No pop-ups, great reading experience! Thanks for your support! Sounds good to me ^_^... The End.

  It has snowed for a whole month, and the world is covered in a layer of silver and white. Only today did it show some signs of slowing down slightly.

  In this remote inn, the charcoal fire was burning brightly, and in the not-so-spacious hall, guests were sitting together in twos and threes, which didn't make it feel desolate at all.

  "I heard that in order to pray for an end to the snow disaster and a good harvest next year, Her Majesty the Empress will personally go to Mount Tai to worship Heaven."

  "On such a cold day, Her Majesty the Queen still has to go to Mount Tai to pray for blessings for all living beings. What a Bodhisattva's heart, with her heart tied to the common people!"

  I faintly smiled, recalling the last time I saw her, the gentle and determined smile on her lips. At that moment, I knew that this woman would one day be a model for the world to look up to if she truly became a mother figure to all under heaven.

  At that time, she looked into my eyes without avoiding or yielding, smiled as if nothing was wrong, and told me - actually, I know who you are, and also know that you're not his real sister.

  At that time, the smile on her lips covered up the fleeting vulnerability in her eyes, telling me - we had been married for so long, as a husband, he was gentle and considerate, treating me extremely well, as a son-in-law, he was both civil and military, capable of everything, and there was nothing to fault. But, what's too perfect is often not true.

  She asked me, are you willing to believe me? I will let you leave safely, I can tolerate him having other women, but I cannot tolerate his most loved woman not being me.

  We disguised ourselves as men and walked in the direction she pointed. When we were on our way, Lixue asked me if we could trust her?

  I smiled and nodded.

  She even gave up my identity, which was originally a powerful weapon that could be used to make a big deal out of it. I believe she really loves me, and with her intelligence and deep feelings for me, she will definitely let me leave safely and won't let anyone take the position of "most loved" in his heart, not even death can.

  Even if I lost the bet, she really wants my life. To avoid suspicion, she wouldn't dare to make a big show of it. When there are fewer people around, she would use 'soul-snatching powder', and our departure with Ling Ke would be even easier.

  When we finally left the border of Qiyue, looking back from afar, I knew I had won the bet, and also knew that she would do as she said, devoting her whole life to loving me.

  "Only such an empress would be worthy of the current emperor!"

  "Our emperor is indeed young and promising, and he sympathizes with the people's feelings. He is truly a rare good emperor!"

  Travelers coming and going threw themselves into the midst of the chatter.

  At that time, the cruelty of that war and that piece of history written with bones as pens, tears as scrolls, and blood as ink had almost been forgotten by everyone.

  For ordinary people, what they want is just a stable life, warm clothes and enough food. As for who sits on that high and unattainable dragon chair, they don't care.

  Even after all this time, hearing these words still brings a faint ache in my heart.

  Actually, I've already forgotten what my reaction was when I first heard the news about him in the Zi Jing Palace. All I remember is that Lian Ke kept holding my hand and repeatedly whispered in my ear, "Miss, you have to remember that you promised Gongzi's medical expenses, you have to remember that you promised Gongzi's medical expenses."

  She even invited Ling Mo from Xiayigou and stayed up all night guarding me for a long time.

  "Miss, it's getting late, why don't you go back to your room and rest first? I'll bring the medicine up once it's ready." Lian Ke's voice broke into my thoughts, her tone sounding somewhat cautious.

  I turned to look at her, and smiled faintly. It turned out that I had always thought that the pain that had been hidden deep within me could not be dispelled, but it was still revealed in the eyes of someone familiar.

  Perhaps she knew it as early as I did, some pain, some love and hate, existed once, just like the poison in the blood, waiting for the fleeting glory to pass, until death.

  So she would always follow me around then.

  We didn't settle down somewhere to open a clinic, but instead traveled far and wide through the mountains and countryside, working as ordinary itinerant doctors, without even needing a name.

  Even if I knew it was a long shot, I never gave up on this hope. Perhaps one day, in some unknown place in this world, we would coincidentally meet that man with the blue shirt again. Or perhaps I'd rather not have such an encounter; I just wish him well, to be far away from illness and pain, and live a peaceful life.

  A horse's neigh was heard outside the inn, perhaps someone had arrived for a midnight stay.

  I took a look at the snowflakes flying outside the window and nodded to Lian Ke: "Alright, I'll go to the backyard to collect our bamboo hats first and then come back to my room. It seems like it's going to snow heavily again."

  Ling Ke nodded and left, while I got up and walked out of the side door of the inn towards the courtyard.

  He reached out to touch the bamboo hat, and although the water vapor on it had dried, it still felt chilly to the touch. After all, the snow had only just stopped falling a few hours ago, and now it was flying through the air again.

  It seems that I can only go back to the room and use charcoal fire to warm up, otherwise there is no way to wear it when leaving early tomorrow. As I thought about it, I put away my bamboo hat.

  I turned around to go back to my room, but unexpectedly saw a small girl standing by the side door of the inn. Under her tiny white fox fur coat, a fiery red dress was exposed, and she stared at me without blinking.

  My heart inexplicably softened, I smiled at her, but before I could even open my mouth, she had already sprinted towards me and plunged straight into my arms.

  "Mother——"

  I was stunned and for a moment even forgot to put down the bamboo hat in my hand.

  Little girl still in my arms, struggling and twisting: "Mom, Dad and I have been looking for you all the time, now we finally found you, our family will never be separated again, okay?"

  I tried to make the smile on my lips less stiff, put down my hat and squatted down to comfort the little girl who was crying loudly: "Little friend, didn't you mistake me for someone else? I'm not your mother."

  The little girl raised her big, watery eyes and looked at me for a few seconds before burying herself in my arms again. Her small arms wrapped tightly around me, as if she was afraid that if she let go, I would disappear.

  "You're my mother, you're obviously my mother! Father painted so many portraits of you, I wouldn't mistake it! Why doesn't Mother recognize Xiaohuan? Xiaohuan will be obedient and very well-behaved..."

  I was at a loss, not knowing what to do for the better, but because of her words, suddenly a thought flashed through my mind, and I hesitantly pulled out the little person from my arms, searching for a familiar mark on her delicate face. "You say, you're called Xiao Hu? Where's your dad?"

  "Daddy is paying for the room in the back, let's go find him!" The little one said while tightly grasping my hand and pulling me into the inn. But after turning around, he suddenly shouted with joy: "Daddy, Daddy, look! I found Mommy!"

  Suddenly raised eyes, abruptly collided with a pair of deep and mysterious eyes.

  In the midst of swirling snow, he stood alone, wrapped in a fox fur coat, his handsome face as before, covered with large patches of snowflakes, just like that one bloody and windy night many years ago.

  He walked towards us step by step, his voice low and lingering in the air.

  "It's really you..."

  Extraordinary continuation (Still remember the shocking scene of "Hou Gong"...)

  Still remember the shocking swan's reflection (harem)