My chat group is full of female losers

Chapter 368 A Lament in a Dream (The End)

This dream seamlessly continued from the ending of the last one.

The thought of killing the fake Xie Mingshu, like a wildly growing vine, instantly entangled Xie Mingshu's entire soul.

At this moment, she was unable to think about anything else; all that remained in her mind was how to take action.

But how? She was just a four-year-old child, powerless. The fake Xie Mingshu, on the other hand, possessed inexplicable superhuman strength and was now the powerful Crown Prince.

To think that I could kill her on my own is a complete joke.

Xie Mingshu sat on the bed, thinking hard.

After much deliberation, she realized she had no other options. There was only one way to kill the fake Xie Mingshu: just like she had done to Xie Lingxiao in her previous life, find an opportunity to get close to her and then finish her off with a single blow.

This was essentially a high-stakes gamble, risking one's life for another, but Xie Mingshu didn't care at all.

Since the decision to assassinate has been made, thorough preparations must be made.

First, she needed a knife. A sharp knife that could pierce flesh. Then she needed an opportunity, a chance to get close to the monster and plunge the knife into its heart.

Over the next few days, Xie Mingshu played around the huge Xie mansion like a real four-year-old child.

She rummaged through the storeroom, pretending to look for toys; she wandered around the kitchen, staring intently at the knives used for cutting vegetables; she would even sneak into the guards' quarters, curiously examining the swords hanging on their walls.

Finally, she found a small knife that had been completely forgotten, hidden under the mud in a toolbox in the woodshed.

Although the blade was rusted beyond recognition, this was her best gain.

Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, she stealthily tucked the knife into her bosom, crept back to her room, and stuffed it into a hidden compartment under her bed.

From then on, every night, when all was quiet, she would secretly take out a palm-sized, bluish whetstone. It was something she had searched for for several days, its texture as fine and smooth as jade.

She gripped the knife tightly, letting its rusty blade glide steadily across the damp stone surface. There was no harsh sound, only a barely audible rustling whisper.

While sharpening her knife day after day, she was also searching for traces of the fake Xie Mingshu.

For this reason, she went to see Bai again. Although her relationship with Bai was still strained, it was no longer as bad as before.

In response to her request, Ms. Bai naturally did everything in her power to gather information from every nook and cranny.

Finally, she brought back a piece of information—three days later, the Crown Prince would be holding a book launch at the largest bookstore in the city, Feizhu Bookstore, and would personally make an appearance.

I heard that the scale of the event was incredibly grand, and all the prominent ladies and young women in the capital were scrambling to get in.

In that instant, Xie Mingshu's heart pounded wildly. She knew her chance had come.

When there are many people, there is chaos. When there is chaos, there are opportunities to take advantage.

Time flew by, and soon it was the night before the operation was to be carried out.

Xie Mingshu's knife was sharpened, and everything was ready.

####
By candlelight, Mrs. Bai stared intently at a taut, plain-colored silk. It was a half-finished embroidery of the Three Friends of Winter, which she planned to make as a birthday gift for her parents-in-law. Most of the pine needles were already stitched, but the plum branches and bamboo joints were yet to be stitched.

These days, Ning'er has been much quieter and no longer argues with her. She just often moves a small stool to sit next to her and silently watches her needlework.

Bai's parched heart seemed to be soothed by this rare tranquility. Although the word "Mother" still seemed distant, it was a blessing she dared not ask for.

The flickering candlelight cast long shadows of the mother and daughter on the wall.

"Ning'er, it's late, go and rest." Madam Bai stopped her needlework, her voice gentle.

Xie Mingshu didn't move. She raised her childish face, her gaze falling on the unfinished plum branch on the frame, her eyes deep and unfathomable. Those clear eyes, reflecting the candlelight, also held complex thoughts that Bai Shi couldn't understand.

After a long while, she spoke softly, her voice as ethereal as smoke: "Is there anything you want me to do? Whatever it is, I'll agree to it."

If she goes there tomorrow, there's a good chance she won't be coming back. Her guilt towards Madam Bai will never be erased. So she thinks that even a little bit is good enough; she hopes to make amends to her in these final moments.

Bai was taken aback, and then her eyes revealed a cautious, even somewhat fearful, expectation.

She looked at Xie Mingshu and said, "Ning'er, I don't care about anything else. I just want to hear you call me 'Mother' once. As long as I can hear it, I will be satisfied."

Xie Mingshu froze abruptly, as if someone had poured a bucket of ice water over her head, freezing her inside and out.

Aunt...

