Prologue

Shallow charm, shallow charm, ha, thin... thin charm...

Jin Qi glanced at the attendant who had been standing behind him for a long time and quietly reminded him

Report... Your Majesty, the Prince of South Chu and the troops of the Zhuang clan from Jiaozhou have breached the defense line of Marquis Cheng'an and are currently advancing towards the western gate of the capital

Tang Tianxiao stared at her, his phoenix eyes narrowing, and slowly asked: "Do you think you deserve to die?"

Bending down, raising sleeves, twirling in a dance, the flowing sleeves falling in the light resemble the petals of spring falling like rain.

Laughter, the sound of the piano, the sound of the spring water, all instantaneously vanished amidst the cheers of the people

As Tang Tianxiao stepped in, everyone simultaneously bowed down to pay their respects, and three trays were placed on the ground

The dim light of the lamp and the faint moon cast the delicate silhouette of a woman against the gauzy window

He loosened the delicate charm and brushed aside the sleeves that were wrapped around his neck, then said: "You summoned me, what is the matter?"

The tale of Xizi and Fan Li rowing on West Lake is merely a beautiful legend; yet, little do we know, the graceful skirts that once danced in the Guanwawa Palace were meant to enchant whom in unparalleled beauty

Jin Qi went to help him

Perhaps she is not lying this time; she is truly pregnant

But more likely, she would loosen the belt around her waist, revealing only a few layers of handkerchiefs underneath. When being blamed, she might even roll her eyes and retort, "Is it not permissible to make you happy for a few days?"

Ke Qianmei lowered her head and smiled softly: "Seventh Uncle, Brother Zhuang..."

In the vicinity, Jingyi Courtyard also lost its tranquility in an instant. Amidst the shouts and screams, a burst of flames suddenly soared into the sky

Blocked all the escape routes for the woman in the room

Your Majesty

The Imperial Palace of the Great Zhou, Jingyi Courtyard

The eunuchs who were kneeling on the ground all rose to protect the emperor, their faces filled with shock and alarm

Amidst the fallen leaves and the sound of mourning, the sharp voice of the inner servant pierced through the suddenly fierce night sky of the north wind

Do not rejoice when gaining, do not grieve when losing, looking back, it is merely a grand dream!

Tang Tianxiao almost without hesitation, seized her right wrist with one hand, while his other hand slid over her left arm, swiftly cutting and twisting, he had secured her other long sleeve around her own neck, yet without applying force, just as she did to him, they loosely entangled each other, yet remained closely pressed together

Hmm. Ke Qianmei took a deep breath, swallowed the slight tremor in her voice, and smiled as she said: "I would like to ask, are these things underground by the Empress Dowager's decree, or the Emperor's intention"

Tang Tianxiao felt a slight warmth in his eyes and shouted loudly: "Ke Qianmei!"

Yet this woman seemed completely oblivious to the deadly gifts that were about to bring her demise, even ignoring the Emperor as he approached. She continued to dance on tiptoe, her body arched, her flowing sleeves swirling, her dark hair fluttering, exuding an air of elegance and tranquility, as if she were wholly entranced by her own performance

Tang Tianxiao felt an increasing tightness in his chest, as if he were struggling to breathe

In the distant Suzhou city, the gentle waters of the Yuexi stream flow softly. I vainly remember that beauty, likened to a fish sinking and a wild goose falling, yet I cannot retrieve the fragrant soul that has drifted away with the wind, leaving behind endless regrets.

At this moment, a sudden urgent report from the inner court came from outside

He slowly stepped forward

Your Majesty

Tang Tianxiao's gaze lingered for a moment before finally shifting away from that dancing figure

short sword, white silk, crane top red

Qianmei lowered her gaze to her drooping sleeves and suddenly smiled, saying: "It's nothing. The Emperor has asked me several times to perform 'Bomei' for you, but I have never danced. Just now, when I saw someone sent by the Empress Dowager bringing these, I suddenly remembered that if I don't dance a piece soon, I might not have the chance again, so I invited the Emperor over. Without the accompaniment of music and singing, there really isn't much to see, is there?"

The palace attendants following Tang Tianxiao merely lowered their heads, and some, who were familiar with the woman, displayed a look of melancholy on their faces

Water droplets fell softly onto the green bricks at the hem of her skirt, gradually spreading outwards.

Jin Qi gently pushed open the door

There were already seven or eight robust eunuchs guarding the room, three of whom were holding ebony trays in their hands

In the distance, the beacon fire rises at the city gate, fiercely scorching the sky

Tang Tianxiao also curved his lips, but found that he truly could not smile

After a long time, he actually took a step back

Tang Tianxiao seemed to hear the bright laughter of the woman, the lively music from the zither resembling the rushing spring water cascading down the mountains, filled with cheers all along, accompanied by his own joyful clapping, endlessly...

The woman named Ke Qianmei seemed to pause for a moment, and a playful smile suddenly appeared at the corner of her mouth

Ke Qianmei clenched her fist and replied: "Whether I should die is up to me! Perhaps... your opinion matters too! What others say does not count!"

The four eyes met, and the breath brushed unevenly against the other person's face, inhaling and exhaling irregularly

"Bo Mei", a type of grand melody, can be adapted for song and dance

The corners of her lips still held a smile, yet her eyes, bright as obsidian, flickered with flames, gazing intently at Tang Tianxiao's face without a moment's distraction

Tang Tianxiao cast a faint glance, and the palm of his hand grew increasingly cold

On this winter night, all is silent.

In this world, no one knows for whom the charming smile once gracing the Yiching Palace was so brilliantly radiant.

The dilapidated door creaked, almost ready to come off its hinges

During the Southern Song Dynasty, Dong Ying composed the "Xizi Ci" based on "Bomei," narrating the story of King Goujian of Yue who used the beauty Xizi to execute a scheme of revenge. After Wu destroyed Yue, Xizi was regarded as a bewitching figure and met her demise beneath the silk of the fish.

After experiencing the same playful antics numerous times, everything is merely an instinctive reaction

As Tang Tianxiao looked back, gazing at that patch of flames, his steps suddenly faltered

Isn't it time for Your Majesty to kiss me?" She laughed arrogantly, "If I were to say something about living and dying together, Your Majesty would probably scoff at it, right?

She stepped forward, and with a swift motion of her flowing sleeves, wrapped them quickly around Tang Tianxiao's neck

Tang Tianxiao nodded: "There is nothing much to see. Your 'Bomei' is performed very superficially."

Ke Qianmei shrank her neck slightly, her pale lips curving upwards as lively as ever, with her brows and eyes also raised in that same lively manner

She still possesses a graceful and ethereal demeanor, with a skin as pure and smooth as ice, showing no signs of the weariness and pallor one would expect from being in a cold palace. However, her waist appears somewhat fuller than before, and when she exerts herself, it seems slightly stiff, lacking the usual ease and fluidity.

The Empress Dowager's decree grants that the noble consort, Lady Shu, shall die

Tang Tianxiao flicked his sleeve and turned to step out

Tang Tianxiao suddenly turned around and pointed at Ke Qianmei: "You!"

Bold!

The sight is filled with withered yellow, fallen leaves cover the ground, producing a series of faint, muffled murmurs when trampled.