扒开女人两片毛茸茸黑森林

Early Graying Hair (2)

Ye Mu often felt how history played out was truly fascinating. When she used to read about it, she didn’t quite comprehend everything… such as, why is it that Zhao Yiqin was never executed in the end..?

But now, she knew the reason why…

“I will beg His Majesty for mercy to send you to the ancestral temple. This was the last thing your son has done for you. So please behave yourself from now on.”

Ye Mu could hear Zhao Yiqin weep even more mournfully, and she let out a light sigh.

In truth, Zhao Yiqin lived a fairly happy life. Not only did she get to enjoy the power of her title, but she also had two men who loved her so much they’d die for her… Wouldn’t that still be considered somewhat lucky?

Zhao Yiqin seemed to have realized this too. But with how lucky she was then, it made her suffering that much worse now.

She vaguely remembered all those years ago, when Wen Ji would grab her hand and say to her longingly,

“Let’s leave this place and go into hiding. What do you think of going to Guiyin Mountain? You don’t have to kill anyone anymore, and I don’t have to lie anymore… Let’s live the rest of our lives in peace. Besides, you wouldn’t want our child to have to be a monk for the rest of his life, right…?”

Zhao Yiqin cannot deny that, at that time, she considered it for a heartbeat, because she saw the brilliant shine of Wen Ji’s eyes. In that moment, she even fantasized with him the vibrant future he painted.

However, she ruthlessly refused, because she was the Empress Dowager… because of the countless people she had already killed to achieve the position. Even her own husband had been killed by her with poison… With what she had done, how could she possibly go back to being an ordinary commoner?

Her heart ached when she witnessed how the light in Wen Ji’s eyes vanished instantly… but her face was even more resolute. She had thought if she gave even an inch to others, they would become greedy for more.

Now thinking back, she realized how truly selfish she was back then. She not only wanted to keep Wen Ji’s unconditional love but also maintain the power and privileges of her position, as she obtained all the honors and glory of the world.

It was just as she did to her one and only son… she knew the desire within his heart, yet she kept him chained by her side. She never even considered the idea of helping him realize his dream nor giving him his freedom.

Yet both of them died for her without a second thought. Zhao Yiqin now realized she had lost the most precious thing the Heavens had gifted her, in order to feed her obsession and greed for more power. Now, it was regrettably too late.

Just like in the book, Zhao Yiqin was sent to the temple. Ye Mu watched her depart from afar. She noticed that although Zhao Yiqin was only in the jail cell for only ten days, her hair was completely white. She looked neither sad nor happy. She simply looked like a person who lost her soul.

Ye Mu wondered… What was Zhao Yiqin’s biggest regret?

Could it be not fleeing with the monk Wen Ji? Not agreeing to the Silent Master’s wishes? Not agreeing to live a normal life in seclusion? …Or is it something else…?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once Zhao Yiqin was gone, the Mo country’s power fell completely in the hands of Mo Linyuan. The court returned to normal and the rumors were cleared.

Since his return in the past few years, he had finally succeeded in acquiring the power to rule tens and thousands of people.

One day, as Mo Linyuan was attending court, Ye Mu brought all of the City Boundary Maps together. She realized that the last piece missing was also the most crucial piece of the map.

She tapped her digit as she mumbled to herself,

“Where exactly is the last piece of the City Boundary Map…?”

As this mystery remained, two years time passed…

Want to read more chapters and support us? Please consider becoming a patron to read up to 16 chapters in advance!