The document is clear to the world

Chapter 116

He froze, motionless.

"You think you can just walk away and get away with it?! Not so easy. I still remember everything you owe me, and don't think you can just wipe the slate clean. If you dare to leave, I'll never forgive you for the rest of my life, and I'll throw all your babies into the Yangtze River to feed the fish!"

A warm, strong hand reached out and gently stroked the stray hairs at my temples. "The most poisonous heart is that of a woman..."

“I absolutely, absolutely do not want to be an empress dowager… How can someone in their twenties become an old empress dowager…” I stared at him.

He chuckled and shook his head. "You could just say you can't stand the loneliness of being in your boudoir."

"Yes, dying for one's principles is easy, but staying true to them is hard. You'd better live a long life... or I'll take care of your harem." In a fit of pique, I turned my back to him.

"You're saying such unreliable things again..." He chuckled softly, then fell silent.

He wrapped his arms around me from behind, lifted my hand, and gently placed it to his lips, making me feel incredibly warm.

I spent the night in silence, without a sleep.

He woke up early and quietly got out of bed; I knew he didn't want to wake me. I slowly sat up, smoothed out the wrinkles on his dragon robe, and said softly, "Once the war ends, shall we abdicate and retire to Huainan?"

He paused, looked down at me, and I knew he wanted to say yes, but he just couldn't bring himself to say it at that moment.

I smiled, tiptoed, and without giving him a chance to object, used my cold lips to feel the temperature between his lips. I wrapped my arms around his neck and used the tip of my tongue to pry open his stiff lips little by little, greedily sucking in his taste.

"We're going to be late—" he said, biting my lip and mumbling the three words.

The arms wrapped around his neck tightened their embrace. Still no response? Was it so hard to promise me you wouldn't charge headlong into battle and to cherish yourself? Then I wouldn't let you go. I kissed him even more fiercely. He froze, his face flushing redder, his cool lips gradually turning fiery. In an instant, the world vanished, leaving only him and me, only our real existence. We already had so much; let's not covet any more…

Finally, she released his flushed face and gently took his hand, saying, "Sir—consider it all for me and the child."

He frowned habitually, then slowly relaxed, and smiled faintly, "If I say no again, will you make me miss the morning court session?"

Watching him leave, I couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief... This was the first time I'd beaten him...

I smiled softly... there was sweetness... and bitterness.

Chapter 1: Death for the Country

On the first day of the seventh month of the first year of Youyuan, Lu Li returned from outside, travel-worn. We sat together at the table, chatting and laughing as we ate, but there was a strange heaviness in both of our eyes.

"Is the army all set up?" I asked softly.

He nodded.

"After this is over, come back to Qianfu with me. I want to see the place where we got married." Heaven knows how much I want to leave this suffocating place.

"Okay." He smiled slightly. "I promise you. But..."

I was taken aback. He frowned. "You'll have to wait until I get back..."

Are you leaving already?

"There are still a few days left." I stared at him intently and sighed softly. "This time, I won't stop you."

“Zhao”.

"But—you must remember. You must come back."

He gripped my hand tightly. "I remember, I remember everything."

This time, I didn't shed a tear.

Five days later, our army marched out to meet him in battle. I stood on the city wall watching his departing figure.

Every step he took was etched into my heart. Every glance he gave me as he looked back—I cherished them all, as if it were the last.

Every day I stand atop the city wall, gazing at the distant horizon where the sunset glows. Every night I listen to the howling of the north wind.

I mistook the sunset glow for battle, and the howling wind for the neighing of warhorses. I waited ten days, twenty days, forty days, sixty days, one hundred days…

His army has finally returned...

I walked to the foot of the city wall and watched the ranks of soldiers marching... The autumn wind was so nice, it even made me feel a little tired. I asked the general who was talking behind me, "What day is it today?"

"Your Majesty, it's October 11th."

"October 11th," I said, glancing up at the sky again. My vision blurred; I was so sleepy I couldn't resist the drowsiness. "Go and summon Prince Duan to preside over the cabinet."

When he woke up, Lu Xiu was sitting on the edge of the bed.

I forced myself to sit up. His eyes were still red and swollen, and I gently rubbed them with my hands, feeling sorry for him.

"You look terrible when you cry." I sighed softly. "You're not even Lu Xiu anymore."

"Seventh Sister-in-law—" he called out once before tears streamed down his face again.

I moistened my chapped lips. "Quick, wipe your face. If your seventh brother sees you when we get back, he'll blame me for bullying you again."

"What's wrong with you?" He helped me up, his eyes filled with shock and grief.

