Chapter 124 The Long-Awaited Reunion

The Empire of Yun, the once superpower and the only Kingdom that ever conquered the entire world, had turned into a place in turmoil under more than ten years’ reign of Yun Su. People all over the empire complained about their rulers. The empire would soon fail, and the end was coming near. The morning session in the Empire of Yun continued. But the evil empress in red remained the same unreasonable woman. She sat in Yun Su’s arms and flirted with him even though the empire was in grave danger. The silent ministers were not sure if they should speak against their irresponsible emperor as the grave situation and the serious discussion had been defiled by the erotic aura. But Yun Su seemed to enjoy holding the beauty in his arms as he accepted it and didn’t say a single word against it. The ministers were there to suffer. They had to do their report with their head lowered. No one had the courage to look at the two on the throne. It wasn’t because they were afraid of embarrassing themselves, but a smile from Empress Xi could put an end to their life immediately. That made the evil empress only more terrifying in such conditions. The morning of this specific day felt different. Things were so quiet as if it was the peace before the storm. Crows hovered above the palace gate, cawing about the soon-to-come future. Before the end of the morning session in the audience hall of the imperial palace, Xuan Zhi broke into the palace with his army and reached the hall. None of the ministers and generals stood up for the emperor on the throne. The rebellion didn’t encounter any fight all the way through the audience hall. It was the emperor’s failure and the evil empress’s success to have all the officials betray them. Some of the ministers had already changed their sides for money, life threats to their families, or other reasons. The intel from Shui Yinzhu played a critical role in this easy victory. Some of the officials in the Empire of Yun were reluctant to be traitors. But instead of putting up a fight, they allowed the rebellion army to catch them, for they had already been disappointed with the emperor. Yun Su was still sitting on the throne, wearing the imperial robe. He had Shui Yinzhu in his arms. Shui Yinzhu tried to leave his embrace, but the emperor didn’t let go of her. She was the only thing he ever wanted in his life, but he was about to lose her. Yun Su soon had nothing to lose, or maybe he didn’t have anything at the very beginning. For someone who didn’t even have a name of his own, how could others expect him to understand that love was a two-way emotion? Tears dropped from Shui Yinzhu’s eyes as she saw the dashing leader of the rebellion army, Xuan Zhi, standing in front of all the people. Her numb heart was beating strongly again. The woman never burst into tears in this cruel palace before. Under the title of evil empress, she had turned into a bloodthirsty monster. Shui Yinzhu gazed at him. Tears covered the unchanged love in her eyes. Her beloved man had finally come. She wished to take a careful look at him and get back to his arms. She missed him so much. After he walked into the audience hall in the imperial palace, Xuan Zhi’s eyes were fixed on Shui Yinzhu, the girl he had been missing for so long. His eyes conveyed the message of how much he missed his girl and how protective he wanted to be. He knew his Yinzhu must have suffered from bitterness, pain, and humiliation. The girl should have been a pure angel, but now she was recognized as the disgusting, evil empress. Yet Xuan Zhi couldn’t do anything with it, not even giving her any protection. Besides, he had to conquer the Empire of Yun with the outcome of her suffering. The powerlessness and pain made his heart ache. “Yinzhu, I’m coming for you.” His words traveled for a long time and finally got heard. Xuan Zhi and Shui Yinzhu parted for so long and finally met again. “Zhi, Zhi, I finally see you again.” No one could possibly understand their deep love for each other. Shui Yinzhu wanted to run to his embrace but couldn’t get rid of Yun Su’s arms. “Yun Su, let go of her. Do as I say, and you can stay alive.” Yun Zhi had the authority to say that. But just as he finished, many of his subordinates advised, “No, Your Highness. Don’t do that.” Xuan Zhi ignored them. He kept staring at Yun Su. “Oh? Then why don’t you kneel down and beg me, Azhi?” Yun Su never spared his eyes on others ever since the rebellion army broke in. Shui Yinzhu took all his attention. But the long eye contact of Shui Yinzhu and Xuan Zhi hurt him the most. Yun Su had given up everything for his love. “Please let go of her.” Xuan Zhi was about to give up his dignity just for Shui Yinzhu. His subordinates all went up to stop him. There was no joking about such a thing. The future ruler of the empire should never kneel to a soon-to-be prisoner. It wasn’t just Xuan Zhi’s dignity at stake. “Zhi, if you do that, I’ll bite my tongue and commit suicide,” Shui Yinzhu said as she saw Xuan Zhi determined to get down on his knees regardless of the resistance. Then she bit her tongue at once. She tried to bite it hard but couldn’t feel any pain even though she tasted blood. Yun Su didn’t have any time to react before seeing the resolution in Shui Yinzhu’s eyes. He forced his finger into her mouth. He knew his girl would bite her tongue as she said and didn’t take out his finger even if it was bleeding. He was ready for it. “Xuan Zhi, this woman had been a spy from you. I should have known that.” Yun Su had foreseen this because Sister Xi would always go beyond her bounds. At the very start, she threatened him with her life. Then she played tricks to get into the imperial court. The woman forced him to compromise over and over again. This day was destined when he met her, fell in love with her, and lost his mind. But Yun Su didn’t regret it. He had her. He took her virginity. Even though she hated him, he earned a place in her heart. Even though he was about to die, he wouldn’t take her on his journey to the underworld. Xuan Zhi loved her just as much as Yun Su. He would protect her. The emperor whispered in a voice that could be heard only by Shui Yinzhu and him, “Sister Xi, I wish you a happy life.” It