On the day the city fell, Zhaoning knew there was no escaping her fate.
The man who pointed his sword at the imperial city was Lu Jiming, her bitter rival through half a lifetime of struggle.
But after all these years of fighting, there was still one thing she couldn't understand. "Minister Lu, what grudge do you hold against me? Why have you gone to such lengths to see me dead?"
Lu Jiming replied, "We have no grudge. In fact, Your Highness once gave me a new life."
"When the Lu family was framed and the whole clan imprisoned, the court officials all kept silent. Only you, a young princess, stood against the majority and sacrificed your own future to clear our name."
"That day, I had already planted explosives to blow up the entire city. It was only because of you that I let go of my hatred."
"For ten years, I've struggled my way from obscurity to the highest position in the court. All I wanted was to stand proudly by Your Highness's side one day. But you changed. You became a villain who persecuted loyal officials and threw the court into chaos."
"You ask me why today, Your Highness. If I must give you a reason... I'm killing the you of today on behalf of the you from ten years ago."
Zhaoning stood stunned for a long time, filled with nothing but absurdity and sorrow.
In that dazed moment, a storm of arrows pierced her heart...
When she woke again, Zhaoning had been reborn ten years in the past.
Her first thought was to kill Lu Jiming before he could gain power.
She grabbed a knife and kicked open the door, only to find Lu Jiming, dressed in plain clothes, wiping an old sachet: her sachet.
She suddenly changed her mind. Since she had another life, why not try being a good person this time?
Zhaoning: He may be harsh, but, but... Was I born irredeemably wicked? If I had a choice, I'd want to climb to the top with clean hands, instead of knowing I'm doing wrong and having no choice but to see it through.
Lu Jiming: I once killed you, certain I was in the right. But only after you died did I realize that right and wrong don't matter. I only want you. If you want to be a villain, I'll be the sharpest blade in your hand. I won't distinguish good from evil or ask what's right or wrong. I'll clear every obstacle for you, even if it means turning against the whole world.
Previous life: Righteous to a fault vs. a scourge upon the nation
This life: Ruthless by any means vs. turning over a new leaf
#Two people always standing on opposite sides#
Theme: In old age, dreams bring many surprises, as if someone had offered up a blade.
