Chapter 1689

She didn't even know how she had walked through those years after losing her arm.

It was too hard!

Even a martial artist couldn't call that time safe; human hearts were treacherous, the world was cruel.

In the end, she retired to an ancient temple and lived in seclusion, hoping to escape the secular world.

But monks were still people—how could they escape the trials of mortal life?

So she resumed her quest to restore the empire, hoping to revive Great Ming and bring peace to the land.

"But was it truly good?"

At midnight, she often asked herself this question.

The fall of Great Ming was already fate.

In the final years of Great Ming, corpses littered the land; people traded their children for food—it was no world for humans.

Even if Great Ming were truly restored, what then?

Jiunan was deeply troubled, deeply anxious!

"Five-six-zero" Nevertheless, she threw herself entirely into her restoration efforts.

Bearing the hatred of national and personal loss, though she had become a nun, she could no longer recite her sutras.

Only restoring the empire gave her the will to live.

Even if it were but a dream, a phantom flower!

She chased this elusive goal until recently.

Jiunan suddenly felt at ease.

The world had been transformed; heaven and earth were clear and tranquil.

She no longer had to bear the heavy burden of the realm.

She was merely a royal princess, never educated as an emperor, nor granted the right to inherit Jiangshan.

The days when Jiangshan crushed her shoulders, suffocating her—she never wanted to endure them again.

In truth—her father felt the same, didn't he?

That father, who toiled day and night yet could not halt heaven's collapse, perhaps felt just as she did.

He had never been educated as an emperor; Jiangshan had come to him inexplicably.

For a prince raised like a pig,

Intrigue was foreign.

Jiangshan was foreign.

Administration was foreign.

Everything overwhelmed him.

But since he had sat upon the throne, he could not retreat.

Behind him lay only an abyss!

What hope of survival after abdication?

History made it clear: once he stepped down, his entire family would surely die.

He had no choice but to press on!

Intrigue was a net, and her father was the spider upon it—finally swept away and shattered in the storms of late Ming.

The harder he struggled, the faster he fell.

Just as she had.

She wanted to restore the empire, but she didn't even know what to do!

She understood nothing of intrigue, nothing of politics.

It was at this moment that her resentment and confusion toward her father vanished.

Only by truly entering politics did she realize how treacherous officials' hearts were, how vile human nature could be.

Her father faced a far more dangerous situation than she ever had.

Yet he could only grit his teeth and sit upon the dragon throne, bearing pressure from all sides.

He was emperor—he had to face these things.

Even if his heart trembled with terror, he had to face them with calm.

"Chen Jinnan bows to Princess Jiunan!"

At that moment, a loud voice rang out.

Jiunan snapped back to awareness and looked over—there stood Chen Jinnan, Grand Master of the Tiandihui, bowing respectfully.

"All that is past dynasty business now, Grand Master. Call me Shitai from now on. This new dynasty is good—no need to call me princess."

Jiunan had finally understood completely.

She no longer needed to cling to her title as a princess of the fallen dynasty.

The past must be left behind.

Now, whether she remained Shitai or returned to lay life as an ordinary person, either was fine.

The feeling of freedom was truly wonderful—even just imagining it lifted her spirits.

"Yes, Shitai." Chen Jinnan did not press further. "May I ask, Shitai, what brings you to the capital?"

Jiunan smiled. "Your Majesty has transformed the world, ended the rule of the barbarian foe, and brought peace and prosperity to the people. I have come to thank Your Majesty."

"I see." Chen Jinnan smiled. "Then my purpose here is the same. Recently, Your Majesty traveled to the overseas islands, reclaimed our ancestral lands—I am the one who governs those islands. Today I have come to the capital to report. If you wish to meet Your Majesty, shall I introduce you?"

"Have you become an official, Grand Master?" Jiunan was surprised. "You understand the overseas situation well—governing those islands is truly putting your talents to good use."

"Shitai flatters me. I owe this to Your Majesty's trust, allowing this remnant of the former dynasty to serve Your Majesty."

Ake stood to one side, listening, her heart drunk with wonder.

The Chief Helmsman of the Heaven and Earth Society actually commands all the islands overseas — what a grand official.

If Master also became an official, wouldn't she be able to share in the glory?

Thinking of this, her mood could not help but grow a little buoyant...

After chatting for a while, Chen Jinnan took Jiunan's visiting card, rose, and took his leave.

"Master, do you want to become an official?" After A-Jinnan left, Ake asked softly. "In the new dynasty, women may also become officials. If Master wishes to become an official, I suppose it would be possible."

Jiunan gave a light snort, her gaze sharpening: "Become an official? Your Master only has decent Wu Gong. If I became an official, would I govern the common folk by force? This official business — it's not so easy to do. If one only wants to throw one's weight around and oppress the people, then wouldn't such an official be no better than a pig or a dog?"

"In that case, better not to do it at all."

Ake listened, feeling a little deflated.

If Master doesn't become an official, wouldn't she still have to follow behind him eating vegetarian meals and chanting Buddhist scriptures?

For a young and pretty girl, this kind of boring, plain life was truly too cruel.

Aqi nodded gently: "Master speaks rightly. Didn't we often see those dog-officials oppressing the common folk before? Although Master is kind-hearted, once he became an official, he'd inevitably be deceived by those beneath him. When the time came, wouldn't he end up just like those dog-officials!"

"Qi'er speaks well." Jiunan nodded with satisfaction. "Ake, if you want wealth and honor, Master can also point out a clear path for you."

Ake's heart stirred, yet her face showed an expression of awe and reverence.

"You are no orphan at all. I took you from Chen Yuanyuan. Your father is even more greatly famous — he is called Wu Sangui. Now that the new dynasty has been established, your Master bears no more enmity. You may freely acknowledge your ancestors and return to your clan."

Ake had originally thought it was some good fortune; hearing this, her face went deathly pale.

3.8 What kind of ghost of a 'clear path' is this!

Aqi said softly: "Master, that Wu Sangui sold out his country for glory, and has already been executed according to law by Your Majesty. If Senior Sister acknowledges her ancestors and returns to her clan, wouldn't she have to bear an enormous load of curses?"

Ake nodded gently.

Could she acknowledge this clan?

Naturally she could not!

So long as she dared say she was Wu Sangui's daughter, the spittle of the common folk under heaven would drown her to death.

"Naturally I know." Jiunan's expression was solemn. "Wu Sangui is indeed dead. But Chen Yuanyuan is still here. I recall Your Majesty said she too is a woman of bitter fate, and bestowed upon her a garden, along with no small amount of silver taels. If Ake went there, wouldn't it be better than following at my side eating vegetarian meals and chanting Buddhist scriptures?"

Aqi was speechless.

She was closest to Jiunan — how could she not know that Chen Yuanyuan had also taken the tonsure.

If Senior Sister truly went back, her days likely wouldn't be all that easy either.