Who said the eldest daughter is crazy? She's clearly a woman of high rank and influence in the

Three days ago, a notice was posted on the official road outside the south gate of the capital. It was written in black on red paper and stamped with the Empress's imperial seal, summoning Xi Yueli, the concubine's daughter of the Xi family, to return to the capital to acknowledge her ancestors.

The teahouses on Nanshi Street were bustling all day long after the notice was posted.

"Xi Yueli? That crazy girl who was burned to death on the estate?"

"Wasn't it said he was burned to ashes long ago? How can a dead person be recognized as a member of the family?"

"Could the Empress's decree be false? Perhaps they've mistaken the person for someone else."

People in the capital have seen far too many imperial edicts from the empress. This one is probably just another pretext for some court power struggle, using the name of a dead person as a pretext.

On the afternoon of the seventh day, a layer of dust rose up on the official road outside the South Gate.

The first to spot the group of people were the guards on the city wall. A newly arrived soldier rubbed his eyes and asked the older sergeant next to him, "That flag... what's painted on that flag?"

The sergeant peeked out and took a look. At first, he couldn't see clearly, but when the group of people approached within half a mile, the patterns on the banners gradually became clear in the sunlight. On the left was a black banner with silver patterns and a wolf's head, and on the right was a banner with dark patterns and a black iron background and a Tian Shu banner.

The two flags walked side by side, fluttering in the north wind like two blades raised at the same time.

The corporal slammed his halberd against the battlement with a loud thud. "...The flag of the Tian Shu Division, and another wolf-headed flag, I've never seen them before."

He turned his head, his face pale. "That's Prince Chen's flag. His Highness Prince Chen... didn't he fall off the cliff and die?"

The drumbeats on the city wall were three beats late. The captain guarding the city rushed up the city wall, but the troop had already crossed the drawbridge of the outer city.

Xi Yueli rode alongside Helian Jing, the cuffs of her black riding clothes neatly gathered, her long hair tied high, and the hairpin gleaming warmly in the sunlight.

She had no face covering, and the sunlight shone on her face, illuminating her almond-shaped eyes clearly.

Helian Jing was half a step to her left. He was dressed in a dark blue outfit and had removed the black iron mask to reveal his face. His eyebrows were high and sharp, his eyes were slightly upturned, and his jawline was clean and distinct. The sunlight fell on his face, outlining his usually aloof and indifferent features.

As the procession passed through Nanshi Street, the eyes of the shopkeepers on both sides of the street followed the figure in black riding attire until she suddenly recognized his face as she passed by.

"Xi...Xi family's eldest daughter?" The flowers in the aunt's hand fell to the ground, petals scattered all over the ground.

After the procession passed, the whole street suddenly erupted. Tea drinkers in the tea stalls rushed out and crowded onto the curb to peer out, while the owner of the silk shop ran out from behind the counter and stood at the door watching the tail of the procession.

When the steward of the Xi family rushed in, Madam Fang was drinking tea in the main room, holding a scroll of newly arrived news from the capital in her hand. Hearing the hurried footsteps of the servants and the exclamations outside, she paused for a moment in her teacup.

She looked up, about to speak, when the curtain was suddenly flung open. The steward's face was as white as paper, his lips trembling: "Madam... the eldest young lady has returned, riding a horse, side by side with His Highness Prince Chen, into the underground city."

The teacup in Fang's hand fell to the ground, spilling tea everywhere. Her lips moved slightly, and the color drained from her well-maintained face.

When Xi Mingyuan rushed out of the study, he hadn't even had time to straighten the hem of his robe. He tripped on the threshold and was only saved from falling by the help of his servant.

He stood at the gate of the Xi residence and saw a group of people passing through the alleyway outside the gate. The sunlight fell on the figure in black riding clothes, and he could clearly see that it was his eldest daughter, whom he had personally sent to the estate and who had been burned to death.

His knees buckled, and he had to hold onto the pillars to keep from kneeling.

Xi Yuefu hid behind the moon gate of the second courtyard, half of her face peeking out from the door frame, the old scars on her face glowing a pale pink in the sunlight.

