Yueyin's POV
Zhengming holds up the jade bracelet, and I stop breathing.
It's the same one. Exactly the same one from five years ago delicate green jade carved with phoenix patterns.
In my first life, I thought it was beautiful. Romantic. A symbol of his love.
Now I know it was a collar. The first chain he put on me.
Yueyin, Zhengming says, voice warm and gentle. I've been waiting for the perfect moment to give you this.
Run. Every instinct scream at me to run.
But I can't. Father's standing somewhere in these gardens expecting me to be polite. Qingyi probably sent Zhengming here on purpose. And there are nobles everywhere who'll gossip if I reject the Crown Prince publicly.
I'm trapped. Again.
Your Highness, I manage, you're too generous.
Not generous enough. He steps closer. You deserve so much more than a simple bracelet. You deserve
Lady Xia looks unwell, a cold voice interrupt.
I spin around. Yizheng is back, stepping out of the shadows like a ghost.
Zhengming's smile freezes. Brother. I thought you left.
I did. Then I noticed Lady Xia seemed faint. Yizheng's eyes meet mine, and there's something sharp in them. A warning? A question? Perhaps the heat is too much. She should return to her family.
He's giving me an escape.
But why? What does he want?
I'm fine, Zhengming says before I can speak, irritation creeping into his voice. Lady Xia is perfectly fine. Aren't you, Yueyin?
Both brothers stare at me, waiting.
My mind races. If I say I'm sick, I can escape Zhengming's proposal. But I'll look weak. Suspicious. And it might make things worse later.
If I stay, I have to deal with the bracelet. The proposal. Everything I'm trying to avoid.
Actually, I say slowly, I am feeling dizzy. The crowds, the wine... I think I need to sit down.
I let my knees buckle slightly. Not fake enough to be obvious. Just enough to be believable.
Yizheng catches my elbow instantly, steadying me. His grip is firm but gentle. I'll escort you back to your father.
That won't be necessary, Zhengming says sharply. I can
You have guests to attend to, brother. Important nobles waiting for your attention. Yizheng's voice is flat, empty. I have no such obligations. I'll ensure Lady Xia reaches her family safely.
The tension between them is thick enough to cut.
Zhengming's jaw clenches. For a second, I see real anger flash across his facethe cruel, violent man hiding under the charming mask.
Then it's gone. He smiles again, but it doesn't reach his eyes.
Of course. How thoughtful of you. He pockets the bracelet. Lady Xia, we'll continue this conversation another time. When you're feeling better.
It's not a suggestion. It's a threat.
He walks away, and I can finally breathe again.
Can you stand? Yizheng asks quietly.
I nod, but he doesn't let go of my elbow. Doesn't move.
You weren't really dizzy, were you? he says.
My heart jumps.
It's fine. You don't have to tell me. His voice drops lower. But I know you were avoiding my brother. Just like I know you're lying about not remembering.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Yes, you do. He finally looks at me fully, and the intensity in his eyes makes me shiver. You feel it too. The strangeness. The sense that we've lived this all before.
I want to deny it. But what's the point? He already knows.
What do you remember? I whisper.
Fragments. Dreams that feel too real. I see myself as Emperor, but I'm cold. Cruel. Everyone fears me. His grip on my elbow tightens. And I see you. Always you. Sometimes you're smiling at me. Sometimes you're crying. And sometimes... He stops, looking away. Sometimes you're covered in blood.
My blood. From my execution.
Do you remember killing me? The words slip out before I can stop them.
Yizheng goes completely still. What?
Too late. I said too much.
Nothing. Forget it. I'm just
Killing you? His voice is sharp now. Why would you say that? Why would I He cuts himself off, eyes widening. Wait. In my dreams... there's an execution. Someone on a platform. I can't see their face but I feel... such guilt. Such horrible guilt.
He remembered. He actually remembered ordering my death.
It was me, I say quietly. On that platform. You were Emperor. You ordered my execution.
Yizheng drops my elbow like I burned him. That's impossible. I would never
You did. You watched me die and did nothing.
No. He backs away, shaking his head. No, I wouldn't. I couldn't
You called me a traitor. Said I conspired against you. Had me beheaded in front of everyone.
His face goes white. When? When does this happen?
Five years from now. After you stage a coup and kill your brother. After you become Emperor by drowning the empire in blood.
The words hang between us like poison.
Yizheng stares at me like I'm a demon. You're saying... we're both from the future? Both remembering things that haven't happened yet?
I died. I felt the blade cut through my neck. Then I woke up five years in the past. I meet his eyes. Did you die too? Is that why you came back?
No. I just... started having the dreams three months ago. Getting stronger every day. He runs a hand through his hair, looking lost. I thought I was going mad. But if you're here, if you remember too...
Then it's real. All of it.
We stand there in stunned silence, both trying to process this.
Why? Yizheng finally asks. Why did I execute you? What did you do?
I didn't do anything. Your brother framed me. The Empress Dowager testified against me. Everyone lied, and you believed them.
