Chapter Fifty-Seven: The Dream Butterfly in the Palace of Tranquil Earth-Saving the Ming Dynasty with a System(The sounds of summer unfold like a painting.)

Guo Mengdie pondered this, lightly biting her red lips, and summoned her courage to speak: "The reason I agreed to marry the Crown Prince before was because I thought I had met him. I was curious about him and believed he would achieve great things in the future, and I was willing to be the woman behind such a man." As she spoke so frankly, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, but for the sake of her lifelong happiness, she could not help but continue, "Only today did I realize I had mistaken someone else for the Crown Prince. That person was not His Highness, so today I beg you, Aunt, please don’t let me marry the Crown Prince!"

The Empress Guo responded with surprise, "Mengdie, you actually sneaked a look at your future husband? You really are bold, doing such a thing against the rules! If your grandfather finds out, he’ll surely punish you!"

Mengdie pouted in protest, mumbling softly, "Grandfather adores me, he would never hit me!" She then shook the Empress’s arm and pleaded, "Please, Aunt, say yes! Won’t you, Aunt?"

The Empress could not withstand Mengdie’s coquettish persistence, and relented, "Alright, alright, I promise. But I am curious—who did you mistake for the Crown Prince? Since you want help, tell me who he is and I’ll arrange for you to marry him, how about that?"

Mengdie’s cheeks grew warm, and the image of Zhu Hao’s mischievous face flashed in her mind. She was unsure of her feelings for him, and truly not ready to marry Zhu Hao. So she hurriedly replied, "Aunt, that’s really not necessary. I don’t even care about that fellow! As long as you can persuade Grandfather and Uncle not to let me marry the Crown Prince, I’ll be satisfied!"

The Empress looked at her niece’s embarrassed expression and, as someone who had experienced much herself, immediately understood. She feigned displeasure, "Mengdie, if you don’t tell me who you mistook for the Crown Prince, I won’t plead your case. You’ll be married to him after all!"

Mengdie’s face fell at this, unwilling, but seeing her aunt unmoved by her pitiful look, she steeled herself and said, "It was the Fifth Prince, Zhu Youjian. It's all because of the portrait at home—it looks just like Zhu Youjian. If not for that, I wouldn’t have mistaken him! I made such a huge error, it’s infuriating!"

The Empress’s face, which had been smiling as Mengdie confessed, turned cold when she heard Zhu Youjian’s name. She snorted, "What? That little bastard!" She shot Mengdie a chilling look, all affection gone. Mengdie, never having seen her aunt behave so, shivered and stepped back, voice trembling, "A-Aunt, what’s wrong? Your eyes are frightening! I’m scared!"

After a moment, the Empress withdrew her harsh gaze, snorted heavily, and spoke sternly, "Mengdie, I’m telling you, you can marry anyone you want! You don’t have to marry the Crown Prince! But you must never marry Zhu Youjian, that little bastard! If you do, I’ll sever all ties with you—you’ll no longer be a member of the Guo family! Do you understand?"

Mengdie had never imagined her doting aunt would speak so harshly. She collapsed to the floor and burst into tears, her delicate face streaming with tears as she sobbed, "Aunt is so mean! Mengdie doesn’t like you anymore!"

Though she said she cried because her aunt scolded her, perhaps even Mengdie herself didn't realize how much of her tears were for being forbidden to marry Zhu Hao.

Seeing her beloved niece cry, the Empress’s hardened heart melted instantly. She put aside her imperial airs and spoke gently, "Don’t cry, Mengdie. Aunt was wrong, I won’t ever be mean to you again, alright? Mengdie is grown up now, you mustn’t cry over everything."

Women are made of water; whenever they are wronged, tears are their best relief. The Empress told Mengdie she was grown up and shouldn’t cry, but after that terrible fire, she herself, Empress of Ming, wept as if the heavens and earth were mourning.

