You Have Grown Old, and So Have I

Perfect Virtue, fourth year.

All under heaven was at peace!

Li Heng joined forces with Ye Xian, Queen of Baiyue, to completely pacify Great Tang's south. He also made an agreement with Ye Xian: she and her descendants would forever guard the lands of Southern Yue and defend the frontier.

White Emperor City.

"More than ten years since we last met. You have grown much older, Li Bai."

Verdant Green Maiden sat atop Old Yellow Ox's back. Looking at Li Bai, now so aged that none of his former splendor remained, she let out a sigh.

Li Bai looked at Verdant Green Maiden. After a moment of silence, he said, "Master, have you... grown older as well?"

"Me? Have I grown old?"

Verdant Green Maiden froze at his words.

After a moment of silence, she laughed. "You could tell?"

In truth, Verdant Green Maiden's face had not changed much from before.

It was only that... her complexion had become somewhat pale. Ever since she had personally killed Li Jiqing two years ago, she had remained this way.

Great Tang's fate should have been an unstoppable decline after the An Lushan Rebellion.

But Verdant Green Maiden had taught Li Heng.

And she had killed Li Jiqing.

This had utterly ruined Heaven's calculations!

If Tang, too, were to perish while still strong, would the dynasties that followed not remain filled with the kingly and hegemonic ambition to expand outward?

Then, in the days to come—

Everything would descend into chaos!

Yet they had no way to change this established fact.

So they could only punish Verdant Green Maiden.

"Master, what exactly happened?"

Li Bai looked at her with concern.

"It is nothing."

Verdant Green Maiden shook her head.

"Enough about me. What about you? How did you end up being exiled here?"