She opened her mouth, the two words hovering on her tongue, but it felt like a stone was stuck in her throat, refusing to come out. She didn't know whether she should agree to Bai's request.

She didn't know whether it was more cruel for this poor woman in front of her to never hear that "Mother" until her death, or to suffer more pain by hearing that "Mother" the day after she did hear it and then learning the devastating news that she had died a violent death in the street.

In the end, she chose to keep quiet.

Ms. Bai saw her daughter's struggle and pain, and her heart ached as well. She forced a gentle smile, reached out and touched her hair, comforting her, "It's okay. I won't force you. Call out whenever you want."

The next day, it was dawn.

Xie Mingshu woke up. Without waking anyone, she dressed, took the small knife, and quietly left.

She first reached Bai's bedroom door and looked at Bai's sleeping face inside. Xie Mingshu silently said "Take care" in her heart, and then resolutely turned around.

Next, she went to her father's bedroom. Xie Chengyuan was still frowning in his sleep, as if he were having a nightmare.

Looking at her father's face, gaunt and worn from worry, Xie Mingshu whispered in her heart, "Goodbye, Father."

After saying goodbye to the two men, she slipped out of the mansion.

When she arrived at the bookstore, it was already noon.

Just as Mr. Bai had said, the bookstore today was indeed preparing to hold a book launch, and a large number of people did indeed flock in.

A line of carriages blocked the street in front of the bookstore, and the ladies of high society made it impossible to walk any further. Taking advantage of her small stature, Xie Mingshu slowly made her way to the bookstore entrance.

Then she looked up with difficulty and found that a temporary platform had been set up at the entrance of the bookstore, and the fake Xie Mingshu was standing on the platform, giving a passionate speech about some kind of matriarchal tribe nonsense.

Her voice carried a sinister, seductive quality, eliciting screams from the women in the audience.

Xie Mingshu stared intently at the familiar yet unfamiliar figure on the stage. Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest, each beat feeling as heavy as if it would shatter her ribs.

She gripped the small knife in her bosom, then scanned her surroundings, searching for an opportunity to strike. Charging head-on was too dangerous; she wouldn't consider it.

Her gaze fell on the side and rear of the platform, where a lot of miscellaneous items were piled up, making it a perfect hiding place. Moreover, the fake Xie Mingshu would definitely pass by there after stepping down from the platform, making it the most suitable assassination location.

She took a deep breath, using the crowd as cover, and silently moved towards that corner. Her heart was pounding in her throat; every step felt like walking on a knife's edge. The surrounding noise, chatter, and applause vanished from her ears.

Finally, she managed to squeeze behind the pile of clutter. She huddled in the shadows, only her eyes showing, staring intently at the fake Xie Mingshu on the stage.

Time moved at a snail's pace, and the rambling on stage finally came to an end. Amidst applause, the fake Xie Mingshu, with a polite smile, stepped down from the platform, preparing to leave through a side passage.

It's now!

Xie Mingshu's blood was ignited in that instant.

She rushed out.

Years of suppressed hatred and the pain accumulated over two lifetimes, like fuel ignited, pushed her in front of the fake Xie Mingshu.

The knife in her hand flashed a cold white light through the air, stabbing straight towards the fake Xie Mingshu's heart!
"Ah ah ah ah ah!"

Under the astonished gazes of others, she let out a loud, cathartic roar.

However, just as the knife tip was about to touch her clothes, a hand as fast as a ghost appeared out of nowhere and grabbed her wrist with perfect precision.

Xie Mingshu looked up in astonishment.

It's a fake Xie Mingshu.

She didn't even turn her head; she simply reached behind her casually and effortlessly stopped her long-planned sneak attack.

The fake Xie Mingshu slowly turned around, looking down at her with a disdainful expression. Her own face showed no surprise whatsoever. It was as if she had known all along that she would come, that she had been waiting there to enjoy this absurd and preposterous revenge drama.

"Ah."

The fake Xie Mingshu chuckled lightly, without even a hint of contempt on her face, as if she had simply done something perfectly natural.

A gasp rippled through the crowd, and the guards snapped out of their daze, instantly surrounding her.

Xie Mingshu's heart suddenly sank into a cold abyss.

She tried to struggle, but a strange and bizarre feeling suddenly surged up, and everything went black before her eyes, plunging the whole world into boundless darkness.

It felt like the last time, when the fake Xie Mingshu took Ling Shi away, and she was about to go to her father to tell him the truth, she suddenly fell into a coma.

Unable to struggle, her consciousness gradually faded. In the final moment before she succumbed to complete darkness, she seemed to hear a piercing cry from the crowd. The sound was so familiar that it broke her heart.

It is Bai.

