62 Resolution

The citizens of Daxing City were destined to be startled in the first year of Renshou.

First, the Crown Prince mysteriously disappeared without a trace. Just when everyone assumed he had perished and the former deposed Crown Prince was about to be reinstated, the Crown Prince miraculously reappeared at his own investiture ceremony. Right in front of the Emperor, Empress, and all the court officials, he impeached his elder brother on multiple grave charges including the assassination of the heir apparent, plotting treason, and showing disrespect to the sovereign and his father. Only then did everyone realize that his recent disappearance had been entirely the handiwork of his older brother.

Faced with ironclad evidence as unshakeable as mountains, the two sovereigns were consumed by wrath. The eldest prince was taken back into custody, though this time, unlike his previous confinement within his own mansion, he was locked directly inside the deep recesses of the imperial palace. Throughout the court and the country, people whispered and speculated. The eldest prince had committed a transgression of such magnitude that the Emperor and Empress were truly furious; there was little chance they would let him off lightly this time.

While external rumors churned like a boiling cauldron, Shi Nian, Nie Cheng, Meng Xia, and Zhang Ke were playing badminton together.

Beneath the azure sky, Shi Nian clutched her racket, chasing the soaring shuttlecock while keeping her eyes fixed upon it. Just as she was about to step over the baseline, she leaped up and smashed it back with all her might. "I got it! I finally got it!"

Opposite her, Meng Xia effortlessly batted the shuttlecock back across the net and laughed. "Not bad, you are improving. You finally managed to return one."

Shi Nian: "..."

Until now, Shi Nian had always considered herself quite versatile, but she had not expected Meng Xia to be even more adaptable. The most she herself had brought across time was a few minor items like hot pot base, a stun gun, and a harmonica. But Meng Xia? She had actually brought a set of badminton rackets! Did people back in ancient times really play sports like this? True to being a seasoned time-traveler, she treated her work locations as comfortably as her own home. It reminded Shi Nian of the old days during the 996 work-culture era at her previous company, where everyone brought everything to the office, eventually turning the workplace as cozy as a living room, with some even soaking their feet right at their desks.

Fortunately, though, Meng Xia had brought them, allowing the four of them to engage in a mixed doubles match right here. Shi Nian and Nie Cheng were paired together against Meng Xia and Zhang Ke. However, since Shi Nian was not particularly skilled at badminton and lacked chemistry with Nie Cheng, their combined effort was less than the sum of its parts; they stumbled into each other's way several times. In stark contrast, Meng Xia and Zhang Ke clearly had a history of playing together, displaying seamless teamwork that reduced Shi Nian and Nie Cheng to a state of complete defensiveness. This was best evidenced by the fact that after more than ten minutes of play, it was only now that Shi Nian had managed to successfully return the shuttlecock for the very first time!

The outcome of the match, naturally, went without saying.

As the set concluded, Meng Xia took a sip of water and smiled, "Thank you for letting us win, Captain."

Nie Cheng maintained a deadpan expression. "You are too polite. Two against one—you should only feel proud if you win fairly."

Shi Nian caught the sarcasm in his voice and glared at him with displeasure. If she asked her conscience, she admittedly hadn't played well at the beginning, but she had successfully returned the ball several times afterward! There was no need for him to act as though he were the only one playing on the court!

Annoyed, she refused to sit with Nie Cheng, scurrying over to Meng Xia instead and grabbing a cup of water for herself. The winter sun shone warmly upon her. Gazing at the expansive courtyard before her and the withered grass within it, she let out a long sigh. "Yang Guang is certainly hospitable, giving us a place this large complete with its own sports field."

This was a grand mansion within Daxing City, rumored to have once belonged to a high-ranking official before Yang Guang purchased it. A few days prior, all of them had been assigned to reside here.

Meng Xia said, "Given that we helped him pull off such a massive favor, what is a mere mansion? By all accounts, he ought to elevate each of us to higher official ranks. Besides, the Crown Prince certainly possesses the clout to do so now."

Her mention of this naturally led Shi Nian to ponder the current political landscape within Daxing City. Following the massive turmoil in front of Taiji Hall, Yang Yong had thoroughly collapsed, utterly devoid of any capability to mount a counterattack. Yang Guang, meanwhile, had firmly resecured his position as Crown Prince. Moreover, having sustained severe injuries, he had successfully won the pity of Emperor Wen and Empress Dugu, causing the two sovereigns to harbor an even deeper resentment toward Yang Yong. At this thought, Shi Nian could not help but admire Yang Guang. She had initially wondered why he hadn't simply removed his disguise outside Taiji Hall and grandly announced his true identity as the Crown Prince, which would have spared them all such trouble. Yet, if he had openly declared who he was, they would have been unable to pretend they didn't recognize him, meaning he wouldn't have been able to make such a violent scene before the hall and subsequently frame himself as injured to wring the Empress's heart. Thus, he had deliberately chosen not to fully reveal his face. At the same time, he had to reveal enough; if they had truly mistaken him for an ordinary assassin, no one would have held back, and he would likely have been killed on the spot. Even if those men were Yang Yong's subordinates, none of them dared to actually murder the Crown Prince right in front of Taiji Hall, lest the imperial couple fly into a rage and leave them with no burial ground.