Thinking this, the Empress sighed inwardly: "Are the women of the Guo family destined to owe the Zhu family? That heartless Zhu Changluo broke my heart for half a lifetime; will my most cherished niece follow in my footsteps? If Mengdie really marries Zhu Youjian, when he finds out she is my niece, how could he treat her well? Am I not the warning example?" Her anger grew: "No... I will never let such a thing happen! Once the Crown Prince ascends the throne, I’ll send Zhu Youjian to the West! Even if Mengdie blames me, so be it. I’ll do anything—just not let her repeat my mistakes!"

---

Meanwhile, Zhu Hao, waiting in his chambers for Wei Xiaobao to bring news of Guo Mengdie, felt a chill on his back and muttered, "Summer’s gone, autumn’s coming, it’s getting cold." He had no idea that the cold he felt was not from the changing season, but from the Empress’s murderous intent toward him for the first time.

In the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, after several rounds of comfort, Guo Mengdie finally stopped crying. She looked up, tears still streaking her delicate face, and warned her aunt, "Aunt, if you’re ever mean to me again, I won’t speak to you anymore!"

The Empress hurried to promise, "Don’t worry, Mengdie, Aunt knows she was wrong and won’t be mean to you ever again!" Her tone was full of affection, all imperial grandeur vanished.

A young girl’s grievances come and go quickly. Hearing her aunt’s words, Mengdie playfully pouted and wrinkled her nose, "That’s more like it! I won’t be angry at Aunt now. I have to go home, or Grandfather will worry!" With that, she hopped out of the palace.

Watching Mengdie’s retreating figure, the Empress murmured, "Don’t worry, Mengdie. Even if I become the most infamous woman in the world, I will protect your happiness! Even if I stand against the world, I will not hesitate! Just as my brother once protected me! He left this world for my sake; he cannot protect you, but I will do so in his stead!"

As she muttered, memories of her brother’s handsome face appeared before her, saying:

"Zhao’er, did you hurt yourself? Let me rub it for you!"
"Don’t cry, Zhao’er. I’m here."
"Zhao’er, I will protect you all my life!"
"Quick, Zhao’er, leave so no one finds you here!"
"Zhao’er, this will be the last time I help you. After this, you must rely on yourself."
"Zhao’er, I’m leaving. I’ll watch over you from the heavens."

Scene after scene flashed by, and tears welled in the Empress’s eyes. If only she hadn’t envied Consort Liu, hadn’t trusted the eunuchs around her, hadn’t practiced forbidden arts in the palace, hadn’t told her brother after disaster struck, hadn’t let him take the blame—maybe her brother wouldn’t have died. But all these ifs were meaningless now; the one who loved her most was gone.

---

Moments later, the Empress clenched her fingers, her gaze fierce as she looked to the sky and snarled, "That vile woman killed my brother! Everything began because of her, Consort Liu! I swear I’ll make you suffer endlessly, to appease my brother’s spirit!"

A sudden crack of thunder echoed overhead. Whether it was the Empress’s fury shaking the heavens or merely the stormy late summer weather, clouds gathered and lightning flashed, with torrential rain about to pour.

Zhu Hao, sitting in his room, noticed the ominous sky and thought he probably wouldn’t see the girl in the white dress today. His expression dimmed as he looked at the looming clouds, sighed, and prepared to close the windows against the impending rain. Just as he reached for the door, Wei Xiaobao rushed in.

Seeing Wei Xiaobao, Zhu Hao was surprised and paused, looking at him in confusion.

Wei Xiaobao, seeing his master’s questioning gaze, knelt and exclaimed, "Your Highness, she’s out! She’s out!"

Zhu Hao was baffled by this abrupt announcement and said with annoyance, "Out? What are you talking about?"

Wei Xiaobao, realizing Zhu Hao hadn’t understood, took a few deep breaths and explained, "The girl Your Highness asked me to watch—she’s just left the Palace of Earthly Tranquility! Let’s hurry, or we might lose track of her!"

At these words, Zhu Hao suddenly understood and said quickly, "Lead the way, I’ll follow you!"