########
Xie Mingshu had a very long dream.

In the dream, there was no monster, and everything was perfectly fine and on its original track.

After her rebirth, the first thing she did was find her father and persuade him with details only she knew. Her father was shocked, but still chose to join forces with her to secretly protect the young prince. As a result, the Xie family gained the emperor's trust and, instead of declining, rose to even greater heights.

She and her mother, Madam Ling, were so close they were practically one person, and her parents never argued or quarreled because of misunderstandings. The three of them lived a life like a painting. She grew into a gentle and virtuous young lady from a respectable family and became engaged to her childhood sweetheart, her cousin.

However, on the very day she was dressed in her phoenix coronet and embroidered robes, ready to get married, the red veil was lifted, and standing in front of her was not her cousin.

Instead, it was the fake Xie Mingshu with a mocking smile on her face.

"what!"

Xie Mingshu suddenly woke up.

She gasped for breath, her mouth agape. Once her initial shock subsided, she came to her senses and began to look around.

What came into view was an abandoned house. The walls, roof, and windows were all dilapidated, as if they would collapse with the slightest push.

—Where am I? How did I get here?

She tried to sit up, but found herself completely powerless, as if she were wearing heavy armor. She tried to call out, but could only manage hoarse, guttural sounds.

Even so, it still alerted the people outside.

A series of hurried footsteps approached, and a figure rushed in.

"Ning'er? Ning'er, you're awake?"

Xie Mingshu was stunned the moment she saw that person.

That was her father, Xie Chengyuan. But he looked as if he had aged fifteen years in an instant; his hair was gray, his eyes were sunken, and his face was full of wrinkles.

Seeing that his daughter had indeed opened her eyes, Xie Chengyuan was overjoyed and turned around to shout towards the outside, "Madam! Madam, come quickly! Ning'er is awake! Ning'er is awake!"

Soon, Mrs. Bai stumbled in. She had aged considerably, and her once gentle face was now etched with weariness, but her eyes were filled with ecstatic joy.

"Ning'er!"

She rushed to the bedside, hugged Xie Mingshu, and wailed, "You're awake! You're finally awake! God has finally let you go!"

Xie Mingshu was completely bewildered and felt utterly confused. Looking at her parents' aged faces, she asked blankly, "Father... what happened? How come you've aged so much?"

Upon hearing this, the two stopped crying abruptly, and their ecstatic joy froze.

The two looked at each other.

"Ning'er," Xie Chengyuan finally said, wiping away his tears, "you still don't know? You've been asleep for a full ten years."

ten years?

Xie Mingshu was stunned. For a moment, she didn't even understand what the other person was saying.

After a moment, she came to her senses and asked anxiously, "Ten years? How is that possible? And where are we now? Why is this house so dilapidated? Where are Grandmother and the others? Where is everyone else in the mansion?"

The couple's faces were filled with unspeakable bitterness. Xie Chengyuan sighed and slowly recounted everything that had happened over the past ten years.

It turns out that after her assassination attempt failed and she fainted, the fake Xie Mingshu took the opportunity to settle scores with the Xie family.

Xie Chengyuan went from being an official in the capital to making a living by farming in this poor and remote place.

A few years later, the late emperor passed away, and the imposter Xie Mingshu ascended the throne. She implemented new policies, drastically changed the system, and turned the entire country upside down.

In this upheaval, the Xie family, despite having lost everything, was not spared.

Countless officials, eager to curry favor with the new emperor, openly and secretly took advantage of their misfortune. The old lady and old master of the Xie family died one after another amidst their turmoil, and Xie Lingxiao, whose identity had been stolen, fell ill with grief and died in despair.

The once-great Xie family was decimated, with some members dying and others scattered, leaving only the three of them barely clinging to life.

Listening to her father's sorrowful narration, Xie Mingshu was shocked, guilty... a mix of emotions swirling within her, making it almost impossible for her to breathe. She never imagined that her revenge would have such consequences.

No, she could actually think of it; it was obvious. It's just that she was blinded by hatred and unwilling to think about it.

Just as she was immersed in endless self-blame, her father Xie Chengyuan looked at her and suddenly said, "Ning'er, now that you're awake, our family finally has something to look forward to. Once you're fully recovered, go and participate in the imperial examination."

"Scientific expedition?" Xie Mingshu was stunned.

“Yes,” Xie Chengyuan explained, “After the new emperor ascended the throne, he changed the rules. Now, only women can enter the court and become officials. Men, men’s status is not even as good as a dog’s; they can only be serfs.”

