The day before the ceremony of worshiping Heaven, Zhongzong ordered the Left Valiant Guard to leave half of its troops to guard the palace and use all the rest to escort the imperial carriage.

  Emperor Zhongzong summoned Jing Wanyi, who had been detained in the imperial prison for so many days, giving people the feeling that her status was too lowly and not even worth Emperor Zhongzong's personal attention.

  "Pei Tan is right outside the palace." Zhong Zong looked at the kneeling girl, "I heard that you are willing to stay in the palace for the rest of your life to atone for your sins, but you want to see Pei Tan one last time?"

  Jing Wan'er's face was pale, she looked up at Zhong Zong: "Wan'er knows her crimes are deep and heavy, she only wants to have the chance to see you off on your final journey."

  After Pei Tan was demoted, Zhongzong allowed him to leave Chang'an and return to Guanzhong, where the Pei clan was located.

  This should be the last time Jing Wan'er and Pei Tan saw each other.

  Zhong Zong gazed at Jing Yuanner, he was not an emperor who did not understand emotions, and it could even be said that he was the most emotional of all Tang emperors, otherwise there would not have been the exclusive favoritism towards Wei Hou, and the Rain and Dew in the Rear Palace affair.

  "What's the point of this?" he said, "Even if your father is still the Grand Protector of Chang'an, you should also know that your birth and the Guanzhong Pei family are still worlds apart."

  Jing Wan'er lowered her eyes and said after a while: "Your Majesty misunderstood me, I just respected the adults. These days, the adults have taken care of me in many ways, but because I was demoted and sent back to my hometown, I had no way to repay you, except... asking to accompany the adults out of the palace for this period."

  This road is not easy to walk, she and Zhong Zong are heart-to-heart. So far, she still claims that Pei Tan is a great man.

  Zhong Zong said faintly: "I won't be so petty as to bear a grudge against you, a young girl. Since you have this intention, very well, I permit you to accompany Pei Tan out of the palace."

  Jing Yu'er's gaze was gentle as she looked at Zhong Zong: "Your Majesty is benevolent, Yu'er will remember it in her heart."

  Zhong Zong looked at her: "Tomorrow morning, three o'clock."

  Jing Wan'er understood tacitly.

  That night, Jing Wanyu saw Pei Tan again outside the Zichen Palace.

  She knelt in front of Pei Tan, her eyes locked with his, deeply and sincerely:

  "Tomorrow, Wan'er will see you out of the palace, sir."

  …

  At dawn, before daylight, all the concubines and noblewomen in the palace who participated in the ceremony to worship heaven had already left the palace at the auspicious hour.

  Zuo Xiu escorted him, in the vast and majestic palace of Da Ming, it had never been as empty and quiet as it was at this moment.

  Jing Wan'er helped up Pei Tan, who had been kneeling for many days. The tall man could only put his weight on the girl's body and took difficult steps towards the outside of the palace.

  Jing Wan'er unwaveringly supported Pei Tan with her body, escorting him as he walked on the quiet and deserted palace path. The two remained silent and leaned against each other, their entwined silhouettes disappearing beyond the Meridian Gate, where hidden eyes had already begun to stir.

  Someone in the bushes narrowed their eyes: "Is it that girl?"

  Seeing Jing Wanyi and that man's figure, this group of bandits almost didn't think twice and confirmed Pei Tan's identity.

  "The target has appeared, proceed according to plan."

  Having left the palace gate for over a hundred meters, the figure of the Zuǒ Xī Wèi guarding the entrance was almost invisible.

  Although she couldn't see, Jing Wan'er lowered her head and supported Pei Tan, but she didn't intend to turn around and return to the palace.

  Maybe it's reluctance, maybe it's wanting to walk a little further.

  "Get moving."

  The voice was cold and flat, the hidden bandits finally appeared, surrounding them from all sides.

  Jing Wan'er raised her head at this time, and her pale face saw them.

  "The fugitive mandarin duck, it's really touching." The leader of the bandits had an evil smile on his face as he looked at Jing Yuanner sticking close to Pei Tan's side, saving them a lot of trouble.

