Reality.

The Zhou State imperial palace.

In the Imperial Study, Xiao Mo suddenly opened his eyes.

The noon sun fell over Xiao Mo’s body.

Xiao Mo pressed a hand to his chest and gulped in air, one breath after another.

Because of the Book of a Hundred Lives, Xiao Mo’s memories had been blurred.

But the feeling at the moment of death, so vivid it was almost real, still left Xiao Mo with lingering fear.

“The fifth-life experience of the Book of a Hundred Lives has been completed. The Book of a Hundred Lives rewards are being calculated. The host may enter the River of Time until the fifth-life reward tally is complete. Does the host wish to enter?”

The Book of a Hundred Lives spoke again inside Xiao Mo’s mind.

“Enter!”

After steadying his mind, Xiao Mo made the choice without hesitation.

Even though Xiao Mo remembered very little about the fifth life of the Book of a Hundred Lives,

in his heart, he still felt as if there was no way he could let it go.

“The host is about to enter the River of Time. Please prepare.

Three.

Two.

One.”

The Imperial Study of the Qin imperial palace.

Xiahou Nan, Li Jing, Zhao Guang, Fang Weiming, and the other generals were all present to report in person.

They had won a great victory. If the chronicles did not break, their names would surely be passed down for a hundred generations.

Yet there was little joy to be found on their faces.

After Qin Siyao granted rewards, everyone withdrew, leaving only Xiahou Nan still in the Imperial Study, not yet departing.

“Does General Xiahou still have something else?”

Qin Siyao asked evenly. There was not the slightest rise or fall in her voice, as though no color at all could be felt from her.

“There are indeed some matters.”

Xiahou Nan took three items out of a storage pouch.

“This Ten-Calamities Spear is the immortal weapon the Frost King used. The mask is the one the Frost King has worn since the beginning of the campaigns. As for this clay figurine, your subject does not know what it is.

“But even when the great formation array surged in to kill him, the Frost King still protected this one thing with his life.

“This thing must have held extraordinary meaning for the Frost King.

“Now that the Frost King’s body and bones are gone, aside from the Ten-Calamities Spear, this mask and this clay figurine should have been buried as part of the remains.

“But your subject believes that, compared to burial, these things should be handed to Your Majesty.”

Huasheng stepped forward, accepted Xiao Mo’s three relics, and placed them before Qin Siyao.

As she looked at the mask and the little clay figure on the tabletop, Qin Siyao’s eyes wavered.

She reached out and lifted the clay figurine into her palm, stroking it gently. Her pale fingertips trembled faintly.

“Your Majesty, this figurine is...?” Xiahou Nan asked.

Qin Siyao shook her head. “Just an ordinary clay carving made by a girl.”

Qin Siyao raised her gaze to Xiahou Nan. “General Xiahou must be exhausted as well. Go back and rest.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. This general takes his leave.”

Xiahou Nan clasped his fists in salute, said no more, and left the Imperial Study.

The door closed.

In the Imperial Study, there was only the woman.

Looking at this somewhat ugly little clay figure, it was as if, in her mind, she saw again that day from years ago: a little girl standing before a little boy.

“This is for you.”

“For me?”

“Yes. This clay figure isn’t anyone else. It’s me. It’s my gift to you. When you miss me, just look at this clay figure and silently recite my name. Maybe I’ll know you’re thinking of me, and then I’ll come to see you.”

“So that’s how it is.”

The little boy took the figurine and smiled. “Then what if the princess doesn’t come?”

“If I don’t come, you won’t lose out.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m thinking of you, too.”

By the time the woman came back to herself, tears were already pattering down onto that tiny clay figure.

“You big liar. Did you miss me?”

She gently brushed the figurine’s brow, crying as she smiled.

“I miss you so much.”

The next day, Qin Siyao planned to leave the palace and go to the Xiao Residence.

By Qin custom, Qin Siyao needed to preside over her mother-in-law Zhou Ruoxi’s funeral first.

