Dressed as a wealthy and rebellious son, his stepmother

Shu Wan's expression remained unchanged and she looked straight at Qi Yuan, "Your Majesty, my concubine's character is lacking. I originally suggested Ning Yuan and Dai Mulan because I didn't want another person to compete for my favor."

"Really?" Qi Yuan narrowed his eyes, not sure whether he believed it or not.

He was not ready to continue reading the book, and rested his chin on Shu Wan's shoulder, "Since you want to go to the Fahua Temple, go tomorrow."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

The next day, after Qi Yuan went to court, Shu Wan went straight to Fahua Hall.

She intuitively knew that the Master of the Lotus Temple could tell her the truth she wanted.

It is different from the Fahua Hall that Shu Wan is familiar with. The Fahua Hall here does not enshrine the gods and Buddhas, but some inexplicable and strange statues.

The hall was full of lights. The moment Shu Wan walked in, there seemed to be a breeze blowing, and a few white candles in the corners were quietly extinguished.

Shu Wan walked inside and saw the mage kneeling in front of the hall, her eyes paused.

Because the robe he was wearing, Shu Wan had seen in a dream, had the same series of patterns as the robe Qi Yuan wore.

Hearing the footsteps, the mage turned around and saluted Shu Wan respectfully, "I have met the imperial concubine."

"Get up."

"Thank you, noble concubine."

The young mage raised his head as he spoke. The moment he saw Shu Wan, his pupils dilated significantly.

"Does the mage know me?"

Sensing the mage's reaction, Shu Wan asked.

"The beauty of the empress is glimpsed for the first time."

"what's your name?"

"The hardest."

"Zixin," Shu Wan repeated, "Who is Zuiyu to you?"

"Brother."

"Oh." Shu Wan looked around, "You all go down, I have something to tell the mage."

After everyone dispersed, Shu Wan looked at Zuixin again, "Do you want your brother to come back?"

As soon as she said this, Zixin's expression changed slightly.

Even a small reaction was captured by Shu Wan.

She guessed correctly.

Shu Wan actually didn't know where Zuiyu had gone, but based on the secrets she had read these days and a rough understanding of the Zui clan, she deduced that if she could be reborn, then Zuiyu should be able to too.

Sure enough, the reason why Qi Yuan summoned the Zui clan to the palace was really related to this.

"I don't ask you anything else, I just need you to answer my questions."

"Please speak out, please."

"I heard that the Zui clan has a method to restore the soul. What is the specific method?"

"Soul for soul."

These four simple words hit Shu Wan like a heavy hammer, "If it were just a matter of exchanging souls for souls, wouldn't the world be full of soul-returning people?"

"Your Majesty is wise."

Zuixin raised his head, and his face clearly looked like he was only seventeen or eighteen years old, but his eyes seemed to see through the world, "To exchange souls requires two souls born at a specific time to exchange each other, and the fate of the world will disappear. Long, the exchange between two souls requires a soul bridge."

"Soul bridge?" Shu Wan frowned slightly and pondered the meaning of the word, "A bridge built by many souls?"

"Your Majesty is smart."

"How much do you need?"

"One hundred thousand." The mage lowered his eyes, "To achieve this condition is as difficult as reaching the sky."

One hundred thousand
Something quickly connected in Shu Wan's mind, and her expression changed drastically.

The Yuezhi's army in the western expedition was exactly 100,000.

Combined with Qi Yuan's deployment of the war, even though he was as calm as Shu Wan, his heart felt as if the air had been sucked out of his chest instantly.

Qi Yuan is crazy. "Although I don't understand these things, I also know about the reincarnation of heaven and how to calm down hundreds of thousands of souls?"

Shu Wan calmed down and thought of another question.

The laws of this world have their own laws. Shu Wan cannot even imagine what kind of divine punishment one hundred thousand souls will suffer.

Zixin's eyelids dropped, "My dear, no one has ever tried it before, so I don't know."

"I understand." Shu Wan nodded, "Thank you very much."

"You're welcome." Zixin's eyes were distant, "I also have selfish motives, and I also hope that the imperial concubine can prevent everything from happening."

Shu Wan nodded, "I will do it."

After leaving Fahua Hall, Shu Wan went straight back to Yuqing Palace.

Qi Yuan was working in Yuqing Palace during this period, and many memorials were left in the palace.

Shu Wan went straight to the study, wanting to ask for proof of something.

However, as soon as she sat on the chair, sleepiness suddenly hit her. Even if Shu Wan tried her best to resist, she could not help but close her eyes.

In the dream, she arrived at the Qilian Mountains, where the decisive battle with the Yuezhi took place.

Shu Wan finally knew what the red blood she dreamed about was.

It's blood, blood all over the sky.

No reinforcements arrived, and the Beiling army was left alone.

From generals to soldiers, no one was spared.

And in the mountains thousands of miles away, an altar was emitting a strange light.

Qi Yuan stood in front of the altar with his hands behind his back, his face gloomy, as if there was a huge weight on his shoulders.

"Your Majesty, the ceremony has been completed."

"I understand." Qi Yuan's tone sounded extremely tired, and he waved his hands, as if he had become much older in an instant.

He turned around and looked in the direction of Qilian Mountain. His hands hidden under the dragon robe actually trembled slightly.

The method of restoring the soul is only recorded in ancient books.

No one has ever completed it, and no one knows that the resurrected soul will not necessarily return to the same era.

Therefore, in the previous life, Qi Yuan did not wait for Shu Wan.

After the ceremony was completed, along with the failure of the Western Expedition to the Yuezhi, Prime Minister Shu's family was wiped out. Qi Yuan ordered a nationwide search for three years, but failed to find the resurrected Shu Wan.

If Qi Yuan still has time, he will continue to look for it.

But he didn't have time.

One hundred thousand souls, even if he is an emperor, he cannot bear such a punishment.

Therefore, Qi Yuan sacrificed himself as an emperor. During the nine days and nine nights of the sacrificial ceremony, Qi Yuan went from being full of flesh and blood to a mummified corpse.

He used the blood of the emperor to suppress the backlash of divine punishment.

Before he left, he ordered all information about the Beiling Dynasty to be destroyed.

Except for the Yuezhi War, over the years, under Qi Yuan's governance, the country was prosperous and powerful, and its army and horses were strong. He selected a person with both political integrity and talent among the royal relatives, who was later Emperor Zhaode, as the successor of the dynasty.

He has been called a wise king and holy master all his life, but this one thing is his own selfishness.

He has all the people in his heart, so after sacrificing his people for selfish reasons, Qi Yuan does not want future generations to know about himself.

He buried everything he had in that remote mountain forest, and no one will know about it in future generations.

He didn't wait for Shu Wan. In his previous life, he left with regret and guilt.

But he didn't actually know that the ceremony was successful.

Shu Wan is back.

It's just that her soul was sent to another time and space.

When she woke up from the dream, Shu Wan was still immersed in the overwhelming scarlet. The corners of her eyes were cold. She wiped them with her hands, and they were tears.