Beauties in Simulation Cross over into Reality

Listening to the commotion outside the Wendao Platform, Xiao Mo shook his head helplessly.

"Let the Princess in."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

With permission granted, Wei Xun opened the great gates to the Wendao Platform’s plaza.

Qin Siyao hopped in happily like a little white rabbit, calling out sweetly, "Brother Your Majesty."

"With the wedding approaching, you must be very busy lately, Mujiu. How do you have time to come see me..." Xiao Mo said with a smile.

"It’s precisely because I’m so busy with the wedding all day that I naturally come over as soon as I have a moment to spare." Qin Siyao’s eyes curved into crescents. "I want to go somewhere today. Can Brother Your Majesty go with me?"

"Alright." Xiao Mo tossed his longsword onto a rack. "Where are we going today?"

"To the library..." Qin Siyao said with a light, happy voice. "I once heard that the Zhou Kingdom had a former emperor who adored collecting books and spent a great fortune gathering many ancient texts from all over the world. Can I go see them?"

That part was true. That former emperor of the Zhou Kingdom wasn’t fit to be a ruler, but he would have been a perfect scholar. He loved to read, but he loved collecting books even more. He would even trade official positions in the Zhou Kingdom for a single book.

The Zhou Kingdom was once incomparably powerful, but its territory shrank and its national strength dwindled as a result.

’The Zhou Kingdom’s current state really is inextricably linked to that former emperor...’

"Of course you can," Xiao Mo agreed. "Let’s go."

"Mhm!"

Qin Siyao clasped her hands in front of her and walked at Xiao Mo’s side.

Before long, Xiao Mo brought Qin Siyao to the library.

Qin Siyao flitted through the sea of books like a butterfly.

Xiao Mo, on the other hand, picked a book at random and sat on a wooden chair to read.

After a quarter of an hour, Qin Siyao finally finished picking out her books and sat down beside Xiao Mo.

Xiao Mo didn’t pay her much mind, simply continuing to read the book in his hands, *An Illustrated Guide to Talismans*.

The two of them sat by the window, both engrossed in their books, not saying a word.

An hour passed. Xiao Mo finished his book and turned his head, only to find her still diligently poring over hers.

Warm sunlight spilled over her. Her slender waist was straight, her delicate hands turned the pages gently, and she would occasionally tuck a strand of long hair behind her ear. Her quiet appearance left Xiao Mo a little dazed. For some reason, a strange pang of guilt inexplicably rose in his heart.

Just as Xiao Mo was watching her, Qin Siyao turned around. Her large, limpid eyes blinked as she looked at him. "Brother Your Majesty, why are you staring at me? Is there something on my face?"

"No." Xiao Mo snapped back to his senses and shook his head, making an excuse. "I was just wondering what that book is about. You seem so engrossed."

"This book? It’s about the latter period after the fall of the Divine Spirits, when the Zhou Kingdom fractured, the Rites of Zhou collapsed, and the World of Ten Thousand Laws entered the Warring States Period, which culminated in the Ancient Qin Kingdom unifying the world."

Qin Siyao explained.

"But, because the ancient Warring States Period was so long ago, most books about it are based on folk legends. Many people’s names weren’t even recorded, so most of them were just made up by scholars."

"This book is much the same."

"As for the Empress of Qin and that General, the book doesn’t even make up names for them. It just uses ’Empress’ and the ’Frost King’ from the folktales."

"But the story it tells is rather novel."

"If Brother Your Majesty is interested, how about I tell you the story?"

"Mm," Xiao Mo nodded.

Seeing Xiao Mo agree, Qin Siyao pulled her wooden chair closer, placed the book between them, and pressed her soft arm against his as she said gently:

"Back then, after the King North Desolate passed away, the Frost King returned to the Imperial City of Qin."

"And one day, the Sovereign of Qin sent his daughter away and gave the Frost King a letter..."

...

Late at night, back at Prince Shuang’s Mansion, Xiao Mo opened the letter alone in his room.

After reading the secret letter, the first thing Xiao Mo did was burn it.

’Recalling the letter’s contents, Xiao Mo couldn’t believe how audacious His Majesty was.’

The next day, Xiao Mo sent a message to the Northern Wilderness via Flying Sword.

"Qiu Wen, at your service, Master."