The image of the fake Xie Mingshu's wicked face flashed through Xie Mingshu's mind in an instant. She never expected that the monster would go to such lengths.

Asking her to attach herself to that new dynasty built by counterfeiters is worse than killing her with a knife!
"I'm not going!" Her anger flared up instantly, and she refused without even thinking.

"Ning'er!"

Xie Chengyuan was completely drained of color. He swayed, as if his spine had been removed, and was about to collapse. Beside him, Bai Shi covered her mouth tightly with her sleeve, her eyes red and she couldn't help but sob.

"Ning'er," Xie Chengyuan's voice was hoarse, "Father doesn't want to force you. But, Ning'er..."

He was panting heavily, each word sounding like it was being forced out: "Our family has no other way to survive."

"For the past ten years, we've searched everywhere for medical treatment to cure your illness and wake you up. Your mother's most treasured jewelry, my cherished calligraphy and paintings... are all gone. We also owe a huge debt, and thugs come to collect it every day..."

He forced a smile, a smile more desolate than a cry: "I, as your father, have studied the classics my whole life, but in the end, I can't even protect my own wife and children. Our family's fate rests on you, Ning'er."

Mrs. Bai reached out and grasped her daughter's hand, which was as rough as cracked tree bark.

“Ning’er, I haven’t had a single restful night while you’ve been lying here. Every time I close my eyes, I’m afraid you won’t be able to breathe. I have to keep my eyes open and watch over you, listening to your breathing to feel that you are still alive.”

Her voice was broken by sobs as she said intermittently, "To borrow money, I kowtowed to every household. Your father spent his whole life writing, but he had to work in the fields to earn a little food. What's a little hardship for the two of us? It really is nothing. We don't care if we starve to death."

"But you finally opened your eyes, I can't just watch you starve to death with us!"

"Ning'er, please have pity on your father and me and give it a try, okay?" She cried so hard she could barely speak. "This is truly our last chance to survive."

Looking at her parents' aged faces and their pleading eyes, and listening to their sobs, Xie Mingshu could no longer bring herself to refuse.

She nodded, tears streaming down her face.

"But... I don't know if I can pass the exam," she said.

Xie Chengyuan, however, seemed very confident: "Don't worry, Ning'er, you can definitely do it."

Xie Mingshu couldn't understand where her father's unfounded confidence came from, and she only understood the answer later when she actually stepped into the examination hall.

After waking up, Xie Mingshu spent two whole months, with the meticulous care of her parents, recovering enough to walk again. Then, under her father's guidance, she began a year of arduous study.

A year later, she went to take the imperial examination for children.

The exam paper contained no classical texts or policy essays, only some elementary school-style questions like "Please recite the first ten lines of the Hundred Family Surnames" and "From which book is 'At the beginning of life, man is inherently good'?" She assumed that this was how the preliminary examinations were conducted, so she answered them honestly.

The result was predictable; she passed with ease.

A few months later, she took the provincial examination again. To her disbelief, the questions were almost identical to those in the preliminary examination, consisting of questions that even a three-year-old could answer fluently.

She thought there might be some kind of trap inside, but after racking her brains for a long time, she still couldn't figure it out, so she could only finish the test paper with a heavy heart.

On the day the results were announced, she surprisingly ranked first in the province, becoming the top female scholar in the province.

This result shocked and bewildered her. Later, she took the opportunity to look at the papers of other candidates and finally understood the truth.

Those papers were riddled with spelling mistakes, nonsensical, and some people even gave completely incorrect answers to the simplest questions. Only then did she realize that her first-place finish was no accident; it was simply because everyone else's work was so terrible.

She instantly realized that this was precisely the absurd scene that would inevitably occur under the rules set by the fake Xie Mingshu.

After becoming the top female scholar in the imperial examination, the family's situation immediately improved. No one dared to bully them anymore; on the contrary, many wealthy local families came to offer gifts and make connections. The father and Mrs. Bai finally had a long-lost smile on their faces, no longer having to worry about their next meal. But then, the family disagreed on whether or not to go to the capital to take the imperial examination.

What Xie Chengyuan and Lady Bai were worried about was naturally their feud with the fake Xie Mingshu. If their daughter's true identity were exposed, would the vengeful emperor strip her of her official rank, or even bring about her death?
Xie Mingshu, however, felt there was no need to worry at all. She knew the fake Xie Mingshu too well. With her wicked nature, if she really didn't want her to have an easy time, she would have tripped her up back during the preliminary examinations, and would never have let her get to where she is today so smoothly.

So don't worry, just go.

After hearing their daughter's analysis, Xie Chengyuan and Madam Bai finally agreed.

