I...

Had a dream...

A very very long dream....

In the dream...

I saw a very good show...

The protagonist of the dream is the eldest

legal daughter to the Duke of Wei's heir.

For generations, the Wei clan have been

mighty, loyal generals.

Countless of princesses have been married

to the clan.

And thus, their honor continues to grow year

after year.

But strangely, each generation has only

brought them sons.

And after four generations,

Only this one delicate lady was born...

She was loved and coddled since she was

little,

carefully wrapped within

the silver and gold fineries of the Wei Clan.

The former emperor bestowed noble status

upon her shortly after her birth.

As she walked within the palace,

even the princesses within had to bow in

respect.

A girl who grew up sitting on uncle emperor's

knees.

Riding on grampy general's shoulders,

if a girl like her didn't grow up headstrong,

who would?

So, when she came of age, she entered the

palace.

She became one above all others, in service

to only one other...

She became – THE EMPRESS!

At first the emperor treated her quite well...

But she forgot.

He is the emperor, son of heavens...

He who is one above all...

While she was only a debutante,

an empress...

She remained as headstrong and willful

before,

As so...

Day by day, she fell further out of the

emperor's favour...

Eventually...

She was disgraced...

She was a young girl after all.

How could she not aggrieved?

Especially as she watched the emperor she

secretly fawned over.

Give her the cold shoulder

Whilst he cared for others.

It could have been frustration,

or disappointment...

She...

Did something that could not be taken back.

She fell for the young navy commander who

returned triumphant

–Feng Nanzhi

He emerged victorious in every battle he led.

A renowned god of death on the seas.

He was extremely talented, and he had a way

with words and poetry.

She was inoccent and foolish...

She repeated her mistakes...

And eventually personally handed a small

chest filled with love poems fo Feng Nanzhi.

But she did not know...

How could Feng Nanzhi like someone with

her upbringing and personality!

Eventually, everything went to pieces within

two years.

She implicated her relatives and her family.

And...

Caused her own death!!

....

A big truck is coming towards me, but didn't realize it...

(Bang!!)

Is this...How it all ends? I said as i close my eyes for the last breath of mine...

After struggling for the past 20-odd years, is this how i die?

After dad was disabled, i had to work together with both parents just to put food on the table,

everyone mocked me relentlessly

but i never gave up.

I took my college entrance exams at the age

of 16,

and i became the country's youngest top scorer

in science.

At 20, i graduated with a double degree in

finance and literature from one of the top

finance programs in the US.

At 22, I was an elite executive at one of the

country's largest investment banks with an

annual salary worth a couple of millions.

And today, im now 23, and i had just moved my

parents into a newly-brought villa.

On the same day, my novel "23 Years of Life"

was nominated for the eagle awards best

original work award.

But...Now...Is this how it end..?

How did it come to this?

Wasn't my perfect life about to start?

Wan Xiang: Is she dead?

Wan Cui: She's long dead!

I saw her drink the arsenic with my own two eyes.

Wei Yujin: •••Who... Who's talking...

Wan Cui: It's fine as long as she's dead. Where's the fire? How much longer will it take to get here?

We can't wait for it to burn it's way here. The palace is already doused in oil. It's all the same if the fire starts here.

Wan Xiang: If you ask me, our deposed empress deserves everything thats coming to her. She can't blame us.

Wo disagrees!

Alright! Let's deal with this quickly and report back to madam.

*throws the torch*

-fire starts spreading-

Wei Yujin: -eyes opened wide-

•••This people...How heartless...*getting up*

Poisoning a person, and now is disposing off the corpse by fire? *covers mouth and nose*

Can't die... I can't die...

I can still get out of this!

*looks*

There! The fire hasn't reached there yet!

*rushed*

-pulls the window-

•••The window...

It's locked from the outside!

Damn it!

*uses force to break off the window*

–Bang!

-falls on the pond-

Wei Yujin: -Cough-cough-

Phew...

Tsk! Did you think i was the same naive, defenceless, disgraced empress...

I! Am! Wei! Yujin! *stand up*

I, Wei Yujin, am Someone who crawled my way up from the mud in the 21st century.

I can do the same here.

.....

Wan Xiang: Yikes... My hand stinks of tung oil... How disgusting...*shakes hand*

Who's there?! *turns around quickly*

Wan Cui: Why are you screaming? You scared me!! *angry*

After we just did, aren't you afraid of calling attention to us?

Wan Xiang: I... What do i have to feel guilty for...

•••Strange... I could have sworn i just saw a shadow... Could it have been the Empress's vengeful ghost... *scared*

Wan Cui: What did you actually see?!