Three days later, Qiu Wen appeared before Xiao Mo and bowed.

"I have a few tasks for you. Memorize them carefully; there is no room for error," Xiao Mo began. "First, have all assassins of the Arid Tower currently in the Northern Wilderness come to the Qin Kingdom’s Imperial City. Second, have General Fang lead fifty thousand Snow-Trampling Dragon Cavalry..."

Xiao Mo relayed his instructions slowly, word by word, as if afraid Qiu Wen might miss a single one.

The more Qiu Wen listened, the graver her expression became.

After he finished, Xiao Mo asked Qiu Wen again, "Have you memorized everything I said?"

"Yes, Master. I will see to it at once!"

Qiu Wen nodded firmly and vanished before Xiao Mo’s eyes in an instant.

「Two months passed.」

During these two months, the border remained tense, and the Imperial Court was still preoccupied with the Crown Prince’s matter. In the Qin Kingdom, whether in the court or among the common people, everything appeared to be the same as always.

But in reality, Xiao Mo, Prime Minister Li, and the others were secretly and urgently preparing for something.

The generals guarding the border—Xiahou Nan, Li Jing, and Zhao Guang—also received messages from Xiao Mo via Flying Sword.

After the three men read Xiao Mo’s letters, their hearts were all incredibly heavy.

In the Imperial Palace, the original commander of the Imperial Guard, being old, had voluntarily retired to his hometown.

The one who replaced him as the commander of the Imperial Guard was one of Xiao Mo’s fierce generals—Hei Daniu of the Iron Tiger Army.

「Another winter arrived.」

Compared to previous years, this winter seemed to be even colder.

On this particular morning, the Sovereign of Qin canceled the morning court session due to the cold weather.

Hearing this news, all the civil and military officials of the court were stunned.

This was because the Sovereign of Qin had never once canceled or missed a morning court session since his ascension. Even when he was gravely ill, he insisted on attending court, only returning to the rear palace after hearing all his ministers’ reports.

’And now, His Majesty canceled the morning court session merely because it was cold?’

Many tried to fathom the Sovereign of Qin’s intentions. Some officials even went to the residences of Xiao Mo or the Three Ministers to ask what His Majesty was planning and whether something major had happened in the Imperial Court.

However, Xiao Mo, Prime Minister Li, Baili Xi, Uncle Jian, and the others either refused all visitors, remained silent, or simply said, "I am not sure either."

「Meanwhile.」

In the Qin Kingdom Royal Palace, Qin Siyao was already running toward her father’s bedchambers.

"Father!"

When Qin Siyao reached the courtyard in front of her father’s bedchambers, she saw him sitting on a stone bench in the yard, reading a book.

"What is it? You seem so flustered." Qin Shengtian put down his book, looked up, and smiled at his daughter.

"You’re asking me what’s wrong? I should be the one asking you what’s wrong, Father."

Qin Siyao breathed a sigh of relief and walked over quickly.

"I heard you canceled the morning court session, Father. It gave me a fright. I thought something had happened to you."

"Hahaha... What could possibly happen to me here in the Imperial Palace?" Qin Shengtian chuckled. "Besides, it’s just one canceled morning court session. Is there a need for such a big reaction?"

"Of course there is." Qin Siyao sat across from her father and poured herself a cup of hot tea. "Father, you’ve held court every single day for a hundred years. Who wouldn’t be worried when you suddenly cancel it today...?"

"It’s not that serious. I just feel that after living for so long, I deserve a good rest." Qin Shengtian stood up and asked his daughter, "How about it? Since there’s nothing to do today anyway, would you like to take a walk with me?"

"Alright, then I’ll walk with you, Father," Qin Siyao agreed. "Where are we going?"

"Just a stroll. Wherever our feet take us."

Qin Shengtian clasped his hands behind his back and walked out of the courtyard.

Qin Siyao followed by her father’s side, walking through the Imperial Palace together.

Several heavy snows had already fallen on the Qin Kingdom’s Imperial City. Although the snow had stopped today, the entire Imperial Palace was still draped in a thick, silvery blanket.

The father and daughter walked forward slowly, leaving a trail of footprints behind them.

But for some reason, Qin Siyao couldn’t help but think of the day her mother passed away.

’Mother also walked with me through the palace just like this...’