  Her hand seemed to grip the man beside her even tighter.

  "Don't worry, I'll make sure you're reunited in the afterlife."

  The people around started laughing with ill intentions.

  Jing Wan'er watched as they all came over, her face growing paler and paler, but her eyes showed no signs of panic. Then...

  The sound of clashing blades, Jing Wanyan's head had been hung low the entire time, the weak and powerless "man" raised his head.

  His hand in his sleeve grasped a sword.

  This person, this face, was not the Pei Tan they had prepared to kill.

  The man's eyebrows and eyes were cold and indifferent, his handsome face had a sharp edge, the sword in his hand was blocking a dead soldier's knife, without any effort.

  Jing Wan'er slowly let go of her own hand that had been supporting herself.

  The man she was with was not Pei Tan, but Pei Xian, Pei's bodyguard.

  The dead warrior's face turned pale: "How could this be..."

  Pai's guard, at this time the sword light has already come out of its scabbard.

  Jing Wan'er finally said palely: "Leave a living mouth."

  Pai's guard swept a cold glance: "These people are all dead men, leaving any alive would be useless."

  The words had barely fallen when the slaughter began.

  Jing Wan'er couldn't help but close her eyes, smelling the bloody smell in the air getting thicker and thicker.

  The warriors cried out in dismay: "We've been tricked...!"

  But it's too late, these people have been carefully selected, their martial arts skills can't be too high, this is in line with the identity of the bandits.

  Because Pei Tan didn't know martial arts, let alone these few people, even if it was just one person

  They were just ordinary strong men who could also subdue Pei Tan. So they originally thought it would be a sure win.

  The current abbot of Qinglong Temple is Xuanxin, who was personally chosen by Emperor Zhongzong.

  Xuanxin led the high-ranking monks in the temple to stand at the gate and welcome the imperial carriage, "Old monk Xuanxin, respectfully welcomes Your Majesty, the Empress, and the Empress Dowager!"

  He raised his head and his eyes met Zhong Zong's gaze, flashing slightly.

  The newly appointed abbot, Fangzhang, has a calm and peaceful appearance, and is much younger than the late Master Xuanlian.

  Soon, the sedan chair entered the Qinglong Temple, and everything in the temple had been prepared early, it was clear that the new abbot did things very meticulously.

  There is a pair of eyes that exudes an aura of majesty, exerting an even greater pressure on the monks in Qinglong Temple who are lowering their heads to work than Zhong Zong.

  "I want to go to the Great Hero Treasure Hall and take a look."

  The Taihe Dian Hall has always been where emperors worship and kneel to heaven, but now that the Emperor is still not up, the Empress Dowager wants to go take a look first.

  Zhong Zong said with a respectful expression: "The Empress Dowager has been traveling by boat and carriage, and it's not urgent to pay respects at this moment. Why don't we let the attendants take care of the Empress Dowager first and have her rest for a while?"

  Xuan Xin met Zhong Zong's gaze and immediately said with a bow: "This humble monk will escort the Empress Dowager to the side room to rest."

  The empress dowager, who was over seventy years old, looked past everyone and fixed her gaze on Zhong Zong.

  Those eyes always made him feel an immense pressure: "I want to pray alone, is that not allowed?"

  Zhong Zong didn't dare say anything and could only clench his fist in his sleeve: "Yes, Mother Empress."

  The Empress Dowager finally entered the grand hall, and no one, including the servants, dared to follow.

  This grand hall, was where she once waited to worship the heavens. Gazing deeply at the majestic and awe-inspiring golden Buddha, the Empress Dowager slowly knelt down after a moment of silence.

  Incense wafts, a profound and lasting stillness.

  "Empress of Heaven."

  From beside came a soft call.

  The Empress Dowager sat on her knees in front of the futon, slowly opening her eyes.

  In front of her stood a smiling "Taoist", dressed in a rather elegant attire.

  There is an otherworldly aura about her, but what's more important is that she still has a few familiar feelings.

  The empress dowager was old and couldn't help but wrinkle her brow.

