The day after the three imperial edicts were issued.
Whether court officials or ordinary folk, everyone felt deeply conflicted upon learning that their ruler was yielding the throne to the crown princess.
Yet apart from the countless citizens who submitted petitions asking Qin Siyao to stay, not a single person at court remonstrated with her or urged her to remain.
For these ministers knew that Her Majesty had used the Qin Kingdom's national fortune to form those three imperial edicts. They were bound to the Great Dao, and there could be no taking them back.
Seven days later, a grand ceremony was held at the Qin Kingdom Imperial Palace. Qin Siyao followed the prescribed rites and handed the throne over to Qin Lan'er.
Early the morning after the ceremony, Qin Siyao changed into an ordinary long dress and quietly left the Qin Kingdom Imperial Palace.
Qin Siyao walked out of the Imperial Capital and turned to look at the city gates behind her.
She did not know when she would return.
Perhaps she would never return again.
Standing beside her, Peanut asked, "Miss, are you really not going to say goodbye to Lan'er?"
Qin Siyao shook her head. "There's no need. If Lan'er knew I was leaving, she would insist on seeing me off, and then she'd cry her eyes out again. She's the ruler of Great Qin now. What would it look like if she still burst into tears?"
Drawing back her gaze, Qin Siyao looked at Peanut. "Speaking of which, Sister Peanut, you're going back to your clan, aren't you?"
"Yes."
Peanut nodded.
"Long ago, I promised one of the Qin Kingdom's ancestors that I would serve as the kingdom's resident cultivator.
"First, because the fortune of your kingdom's mountains and rivers aided my cultivation.
"Second, because I