mysterious conversation from that night.

The Emperor harbored a great secret. But if one claimed he was gifted by nature, there was no evidence of it. Over the years, he had remained like a trapped beast, manipulated as a puppet by the Empress Dowager and driven increasingly mad.

Xiahou Bo deduced that the Emperor had been searching for a crucial "same kind." And once he found that same kind, what would the Emperor do?

Occasionally, when Xiahou Bo pondered this question in his leisure, he would laugh at himself, thinking he was overly suspicious. The Emperor was likely just mentally ill.

Until that day, during a palace banquet, he noticed a new favored consort by Xiahou Dan's side—radiant as peach blossoms, her gaze sharp and lively.

Before the young lady of the Yu family entered the palace, he had met her, teased her, and promptly forgotten her.

But the woman at the banquet, with her piercing eyes, struck him as inexplicably unfamiliar. As if reborn, or... as if possessed by something.

Somehow, he had a feeling—she and Xiahou Dan were indeed the same kind.For a brief moment, Xiahou Bo felt despondent. Gifted with extraordinary intelligence since childhood, he had weathered countless trials only to emerge stronger each time, steadfast in his belief that he would eventually stand atop the world, ruling over vast lands beneath the sun and stars. The appearance of Yu Wanyin felt like an ominous sign—though he couldn't yet decipher its meaning, an instinctive dread settled in his heart.

Then Xie Yong'er approached him, unwavering in her conviction as she proclaimed her ability to foresee the future, declaring him the chosen one destined to claim the throne sooner or later.

Xiahou Bo was pleased with this prophecy because it aligned perfectly with his own beliefs.

Yet as he listened to her words, a suspicion took root in his mind. After uncovering some indirect evidence, he privately summoned Yu Wanyin and tested her with a probing question: "Who exactly are you? And who are His Majesty and Xie Yong'er?"

Yu Wanyin's reaction confirmed his suspicion—the three of them were indeed cut from the same cloth.

From that moment on, a knot formed in his heart.

Both women possessed the Heavenly Eye, yet while Xie Yong'er was utterly devoted to him, Yu Wanyin stubbornly remained by the Emperor's side. On the surface, the two seemed evenly matched, but Xiahou Bo hadn't forgotten one crucial detail—the Emperor had chosen Yu Wanyin first.

Ever since the age of seven, when palace servants had yanked his ears and sneered at his "lowly fate," anything second-rate had only ever disgusted him.

She was the best.

And he would only accept the best.

Now, Yu Wanyin's slender neck was mere inches from his nose, so fragile he could almost see the pulse beneath her skin. Her jaw was clenched tight, just as it had been during their previous encounters, her eyes brimming with fear and wariness.

"Wan Yin," Xiahou Bo whispered, his voice barely audible, "I'm giving you one last chance. Stand by my side, and everything will be yours."

Yu Wanyin remained frozen, as if turned to ice.

Xiahou Bo lowered his head and brushed his lips lightly against her neck. "Well?"

The next instant, the carriage came to a halt.

His subordinate spoke from outside the window: "Your Highness, the road ahead is blocked by dozens of Imperial Guards. But they haven't drawn their weapons."

Xiahou Bo scoffed softly. "His Majesty has come to reclaim his prize."

Yu Wanyin murmured, "...I was attacked in broad daylight. It's only natural he sent men." She glanced at the hand still gripping her and adopted a placating tone. "Your Highness, after I step out of this carriage, I'll forget today's conversation and speak of it to no one."

Though she silently willed him to release her, Xiahou Bo pretended not to notice, keeping his hold firm. "Oh? So you're refusing my offer?"

Outside, a voice called from a distance: "Greetings, Prince Duan. Has Your Highness rescued Imperial Concubine Yu?" It sounded like one of the Imperial Guards, urging him to let her out.

Yu Wanyin gazed at him with pitiable vulnerability. "Wan Yin is but a drifting weed, unworthy of Your Highness's sincere affection. How could I not be moved? But with the Imperial Guards waiting outside, this is hardly the time for such discussions. If Your Highness doesn't mind, perhaps we could continue our correspondence through secret letters later?"

Xiahou Bo slowly loosened his fingers one by one, his voice tender. "Very well. Take care of yourself."

He stepped out first, then turned back to lift the carriage curtain, politely assisting her descent. Addressing the leading guard, he said smoothly, "Some ruffians attempted an assault. Fortunately, this prince happened to pass by—no harm done." The guard played along with the charade, exchanging pleasantries before escorting Yu Wanyin back to the palace.

Xiahou Bo stood motionless, watching their figures dissolve into the darkness, his gaze gradually turning icy.

His subordinate approached and reported in a hushed voice, "The man Your Highness shot earlier has been revived."Xiahou Bo: "Did he see anything?"

Subordinate: "Imperial Concubine Yu has a hidden mechanism in her sleeve, unlike anything we've seen before. It appears capable of launching concealed weapons."

Xiahou Bo stood silently in the night wind for a moment.

After a long pause, he murmured as if to himself: "Since this is her choice, then we can only accommodate her."

Subordinate: "Your Highness?"

Xiahou Bo turned and walked toward the carriage, leaving an order: "Send word to the generals. We're preparing to begin."

Yu Wanyin was still pondering Xiahou Bo's strange words as she stepped through the palace gates.

"'Then why did His Majesty seek you out?'..." she murmured under her breath, unable to grasp the true meaning. When had Xiahou Dan ever sought her out, and how had Prince Duan witnessed it?

The palace gates swung open, clearing her thoughts in an instant.

Xiahou Dan stared at her impassively. In the dim lamplight, his features were completely shrouded in shadow, leaving only his tightly pressed lips visible.

Guilt and remorse surged within Yu Wanyin, and she hurried forward with quick steps. "I was wrong, I shouldn't have—"

As she drew closer and saw the look in his eyes, her words caught in her throat, and the hairs on her neck stood on end.

Xiahou Dan seized her wrist and dragged her toward the inner palace.

His grip landed precisely where Prince Duan had grasped her earlier. The pain made Yu Wanyin instinctively pull back.

Xiahou Dan halted.

He turned slowly, his gaze lingering on her for several long seconds before he seemed to force himself to look past her at the injured Shadow Guards returning behind her.

In the deathly silence, his voice cut through like a blade through ice: "Bury them all."

After stepping off Prince Duan's carriage, Yu Wanyin had already slipped into a post-survival mode, her overtaxed brain temporarily shutting down. Now, standing frozen in place, she didn't even register who he was referring to.

Then she watched as the Imperial Guards moved forward at his command, seizing the Shadow Guards and forcing them roughly to their knees.

These were men who had endured injuries without a sound, yet now they neither cried for mercy nor resisted—only bowed their heads in silent atonement.

Yu Wanyin: "!!!"

Horrified, she exclaimed, "Wait! They're not to blame—"

Xiahou Dan ignored her, yanking her forward so violently she stumbled as he pulled her toward the inner chambers. Desperate, she pleaded, "Your Majesty... Your Majesty!" Lowering her voice, she spoke rapidly, "I was the one who insisted on leaving. They didn't know about your orders. The fault is mine—don't punish the innocent..."

Xiahou Dan let out a strange laugh.

Yu Wanyin twisted around to look back—the Shadow Guards were already being dragged away.

A chill ran through her body as she turned to study his profile.

He was striding ahead so swiftly that the palace attendants carrying lanterns had fallen behind. In the darkness, his disheveled hair gave him a frenzied, almost deranged appearance.