But at this time, some officials submitted remonstrances to dissuade her.

Because the Frost King had passed away and Qin Siyao had not yet entered the household, those officials claimed that, under Qin law, the marriage engagement was already void.

They believed that Zhou Ruoxi’s funeral, as well as the Frost King Xiao Mo’s funeral, ought to be presided over by the Xiao family’s younger generation.

And when Baili Xi, the Chancellor, and the others learned of those remonstrances, they did not say a single word in court. They only sighed, “A bunch of opportunistic wastes.”

Sure enough, Qin Siyao ignored them completely.

In fact, within two days, evidence of those officials’ usual corruption and lawbreaking was laid out in court.

The officials who had remonstrated were stripped of office, stripped of rank, or thrown into prison.

From that point on, not a single court official dared speak another word.

A few days later, Qin Siyao personally presided over her mother-in-law’s funeral.

On the day of burial,

even though Cuicui was already sixty years old, she still cried like a girl.

“Aunt Cui, will you come live in the palace?” Qin Siyao asked Cuicui after the funeral.

Cuicui shook her head. “Thank you for Your Majesty’s kindness, but this old woman is advanced in years. I will not trouble Your Majesty. After attending Young Master’s funeral, this old woman will build a small courtyard by Madam’s grave and continue keeping Madam company.”

Hearing Cuicui’s words, Qin Siyao did not insist. She only nodded in silence.

One month after Zhou Ruoxi’s burial came Xiao Mo’s funeral.

The day before Xiao Mo’s funeral, the Northern Wasteland Army’s Snow-Treading Dragon Cavalry and heavy-armored infantry arrived outside the Qin imperial capital.

This frightened quite a few court officials, who feared the Northern Wasteland Army meant to do something disloyal.

But Qin Siyao did not care in the slightest.

On the day of the funeral, Xiao Mo’s coffin was carried out from the Xiao Residence and sent toward the Xiao ancestral lands.

Qin Siyao wore mourning clothes, hemp over her shoulders, and a mourning band, holding Xiao Mo’s memorial tablet as she walked at the very front of the procession.

The people of the city all lined the road to see them off.

Many women watched the Frost King’s coffin and sobbed until they fainted to the ground.

When they left the city,

Xiahou Nan, Lian Li, Li Jing, and the other generals, along with the Snow-Treading Dragon Cavalry and the heavy-armored infantry, stood in ranks on both sides of the city gate, forming a line from the gate all the way to the Xiao ancestral lands.

“Send off the Frost King!” Li Jing shouted.

“Woooo—!”

As Li Jing’s words fell, the horn blast of a charge rang through the heavens.

Boom! Boom-boom!!!

A million soldiers’ eyes reddened as they struck their armor with their weapons, escorting the Frost King on his final road.

Xiao Mo’s empty tomb was buried beside Zhou Ruoxi.

On Xiao Mo’s tombstone, there were none of those long strings of titles that so many feudal lords bore. It only read: “The tomb of my husband Xiao Mo. Set up with tear-washed reverence by his wife, Qin Siyao.”

After Xiao Mo was laid to rest, everyone dispersed. Only Qin Siyao remained, kneeling before the stone.

No one dared disturb her.

And no one knew what she was thinking.

Half a month later, before her husband’s tombstone, the woman slowly rose to her feet, turned around, and walked back to the palace.

The Master of Huanglou from the Northern Wasteland came to the palace to meet Qin Siyao.

Qiu Wen brought a letter and the seal of the Northern Pacification King.

The letter had been written by Xiao Mo himself and stamped with a finger-blood print.

Its contents were Xiao Mo’s various arrangements for the Northern Wasteland.

The most critical point was a request that Your Majesty revoke the title and military authority of the Northern Pacification King, and that, from that day forward, the Northern Wasteland Army would be placed under the Qin ruler’s direct command.