With the financial support of various wealthy businessmen, Xie Mingshu embarked on her journey to the capital.

On the way to the carriage, Xie Mingshu had nothing to do, so she looked around at the scenery, wanting to know what the world was like under the rule of the fake Xie Mingshu.

The sights she encountered along the way were shocking.

What should have been fertile fields are now mostly barren. In the fields, a few thin men work idly, while not far away, some women dressed as peasants sit on the ridges, chatting and laughing, pointing and gossiping at the men.

The situation in the villages and towns was even worse. Famine was rampant everywhere, and corpses of the starved could be seen everywhere by the roadside. At first, she thought that some major war had caused the people's livelihood to decline, but she learned the truth from the female scholars traveling with her.

"It's all because those men are useless! They all starved to death if they ate a little less and did a little more work." A female scholar with a pointed mouth and monkey-like cheeks said disdainfully while cracking melon seeds.

“That’s right!” another plump female scholar chimed in. “His Majesty is merciful, giving these useless men a way to make a living. He makes them work in the fields and then hand over the grain to the government for unified distribution. The women in the government are kind-hearted, and they always give us women priority when distributing grain.”

"It was supposed to be such a good thing. But these shameless bastards, they didn't know what was good for them and starved to death in droves! Now we don't even have enough food to eat, and in some places we have to make women work in the fields. It's outrageous! How can we, who are born sacred, do such disgraceful work?"

They spoke one after another, their tone filled with disdain.

But Xie Mingzhu still understood the truth behind what she saw and heard.

Under the new emperor's rules, only men were allowed to farm, and all the harvest had to be handed over to the government for distribution by female officials. These female officials, in turn, allocated the majority of the grain to other women.

As time went on, the men starved to death in droves, and fewer and fewer people were able to work, causing the grain yield to plummet the following year.

The female officials had no choice but to force the women to work in the fields as well. But those women who were used to enjoying life were unwilling to endure hardship and all of them slacked off.

If this vicious cycle continues, grain production will never increase, and famine will become a regular occurrence.

Xie Mingshu listened to their loud discussions and looked out the window at the barren fields and the dying refugees. She didn't say another word the whole way.

Several months later, she finally arrived in the capital.

She got off the carriage and breathed a sigh of relief at the thought of finally being able to separate from the other female examinees. However, when she passed through the city gate and entered the capital, she was stunned for a moment.

The street was still the same familiar street, yet everything felt eerily strange. The road was so filthy you couldn't even step on it, as if no one had cleaned it in ages. Vendors haphazardly blocked the way, and nobody seemed to care; it was a chaotic mess.

Several women were caught robbing people in broad daylight, but they weren't afraid at all. Instead, they brazenly yelled at the victims, "Go ahead and report me to the authorities if you dare!"

But what alarmed her most was that she didn't see a single man the entire time.

Suppressing her doubts, she first settled into the hometown association hall, and then went to the Ministry of Rites to complete the procedures for the metropolitan examination. Submitting documents, verifying identity, receiving certificates... what should have been an orderly process turned into chaos at the Ministry of Rites.

The main hall was crowded with scholars who had come to handle official business, while the female officials huddled together, eating melon seeds and chatting idly, behaving extremely rudely.

They acted entirely on their whims, often making mistakes without a care. If they saw a scholar they didn't like, they would deliberately make things difficult for him, frequently resorting to verbal abuse.

Xie Mingshu queued for the entire afternoon before finally managing to complete the formalities.

On her way back, she bumped into someone she never expected.

It was Bai Yulian, that distant relative who used to freeload at her house.

She was like a completely different person now, adorned with jewels and silks, with two maids following behind her, exuding the air of a noblewoman.

Bai Yulian also recognized Xie Mingshu. She pretended to be surprised and walked over to greet her warmly: "Oh, isn't this Wan Ning? Tsk tsk, look at her, she's grown into a beautiful young lady. Speaking of which, I was young and impetuous when I was at the manor and offended many people. Please don't hold it against me."

Xie Mingshu didn't know how to deal with the drastically changed Bai Yulian, so she could only stammer, "Well, I don't care about the past anymore."

“By the way,” Bai Yulian changed the subject quickly, “I haven’t asked yet, how is your mother? I heard that your family was forced to move to the county town, right? Those days… tsk tsk, I’m afraid they couldn’t even get a hot meal?”

“It used to be tough, but now that I’ve passed the provincial examination with top honors, things are much better,” Xie Mingshu said.

However, Bai Yulian scoffed and said, "Judging from your appearance, you're not much better, are you? Sigh, I really don't know what your mother is thinking. I've long advised her to break up with that Xie guy!"

