Chapter 1

Chapter 1

On the day Zhao Jinsheng ascended the throne, he made a special trip to the Cold Palace to see me.

Clad in his imperial robes, he drew the Son of Heaven’s sword and pointed it at me in a fit of rage.

He cursed my father for hoarding military power, my mother for manipulating the court, and me for usurping the Empress’s seat.

He claimed our entire family was a den of villains, daring to plot the subversion of the state.

He called me wicked and jealous, a criminal beyond redemption who deserved to die to appease the world.

I couldn’t help but laugh. Raising an eyebrow, I asked him, “Is it only by shouting these insults that you find the courage to kill me?”

His expression turned icy. Without a word, he plunged the sword into my chest. Spattered blood blurred my face and soaked his robes…

My soul hovered above the palace, unable to leave.

I watched as Zhao Jinsheng hastily buried my body, keeping my death a secret. He placed a woman who bore a striking resemblance to me in the Empress’s seat, pretending I was still alive.

Soon after, the world fell into chaos.

Prince Anhuai Zhao Pinyan rebelled and stormed the palace. With one stroke of his sword, he killed the woman who looked like me and engaged Zhao Jinsheng in a desperate, life-and-death struggle…

Then, I opened my eyes and found myself alive again.

I had returned to the age of six.

A pair of strong, gentle arms held me, and a finger lightly tapped my cheek.

“Jiaojiao, which of them would you like as your husband?”

It was the voice of my mother, Princess Zhaoyang.

Her face was full of doting affection, vibrant and bright-not yet the handful of yellow earth she would later become.

My heart raced with excitement. Following her gaze, I looked to the left.

One look, and I was paralyzed with fear.

Standing there were two young boys, as delicate as carved jade.

Eight-year-old Zhao Jinsheng.

Nine-year-old Zhao Pinyan.

One was incredibly well-behaved, the other exceptionally gloomy.

In my past life, one had killed the real me, and the other had killed my double.

At the end of the day, they both wanted me dead.

If I got involved with them again in this life, would I even survive?

I let out a loud “waa” and began to cry piteously.

I remembered this moment from my previous life. Back then, I had listened to my mother and giggled while pointing at Zhao Jinsheng, saying I wanted him to be my husband.

Though my mother had laughed heartily, from that day on, she clearly began observing and supporting him. Later, she gave the Tiger Roar Army left by my father to Zhao Jinsheng, helping him onto the throne.

She expected Zhao Jinsheng to treat me well.

But after she died, I was immediately cast into the Cold Palace.

Zhao Jinsheng was truly heartless.

As for Zhao Pinyan, even at a young age, his face was clouded with gloom. He didn’t smile or play; I was terrified of him.

Later, he even staged a coup.

Neither of them was a good person.

I never want to have anything to do with them again.

I cried even harder.

My mother, busy trying to coax me into silence, had no choice but to ask them to leave.

Only after they were gone did I stop my sobbing. I clung to my mother’s neck and acted spoiled.

“Mother, I don’t want either of them. I only want you.”

“Since it’s so hard to choose, then… we’ll just take both.”

My mother’s tone was resolute.

Me: ?