Chapter 1, contemplating the shadows of the Jade Tower and the Yao Palace

The ethereal blue light soared into nine streams, resembling the beautiful and delicate feathers of a phoenix. Upon closer inspection, one would realize that these are intricate light symbols formed by seal spells.

He was dressed in snow-white garments, with a sky-blue silk sash tied around his waist. His eyes, as dark as ink, held a faint cold smile—beneath the cold smile of disdain, however, there was also a hint of another kind of burning affection.

Just as she stepped down the stairs, she felt a chill in her head and neck, for a chunk of snow had fallen from the eaves, which even the palace painting paper umbrella she was holding could not shield her from

Su Mu glanced at the crack of the door, and with a gentle wave of the paper fan, the blue light instantly intensified, dominating as if it were about to fill the entire inner hall

The signs of defeat are already apparent, yet you remain undeterred, wishing to engage in a desperate struggle like a cornered beast

She straightened up, staring blankly at the strange light, as if sensing in the depths of her mind that this was something extremely terrifying

Indeed, she still glanced at him in a half-asleep, half-awake manner, "Mahjong is the cat I raise."

The wind blew open the door with a creak, and in the corner of Aunt He’s eye, she caught a glimpse of faint light coming from the direction of the side hall in the corner of the rear garden

Aunt He looked around and was horrified to discover that the light she had seen from the front hall was now completely absent

What kind of Mahjong?

You need not look outside, for the palace is in ruins and the people are perishing. No matter how tumultuous it becomes here, there will be no one to save you!

My crab stuffed orange is still steaming in the kitchen

The flickering light and shadow of the azure blue seal pattern, along with the subtle dance of the two colors of dark gold, illuminate the woman's face in a way that is both bright and dim, creating a hazy effect.

Entering through the main gate, one encounters the screen wall, the main hall, the side chambers, and the auxiliary halls... Yet, it is completely deserted, likely because the palace maids, upon hearing the dreadful news, have already fled in a panic

Aunt He raised the lamp, surveying everything before her. She noticed that dust and decay were everywhere; the jade stand and sandalwood chair clearly had not been cleaned for many days. The peeling varnish on the corridor pillars no longer revealed its original color, and the old window curtains swayed with the night breeze, appearing to dance like phantoms in the darkness

In the Hall of Fengxian, the last trace of warmth from the silver charcoal had already dissipated. Dressed in white mourning garments, Princess Danjia, with all her hairpins and ornaments removed, knelt on the ground and silently bowed to the memorial tablet. Finally, she stood up, and a color of ashen determination flashed across her stunning features.

Thus, with a sense of lamentation, she ultimately walked towards that old and desolate palace.

The princess whispered, her words reaching each person's ears, and the ominous meaning within them finally tore apart the calmness on their faces

Although she was sitting cross-legged, her posture was slouched, and she appeared so languid as if she had no bones, wishing she could lean back against the soft couch behind her. The light purple fabric she wore was somewhat old and worn, covered in wrinkles, and the embroidered silver grass pattern showed no trace of luxury, tied in a messy knot around her waist, which could be described as shabby and casual compared to the splendid garments of those in the palace.

He smiled faintly and said, "She is nothing more than an ignorant and foolish voyeur."

Ah! !

Ignoring the faint sounds of weeping coming from the courtyard, her personal maidservants stood respectfully in front of her, diligently awaiting her instructions

... ...

Su Mu slightly squinted his eyes, the ethereal blue patterns illuminating his almost celestial handsome features. A sharp glimmer flashed in his peach blossom eyes, containing a complex and obscure hue that even he himself could not comprehend

Wherever his gaze fell, it was upon the center adorned in the two colors of dark gold, where the woman sat cross-legged.

In the Huaiyun Palace, she glanced towards the quiet and cramped corner of the chamber on her right, her brows slightly furrowing in a sign of disdainful annoyance.

Su Mu lightly swayed a folding fan, on the snow-white paper fan was painted a cold rain peony, and beneath the ebony handle hung a blue jade ghost carving, adding a touch of wicked charm to the national beauty and heavenly fragrance

He fully expected to at least see her face change dramatically, but unexpectedly, she slowly turned her head, her eyes blankly fixed on him, and suddenly said a sentence.

As the long night reaches its midpoint, snowflakes gently fall, blanketing the entire city of Jinling in a layer of silvery white

Suddenly, everything became dim, with only the faint light reflected from the snow, allowing a slight glimpse of the outlines of the stone steps and flower beds around.

The princess let out a soft sigh, gazed at the memorial tablet one last time, and then called out, "Come here."

My crab stuffed orange

The cold wind extinguished the candles within the hall, and in the darkness, the piece of paper in her hand was held even more dearly, as if she intended to meld it into her very flesh.

She wanted to scream, to break free and escape, but realized that she had already collapsed to the ground

This seemingly nonsensical statement, even for someone as cunning and resourceful as Su Mu, would momentarily leave them at a loss for a response

Under the reckless dance of nine incantations, more than half of the inner hall transformed into a deep blue, leaving only one-third in the colors of dark gold and black.

Aunt He believed that she was well-mannered and not overly sycophantic, yet on one occasion, she happened to see Princess Danli, who, at such a young age, was actually hugging a wine jar and curled up by the lake, completely oblivious to the world around her. Aunt He stood by for quite a while, but the princess was sound asleep, causing the palace maids to exchange knowing glances and stifled laughter.

What kind of princess possesses even a fraction of the grace of a golden branch and jade leaf?