This was not the Xiahou Dan she knew.

For a moment, she almost wondered if the person she was familiar with had left again—if his soul had departed this body, leaving behind the original Tyrant, ruthless and merciless in his judgments.

She began trembling uncontrollably. "...Dan?"

Xiahou Dan gave no reaction.

Was it still him? Yu Wanyin pushed aside all other thoughts, focused only on saving lives. "We have so few Shadow Guards left—we've already lost most of them! These are the men who died for you in the original story!"

Xiahou Dan: "How did Prince Duan find you?"

The question came out of nowhere. In her confusion, it took Yu Wanyin a few seconds to grasp his implication. "His spies must have been scouring the city—there's no way the Shadow Guards betrayed us. If there were traitors among them, Prince Duan would have known about our firearms and other secrets long ago. We would have lost without a fight!"

Xiahou Dan remained unmoved. "Taking you out of the palace under these circumstances—how is that any different from treason?"

Yu Wanyin: "..."

Belatedly, Yu Wanyin understood. Xiahou Dan's fury wasn't directed at the Shadow Guards—it was aimed at her.She had defied him, sneaked out of the palace behind his back, and nearly allowed Prince Duan to uncover their secrets, jeopardizing their grand plans.

Yet he didn’t want to kill her.

If she wasn’t punished, someone else would have to take the blame in her stead.

She didn’t know when his way of thinking had become so aligned with that of a ruler. Or perhaps she had noticed his transformation but chose to turn a blind eye, comforting herself time and again.

Xiahou Dan was the last fragment, the final tether to the world she once knew. But that world had long since crumbled, and no one could remain unchanged.

Yu Wanyin took a deep breath and knelt.

Xiahou Dan had been dragging her along, but her sudden descent to her knees finally made him release his grip.

The winter night had long since frozen the floor tiles. The moment her knees touched the ground, the cold viciously seeped into her flesh. But Yu Wanyin no longer felt the chill. She kept her head bowed and spoke in a subdued voice, “This matter was caused by me alone. I beg His Majesty to spare the Shadow Guard and punish this concubine instead.”

All she saw was Xiahou Dan stagger half a step back, as if unsteady on his feet.

After a long silence, his voice came from above her. “Very well.”

He ordered the palace servants, “Confine Imperial Concubine Yu to her chambers and lock the doors. From this day forth, until the day I die, she is not to step outside.”

Yu Wanyin didn’t look up, listening as his footsteps gradually faded away.

A servant bent down to help her up. “Your Highness, please.”

As if walking on clouds, she was numbly escorted to the chamber doors. The sound of the lock clicking shut echoed behind her. Terrified by Xiahou Dan’s wrath, none of the servants dared to follow her inside, locking the door and quickly retreating.

The vast bedchamber had never felt so desolate. Yu Wanyin leaned against the door, standing there in a daze.

Her thoughts were a tangled mess—her wrist ached dully, she worried whether the Shadow Guard had been rescued, and then her mind turned to Cen Jintian and the others. Would Prince Duan go after them?

Had Xiahou Dan sent someone to protect them after learning of this? Would he think Cen Jintian was doomed anyway? Would he dismiss a worthless Paper Doll’s death as inconsequential?

The old her would never have speculated like this about him, but now…

Yu Wanyin turned and knocked on the door. “Is anyone there? I have urgent business!”

She called out for a long time, but no one answered.

The chamber was heated by underfloor warmth, yet Yu Wanyin only grew colder the longer she stood. She walked to the bed and collapsed onto it, burying her face beneath the blankets like an ostrich.

Just earlier that day, the two of them had been here, bantering back and forth as they mocked the Official Memorials.

A hollow ache opened in her chest, draining away all emotion until only numbness remained.

She didn’t know how much time had passed when the sound of the door opening startled her upright. She turned toward the entrance. “Uncle Bei.”

Bei Zhou carried a wooden tray. “I’ve brought you food.”

Yu Wanyin rushed over and grabbed him, afraid he would leave after setting down the meal. “Uncle Bei, Cen Jintian—” She caught herself mid-sentence. “Xiao Tiancai and Er Lan are still of great use to His Majesty. Prince Duan might target them…”

She emphasized the words “great use.”

Bei Zhou sighed, recognizing the shift in her perception of Xiahou Dan. “The Imperial Guards were thorough. While rescuing you, they also relocated Cen Jintian and the others. Wan Yin, what happened tonight was Dan’er’s fault. When your life hung in the balance, he nearly lost his mind.”

Yu Wanyin froze.Bei Zhou: "At that time, he gave the order that wherever Prince Duan's carriage went, if you didn’t step out safely, Prince Duan was to be executed on the spot. Every time Prince Duan moved, who knows how many men he had hidden in the shadows? The Imperial Guards were hastily assembled—if a fight had truly broken out, the outcome would have been uncertain. The leader of the Imperial Guards tried to dissuade him and nearly got buried alive for it."

Yu Wanyin fell silent for a moment before asking, "Uncle Bei, have you seen him like this before?"

Bei Zhou thought for a while. "You know about his headaches. When the pain gets too severe, he loses control a little. But he’s afraid of frightening you, so he avoids seeing you during these episodes... That’s why he hasn’t come to see you now."

Yu Wanyin: "Then has this been happening more frequently lately?"

The evening meal remained untouched in the end. Yu Wanyin curled up on the bed, initially just closing her eyes in thought, but at some point, she drifted into a restless, shallow sleep.

She had a strange dream. In it, Xiahou Dan lay gutted in a pool of blood. The murderer stood beside his corpse, smiling.

Though the murderer bore the exact same face as him, in the dream, she knew with absolute clarity—it was the Tyrant from the original story.

The Tyrant smiled as he approached her. "Wan Yin, don’t you recognize me?"

As he spoke, he reached out, presenting her with a bloody heart.

A faint sound reached her ears, jolting Yu Wanyin awake, but she resisted opening her eyes. The images from the dream had been too vivid, and the fear they carried had seeped unaltered into reality.

Alongside the fear was another emotion just as intense, though she couldn’t immediately identify it.

Footsteps drew nearer.

The flickering candlelight filtered through her thin eyelids, casting a crimson glow.

The crimson was then obscured by a shadow. Xiahou Dan sat by the bed, looking down at her.

Yu Wanyin kept her eyes tightly shut. The harder she tried to calm her racing heart, the louder it pounded, as if determined to betray her.

She couldn’t guess his current posture or expression. Had his madness subsided? At this proximity, if he made another startling move, she had no room to escape—though he had never truly harmed her, the frenzied bloodlust from earlier was enough to tear a person apart from a distance.

Yu Wanyin gritted her teeth silently.

She didn’t want to wake up, didn’t want to meet his gaze. She was afraid of seeing a sinister, cruel smile on that familiar face, afraid of the ghostly fire reflected in his eyes.

Time ticked by, yet not a sound came from the bedside.

Yu Wanyin couldn’t hold out any longer. Just before she gave in and opened her eyes, a cold touch at her wrist made her lashes tremble.

A cool hand lifted her wrist. The lamplight shifted closer—Xiahou Dan seemed to be examining her skin.

His fingertip brushed over a spot on her wrist. That area had been aching dully for a while now, and Yu Wanyin realized it was the bruise left when Prince Duan had restrained her.

Xiahou Dan might have mistaken it for an injury he had caused. Because his touch was light, too light, almost ticklish.

Then his fingertip withdrew, only to land next on the side of her neck.

Where Prince Duan had kissed her.

