Chapter 100

As the Mid-Autumn Festival approached, the empress sent imperial physicians to examine Yan Yiming almost every other day. If not for Little A's discreet interventions, Wei Xiongjie would have been thoroughly troubled.
Yan Yiming remained unwell, and no matter how resentful the empress felt, she couldn't force her to attend the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet in the palace. Fortunately, the empress's attention was diverted by the return of her youngest son, whom she hadn't seen in over a year, though she still occasionally lamented not being able to see Princess Ming.
Nan Gongye couldn't understand why the empress kept urging him to meet Princess Ming. Later, an old maid by the empress's side quietly informed him that it was because Princess Ming bore some resemblance to the former crown princess.
Only the empress's longtime attendants knew the truth of what had happened back then.
But what did resemblance matter? She wasn't the same person. Moreover, as the daughter of the Prince of Jiangxia, and with the emperor so wary of him, the empress, confined to the inner palace all year, failed to grasp the emperor's intentions, truly, she was somewhat muddled.
For some reason, Nan Gongye also felt that his father's attitude toward him this time was unusual, as was his attitude toward his elder brother.
Frowning slightly, Nan Gongye thanked the maid, turned, and left Kunning Palace for the Eastern Palace.
Compared to Wei Xiongjie, who was restless with excitement and sleepless nights, Yan Yiming remained remarkably calm. Still, Wei Xiongjie unfailingly visited her every day to chat, claiming it was to relieve stress.
Thinking that she might never see this young comrade again, Yan Yiming suppressed her inner irritation and patiently repeated that she truly wasn't nervous at all. Instead, she urged Wei Xiongjie, who bore heavy responsibilities, to prioritize his safety.
Wei Xiongjie cheerfully replied, “Thank you, Princess,” then cautiously asked why she hadn't visited Young Master Jian recently.
Yan Yiming replied indifferently, “Why should I see him?” Wei Xiongjie was slightly taken aback, thinking to himself that the princess didn't seem deeply attached to Young Master Jian. Though pleased, he still hesitated before speaking, “After all, Young Master Jian's status is different. Even if you feel wronged, for the sake of the future, it's best to endure a little more.”
“Understood,” Yan Yiming smiled. “Thank you for your concern, Lord Wei.”
Wei Xiongjie was a good man, but he had chosen the wrong master and aligned with the wrong faction. After this matter, it would depend on his fate.
Returning to her residence, Yan Yiming discussed their subsequent plans with Little A.
In three days, it would be the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Although Chancellor Jian and Wei Xiongjie were confident of success, they had also prepared an escape route in case of failure. Worried about her safety in the palace, Wei Xiongjie had already arranged horses and trusted guards at the rear gate of the Jian residence. If anything went wrong, they would immediately protect her and ensure her retreat.
Failure was inevitable, so retreat was also inevitable. After the retreat, the Prince of Jiangxia, far away in Guangdong and Guangxi, would be their only support. They needed to evade interception before the emperor's orders reached other regions and join forces with the Prince of Jiangxia.
However, Yan Yiming had no need to flee with them.
Little A had previously told her that in the game's setting, whether they were protagonists or supporting characters, everyone had a predetermined fate. Because Yan Yiming's intervention had caused deviations in the fates of several protagonists, she had to steer their destinies back onto the correct path.
As for the supporting characters, they would still follow the original plot and meet their predetermined ends. For example, in the original storyline, the emperor was forced to flee Jinling due to Chancellor Jian's rebellion. Although he later returned to the capital, he felt too ashamed to face the people and ultimately chose to end his own life.
Now that the emperor had already learned of Chancellor Jian's intentions, he would not suffer the humiliation of losing his country and would not commit suicide. Therefore, the system would ensure that his life ended at the same time as in the original plot.
Yan Yiming had calculated the timing: the emperor would die in about six months. The emperor's death would mark the moment Nan Gongxuan ascended the throne, which would also be the time Yan Yiming returned home.
Since Chancellor Jian's rebellion would not succeed, Nan Gongxuan, Jiang Yi, and Shao Jingyu would remain safe. Jian Yuyan, having exposed the plot, would not be unjustly condemned by the emperor. With Nan Gongxuan and Jiang Yi pleading on his behalf, he might leave the court and the capital but would likely keep his life.
Thus, all four would be safe and sound, leaving Yan Yiming with no further worries. There was no need for her to join Wei Xiongjie and the others. Instead, she could take advantage of the chaos to leave the capital. In the remaining six months, she could travel alone, enjoy the last breaths of fresh air in the ancient world, and savor delicacies that had long been lost to time. Once the crown prince ascended the throne, she could return to the modern world.
However, Jiang Yi made her somewhat uneasy. He had shown no unusual movements recently, but the lack of action was the most suspicious. Jiang Yi knew she was not the real Princess Ming and might have guessed that she would not follow Wei Xiongjie and the others. Yan Yiming strongly suspected that Jiang Yi would send people to intercept her in advance.
Compared to not following Wei Xiongjie and the others, being caught by Jiang Yi was something Yan Yiming could not accept even more. She knew she was no match for Jiang Yi.
Yan Yiming knew that besides Chancellor Jian, the Prince of Jiangxia had other forces in the capital, enough to ensure their safe retreat. These forces were all under Wei Xiongjie's control, something Chancellor Jian did not know, and Jian Yuyan was also unaware.