What we did here isn't something that should be seen by others. I'll go take a look.

Wan Xiang: Eh? Don't go!

I... I won't wait for you...

Hey! What's happening over there...

Say something...What did you see...

I... I'm not waiting. I'm leaving first! Madam is still waiting for me to report back...

Wei Yujin: Hehehehe...

Wan Xiang: Who?! *terrified*

Wei Yujin: Who? Hehe...

Vengeance! Ghost! Prepare to die!

Wan Xiang: Ahhh!!! *scared*

Wan Cui: Crap! *turns head*

Could we have been noticed!

*Walks back*

Wan Xiang! What happened!

Wan Xiang: Ma-Madam...I deserve it! Your highness, please spare my life!

Y-Your highness, please forgive me! *kowtowing*

Wan Cui: What!

What did you say?!

•••Are you talking about the empress? Empress Wei?

Did lady Wei survived?!

No! She cannot live! *turns head*

Crap! The fire has spread too far! It has alarmed the cold palace...

: Quickly! Quickly!

: Bring men! We need to put this out!

Shift Leader: What about Lady Wei?! Where is Lady Wei!

Maid: Reporting, Shift Leader! I... Her highness has not been seen coming out...

: Could she have died...

: Ah. What a pity. Lady Wei was so young...

: Pity? Death might've been a relief...

Wan Cui: •••So she's actually dead? That's good...I can relax and report to madam!

: Still alive! The Empress is still alive!

Wan Cui: •••What?! She's alive?

Wei Yujin: *stare*

Wan Cui: •••Ha-...Have i been caught? What now... *scared*

Wei Yujin: Heh...*smile*

•••Are you scared now...?

Too late!

–At The Wutong Palace–

Wei Yujin: -looks up-

•••Zhao Wu... This sounds like it was named by Empress Wei...

Empress Wei's resting chamber was called the Wutong Palace. Obviously, the two have had good times together.

But now...

Eunuch: What about his majesty?

Maid: His majesty has just woken up. He is still preparing...

Wei Yujin: •••Even though she was almost killed in a fire, he can't even bothered to leave his palace...

Heh... I hate emperor-types! *evil smile*

Maid: Eh? What happened to the deposed empress?

Why she hasn't given a change of clothes before coming over?

Eunuch: Err... She was advised several times on the way... She keeps shaking her head...

Wei Yujin: •••Change of clothes...Heh...

Eunuch: Lady Wei, please follow me...

Wei Yujin: And let all that lake water i drank go to waste?

Dream on.

*Meanwhile*

Emperor Che: ....

Deposed Empress Wei...? *knit brows*

•••Lady Wei is typically arrogant and despotic...

She loves dressing in elaborate and garish clothing... People are always in awe on her...

But now...

She looks sad and pitiful... She appears quite inoccent and weak...

Which of you allowed her to kneel? Help her quickly!

Eunuch: Eh! Yes!

-rushed towards- Lady Wei, please, to your feet..*helped up*

•••Tsk~ Wasn't this your rule, your majesty? You were the one chasting her for her insolence and crude mannerisms. You were the one who ordered her to kneel upon sight of you. She would only be allowed to stand by your grace...

But...

Our friend here is also an insolent one... She has never once listened to his majesty... In the end, she wasn't even willing to perform a simple bow...

Who would have thought that now...

Wei Yujin: Your majesty...

please, arbitrate for me... Someone washed to harm me today.

•••What happened today...It should be fine as long as i tell the truth... I don't think they will be able to deny it...

Emperor Che: Harm you? Elaborate.

Wei Yujin: Today, during the mid-autumn festival, i was alone... I was not feeling well so i returned earlier to rest...

•••Can't tell them about drinking the arsenic... It's a lethal drug after all. How could i be standing here after that...

I was suddenly woken up by two ladies-in-waiting speaking outside. Then, the fire was lit. I could do nothing else but to crash through the window and jump into the lake to save myself.

Also... The window was locked... *acts pitiful*

–Quite–

Wei Yujin: •••Eh? What's going on... Even after my tearful presentation, how can they still look so doubtful...

The empress Wei's memories are a little

blurry... Could it be something that happened before that i can't remember...

Emperor Che: Since Lady Wei has said this. Bring the two ladies-in-waiting she spoke of.

*Later....

Wan Cui: .....

Wan Cui G-...Greetings Y-...Your Majesty...

Wei Yujin: Eh?

The way she looks... It's so different from the vile expression i saw her on just a moments

ago...