As she looked at that letter, a testament left behind, Qin Siyao fell into thought for a long time.

“Your Majesty need not worry,” Qiu Wen said, believing Qin Siyao feared that doing this would provoke resistance within the Northern Wasteland Army and spark unrest within Qin.

“At present, military affairs are overseen by Li Jing, Zhao Guang, Fang Weiming, and the others. None of them have any intent to rebel. They were all loyal to the Frost King.

“Now that the Frost King has passed away, they are all loyal to Your Majesty as well.

“What they most do not wish to see is the realm split apart again, letting the effort and blood of the Northern Pacification King, the Frost King, and several million soldiers be poured out in vain.

“So regarding the Frost King’s wishes, they have no objections at all.

“As for the Xiao Residence’s descendants today,

the only ones with any promise are Xiao Yang, Xiao Gui, and a few others who followed the Frost King on campaigns.

They only wish to defend this realm the Frost King created at the end.”

Qin Siyao shook her head. “I am not worried about that. I have never worried about that.”

“Then what does Your Majesty mean?” Qiu Wen asked, confused.

“No matter when it is, no matter what happens, he is always thinking for my sake.”

Qin Siyao lifted her head and looked at Qiu Wen. “Miss Qiu, when my husband was with you, was there ever anything he asked you to do for him, something personal?”

Qiu Wen thought carefully, then shook her head.

“As expected.”

Qin Siyao lowered her head and looked at the seal of the Northern Pacification King.

“He is always like this.”

“He is always like this.”

Three days later, Qin Siyao made Xiao Mo’s testament public to the realm, revoked the title, and placed the Northern Wasteland Army under court administration, responsible only to the Qin ruler.

Many people believed this act by Your Majesty would spark dissatisfaction among the Northern Wasteland generals, even if it had been written in the Frost King’s testament.

But unexpectedly, the Northern Wasteland generals all accepted the order and handed over their military authority.

Some generals were weary of a life of conquest, resigned their posts, and retired into the mountains to live as wanderers.

Some generals entered the Qin imperial capital and took positions in court.

In any case, the transfer of the Northern Wasteland military authority proceeded without the slightest accident.

And it was half a year after the fall of Qi State that the new King of Zhao personally came to the capital to submit to Qin.

Qin Siyao accepted the submission and granted the King of Zhao the title Duke of Peace and Pleasure, with no real office or power, but with a yearly stipend until death.

From that day on, Zhao State was extinguished, and the world of myriad arts was unified.

In the spring of the following year,

Qin Siyao promulgated the Qin Code.

From this day forward,

the world of myriad arts would no longer have enfeoffed states. The lands that had once been Qi, Zhao, Chu, Yan, Wei, Jin, and the countless former realms large and small were all converted into provinces, with commanderies beneath provinces, and counties beneath commanderies.

For writing across the realm, Qin script would be the standard.

For speech across the realm, Qin pronunciation would be the correct form.

For carriages and horses across the realm, Qin measures would be the rule.

From this day on,

one script, one track, one sound.

The people [N O V E L I G H T] of the realm would have no distinction of former states. All would be Qin people.

From this day on,

the titles of great clans and noble houses could not be inherited without imperial approval.

For selecting officials, recommendation would assist, but the civil examinations would be primary.

The civil examination system would be enforced across the realm, with the six orthodox schools recognized: Confucian, Daoist, Legalist, Military, Agricultural, and Mohist.

From this day on,

under Qin’s flourishing age,

the old would be cared for until the end, the strong would have their use, the young would be raised to maturity, and the widowed, orphaned, solitary, disabled, and ill would all be supported.

The realm was settled at last.

In the blink of an eye, twenty years passed.

After Qin had been able to rest and recover, Qin Siyao personally led an army into the demon-race world.

“I have come to demand an explanation from Flowing-Flame State and Creek-Valley State. If any of you dare block me, then try.”

Qin Siyao’s words spread across the entire demon-race world.