Yu Wanyin’s heart clenched. That bastard had deliberately left a mark!

Xiahou Dan’s fingers slowed, still barely touching her, the chill seeping into her skin.

Yu Wanyin held her breath, utterly unable to predict how he would react.Darkness descended, veiling the faint light that had seeped through her eyelids. Xiahou Dan covered her eyes with his hand.

His fingers were cold, but his lips still held warmth.

Yu Wanyin opened her eyes beneath his palm.

This time, she didn’t need to deliberately avoid his gaze—she couldn’t see his face anymore. Yet the reluctance in this kiss was almost overflowing, carrying the breath of an old friend.

It was as if a shadow play had reached its finale, the chalk-crafted mask cracking with spiderweb fissures, peeling away piece by piece from his face, shattering into dust, revealing the flesh and blood of a living person beneath.

Xiahou Dan kissed her for a moment, but when no response came, he slowly withdrew.

Yu Wanyin seized his hand and pressed it firmly against her eyes.

Her knuckles whitened, her nails digging into the back of his hand.

Xiahou Dan lowered his gaze to her, trying to discern her expression from the half of her face still visible, but his palm felt dampness.

"...Don’t cry."

Yu Wanyin’s tears spilled silently as she forced out through gritted teeth, "I—don’t—want to—"

In her daze, she recalled another emotion she had carried from her dream—anger.

She had resolved to fight to the very end, yet all she could do was watch helplessly as this world tore open his chest and carved out his heart.

She hated how quickly he had changed, hated her own powerlessness.

And she hated her tear ducts for betraying her.

She struggled desperately to hold back the weak tears, her face flushing red with the effort.

Xiahou Dan couldn’t pull his hand free, his voice tinged with helplessness. "Don’t cry. I handled it wrong. The Shadow Guard is fine, everyone is fine. I won’t lock you up—I spoke in anger earlier and regretted it the moment I turned away... Wan Yin?"

Yu Wanyin shook her head. "No, it’s my fault for leaving the palace."

She finally released his hand and sat up to face him. "I misjudged the situation, nearly caused a disaster, and dragged others into it."

"That’s not—"

"And I hurt you." Grief welled up in Yu Wanyin. "Earlier, you seemed like you wanted to tear someone apart—or like you were the one being torn apart. Where did you go just then? Did I push you another step closer to becoming the Tyrant?"

Xiahou Dan: "..."

The question rattled him to his core.

So that’s how it looked to her.

She was desperately trying to stop something that had already happened ten years ago, like grasping at the moon’s reflection in water, heartbrokenly clinging to an illusion.

All delusions shattered like mist, only to weave new ones in their place.

Without hesitation, Xiahou Dan pulled her into a firm embrace. "No. I came back."

Yu Wanyin: "Can you promise not to leave again? I’m not afraid of failure, or even death—but I’m terrified you’ll disappear before then. If you vanish, I feel like I’ll fade away too, erased within this shell..."

"That won’t happen. We’re both here."

In that moment, Xiahou Dan made his final decision.

"Whether in life or death, you’ll never be alone. I swear I won’t abandon you."

Though pressed close, the space between them felt like an unfathomable chasm. Even his vow echoed hollowly across the divide.

Yu Wanyin couldn’t bear to dwell on it. She bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. Xiahou Dan chuckled lowly, indulging her, coaxing her, swallowing both blood and tears like a demon savoring a fresh, vibrant soul.

Silk tore and scattered, long hair spilling like rivers over entwined arms.

After the palace lanterns dimmed, the moonlight on snow shone even brighter.Yu Wanyin had been playing the role of a seductive consort while living like a nun for so long that she finally did something befitting her infamous title.

She made Xiahou Dan's healing wound bleed again.

Xiao Tiancai watched as Xiahou Dan removed his Dragon Robe to expose his chest, his face the picture of resignation.

Xiahou Dan: "Look at the wound, not where you shouldn't."

Xiao Tiancai, still counting on Yu Wanyin to fulfill her promise, dared not offend this shameless pair: "This humble servant will redress the wound immediately."

He unwrapped the original bandage, squinting his eyes to avoid seeing the telltale marks, and fumbled to apply the medicine before fetching fresh bandages.

Halfway through wrapping, Xiahou Dan turned around, revealing his back.

Xiao Tiancai: "…………"

Not bad, actually quite aesthetically pleasing.

He thought numbly, unable to resist stealing a glance at Yu Wanyin.

Yu Wanyin guiltily averted her gaze.

Xiao Tiancai, feeling as if a knife were at his throat, suddenly sped up his movements, securing the bandage in record time before finally breathing again.

Eager to leave, he hesitated, realizing he'd have to return if the wound reopened. His face twisted in conflict before he forced out some advice: "Your Majesty is injured... it would be best to... um... rest and recover... and practice moderation."

He ducked his head and fled with his medicine box.

Yu Wanyin: "..."

Yu Wanyin was burning with embarrassment, but Xiahou Dan rose calmly, pulling his undergarment over his shoulders and leisurely tying the sash.

With the attendants dismissed, Yu Wanyin lowered her head and walked behind him to help with his outer robe: "Well... I was a bit nervous and couldn't hold back."

Xiahou Dan: "No big deal."

Just as she was about to change the subject, she noticed his shoulders shaking slightly: "My consort need not worry. This is merely one instance of being late for court. There's still a long way to go before 'the sovereign no longer attends morning audiences.'"

Yu Wanyin: "?"

Her face burned as she threw the robe over his head: "Are you saying I should keep trying harder?"

Xiahou Dan's laughter was muffled by the fabric. Instead of removing it, he turned and groped for her hand: "Judging by the vigor in my consort's voice, it seems I'm the one who needs to try harder."

Yu Wanyin stiffened, flashes of the previous night's chaos running through her mind. She hurriedly said, "No, no, let's follow the physician's advice."

Last night had been too reckless—her legs were still weak. If things got out of hand again, even if his wound could take it, she certainly couldn't.

Xiahou Dan only laughed harder.

What was he so smug about?

Amused and exasperated, Yu Wanyin patted his face through the robe: "Not afraid of physical intimacy anymore?"

His laughter quieted. After a pause, he murmured, "Not anymore."

"Good." Yu Wanyin smirked, trying to pull her hand back to lift the "veil" from this suddenly shy bride. But Xiahou Dan still held her wrist lightly, his thumb brushing over it.

Yu Wanyin looked down—it was the bruise.

Remembering, she quickly explained, "This wasn't from you. It was Prince Duan."

She summarized their conversation in the carriage.

Xiahou Dan pulled off the robe himself, his smile fading: "After all that concealment, I still couldn't keep you out of his sight.""There's no way around it. From the moment he learned about my 'Heavenly Eye,' there were only two outcomes left for me in his eyes—either be used by him or die. I've been trying to make him believe I'm on his side, but yesterday's scene was too terrifying. I don't know if I gave anything away..."

Yu Wanyin frowned. "If he becomes suspicious of me, he might change his assassination plan at the last minute to prevent me from foreseeing it with the Heavenly Eye. That would put even more pressure on us."

Xiahou Dan gazed at her thoughtfully.

Yu Wanyin sighed. "Well, worrying won't help. We'll do our best and leave the rest to fate. You should hurry to the morning court..."

"Wan Yin," Xiahou Dan said, "since he'll suspect you no matter what, why not just go all out?"

"How so?"

"I want to make you my empress. There's no time like the present—how about today?"

Yu Wanyin was stunned.