"She's the one who insists on staying with you two good-for-nothings, father and daughter, and suffering for nothing. Don't think I'm exaggerating."

As she spoke, she spread her arms and twirled around like a peacock displaying its plumage, her expensive fabric dazzling in the sunlight: "Look at you! How about it? Aren't you envious? Do you know how you got it?"

Xie Mingshu shook her head.

Bai Yulian raised an eyebrow, her smugness as if she had become an emperor: "It's very simple. You just need to find a man with spare money in his family and marry him."

"Once the rice is cooked, after a month or two, you start finding fault. Today you say he grinds his teeth in his sleep, tomorrow you complain about him smacking his lips while eating. You just keep repeating the same thing over and over—this life is unbearable! Then you rush to the yamen, crying and wailing, demanding a divorce!"

She raised her chin, her face full of smug satisfaction: "Just wait and see the show. These days, women are in charge of the government. The female officials are all wholeheartedly helping us, so they just wrote down the entire man's estate and awarded it to me. I used this method to make money, and now I'm rolling in it!"

She reached out and patted Xie Mingshu's shoulder hard, saying, "That's why I said your mother is stupid! Do you understand? The world has changed, and she still doesn't know how to make good use of it."

She then ignored Xie Mingshu, turned around and strode away, laughing loudly, "Since the new emperor ascended the throne, our good days have finally begun! Hahahahaha."

Xie Mingshu returned to the clubhouse in silence. That night, she tossed and turned, unable to sleep a wink.

Recalling everything she had seen and heard along the way, she understood that the world was about to be destroyed by the fake Xie Mingshu. But what could she do? She could do nothing. She didn't want to do anything either. The aged faces of her father and Madam Bai kept flashing before her eyes. She was afraid, she was truly afraid.

She no longer dared to think about revenge or taking her mother back.

She no longer dared to be Xie Mingshu.

Just be Xie Wanning, and pretend that everything in the past never existed.

Her only wish now is to be a stable official, earn a salary, and take good care of her father and Bai Shi.

By the way, she should start addressing her differently when she gets back. Madam Bai has waited for her for so many years; it's time she called her "Mother."

Amidst her jumbled thoughts, Xie Mingshu fell asleep, exhausted.

After some time, the day of the imperial examination arrived. This time, the exam was a bit more difficult, but not many questions, and still ridiculously easy. Xie Mingshu finished the exam with ease and quietly waited for the results to be released.

When the results were announced, she went to check and, as expected, she had become the top scholar.

But this is just the beginning; the real challenges lie ahead.

Palace examination.

She will have to confront the fake Xie Mingshu then.

How will the latter view her? Will he let her go? Will he ignore her? Will he forget her? Or will he still remember her and intend to continue tormenting her?
Xie Mingshu waited painfully, filled with unease and torment.

Finally, the day of the imperial examination arrived.

As she followed the other scholars across the high vermilion threshold, a wave of cold, heavy air rushed towards her, causing her to shiver involuntarily.

This is the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

The emptiness inside the hall was unsettling. Dozens of thick, gilded dragon pillars supported the seemingly endless dome. The ferocious dragon heads hanging from the beams had pairs of lifeless eyes that coldly scrutinized them.

The main hall was eerily silent, with only the soft rustling of fabric and the rhythmic thud of footsteps.

And at the end of the high platform of the main hall.

The man lazily nestled in the dragon throne.

She wore an imperial robe embroidered with golden dragons. The figure beneath the robe was no longer the one Xie Mingshu remembered; it had grown taller and thinner, and that face—the face that should have been on her neck—had a jarringly familiar outline.

She didn't even bother to put on any airs; she just sat there casually, propping her chin on her elbow, her gaze sweeping over the dark mass of tribute bearers below as if she were examining a group of interesting insects.

That familiar gaze, which regarded everything as a plaything, instantly pierced Xie Mingshu's heart, freezing the blood in her limbs into ice shards.

Even though she was mentally prepared, Xie Mingshu nearly collapsed. She desperately lowered her head, wishing she could turn into a puddle of mud and seep into the cold cracks in the floor tiles. At that moment, only one thought screamed hysterically in her mind: Don't see me, please don't see me, please, don't see me…

However, what is destined to come will inevitably come.

"Everyone except her, step down." On the dragon throne, the fake Xie Mingshu pointed at Xie Mingshu and spoke slowly.

Xie Mingshu stiffened, knowing that she could not avoid it.

Although the scholars and officials were completely bewildered, they dared not disobey and bowed as they withdrew from the hall. Soon, only the two of them remained in the empty hall.