I got up and walked out with difficulty, with Xiaoyu following behind.

"He's coming back. He's been out there braving the elements, and his stomach isn't good to begin with. I'll go get him a bowl of porridge." I muttered to myself as I walked to the entrance of the main hall. Suddenly, I turned back to look at Xiaoyu. "What are you doing following me? Go ask your seventh brother if he wants it sweet or savory. I completely forgot, he doesn't like strong flavors, so something light is probably better."

"Seventh Sister-in-law, what's wrong? Didn't you call me here? Have you forgotten? You personally went to the city wall to bring him back, have you forgotten? It's been three days..." Lu Xiu's face was covered in tears, his voice filled with anguish. His voice pierced my eardrums and echoed in my mind. I had never seen Lu Xiu cry before, but now he was crying like a child in front of me, so much so that I could no longer take his words lightly.

I turned around, stunned, and the pitch-black color of the coffin in the center of the main hall stared directly at my eyes. I started to feel confused again, so confused that I couldn't pinpoint where the pain was, as if every part of my body was in pain. The pain from my head hitting the coffin lid felt so real, along with every ache that throbbed throughout my body. Lu Xiu walked over in a few steps and forcefully turned my shoulder; he was no longer a clear figure in my eyes.

"Seventh Sister-in-law—" he called out, but the pain prevented him from making any more noise. "You were already very grateful that you were able to bring him back from the city wall. Don't make him sad like this anymore."

“Lu Xiu—” I said hoarsely, “Please tell him to come back, please tell him not to rush off so soon.”

The fallen leaves in the Prince Ning's former residence had piled up quite thickly. They were swept up in the morning, but another layer fell by noon.

"Go and scoop up all the fallen leaves from the pond," I instructed my servant.

"Your Majesty, these past few days, along with the gifts from envoys from various countries and foreign lands... I have already recorded them in this ledger as you instructed." The Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue said cautiously, afraid of saying a single wrong word and upsetting me.

"You need to keep detailed records in this ledger. You'll have to return each ledger one by one in the future. You can't let this favor go unreturned." I nodded gently, took the ledger, and looked through it carefully.

"Your Highness, Prince Mu and several other envoys are already waiting outside the mansion."

"Let him go back, or keep waiting." I waved for them all to leave.

I stayed in the former emperor's former residence for several days. This huge former emperor's former residence was surprisingly secluded. I was all alone.

"I really don't know what kind of heart you have." I felt something tap me from behind, and I turned around blankly to see Lu Xiu smiling. I looked at him for a long time before managing a smile, then glanced at the kneeling figure outside the mansion. "You, like him, have come to persuade me to retire to the countryside?"

Lu Xiu chuckled softly, "If you're happy, I'll go with you."

"Together?" I asked with a smile. "Are you willing to give that up? Now that a new emperor is being chosen, your voice is the most popular, even surpassing that of the Fourth and Fifth Princes. It's clear you're a very influential figure now. You've waited so long to finally gain attention; wouldn't it be a pity to give it up like this?"

Lu Xiu looked at me without saying a word, and I knew I had struck a chord with him.

My smile faded, and my voice became a little hoarse, "Would you... sit in that seat?"

Lu Xiu gently squeezed the celadon wine cup beside him. "His name is not legitimate, and his son is still alive. What right do I have?"

I smiled slightly and shook my head. “Whether it’s legitimate or usurpation, none of that matters. What matters is what you leave behind, what you do for the people and the country… Even if you kill your own brother and seize power, it’s against all reason. As long as you care about the country and the people, you will be a wise ruler and your name will be remembered in history. As for your ambition to usurp the throne… that’s for future generations to judge.”

Lu Xiu's hand holding the wine glass trembled, spilling wine onto the ground.

“You two are the most inexplicable people in the world.” Lu Xiu suddenly stood up. “One of you advised me to fight for the throne before the expedition, and the other said that I should usurp the throne. Heaven knows what you two are up to.”

I just smiled and said casually, "The Emperor Emeritus means to wait for Yao Shuhuan's child to be born?! He is determined to establish that bastard as emperor. So no matter how much you fight, you can't beat the Emperor's father, the fourth brother."

Lu Xiu swirled his wine glass, seemingly lost in thought. "Everyone says fathers are biased, but when did such an easy deal fall into my lap?"

I turned around and stared at him intently. “If you were to make my son your heir, the situation would be different. It is only natural for a regent to assist a young ruler.”

Lu Xiu narrowed his eyes at me and said, "She's quite the shrewd woman."