After that, Qin Siyao led her army to trample Flowing-Flame State and Creek-Valley State, the two demon realms.

From beginning to end, the Qin army did not taste a single defeat.

From beginning to end, among the hundred demon realms, all only watched from the sidelines. Not one dared stand in her way.

The following year, Qin Siyao led her army in flying ships to break across the sea and enter Ten-Thousand Islands State.

The Ten-Thousand Islands State ruler begged to submit.

Qin Siyao refused the submission, executed the entire Ten-Thousand Islands royal house, absorbed Ten-Thousand Islands State into Qin territory, established provinces and prefectures, and placed it under Qin administration.

Another fifteen years.

After Qin Siyao extinguished Creek-Valley State, Flowing-Flame State, and Ten-Thousand Islands State, the realm went long without war.

Hundreds of millions of people all called the Qin Emperor a sage ruler.

But there was one matter that constantly worried the court.

It was Your Majesty’s marriage.

All these years, within the palace, there had always been only Your Majesty alone.

After Xiao Mo passed away, Your Majesty had kept to widowhood.

But how could that do?

Even if Your Majesty was now a Jade-Polished Realm cultivator with a lifespan of a thousand years,

the crown prince was the root of the realm. How could such a thing be missing?

And so, some officials dared to remonstrate, hoping Your Majesty would consider marriage.

But without exception, those remonstrances never received any response from Qin Siyao.

In the end, those censors could only give up, hoping that one day Your Majesty might change her mind.

Another six years passed.

On this day, Qin Siyao suddenly announced that she would adopt a child to inherit the throne, requiring the imperial relatives to send children older than three and younger than eight.

Hearing this, those imperial relatives were naturally willing.

Children from collateral branches of the Qin royal house were sent into the palace one after another.

But Qin Siyao was dissatisfied with all of them.

Until one day.

A collateral branch again sent ten children.

As before, Qin Siyao summoned the children to the Imperial Study to see them in person.

After the children saw Qin Siyao, they all lowered their heads in fear and nervousness, not daring to meet her eyes.

Only a six-year-old girl lifted her small face, her clear eyes blinking as she looked at this extraordinarily beautiful big-sister sovereign before her.

Qin Siyao noticed the little girl. She crouched down in front of her and smiled.

“What is your name?”

“Big Sister Sovereign, I... my name is Qin Lan’er.”

“Lan’er. A very beautiful name.”

Qin Siyao nodded. “Who are your parents?”

“I... I lost my parents when I was little.”

Qin Lan’er lowered her head. “I have always lived at my uncle’s home.”

“I see.”

Qin Siyao patted the girl’s head. “Are you not afraid of me?”

The little girl nodded, then shook her head.

Qin Siyao laughed softly. “So are you afraid, or not afraid?”

“Not afraid,” the little girl said.

“Why?” Qin Siyao asked.

“Because Lan’er can tell that Big Sister Sovereign is a good person.”

“Lan’er can tell even that?”

Qin Siyao asked gently. “Then what else can Lan’er tell about big sister?”

“Lan’er can also tell... Big Sister Sovereign seems very sad,” Qin Lan’er said in her childish voice.

Hearing Qin Lan’er’s words, Qin Siyao froze slightly, then smiled.

“Why does Lan’er think that?”

“I don’t know.”

The little girl shook her head. “Lan’er just feels like Big Sister Sovereign is very sad.”

As she spoke, the little girl lifted her head.

“Big Sister Sovereign, if you are sad, you can cry. If you cry, it will feel much better.”

“Big sister cannot cry.”

Qin Siyao smiled.

“Why can’t big sister cry?”

The little girl tilted her head.

“Because big sister’s mother once said that a woman’s tears can only be cried for the one in her heart, so that the one in her heart will ache for her.”

Qin Siyao stroked the girl’s hair.

“So, big sister...”

“Can no longer cry.”

The end of the chapter.