Late at night, in the Qin Army’s main tent.
“Husband.”
“Slow down…”
The woman clinging to the man seemed unable to endure any longer, pleading with him piteously.
The man’s brow was taut. A bead of sweat dripped from his temple, trailing down his resolute jaw before splashing onto the porcelain-white skin beneath him.
The woman’s low, sobbing whispers were clearly right by his ear, yet his vision seemed clouded by a thick fog.
He could never see her face clearly.
Zhao Chu’s dark eyes snapped open, his breathing heavy. The depths of his pupils seemed to swirl with murky, indistinguishable ink; within that restrained, cold light lay a trace of deeply suppressed madness.
He had lost count of how many times he had dreamt this dream.
Upon waking, aside from the emptiness following such indulgence, all that remained was a sense of powerless irritation.
He was irritated that he, Zhao Chu, had been trapped for years by a woman whose face he could not see even in his dreams.
How frantic and forceful he was in the dream.
How mocking the cold loneliness felt the moment he woke.
It was as if his soul had been bewitched.
Pointless.
Zhao Chu’s gaze grew heavy, his gloom deepening.
It wasn’t until dawn was breaking that he wearily closed his eyes, enduring the surging, chronic headache that always followed these dreams.
“Father.”
Outside the tent, the young Crown Prince, whose face was as fair as jade, waited composedly for another half-hour before he was permitted to enter his father’s tent.
“Father, Shao You has run away from home. He has likely gone to the Wei State Travel Palace to join the excitement of the Three-State Alliance.”
After Ru Heng finished speaking, his father, who was resting with his eyes closed, showed no reaction.
He waited in silence.
After a long while, Zhao Chu opened his eyes, his brow still furrowed.
His chronic headache was flaring up, and combined with that haunting spring dream, even the medical community was helpless to aid him, the sovereign of the Qin Kingdom who stood above tens of thousands.
The pain caused this emperor, who was only in his thirties, to display a hint of impatience. His gaze, sharp as a sword, landed on his eldest son.
Ru Heng lowered his gaze slightly, withstanding this undeniable authority.
Shao You had caused a major disaster.
Running away from home was one thing, but he had most likely intruded upon the Wei State Travel Palace.
If the Wei State discovered he was the second son of the King of Qin, his father’s plan to attack Wei might be compromised.
Ru Heng feared his father’s wrath. Since his earliest childhood memories, his father had grown colder, more ruthless, and more heartless with every passing year.
He had seemed slightly better a few years ago, but then his father had poured all his energy into his imperial ambitions.
If Shao You ruined Great Qin’s grand design, then even as his biological son, he might not escape death.
Ru Heng knew his father did not care much for the two brothers, even though they were his only sons.
He feared his father would disregard Shao You’s life.
This suspicion chilled his heart.
“If he has the guts to go, let’s see if he has the guts to return alive.”
As expected.
Ru Heng’s heart sank into an ice cellar.
The Emperor was heartless. Yet, many around them claimed that his father deeply loved the biological mother of him and Shao You.
And yet, his father had never cared for them.
Ru Heng departed in silence.
He did not know that after he left, Zhao Chu’s cold gaze fell upon the map, fixing on the Wei State Travel Palace.
The King of Chu, Chu Xiao, had arrived at the Wei State Travel Palace today with his wife.
This was the news delivered a short while ago.
Chu Xiao.
Zhao Chu’s lips curled into a cold smirk.
If Chu Xiao died on Wei territory, it would be of great benefit to Great Qin.
Expressionlessly, he swallowed a handful of pills for his headache, stood up, and strode outside.
“Prepare a horse. To Wei.”
Wei State Travel Palace
“Vile cur.”
On the roof, a youth with a blade of foxtail grass in his mouth propped himself up on his elbows against the tiles. From time to time, he glanced down lazily and let out a cold snort.
They called it a Three-State Alliance, but they were really just gathered together to curse his father behind his back, plotting their schemes with a facade of righteousness that was actually quite pathetic.
“Zhao Chu goes too far!”
“A reckless, arrogant man!”
“If the Qin thief does not die, we shall never sleep in peace!”
“Wei Zhuang Gong, ten thousand Qin soldiers have already reached Yijun in the Hexi Highlands. This act is a direct provocation to your Wei State’s sovereign prestige!” Zhao Bo Gong slammed the table, denouncing Qin indignantly.
Wei Zhuang Gong’s expression was dark, but he remained silent.
Just then, the voice of a Chu envoy came from outside the hall: “The King of Chu and the King of Chu’s wife have arrived.”