I didn't look at him, but at the main path of the courtyard, muttering to myself again, "When he married me, he came this way. He led me in, but couldn't lead me out. He devoted himself to the people of the world, so I knew he would ultimately betray me for the sake of the world. What he wanted to protect, he couldn't do."

He left it to me; perhaps retiring to seclusion was the best way he could think of for me. But where else could he go? Where wasn't his domain?!

I turned around and glanced at Lu Xiu. "From the day the news of Lu Li's death came... I knew this day would come."

He shook his head slightly. "He chose the path for you, but you refuse to follow it. With Seventh Brother gone, no one can protect you, and no one will protect a woman. Do you really think you can fight against the Emperor and his men?!"

"They're too arrogant, pinning their hopes on a bastard child who's been deceiving the world." I chuckled. "It hasn't been born yet, has it?"

Lu Xiu's eyes were icy cold. "What do you mean?"

I took a deep breath. "It has to be a daughter! Even if it isn't, it has to be a daughter!"

His gaze paused, "Zhao—"

"You guessed right... I can't lose. You're my last gamble. Only with you can I turn the tide, do you understand? Even if this position of Empress Dowager is obtained through illegitimate means, and even if I'm criticized by future generations for winning unfairly, I must do it. I must put Jinghan on the throne as Crown Prince. You can think of me as ruthless and scheming. But you... you must help me!"

I want to protect everything behind him. I want the world to remain as it was during the Deyou era. Do you understand? Even if the rest of the world doesn't understand, you must!

Emperor Dezong led his army to fight against the Liao Dynasty. In the battle outside Youzhou, both sides were defeated, and corpses littered the land for miles. Both emperors personally led their armies into battle and perished in the war. Emperor Dezong died on the 25th day of the sixth month of the first year of the Deyou era…

It had just rained, and a chill hung over the Chaoyang Hall square. I crossed the square and headed towards the Fengxian Hall. Turning past the huge, heavy funeral banners, a tall, dark coffin came into view. Hundreds of eternal lamps emitted a tranquil glow, and the chanting of thousands of monks circumambulating the prayer wheels drowned out the howling wind outside. He probably found it noisy.

The hall was quiet. I turned the coffin around, placing one hand on the lid. I knew he wasn't inside; only a mound of clothes lay silently within. After the yellow sand buried him, they couldn't even find his body. He certainly didn't want to come back here. Where did he go? The small palace in Huainan or somewhere else? He had promised to retreat together to this place, yet he left without a word?

Hearing footsteps approaching, I quickly turned around and saw a figure gradually entering the hall. He was carrying a wine pot and two cups. He was disheveled, as if he had come from a long journey. I smiled silently. I had no regrets about having such a close friend as Lu Li.

He hadn't expected me to show up, and the surprise in his eyes was barely concealed. Did he think I was just a woman who cried her heart out and fainted repeatedly?

He wiped away his tears with some embarrassment, feeling rather awkward. The woman hadn't even cried yet, and he, a grown man, was already shedding tears. He, Hudutai, was truly a man of genuine feelings!

"You've come to see him too," I said, not really listening to his reply, as if I were speaking only to the coffin.

"Let me take a look," he said, taking a swig of wine. He strode over, slammed his hand heavily on the coffin, and suddenly laughed, "This paulownia wood is truly solid."

"If you're happy, I'll get you one too?!" I just smiled, not looking at him. The seemingly playful yet ultimately unfunny exchange between us was truly boring.

"That's great! How about you carry the coffin and come back to Great Meng with me?"

Of course I knew he was joking with me, so I laughed and replied, "I think it's fine, anyway, nobody cares whether I stay or leave."

He rolled his eyes at me and said, "What a heartless woman you are. So many people are saying behind your back that you haven't shed a single tear yet."

"I told you, I'm afraid I'm not the kind of woman who can remain a widow or maintain a virtuous image," I joked to myself. Sometimes, when tears fall, it really means you've admitted it…

He stared at me for a moment, seemingly thinking for a long time, before finally admitting, "Although I like you, when Yingge raised his hand, I didn't dare to step forward to protect you. I could only worry in my heart. But he... was able to step forward to save you."

"He had used his injury as a cover-up from the beginning; he knew he would be fine."

Hudutai smiled, "You fool, you believe everything he says? He was indeed injured before... but he was afraid you would worry, or rather... he was afraid you would see how good he was to you."

I shook my head. What's the point of saying all this now? "Why did you suddenly decide to bring this up?"

"It just suddenly occurred to me." Hudutai said, shaking his head. "A king would risk his life for a woman, entrusting the country with such a heavy responsibility. I don't know whether I should look down on him or admire him."

I let out a slow breath. "Just don't be like him."