"Ye Beiming! No! Don't!!!"
Within the palace of the Liao Kingdom, the sound of arrows piercing flesh and bowstrings trembling echoed through the air, but it could not mask the hoarse cry of the young girl.
"Ye Beiming! Are you stupid? You knew that trying to save me would only bring you harm! Why still save me? Why..."
She placed her hands on the wound on his chest, but the blood that gushed out seemed to mock her helplessness.
"Your Majesty, there is irrefutable evidence that Yue Qingying has colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country! The only person in the Liao Kingdom who could have given the military iron arrows to the enemy is the legitimate daughter of the Yue family. The people desire to cleanse the emperor's side of the demoness! Don't blame me."
The cold voice from below the stairs felt like a sharp knife stabbing into Yue Qingying's heart. She looked at Ye Beiming in panic, wanting to speak but not knowing what to say. But his eyes, about to dissipate, lit up with a final spark when they saw her.
"Fool, don't cry. I believe that you are innocent in this matter. If he can't give you freedom, I'll be the one to do it... Ah Ying is waiting for you at the back door. Promise me, live on..."
He struggled to raise his hand, seemingly wanting to touch her cheek one last time. But as his life came to an end, even this simple wish could not be granted.
"Ye Beiming! Ye Beiming!!!"
Tears streamed down her face, and it wasn't until his hand fell that Yue Qingying seemed to be awakened by a heavy blow.
Ye Beiming was her husband, but she had always hated this man!
She even poisoned and crippled him herself, and while the previous emperor was still conscious, she tried to frame him multiple times!
She hated him for his ruthlessness and betrayal, for killing her entire family, and for separating her from the man she loved, not allowing them to be together eternally!
But now, her beloved man had used her as a pawn, becoming the final blow that pierced through Ye Beiming's chest.
Yet even in his last moments, Ye Beiming was trying to give her the freedom she desired – did she have the capacity to accept it?
Throughout their marriage, she had wanted to escape Ye Beiming more than once, even wishing him dead! Yet when he died before her eyes, she couldn't move a step...
"Ye Jiehuan!!!"
Tears rolled down her cheeks like pearls, Moon Qingyin stood up and looked at the man below the steps, her voice filled with sorrow and despair.
"You said you only wanted military power, you promised me not to hurt him! He treated you so well, how could you do this?"
Ye Jiehuan's eyes were filled with maliciousness upon hearing her words, "Moon Qingyin, how dare you defile my name!"
"Yes, sister, those who understand the times are the wise ones, don't be ungrateful," Moon Qingyin was stunned as she looked at the figure all dressed in splendid clothes, Moon Dingling, who stepped forward and intimately held Ye Jiehuan's arm. It was such an eyesore.
At this point, everything became clear to Moon Qingyin.
All those accusations about colluding with the enemy and betraying the country, and that she would be the queen of the Liao Kingdom after the success of their scheme.
Liars, they were all liars!
"Guards, Moon Qingyin's crime of colluding with the enemy and betraying the country is unforgivable. Take her away, interrogate and torture her!"
Upon hearing the order, Moon Qingyin let out a sorrowful laugh.
"Ha ha ha, Ye Jiehuan, I thought you had some fondness for me. You still won't kill me even now, just because of the firearms blueprint on me, right?"
"Sister, those who know the times are the wise ones, though you have committed a great mistake, there is still a chance for redemption!"
At this moment, Moon Dingling appeared like a loving and righteous sister, step by step climbing the stairs.
"Good sister, as long as you are willing to hand over the Fire Gun blueprint, His Majesty will not treat you badly!"
Watching the once-familiar face of Yue Dingling gradually become strange, it was ridiculous that among all her sisters, she treated this concubine-born sister the best.
The Yue family was in decline, and the one she originally couldn't let go of the most was this unmarried sister. Unexpectedly, Yue Dingling had been in league with Ye Jinghuan all along.
"Oh, is that so? Then let Ye Jinghuan come over, and I will give it to him personally."
She painstakingly helped Ye Jinghuan ascend to the throne, even going so far as to execute hundreds of people from the Yue family.
They did not need to pay the price for her willfulness, but they ended up becoming cannon fodder to separate her and Ye Beiming.
Her heart seemed to have been stabbed countless times, and cold wind howled as it entered through a thousand wounds.
"Yinyin, you know, I can't bear to kill you."
Ye Jinghuan stepped up the stairs one by one, his eyes full of false tenderness when looking at her.
Little did he know that on the steps in front of the dragon throne, Yue Qingyin gave a sad smile, and what awaited him was a strange short cannon in her hand, the black muzzle pointing at his forehead.
"Ye Jinghuan, Yue Dingling, I've said that those who betray me will not die a peaceful death."
With a 'boom', the loud explosion shook the heavens, tearing apart the night's chaos.
Ye Jinghuan and Yue Dingling both tumbled into each other's blood with widened, disbelieving and fearful eyes.
Yue Qingyin then slowly looked down at the arrows piercing through her chest…
As the world spun, blood and tears spread across the dragon throne, and as her life came to an end, Yue Qingyin's empty eyes were filled with regret.
She struggled to crawl towards the man who had fallen in front of her, "Ye Beiming, in the next life, I am willing to protect you with my life."