"Here's the thing," Xiahou Dan counted off on his fingers. "The Empress Dowager faction has been mostly absorbed, and it's about time for the Empress Dowager to pass on. We can't hold an enthronement ceremony during the mourning period. After that, Prince Duan and I will inevitably clash. If he wins, he'll need to stabilize public sentiment. If you're the empress, he'll think twice before acting against you."

Yu Wanyin: "...Prince Duan despises traitors. Do you really believe the title of empress alone would stop him from killing me?"

Xiahou Dan didn't answer immediately.

In his silence, Yu Wanyin realized what he meant by "acting against you" wasn't necessarily "killing you."

No one could fathom Prince Duan's thoughts. But judging by his behavior in the carriage, if he were to eliminate Xiahou Dan, he might not necessarily kill Yu Wanyin—he might instead try to claim her for himself.

A former imperial concubine could easily be given a new identity and manipulated as he pleased.

By then, with Xiahou Dan dead and gone, the only protection he could leave her would be the title of empress.

Xiahou Dan: "I don't know how much it'll help, but think of it as giving me peace of mind. Alright?"

Despite his grim words, his eyes shone brighter than ever, like a light piercing through the night fog.

Imperial Concubine Yu, who had been placed under house arrest by the Emperor the night before, suddenly became the empress overnight.

Xiahou Dan issued the decree without warning during the morning court, leaving the officials dumbfounded—one even fainted on the spot: Yu Wanyin's father.

Xiahou Dan declared with righteous solemnity: "Our mother the Empress Dowager is critically ill, and Our heart is torn with grief. We would gladly cut Our own flesh to make medicine for her. Reflecting on these years with the empress's position vacant, We have often caused her undue worry. Now, the only solution is to establish an empress to stabilize the natural order and nurture vitality, which may help our mother recover."

In short: a wedding to ward off misfortune.

"Of course," he added, "at present, We are too distraught to eat or sleep, and Imperial Concubine Yu has been attending to our mother day and night without rest. Therefore, the Ministry of Rites may postpone preparations for the enthronement ceremony."

As Yu Shaoqing was carried out of the hall, the explosive news spread like wildfire through the palace.

Yu Wanyin was swarmed the moment she stepped outside.

The crowd was even larger than before—flatterers, sycophants, those begging for mercy or pleading for favors—everyone had something to say.

Yu Wanyin silently repeated calming mantras to herself. "Mhm, the rosewater is lovely, but no need to send more, I appreciate the thought... What a sweet tongue you have, dear sister, you're lovely too... There won't be an enthronement ceremony yet, the Empress Dowager is still unwell, it's not the time for celebrations...""The Empress Dowager has always doted on Sister the most. Hearing such good news, she will surely recover soon!" The concubines smiled sweetly, their eyes curved as if they truly meant it.

Yu Wanyin: "."

"Oh, by the way, Sister, we've tried learning a bit of that ping pong you mentioned last time," a young beauty said, magically producing two wooden paddles and a colorful hollow embroidered ball, eyeing Yu Wanyin's expression. "Do you like it?"

With that, she deftly bounced the ball seven or eight times in front of her.

Yu Wanyin: "???"

So this was the taste of "the king favoring slender waists"?

Yu Wanyin slowly revealed a serene smile. "Good, good, very spirited."

Having navigated this world for so long, Yu Wanyin's acting skills had greatly improved. Now, she calmly drew from her repertoire of palace intrigue novel lines, feeling not the slightest dissonance in her heart.

The title of "Empress" was like a new set of clothes—she wore it without joy, yet without fear either.

Perhaps she would soon become one with this shell, just like Xiahou Dan, unable to distinguish when she was acting...

Yu Wanyin suddenly shook her head, startling the young beauty clinging to her arm.

She took a deep breath. "Come on, let's play a couple of rounds."

Lin Xuanying glanced at the sun from horseback and raised a hand. "Halt."

The black-clad men behind him, well-trained, reined in their horses. The massive procession came to an abrupt stop, leaving only the rustling of grass and trees—not a single extraneous sound was heard.

Lin Xuanying shaded his eyes with a hand and looked ahead. The trees gradually thinned, and the terrain flattened. Beyond lay the villages and towns.

A man stepped forward from the ranks. "Deputy General."

Lin Xuanying dismounted and casually tied his horse to a tree. "Set up camp here. We'll proceed in batches after nightfall."

"Yes."

Behind them, the vast black army stretched beyond sight, silently melting into the dense forest.

Lin Xuanying: "At this pace, how long until we reach the capital?"

Subordinate: "Without obstruction, fifteen days." He hesitated, then gave Lin Xuanying a meaningful look.

Lin Xuanying had set out quite early.

Even before Prince Duan's letter arrived, he had already sought out General You. "Prince Duan plans to rebel. His private troops alone won't be enough—he'll surely borrow forces from the three armies to besiege the capital. The Central Army is usually in cahoots with him, but with Yan in turmoil, they must reserve troops for border defense and can't mobilize entirely. So he'll soon turn to the Right Army."

General You's flabby face trembled. "But the southern border is unstable too!"

The Queen of Qiang Kingdom had been on intimate terms with Prince Yan, even planning a marriage alliance. But now Tuer had stormed back, driving Prince Yan to retreat in disarray—straight into Qiang territory.

Qiang, a weak nation clinging to Yan like a dodder vine, had suffered collateral damage. Amid the chaos, swarms of refugees with nowhere to flee surged toward Great Xia.

These Qiang people lacked martial prowess but were vicious in their schemes. Theft of food and money was child's play—some even posed as beggars to enter kind-hearted farmers' homes, only to poison the wells, slaughter entire villages, and loot every household before vanishing.

General You, a coward accustomed to comfort in the south, had never faced such tactics. Frantically hunting refugees, he nearly fainted at Lin Xuanying's words. "If we can't spare the men... will Prince Duan be angry?"

The pitiful tone made it sound as if Prince Duan's men were already airborne, arrows trained on his head.Lin Xuanying naturally understood the underlying question: "Will Prince Duan take back the benefits he promised me?"

With a derisive smile, Lin Xuanying said, "You hold the fort here. I'll take some men out."

General You was horrified. "Xuanying, you can't leave! How can you abandon your post at such a time?"

"...Then I'll stay, and you go deal with the Imperial Guards?"

General You fell silent.

Everyone knew—even he himself knew—who was truly holding the Right Army together.

Lin Xuanying stood before him, a full head taller, offering a sardonic salute with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Rest assured, General, I won't take many with me."

The men he took were indeed few, but each was elite.

Lin Xuanying took a sip from his water flask. "Any news on how many troops the other two armies have deployed?"

"The Central Army has roughly fifty thousand."

"Fifty thousand... General Luo is going all out, determined to live or die with Prince Duan."

"The Left Army's movements are more covert, but their numbers likely exceed ours."

Lin Xuanying paused, his tone flat. "The Imperial Guards in the capital barely number over ten thousand combined."

Even with reinforcements from surrounding prefectures, their forces would be no match for the battle-hardened frontier troops.

Unless the Emperor had some miraculous hidden reinforcements, once the three armies completed their encirclement, he would have no chance of escape from the capital.

Yet for the soldiers involved, this would inevitably be a victory tainted with disgrace. For generations to come, they would forever bear the name of rebels.

The young subordinate reporting to him was barely more than a boy. Out of the corner of his eye, Lin Xuanying saw him struggle before finally speaking up. "Deputy General... when I enlisted, I thought if I were to die, it would be on the battlefield."