Therefore, Jiang Yi would not know either.
In that case, it was better to retreat with Wei Xiongjie and the others first and find an opportunity to leave on her own later.
Having made this decision, Yan Yiming felt much more at ease. That evening, she and Little A lay on the bed studying a map, planning a comfortable travel route, before blowing out the candle and sleeping peacefully.
In the blink of an eye, it was the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
The mansion where Yan Yiming lived appeared calm on the surface, but it was already filled with hidden guards, prepared and waiting for the signal from the capital.
Red for joy, white for sorrow, the outcome is known the moment the fireworks sound.
Within the palace, Jiang Yi hesitated slightly as he addressed the emperor, “Your Majesty has still decided to keep this from the Crown Prince and Prince Yue?”
The emperor's tightly furrowed brows drew even closer together. After a long pause, he replied calmly, “The Jian family has always been close to the Eastern Palace, and the Crown Prince is particularly intimate with Jian Yuyan. We cannot afford to be careless.”
As the ruler, he did not even trust his own son. It was this lack of trust that led the emperor to withhold the truth from the Crown Prince and deliberately assign him the responsibility of guarding the palace that night, a test of loyalty.
If the Crown Prince were in league with the Jian family, a ruthless glint flashed in the emperor's eyes, even his own flesh and blood would not be spared.
By the hour of Xu, the sky gradually darkened. The palace was already bustling with festive preparations, and the guards were more vigilant than usual. No one sensed the impending danger.
The Empress Dowager was in high spirits today, surrounded by her children and grandchildren. Especially delighted to see Nan Gongye, whom she had not met for a long time, she held his hand and gazed at him fondly, remarking to the others, “Truly brothers, he and the Crown Prince grow more alike by the day.”
Everyone echoed her sentiments. Only then did the Empress Dowager seem to remember something, looking around in surprise. “Why is the Crown Prince not here?”
“His Majesty and the Crown Prince are attending to some urgent matters and will arrive shortly,” the Empress quickly explained.
The Empress Dowager nodded in understanding. While the women of the inner court need not concern themselves with state affairs, the emperor and Crown Prince were different. “Then let us wait for them to arrive before, “
But before she could finish her sentence, thick smoke suddenly billowed from the western part of the palace. Even from a distance, the deafening sounds of battle cries and the clash of weapons could be heard.
In an instant, the women turned pale with fright. Several princes rose to their feet. The deep, resonant drumbeats signaling a palace upheaval echoed from all directions, and countless torches flared up, setting the palace ablaze like a fiery cloud.
Nan Gongye and the others exchanged sharp glances and stood up solemnly, ready to head outside, only to be stopped by the imperial guards stationed there for protection.
“Chancellor Jian has joined forces with the Prince of Jiangxia in rebellion! By His Majesty's decree, I am tasked with protecting the Empress Dowager. I must ask Your Highness to return to the hall!”
The word “rebellion” sent a wave of panic through everyone present. When they realized it involved Chancellor Jian and the Prince of Jiangxia, their fear intensified.
No wonder the emperor and Crown Prince had not arrived. With the guards stationed here, it seemed the emperor had prepared for this. Nan Gongye felt a flicker of relief, yet an inexplicable unease lingered in his heart.
He looked up at the sky, now as brilliantly red as burning clouds. The terrifying sounds of battle continued unabated. After what felt like an eternity, silence finally returned.
What Chancellor Jian and Wei Xiongjie had believed to be a flawless plan turned out to be a trap set for them. The Southern Army commander they thought they had bribed was, in fact, a double agent. The raised swords did not strike the palace guards but instead cut down the rebels who had forced their way into the palace.
It was then they realized they were the ones who had been outmaneuvered.
With no choice but to flee, Chancellor Jian and his allies dared not prolong the fight. There was no time to ponder who had leaked their plans. Under the desperate protection of their loyal guards, they escaped the palace.
A stark white firework exploded in the sky. The guards stationed at the residence immediately urged Yan Yiming to prepare and depart. They swiftly left the city, rendezvousing outside with Wei Xiongjie and the others who had hurried to meet them.
The emperor had long been prepared. The city gates were tightly shut, with thousands of soldiers blocking the entrance. Yan Yiming hesitated briefly, unsure of what to do, when she saw Chancellor Jian and the others fleeing back. Madam Jian and Jian Yu'er, along with the other womenfolk, had no idea what was happening and were already dizzy and disoriented from the wildly swaying carriage.
Then, a furious roar shattered the silence as someone angrily denounced Chancellor Jian as a “traitorous villain.”
Yan Yiming found the voice somewhat familiar. Turning to look, she nearly fell off her horse in shock upon recognizing the speaker. The guarding general, too, was astounded at the sight of the man's face and exclaimed, “Your Highness!”
The Crown Prince, who should have been at the banquet, had inexplicably appeared here. His hands were bound, his face pale from the jolting carriage, his handsome features a pitiful yet fierce mix as he raged at Chancellor Jian. When his eyes fell on Yan Yiming, his expression turned even more menacing.
The soldiers at the gate hesitated. They had a chance to escape, but Yan Yiming wished she hadn't fled at all.
She had always feared that Jiang Yi might, in a fit of rage, kill Jian Yuyan, but she had never worried about the safety of the Crown Prince. Now, seeing Nan Gongxuan taken hostage, Yan Yiming covered her face in despair.
Heavens, are you toying with me?