Help! The cunning and treacherous minister and I were reborn together!

Shengjing, the Imperial Clan Court.

Aside from being a bit dirty, the prison cells here are no different from ordinary people's houses.

Zhao Xuanguang nestled on the bed, which consisted of only wooden planks, listening to the swallows chirping under the eaves.

She was imprisoned here for three years, more than a thousand days and nights, enough to smooth out her rough edges. But she knew that the spirit of the Zhao family could not be worn away; she had only become numb, but deep down she was still unwilling to admit defeat.

As long as Xin'er is here, the Zhao family will remain.

For the sake of the Zhao family's future, no matter how humble she had to be, she had to live on.

squeak-

The door was pushed open from the outside in.

The steward walked in, condescended to look her up and down, and said with a mixture of doubt and annoyance, "Help her get ready; His Majesty wants to see her."

Zhao Xuanguang had seen this kind of scene before.

When the late emperor betrothed Yuan Ying to Prince Su Tuo, it followed the same procedure.

Is Li Huai going to send her to a marriage alliance?

she thinks.

However, when she put on her fine clothes and stepped into the side room of the Imperial Clan Court, she found that things were not as she had imagined.

Three years have passed, and Li Huai has become even more dashing and taller, now a head taller than her.

Like a man.

Especially when he looks at her.

That look wasn't the look a disciple gives to his master, nor the look a younger brother gives to his older sister; it was the naked, possessive gaze of a man towards a woman.

She looked away, feigning composure, and asked, "Why are you here?"

“The mourning period is over,” Li Huai said to himself.

Three years ago, after being injured, Prince Kang unfortunately suffered a relapse of his old illness. Just one month after the late emperor was buried, he also passed away.

Li Huai was in mourning for two periods, and his first decree after ascending the throne was to prohibit entertainment, banquets, and weddings for a year.

This decree was for the common people, and he set a three-year mourning period for himself.

Despite the ministers' help in arranging a selection of concubines, he never summoned any of them. Now, three years later, the extinguished embers suddenly burst into flames, as if doused with volatile oil, crackling and scorching his very soul.

He was desperate to see her; the urge was unquenchable. So he came and said some inexplicable things.

Zhao Xuanguang frowned. "You want to see if I've remained faithful to your father? Although I bear the title of Princess Consort of Kang, I've never married him. Those dog rules of the Three Obediences and Four Virtues..."

She kept talking, and Li Huai couldn't hear what she was saying at all. Following his instincts, he hugged her tightly and rubbed his chin against the top of her head.

"Sister, I miss you so much."

He spoke in a hoarse, pained voice.

"Li Huai, what's wrong with you?" Zhao Xuanguang shoved him away abruptly. "I am your mother!"

Li Huai smirked, his starry eyes fixed intently on him. "You said it yourself, only in name. Without the formal marriage vows and rituals, without bowing to heaven and earth, what kind of husband and wife are we?"

The sheer depravity nearly drove Zhao Xuanguang mad. She was like the blazing summer sun, like the howling wind on the battlefield; even in defeat, she could not bear such humiliation.

"Get out! Get out of here!"

*

One harsh rebuke failed to make Li Huai repent; instead, he came more and more frequently.

Each time, Zhao Xuanguang was like a puppet, dressed up in finery by the nannies of the Imperial Clan Court, meeting them, arguing loudly, and parting on bad terms.

The people below were all shrewd; as time went on, they noticed something amiss and treated Zhao Xuanguang much better. They not only prepared sumptuous meals for her but also changed her bedroom to a clean and cozy one.

The palace maids and eunuchs thought she was about to enter the palace as an empress, so they fawned over her.

However, Zhao Xuanguang knew that the entire court would not allow the Zhao family to rise again, and Li Huai would not let her out, but this did not prevent her from getting information from them.

She heard them say that Li Huai's empress's surname was Sun, and her father was originally the Vice Minister of Revenue, but was later promoted to Minister of Revenue by His Majesty. Both the Sun father and daughter were kind and generous people, and if she entered the palace in the future, she could seek the empress's protection.