But why would I believe lies? Why wouldn't I investigate?
Because by then, you weren't the person standing in front of me now. You were someone else. Someone cold and ruthless who trusted no one.
Pain flashes across his face. That's what I become? A tyrant?
You saved the empire. Stopped a conspiracy that would have destroyed everything. I can't believe I'm defending him. But you destroyed everyone close to you in the process. Including me.
Yizheng looks at his hands like they're covered in invisible blood. And you came back to stop me. To change the future.
I came back to save my family. To expose the traitors before they can hurt anyone.
The traitors. His eyes sharpen. My brother. The Empress Dowager. That's who you mean, isn't it? That's why you were avoiding Zhengming just now.
I nod.
What were they planning? In the future you remember?
To sell the empire to the Northern Kingdom. Your brother made deals with our enemies. The Empress Dowager poisoned your father. When the Emperor died, Zhengming was supposed to take the throne and let foreign armies invade.
Yizheng's expression goes cold that empty, dangerous cold I remember from my execution. And I stopped them.
By killing everyone. Including innocent people caught in the crossfire. Like me. Like Father. That's what I'm trying to prevent. The conspiracy needs to be stopped, but without the bloodbath.
Can that even be done? If we're both back, if we both remember, maybe fate won't let us change anything important.
The thought chills me. What do you mean?
What if we're supposed to live through this again? What if no matter what we do, everything leads to the same ending?
No. I refuse to accept that.
Then we fight fate itself, I say. I didn't come back just to die again. And you didn't get those memories just to become the same tyrant.
Yizheng studies me for a long moment. If we're going to change things, we need to work together. Share information. Help each other.
Work together? With my executioner?
But he's right. Alone, I might fail. Alone, I might end up dead again. Together, we have twice the knowledge, twice the chance to succeed.
Fine, I say. But I don't trust you. Not yet. Not after what you did to me.
Fair enough. I don't trust myself either anymore. He straightens, some of his usual emptiness returning. I should get you back to your father before people start gossiping.
We walk in silence through the gardens. I'm hyperaware of him beside me the man who killed me, now acting like some kind of ally.
This is insane. All of it.
When we reach the main festival area, I spot Father talking to other ministers. Qingyi hovers nearby, probably waiting to ambush me with more questions.
Lady Xia, Yizheng says formally, loud enough for others to hear. I hope you feel better. Please give your father my regards.
He bows and starts to leave.
But then he pauses, turning back. His voice drops so only I can hear:
One more thing. In my dreams... I don't just see myself executing you. I see myself trying desperately to save you first. And failing. Every single time, I fail.
My breath catches. What are you saying?
I'm saying maybe in that future, I wasn't your enemy. Maybe I was trying to save you all along, and I just didn't know how.
He walks away before I can respond.
I stand there, mind reeling.
What if he's telling the truth? What if Yizheng in the future wasn't the monster I thought? What if he was trying to save me, and I just never knew?
Yueyin! Qingyi appears at my elbow. There you are! Where have you been? Prince Zhengming was looking for you, and then Prince Yizheng escorted you somewhere what happened? What did they say?
She's fishing for information again. Reporting back to Zhengming probably.
Nothing important, I say. I felt faint. Prince Yizheng helped me find Father.
Faint? But you look fine now. Her eyes narrow. Did Prince Zhengming give you anything? Ask you anything?
She wants to know about the proposal. Wants to confirm Zhengming's plan worked.
No, I lie smoothly. We barely spoke.
Qingyi's smile tightens. I see. Well, the Crown Prince did mention he has something important to discuss with you soon. Very important. You should make time for him.
Of course.
But I won't. I'll avoid him as long as possible. Find ways to delay, deflect, escape.
I survived an execution once. I can survive dodging a proposal.
Qingyi chatters on about the festival, but I'm not listening. My mind is stuck on Yizheng's words.
Maybe I was trying to save you all along.
No. That's impossible. I remember his face at my execution cold, emotionless, uncaring.
Unless...
Unless that coldness was a mask. A way to hide what he really felt.
I shake my head. I can't think about this now. Can't let myself doubt what I know happened.
Yizheng ordered my death. That's fact.
Everything else is just confusion trying to make me weak.
Yueyin, are you even listening to me? Qingyi looks annoyed.
Sorry, still feeling dizzy.
Maybe you should go home early. Rest. But her tone says you're ruining my plans.
Maybe I will go home early. Escape this festival before Zhengming corners me again.
I'm about to suggest it to Father when a servant rushes into the gardens, face pale.
Your Majesty! He bows frantically to someone in the crowd. Urgent news! The emperor has collapsed!
Everything stops.
People start shouting, running toward the palace. Father grabs my arm. Stay close!
But I'm frozen in place.
The emperor collapsed. Already.
In my first life, he lived for two more years before the Empress Dowager's slow poison killed him.
But now it's happening already. Years too early.
Which means the timeline is changing. Breaking apart.
And I have no idea what happens next.