The voice of reason... it's just the voice of reason. I truly hope someone can show me a path to glory, so that I can clear external bandits and internal traitors!

As the Emperor Xianfeng, sovereign of a nation, he found himself standing at the forefront of the battlefield, with soldiers around him retreating from behind.

"Why?" Xianfeng commanded helplessly, "Attack with me, let those bandits see the might of the Qing Dynasty!!!"

Though he shouted almost hoarsely, the soldiers and generals of the Qing Dynasty still discarded their helmets and armor, ultimately dying under the enemy's rain of bullets. Even Xianfeng himself couldn't react in time, only to see a copper bullet flying towards him. As time seemed to slow down, he still couldn't escape from the bullet.

"No!" Xianfeng steadied himself.

Because behind him was the territory of the Qing Dynasty, so he could only grit his teeth and endure the bullet.

Just as the bullet was about to reach his forehead, Xianfeng let out a horrified roar, "Ah... Ah...!"

"...Ah... Ah...!!!"

Startled, Xianfeng suddenly sat up from his bed, even the golden covers scattered all over.

It was just a nightmare... Xianfeng touched his sweat-soaked nightshirt, then let out a long sigh of relief.

"What's wrong, Your Majesty?" A melodious voice rang in his ear, accompanied by a pair of pristine jade hands gently resting on Xianfeng's shoulder.

Why does this woman look so familiar? Xianfeng didn't even know which consort she was from last night, but her youthful beauty and grace had already captivated him.

She came to his side in the early morning, wiping away all his nightmares and restoring hope within him.

"Who are you..."

Xianfeng cautiously asked, as this woman silently appeared in his chambers, moving like a ghost or phantom through the room.

The only thing left was the faint and bare skin rustling, which awakened Xianfeng, pulling him out from the depths of the tranquil sea bed surrounded by thick seaweed.

He lay there motionless, not even trembling.

"Hush, perhaps the meeting by the lakeside is a vow for this life!" she said, swiftly picking up her scattered emerald green clothing and hesitantly kneeling at the edge of the bed.

Xianfeng observed her with the corner of his eye, showing no intention of asking her to leave.

Realizing he was actually awake, but unable to discern if he was truly awake or still silently slumbering...

Carefully climbing off the bed, she ran her delicately scented hair across his face, then disappeared in silence at the door of his chamber.

Seeing the girl vanish, Xianfeng bent down in a hurry to follow, but the lingering fragrance on his lips, cheeks, and senses teased his eyes.

Xianfeng smiled faintly, slowly and gently reaching out to savor the aroma left on his shoulder.

Recalling the graceful girl with waist-length straight hair, deftly slipping away from his fingers, casting her reflection in the misty dawn...

No, she was shining, her radiance merging with the morning light, leaving behind a graceful figure.

Under the temptation of her beauty, Xianfeng eventually succumbed: "Soft-hearted yet firm, quietly leaving without intentions... such a gentlewoman in the world, I hope I haven't misjudged!"

He swayed and sank into the intoxicating fragrance of flowers.

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty?"

A courtier came to escort him to the morning court, but Xianfeng continued to dwell in his own world as if he had heard nothing.

...

In the early morning, Juxi returned to the Capital Inn he had just visited two days ago. He was quietly exchanging words with the innkeeper.

The innkeeper took a silver ingot from Juxi and hurriedly went to pour wine for the table next to him, chatting and laughing with the four Western travelers. Only when Juxi nodded did he "escape" from the four Westerners.

Money couldn't be given for nothing, so Juxi's first question was, "Did you find out? About that Western girl, some... important information."

"They said, that woman came from the north, crossing the 'Tianshan Mountains'. They all traveled on foot, and about the girl... oh, right, she had a deep brown horse carrying heavy objects similar to a stage."

Hmm... Juxi waved his hand and then satisfactorily tossed another silver ingot to him, the greedy innkeeper eagerly pocketing it.

As he left, the innkeeper jovially asked Juxi, "Rest assured, sir, if you need anything, we can find it all out here!"

"Hehe, good, I'll come back to you for business next time."

"Sure! Hehe, shall I leave you in peace for your meal, sir?"

With a wave of his hand, Juxi let the innkeeper happily depart like a pardoned criminal.

Ah, people in the Capital these days are all the same, everyone is a master when there's profit to be had!