Phoenix Cries Return to Court

Princess Ding'an?!

Something seemed to explode in Lin Xihe's mind, causing her to feel dizzy and almost lose her balance.

Back then, the State of Xi was merely a small territory, yet it was frequently plagued by guerrilla raids that harassed the border routes. This constant disturbance not only harassed the people but also drained the national treasury and military resources.

Just as she was about to launch a military campaign, the State of Xi suddenly sent an envoy, expressing its willingness to forge a marriage alliance with the State of Dasheng.

At that time, the northern war was protracted, and she decided to agree to the matter after weighing the options carefully, aiming to resolve the conflict at the lowest possible cost.

Because Emperor Sheng was so protective of his daughter and reluctant to let her marry into a remote and desolate place, he had no choice but to select a noblewoman from the capital with a respectable family background, elevate her to the status of princess, and send her off for ten miles.

It seems that the prize ultimately went to the maternal family of the imperial concubine. It is said that she herself wrote the two characters "Ding An" in calligraphy, which meant to stabilize the country and bring peace to the nation, so that there would be no more war.

I've heard that Princess Ding'an is doing well in the Kingdom of Xi. Although she has no children, she is deeply loved by Emperor Helan of Xi.

But why would he suddenly come back now?

Could it be that something has happened in the imperial court?

She forced herself to calm down, "What time is it now? Where is the Empress Dowager?"

An old woman hurriedly replied, "Reporting to Madam, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager died suddenly in Shou Kang Palace a year ago. On the day of her passing, the whole country mourned, His Majesty suspended court for three days, and even the common people spontaneously came to bid farewell to Her Majesty."

What?

Lin Xi was startled. She took a deep breath and suppressed the shock surging in her heart.

She looked around and her gaze fell on the water vat in the corner.

He quickly walked to the water tank, bent down and looked inside. When he saw the reflection on the clear water, his pupils suddenly contracted.

Lin Xi touched the face of the delicate reflection in the water in disbelief, until the pain came and she had no choice but to accept her fate.

The slender face on the water, the cascading black hair, the pair of affectionate eyes like autumn water ripples, the furrowed brows, the beauty with three parts frailty and seven parts delicate tenderness—it was myself!

Lin Xi froze; this was clearly not her.

How did she end up inside this body?

In my memory, she had a pair of phoenix eyes that held a majestic air, and sharp eyebrows that gave her a noble and aloof beauty.

Before I could think further, some scattered memories about the Wen family flooded into my mind.

I recall that I had met the wife of the Minister of War and the Empress Dowager once last year when I went to the palace to pay my respects on the Emperor's birthday.

She was the only woman among the younger generation of the Wen family, and should have been showered with love and affection, but her fate was tragically fraught with misfortune.

Two years ago, her father and brother were ordered to go to Chongqing to control the floods, but unfortunately they died for their country. The whole family was loyal and brave, but in the end, she was the only orphan left in the huge Wen family.

At that time, she also instructed Emperor Sheng to reward this loyal and virtuous empress with great honor.

At that time, He Guangzheng was merely a minor official in the Ministry of War, who came from a humble background.

After the flood disaster, he took the initiative to marry the orphaned daughter of the Wen family, earning him a reputation for kindness and righteousness.

People say that he cared for the descendants of loyal and virtuous people, and they also praise his deep affection for the only daughter of the Wen family.

Emperor Sheng even issued a special decree to promote him to a higher official position because of this.

But upon closer reflection, all of this was nothing more than a despicable scheme he devised to exploit the Wen family's vast wealth and gain fame by exploiting their entire fortune!

Thinking of this, Lin Xi sighed softly, and the image of the original owner's thin and pitiful appearance suddenly appeared in her mind.

In just one year, the woman who once stood before her was drugged and placed in this thin coffin by her husband, who now intends to poison her.

It is likely that Lady Wen was already physically weak and could not withstand the effects of the drug, so she died with resentment.

