Time Travel: He is My Dad!

Rifts and Rebirth

Princess Shen stood in the Grand Empress Dowager's palace, her gaze cold as she slowly surveyed her surroundings. The palace's furnishings remained magnificent, but now it lacked the splendor it once possessed. The Grand Empress Dowager had once believed herself the ruler of the court, but Princess Shen had completely dethroned her, firmly seizing control of the entire palace.

The Grand Empress Dowager was under strict guard, her hands bound in chains. Her gaze was cold, a hint of disdain on her lips. "Princess Shen, do you think you can remain at the pinnacle of power forever? I've only been temporarily defeated by you. When I'm free, I'll make you suffer." She sneered, her voice thick with threats.

Princess Shen raised an eyebrow and slowly approached her. She was tall, her face cold and stern, and every step she took seemed to tread on the power and hatred of the past. She stared into the Grand Empress Dowager's eyes and whispered, "You have no chance, Grand Empress Dowager. I've seen through all your tricks. Do you think you can still turn the tables?"

The Empress Dowager's eyes grew colder as she stared at Princess Shen fiercely: "You're right, I may not have a chance. But what about Zhao Hao? Do you think he will just sit back and do nothing?"

Princess Shen's face darkened, and a hint of sneer appeared at the corner of her mouth: "Zhao Hao? He is just a tool, just like you. I will get rid of him in the end."

A flicker of surprise flashed across the Empress Dowager's eyes, but she quickly regained her composure. "You are indeed very clever and ambitious. You were able to push me down, and you were able to collude with external forces to control the entire palace, but you always forgot one thing—Zhao Hao is the Emperor, the Son of Heaven. He will always be the ruler of this palace."

A hint of indifference flashed across Princess Shen's eyes. She leaned slightly closer to the Grand Empress Dowager and said, "You are wrong. Zhao Hao is just a chess piece in my hand. Compared to him, you have already lost all your bargaining chips. You are just a piece in a dead end, and I am the true winner of this game."

The Grand Empress Dowager was speechless for a moment. She lowered her head, as if she had lost all her strength. She had once been the most powerful woman in the palace, but now her power had dissipated like ash. Princess Shen's smile deepened, and the coldness in her eyes was chilling.

"You win." The Empress Dowager finally spoke in a low voice, "But you will never be able to control Zhao Hao's heart. He is still the king of this empire. And you are ultimately a woman being used by others, a pawn of others."

Princess Shen's expression became even colder, and the anger in her eyes instantly erupted: "You will never understand me." She turned around and waved her hand gently, "Take her away."

The Grand Empress Dowager was escorted away by the Imperial Guards, leaving the room in a state of profound silence. Princess Shen stood within the palace, her emotions mixed. Her plan was nearly complete, and the Grand Empress Dowager and Zhao Hao's faction had all but collapsed. Yet, she couldn't conceal a lingering unease.

She knew that even though she had control of the palace, this didn't mean she was safe. The struggle for power within the palace was far from over, and Zhao Hao remained a formidable foe she must face. More importantly, there was a lingering void in her heart—could she truly, as she had claimed, completely break free of Zhao Hao and become the true ruler?

……

"Princess, the Grand Empress Dowager has been placed under house arrest in the Cold Palace." Cheng Jiahong walked in and reported in a low voice, "Zhao Hao's reaction was extremely intense. He is anxiously mobilizing troops and preparing for a counterattack."

Princess Shen nodded slightly, her expression remaining calm. "He will fight back, but that doesn't mean he will succeed. Zhao Hao has completely lost the ability to control power."

Princess Shen's eyes flashed with a sharp light. She looked at Cheng Jiahong quietly: "Do you think I will give him a chance to fight back? If he dares to make a move, he will definitely fall into my trap."

Cheng Jiahong looked at Princess Shen with a mixture of admiration and doubt. He knew that the princess was always resourceful, but behind all this, was she really as capable of single-handedly controlling the situation as she claimed?

Princess Shen walked to the window and gazed at the scenery outside the palace. Outside, sunlight streamed down the landscape, like a brewing storm. She took a deep breath and whispered to herself, "No matter what, I have no way out. Zhao Hao, the Grand Empress Dowager, will both be a thing of the past."

She turned around, her tone becoming more determined: "Get ready. Tonight, we will completely deal with Zhao Hao."

Cheng Jiahong's expression froze, and he immediately accepted the order: "Yes, Princess."

……

That night, the situation in the palace suddenly changed. Zhao Hao had already begun mobilizing his trusted forces to launch a final counterattack against Princess Shen. He knew he was cornered, but he also knew that only by holding on to this last line of defense could he have a glimmer of hope.

"Zhao Hao, tonight is your death," Princess Shen said calmly in her study within the palace. She had already deployed her final line of defense, secretly dispatching all available forces, ready to completely destroy all hope of Zhao Hao's counterattack the moment he launched.

Just as Zhao Hao summoned his confidants to plot a counterattack, Princess Shen had already lurked in the dark corners of the palace and began her plan. This time, she would not give Zhao Hao any chance to turn the tables.

……

Late at night, the atmosphere in the palace grew increasingly tense. Princess Shen's trusted associates had already quietly occupied key positions within the palace, while Zhao Hao's trusted associates remained trapped in an encirclement unknown to them. Princess Shen stood in her palace, her gaze as cold as water, her heart already resolved.

"Let's start," she whispered.

Following her command, traps throughout the palace were set in motion, and one by one, Zhao Hao's closest associates fell into Princess Shen's carefully laid net. Whether it was Zhao Hao's most trusted ministers or the rebellious forces hidden in the palace, they were all wiped out in an instant.

Zhao Hao realized the situation was irreversible, but it was too late. All his close associates had been captured, and he himself had already lost his escape route.

"Princess Shen, you win." Zhao Hao's face was pale. He stood in the center of the palace, his voice low and desperate.

Princess Shen stared at him coldly, approaching step by step: "Yes, I won. And you will be forgotten forever in the corner of this palace."

Zhao Hao didn't respond, but lowered his head, as if he knew he was powerless to change the situation. Princess Shen stopped in front of him and whispered, "This is what you deserve."

……

This game of thrones finally came to a close. Princess Shen had not only destroyed the factions of Zhao Hao and the Grand Empress Dowager, but had also successfully propelled herself to the pinnacle of the palace. Standing atop this pinnacle of power, she gazed down upon all former enemies and allies alike, a glint in her eyes that could not be ignored.

But she understood that this wasn't the end, but a new beginning. The court was constantly changing, and the struggle for power would never cease. Princess Shen lowered her head, closed her eyes, and felt the power that controlled everything. She knew that this struggle was far from over, and that she would always be the master of this palace.

"Everything starts from now on." She said softly, her eyes full of determination and coldness.

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Chapter 32: Undying Flame