In the Mu Dynasty in 917 AD, inside the imperial palace
In the dim and gloomy cold palace, the light filtered in through the gaps, making the place look like a cemetery, cold, deep, and lifeless.
A maid brought in the long - cold meals and shouted to the woman sitting in a daze on the steps in a bad tone:
"Your Majesty the Queen, it's time for a meal."
The woman was the Queen of the Mu Dynasty, Li Qiyu, the daughter of General Li. She used to be the most noble woman in the Mu Dynasty. Three months ago, the Li family was beheaded for attempting to rebel, and Li Qiyu was sent to the cold palace.
"Where is the Emperor? I want to see him." Having not eaten for many days, Li Qiyu's voice was as weak as a gossamer.
"Your Majesty, do you still think you're in the Yukun Palace? You're in the cold palace now. Concubine Yu is in full favor. How can the Emperor spare a thought for you?"
Li Qiyu nodded, her expression neither sad nor happy.
She supported herself on the door frame and stood up, then groped her way out.
This winter was extremely cold. The goose - feather - like snow had been falling for a whole month. Everything was covered in white, and as far as the eye could see, it was a vast expanse of whiteness.
On snowy days, Li Qiyu's vision would become blurred. These days, it had gotten even worse. Her eyes were sore and swollen. Even a slight movement of her eyeballs would make tears well up.
Li Qiyu hated shedding tears the most. Her father had said that the children of the Li family should have backbone. They should bleed and sweat but not cry.
When her mother passed away, she didn't cry. When her elder brother died on the battlefield, she didn't cry. When the entire Li family was beheaded, she didn't cry. Even when she was sent to the cold palace and saw the man with whom she had pledged eternal love lying in another woman's arms, having a good time, she still didn't cry.
But this little snow blindness had made her cry day and night.
Moreover, the deeper she walked into the snow, the more tears she shed, as if she were going to cry all the tears of her life.
Feeling the familiar palace wall, Li Qiyu climbed the steps step by step. The cold wind blew on her face and blew off her veil.
Under the veil, half of her face was as fair and elegant as a fairy, while the other half was horribly disfigured - the marks left by the great fire and also the proof of her once - life - long love for Emperor Song Jiaye.
Li Qiyu couldn't see the way ahead clearly. She could only crawl up step by step in a hunched position.
With each step she climbed, she left behind some of the past.
Finally, she reached the Star - Picking Tower. Standing on the top of the tower, the wind rushed at her from all directions, but she didn't feel cold at all.
She was going to be free.
"Your Majesty the Queen! Come down!" A man rushed over in a hurry.
Li Qiyu couldn't see anything clearly, but she was all too familiar with this voice.
It was the man she loved deeply and also hated deeply.
"Your Majesty, do you still remember? You once told me here that if you had to choose between the world and me, you would choose me."
"Don't talk nonsense. Come down quickly. We can talk about anything when we get back."
"Get back? It's impossible." Her heart seemed to have a big hole in it. The cold wind was howling into it, freezing her whole body. It was as if she was already dead.
No, she was already dead. She had died when the 123 members of the Li family were pushed onto the beheading platform.
"Your Majesty, remember, this is the 124th member of the Li family you've killed."
The man's voice was tinged with sobs. "Li Qiyu, I beg you. Be good. Come down. Obey me."
"Your Majesty, if there's an afterlife, I don't want to be your wife."
"No!"
Without any hesitation, Li Qiyu jumped. The man's roar was soon drowned out by the wind. She only felt the freedom of getting out of the cage.
Li Qiyu, you're free.
When Li Qiyu opened her eyes again, all she saw was white. She thought she was still in the snow. The stress reaction of snow blindness made her subconsciously raise her hand to cover her eyes.
But soon, her hand was taken down. "Don't move around, patient. You still have a syringe in your hand."
Li Qiyu heard the clattering footsteps in her ear. The woman who had just spoken to her seemed to have left. At the door, she shouted:
"Is the family member of the patient in Bed 504 here? The patient is awake."
Bed? Family member? Patient?
Wasn't I already dead?
Li Qiyu tried to open her eyes again.
Because she had a mental preparation, it was much better this time. But the strange environment in front of her startled her.
Why was this room white?
Li Qiyu didn't have much time to think. Soon, a large crowd rushed in.
The leading man was naturally familiar to her. The moment she saw him, tears welled up in her eyes.
"Dad."
She thought she would never see him again in this lifetime.
When Father Li saw that Li Qiyu was awake, he quickly hugged her and patted her back in fear: "Don't be afraid, Xiaoyu. Dad is here. Dad will definitely teach Song Jiaye a good lesson. That guy actually dared to hurt my daughter!"
Song Jiaye? Hearing this name, Li Qiyu quickly shook her head.
"Dad, don't provoke Song Jiaye. That man has no heart."
She was afraid that her father would end up with the tragic fate of the whole family being beheaded again because of provoking Song Jiaye. Now that her father was alive, she didn't ask for much. As long as her father was safe and sound.
As for herself, she didn't want to see Song Jiaye again in this lifetime.
As the saying goes, speak of the devil and he appears. Just as she made this vow, Song Jiaye appeared at the door of the ward.
Father Li walked over angrily and slapped Song Jiaye.
"Song Jiaye, I married my daughter to you, not for you to mistreat her!"
Li Qiyu was startled. He was the Emperor! Hitting the Emperor was a great crime that would lead to the execution of nine generations of the family! Li Qiyu quickly stopped her father.
"Dad, don't hit him."
She was even willing to jump into the river for Song Jiaye, but she still couldn't bear to see him being hit?
Father Li thought his daughter still had feelings for Song Jiaye. He shook his head in disappointment.
Song Jiaye didn't dodge the slap. His expression remained cold and indifferent.
"Dad, I want to talk to Xiaoyu for a while."
"Don't call me Dad. I don't have a scoundrel like you." Realizing his slip of the tongue, Father Li corrected himself: "I don't have a son - in - law like you!"
Father Li looked at Song Jiaye and then at Li Qiyu. He shook his head helplessly. What could he do even if he didn't like this son - in - law? His daughter liked him.
Xiaoyu was his apple of the eye. Even if she wanted the stars in the sky, he would get them for her, let alone a man.
As parents, they could only compromise in front of their children.
Father Li glared at Song Jiaye fiercely and left a harsh warning: "Song Jiaye, if you dare to make my daughter sad again, I will never let you go!"
After saying that, he stepped aside to let Song Jiaye in.
Of course, he didn't dare to go far. He just sat on the bench at the door, guarding his daughter.
Song Jiaye walked into the ward.
Looking at the man who looked exactly like her husband in the past, Li Qiyu was very confused. Why was Song Jiaye dressed so strangely and why had he cut his hair like this?
However, these were not important.
She didn't want to care about anything related to him anymore.
"Li Xiyu."
"Song Jiaye."
They spoke at the same time. In the past, Li Qiyu would definitely have let Song Jiaye speak first. After all, he was the Emperor and her husband. The Emperor was like the sky, and the husband was the most important.
But now, Li Qiyu didn't want to indulge him anymore.
"Song Jiaye, let's divorce."