My brother entrusted his child to me, and I livestreamed raising the baby, making the Empress cry wi

The little boy stretched out his short arms with all his might, his five fingers opening and closing in the air, desperately trying to grab the illusory figure.

However, each time she touched the figure, it slipped through her fingers, and she grasped nothing.

Her little hands moved faster and faster in the air, and her tears fell more and more fiercely.

Ye Fan sighed softly, raised his eyes, and looked at Lin Ye, who had been silently guarding him from the side.

"Old Lin, I'm entrusting Xiao Douzi to you."

Ye Fan's voice was full of solemnity, then softened.

"Please bury my body behind the orphanage. I... miss home..."

Lin Ye looked at the "Ye Fan" in front of him, his heart surging with emotion, unable to calm down for a long time.

Every subtle change in Ye Fan's expression, every whispered word, was constructed based on his understanding of Ye Fan's personality.

This was supposed to be just a realistic illusion, a tool to achieve a goal.

However, at this moment, looking at Ye Fan's gaze at Xiao Douzi, it seemed to contain a lifetime of tenderness and concern.

Hearing the deep regret and reluctance hidden beneath his calm entrustment, Lin Ye felt a strong pang of heart palpitation and disorientation.

For a fleeting moment, he felt as if he had truly traveled through time and witnessed his best friend Ye Fan entrusting him with the treasure he cherished most before his soul was scattered.

Let me take him home...

It wasn't until the hot tears from the little girl in his arms soaked his front that the warm, damp sensation jolted Lin Ye back from his daze.

He composed himself, suppressing all unnecessary emotions, and met the gaze that "Ye Fan" was casting at him.

That gaze was as clear as ever, carrying unquestionable trust and a heavy entrustment.

Without a word, Lin Ye tightened his arms around Xiao Douzi, his expression more solemn and serious than ever before, and nodded heavily to "Ye Fan".

"Don't worry, Lao Ye, I will!"

Ye Fan smiled.

The smile was faint yet relaxed, like the last snowflake of winter melting in the early spring sunshine.

He lowered his head and gave Xiaodouzi one last greedy look, as if he wanted to imprint her image into the deepest part of his soul.

Then, in Shu Jingwei's pupils, which suddenly contracted to their limit, under Yao Jingyuan's venomous gaze, and amidst the grief-stricken cries of the people...

Ye Fan's pale gray figure, like the last snowflakes under the sunlight, turned into countless tiny, warm points of light until it disappeared completely without a trace.

Beside him, Ye Fan's body remained quietly leaning against the large rock.

The sunlight slanted across his face, his eyes were peacefully closed, and his brows were relaxed.

It was as if they had simply broken free from all weariness and burdens and sunk into a long slumber from which they would never need to wake up again.

"Daddy—!!!!!"

Little Douzi suddenly let out a heart-wrenching cry, her small body lunging forward as if trying to follow the points of light, but Lin Ye held her tightly.

She cried so hard she could barely breathe, her little face flushed red, and tears streamed down her face like a broken string of pearls.

Lin Ye quickly comforted her in a low voice, gently patting her back.

"Ye Fan! Ye Fan, come back! I command you to come back! Do you hear me! Come back—!"

Shu Jingwei felt like her world had collapsed.

She screamed desperately, scrambling towards the place where "Ye Fan" had vanished, only to grasp a handful of cold air.

The man who once loved her more than anything and regarded her as his whole world was unwilling to even linger for her, not even for the last trace of his soul.

The kingdom she offered as dowry and the position of empress were seen as a complete joke by the other party, and she couldn't even get a glance in return.

An unprecedented emptiness and coldness instantly swept over her entire body, making her feel as if she had fallen into an ice cave, and she trembled all over.

But she quickly forgot about savoring this novel feeling. As "Ye Fan" completely dissipated between heaven and earth, the grief and anger under the sky reached a certain peak.

More intense and mournful cries and curses than before swept across the entire Great Flame Kingdom like a tsunami.

[Commoner Zhang Fei: You dog emperor! You treacherous officials! You will all die a horrible death! You will all die a horrible death!!!]

[Commoner Niu Mo: Heaven has no eyes! Heaven has no eyes!!!]

[Commoner Sun Kong: Avenge Lord Ye! Storm the capital! Kill that dog emperor and that dog official—!!!]

……

The overwhelming resentment and murderous intent were almost tangible, making Shu Jingwei feel a chill run down her spine just by looking at the comments.

She looked around and even noticed that the Imperial Guards who had been standing at attention had begun to look uneasy and their eyes were shifting and wandering.

There must be no chaos! I cannot afford to lose my composure!

Shu Jingwei pinched her palm hard, the sharp pain forcibly pulling her out of that cold, empty feeling.

Once the fear subsided, a stronger sense of resentment at the loss of power and a frantic scheming regained the upper hand.

Ye Fan... is completely out of reach.

But there's still one person here!

A person who holds the legacy of Ye Fan, the title of "righteousness," and the power to influence public opinion!

Her gaze suddenly shot towards Lin Ye, the handsome young man who was tightly clutching the small bag and whose face was as solemn as iron.

Yes! Lin Ye!

As long as he stays and stands on my side, his "miraculous" abilities and his relationship with Ye Fan will surely be enough to appease the mob!

If only he would speak up, say it was a misunderstanding, say that Ye Fan had forgiven him...

No, even if he just keeps silent, as long as he does things for her, she can still use that to her advantage!

Almost instantly, Shu Jingwei's expression changed again.

The earlier breakdown and hysteria receded like the tide, replaced by a mixture of earnest imperial majesty and a touch of charm that she believed was most effective at captivating men.

She even raised her hand to tidy her slightly messy sideburns, tucking a few stray strands behind her ear to reveal her beautiful profile.

The young empress took a deep breath, walked slowly a few steps toward Lin Ye, and stopped at a distance that was neither too intimate nor too distant.

"Lin... Lin Yexianshi." Her voice softened, carrying a deliberately slowed, slightly hoarse magnetism.

Shu Jingwei raised her head, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked at Lin Ye. Her eyes were still a little red, making her look even more pitiful.

"Just now... I lost my composure. As for Fan Lang's matter... I am truly heartbroken and completely flustered." She tilted her head slightly, revealing the graceful line of her neck, her tone filled with remorse.

"Now I am filled with regret, but he is gone... I know that you and Fan Lang were like brothers, and I know that you were very skilled and chivalrous."

She paused, observing Lin Ye's reaction. Seeing that he remained expressionless, he simply patted the little boy in his arms who was crying and hiccuping.

Anxiousness was lurking beneath her surface, but her smile grew even more captivating. She even took a half-step forward, lowering her voice as if sharing a secret known only to the two of them:

"Master Lin, Fan Lang is gone, and Ling'er is still young. It's not a long-term solution for you to wander with her. Why don't you... stay here?"

Her voice was seductive, and her gaze was fixed on Lin Ye.

"I am willing to treat you with the utmost respect, offering you high office, generous salary, and countless taels of gold! As long as you are willing to stay, assist me, appease the people, and clear up misunderstandings... I guarantee that you and Ling'er will enjoy endless wealth and honor for the rest of your lives!"

As she spoke, her eyes darted around, and in those eyes, besides the allure, there was a distinct and ambiguous hint, as if to say that if he nodded, he could gain more than just power and wealth.

"Oh."

A sneer filled with undisguised mockery and disgust interrupted Shu Jingwei's confident pose.