TFRLTOP Chapter 71 Part 2

Can I still protect her?
Wouldn’t it be safer to send her away now?

He wavered — torn between reason and heart.
Logic said to let her go, to send her somewhere safe.
But deep down, something whispered, Not yet. Just a little longer.

What a pity—things never go the way people wish. In the end, the heroine, Jiang Ruotian, advanced like an unstoppable force, sweeping her army all the way to the capital. She stormed the imperial palace amidst chaos and clashing weapons. At last, Emperor Wanqian had to accept the inevitable truth: he had lost.

He sent his shadow guards to take Ming Ming away, while he stayed behind in the palace.

“It’s too late! The palace is already under attack. Stop picking and choosing—hurry!” the system urged.

Ming Ming frantically stuffed her bundle with gold and silver, slung it over her shoulder, and ran for the door—only to be stopped as soon as she stepped out.

“Who are you?” she asked warily.

“Third Young Lady, we were sent by Lady Ruotian. The tyrant is about to die. Please come with us.”

“How dare you!” the shadow guard barked, stepping in front of Ming Ming with his sword drawn. Both sides refused to back down, and soon, blades clashed.

Startled, Ming Ming stumbled backward as the fight broke out.

Before long, the emperor’s guards were all slain, leaving only two of Jiang Ruotian’s men standing.

Ming Ming stared at them in horror. Seriously? The dog emperor’s men couldn’t even hold out this long?

The two wiped blood from their faces and bowed respectfully. “Please come with us. Lady Ruotian will soon be this nation’s new emperor. As her sisters’ younger sibling, you have nothing to fear. You will live safely and comfortably.”

The system said calmly, “Go with them. Jiang Ruotian won’t harm you.”

Ming Ming hesitated. After thinking it over, she reluctantly agreed to follow.

As they left Luoxue Pavilion, she asked, “What about Li He?”

The two froze for a second, realizing she was talking about Emperor Wanqian, but said nothing.

“Is he still alive?” she asked the system.

The system gave a faint hum in response.

Their escape route passed right by Hongyang Palace. From a distance, smoke was rising from the rooftops.

Carrying her bundle, Ming Ming slowed her steps. She rarely took the initiative to look for Emperor Wanqian, but as she walked this path, she suddenly realized how close Luoxue Pavilion was to Hongyang Palace.

“Fire! Hongyang Palace is on fire!” servants screamed, running in panic.

Ming Ming stopped and looked at the sea of flames, the smoke rising into the dark sky. It felt like watching a whole world collapse.

“Third Young Lady, we must go!” the two men urged.

Faint cries echoed from the direction of the burning palace: “Your Majesty! His Majesty is still inside!”

Ming Ming froze, her eyes widening in shock.

“He didn’t leave? Li He is still in there?”

The system sighed. “Leave him. He’s made his choice.”

That was, perhaps, the best ending a tyrant could hope for.

Ming Ming’s heart twisted painfully.

She looked toward the blazing Hongyang Palace, took a deep breath, and whispered, “Let’s go.”

Goodbye, Li He.

This was just a virtual world. They weren’t even real to each other—barely passing figures in someone else’s code.

Just then, a familiar “ding” sounded in her mind.

“Congratulations! Side mission complete. Hidden achievement unlocked.”

“World evaluation in progress.”

“World rank: Pass.”

Ming Ming stopped walking.

“…Third Young Lady?” one of the men called.

The surrounding sounds faded away. Ming Ming asked quietly, “In this world… do I leave immediately, or can I live out the rest of my time here?”

“It’s up to you,” the system said.

“You’re awfully easygoing this time.” She looked down at her feet. “If I choose to leave now… could you do me a favor?”

“What kind of favor?”

“I don’t want much,” she said slowly. “Just this bag of treasure I’m carrying—can I bring it to the next world?”

System: “?”

“Gold never loses value! And if the next world happens to be modern, all these jewels will be antiques—you get what I mean?”

System: “…” I wish I didn’t.

“So that’s your real motive, huh?”

“Come on, can I or not?”

After a pause, the system gave in. “Fine, fine, fine.”

“Yay!” Ming Ming cheered softly, suddenly feeling full of energy again.

“Third Young Lady, we really have to go!”

She looked up at the two men and said, “Thank you for your lady’s kindness. Please tell her this message for me: ‘I was only a side character. Now I’m moving on to the next world. Don’t worry about me.’ Thank you for your trouble—farewell.”

She bowed slightly to them.

The two exchanged confused glances, but before they could stop her, Ming Ming turned and walked straight toward the burning Hongyang Palace.

“Third Young Lady! No—don’t go!”

They could only watch helplessly as she disappeared into the sea of flames.

Inside the main hall, a tall figure stood motionless in the center.

The proud emperor refused to bow his head, meeting his end together with his dynasty.

Staring at the dragon throne, Emperor Wanqian thought of the late emperor who once held him as a child, murmuring to him about the loneliness of a ruler.

How ironic, he thought. In the end, I, too am left alone—betrayed by all, truly an isolated soul.

He wondered if she had escaped by now.

He had prepared estates and land deeds for her across the empire—but none as nice as the one she bought for herself.

She really did have good taste…

Then he remembered the fireworks they never got to see on the Qiqiao Festival, and felt a pang of regret.

I should’ve taken her out more often. She must’ve been so bored, trapped in the harem all day.

A sudden sound behind him made him turn sharply. His eyes widened.

“You—who allowed you to come here?! I told them to get you out!”

He strode forward and grabbed her shoulders.

“They’re all dead,” Ming Ming said quietly.

He froze, then said, “I’ll take you out myself—there’s still time—”

But before he could finish, Ming Ming stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. He stiffened in shock.

Then, trembling, he pulled her tightly into his embrace, as if he could crush her into himself. “Why are you here? I gave you everything—land, gold—enough to live safely for the rest of your life! Why didn’t you go? Please, go!” His voice broke, choked with emotion.

Ming Ming gently patted his back.

The flames roared around them, thick smoke choking the air. Emperor Wanqian cupped her face, gazing at her with a mix of tenderness and sorrow—then his eyes turned sharp. “It’s too late now. I won’t let you go!”

Ming Ming smiled faintly. “Good thing—I came to keep you company on this last journey.”

He held her again, staring at the sea of fire around them, dazed. I never got the chance to make her my empress.

She felt something damp on her neck but didn’t move.

“If there’s another life…” he began, but stopped. Would she even want to see me again? Yet… she’d chosen to die with him.

Ming Ming thought for a moment. “If there’s another life, then I want to meet you sooner.”

“Ding—preparing to exit world.”

“I…” His lips trembled. He pulled her close. “I love you.”

“I know,” she whispered.

The heat grew unbearable. Flames surrounded them as the roof beams began to fall.

“Exiting world…”

Ming Ming leaned toward his ear and whispered something softly.

Then, the fire swallowed them both.

Later, Jiang Ruotian and Jiang Fuling listened to the report.

“She really said that?” Jiang Ruotian asked, frowning.

“Yes, those were her exact words,” the soldier replied.

Jiang Fuling murmured, “A side character… so she was a traveler too.”

“It seems she completed her task,” Jiang Ruotian said, taking Fuling’s hand. “She’s gone on to her next life—and we must go on with ours.”

Fuling nodded. “Yes.”