Lin Xihe sighed, and then her thoughts turned to herself.

Her eyes darkened, and after a moment's thought, she made her decision.

She was the Empress Dowager of the Great Sheng Dynasty. She still had countless grand ambitions and aspirations for her country and family to realize, and she could not possibly die with such resentment and misunderstanding.

Since Heaven has shown her mercy and given her a chance to be reborn, and bestowed upon her a younger body, she is determined to thoroughly investigate the truth behind her sudden death in her previous life, and also to complete the grand ambitions she had left unfinished.

As for Wen, now that he has taken her body and learned about her humiliation and injustice, he will settle this score with He Guangzheng as well!

Thinking of this, she looked up at the two old women still trembling in the corner, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.

Before the two women could react, she moved slightly and delivered two swift hand chops, accurately striking the back of their necks. The two old women groaned and fell to the ground, unconscious along with Granny Li.

Lin Xi straightened her plain white burial clothes, thinking to herself that this place was not a good place to stay, and she quickly walked towards the vermilion gate.

But as soon as they reached the door, they heard the footsteps of patrolling guards and the clanging of metal swords outside.

A chill ran down his spine. He knew that forcing his way in was no longer an option; his body was already weak and he was no match for the four armed guards.

After thinking it over for a moment, she returned to the water vat.

With one hand lifting her skirt and the other grabbing the branch of the crooked tree, she stepped on the stone beside the broken vat, took a deep breath, and leaped!

Using the elasticity of the tree branches, he leaped into the air, his clothes fluttering, and actually climbed onto the top of the wall!

A sense of pride welled up inside him. Although he didn't know how he had managed to borrow someone else's body, at least his martial arts skills were still intact.

But the moment she settled down, before she could even hide her joy, she experienced the bitterness that comes with extreme happiness.

But then a woman in a plain white dress on the wall swayed slightly, causing the white plum blossoms from the old tree beside the wall to fall in droves.

The beautiful woman instantly lost her balance and, her face pale, plummeted to the ground.

A sharp, tearing pain shot through my right foot at an inopportune moment—I had actually stretched!

Unexpectedly, her embarrassment and anger were seen by the person outside the wall.

The man held his breath, gazing at the plum blossoms falling like catkins in the sky and the frightened jade-like figure. Suddenly, he took a step forward, his sword sheath already drawn at his waist.

Lin Xihe pretended to be calm, but unexpectedly, something cold pressed against her waist. When she came to her senses, the object had already moved down an inch. Without touching her skin, it held her firmly. With just a slight movement of the sword sheath in her hand, it was able to use the momentum to steadily help her back to her body.

This shows that he is skilled in the technique.

"presumptuous!"

She whispered sharply, hurriedly straightening her body. Although she had struck first, a blush crept onto her earlobes.

When has she, the Empress Dowager, ever been so disheveled?

The sweet cry brought him back to his senses, his brows furrowed slightly, and he couldn't help but feel worried.

Why did you meddle in such trivial matters, needlessly exposing your whereabouts?

He stared intently at the woman before him, dressed in plain white funeral clothes and with a sickly expression. Her dark eyes were full of inquiry, yet he felt no familiarity with her.

Lin Xihe noticed the man's intense gaze, but unlike the original owner of the body, she was not shy and reserved. She suddenly looked up and met his gaze.

As their eyes met, the sound of the wind subsided and quieted down.

The slender man was eight feet tall, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. Although he was dressed in coarse servant's clothes and his face was covered with a black cloth, it could not hide his captivating phoenix eyes, which were as deep and cold as ice. Looking into his eyes was like looking at flowing pearls and jade, which concealed hidden sharpness. In an instant, he would return to normal, making it impossible for anyone to see through his thoughts.

He is no ordinary person.

Where exactly is this place, and why did she wake up here again...?

"Who are you?" The deep male voice was like a stream flowing through stone, skilled in refined conversation.