Without turning his head, Lin Xuanying capped his flask. "Find a place to rest."

The young beauties practicing the ball game, thinking they had finally figured out Yu Wanyin's preferences, promptly set up a table in the Imperial Garden and began playing with a spirit undaunted by the cold.

Fortunately, the weather was clear and chilly, with no wind or snow, and they soon warmed up from the activity.

Yu Wanyin had only mentioned it casually earlier—she didn’t actually know how to play ping-pong, let alone this new sport with an embroidered ball. But since everyone was equally unskilled, and the sycophants deliberately let her win, the game proceeded with back-and-forth exchanges.

For a while, the scene was one of artificial liveliness.

After several rounds, perhaps because her brain began releasing dopamine or because the Imperial Harem Intrigue had successfully evolved into a team-building exercise, Yu Wanyin felt an unfamiliar lightness, gradually getting into the groove. She didn’t even notice when the cheers around her suddenly quieted.

Only after missing a ball did she turn with a laugh to retrieve it, only to find the embroidered ball had rolled to a pair of feet nearby.

Those feet were clad in court boots.

Yu Wanyin: "..."

Xiahou Dan bent down to pick up the ball. "What is this?"

The concubines, having paid their respects, stood silently to the side, not daring to breathe, all stealing glances at Yu Wanyin’s reaction.

The Emperor’s madness last night—and Imperial Concubine Yu’s elevation to Empress this morning—what was the logical connection between these two pieces of news? Countless minds had racked themselves without finding an answer.

Truthfully, those who had survived this long in such a cutthroat palace intrigue novel had all grasped one truth to some degree: the best way to stay alive here was not to court death. Countless tragic precedents proved that the harder one fought, the sooner they perished.

But this rule didn’t apply to Yu Wanyin.Since entering the palace, Yu Wanyin had played every role imaginable—from the seductress of Spider Cave to the pure white lotus. She'd been the erudite scholar in the library, the naive songbird who couldn't carry a tune, the carefree gourmand, the righteous official who dared rebuke the Emperor, the tragic beauty languishing in the Secluded Palace... She'd cycled through every archetype that typically met an early demise in palace dramas, performing each death-seeking act to perfection.

Others who tried to emulate her found themselves at a loss, for no one could discern which particular act had captured the Emperor's favor. Perhaps the essence lay in this all-encompassing chaos—some speculated.

But now that she'd become Empress, riding high on her success, surely some genuine personality would emerge?

How this imperial couple interacted would directly influence survival strategies throughout the court, both front and rear. This was intelligence that needed immediate acquisition.

Yu Wanyin couldn't think of a better answer: "Ping pong."

"Ping..." Xiahou Dan eyed the embroidered ball with suspicion, his expression radiating refusal.

Wanyin waved dismissively, signaling him not to nitpick. "It'll work, it'll work." She took the ball and demonstrated a serve. The young beauty across from her didn't dare return it.

Xiahou Dan sucked in a breath. "Your grip is all..." wrong.

Wanyin: "?" Well now, an expert?

Her eyes asked: Want to join?

Xiahou Dan shook his head gently. "Is the Empress tired?"

Recognizing he had business to discuss, Wanyin quickly replied, "Indeed somewhat fatigued. Let's conclude for today and resume another time."

Only then did the young beauty across from them snap out of her daze, murmuring, "Your Majesty must preserve your phoenix health."

As the imperial carriage bearing Yu Wanyin disappeared into the distance, the assembled women exchanged bewildered glances.

They hadn't just failed to discern the couple's dynamic—they couldn't even comprehend how the two communicated.

Through telepathy?

In the carriage, Wanyin leaned close to Xiahou Dan's ear, her breath forming a white cloud in the cold air. "What's wrong?"

Xiahou Dan: "The border troops are making moves."

"Which border?"

"All three fronts. Exact numbers still unclear. It seems Xiahou Bo has run out of patience."

Wanyin had guessed before he finished speaking. They'd discussed this possibility—that once Xiahou Dan consolidated central power, Prince Duan would have no choice but to turn to the border armies. Now all three armies had been bought, fulfilling their worst-case scenario.

So she simply replied, "Then we should act quickly, before his reinforcements arrive."

"Mm. I've told Xiao Tiancai to stop the Empress Dowager's life-sustaining prescription."

Wanyin: "How long can she linger then?"

Xiahou Dan phrased it delicately: "Xiao Tiancai will make the cessation... artistic."

Wanyin: "..."

She turned to look outside.

Xiahou Dan took her hand. "What are you looking at?"

"Nothing." Winter sunlight was always precious. Wanyin found herself gazing at the plants in the Imperial Garden, sensing with sudden clarity that their promised "next ping pong match" might never come.

"Half a day of leisure in this floating life—truly stolen time."

Xiao Tiancai worked with remarkable efficiency.

Deep into the following night, urgent knocking startled Yu Wanyin awake. An Xian's trembling voice came through the door: "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager... she's taken a turn."

The announcement struck like a starter's pistol. Wanyin jolted fully awake and turned to her bedmate.

Xiahou Dan was already watching her. "Ready?" he asked softly.

Wanyin nodded. "Let's go."To express grief, An Xian's announcement today was particularly wailing and howling: "His Majesty has arrived—"

Xiahou Dan, holding Yu Wanyin's hand, stepped down from the imperial carriage. In the dead of night, the biting cold wind sent a shiver down Yu Wanyin's spine.

A guard approached and whispered behind them, "No sign of Prince Duan's men yet."

The Shadow Guards had been lying in wait around the Empress Dowager's palace for a long time. As soon as the Empress Dowager breathed her last, Prince Duan could act at any moment. From now on, they were on high alert.

Xiahou Dan gave an imperceptible nod and entered the gate.

The main hall was already filled with kneeling palace servants, and the quicker concubines had rushed over to kneel as well, their faces pale, each feigning the look of mourning parents. But since no tears had been shed yet, it meant the Empress Dowager still clung to life.

Yu Wanyin followed Xiahou Dan past the crowd toward the inner chamber, inadvertently glancing at them and pausing slightly—many were stealing glances at her.

More precisely, at her stomach.

The probing stares were almost brazen, making Yu Wanyin instinctively uncomfortable. She raised her sleeve to shield herself slightly.

This only drew more direct, unblinking gazes.

Yu Wanyin: "?"

Several elderly imperial physicians emerged from the inner chamber, followed by Xiao Tiancai, their apprentice. Following protocol, they knelt before Xiahou Dan, tears streaming down their faces as they lamented, "This old servant is incompetent, this old servant deserves ten thousand deaths..."

Xiahou Dan also adhered strictly to protocol, kicking aside the lead physician before charging in with feigned desperation, his voice ringing out before he even entered: "Mother! Mother!"

The air inside was thick and foul, a mix of excrement and the chilling stench of death.

The Empress Dowager on the bed was already dressed in burial clothes, her body withered, limbs arranged neatly, hands folded over her chest, lying stiff as a corpse. Her eyes bulged unnaturally.

The Little Crown Prince knelt in a corner, curled up like a broken puppet, trembling violently upon closer inspection.

Xiahou Dan: "Ah!"

His voice was absurdly loud, as if ensuring everyone outside could hear: "Mother, rest assured, your son is here!"

Yu Wanyin: "..."

Today, she witnessed the pinnacle of acting.

Xiahou Dan managed to sob theatrically while flashing a malicious smile at the figure on the bed.

The Empress Dowager convulsed at his provocation, but could only emit guttural, incoherent sounds.

