The improved female villains regained their memories.

"I want to save my mother's life," he said.

"Save your mother?"

As Xu Weibang spoke, he suddenly chuckled.

"When you say you're saving your mother, do you mean using your own people as sacrifices in a ritual?"

"When you say you're saving your mother, do you mean betraying the royal family, colluding with treacherous officials, and altering the laws of nature?"

"When you say you're saving your mother, do you mean neglecting state affairs and easily handing over the nation's most important assets to others?"

The aged emperor spoke slowly and deliberately, like a dragon in its twilight years.

But at this moment, he seemed to have shaken off his disheveled state and stood tall with his head held high.

"My son."

Xu Baxian has already done everything, so why is he still trembling over these two words?

Why does this inner sadness arise?

Standing before him, was it the cold, aloof emperor, or the father in the alley, dressed in tattered clothes, playing with a rattle drum?

He felt as if he were witnessing an illusion.

In that instant, my mind went blank.

-------------

Father Emperor truly lives up to his reputation.

Even though he was imprisoned in the deep palace, it seemed that he knew everything.

-------------

A flash of white light appeared in his eyes.

He saw his father suddenly grab the chopsticks from the table and stab them into his eyes.

Chopsticks are an ordinary thing.

But in that instant, things became extraordinary.

Crack.

The chopsticks stopped in front of Xu Baxian.

As the power of fate was activated, Xu Weibang clutched his chest and fell backward.

The ancient dragon let out its final roar as its gleaming white teeth were stained crimson with gushing blood.

-------------

It seems like my vision has been replaced by an illusion again.

Xu Baxian saw many things.

He saw his father reach out, as if he were touching his hair, just like his mother.

He stood there, stunned, without moving.

The last hand fell limp, and there was no more movement.

At that moment, Zhou Zhiruo's voice rang out again.

-------------

“Child, don’t be angry with your father. Your father also has his own difficulties.”

-------------

He had heard his mother describe more than once how she and his father got married.

It was a dilapidated thatched hut.

My mother remembers everything about the thatched cottage—the walls, built of rammed earth, were weathered and mottled, with weeds growing stubbornly through the cracks. The roof, covered with layers of straw, had been repaired many times, but it still leaked. Whenever a storm came, basins and jars had to be placed inside to catch the rainwater seeping from the roof.

The wooden door creaked precariously, and the interior was dark and damp. The floor was unpaved, made of compacted earth, and years of foot traffic had left slight depressions, revealing the marks of time. There was very little furniture in the room; a worn-out wooden bed took up most of the space, covered with a thin quilt that was patched upon patched, faded but clean.

In the corner, a simple stove served as the kitchen, with an iron pot on it and firewood and rudimentary cooking utensils piled up beside it. Several tattered bamboo baskets hung on the wall, containing a small amount of grain and vegetables, the only food available in the household.

They got married under those circumstances.

My mother can even remember every single line from that movie.

“I said to your father: ‘My father has been taking care of you ever since he brought you to our family. But now he’s dead, and you’re not very literate, so we won’t be so formal. I don’t ask for anything. This marriage certificate will serve as a witness.’ I had prepared that marriage certificate long ago, intending to use it as a witness. But your father snatched it away, bit his finger, and pressed it on.”

“I was heartbroken at the time and asked your father, ‘Doesn’t it hurt?’ Your father said it didn’t hurt.”

“Your father said, ‘It’s alright, it’s good to put your handprint on it, it shows you keep your word. Since you’ve already done it, I’ll definitely do it too.’ Then he laughed.”

"Xian'er, you must believe that your father loves me and loves you. When we wrote the marriage certificate, he read it to me word by word."

"Heaven heard it, earth heard it, so it counts."

-------------

"It is said that when heaven and earth unite, all things are born; when yin and yang interact, human relationships are established. My daughter, Zhiruo, is blessed by heaven and earth and fortunate to have met with such a good match. Today, at this auspicious time, we are bound by our marriage vows. I wish to grow old with you, our love stronger than gold. This letter is presented to heaven and earth, and we are now husband and wife. You will not betray me, and I will not betray you."

-------------

If you do not betray me, I will not betray you.

-------------

Xu Baxian squatted down and looked at Xu Weibang.

But Mother, Father has wronged you.

He is no longer the father who cared about everything.

He was an emperor, the most ruthless person in the world.

He... has changed a long time ago.

-------------

"Father, why do this?" he asked.

Does he really hate reuniting with his mother, and hate being controlled by himself?

Xu Weibang coughed up blood and answered with his last strength:

"Traitors and rebels should be executed..."

-------------

Rebellious officials and traitors.

Now, they're neither father nor son.

Xu Baxian lowered his eyes and said, "One last question."

"...Why didn't you save Mother?"

“Zhiruo…”

Xu Weibang's eyes regained some light, and he widened his eyes slightly and moved his lips.

Xu Baxian bent down to listen.

He heard nothing.

The final answer was the sound of breathing; nothing at all.

He stood up and looked at his father—his eyes widened, and finally he looked at his mother.

The room was eerily quiet.

Xu Weibang is dead.

-------------

Xu Baxian knelt on the ground.

At that moment, he seemed to have lost all his strength.

The blood on his body mingled with the color of his clothes.

He stood up and walked step by step toward his mother.

His mother raised her head, looked at him, and reached out her hand to him.

"My son, you've lost weight..."

-------------

No matter what, he won't stop.

Once you've embarked on this path, there's no turning back.

-------------

The day of the sacrifice has arrived.

Today's morning court session started exceptionally early.

Before dawn, darkness enveloped the entire city like thick ink.

For the first time, Xu Baxian wore a dragon robe and a crown, sitting upright on the dragon throne. The tassels hanging down emitted a cold light in the dim candlelight.

The ministers filed into the court. The civil officials straightened their sleeves and walked with slow, mechanical steps; their solemn court robes now looked somewhat dull and lifeless. The military generals, though still standing tall, seemed to have lost some of their usual vigor and spirit in the morning mist.

No one found it strange; they simply assumed that all of this was at the behest of the Heavenly Dao.

In the imperial court, candlelight flickered, casting shadows on everyone's faces.

Xu Baxian looked down at the assembled officials, his eyes deep, though mostly obscured by the beads on his crown. Palace maids stood beside him, conversing with the officials as usual.

The massive formation had been silently deployed. Looking down from the city wall, the fog on the streets grew thicker and thicker, as if the fog itself were alive, slowly spreading and intertwining.

The houses appeared and disappeared in the mist, like isolated islands swallowed by darkness. The people in the city were still asleep, completely unaware that they were about to be sacrificed.

The market stalls were still arranged haphazardly, but the usual hustle and bustle was gone. Occasionally, a few stray dogs would wander through the alleys, seemingly sensing the unease, their tails tucked between their legs, emitting low whimpers.

Everything was ready, and the palace maid gave Xu Baxian a wink.

Xu Baxian straightened up slightly, looked at the assembled officials below, and prepared to speak.