  The Taoist in front of him quickly knelt down: "I am Hu Chao, paying respects to the Heavenly Queen Mother!"

  This voice is full of emotions, with a rhythmic cadence.

  Suddenly, it evoked the Empress Dowager's memories.

  The empress dowager opened her eyes wide and stared at "Dao Ren", "You, you are... Hu Chao?"

  "Hu Chao immediately responded loudly: 'That's me!'"

  I still remember that when Hu Chao left, he made a big show of using the excuse of "cloud wandering", so in the Empress Dowager's memory, Hu Chao had gone cloud wandering.

  The empress dowager was somewhat perplexed: "How did you end up here? Have you returned from your travels?"

  Hu Chao hastily kneeled a few steps forward, approaching the Empress Dowager, "This humble monk came to exchange Taoist teachings with Xuan Xin, but unexpectedly met Heavenly Mother here. It's been many years since we last parted, and Your Majesty's phoenix-like demeanor hasn't changed one bit!"

  After all, it was someone who had once pleased the Empress Dowager, and these few words were already...

  Jing made Empress Dowager recall her former glory, a smile appeared on her face.

  The Empress Dowager's tone was gentle: "Hu Chao, you once said that you would never return to Chang'an. This palace thought it would never see you again in this lifetime."

  Hu Chao said sincerely: "I used to be wholeheartedly devoted to the Tao, thinking that I could thus leave the mundane world behind. But unexpectedly... It is said that those who cultivate the Tao must encounter a tribulation in this life before they can achieve true greatness. After many years of cultivation, I have not yet broken through, and now I realize that it is also unavoidable. With no other choice, I had to return to Chang'an..."

  The Empress Dowager was shocked: "You're saying you also encountered a calamity?"

  Hu Chao's face was serious, but he seemed to have an unspoken secret, shaking his head and sighing.

  The empress had always believed in these righteous practices, and immediately said with a serious expression: "If it's a calamity, then overcome it to become a great dao. In this world, there is no calamity that cannot be overcome."

  Hu Chao was slightly excited inside.

  In front of him was the empress who once ruled the Tang Dynasty. On her body, there was no calamity that could not be overcome.

  Hu Chao intentionally shed tears: "This calamity, I'm afraid it's really hard to get through..."

  The empress dowager frowned: "What is it? Can you say it out loud?"

  Hu Chao looked at the Empress Dowager, suddenly prostrated himself on the ground, his voice choked with sobs: "Meeting the Heavenly Queen here, I really believe it's the will of Heaven! If not for the Heavenly Queen, I fear that I would not have been able to pass this calamity in my lifetime!"

  This remark obviously shocked Tian Hou, she stared at Hu Chao and asked: "What's going on?"

  Hu Chao slowly got up from the ground, with red threads in his eyes, and his voice was hoarse: "I... had a dream that the prince entrusted me..."

  In the 30th year of the Tang Dynasty, there were too many crown princes. It was only then that one could understand just how bloody and cruel the imperial court had been over those thirty years.

  It could make the empress dowager's face turn pale immediately, and the first person she thought of was that one crown prince.

  Because other crown princes did not die, and there is already an emperor, Tuomeng has the power that only the dead have.

  The empress's voice trembled, staring dead at Hu Chao: "You... what did you say?"

  Hu Chao knew that at this moment, saying one wrong word or making one wrong move would be fatal.

  It's now a matter of staking one's life against heaven; if one wins, everything is won.

  Hu Chao raised his eyes full of bloody tears and looked into the Empress Dowager's heart.

  ——

  At this time, on the official road in the eastern suburbs, Shen Xingwen quietly put the handwritten letter into his pocket, mounted a fast horse and headed out of the city.

  This is the only way to go to Qinglong Temple, he can't change the route.

  As he walked to the outskirts of the most desolate place, suddenly on both sides, a few mysterious horses jumped out and blocked Shen Xingwen's path.

  Shen Xingwen immediately pulled the reins and stopped, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the sudden appearance of the roadblocker, asking in a low voice: "What do you want to do?"