Chapter 2 The Decree
I stood outside the gates of the Chu residence, facing the nameplate.
My stomach tightened.
During my ten years as Queen, Zhao Yan claimed that the outer relatives could not hold too much power. He executed my entire clan. My brave general father died with hatred in his heart, saying:
"I spent seventeen years raising you and paved a bright path for you. Yet you, for the sake of a petty romance, destroyed the lives of our entire clan."
From that day on, every single day I regretted it.
Fortunately, heaven had given me another chance.
I sat in the study all night.
At dawn, word came that the Emperor had issued a decree granting marriage between Zhao Yan and Zhang Ruhua.
At the same time, I received a decree as well.
It was Zhao Yan who had requested it for me.
He ordered me to take up a post in Jinling two months from now.
I went straight to the Eastern Palace.
A message came from inside: "You and I are of one mind, the closest of allies. Planning this for you today is my duty. No thanks are needed."
He spoke of being allies who needed no thanks.
But he did not know that in the previous life, after ten years as Emperor and Queen, we had grown apart. The thing he most wanted to do was kill me.
Going to Jinling would benefit my career in every way.
I was glad.
Even my father drank two extra cups at the table and laughed, "Go gain experience for two years. When my son returns, he will have a bright future."
At this time in the previous life, I had already revealed my womanly identity and spent a night with Zhao Yan under falling snow.
He knelt for three full days in front of the Emperor's chambers.
The Emperor was furious.
"Between the empire and a woman, which is lighter and which is heavier? You truly cannot tell?"
Zhao Yan kowtowed.
That year, he was young yet mature, rarely showing emotion, yet at that moment he shed tears.
He said, "Father, if your son cannot marry Chu Bingzhi in this life, then he would rather not be Crown Prince."
In the end, the emperor compromised.
He also pardoned my crime of deceiving the ruler.
But from that point on, my father never received another promotion.
One night turned his hair white.
And now, all that would not happen.
From this day forward, I would focus entirely on my studies.
Zhao Yan was busy preparing to marry the Crown Princess.
He no longer summoned me.
Lu Yinchuan from the Chengping Marquis family, who was reasonably close to me, was outgoing and playful, and directly asked me.
"You have always been close to the Crown Prince. He even secured the Jinling post for you, which envies us all. But why have we not seen you two together lately?"
I smiled and did not reply.
I knew that from now on, Zhao Yan and I would drift apart, becoming true ruler and subject.