Xiahou Dan plopped onto the edge of the bed, considerately tucking her blanket in: "Your son understands, understands everything."

As their eyes met, Xiahou Dan recalled the first time he saw her—the dignified, haughty Empress Dowager. Her crimson nails had scraped his cheek, making his eyelids twitch, yet he dared not flinch.

Back then, he was like a lamb awaiting slaughter, his only hope being the mercy of others.

If there was one thing she truly taught him over the years, it was this: don't wait.

The Empress Dowager's manicured nails were now chipped and peeling. She glared at Xiahou Dan, her body jerking with each labored breath—each exhale longer, each inhale shorter.

Xiahou Dan: "What? The Little Crown Prince?" He declared loudly, "Mother need not worry, this son will take good care of him."

Behind the bed curtains, he mimed slitting his throat at her, his smile growing even more cheerful.

Empress Dowager: "..."Xiahou Dan thought this would be the moment she finally succumbed to rage and died. Yet she continued to gasp with immense difficulty, her vacant eyes fixed on him, lips trembling faintly.

Strangely, in this state, no trace of hatred remained in her gaze—only lingering resentment.

Xiahou Dan pondered what images might flash through her life’s reel at this moment but couldn’t conjure an answer.

She had no lover—she had told him herself that the person she hated most in this life was the late emperor.

She had no paramour—for so many years, she hadn’t even kept a single admirer at her feet.

Nor did she have any offspring—long before she climbed to the position of empress, the old Empress Dowager had robbed her of any chance to conceive.

Perhaps from that moment on, the only thing she sought in life was power.

Killing the old Empress Dowager, outlasting the late emperor, controlling Xiahou Dan, manipulating the Little Crown Prince… Why bother loving anyone? Why seek love? The endless thrill of battling others was enough. Xiahou Dan had no doubt that even if she succeeded in killing him and Prince Duan, she would tirelessly continue her struggles until her dying breath.

Unfortunately, she had lost too soon.

The Empress Dowager thrashed violently like a dying fish, her mouth shaping incoherent sounds.

Unwilling to bend down and listen, Xiahou Dan tilted his ear slightly and asked impatiently, “What?”

The Empress Dowager suddenly laughed.

She slowly uttered a few words.

Xiahou Dan paused.

The hand she had placed on her chest trembled as it rose an inch before abruptly falling back. Her head lolled to the side, and she moved no more.

Silence.

The imperial physician, sensing something amiss, crawled over on his knees, lifted the bed curtain, and perfunctorily checked her pulse before flipping open her eyelids. Trembling, he stammered, “Your Majesty… Your Majesty…”

Xiahou Dan remained seated, motionless.

Yu Wanyin, kneeling at the foot of the bed, waited for over ten seconds, baffled, before rising and walking over to pull him to his feet.

Only then did Xiahou Dan seem to flip some internal switch. Drawing a deep breath, he let out his first wail: “Moth—er—!”

Outside, the signal was immediately picked up, and a chorus of mourning cries rose in waves. From the inner chamber, Yu Wanyin could hear the overwhelming clamor—men and women alike—as if the court officials had already arrived.

She wondered if Prince Duan was among them.

While mechanically joining in the lamentations, she mentally reviewed the positions of the hidden Shadow Guards.

Xiahou Dan, of course, couldn’t stop at a single cry. He proceeded to close the Empress Dowager’s eyes and adjust her burial robes, committing fully to the act.

Nearby, the Little Crown Prince began to sob. He was likely the only one in the room crying genuine tears, soon reduced to a snotty, heartbroken mess, his entire body shaking as if seized by convulsions. Still trembling, he crawled toward the bed, as though wanting one last look at the Empress Dowager.

Yu Wanyin whispered to Xiahou Dan, “What were her last words?”

Xiahou Dan turned to her, his expression somewhat numb. “She said she’d be waiting for me underground.”

A chill ran down Yu Wanyin’s spine, as if a wave of icy dread had risen from her feet. “What nonsense… Even at death’s door, all she could do was curse someone…”

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the Little Crown Prince drawing near and instinctively glanced at him. The child was staring at Xiahou Dan, his small face so tightly contorted with tension that his features seemed distorted. He held his breath, looking like a balloon about to burst.

In that instant, Yu Wanyin’s heart suddenly clenched.

As if guided by intuition honed through life-and-death situations, her body moved.She lunged at Xiahou Dan, shoving him aside—

At the same moment, the Little Crown Prince raised his arm, and a cloud of red mist billowed from his sleeve, aimed directly at Xiahou Dan—only for Yu Wanyin to intercept most of it.

Yu Wanyin had expected a dagger or hidden weapon, never anticipating something like this. Caught off guard, she inhaled a mouthful and immediately began coughing violently.

Xiahou Dan stumbled back two steps from her push, stunned for a moment before quickly covering his nose and mouth. He rushed back, pulling her away, then turned and delivered a brutal kick straight to the Little Crown Prince’s chest.

The Little Crown Prince was sent flying, crashing to the ground and spitting out a mouthful of blood.

Yu Wanyin collapsed to her knees, coughing uncontrollably. Xiahou Dan reached out, brushing his fingers over her clothes and hair—his fingertips came away coated in red powder.

The Shadow Guard had already subdued all the palace attendants and physicians in the room, now restraining the Little Crown Prince on the ground. "Your Majesty, this place is unsafe. Please retreat for now—"

Xiahou Dan strode forward, gripping the Little Crown Prince’s throat with one hand. "Antidote."

The Little Crown Prince shrieked.

The commotion reached the outer chamber, silencing the mourning cries outside.

Xiahou Dan’s fingers tightened gradually, cutting off the scream. "Antidote."

The Little Crown Prince struggled, his face turning purple-red. The Shadow Guard, sensing danger, tried to intervene. "Your Majesty, calm yourself!"

Xiahou Dan ignored him, veins bulging on his strangling hand, a dark aura flickering between his brows.

Yu Wanyin finally caught her breath and, surprisingly, felt no other discomfort. She turned to see the Little Crown Prince’s eyes rolling back and hurriedly grabbed Xiahou Dan’s wrist. "Stop—I’m fine—" But her tug didn’t budge him. Panicking, she leaned in and whispered urgently in his ear, "Everyone is outside. Do you want to confirm your reputation as the Tyrant right here?"

Xiahou Dan didn’t hear her.

Yu Wanyin took a closer look and froze in terror—Xiahou Dan’s eyes were bloodshot, his face twisted into a monstrous visage, like a wrathful deity.

Even in his past fits of madness, he had never looked like this.

Suddenly, Yu Wanyin remembered the red powder. Xiahou Dan must have inhaled some of it too.

Suppressing her fear, she ordered the Shadow Guard, "Help the Crown Prince!"

The Shadow Guard hesitated, not daring to move.

Yu Wanyin urged hoarsely, "Hurry! We still need to ask for the antidote!" She had inhaled far more of the powder than Xiahou Dan. It was like a time bomb inside her, symptoms bound to appear at any moment. She had to stabilize the situation while she was still lucid.

Gritting his teeth, the Shadow Guard jabbed a pressure point on Xiahou Dan’s arm, numbing it and forcing him to release his grip.

As soon as the Shadow Guard pulled the Crown Prince away, Xiahou Dan rasped, "Kill him."

The Shadow Guard hesitated. "Your Majesty—"

"Kill him!" Xiahou Dan let out a bestial roar and swung a fist. The Shadow Guard didn’t dare block it, barely dodging in time.

Xiahou Dan lunged for the guard’s sword.