After the initial shock, a boundless wave of cold fury surged within Su Mu. In the face of his piercing gaze, which felt almost tangible, she still appeared oblivious, continuing to glance around and even lightly sniffing the air, "It seems I don't smell any fragrance either"

With a single glance, he no longer wished to cast any gaze— the earlier illusion had already instilled terror in the mind of the voyeur, and even if they did not die, they would surely become a fool

A sense of panic arose within her, and she felt a desire to retreat, when suddenly—

This princess was fine in her childhood, but as she grew older, her behavior became absurd and her speech incoherent. The palace attendants looked on with cold eyes, and she could hardly articulate her words. Some even whispered in secret that Princess Danli was foolish

Is it better to be shattered like jade, or should we wait for his reply

The chill penetrates to the marrow, and the crumbling city walls have become a massive dead beast. In the midst of the bricks, there are numerous holes pierced by blades and arrows, where frozen ice and melted snow mingle with bright red blood

It was as if the entire court had ignited in an instant, with everyone resembling insects scalded by boiling water; some were crying and running in chaos, while others lay humbly on the ground, devoid of any signs of life

Aunt He, please go and check on the several princesses and have them prepare as well

The light flickered slightly, appearing unlike a candle. Upon closer inspection, it seemed to subtly shift from a dark golden hue to a deep blue, and when rubbing my eyes, it appeared once again as an ordinary pale yellow light

It seemed to echo her words, as the sound of rustling came from outside the window, accompanied by a faint "meow".

She felt suspicious and somewhat afraid, yet her feet involuntarily led her into the back garden

... ... ! ! !

Under the shadow of fear, curiosity still arose. She waited for half a day, and seeing that nothing terrifying happened, she stood up and cautiously walked to the crack of the door

Meow...

The dilapidated palace looms in the darkness like a lurking demon, with the shadows of the surrounding trees swaying, casting what appear to be menacing ghostly faces.

She immediately collapsed to the ground, unconscious, and the last thing she saw was a surge of deep blue light through the crack of the door, as if it were about to obscure everything in front of her

The princess stood upright, facing the tablets of the past kings, and silently lowered her head

... ...

Not far away, a faint light unexpectedly appeared from the crack of the side hall door

As one travels further west, the palace path becomes increasingly desolate and remote, indicating that it is seldom traversed by people.

The foundation of my Tang Dynasty, year 382...

The one residing in Huaiyun Palace is the fifth-ranked princess, named Danli, who is the daughter of the late Imperial Concubine Yu.

The light, when viewed up close, does not seem dim; rather, it faintly glimmers with a brilliant hue. Auntie opened her eyes wide and secretly peered through the gap.

Her dark eyes flickered slightly, yet she still did not speak to him, as if to herself, "Perhaps it has already fallen into the belly of the mahjong?"

At last, has the improvement of Jinling City arrived

A deep, angry voice sounded, and she slightly opened her eyes, her dark pupils wandering in confusion for a moment. She shrugged her shoulders slightly, then turned her snowy neck to glance out the window.

Aunt He’s heart was inexplicably racing fast

In the next moment, she let out a heart-wrenching scream, her entire face contorted beyond recognition, as if she had witnessed the most terrifying thing of her life

All is silent, with only the monotonous sound of the wind and snow brushing past my ears

Her tone was calm and unruffled, much like the embers of a fire that has long since burned out

This is by no means a light!

Everyone left silently, and in the midst of the profound silence, the sound of fabric brushing against itself was distinctly audible

In her sleeve, she tightly clutched a small note, and the slight movement of her fragrant shoulders revealed the intense inner conflict she was experiencing

What?

Are you not surrendering yet

Summon all the lords here...

Aunt He responded with a sound, but could no longer contain herself, tears streaming down her face as she turned and stumbled away

A white shadow slowly swayed before her, and the previously sharp voice gradually transformed into a soft meow. With the light of the snow, Aunt He clearly saw that it was actually a cat

The cat strolled over and came to her side. It was a cat with a coat as white as snow, round and plump, almost resembling a large snowball, with only a dark mark on its back. Its pair of green eyes spun around restlessly, making Aunt He feel quite uneasy.

The scorching gaze, accompanied by a cold smile, was directed at her, yet she seemed completely oblivious to it, still half-closing her eyes, her pupils drifting aimlessly with utter boredom, as if she were on the verge of falling asleep at any moment.

Chillingly cool and numbing, penetrating to the marrow, as she trembled, the palace lantern she was holding fell to the ground, quickly becoming soaked by the melting snow and extinguished

The dual colors of dark gold swirl like the yin-yang symbol of the twin fish, operating in a cyclical manner, seemingly embodying the principles of the chaos of heaven and earth. Although pressed into a corner by blue spell patterns, it still does not reveal a state of absolute despair

Su Mugang questioned himself, cursing his own foolishness—given her whimsical personality, it was certainly not something good. How could he be so foolish as to ask her proactively?

The city gates have been wide open, and a great army clad in dark black armor is advancing straight in, with their target being the towering palace at the end of the long street, visible from afar

Aunt He scolded fiercely, feeling utterly exhausted. Just as she was about to relax, a fleeting glance caused her to let out a low, startled exclamation

Where is the person

Damn little beast

The depths of Su Mu's dark eyes were unfathomable, and with a cold, light laugh, it seemed as if she were proclaiming the most despairing of news

Aunt He walked on, leaving behind the tragic cries of the princesses. She could not bear to listen any longer and continued on her way

A white shadow flew past, and the indistinct yet piercing sound resembled the cry of an infant

Aunt He was so shocked that her face turned pale, and the hair all over her body stood on end