The bright moon hangs high, beckoning him down from his pedestal.

Upon hearing this, Wei Zheng gave Shen Qingruo a deep look, his gaze complex, containing both guilt for failing to protect her and the resolute determination to leave.

He ultimately said nothing, protecting Grand Tutor Yun, and led the remaining Wei family army to quickly retreat, disappearing into the chaotic end of the palace road.

On the city wall, in the blink of an eye, only Shen Qingruo remained.

She stood there all alone, with the empty city walls behind her and the dark mass of soldiers below the city walls in front of her.

Shen Wangxi sat upright on his horse, his gaze fixed on her.

He noticed that in such a cold winter, she was only wearing such a thin, plain dress, without even a decent cloak.

Her face was pale from the cold, and her slender body trembled slightly in the wind high up in the air.

It seems that she didn't have a good year in Daliang.

As Shen Wangxi looked at her, that bittersweet feeling resurfaced in his heart, mixed with an emotion he rarely experienced.

That was guilt.

"Father, I will lead my men into the palace first to wipe out the remnants of Emperor Liang." Shen Jingyan's voice broke the silence. She was clearly still somewhat dissatisfied with letting the Wei family army go, but she was even more eager to gain greater merit.

"Go ahead," Shen Wangxi replied calmly.

Shen Jingyan immediately led a squad of personal guards and charged into the depths of the palace with high spirits, without giving her sister on the city wall another glance.

Shen Wangxi dismounted and stepped onto the stone steps of the palace wall.

The tall figure finally stopped in front of Shen Qingruo, casting a shadow that almost completely enveloped her.

Shen Qingruo tilted her head slightly and looked at him.

It was still that stunningly beautiful yet indifferent face, the face of someone she once looked up to and resented.

Shen Qingruo didn't speak, but just looked at him with her misty eyes.

Shen Wangxi lowered her eyes, meeting her youngest daughter's gaze for the first time.

Her eyes were so clear, filled with affection and grievance, that this desert king, who was used to the awe of his subordinates and the fear of his enemies, felt somewhat at a loss.

The father and daughter stood silently facing each other on the palace walls, where the bloodstains still lingered.

Shen Wangxi was about to say something.

But then he saw the girl in front of him, her eyelashes tremble slightly, as if she could no longer hold on, her body went limp, and she fell forward silently.

Shen Wangxi almost instinctively reached out and caught her as she fell.

The girl's body fell into his arms, and even through her clothes, he could still feel her softness.

There was also a very faint, sweet fragrance that lingered around his nose.

He looked down at the small face nestled in his arms—delicate and fragile.

Shen Wangxi's heart stirred slightly. It turned out that in a place he had overlooked, his little daughter, whom he had always thought was timid and inconspicuous, had grown into such a beautiful and radiant young woman.

He was silent for a moment, then bent down, slipped his other arm under her knees, and with a little effort, lifted her soft and weak body into his arms.

She floated lightly against his strong arms.

Shen Wangxi held her in his arms, turned around, and walked steadily down the city wall step by step.

Behind them lay the battlefield, its smoke still lingering.

In his arms was his youngest daughter, whom he had neglected for a year and had just brought back home.

-

When Shen Qingruo opened her eyes again, it was two days later, in an unfamiliar palace.

"Princess, you're awake!" the maidservant standing by exclaimed in delight.

Shen Qingruo tilted her head slightly and saw four obsequious maids standing there. Outside the tent, there were shadowy figures, and it seemed that quite a few people were waiting.

She waved her hand gently: "You may all leave. I want to be alone."

"Yes." The maids obeyed and quietly withdrew, behaving properly and not daring to be negligent in the slightest.

The hall fell silent.

"Xiao Jiu," Shen Qingruo called out in her heart.

"Aruo! You're awake!" Xiao Jiu's orb of light lit up instantly, her voice filled with excitement, "You did it! You successfully caught Shen Wangxi's attention!"

"What's going on now?" Shen Qingruo propped herself up on her arms and slowly sat up.

"You've been sleeping for two days! Shen Wangxi personally carried you back and settled you here," Xiao Jiu reported excitedly. "He even ordered more people to serve you. See, now no one dares to underestimate you."

Shen Qingruo's gaze swept over the exquisite furnishings in the hall, as well as the several boxes filled with gold and silver jewelry.

"He sent those over," Xiao Jiu explained. "Aruo, he feels guilty towards you, which is a good start."

Guilt? Shen Qingruo tugged at the corner of her lips. What she wanted now was more than just guilt.

Shen Qingruo raised her hand and touched her neck, which was wrapped in gauze. Touching it only caused a stinging pain, completely different from the excruciating pain of gushing blood in her previous life.

"Why did I die so easily in my past life?" she murmured to herself, still feeling a sense of bewilderment when she thought about it.

Xiao Jiu asserted, "Because you lack the support of good fortune, it's like walking on the edge of a cliff; even the smallest thing could kill you."

"But things are different now, Aruo. You've started to compete for Shen Jingyan's luck, though it's still very little. But at least it won't be like before, where you could just struggle and get your throat slit by some random passerby."

Shen Qingruo lowered her eyes and looked at her slender, snow-white fingers.

Therefore, if you want to live well, you must seize more by any means necessary.