That night, Song Zhiqing had a dream, in which he was almost entirely different from his current self, lacking the current decadence and not a useless person.

In the dream, his legitimate mother Song Ci fainted from sorrow during the banquet when Song Zhiyuan was chosen as Prime Minister. She remained unconscious for three days before waking, but suffered a stroke, leaving her body frail and elderly, falling ill every three days with minor ailments and every five days with major ones, relying on precious medicines to sustain her life.

Over time, Song Ci could only lie in bed, unlike in recent years, where she was versatile and radiant, associating with numerous prominent noblewomen and continuously donating to charity by starting charitable schools.

In the dream, even with the protection of Empress Dowager Wang and the Emperor, she wasn’t as glamorous as now and had the privilege to be exempt from greeting others, because her body was too weak to move around and form connections like she does now, instead barely surviving while lying in bed awaiting death.

The Song Ci in the dream was entirely different from the Song Ci he knew.

In the dream, he still brought Bai Shuilian back without suppression or disdain from Song Ci. With his affection, Bai Shuilian wasn’t cautious like in reality, but rather versatile, overshadowing the Lius, and within less than a year, forcing Madam Liu bedridden with severe illness, relying on medicine daily, allowing the third household to be led by Bai Shuilian.

Due to Bai Shuilian’s status, she acted as the intermediary, drawing him closer to Prince Xiao. With his identity as Prime Minister Song’s younger brother, he helped Prince Xiao rope in numerous officials, making Prince Xiao’s faction increasingly prominent, along with Prince Zhou, becoming the most likely candidates for the Crown Prince among the princes.

Most importantly, in the twenty-third year, the Emperor suddenly fell ill with an epidemic. Although cured later, his health declined and never recovered. At that time, the demand for establishing a successor grew within the court, and as the eldest prince, Prince Xiao was supported by Prince Min returning to the capital and was established as the Crown Prince in the twenty-fourth year, advancing two ranks, basking in glory along with his faction.

That year, he didn’t entangle with Lian Yue at all. He disdained mingling with such an aging woman. He preferred someone like Bai Shuilian, who was pitiable and evoked tender feelings, without entanglements leading to paralysis.

Moreover, Song Ruwei was promised to Crown Prince Xiao at fourteen, further amplifying his prestige, while the Emperor grew increasingly ill, emitting a decaying stench from his body.

After the Crown Prince’s establishment, as the Emperor’s health declined, he gradually delegated authority, allowing the Crown Prince to govern. The Crown Prince, disliking Song Zhiyuan, repeatedly marginalized him, even imposing fictitious charges on him. If not for the Emperor’s silence and his presence, the Song Family would likely have faced ruin.

Emperor Chu continued lingering, but Prince Xiao, urged by others, became dissatisfied with the Crown Prince’s position, desiring to be emperor sooner. Song Zhiqing was more willing to serve a new monarch, plotting to usurp, unable to act openly, resorting to regicide…

Song Zhiqing suddenly awoke, sitting up in bed, gasping sharply.

In the dream, after successfully committing regicide, the Crown Prince was accused by Prince Min as the then loyal prince, exterminating the Crown Prince and his faction for conspiring against the monarch, including Prince Zhou, and even the youthful royal heirs, marking the beginning of the nightmare.

In the dream, Prince Min was still Xia Houzhe, the remnant of the Xia family, unlike reality where he was exposed early, and Bai Shuilian disappeared from the world.

“How could this happen?” Song Zhiqing gasped, wiping the sweat from his forehead, feeling a chill down his spine, realizing that he was drenched in sweat.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.