After the arranged marriage, I pampered the sickly regent.

"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager may not have much time left."

Lu Yin was soon summoned to the palace to treat the Empress Dowager together with the imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Academy.

"What?" the emperor exclaimed in shock.

"She's perfectly fine, how could she say she doesn't have much time left! Valley Master Lu, no matter what, you must find a way to cure the Empress Dowager."

Lu Yin said helplessly, "Your Majesty, look at the black lines on the Empress Dowager's hand. I once read in an ancient book that this is a sign of backlash."

"It's not something that medical skills can do..."

"Valley Master Lu, why are you bringing up witchcraft? The Empress Dowager will surely recover."

The head of the Imperial Medical Academy glanced at the emperor's expression and said to Lu Yin, fearing that the emperor might punish everyone in the Imperial Medical Academy if they were not careful.

The emperor did not speak; he sighed, his whole demeanor showing utter helplessness.

If it were before, if anyone dared to say anything about backlash in front of him, he would have had them dragged out and beheaded.

But now, after what happened in the tunnel, he has no choice but to believe many things.

Ultimately, it all comes down to what happened back then...

The emperor raised his hand and said to everyone present, "Except for Valley Master Lu, all of you may leave."

"Yes."

Those present all left.

"Valley Master Lu, how much longer does the Empress Dowager have?"

"No more than a month."

"However, if the Princess were here, there might be a glimmer of hope for this backlash."

Since that night, Ye Qingwu and the Imperial Preceptor have disappeared together, and even after searching the entire ruins, they could not find any trace of them.

In these matters, most people assume that the regent's wife has perished along with the imperial advisor.

"Where is the Regent? Has he woken up?"

The emperor spoke calmly, but there was a hint of helplessness in his voice.

"Not yet."

"He entrusted his affairs to Valley Master Lu, and made sure that the Regent was safe and sound."

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty, treating the sick and saving lives is simply our duty."

"You may also step down."

After Lu Yin left, the emperor came to the Empress Dowager's bedside. Looking at the pale-faced person lying on the bed, he felt an indescribable grief.

Why do you do this, Mother?

Since it's a backlash, can it be resolved simply by returning what didn't originally belong to us?

If that's the case, then I... am willing.

The Duke's Mansion.

After that night, Ye Qingzhu was taken back to the Duke's mansion.

But her appearance changed in a short period of time; her black hair turned white overnight, and she looked as if she had aged twenty or thirty years.

When Ye Qingzhu saw herself in the mirror, she screamed in fright.

"No! This isn't me!"

"How did I become like this?"

The maid was so frightened by Ye Qingzhu's appearance that no one dared to approach her anymore.

When Madam Su entered, she saw this scene and was heartbroken. "Qingzhu, my good daughter, how could you have become like this?"

"Mother, you must think of a way to save me, I don't want to die."

Ye Qingzhu saw Su Shi as if she had seen a lifeline; the black thread in her hand had already spread to her arm and was about to reach her heart.

The day I met that man, he told me that if the black line reached her heart, it would be her death.

"It must be Ye Qingwu! Mother, let's go find Ye Qingwu. She used her magic to make me like this!" Ye Qingzhu said and tried to get up, but the next second her whole body felt as if all her strength had been drained, and her bones made a crisp cracking sound.

Ye Qingzhu's face was covered with wrinkles, making her look like an eighty-year-old woman.

Su's eyes widened, but she was far less shocked by what she had witnessed in person.

"Qingzhu, you..."

Ye Qingzhu looked up and saw herself clearly in Su's eyes.

She! How could she have become like this?

"Mother..." Ye Qingzhu was in excruciating pain. With the slightest movement, several bones broke. Tears streamed down her face, and her voice was extremely hoarse.

"Mother, save me! Go find Ye Qingwu or the Imperial Advisor, they will definitely have a solution."

"Qingzhu, Ye Qingwu, and the Imperial Preceptor are all dead."

"What."

Ye Qingzhu was shocked. Ye Qingwu was dead. She should be happy. Finally, no one could oppose her.

But why is the Imperial Advisor? He is the same person who gave him a second chance at life, and like him, he has remembered the events of his previous life.

How could someone as powerful as him possibly perish together with Ye Qingwu?

No! Things shouldn't be like this.

Ye Qingzhu is now confined to bed, and even doctors cannot diagnose any problems with her.

She was in excruciating pain, yet she remained conscious.

At that moment, she desperately wished someone would just end her life.

After learning about Ye Qingzhu's situation, Ye Xuan also had this thought: he didn't want to see Ye Qingzhu suffer like this anymore. But every time he tried to kill her, a force would appear.

It was as if this force was deliberately tormenting Ye Qingzhu, making him wish he were dead.

When everyone thought about all this, the word "retribution" suddenly came to mind.

After learning what had happened, Ye Yuanli rushed back, but he felt mostly helpless about it.

Her only younger sister was gone. Although Ye Qingzhu's actions were hateful, seeing her lying in bed, her hair all white and her appearance rapidly aging, she also felt sorry for her.

This may be the greatest punishment for her.

After the investigation, the Emperor punished everyone in the court who was involved in the events of that year and those related to the Imperial Preceptor.

This also includes the Duke's Mansion.

Ye Xuan was also found to have colluded with officials and abused his power for personal gain, in addition to the things Ye Qingzhu had done.

The Emperor ordered his exile, and all of the Duke's mansion was confiscated. Ye Yuanfeng was also punished for multiple crimes. Only Ye Yuanli was spared because he had made military achievements and had been staying in the military camp all these years. He was unaware of what had happened in the Duke's mansion.

On the day of his exile, Ye Yuanfeng came to the Regent's Palace. Looking in the direction of the palace, he thought of the past, and tears finally streamed down his face.

"Big brother, I'm sorry to my sister."

In truth, Ye Yuanfeng knew that Ye Qingwu was innocent, but at the time, no one cared about Ye Qingwu, including his father.

He further transformed his longing for his mother into hatred for Ye Qingwu, believing that Ye Qingwu was responsible for everything.

When he was little, he clearly saw someone bullying Ye Qingwu. At the time, he just thought that as long as Ye Qingwu came up to him for help, he would help her.

But Ye Qingwu refused to speak, her eyes filled with stubbornness, unlike Ye Qingzhu...

Ye Yuanfeng raised his hand and slapped himself hard across the face. He was filled with remorse for what he had done, but what good were words now? Even if he regretted it, his sister was already...

"The time has come; it's time to set off."

"Big brother, I believe my sister is no ordinary person. If she is still alive, could you please say sorry to her for me?"

"It's all his fault..."