Time travel, quick transmigration

"Your Majesty, you need not beg anyone for me. I am not afraid of death. I am guilty, for my will was not firm. Although I have repeatedly advised Your Majesty, I also wanted to grant Your Majesty's wish. So I was always torn. I did not try my best to persuade Your Majesty not to do those things that harm others and yourself, and I also hoped that Your Majesty might really get what you wanted. I am not a kind person, but a hypocrite. I have failed in my conscience and even more so Your Majesty."

As she spoke, she laughed through her tears.

Upon hearing this, Lady Liu felt even more heartbroken and distressed.

"No, what wrong have you done? It's all my own fault, and it has nothing to do with you. I don't know when I changed. Back when we were at home, you were the one I loved the most. You took care of me, comforted me, and kept me company like an older sister. But later, I was blinded by power and the emperor's favor in the palace, and I lost my simple heart. I also listened to others' instigation and gradually distanced myself from you. I never thought that in the end, only you would not leave me and would be willing to die with me."

Liu's heartfelt words made Yunxiang's tears fall even more fiercely.

"Where is the sinner, Lady Liu? Come out and receive the imperial decree!"

A loud, rough sound rang out, startling the two people who were immersed in grief.

"Yunxiang, I'm so scared!"

Liu gripped Yunxiang's hand tightly, feeling a growing sense of panic about the impending fate.

Yunxiang placed her other hand on Liu's hand to comfort her.

"Your Majesty, don't be afraid, I'm here with you."

Only then did the distraught Lady Liu seem to find some strength, and with Yunxiang's help, she went out to receive the imperial decree.

As soon as the two stepped out the door, they saw a group of palace servants kneeling on the ground in the outer courtyard.

Gao Lishi waved for the eunuch who had knocked on the door to leave, then looked coldly at Consort Liu, who was being supported by Yunxiang.

"Your Highness, kneel down and receive the decree."

Only then did Liu and Yunxiang realize what was happening and immediately kneel down in shock.

Gao Lishi unfolded the imperial edict and read it aloud one by one. Finally, he read that Lady Liu was to be moved out of the west side hall of Anle Palace and imprisoned in the Cold Palace for life. Her family members were to be exiled to the frontier for hard labor. Two senior palace maids in the inner palace were to be sent to the Yeting Palace. The rest of the palace maids were to be dispersed to serve the Empress.

The two women, Consort Liu and Yunxiang, who had been living in constant fear, could hardly believe it.

The current situation is the best possible outcome; no one needs to die.

Liu Jieyu herself didn't find it hard to accept being sent to the Cold Palace, and unlike Wu Jinyao, she wasn't filled with resentment towards the emperor. On the contrary, she was already very content that she could save her life and that her clansmen could also survive. Moreover, she was very grateful that Yunxiang, who was loyal to her, did not suffer the same fate as Xiaohe and was given a death sentence.

“You must take good care of yourself when you go to Yeting. You don’t need to worry about me, I will take good care of myself too. Rest assured, for the rest of my life I will recite scriptures and chant Buddha’s name every day to repent for my sins, and I will copy scriptures every day to pray for you, for my children, and for my clan.”

Yunxiang nodded with tears in her eyes.

"Your Majesty, please take good care of yourself!"

Yunxiang kept the rest to herself, leaving everything unsaid;

Under Yunxiang's gaze, Madam Liu already understood, and she gave Yunxiang a familiar and relaxed smile that she hadn't seen in a long time.

"This sinful woman, Lady Liu, accepts the decree. I, Lady Liu, thank Your Majesty and the Noble Consort for your leniency. I thank Your Majesty for your mercy."

As soon as Lady Liu finished speaking, everyone present shouted in unison, "Thank you for your mercy, Your Majesty! Long live the Imperial Concubine!"

Gao Lishi nodded in satisfaction upon seeing this and then handed the imperial edict to Consort Liu.

After Lady Liu was taken away, another palace maid, Lianxiang, who used to love competing with Yunxiang and liked to flatter and instigate Lady Liu, was dragged away by the eunuchs under Gao Lishi. She glared at Lady Liu's back with a resentful look, as if she had been implicated by Lady Liu.

As Yunxiang was being led away by the eunuch, she still looked in the direction where Liu Shi had left, reluctant to let go, until she could no longer see her before turning her gaze away and telling herself with tears in her eyes.

"Yunxiang, you must live well, so that you may have the chance to visit the Empress."

After everything was settled, Gao Lishi led his men back to Xingqing Palace to report to Li Longji.

Inside the Mianhua Pavilion of Nanxun Palace, Shi Yan, who was sitting on a small couch by the window, was engrossed in playing the pipa and was playing a newly learned piece of music. Suddenly, two cries came from outside the open window. She raised her eyebrows slightly and stopped playing, looking out the window.

A giant eagle swooped down from afar in the azure sky, and Shi Yan watched as a beautiful smile slowly bloomed on her lovely face.

"Cang Yu!"

Shi Yan put down her pipa and reached out to take it.

Upon hearing her voice, the enormous raptor obediently landed on her outstretched palms.

Shi Yan brought Cang Yu into the house and placed it on a wooden frame next to the couch. The frame was exquisitely made and looked like an ordinary decoration, but it was actually a resting place specially made by Shi Yan for Cang Yu.

"Good job, you've worked hard!"

As he spoke, he took the bamboo tube from Cang Yu's feet and took out the letter inside.

Shi Yan held the letter in her hand without reading it. She grabbed a handful of fried beans from a plate on the table next to her and handed them to Cang Yu.

"Knowing you would be sending a letter in the next few days, I had Xiaodie prepare your favorite beans so you can eat them when you arrive. Come, eat."

Cang Yu happily flapped its wings twice and then lowered its head to eat without ceremony. Soon, Shi Yan's hands were empty.

He patted Cang Yu's head.

"Alright, don't be greedy. I'll read the letter first, and then we can play together."

Cang Yu seemed to understand her words and flapped its wings again.

Just as the person and the bird of prey were talking, Xiaodie, carrying two plates of fresh fruit, rushed over. Upon seeing Shi Yan, she quickly put down what she was carrying and whispered mysteriously.

"Your Majesty, guess what I just heard from the servants? It's something very important."

Shi Yan chuckled as she looked at Xiao Die's excited yet slightly gloating expression.

"What big event could make you so happy?"

"Stop behaving yourself, what kind of behavior is this?"

Not receiving the expected feedback, Xiaodie pouted and deflated. Turning her head, she saw Cangyu on the shelf, looking very proud and rolling his eyes at her. She immediately felt depressed.

"Your Highness, you can't do this. Do you only care about Young Master Xiao and anything related to him? Don't you care about anything else?"

"His Majesty has been very good to you. This time, in order to avenge you, His Majesty has demoted Consort Wu and Consort Liu, who harmed you, to the Cold Palace. This matter is known throughout the palace."

"Aren't you moved by His Majesty's affection for you, Your Majesty...?"

"No matter how much you like Young Master Xiao, nothing will come of it between you. This servant doesn't want to see you get hurt."

Shi Yan glanced at Xiao Die.

“Xiaodie, matters of love are hard to explain, and besides, the relationship between me and A-Ling is not what you think. As for the Emperor you mentioned, our relationship is simply that of a monarch and his consort, nothing more.”

"What you see is only the surface. You won't understand the deeper aspects until you're in the thick of it. There are some things I can't tell you directly, but I'll say it one last time: I know what I'm doing, so you don't need to be anxious all the time. Besides, I'm not so stupid as to joke about my own safety."