Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress
Chapter 915 - 912: Heartbroken

Chapter 915: Chapter 912: Heartbroken

"Shen Tianzhi..." The Eldest Princess called out loudly to Shen Tianzhi.

"Yes!" Shen Tianzhi stepped forward.

"Tie the Emperor to the pillar! Bind him tightly! Take the Second Young Lady out..." The Eldest Princess commanded with immense authority, then looked lovingly at Bai Jinxiu, "I won’t be attending your Eldest Young Lady’s enthronement ceremony. Tell your Eldest Young Lady... not to blame her grandmother, and to live well."

After speaking, Shen Tianzhi’s men had already stepped forward to take Bai Jinxiu away.

Bai Jinxiu was about to draw the Qingfeng Sword to fend off Shen Tianzhi’s men, but Shen Tianzhi rushed forward to hold her down: "Second Young Lady, don’t you understand? The Eldest Princess is the Eldest Princess of the Jin Dynasty, just like... your uncles are the Bai family army. To protect what they hold dear in their hearts, they would rather die than retreat."

Shen Tianzhi looked earnestly at Bai Jinxiu. Moreover, the Eldest Princess has spent her entire life guarding the Jin Kingdom, and even for the sake of the Jin Kingdom... she has been cautious against her own husband, son, grandson, and granddaughter.

Having reached this point, the Eldest Princess knew the Jin Kingdom was decaying. She had taught her granddaughter to ascend the throne, but she couldn’t bear to watch Bai Qingyan take the throne.

Her death today means dying with the Jin Kingdom.

Allowing the Eldest Princess to see Bai Qingyan ascend the throne would mean her granddaughter has destroyed the Jin Kingdom, which the Eldest Princess doesn’t want to witness.

This is the pride of the Eldest Princess as a legitimate princess of the Jin Kingdom. This kind of pride... for people like them, is more important than life itself.

Just like...

The integrity of scholars.

The gallantry of generals.

The Emperor tied to the pillar continued to curse and struggle desperately. A guard, from who knows where, found a rag and stuffed it directly into the Emperor’s mouth.

"Mrs. Qin... think of the departed King of Zhen. At the last moment, did the King of Zhen not understand that the Bai family’s predicament was because of the phrase ’when a lord suspects, a minister is executed’? Yet, why did the King of Zhen not leave any words urging the Bai family to take revenge? Because the King of Zhen was loyal to the Jin Kingdom," Shen Tianzhi solemnly said to Bai Jinxiu, "Let’s go!"

Shen Tianzhi spoke these words, uncertain if Bai Jinxiu could comprehend.

After all, in this age of crumbling rites and music, fewer and fewer young people can understand the beliefs and persistence of the Eldest Princess’s generation.

"Go!" The Eldest Princess, smiling, sat down behind the table, fiddling with the Buddha Beads with a benevolent smile, "The Jin Dynasty has ended. As the Eldest Princess of the Jin Dynasty... I too should take my leave."

Even if the Eldest Princess left with Bai Jinxiu today, she wouldn’t have long to live.

As the end draws near, people have a sense of it.

Everyone must die eventually, so why spend the days before the end wallowing in pain? If that’s the case... it would be better to leave today, on the day the Jin Dynasty truly becomes history, together with the history of the Jin Dynasty.

In Shen Tianzhi’s eyes, Bai Jinxiu was still a child. Although the Bai family’s children matured early, Bai Jinxiu clearly wasn’t as precociously wise as Bai Qingyan. Some things he had to say directly for Bai Jinxiu to understand.

Tears welled in Bai Jinxiu’s eyes as she looked at the Eldest Princess, who had made up her mind to remain silent: "Grandmother..."

Seeing Bai Jinxiu’s struggle, Shen Tianzhi, like an elder, advised gently: "Bow to the Eldest Princess, let’s go... don’t delay!"

The Emperor, with his mouth stuffed, had blue veins bulging on his forehead, babbling something indecipherable, all muffled by the rag.

Bai Jinxiu hesitated for a moment, released her grip on the Qingfeng Sword, and knelt before the Eldest Princess, bowing deeply, "Grandmother, Jinxiu... still hopes that you can leave with Jinxiu. If something happens to you here... Eldest Young Lady would be devastated! Eldest Young Lady was raised by you... her bond with you is deeper than with any of our siblings."

"Precisely, so... Grandmother doesn’t want to see your Eldest Young Lady’s enthronement day! Yet hopes it is her who ascends the throne!" The Eldest Princess lowered her eyes to the half-finished teacup, raised it, and drank it dry, "In the next life! Grandmother will surely be a good grandmother to you."

The tea was poisoned, with the same poison used when the Eldest Princess ordered the killing of Ji Tingyu — the ’One Day Sleep’. Upon learning yesterday that Bai Qingyan would enter Luohong City... the Eldest Princess took a minimal dose, for this poison... would put one into a deep sleep, never to wake!

Thus, yesterday the Eldest Princess only took a little, and only increased it slowly as Bai Qingyan approached today.

Now, having drunk this bowl of tea, the poison is fully used. The Eldest Princess would soon feel drowsy, thereafter... sleep eternally in this Luohong Tower.

The Eldest Princess waved at Bai Jinxiu: "Grandmother is going to meet my father, mother, grandfather, and uncles to apologize now."

After speaking, the Eldest Princess seemed to enter a meditative state, closing her eyes, no longer speaking...

"Let’s go!" Shen Tianzhi reached to pull Bai Jinxiu’s arm, "If we don’t leave now, it’ll be too late! The fire is too big!"

Thick smoke continuously seeped in from the tightly closed window cracks outside, Shen Tianzhi couldn’t help but cough, the heat wave growing more intense, fearing the flames would soon engulf Luohong Tower.

"Grandmother!" Bai Jinxiu’s tears flowed uncontrollably, hoping the Eldest Princess would change her mind and leave with her.

Seeing the Eldest Princess’s lips change color, Shen Tianzhi’s expression changed pale, noticing flames already licking at the window, he urgently told Bai Jinxiu: "The Eldest Princess has already taken poison! Mrs. Qin... if we don’t leave now, it will truly be too late!"

"Grandmother!" Bai Jinxiu exclaimed in shock.

"Let’s go!" Shen Tianzhi forcefully pulled Bai Jinxiu up, "If you also die here, His Majesty will be truly heartbroken! Let’s go!"

Bai Jinxiu gritted her teeth, stopped pleading, and grabbed Shen Tianzhi’s arm: "Immediately... have my grandmother carried out! Regardless of whether she wishes to or not! Hurry! Otherwise, if anything happens to grandmother... I will tell Eldest Young Lady it was your doing!"

"This..."

Shen Tianzhi’s face turned pale, offending the Eldest Princess... the grandmother of the Empress of Zhou, who would dare?!

"If you don’t act, I will do it myself!" Bai Jinxiu said.

Shen Tianzhi had no choice but to nod: "Carry the Eldest Princess out..."

At this moment, although the Eldest Princess’s consciousness remained, her body had already lost strength, about to fall into a deep, drowsy sleep, even opening her eyes was a struggle.

The Emperor, tightly bound to the pillar, craned his neck, seemingly screaming himself hoarse, yet no one paid him any attention.

The Emperor watched as the soldiers carried the Eldest Princess out, watched as everyone left Luohong Tower one by one, leaving him alone. Finally, he panicked beyond composure, opening his bloodshot eyes, roaring at Bai Jinxiu.

Bai Jinxiu exited, looked up at the Emperor, and personally closed the door on him...