"Xie Mingshu, why are you looking down? Lift your head up!" the fake Xie Mingshu said.

She obediently raised her head.

"Long time no see." The fake Xie Mingshu sat on the dragon throne, looking her over with great interest, as if she had found a long-lost old toy.

Now there was no turning back. Xie Mingshu thought of her parents' desolation and expectations at home, steeled her heart, her knees buckled, and she knelt down on the ground, surrendering completely.

"This sinful woman pays her respects to Your Majesty." Her voice trembled uncontrollably. "This sinful woman begs Your Majesty for the assassination attempt ten years ago. This sinful woman has realized her mistake and has completely given up hope. I only beg Your Majesty to have mercy and grant this sinful woman an official position so that I can support my parents and let them live out their old age in peace, no longer suffering. I beg you."

The fake Xie Mingshu was slightly taken aback, then her smile became even more playful: "You've changed a lot. You seem to have finally matured a bit."

“Okay. I promise you.” The fake Xie Mingshu readily agreed. “However, I have one condition. You must first admit your mistakes.”

Xie Mingshu was stunned: "The sinner...didn't she already apologize?"

“I’m not referring to assassination,” the fake Xie Mingshu said, her smiling face filled with a predatory malice, as if she were preparing for some prank. “I’m talking about something from long ago. When you were still a puppet, your foolish and wicked attitude hurt me deeply.”

Xie Mingshu stared blankly, her mouth slightly agape, her face full of confusion, clearly not knowing what the other person was saying.

When she was still a doll, wasn't she the one who suffered the most?

The fake Xie Mingshu began to recount Xie Mingshu's crimes in a tone reminiscing about the past.

"Your good mother, Madam Ling, was originally an independent and strong woman, but she was blinded by love by your hypocritical father and willingly became his appendage. I only helped her see the truth, awakened her, and freed her from her shackles to pursue a life that truly belonged to her. How dare you insult me ​​and slander me? Aren't you wrong?"

After a moment of stunned silence, Xie Mingshu was overwhelmed by a strong sense of humiliation.

She watched helplessly as the fake Xie Mingshu used her identity to gain Ling Shi's favor and used Ling Shi's maternal love to tame her own dog.

Powerless to do anything but curse in despair, her pathetic resistance was labeled as slander? Was it really a mistake?!
Xie Mingshu gritted her teeth, her anger rising uncontrollably.

But at this moment, she thought of her parents' expectant eyes.

Finally, she closed her eyes, prostrated herself on the ground with her forehead pressed against the earth, and answered with difficulty, "...The sinful woman is at fault."

The fake Xie Mingshu's smile deepened, as if she had gained immense satisfaction. She continued, "Your good father, Xie Chengyuan, is nothing more than someone who brought back the Emperor's only illegitimate son. He dared to deceive his own wife over such a trivial matter. I'll make him pay for his foolishness and leave him destitute for the rest of his life. Am I right? Is this considered me sowing discord?"

Each question was like a dull knife, cruelly carving away at her heart. And each answer felt like her soul was being slowly tortured.

Tears streamed down her face.

"……Correct."

The fake Xie Mingshu enjoyed the process and began to list her achievements one by one.

"I am intelligent and great, independent and strong. I am born noble, far superior to a fool like you who doesn't understand what a strong female lead is, doesn't understand the nature of women, and doesn't understand how a woman should live. It's an honor for you and your mother that I would be willing to take your mother as a dog, isn't it?"

"……Correct."

"I tortured you, broke your legs, gouged out your eyes, to make you understand that as a weak person, you must be aware of your weakness and not foolishly try to challenge the authority of the strong. I'm teaching you the rules of survival, aren't I?"

"……Correct."

"Your father is nothing but a hypocrite pretending to be a good father. He doesn't actually love his wife and daughters at all. I'm the one who exposed his facade, aren't I?"

"Correct."

…………

Xie Mingshu's heart was bleeding; her dignity had been crushed to dust. But for her parents' sake, she could only repeatedly acknowledge all of this demon's atrocities. Meanwhile, the fake Xie Mingshu laughed even more gleefully.

Finally, the fake Xie Mingshu seemed to have finished speaking. She looked at the nearly collapsing Xie Mingshu with satisfaction and said, "Very good, you did well, I'm very satisfied."

Xie Mingshu felt a huge weight lifted off her shoulders and collapsed to the ground, thinking only that it was finally over and her parents would no longer have to suffer.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but smile, as if she felt that all the suffering was worthwhile.

