Chapter 5

In my last life, I had only known Xiao Heng at twenty.

After ascending the throne, he had uprooted Noble Consort Lu’s faction and the Marquis of Yongning’s household with terrifying speed, showing no mercy.

The court and the country fell silent. His name struck fear into everyone.

Then he suddenly summoned me to the palace.

I thought it was all over. My sister was already in prison. Did His Majesty intend to destroy the Shen family too?

I kowtowed in terror, then raised my head in terror.

But he asked softly,

“Second Miss Shen, do you remember me?”

I had already married Xie Chenzhou, yet he addressed me as he would an unmarried daughter of the Shen family.

I shook my head, bewildered.

Only then did Xiao Heng explain that he had hidden in a ruined temple outside the city, eaten the porridge I distributed, and worn the padded clothes I sent.

At last, I dared look up at him.

I had helped dozens of beggars, if not hundreds. How could I remember every one?

Xiao Heng sat on the dragon throne, forcing himself to stay alert, his face terribly pale.

He smiled with disappointment.

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t remember.”

“You were kind to me. I can grant you one request, whatever it may be.”

Then he began coughing violently.

Eunuch Wang took his used handkerchief and couldn’t bear to look at it again.

I had heard that while fleeing the Marquis of Yongning, Xiao Heng had been struck by a poisoned arrow.

Even all the imperial physicians together had been unable to clear the poison completely.

That was why he hated the marquis’s household so deeply.

I ventured cautiously,

“The Marquis of Yongning deserves death, but my elder sister knew nothing of his crimes. Would Your Majesty spare her life?”

“Yes.”

I had not expected him to agree so easily.

Perhaps because of his health, he left the inner palace empty. Instead, he chose a virtuous and capable member of the imperial clan as his heir, and trained him personally.

He then carried out sweeping reforms.

They laid the foundation for the Great Yin dynasty’s century of prosperity that followed.

Within two years, the poison killed him.

As he lay dying, Eunuch Wang rushed to the general’s residence through pouring rain.

“Madam Xie, His Majesty… wishes to see you one last time.”

I didn’t understand why the person Xiao Heng wanted to see at the end was me.

He didn’t even say anything.

He only looked at me for a while, then waved his hand and let me leave.

He left me a golden token granting immunity from punishment.

What did such a token mean?

Unless the dynasty itself fell, no matter what I did, even the next emperor could not convict me of any crime.

Xie Chenzhou restrained himself considerably too.

Protected by that imperial token, I was treated with respect by everyone.

And so the latter half of my life was fairly comfortable.