Empress Li stood in front of Xuan Ning Palace, looking up at the three golden characters "Xuan Ning Palace" on the plaque above the gate.

  In the blink of an eye, it has been ten years since the palace gates were closed.

  Two eunuchs pushed open the palace gate with force, and a musty smell wafted out, causing Empress Lis heart to ache.

  The palace gate has been closed for ten years, and its been ten years since the Empress Dowager passed away.

  They all say she is wise and kind, but shes just learning from Empress Dowager everywhere...

  Inside the palace gate, a thick layer of dust has accumulated everywhere, which is the mark of ten years.

  Empress Li stepped on the dusty ground, one step at a time.

  Ten years ago in the palace, everywhere was filled with the smell of blood and rain, but only here, no matter what time it was, was always so peaceful and warm...

  This palace was the warmest and most reliable place for her, but before the Empress Dowagers death, she left a will: seal off this palace, no one is allowed to approach within ten years...

  The Empress Dowager left suddenly. At that time, the Emperor had just ascended to the throne and the imperial court was in turmoil. When the Empress Dowager left, she was so frightened and anxious that she almost collapsed.

  In the following decade, she acted as regent for her son, propping up a very difficult situation. Every time she was exhausted and about to collapse, she would come to this palace gate, lean against it, sit alone for a while, or sometimes until midnight. As the Empress Dowager, she supported him all the way to the present...

  Fortunately, the emperor has grown up and the court is stable. Its been over ten years since the Empress Dowager passed away. She wants to move here and spend her days like the Empress Dowager, reciting scriptures and tending flowers, living a peaceful and serene life as the palaces stabilizing force.

  Empress Li walked up to the front of the main hall, looked up at the tightly closed doors of the main hall, turned around and rushed straight to the small Buddhist temple beside it.

  The Empress Dowager was almost always in this small Buddhist temple, calmly and peacefully copying scriptures or reciting them. She accompanied her, making tea, grinding ink, cutting paper...

  This small Buddhist temple is the place she misses the most.

  Empress Li entered the small Buddhist temple and was stunned into a daze.

  On the four walls of the small Buddhist temple, eerie and blood-like talismans were stuck, like the hands of demons who had escaped from hell, reaching out to her. The life-sized sheep fat jade Guanyin statue at the entrance was shattered into pieces, and the long table piled high with handwritten scriptures was empty...

  The surroundings were eerily quiet, as if the entire world had come to a standstill.

  Empress Li was like a soul being hooked, staring at the long case that was clean to the point of shining, stepping forward one step at a time, involuntarily stretching out her hand to touch it, not a speck of dust!

  How is this possible!

  The ground suddenly rolled up a fierce gust of dark wind, and Empress Lis foot stumbled in terror, straightening up and falling backwards, her head hitting the cast iron wooden fish in the center of the house, a stream of fresh blood gushing out. A buzzing sound like thunder filled Empress Lis ears, a shrill cry growing louder and closer, yet farther and farther away...

  ………………

  Li Xia leaned on the porthole, staring blankly at the clear blue river water in a daze.

  She was plotted against, she died, but she somehow returned to her childhood, back to the road where her father went to take office in a small county of Hengshan, back to the spring of the year before their familys tragedy began. Was this an accident or part of the plot?

  The early spring river wind mixed with the lingering chill of winter, blew on Li Xias face, a thread of pain. Li Xia lowered her head to look at her own plump and small hands, her chest felt suffocated, she was being schemed against, but had no way out.

  Li Xia leaned her chin on the windowsill, feeling down.

  Everything before the tragic event that befell her family had become extremely vague in her memory; all she knew was that the following summer, her father had accepted bribes and wrongfully sentenced people to death, and was arrested and taken to the capital.

  After Father was taken away, Mother took her four siblings and rushed to the capital like a shooting star, embarking on a road of no return that would lead to the downfall of their family...

  The river wind blowing on her face seemed even colder and more piercing than before. Li Xia felt suffocated and anxious in her heart.

  She was unaware of her death and resurrection, the Empress Dowager had said: being completely unaware is the most terrifying situation. The Empress Dowager also said: when one is completely unaware, focus on the present.

  Alright, lets think about it, what should she do now?

  Li Xia looked at her small chubby hands again, next summer, when the disaster began, she was only six years old...

  "Why are you crying again? Does your head hurt again?" Fifth Brother Li Wenshan moved over, with a hint of concern.

  "I didnt cry." Li Xia muttered a reply, crying was such a useless thing, she wouldnt do it.

  "Look at the strong wind, its going to get cold if it keeps blowing. Shall we close the window? Fifth brother will tell you a story?" Fifth brother continued to coax his little sister.

  The day before yesterday evening, my sister fell into the water and was drowned for a long time before she came back to life. After that, my sister seemed to have changed into another person, especially melancholy... Its not right to say melancholy... She cant explain it clearly either. In short, the current sister makes him feel like its his sister but also not his sister at the same time.

  My sister must have been scared out of her wits, her soul hasnt returned yet.

  "Wu Ge got a great book the other day! The story inside is so wonderful......" Before Li Xia nodded, Li Wenshan began to gesticulate and tell the story.

  "Not good at all!" Li Wenlan, the sixth brother, who was supporting his cheek with one hand and biting the pen head while listening to the story, pouted after finishing it, "Im going to tell Dad, Fifth Brother is telling ghost stories again to scare people!"

  Li Xia looked at Liu Ge with a tilted head, Liu Ges lips were red and white, his eyes were black and shiny, he pouted his mouth, looking beautiful and lovely, making her want to rush up and kiss him.

  Li Xia was a bit distracted. Sixth Brother died young, she had long forgotten what Sixth Brother looked like, originally Sixth Brother was so handsome, so lovely, just like the Emperor when he was young.

  "Lets take a break and have some soup and snacks." Sister Li Dongs gentle voice came over.

  Li Xia turned around, and her sister came in from the back cabin, her face always with a warm smile, forever so gentle and kind.

  "Sister! Hug!" Li Xia stretched out her arms and threw herself into her sisters embrace.

  She is the sister he loves and misses the most.

  When Ah-Niang died, she was only seven years old. In the Hou Mansions rear courtyard, her elder sister protected and cared for her like a mother hen until she was eleven years old that year when her sister married far away and died on the road.

  Behind Li Dong, a young girl named Su Ye was holding a tray, on which there was a silver jug, several cups and a plate of pastries.

  "How old are you now? Still want your sister to hold you! Shy shy oh!" Su Ye put down the tray, her fingers brushing against her cheek teasing Li Xia.

  Li Xiaowu snuggled into her sisters arms and wrinkled her nose at Su Ye to show she didnt care about her teasing.

  When her sister died in Gannan, Su Ye shaved her head and became a nun at the grave, guarding it for ten years. Later, when she sent someone to relocate her sisters tomb, Su Ye escorted the coffin back to the capital city, where she built a temple for her. The once cheerful and talkative Su Ye often went three to five days without saying a word...

  "Sister, eat first!" Sixth Brothers eyes were fixed on the pastries in the plate, but he picked up the plate and handed it to Li Xia instead, "Sisters pastries are the most delicious!"

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