"In a few days, there will surely be news of their triumphant return," Xie Jiayan stated with certainty.
"I hope that when they return this time, they will stay in the capital," Yu Mingyue didn't want them to end up like the characters in the storybooks.
"Sixth daughter, no matter what the Duke and Brother Mingjing choose, it will be their decision. Without ideals and ambitions, people are no different from beasts. Though they may live a peaceful life, it will be a mediocre one," Xie Jiayan lowered his gaze, looking at the worried Yu Mingyue.
She was young, and her parents and elder brother doted on her, yet she seemed to lack a sense of security, her self-protection and vigilance far exceeding that of a child her age.
Logically, a child raised with such parental care shouldn't be like this.
She was sincere towards her friends, and could protect her family with her life, putting aside past grievances, thus reuniting the scattered Yu family.
Innocent yet intelligent, fragile yet strong, so contradictory yet complementary.
After returning, Yu Mingyue kept thinking about Xie Jiayan's words. Everyone had ideals and ambitions, so what about her?
She wished for her father and brother's safety, for them to live a stable life, but had she ever truly asked what they desired in their hearts?
What they were doing now might very well be the beliefs they held for their entire lives.
In the storybooks, they defended Yumen Pass, never taking a single step back.
They loved the land and the people they protected with their lives.
Compared to her father and brother, compared to Brother Jiayan, was it too selfish of her to only think of the Yu and Cui families?
...
The Qianniu Guard found a grey monk's shoe in the grass, and in a cave, they discovered torn cloth stained with blood and... remains.
The Empress's personal maid confirmed that the Empress had been wearing a monk's robe and the same shoes on the day she fell off the cliff.
The Sage's expression was exceptionally calm as he looked at Biyu, who knelt on the ground with a sorrowful face.
"My mistress is gone. This servant should have followed her to the grave, but my mistress said before she left that if she departed first, we servants need not follow her in death; it would be as if we were accumulating merit for her. This servant does not wish to defy my late mistress, nor do I wish to return to the palace. I wish to shave my head and become a nun at Qianshan Temple, to chant scriptures for my mistress daily, and pray for her soul to rest in peace soon," Biyu said, then kowtowed to the Sage.
The Sage remained silent for a long time. His gaze seemed to be looking at her, but upon closer inspection, it didn't seem to be.
"Granted!"
After an unknown amount of time, the Sage waved his large sleeve and uttered two words.
Biyu kowtowed to the Sage again, then turned and left without looking back.
Every corner of this palace exuded cold-bloodedness, making her detest it.
Her mistress was gone, and she never wanted to see anyone in this palace again.
Song Wei couldn't quite decipher the Sage's thoughts. If the Sage didn't care about the Empress, why would he have people search day and night, and order the Qianniu Guard to hunt the tigers at the bottom of the cliff?
But if he did care, now that the Empress was confirmed to be in distress, he neither prepared for funeral rites nor bothered to investigate the true culprit who harmed the Empress, which seemed like condoning.
Could it be, as the rumors suggested, that all this was just for the Wang family to see?
The Sage's favoritism towards the Yao family was evident for all to see, even breaking the rule of not heavily relying on in-laws.
When the Luo family rebelled, the Yao family, their closest in-laws, were not affected at all.
The wife of Marquis Cheng'en, after learning of her father and brother's rebellion, committed suicide out of guilt. Such a preposterous lie, and the Yao family had the audacity to say it. Who would believe it?
But the Sage believed it, and even called the Yao family loyal and brave.
In his opinion, the Cheng'en Marquis's mansion was a bunch of shameless people.
Although Madam Luo was not a good person, to hasten her husband's death so eagerly after being married for so long showed a complete lack of heart.
Of course, he wasn't implying anything about anyone, just thinking it to himself.
Song Wei sent people to escort Biyu back to Qianshan Temple. The returning messengers reported that she had already shaved her head and become a nun.
The Sage had already withdrawn the hidden guards from Qianshan Temple, so they probably wouldn't know about such a small matter.