A month later, the King of Zhennan, valiant in battle, married the current second prince as his husband and was recommended by the cabinet ministers to assist in governing the court.

Two months later, the King of Zhennan was promoted to Regent, holding the military tally.

Half a year later, his fifth younger sister suddenly fell ill with a heart ailment, confined to her sickbed.

Yan Shao, imprisoned in the water prison, bit his finger and wrote a letter in his own blood. He gave it to a trusted confidant to bring to his fifth sister.

On the note, the blood stains were shocking. “My sister, do not be anxious. Temporarily yield and comply, take care of your health. Everything will wait until the day you come of age. The 300,000 strong army of the Northwest is ready to set out, to execute the treacherous officials and the clique of judges!”

The military tally of the Northwest army was given to him by the empress before her death, entrusting his younger sister to command the army with the tally on the day she came of age.

This was the Empress Mother’s protection for her younger sister, as well as her own wariness. As long as he did not desire the imperial power, after his younger sister took the throne, he would still be the revered eldest imperial uncle.

The day after the note was sent out, the fifth younger sister, Empress Yuanming, fell ill and passed away despite all medical efforts. A decree was proposed to abdicate the throne to Regent Jing Huan.

That night, he was in the water prison, his hands and feet nailed to the pillar of shame. His good second younger brother, Pei Yunzhi, who was about to become the emperor consort, held a long whip, looking majestic and awe-inspiring.

The pain of the flogging was nothing compared to the loss of his dear younger sister.

As he closed his eyes, his half-brother Pei Yunzhi, whom he had personally raised, was wearing a gold-embroidered robe, looking down on him with pity and satisfaction, “Good brother, do you know why you were defeated by a mere rumor?”

His sharp long nails traced across his disfigured face, “It was a scheme jointly set up by me and my wife-master. In fact, with our power, we could not have contended with you originally. It’s just a pity that you were born as an imperial uncle, originally high and mighty, enjoying a lifetime of honor. But you had to be superior in every way, showing off your talents, being both talented and virtuous, so what? A man also dares to dream of being on par with a woman? Perfection invites jealousy, and showing off your talents will only become a weapon in others’ hands.”

“Why?” He raised his head with his last bit of strength and asked. Why did you betray me?

Pei Yunzhi suddenly burst into laughter, “I didn’t want to either. But Jing likes you. She said with her own mouth that the person she loves in this life is the number one beauty in the world… Only if you die can I become the number one. You clearly had everything – supreme beauty, the Empress Mother and Father, the love of your fifth younger sister, the praise of the world, while I only had her.”

He opened his eyes in shock, drawing his last breath.

Pei Yuanshao watched his own corpse being buried. This time, the two palace servants did not neglect their duty. They dug a large pit and threw his body into it. As they left, they even erected a wooden plaque in front of his grave.

He squinted his eyes, but before he could clearly see the words on the tombstone, his soul lost its support and swayed in the air. When he came back to his senses, he found himself back in the palace.

Inside the Qianqing Palace, there were only two people. One kneeling, one standing.

The woman in dragon robes knelt on the ground. She lowered her head, wanting to kiss the toes of the woman standing in front of her.

But that person dodged away.

Pei Yuanshao’s eyes suddenly widened. In his soul state, he floated above the bedchamber.

With effort, he turned his head and finally saw the face of the person standing in the center of the bedchamber. White skin, black hair, willow brows, long lashes, standing tall, she seemed otherworldly.

He couldn’t quite remember the woman’s features. Women in his eyes were just an outline. But this person’s appearance, when she personally covered him with a red robe in the snowy field earlier, was already engraved in his mind.

So when he saw her again, the shock in his heart only grew.

“Changning, look at me?” Empress Jing Huan knelt and crawled two steps forward, hugging the legs of the white-robed noblewoman and pleading.

A hint of disgust flashed in the eyes of the white-robed woman. She frowned, “Let go!”

“I won’t!” Jing Huan pursed her lips and raised her eyes to look at her stubbornly. In those light brown pupils, there was deep affection and grievance.

Pei Yuanshao, floating in the air, had his cold peach blossom eyes filled with fear.

Empress Jing Huan had made a name for herself at a young age, valiant in battle. At the age of fifteen, she defeated the rebellious Qiang tribe and was awarded the title of king by the previous emperor.

This person was five years older than him, yet became famous even earlier. Even later, when he took charge of the court at the age of fifteen, the reputation of the undefeated general of Zhennan still resounded throughout the entire Jinfeng Dynasty.

If this person had not usurped the throne, with her military talent, it would not be an exaggeration to say that she could be on par with him.

Unfortunately, one of them was a woman and the other a man. When compared together, he was deemed inferior.

He had never imagined that the King of Zhennan, the current emotionless empress of the Jinfeng Dynasty, would kneel and beg for a woman, looking as if she was in love.

Pei Yuanshao was about to shake his head and deny his strange speculation.

But he saw Jing Huan straighten up, wrap her arms around the woman who was a head shorter than her, and forcibly grab her hand to touch her own chest.

She said hoarsely, “Changning, I beg you, don’t reject me. I am a man, a true man, who can bear daughters and sons for you!”

The white-robed woman frowned and pursed her lips. She deftly broke free from her grip and pushed her against the wall.

Jing Huan was stunned, obviously not expecting her to respond. Her eyes glistened with a hint of tears. As the person in front of her leaned in, the strong feminine scent from her body assaulted her face. Her body instinctively weakened, and the exposed skin broke out in fine goosebumps. Her earlobes turned red like the glowing morning glow.

Such a beautiful sight, but unfortunately, the white-robed woman remained unmoved. She looked at her calmly, her eyes deep and cold.

Her face enlarged in front of her eyes, but there was no further action.

Jing Huan stared at her in a daze. The increasingly strong scent belonging to a woman invaded her nostrils. Her legs even began to tremble involuntarily.

She gazed at those vermilion lips, her eyes darkening slightly, and an unmistakable desire appeared on her face.

Jing Huan’s entire body seemed to be trembling, itching to move, but she heard that person’s indifferent rejection in her ears, “You see, even at such a close distance, is there any affection for you in my eyes? Whether you are a man or a woman makes no difference to me. I don’t like you regardless of gender. Don’t pester me in the future!”

Pei Yuanshao, floating in mid-air, was stunned. He had seen many women being promiscuous and saying one thing while meaning another.

But this was the first time he saw a woman reject someone in such a strange manner, her tone as flat as if she were discussing today’s weather with someone.

Pei Yuanshao wanted to see Jing Huan’s expression at this moment, but he found his soul gradually becoming transparent.

With his last glance before disappearing, he firmly remembered the face of the woman in the center of the Qianqing Palace. Even he couldn’t help but want to ask, “Then what kind of person do you like?”