2026-05-25 23:05:37
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Chapter 246 (Where We Begin) Chen’s POV
Not all of us left. The night before, I had met with Wei Weizhi or should I say Long Yanzhi. “You’re not coming with us?” I asked him.“The Long clan needs at least one Taishi in the capital,” Yanzhi said softly, his gaze fixed on the imperial towers. “Otherwise, our name will fade from council halls. I am a Taishi, and I will die as one.”And I totally agreed. The discussion about the shadow and the swordsman never came up. Yan Hu and I settled fir if to be their business.The journey took us through lands that were still healing and people who were beginning to return to their ordinary life. After spending so many years surrounded by death, seeing someone arguing over vegetables in a market almost felt unfamiliar.Mei Ling slept for most of the journey. Whenever she woke up, she asked questions. Small questions. Sometimes silly ones.By the time the mountains appeared on the horizon, the sun was already sinking.Mei Ling lifted her head. “Brother Chen?”“Hmm?”“Where are we going
Chapter 245 (The end of it) Chen’s POV
A few days later, the Great Yan Empire crowned a new emperor.Han Ruo had refused to move the capital seat to his clan. Stripping the Wei clan of the capital would have branded every innocent within their borders with permanent disgrace, leaving the empire’s wounds to fester. It was the only way to keep them from attracting hate from every clan. There were no loud grand celebrations. No hundred-thousand-man procession. No grand feast stretching for miles.The empire had neither the strength nor the heart for celebration.The palace still carried scars from the war. Several sections of the outer walls remained under repair, and the throne hall still smelled faintly of fresh timber and smoke.But the throne had been repaired enough to stand.That was all Han Ruo had asked for.I stood at the foot of the imperial dais as the surviving officials gathered around the throne.The Taishis who had returned to their clans came back for the ceremony. Every clan sent parades to flaunt their bann
Chapter 244 (Alias Wei weizhi) Chen’s POV
The air in the room was thick with the bitter scent of crushed spirit herbs and old parchment.When I entered the room, Wei Weizhi was sitting upright. For the past few days, he had been conscious, but he had barely spoken.Not to me. Not to Yan Hu. Not even to Shuyin.He simply lay there, staring at the ceiling as though whatever answers we wanted from him were none of his business.Today, just as usual, he sat against the headboard, his back straight despite the bandages wrapped around his torso. His mask rested on the table beside him.Yan Hu was sitting near the window, while Shuyin stood beside a small table grinding medicinal herbs.Wei Weizhi didn't even look at me when I entered, but the new I brought made his eyes light up even though he quickly masked it. “My sister is awake.” His eyes shot to my face. His expression softened for a heartbeat. “The heavens blessed you with luck, Sovereign,” he said, his voice rustling like dry autumn leaves as he adjusted his sitting post
Chapter 243 (Home, Morning) Chen’s POV
“Chen…”Her voice was softer than a leaf falling on quiet water, but in the dead silence of the room, it shattered everything inside me.Her fingers twitched inside my palm, then I curled mine around hers, squeezing with a tiny, fragile pressure. Her eyelids fluttered once, twice, struggling against twelve years of heavy sleep.And then, she opened her eyes.Her eyes were weak from sleep, her dark pupils were unfocused. She blinked several times, trying to make sense of the room around her.I didn’t move. I couldn’t. My breath was on hold. She turned her head slightly. Her gaze wandered across the ceiling. The walls. The lantern. The bronze incense burners. The glowing talismansThen finally, Me.Her eyes stopped on my face.She stared. I stared back. For a moment, neither of us said anything.Then her brows knitted together. She slowly pulled her hand from mine.My heart dropped.She pushed herself upright. Her arms trembled immediately, and I instinctively reached forward to support
Chapter 242 (When her eyes open) Chen’s POV
The reverence of men with sharp claws hidden behind their back. Behind me, I heard Yan Hu let out a bitter scoff. Shuyin's eyes narrowed in faint disgust. These were the same men who had turned a blind eye when my clan was slaughtered, now eager to bend the knee to whoever held the sharpest blade.I walked slowly down the central aisle, my footsteps echoing in the silence. I stopped at the base of the dais, looking up at the golden chair.For a brief second, I imagined sitting there. I imagined wielding the full, unquestioned authority of the empire.Then I thought of my father who was laying without a grave. I thought of Mei Ling lying motionless in a silent room. I thought of twelve years spent in pools of blood, chasing a crown I had been taught to inherit.The throne didn't look like victory. It looked like a cage forged in gold.I turned and faced the council. The room held its breath."My family was destroyed," I spoke, my voice calm, carrying effortlessly into every corner
Chapter 241 (An Emperor) Chen’s POV
Wei jue was past. When the doors closed, I finally looked down at Mei Ling.“We prepared a room for her.” Shuyin’s voice was soft, breaking through the numbness in my mind.I turned. Yan Hu was beside her, leaning on a wooden staff, his face pale but his eyes clear. Wei stood slightly behind them, clutching his bandaged side, looking ghost-like but stubbornly upright.I nodded once. “Thank you.”She gave me a small smile. “She will need warmth.” “And warmth we shall give.” Yan Hu pushed himself away from the pillar.“Not you.” I quipped, turning away from him. We moved Mei Ling to the quietest wing of the palace guest residence and sent every palace maid away. The hours that followed felt like a slow, sacred ritual. Warm water was brought in. Shuyin and Qing went in and gently cleansed the dirt and blood from Mei Ling’s skin, replacing her ragged garments with soft, clean robes. Her tangled hair was washed, combed, and warmed with heated towels. When Shuyin finally let us in, we
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