"Chirp chirp, chirp chirp!"
Two lovebirds sang outside the window as the night breeze carried the fragrance of gardenias.
Nan Banruo awoke in a daze.
The surroundings were eerily silent—no thunder rumbled.
She rose from her bed, her feet stepping as if on a sweet, soft dream.
With a faint creak, someone pushed open the carved partition and hurried to her side, excitement in their voice: "Miss! It's time to sneak out—let's go! Huh? Why are you looking at me like I'm a ghost?"
And indeed, she was.
Seventh Fairy, her personal guard, had been dead for nearly a century.
"Oh—" Nan Banruo realized. "I must be dead too. No wonder I’m seeing the departed."
Seventh Fairy’s lips twitched, and she clasped her hands together. "Miss, you're still half-asleep! Children’s words carry no harm—let no ill omens follow!"
Nan Banruo couldn’t help but smile.
So it was true—after death, one could reunite with old companions.
Had Seventh Fairy heard about how she had killed Lin Qingyang?
Nan Banruo wanted to boast, but when she opened her mouth, no strength remained. She was exhausted. Lin Qingyang had been ruthless, cunning, and sharp-witted. Playing his game for so many years had drained her to the bone.
Wait—
If she could see Seventh Fairy after death, then what about her father, mother, and brother?
The thought of her family sent a surge of warmth through her numb chest, rising like a tide—excitement, anticipation, overwhelming joy.
She pressed urgently, "Where’s Father? Where’s Mother? Where’s my brother?"
Seventh Fairy blinked in surprise. "The master and mistress have gone to the palace. Now’s our chance to sneak out to the night market! Shouldn’t you be happy? Why do you look like you’re about to cry?"
Nan Banruo froze. "...What did you say?"
Seventh Fairy waved her hands, confused. "Didn’t you order me to keep an eye on them? The moment they left, we were supposed to head to Peach Blossom Market!"
Nan Banruo furrowed her brows as an unbelievable thought surfaced.
She turned and rushed to the dressing table, staring into the jade mirror. Her reflection tightened her breath.
The girl in the mirror was in the bloom of youth—her own innocent face from long ago.
This wasn’t how she had looked when she died.
Had she returned to the past?
Nan Banruo spun around, demanding, "What year is it?"
Seventh Fairy answered, "The seventh year of Tianyou."
Nan Banruo could hardly believe it. "Is it… the eighth day of the second month?"
Seventh Fairy replied without hesitation, "Exactly! The eighth of February—Peach Blossom Market! I’ve been—er, you’ve been looking forward to it for ages!"
A clap of thunder split the silent night.
This was the day.
The day her family had been destroyed.
A numb chill spread across Nan Banruo’s cheeks. She shut her eyes briefly to steady herself. "How long ago did Father leave? Hurry—we must catch up to them!"
She strode toward the door.
Seventh Fairy chased after her, counting on her fingers. "It’ll be hard to catch them. The master and mistress took the largest war chariot, pulled by eight snow steeds. I watched them pass Xuanwu Tower before returning. By now, they’re probably on the palace road. In another quarter-hour, they’ll enter the inner city."
Nan Banruo halted, her heart sinking. "We can’t reach them in time."
"Miss, has something happened?" A steady voice came from beyond the curtain.
Taiwei—another guard.
Tonight, both of them and her brother would die before her eyes.
Nan Banruo took a deep breath. "Find my brother. Now!"
Her heart pounded against her ribs, a pain she hadn’t felt in years.
The three of them rushed out of the courtyard.
Taiwei dashed ahead, leaping over the corridor, his toes skimming lotus leaves as he landed gracefully at the bamboo pavilion where Nan Nianyi, the eldest young master, resided.
Moments later, Nan Nianyi appeared at the far end of the walkway.
Elegant and composed, carrying the faint scent of bamboo, he strode toward Nan Banruo.
"What’s the matter?" he asked.
Nan Banruo stared at him, unwilling to blink.
For years, she hadn’t dared to dream of her family’s faces.
A thousand words lodged in her throat, but she swallowed them down. Suppressing the storm of grief and joy, she spoke urgently, "Emperor Tianyou has betrayed Father. There’s an ambush waiting in the palace!"
Nan Nianyi’s gaze sharpened. "Who told you this?"
His younger sister had always been delicate. The family had made sure to shield her from the ugliness of the outside world.
Nan Banruo shook her head. "No time to explain. We’ll talk on the way—just get them back!"
Nan Nianyi hesitated.
He couldn’t take her words lightly, but she shouldn’t have known about this. Had there been a leak?
That would be disastrous.
"Fine," he nodded decisively. "I’ll go."
"Take me with you!" Before he could refuse, Nan Banruo cut in, "I know you’ve mastered the Blazing Gold Art. Carry me!"
Nan Nianyi: "..."
He studied her carefully, his breath catching—the eyes that had always sparkled with carefree joy now held an unfathomable sorrow.
Instinct told him not to leave her behind.
"Explain everything on the way," he said, turning and adjusting his robes. "Climb on."
Nan Banruo pressed her lips together and gently leaned against her brother’s back.
His tone was slightly awkward. "Necessity calls. Let’s go."
"Mm."
Seventh Fairy and Taiwei barely had time to blink.
By the time they registered the movement, Nan Nianyi had already vaulted over the wall with his sister, a trail of golden light fading into the dark night.