At this moment, the fake Xie Mingshu suddenly stood up. She left the dragon throne, descended from the high platform, and walked step by step to Xie Mingshu, saying softly, "Now there is only one last thing to repay. Stand up."

Xie Mingshu looked up at the other person, puzzled. She didn't understand what she still needed to repay, but the next moment she stopped thinking about it.

It doesn't matter anymore. She's already lost everything, so there's nothing left for her to care about.

She stood up numbly, looking at the fake Xie Mingshu, wondering what she was up to now.

puff!

A dull thud as a sharp blade pierced flesh.

Xie Mingshu froze. She slowly lowered her head and saw a dagger deeply embedded in her lower abdomen, blood gushing out.

Xie Mingshu's eyes widened suddenly. She looked at the fake Xie Mingshu in shock and anger and exclaimed, "You! What are you doing!"

The imposter Xie Mingshu gripped the knife hilt, her face still bearing that malicious smile. She slowly approached and whispered in Xie Mingshu's ear, "You don't think... that assassinating me is something that can be resolved with just an apology, do you?"

Xie Mingshu stared at her in shock, her eyes filled with disbelief.

The fake Xie Mingshu released the hilt of the knife, took a step back, and watched as the weakened Xie Mingshu, succumbing to blood loss and excruciating pain, collapsed. She laughed mockingly, "An eye for an eye, now we're even. If you survive, I'll grant your wish and make you a high-ranking official, hahahaha!"

The cold ground was quickly soaked with warm blood. Xie Mingshu stared wide-eyed at the figure towering above her, her body growing cold from blood loss. Everything that had happened in the past flashed before her eyes like a revolving lantern.

A life stolen from me, a brainwashed mother, a demoted father, the tragedy of a destroyed family, the pain of ten years in a coma, and now this knife piercing my abdomen...

But none of this bothered Xie Mingshu.

Until she remembered that Bai Shi and her father were still waiting for her to return in that dilapidated house, until she remembered the sorrow when the two of them begged her to take the imperial examination, until she remembered the reluctance and anticipation when the two of them watched her leave.

At this moment, Xie Mingshu felt as if she were being torn to pieces and subjected to slow slicing.

She glared hatefully at the fake Xie Mingshu, tears streaming down her face as she screamed, "Beast! You beast... I curse you! I curse you to go to hell! May you never be reincarnated!"

The fake Xie Mingshu merely scoffed and said disdainfully, "Hell? I won't go to hell. I am immortal."

After saying that, in Xie Mingshu's gradually blurring vision, she saw a strange, glowing board appear out of thin air in front of the fake Xie Mingshu. The fake Xie Mingshu tapped on it a few times casually, as if confirming something.

Then the board disappeared.

"Alright, my main quest here is complete." She turned her head and waved to the dying Xie Mingshu, as if saying goodbye to an old friend. "Goodbye, Xie Mingshu."

As soon as she finished speaking, Xie Mingshu's eyes, which were already starting to glaze over, reflected a scene that terrified her.

The fake Xie Mingshu's body began to twist grotesquely.

It wasn't a physical spasm, but a strange fluctuation, as if even the surrounding light and space were being distorted by a monstrous force. Her entire being, like a reflection in water, was blurred and doubled instantly by the gentle stroke of an unseen finger.

Xie Mingshu's pupils shrank to the size of a pinhead in shock at this scene that defied all human reason.

At this moment, the double image became more and more real, and gradually, a clearly defined shadow slowly squeezed out from the fake Xie Mingshu's body.

The feeling was like someone struggling to break free from a bodysuit that was a size too small. First, a shoulder emerged from the shadow, then a slender waist, and then a perfectly proportioned, full figure.

It didn't jump out all at once, but rather slowly and gracefully peeled itself away from that body, bit by bit.

The entire process was eerily quiet, without a single sound or blood, only a silent terror that sent shivers down one's spine.

Xie Mingshu stared silently, her mouth agape. She watched as the alluring figure was completely freed from its restraints, like a wisp of smoke that had just burned out, lazily unfurling in the air.

The fake Xie Mingshu instantly lost all her vitality. Her eyes, which had once been filled with malice and mockery, became empty, like two glass beads.

The newly emerged woman stretched in mid-air.

She was an absolutely captivating beauty. Her long, jet-black hair cascaded down, making her snow-white skin even more dazzling.

She gently moved her slender neck and rotated her rounded shoulders; every little movement was full of captivating charm.

Xie Mingshu was completely mesmerized.

At this moment, the woman turned around and looked at Xie Mingshu, her face falling into the latter's eyes.

It was a face that could topple kingdoms and possess unparalleled beauty.

That's... Fei Wu's face!
(End of this chapter)