The Shadow Guard dodged behind a pillar.

Xiahou Dan reached into his robes and pulled out a gun.

Everyone who recognized the weapon felt their pupils constrict—

A trembling hand wrapped around the barrel, stopping it.

Yu Wanyin’s voice was barely audible. "Xiahou Dan."

Xiahou Dan instinctively looked at her. When he saw the tears in her eyes, his movements stilled imperceptibly. The storm in his dark, chaotic gaze paused for a few seconds.

Yu Wanyin was on the verge of losing her own composure. Her fingers slowly trailed along the gun, brushing the back of his hand—it was impossible to tell whose skin was colder.

"Should we have hotpot for dinner tonight?"Xiahou Dan froze in place.

In that moment of hesitation, Yu Wanyin whispered, "Knock him out."

The Shadow Guard didn't hesitate this time—a swift chop to the neck sent the Emperor crumpling to the ground.

Yu Wanyin surveyed the scene. The Empress Dowager was dead, the Emperor poisoned, and the Crown Prince half-alive.

She turned her gaze toward the main hall. Officials and palace servants were still weeping softly, their voices hushed as they strained to listen to the eerie noises coming from within.

All eyes inside the room were fixed on her.

Yu Wanyin forced a smile. "His Majesty has collapsed from grief. Assist him back to rest. The Crown Prince is emotionally unstable and also requires careful attention."

The Shadow Guards understood, promptly escorting Xiahou Dan and the Crown Prince out through the back door.

Yu Wanyin brushed a handful of red powder from her shoulder and clenched it in her palm.

The substance had yet to affect her in any way. A vague suspicion formed in her mind as she smiled at the imperial physicians and servants. "There's no need for panic. Proceed as usual."

Though her words were reassuring, the smile never reached her eyes.

She might not have noticed it herself, but to others, the newly appointed Empress now carried an aura entirely different from before.

A shiver ran through the crowd as they scrambled into action—some carrying the imperial coffin forward for the enshrinement, others cleaning up the chaotic mess.

Yu Wanyin shot Xiao Tiancai a meaningful glance, directing his attention to the Empress Dowager's corpse.

Xiao Tiancai seemed to grasp her intent and bowed before approaching the massive coffin, joining the servants in preparing the Empress Dowager's remains.

Yu Wanyin strode out of the inner chamber.

The main hall was indeed packed with a sea of kneeling figures, the line stretching beyond the doors into the pitch-black night outside. At her appearance, the previously silenced wails resumed with forced vigor.

Yu Wanyin motioned for An Xian to step forward and follow protocol in arranging accommodations or mourning observances for the attendees. She herself symbolically helped a few consorts to their feet, offering brief words of comfort.

Suddenly, a dark figure rushed toward her, calling out, "Your Majesty!"

Startled like a bird startled by the mere twang of a bow, Yu Wanyin retreated several steps. The middle-aged man halted awkwardly, hesitating before finally offering a stiff bow. "Is Your Majesty well?"

Yu Wanyin: "..."

She deduced through logic.

This was likely her father.

But she couldn't be entirely certain. Misaddressing him as "Father" would create quite the spectacle. Instead, she raised her sleeve to dab at nonexistent tears, murmuring vaguely, "Thank you... for your concern. I... Wan Yin am fine."

The man: "Ah, Your Majesty mustn't grieve excessively and harm your health—"

"Yu Shaoqing." A clear, gentle voice interjected.

Prince Duan had approached unnoticed, steadying the man as he softly advised, "This is not the time for reunions."

So it was her father after all.

But Yu Wanyin's attention had already shifted entirely away from him. Prince Duan stood far too close—close enough that even the Shadow Guards wouldn't have time to intervene.

Yu Shaoqing flushed red and hastily bowed. "This old minister has overstepped. I shall take my leave at once." Before departing, he cast a fleeting glance at Yu Wanyin's abdomen.

Her mind was in turmoil, leaving no room to analyze that look. Locking eyes with Prince Duan, she remained poised to flee while struggling to conceal her wariness.

Xiahou Bo offered a sorrowful smile. "I've yet to congratulate Your Majesty on your ascension to the phoenix throne."

Yu Wanyin mirrored his melancholy expression. "Your Highness, now is not the time."

She threw his own words back at him.

Xiahou Bo studied her deeply before replying, "Since Your Majesty must oversee affairs, I shall not impose further."Yu Wanyin had initially thought he came to inquire about Xiahou Dan’s condition, so she was somewhat surprised to see him leave so easily after being brushed off.

She rehearsed the lines silently a few more times before forcing a bitter smile. “It’s indeed been rather overwhelming. Thank you for your understanding, Your Highness. We’ll… catch up another day.”

Xiahou Bo smiled and turned away.

The moment his back was turned, the longing and dejection in his eyes vanished without a trace, replaced entirely by cold mockery.

Some people’s fates had no room for warmth.

And for others, warmth was so fleeting—so miserly—that it disappeared before they even noticed it themselves, leaving no trace behind.

Xiahou Dan didn’t know where he was.

His vision was pitch black, devoid of any images.

His ears buzzed incessantly, drowning out all sound.

If the previous headaches had felt like waves crashing one after another, this time it was a cataclysmic upheaval—as if the very crust of the earth had been torn apart.

Someone seemed to be gripping his shoulders, shouting something at him, but to his ears, it only added to the meaningless noise.

It hurt too much.

It was as if two colossal dragons had forced their way into his skull, locked in a desperate battle within that cramped space, smashing his cranium open with cracks from which bitter fluids and flames spewed forth.

It hurt too much.

If only he could die right now.

Even descending into purgatory, scorched by the fires of karma, couldn’t be more agonizing than this.

Yu Wanyin quickly dismissed the crowd, leaving a few Shadow Guards to monitor the palace servants before hurrying back with Xie Yong’er and Xiao Tiancai in tow.

“Powder,” she said, handing Xiao Tiancai a clump of red powder she had secretly palmed earlier, now damp with sweat. “Test it.”

Xiao Tiancai said nothing, his forehead glistening with sweat, his expression grave as he left.

Yu Wanyin sprinted toward the inner chamber but was abruptly blocked by Bei Zhou’s outstretched arm.

She looked up in surprise. “Uncle Bei, what’s the meaning of this?”

Bei Zhou remained silent, his arm unwavering, barring her way.

Yu Wanyin knew a thousand versions of herself couldn’t overpower him. Defeated, she said, “Did he order you not to let me see? Do you also think I should stay away at a time like this?”

Bei Zhou: “.”

Yu Wanyin’s voice grew increasingly desolate. “What am I in your eyes? Just some trivial plaything to indulge in during happy times?”

Bei Zhou lowered his arm. “My arm was getting sore.”

Yu Wanyin: “?”

Bei Zhou even turned his back to her. “Ah, old age is catching up. These creaky bones can’t take it anymore.”

Yu Wanyin belatedly realized his meaning and rushed inside.

Even mentally prepared, the sight before her left her stunned.

On the bed, Xiahou Dan was swaddled in blankets by Bei Zhou, tied up like a dumpling. If not for the blood on his forehead and the corner of his mouth, the sight might have been comical.

Bei Zhou seemed to have improvised after Xiahou Dan bit himself, stuffing a cloth into his mouth. As a result, the howls tearing from his throat were muffled, their impact greatly diminished.

Yu Wanyin stood frozen like a wooden puppet, dazedly asking, “Is it always like this when he has an episode?”