They also said that the Empress Dowager was seriously ill and could not even leave the palace. Fortunately, His Majesty disregarded past grievances and visited her twice a day, personally tasting her medicine. He was even more filial than Prince Jin's own grandson.

Sometimes, they would also chat about the everyday matters of life in Shengjing City.

For example, the only daughter of the Chu family, who was showered with love and affection, hid all the way to the border to avoid entering the palace. Her family had just caught her and brought her back when she ran away again. For example, the charming Pingyi County generals Yan and Feng both took him as their guest ministers, and the Censorate impeached them thirteen times. There was also the princess of Piya Kingdom who fell into the water while watching the lanterns and was rescued by Chen Qing, the sworn brother of Lord Xiao, which became a beautiful story.

As the days went by, ignoring the troubles Li Huai caused her, she actually found life quite enjoyable.

Her peaceful life came to an abrupt end when she saw Prime Minister An at the Imperial Clan Court.

"The eldest grandson of the emperor has passed away."

He finished speaking lightly, his expression cold, as if it were just the death of a cat or dog.

"You did it!"

Zhao Xuanguang was resolute, and his eyes quickly welled up with tears of regret and resentment.

The man stroked his gray beard and answered irrelevantly: "You shouldn't have any connection with the Emperor. He wants to be a wise and benevolent ruler, and you will only become a stain on his reputation."

She sneered, "Sounds grand, but do you even believe it yourself? Let me guess, is it because that good-for-nothing Prince Yong is about to die, and Consort An can't wait to take revenge?"

Prime Minister An frowned, "Witch, don't judge a gentleman by your own petty standards!"

"Afraid of implicating your family?" Zhao Xuanguang's eyes turned sinister. "Don't worry, I'll make them all go down and join you!"

*

After that day, she longed for Li Huai to come every day, but he seemed to have truly become a diligent and capable emperor, and never set foot here again.

After enduring several months of torment, I saw Li Huai again on the Mid-Autumn Festival.

He had just finished a banquet for his ministers, and reeking of alcohol, he slumped against the carriage wall, grabbing her sleeve to cover his face.

"Sister, you look better in armor."

"Then let me go back to Xunyong Pass."

“No!” he uttered decisively, then a sob escaped his throat as he repeated, brokenly and slowly, “No.”

Zhao Xuanguang gave a self-deprecating smile. "What exactly do you want? Li Huai, I am not your concubine, but your enemy. Whether you live or die, please give me a quick death!"

Li Huai suddenly sat up, grabbed the piece of cloth, and pulled the person in front of him.

“I know you gave the order to kill me; you don’t need to keep reminding me.”

Zhao Xuanguang wanted to say something, but his hand blocked her mouth. The young man's handsome face gradually magnified, and she suddenly felt her heart race, forgetting even to breathe.

Li Huai was satisfied with her reaction and smiled: "Let's go see the lanterns."

That day, they held hands and weaved through the crowded streets, stopping at each stall to guess riddles, eat mooncakes, and drink osmanthus wine, playing until the wee hours of the morning.

The wheels rolled over the bluestone road, and the moon set behind the western mountains.

The alluring fragrance of flowers filled the small space, warm breaths mingled, and before anyone knew who kissed whom first, the moment their lips touched, nothing could stop them.

At that moment, they forgot their past, forgot their different identities, and forgot their love and hate. They were just a pair of lovelorn lovers who were not tolerated by the world, venting all the longing and unease in their hearts.

As dawn broke in the east, Zhao Xuanguang pulled up his collar to conceal his cleavage.

"You should return to the palace."

Li Huai lay behind her, his hand reaching out to her waist, but upon hearing this, it fell limply to his side.

"Ah."

Dressed neatly, Zhao Xuanguang lifted the curtain and got out of the carriage, heading towards the dark and gloomy prison.

Looking back.