Shi Nian could not resist mentally complaining that Yang Guang and Nie Cheng ought to exchange notes, as they were both practitioners of self-destructive scheming. Before they could harm anyone else, they first battered themselves covered in injuries—truly willing to stake everything!

"What will happen to Yang Yong?" she asked.

He had been locked away for some time now. Not only was the entire court concerned, but she herself found her thoughts drifting to him from time to time. Come to think of it, the charges leveled against Yang Yong were precisely the same accusations that nearly brought about Yang Guang's own downfall in the original history. Emperor Wen simply had terrible luck; every single one of his sons secretly schemed about how to seize control of the imperial palace the moment he fell ill. How utterly tragic.

Meng Xia replied, "His crimes this time are, after all, of extraordinary consequence. I am unfamiliar with the Sui Dynasty, but during the Tang Dynasty, imperial princes who committed treason were almost invariably beheaded."

So, would Yang Yong lose his head as well?

Shi Nian bit her lower lip. Catching sight of her expression out of the corner of her eye, Meng Xia asked, "What is it?"

"If Yang Yong dies, do you... not feel anything at all?"

Meng Xia raised an eyebrow. "What is it I am supposed to feel?"

"Well, I heard that he treated you quite well... I am not implying anything between the two of you, but don't you..."

Fumbling for words, Shi Nian found herself growing increasingly tongue-tied. Just as she was flustered, Meng Xia cut her off. "I understand. You want to ask whether I feel guilty or saddened for having utilized Yang Yong's trust, deceived him, and hurt him, correct?"

Shi Nian nodded eagerly like a chick pecking at rice.

Meng Xia pondered for a moment before casually shrugging her shoulders. "It is what it is. Beautiful women are bound to inflict some degree of heartache upon men. I am well aware of that."

Shi Nian was utterly stunned by the beauty's philosophical mindset, leaving her speechless for a moment.

With a half-smile, Meng Xia said, "I heard from the Captain that the reason we are still detained here and unable to leave is because there is one final mission remaining."

Struck at the core of her concerns, Shi Nian's complexion shifted.

Indeed. They had successfully assisted Yang Guang in returning to the Sui Dynasty and reclaiming the position of Crown Prince; everything else had been resolved.

Now, only the final task remained.

"Who would have thought that our missions would escalate to such bizarre levels, even requiring us to erase other people's memories?" Meng Xia glanced at Shi Nian, her gaze a mix of curiosity and newfound respect. "The Captain said that your abilities surpass all of ours, so whether we can return depends entirely on you."

Shi Nian remained silent.

Meng Xia patted her shoulder. "I understand how you feel, but remember—a mission is a mission."

A mission is a mission.

Nie Cheng had said the same, and Meng Xia echoed it now, as if everyone else possessed absolute rationality and clarity, knowing precisely what mattered most. Shi Nian wished dearly that she could align herself with her teammates, but after struggling internally for a long time, she could only look up at the sky in sorrow and resentment.

It was easy for all of them to talk without feeling the ache, when she was the one who would ultimately be sent to carry out the task!

After a brief rest, the group resumed their second round of play, but Shi Nian had lost all enthusiasm. Coincidentally, brisk-stepping-by-Bristol returned, so she gladly yielded her place, retreated to her room, and slumped onto the bed in a daze.

How much time passed she could not tell, but eventually, a commotion arose outside; messengers from the Eastern Palace had arrived.

Pushing open the door, Shi Nian happened to hear an eunuch smilingly address Nie Cheng. "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has commanded this humble servant to invite Lady Shi to the residence for a conversation."

Having just returned, Yang Guang undoubtedly had a mountain of affairs to handle, which explained why he hadn't sought her out over the past few days—a development that suited Shi Nian's wishes entirely. She had even silently prayed that he would simply forget about her altogether. But clearly, that was nothing more than an impractical fantasy.

Nie Cheng turned his head and caught sight of Shi Nian. As their gazes met, the look in his eyes offered a crystal-clear reminder.

Taking a deep breath, Shi Nian ignored him, stepped forward, and told the eunuch, "I am here. Let us go."

The Eastern Palace was situated on the eastern side of Daxing Palace, not far from their residence. A short carriage ride of roughly the length of time it took to brew a cup of tea brought them to their destination. Stepping out of the carriage, however, she was surprised to find that in this brief span, snow had begun to fall outside.