Taiwei muttered, "Since when did the young master learn the forbidden Blazing Gold Art?"
Seventh Fairy gasped. "Wait—what did Miss say earlier? Why would that spineless emperor dare betray us?"
Taiwei corrected, "You shouldn’t speak like that."
Seventh Fairy huffed. "I’m not wrong! That coward couldn’t even stand up to Lin Qingyang—if not for our master protecting him, he’d have been devoured long ago! And now he dares turn on us?"
Taiwei sighed. "Emperor Tianyou is older than us. Don’t call him ‘spineless.’"
Seventh Fairy amended cheerfully, "Fine. The old coward, then."
The capital glittered under the night sky.
Towering pavilions stretched like stars, their carved beams glowing like translucent ruby under countless lanterns. The streets were draped with peach blossom lights, a river of radiance painting the city in splendor.
Nan Banruo clung to her brother’s back, her hair streaming in the cool wind.
Nan Nianyi’s feet barely touched the rooftops as they flew past gilded eaves, their reflections flickering in stained-glass windows like flowing fireworks.
Nan Banruo glanced back at the golden trail behind them—a hue as rich as the dragon she’d seen during her tribulation.
Nan Nianyi’s voice was low and grave. "Who told you about the plan to assassinate Lin Qingyang tonight?"
Nan Banruo rested her cheek against his shoulder and shook her head.
"Brother," her voice was soft, "Emperor Tianyou had long been terrified out of his wits by Lin Qingyang. As the moment to act drew near, he grew more and more panicked. He went to Lin Qingyang himself and betrayed Father."
She pressed close to her brother's back, feeling the shudder that ran down his spine.
"...Go on," he said in a low voice.
"Lin Qingyang turned the tables. He set an ambush in the palace and surrounded Father." She took a deep breath. "Father was acting on imperial orders to suppress the rebels, yet Emperor Tianyou denied everything and instead accused Father of treason."
The revelation struck like thunder.
"Banruo," Nan Nianyi suppressed his shock and anger, speaking gently, "How did you come to know such things?"
Nan Banruo opened her mouth, but her throat felt stuffed with cotton.
After a long pause, she muttered, "Brother, if I told you I’ve died before—that I’ve come back to life—would you stop believing me?"
"..."
Nan Nianyi pressed his lips together, pushing the Burning Gold Technique to its limit, leaving behind a trail of afterimages.
His silence made Nan Banruo’s heart clench.
Of course. Such an unbelievable tale—who would ever accept it?
Then Nan Nianyi spoke. "I believe you."
Nan Banruo froze. "Why?"
His voice was uncharacteristically solemn. "I can feel how much pain you’re in right now. Banruo, I’m here. Don’t suffer alone."
"Brother..." Her chest tightened as if struck by a stone.
In an instant, her heart burned, her nose burned, her eyes burned.
She turned her face away, blinking hard as she stared at the glittering nightscape of the capital.
Nan Nianyi tilted his head, gesturing to the left. "If we return early enough, we might still catch the Peach Blossom Market."
Following his gaze, she saw lantern-lit streets lined with peach blossom lamps, their glow dyeing the eaves and bridges in hues of pink. Walking through it would leave one bathed in floating light and lingering fragrance.
Nan Banruo stiffened.
In her past life, after the disaster in the palace, it was at this very market that her brother had found her.
He had fought their way out, pursued by an endless tide of enemies—dark waves that drowned everything in silence.
One by one, the people she knew had fallen.
Until only the two of them remained.
Just like now, he had carried her on his back, leaping from tower to tower with the Burning Gold Technique.
Running.
Always running...
She drew quick, shallow breaths, forcing down the spasms in her chest.
"Banruo, look further ahead."
Sensing her distress, Nan Nianyi spoke lightly to distract her. "Do you see the Vermilion Tower’s fire wall? Past that long alley is Skyboat Dock. Tomorrow, we’ll board a skyboat and return to Yan Province. We’ll have no part in this mess anymore."
Nan Banruo’s gaze fixed on the alley, and her heart seized.
Her brother didn’t know—that was where he would die.
A century might have passed, yet the memories were as vivid as yesterday.
Back then, he had sent her onto the skyboat, then turned without a word and strode into the shadows of the blackened walls. Alone, he raised his blade and held back an army.
As the skyboat slowly ascended, she could see everything—
His golden blade gleamed, deflecting spears and swords with ease. Her brother, radiant and indomitable, looked like a god of war, as if he could stand there forever.
For a moment, she had hoped: None of them are a match for him. While the skyboat is still low, he can break free and leap aboard. We’ll leave together!
But just as she strained to see, a razor-sharp sword aura tore through the air—shattering his golden defenses and piercing his body.
Blood sprayed. The peach blossom cakes he had tucked into her robes scattered to the ground.
As he staggered, the enemy swarmed him.
The skyboat had already risen several meters, yet the sounds of blades sinking into flesh rang in Nan Banruo’s ears as if she were still beside him.
She had tried to throw herself overboard, but her brother, knowing her thoughts, shook off his attackers and roared at the sky, his body riddled with arrows and spears:
"If our line ends here, who will avenge us?! GO—"
Go—
Go—
The enemy surged forward like an unending tide...
Until his figure became little more than a pincushion of blades—yet he never fell.
He stood.
Holding the alley for her until his last breath.
