Beside the Tall Tree

The two maids nodded solemnly.

Grace wrapped herself in a white cloak, put on her hat and scarf, and stepped out alone.

Dressed all in white, she blended into the snowy world, almost invisible.

Grace walked skillfully along the path, heading to the small grove behind the palace where she’d lived in her previous life.

......

That day, Grace stared at the Imperial Edict held high before her, and a thousand thoughts raced through her mind.

With the edict announced, the whole kingdom knew—what was she supposed to do now?

If she defied the edict, disaster would fall upon the Zhu Family.

No matter how strong the Zhu Family was, they couldn’t compete with the royal family.

They held the Spirit Tree, the authority granted by the kingdom itself.

Anyone who dares to trespass will be blacklisted by the kingdom, never to find a place in Vermilion again.

As for Evan Xiao... At that time, she was pretty sure he’d already left for Fengqi.

He wouldn’t be back for another two months.

So this challenge was hers alone to face.

What was she supposed to do?

She had to find someone powerful enough to make Colin Gu wary—and who would help her.

And ideally, once and for all, so he’d never summon her to the palace again.

In all of Vermilion, only the royal family of the kingdom could pull that off.

Thinking of the royal family, Grace naturally thought of Emperor Tuoba Hong.

In her previous life, Emperor Tuoba Hong had told her their first meeting wasn’t at the hostage residence.

He said it was in the Blue Moon Kingdom.

He also said she was his savior.

Grace honestly couldn’t remember meeting him. When she pressed for details, he wouldn’t say.

She couldn’t be bothered to think about it at the time, and eventually just forgot.

But now, with everything happening, that sentence suddenly flashed through her mind.

Did her first meeting with Emperor Tuoba Hong really happen in the Blue Moon Kingdom?

Was she really his savior?

Luckily, she hadn’t done many good deeds in her last life—she could count them all on her fingers.

Like that time she released a fish when she was little.

Or the time before she got married, when she let a street thug go who tried to flirt with her.

And after entering the palace... she’d saved someone once.

It was when she was six months pregnant, just released from the cold palace. Ignored by Colin Gu and bullied by his other consorts, she felt miserable and cried alone in a secluded grove behind her residence.

As she sobbed, something felt off—her feet landed on something soft.

She brushed away the snow and found a person beneath it.

The person’s face was covered, and blood covered their body and face.

Grace was terrified and about to scream for help, but the person managed to say, “Help me.”

Maybe because she was miserable herself, she felt a sudden surge of sympathy.

She asked Hope and Claire to drag him to a warmer haystack, gave him some hot food, and left.

The next day, she sent Hope to check, but the person was gone.

......

Looking back now, his voice and appearance—it was definitely Emperor Tuoba Hong!

So Grace accepted the Imperial Edict.

And all this time, she’d been waiting for this day.

If she could save Emperor Tuoba Hong again, heal his wounds, and get his help, he’d definitely agree!

......

Grace still remembered exactly where she’d crouched and cried in her previous life.

Right next to a big tree.

That tree looked exactly the same as in her memories.

It didn’t take her long to find it.

Just like before, there was nothing strange under the tree, only a thick pile of snow.

Grace walked over and started digging through the snow.

One scoop after another, she quickly cleared the spot where someone had once lain.