She watched the figure on horseback pass through her field of vision at the alley entrance, without glancing even once towards the Xi residence. Those eyes were fixed straight ahead on the palace gate. She took half a step back, her back bumping into the pillar behind her.

The Empress sat on her phoenix throne, the newly arrived urgent report in her hand so tightly that the paper was crumpled, and she had read the ink on it three times.

Helian Jing did not die, nor did Xi Yueli. The two rode side by side into the city. The Dark Pavilion and the Heavenly Pivot Division opened tunnels side by side, and even the captains guarding the city did not dare to stop them.

She pressed her fingertips against the paper, and after a long while, she spoke again, her voice as gentle as ever: "...It's good that you're alive. Convey my decree, and invite the eldest princess to the palace for a talk."

The palace gates opened around 3 PM, a quarter later than usual. Those waiting knew that the Empress was rearranging her chessboard.

When Xi Yueli dismounted, two rows of imperial guards with halberds were already standing on the stone steps in front of the palace gate, but no one stepped forward to question her.

The Empress Dowager herself was waiting inside the gate, bowing deeply with her hands at her sides. She led Xi Yueli through three palace gates and two courtyards, stopping in front of the main hall of the Empress Dowager's palace. She then pushed open the hall door.

Empress Xiao sat on the phoenix throne, dressed in a dark red formal phoenix robe embroidered with gold. Her hair was styled in a high bun, with a nine-tailed phoenix hairpin at her temples, and a gentle smile on her face.

When she saw Xi Yueli walk in, she leaned forward slightly, as if carefully examining a child who had been separated for many years. Her gaze lingered on Xi Yueli's face for a moment, then tears welled up in her eyes, and her voice was as soft as melting honey.

"You've suffered so much. After a long investigation, I have finally confirmed that you are the eldest daughter of the late Empress. You were lost in the common people after birth and eventually ended up in the Xi family. Now that we have finally found you, come, let me take a good look at you."

She stretched out her hand, her fingertips trembling slightly in the direction of Xi Yueli. The palace servants stood respectfully with their hands at their sides, and the candlelight illuminated the golden threads on her phoenix robe.

Xi Yueli stood in the center of the hall, sunlight streaming in from the hall door behind her, casting her dark riding attire onto the gold brick floor in front of her, stretching it into a long, dark shadow.

She didn't step forward to take the hand, nor did she bow. She stood at the boundary between the candlelight and the sunlight, tilted her head slightly, and a very faint smile curved her lips.

"The eldest princess that Her Majesty the Empress mentioned, on the day of her birth, someone sacrificed the lives of an entire city to set up a soul-splitting array," her voice echoed in the empty palace like a pebble falling into deep water.

"That city is called Chilin, located in the northern border of Daying. The late Empress was lured there by the Empress's people to give birth when she was six months pregnant—has Your Majesty investigated this thoroughly?"

The hand on the phoenix chair hovered in mid-air for three breaths before falling back down and resting on the armrest, fingertips interlaced, as if nothing had happened.

The smile on the Empress's face vanished for only a moment before returning. She tilted her head slightly, shifting her gaze from Xi Yueli's face, and her voice returned to its previous gentle tone.

"Chi Lincheng." The Empress read those words aloud. "I've investigated for three years, but I still haven't found the source of that old case. You, on the other hand, have investigated much faster than I have..."

"But you just said that 'someone sacrificed the lives of an entire city to set up the formation.' Who was that person? Did you find out their name, or did you just piece together a few fragments from rumors?"

She paused, her gaze returning to Xi Yueli's face. "The eldest princess has suffered greatly among the common people for many years, and it pains me to see her like this. But as long as I feel sorry for her, if your words just now were not supported by evidence, then it would be considered unauthorized discussion of palace affairs, and you should be punished according to palace rules."

The candlelight in the hall flickered again, and the palace servants, who were standing with their hands at their sides, lowered their heads even further.

Xi Yueli stood in the center of the hall, looking at the face on the phoenix throne, which had regained its composure. The faint smile at the corner of her mouth did not disappear. "What Your Majesty the Empress says is true. Without concrete evidence, it certainly cannot be taken seriously."