Bei Zhou’s voice came from behind her. “It wasn’t this bad before. About three months ago, we started needing to restrain him. He didn’t dare let you know, so he forbade it. But this time, he even bashed his head against the bedpost and tried to bite his tongue…”

Yu Wanyin’s face felt cold. Only when she touched it did she realize they were her own tears.Xiahou Dan called out again, his voice completely torn. Unable to harm himself, this was the only way he could divert the pain.

Yu Wanyin walked over and removed the cloth from his mouth. Xiahou Dan immediately tried to bite himself, but his teeth were blocked by something else.

Yu Wanyin had slipped her fingers into his mouth.

Someone yanked her hand away: "Are you insane? He's losing his mind, and you're joining him?"

Only then did Yu Wanyin realize Xie Yong'er had followed them inside.

Xiahou Dan's teeth had already pierced her flesh. Yu Wanyin inhaled sharply: "It's fine. Better than him biting himself."

Xiahou Dan's eyelids suddenly trembled, slowly lifting open.

With immense difficulty, he gradually loosened his jaw, his Adam's apple bobbing twice before he whispered hoarsely, "Wan Yin?"

His eyes were fixed on her, yet unfocused: "Wan Yin?"

Yu Wanyin's tears fell drop by drop onto his face.

Xiahou Dan seemed dazed. After a moment, he murmured, "Go away."

Yu Wanyin leaned down to embrace him, but he struggled relentlessly: "Go away... you shouldn't be here..." Agitated beyond measure, his only thought was to spare her from seeing him like this.

With her present, he had to suppress even his screams, veins bulging on his forehead from the strain.

Xie Yong'er stood to the side, watching as one lost his mind and the other suddenly became a useless, weeping mess. Rolling her eyes, she decisively stepped forward, shoved the cloth back into Xiahou Dan's mouth, and turned to Bei Zhou: "Why not knock him out?"

Bei Zhou: "...The Shadow Guard already knocked him out once. I was afraid of using too much force and hurting him."

Xie Yong'er: "Wait here. I'll fetch Xiao Tiancai."

Xiao Tiancai silently administered acupuncture before exhaling deeply: "This should keep him asleep for half a day."

By then, dawn had begun to break. Yu Wanyin, as if completely drained, sat silently by the bed in exhaustion.

Xiao Tiancai hesitated before reporting: "This subject tested the substance on rats earlier. There was no reaction."

Yu Wanyin glanced up slightly.

Xiao Tiancai: "When Your Majesty ordered this subject to examine the corpse, traces of this powder were found mixed into the Empress Dowager's nail polish. But the powder itself doesn't seem to be poison—otherwise, Your Majesty would have shown symptoms after inhaling so much."

"Then what's wrong with His Majesty?"

"This subject faintly recalls reading in ancient texts about certain unique poisons divided into 'seed' and 'trigger.' The seed remains dormant in the body until activated by the trigger."

Xiao Tiancai bowed his head lower, leaving the rest unsaid.

But his implication was clear: Xiahou Dan carried the poison seed, while the Empress Dowager had hidden the trigger in her nails all these years, gradually worsening his headaches to ensure he remained an incompetent Tyrant.

The trigger's effects were subtle, explaining why Bei Zhou and others had failed to detect poison around Xiahou Dan before.

But the Empress Dowager hadn't expected Xiahou Dan to kill her first. In her final moments, she sought revenge by ordering the Little Crown Prince to ambush Xiahou Dan with a massive dose of the trigger.

Xiahou Dan had guarded against everyone—except the timid Little Crown Prince.

The Little Crown Prince also knew his father treated him coldly. With a new empress now crowned, his position as Crown Prince would soon be forfeited. Better to take this desperate gamble—if it succeeded, he would ascend the throne directly.

For a moment, Yu Wanyin didn't know whom to admire more.

Perhaps only monsters could survive in this palace."Then find someone to pry the information from the Little Crown Prince. He should know about the antidote, right?"

Xiao Tiancai shook his head. "The Little Crown Prince likely doesn't know. Even the Empress Dowager might not be aware. This type of poison has long been lost in Daxia. Only fragments of mentions exist in ancient texts—no one knows how it was actually concocted."

Yu Wanyin: "Are you suggesting this poison was passed to her from elsewhere?"

Xiao Tiancai seemed to recall something and murmured, "The Qiang Kingdom... The Qiang people excel in poisons. Their medicines and toxins form their own system, difficult for outsiders to decipher."

He stood up to leave. "I'll investigate this further."

Yu Wanyin and Xie Yong'er exchanged glances.

Yu Wanyin: "Does the Empress Dowager have Qiang ancestry?"

Xie Yong'er: "The original text didn't mention her lineage, but it did say she poisoned the old Empress Dowager and the late Emperor's first wife—Xiahou Dan's grandmother and mother. If she used this same poison back then, it's been far too long. There's no way to trace how she obtained it."

Yu Wanyin frowned in thought.

The good news was that they finally had a lead on the cause of Xiahou Dan's headaches. Once Xiao Tiancai analyzed the poison's composition, perhaps Tuer could find an antidote in the Qiang Kingdom.

The bad news... given Xiahou Dan's current condition, they might not have enough time.

Xiahou Dan woke at noon.

Yu Wanyin studied his expression, her face lighting up with relief. "Is the headache gone?"

"Mostly." Xiahou Dan had a vague memory of the episode and sighed. "I scared you."

Yu Wanyin: "..."

She was a little angry.

Angry that he had hidden this from her for so long, preferring to be tied up like a dumpling rather than let her stay by his side.

But then again, even if she had been there, she couldn’t have helped. That anger dissolved into a deep sense of helplessness.

Xiahou Dan seemed to sense her mood and softened his tone. "At least it comes and goes quickly. A nap helped."

Yu Wanyin wasn’t comforted in the slightest.

His episodes came in waves—there was no telling when the next one would strike.

She relayed Xiao Tiancai's theory to him. "Do you have any clues yourself?"

Xiahou Dan's mind was still being chiseled by invisible nails. Though the worst had passed, the pain lingered more intensely than usual. His thoughts were scattered, but he strained to recall. The first headache he could remember was when the old Empress Dowager was on her deathbed.

But at that time, the future Empress hadn’t been present.

As for whether there had been traces of red powder on the old Empress Dowager’s clothes, hair, or sickbed—he couldn’t remember at all.

Xiahou Dan: "Even if the poison trigger was there back then... when was the poison seed planted...?"

Before the old Empress Dowager’s death, that woman had merely been a palace consort, never in contact with him. Besides, he had been vigilant from the moment he transmigrated, well aware of the palace’s dangers.

Yu Wanyin: "What?"

Xiahou Dan snapped back to the present. "Nothing. I was just thinking about how the Empress Dowager planted the poison seed."

Yu Wanyin: "That’s impossible to verify now. Xie Yong'er said she poisoned your grandmother and birth mother—just think how long ago that was."

Ah, so that was it.

A sudden realization struck Xiahou Dan.

It was said that his birth mother, Empress Cizhen, had a difficult labor when she bore him. Afterward, she remained sickly and passed away just two years later, dying young.

So, when had the Empress Dowager poisoned Empress Cizhen?

And when she did... had she been considerate enough to avoid doing it during pregnancy?Xiahou Dan couldn't help but laugh.

Yu Wanyin was startled. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing." Though his smile was filled with desolation, none of it seeped into his voice. "This Tyrant is truly unfortunate."

So all his caution had been meaningless from the very beginning. Long before—even before his birth—this character's fate had already been written.