Specks of icy chill landed upon her forehead. She raised a hand to catch a snowflake, watching it dissolve instantly within her palm into a droplet of crystal-clear water.

Led by the eunuch through a winding covered corridor, the sharp, clashing sound of metal gradually drifted into hearing. Raising her gaze, Shi Nian saw Yang Guang through the fluttering veil of fine snow, dressed in a silver-white brocade robe, practicing swordplay in the courtyard.

The man's posture was agile and vigorous, the longsword in his hand gleaming like a flying rainbow under the pale moon. As the snowfall grew heavier, his movements accelerated, swift as the wind with flashes of cold light. At last, he thrust his sword into the empty air, gazed at the flurry of snowflakes settling upon the blade, and laughed with a raised brow.

This spirited, high-spirited version of him was one she had never witnessed before.

As Shi Nian watched in a trance, someone approached from the side. Turning her head, she saw Crown Princess Xiao.

Not expecting her to be here as well, Shi Nian was somewhat surprised, but the Crown Princess merely smiled at her first. "Lady Shi."

"Ah, greetings to the Crown Princess..."

Princess Xiao prevented her from bowing. "I heard from the Crown Prince that during the period he was wandering away from home, it was Lady Shi who kept him company, and his smooth return was largely thanks to your assistance. You have rendered a great kindness to the Crown Prince, which means a kindness to me. Allow me to thank you here."

With a solemn expression, she offered a slight bow once she finished speaking. Given her lofty status as Crown Princess, according such courtesy to an ordinary woman was the absolute height of politeness.

Hastily, Shi Nian replied, "The Crown Princess flatters me. I did not actually do much; it was simply that Yang—that His Highness the Crown Prince is blessed with profound fortune. He is a man destined by Heaven, and I merely did what I ought to."

"A man destined by Heaven," Princess Xiao repeated those four words with a gentle smile. "Aside from expressing my gratitude, I brought you here today to speak of one more matter."

"What is it?"

"I imagine you have likely caught wind of it: my mother is a formidable person who dislikes men favoring their concubines. The deposed Crown Prince fell precisely because of this—he initially favored Lady Yun, and later remained captivated by that Lady Meng, allowing us to exploit the opening. The Crown Prince, however, exercises self-restraint, cares little for female distractions, and has always won my mother's favor."

Yang Guang cared little for female distractions? Then how did one explain the months he spent visiting brothels in the Tang realm? It was all an act! Not to mention later on, when he would attempt to flirt with Lady Xuanhua.

Mentally rolling her eyes, Shi Nian suddenly caught sight of Princess Xiao observing her. A jolt went through her as a sudden realization struck: the dynamic between herself and Yang Guang, viewed through the eyes of his legitimate wife, was bound to invite suspicion...

Earnestly, she said, "Please rest assured, Crown Princess, there is nothing between His Highness and me. Nor shall I linger here for long; I will soon—"

Princess Xiao interrupted her. "You misunderstand. I have no intention of obstructing your relationship with His Highness. I can see that he is very fond of you, and I have no objections to anything that pleases him. However, the grand enterprise takes precedence. You may have to endure a grievance or two in certain matters, and I hope you can bear with it for his sake. Will you?"

Stunned for three full seconds, Shi Nian was floored.

Yang Guang had incredible luck. With a wife as dignified, magnanimous, unjealous, and utterly devoted to his interests, how could he possibly harbor wandering thoughts? Was he not ashamed to face her?

Ancient men truly were without a single decent soul!

Princess Xiao removed the snow-white fox-fur cloak from her shoulders, draped it over Shi Nian, and smiled gently. "What I needed to say has been said. I shall not disturb the two of you any longer."

Only then did Shi Nian notice that Yang Guang had halted his swordplay at some point and was gazing at them from afar. Without approaching, Princess Xiao offered a slight bow to him and departed with her attendants.

Taking a deep breath, Shi Nian stepped down the steps into the courtyard and approached Yang Guang.

Lowering his sword, Yang Guang casually handed it to a nearby attendant. "You have arrived."

Shi Nian countered, "I should rather say that Your Highness has finally chosen to summon me."

Catching the underlying meaning in her words, Yang Guang asked, "What is it? Do you have business with me?"

Despite the heaviness in her chest, Shi Nian managed a smile, looking straight at him. "Indeed. The Crown Prince has achieved his heart's desire, and it is time for me to take my leave. I came today to bid you farewell."

She had imagined Yang Guang's reaction upon hearing these words—surprise, perhaps anger, or even utter indifference. Yet, never had she anticipated that his expression would be so... peculiar.

His dark, profound eyes locked onto her, filled with heavy shadows, as if the very outcome he had long anticipated and suspected had finally come to pass.