The carriage rumbled towards the imperial city, the place that person was going to be the Golden Palace, shrouded in purple mist and adorned with carved railings and jade steps.

They ultimately went their separate ways.

*

A month later, Zhao Xuanguang discovered she was pregnant. She told the person in charge frankly, without the slightest shame on her face.

Li Huai arrived weary from his journey, a smile still on his face as he pushed open the door. But that smile vanished abruptly when he saw the blood-soaked dress.

Upon seeing this, the official left with the words, "I will go and fetch the imperial physician," and fled the scene.

Li Huai rushed over, angrily and confusedly demanding, "Why?"

Zhao Xuanguang leaned against the wall, his eyes lifeless. "You killed Xin'er, extinguishing my last hope, and now you ask me why?"

Li Huai's body stiffened. "You knew?"

He said, then shook his head, "I didn't kill him."

Zhao Xuanguang chuckled softly, accidentally aggravating his wound, causing his handsome eyebrows to furrow instantly.

"Yes! You are the emperor, why would you do it yourself? If you wanted to, countless people would fight tooth and nail to help you. Prime Minister An's knife... it's truly excellent!"

She coughed and looked up at him. "But how long can you keep this from me? A year, two years, no matter how many years, I will settle this score with you!"

Li Huai gritted his teeth, "You killed our child to get revenge on me!"

Zhao Xuanguang raised his wrist, and in his palm was a wooden stick that had been broken off from the window frame, covered with sharp wooden spikes at both ends, which were both sharp and pricking.

A tiger fallen into the plains, wanting to commit suicide, but unable to find a suitable weapon, he could only make do with whatever was available.

“I should have used it to kill you, but the Great Prayer cannot be without a master for even a day, so I can only… seek revenge on your child.”

"That's your child too!" Li Huai roared, "How could you bear to stop it from being born!"

Zhao Xuanguang's eyes were practically spitting fire. "If I were to bring it into this world and confine it to a cage for the rest of its life, to be watched and feared by the Emperor and his ministers? I would rather end it with my own hands!"

Seeing that there was more and more blood on the ground, Li Huai regained some composure, took a few deep breaths, and reassured her, "Don't get agitated, the imperial physician will be here soon, just hang in there."

"You can't save me."

Zhao Xuanguang stared at him, and she had to admit that seeing him in such pain brought her immense pleasure.

"Li Huai, after I die, the entire An family must be buried with me!"

After saying that, she raised the wooden stick and plunged it straight into her throat.

"No!"

Li Huai tried to stop it, but it was too late. Hot blood splattered on his pale face, and tears mixed with blood rolled down his cheeks, splashing onto his moon-colored dress and blooming into blood flowers.

The person in his arms was still warm. He cupped her face and wiped away the blood from her mouth again and again.

"Sister, did you ever love me?"

Zhao Xuanguang smiled through his tears, only able to utter breathy sounds.

"I... hate you."

postscript.

Prime Minister An petitioned to retire, which His Majesty granted, bestowing upon him a sum of gold, silver, and cloth. He was to return home in glory, but instead, he was robbed on the road, losing both his life and all his wealth—a truly tragic end.

In the fifth year of Jian'an, the twenty-year-old emperor welcomed his first child, who was also his first legitimate son.

The emperor cherished him greatly and bestowed upon him the name Xuanhui, hoping that he would shine like the blazing sun, his virtue illuminating the world and lasting for ten thousand generations.

Li Xuanhui entered the Eastern Palace at the age of three. The emperor promoted Xiao Zong, the commander of the Leopard Guard, to be the Crown Prince's tutor, instructing him in martial arts and military affairs. Several years later, having mastered his skills, he joined the army to conquer the Nine Swans, beheading the Khan's three sons and driving the enemy back three hundred li, achieving a great victory!

He was known as the "General Who Bound His Hair" by his contemporaries, meaning a general who was of marriageable age.

From then on, Daqi enjoyed peace and prosperity, with no more turmoil for a century.