was the first time that Yun Su let go of her. He took a last glance at her and pushed her out. Xuan Zhi rushed forward to pick Shui Yinzhu. He held her in his arms and felt that tender skin and warm body. The vacant heart found its proper place to beat. This was the woman he loved. Shui Yinzhu had finally come back to his arms, and he would never let go of her. Xuan Zhi took out the hairpin with two pearls from the pocket near his heart. It belonged to Shui Yinzhu, Kong Yue, and him only. With Kong Yue’s share, Xuan Zhi would love her and protect her for the rest of his life. Shui Yinzhu wore the hairpin on her bun with no decoration. It fitted right in. “Yinzhu, nothing is ever going to part us, right?” Shui Yinzhu didn’t answer that question. She loved him and missed his embrace, but she was no longer qualified to stand by his side. Xuan Zhi was a hero of the public and would be the next emperor of the world sooner or later. But Shui Yinzhu was a filthy jinx and a reborn monster. The gap between them would be unbridgeable. How was she supposed to answer that question? With his love in his arms, Xuan Zhi was blinded by the recovery of his lost girl and didn’t consider it too much. He tried to wipe the tears on Shui Yinzhu’s face, but the girl couldn’t stop crying. “Sweetheart, calm down. I’ll stay with you after dealing with the things here.” Xuan Zhi looked up to Yun Su on the throne and said, “Someone, put Yun Su in custody.” Some of his soldiers immediately came and took Yun Su away. People were all waiting for something after this court drama. After seeing their leader tearfully gazed at the evil empress, the generals and soldiers needed to express their discontent. Someone started, and the crowd followed, “Kill the evil empress. Kill the evil empress. Kill the evil empress.” “She is not an evil empress. She is Shui Yinzhu, the former princess of the Kingdom of Shui. If it weren’t for the maps and information she sent me through Paner, we could never conquer this empire.” Xuan Zhi held the woman in his arms more tightly. “Maybe she has made some contribution, but she once served the emperor of the Empire of Yun. That made her impure. You should cut off the tie with her, Your Highness.” The words came from Li Yi, the former general of the Kingdom of Xuan, the most loyal subordinate that had always been following Xuan Zhi. Xuan Zhi held Shui Yinzhu with an arm and used the other to seize the collar of Li Yi. His peaceful eyes were filled with anger. “Others don’t know everything that happened between her and me, but you’ve witnessed it all. Are you going to pretend that you don’t know?” “But Your Highness, I don’t want you to be blinded by love.” “Li Yi, that’s so cold-blooded of you. Don’t you remember what Paner told us?” “I do. But Your Highness, you are different. You are the leader of us all, and your name shouldn’t carry any stigma.” Li Yi was rather contradicted when he said it. The innocent girl Paner was willing to marry an old and single man like him, hoping he could help her sister Shui Yinzhu. She was such a loyal and faithful girl. Li Yi was supposed to be grateful to Shui Yinzhu. Without her help, they couldn’t win this empire that easily. But nothing would matter more than the reputation of a woman in this male-dominated society. Most importantly, Xuan Zhi, his master, would be the next emperor. He wasn’t supposed to be ill-reputed for a woman. He knew the past of Xuan Zhi and Shui Yinzhu as well as how much his master was obsessed with her. Because of that, he was afraid that Xuan Zhi might follow the path of Yun Su. Li Yi had to stop them from being together, even though he had to betray his heart, even though he would let his little wife down. Fortunately, he didn’t bring Paner with him. Shui Yinzhu enjoyed her moment in Xuan Zhi’s arms. But she didn’t want to embarrass Xuan Zhi. She felt inferior. Unwillingly, she struggled out of Xuan Zhi’s arms with tears covering her face. She prised his fingers from Li Yi’s collar with her fair hands. “Zhi, I’m no longer a pure virgin. They are right. I don’t deserve to be your wife...” “Yes, you do. You are the only woman I would like to marry in my life.” Xuan Zhi held Shui Yinzhu tightly in his arms before she finished her sentence. Shui Yinzhu pushed Xuan Zhi away again. She bowed to all the soldiers and generals here. “Please rest assured. I know what I am. There is one thing I need to finish. Give me some time, and I will bring you a satisfying answer after all of this come to an end.” His girl had to compromise for him. Xuan Zhi’s heart was hurt. The man rallied the rebellion army for his girl, but it ended up letting her be wronged. Xuan Zhi took off the sword representing his name and smashed it onto the ground. The atmosphere in the audience hall of the imperial palace went freezing cold. No one had the courage to make a sound. It was the first time that Xuan Zhi showed his anger. The striking aura of a battle-scarred general who survived from substantial threats was creating overwhelming stress. Everyone shut their mouths. Xuan Zhi was a real hero as well as a general with strict rules. Shui Yinzhu looked back at him. There was the long-missing purity in her smiling eyes. But that couldn’t stop her tears. She was no longer hiding behind her charm. What was left of her was just a piteous weak girl. Shui Yinzhu was moved, knowing Xuan Zhi could give up the entire empire for her. But she shouldn’t be that selfish. The woman walked over to the sword, picked it up, and hung it back to his belt. She gazed into his eyes for a long time before turning back and moving out of the audience hall. However, Xuan Zhi left all his men and ran out towards her. He couldn’t afford to lose her once again. He didn’t want Shui Yinzhu to do anything stupid either. People all let out a deep sigh. The evil empress was such a succubus that both the emperors gave up the empire for her. Her beauty was more attractive than the empire. But what were they supposed to say as the future ministers? Their leader, Xuan Zhi, was in deep love with Shui Yinzhu. They only wished that he would not become a second Yun Su. Given what Shui Yinzhu did and said, they had to believe in her. After all, the woman was an important part of this war.