Everyone looked up. Except for Wei Zhuang Gong, who remained seated and unmoving, Zhao Bo Gong and the young son of Han Xiangong both stood to welcome the King of Chu.
Walking at the very front was, of course, the new King of Chu—Chu Xiao.
Immediately, everyone’s eyes were uncontrollably drawn to the beauty beside him wearing a veiled hat.
Although the veiled hat concealed her features, it could not hide her graceful and exquisite figure. It only made it harder for people to look away, wanting to catch a glimpse of the beauty beneath the mysterious veil.
It was said that the King of Chu’s wife was the most renowned Princess of the Qi Kingdom, bathed in Buddha’s light at her birth.
Duke Xuan of Qi was overjoyed and immediately titled this Royal Princess as Princess Foyin, raising her like a precious pearl.
Later, Chu Xiao, the King of Chu, had offered ten cities to marry her. They had been married for eight years, their love as deep as the day they wed.
The King of Chu was always reluctant to let his wife endure the fatigue of travel. No one expected him to bring his incomparably beautiful wife on this trip to the Wei State.
On the roof, the youth also poked his head down, curious about this mysterious wife of the King of Chu who still wore a veiled hat inside the travel palace.
Chu Xiao disliked the way they looked at Rong Ci, and his expression instantly darkened.
It was Rong Ci who reached out from her sleeve and patted the back of his hand soothingly, gesturing that business was more important.
Chu Xiao lowered his gaze, his expression suddenly softening. He took her hand and led her to the seats of honor.
Through the white veil, Rong Ci could faintly see the appearances of the lords of these various states. She couldn’t help but think of the term “Qin thief” she had heard upon arriving.
The King of Qin, Zhao Chu.
Mm, her ex-husband.
Fifteen years later, she heard that name again.
Rong Ci’s expression remained calm as she called out in her mind to the System that often played dead.
[It’s been fifteen years. I can’t even remember what Zhao Chu looks like anymore. You dropped me back into this chaotic world but made me a Princess of Qi married to the King of Chu. Look at me—with this identity, it took eight years just to get from the Chu Palace to this Wei territory. How am I supposed to set things right and make Zhao Chu focus on conquering the world instead of thinking about that esoteric blood sacrifice alchemy?]
After a very long time, the System finally replied: [I believe you will find a way.]
Rong Ci smiled and took a deep breath.
Fifteen years ago, as a transmigrator, Rong Ci had stayed by Zhao Chu’s side while he was a hostage in the Qi Kingdom. In the year he returned to Qin to be crowned king, she had successfully completed her mission by giving birth to twin sons and then exiting the stage.
Fifteen years later, she would surely be able to save the King of Qin, Zhao Chu—the man who was growing increasingly mad and who would eventually unify the Six Kingdoms only to personally destroy the world as a tyrant.
The System was just that confident.
It even offered a friendly reminder: [The King of Qin should be arriving in Wei soon. Your chance has come. Remember to use your new identity to influence him.]
Rong Ci: …
The identity of a married woman?
Fortunately, when the System dropped her into this world for the second time, she had made it use a privilege to erase her from Zhao Chu’s memory.
Otherwise, if Zhao Chu knew his deceased wife had remarried, the world might be destroyed even faster.
The System playing dead and the lords united in cursing the Qin thief all gave Rong Ci a massive headache.
And right then, the person beside her suddenly let out a cold laugh: “Wei Zhuang Gong, since when has your travel palace allowed even small fry to sneak in?”
His words caused Wei Zhuang Gong’s face to darken. With a single look from him, a general beside him immediately went out to deploy soldiers.
Chu Xiao, however, nonchalantly picked up a wine cup, swirled it, drained it, and flicked it toward the roof.
“Why go to such trouble?”
As Chu Xiao spoke, the roof tiles shattered. A youth, cursing under his breath, performed a somersault and landed neatly on the ground.
Wei Zhuang Gong, Zhao Bo Gong, and the others all stared intently at this youth of unknown identity.
The youth’s black hair was tied up high, his arms were crossed over his chest, and his features were handsome. He raised an eyebrow at Chu Xiao, looking quite arrogant and untamed.
Yet, something in the set of his brow caused Rong Ci to momentarily lose herself.
The System suddenly piped up: [Forgot to tell you. Your son ran away from home and came to this Wei State Travel Palace from the Hexi Highlands.]
Rong Ci seemed not to hear it. She could only stare fixedly at the young man through her veiled hat.
How could she not recognize her own son?
The twins she had nearly died giving birth to fifteen years ago. This was her son.