Chapter 3: Emperor Yin

“Second Sister, why are you protecting her?” Zuo Qingya said aggrievedly, “I am your sister. Why are you taking her side?”

Zuo Xianyu looked up and spoke slowly, “It is precisely because she is an outsider that I must instruct you. If she chooses to debase herself, no one will say a word.”

“But as the legitimate eldest daughter of the Zuo family, you must mind your words and actions. Do not lose face within the socialite circles.”

“But I just can't stand her.” Zuo Qingya curled her lip, her eyes suddenly lighting up. “I remember there are quite a lot of good things in her room. Since she’s about to get lost anyway, I’ll take them all back first.”

She stood up and stomped upstairs.

This time, Zuo Xianyu did not stop her.

Regardless, Si Fuqing had been using the Zuo family's money all these years; the things in her room should all belong to the Zuo family.

After finishing a cup of black coffee and touching up her lipstick in the mirror, Zuo Xianyu picked up her handbag and left for work.

***

Upstairs.

Si Fuqing's bedroom was at the very end of the fourth floor; the rest of the floor consisted of guest rooms.

Zuo Qingya had a spare key she had taken from Madam Zuo, so she entered quite easily.

The bedroom was not large, containing only a bed and a desk with a bookshelf.

“Who are all these books for?” Zuo Qingya’s expression was unmistakably contemptuous. “She doesn't even have a junior high school diploma. A dropout of the nine-year education system.”

Ignoring the bookshelf, she walked to the desk, picked up a few jewelry boxes that were barely passable, and muttered again, “Pauper.”

She had thought she would find something good.

Zuo Qingya turned around, intending to leave.

*Bang!*

Suddenly, her entire body was slammed against the wall by a powerful force. Her back went numb, and a sharp pain shot through her wrist.

Zuo Qingya’s hands went limp, and the boxes fell to the floor.

“Do you like being a thief that much?” The girl's voice was ethereal, carrying a faint hint of a smile. “You have the guts to steal, but do you have the ability to take it?”

Startled, Zuo Qingya couldn't help but scream, “Si Fuqing, is that you?! What do you think you're doing?!”

A year ago, when Si Fuqing returned to the country with the Starry Sky Girls group, she had always worn heavy makeup, purple lips, and white eyebrows.

Now, she was bare-faced, and Zuo Qingya had almost failed to recognize her.

“That is a question I should be asking you.” Si Fuqing’s fox-like eyes curved as she slowly approached. “What do you think you're doing?”

“What could I be doing?” Zuo Qingya couldn't help but shrink back, but then her temper flared. “Of course, I'm taking back everything you've eaten and used from the Zuo family all these years! You dare lay a hand on me?”

“Don't trouble yourself.” Si Fuqing hooked her finger under Zuo Qingya's chin, forcing her to look up. She said indifferently, “I am not using yours, and I will return what I use.”

Zuo Qingya sneered, “You have no money and no power, how will you return it? I'm telling you, you—”

“Shh, be good.” Si Fuqing’s grip tightened bit by bit as she laughed lowly. “I don't like people who are too noisy.”

Zuo Qingya froze, her mind reeling for a moment.

Then, with a *bang*, she was pushed out and locked outside the door.

“...”

A few seconds later, Zuo Qingya finally regained her senses.

She screamed in rage, pounding on the door incessantly, “Si Fuqing! Si Fuqing, come out if you have the guts! This is the Zuo family, what right do you have to lock me out!”

“Come out! You ill-omened bastard, why are you still clinging to the Zuo family!”

The door had excellent shockproofing and soundproofing. Si Fuqing ignored her and turned to survey the room.

She didn't look at anything else, walking straight to the bookshelf, which held several professional books on dancing and singing.

Some pages had turned yellow and were marked with various colored labels.

Si Fuqing’s fingers brushed over them one by one, her expression languid.

She knew she was still working in the entertainment industry, an idol with some fame, though unfortunately, it was mostly infamy.

In her past life, her sect had allowed disciples to choose their own locations for training, and she had spent some time in Glane.

Glane, the world's largest film and television center.

It was a gathering place for movie kings and queens from all nations, as well as a hub for acting geniuses.

Si Fuqing leaned down and pinched her legs and waist, finding them much softer than she had imagined.

This meant restarting her training would be quite easy.

Besides the professional books, there were three rows of history books, thick and elegant.

The predecessor to the Great Xia Empire was the Great Xia Dynasty, and before that was the Great Zhao Dynasty. Thousands of years of history were laid out here.

Si Fuqing raised an eyebrow, her finger landing precisely on a history book.

It was a biography of an emperor.

*The Biography of Emperor Yin.*

She had heard her Second Senior Brother mention this glorious yet brief period of history many times.

Emperor Yin was the youngest emperor in the history of the Great Xia Dynasty.

He was perfect and powerful, decisive in battle, and possessed a heart that embraced the world.

During his reign, he expanded the territory of Great Xia to its greatest extent, campaigning for ten thousand miles and driving the barbarians and the Western Continent principalities into retreat, his prestige shaking the four seas.

The surrounding vassal states all paid homage and declared him their lord.

The Great Xia Dynasty was so renowned back then that it shook all the kingdoms of the Western Continent that sought to occupy its territory.

Emperor Yin dedicated his entire life to this dynasty; he had no wife or concubine, no son or grandson. His successor was adopted from the clan.

Unfortunately, as the saying goes, heroes are like beauties—they are not permitted to grow old with their lovers. He died at the age of twenty-seven from coughing up blood due to lung disease.

His arrival was breathtaking, and his departure was silent.

Si Fuqing used to listen to her Second Senior Brother lamenting how Emperor Yin died far too early; otherwise, even the entire Western Continent would have been conquered by Great Xia.

He was a natural God of War, unmatched by anyone.

A sentence was written on the flyleaf—

*The heavens are not settled, the seas are not calm, the nation is not at peace; what can be called home?*

Historical records stated that Emperor Yin had used these words to refuse the ministers' proposal regarding the selection of imperial consorts.

At the time, Si Fuqing had only listened to it; she hadn't looked into it seriously.

After all, the era was too distant. When Emperor Yin died, it was only the year 684 of the Xia Calendar—her great-great-great-grandfather hadn't even been born.

But when the same experience—dying young—happened to her, Si Fuqing finally became interested in this young emperor.

She rubbed her chin, pulled *The Biography of Emperor Yin* out, and placed it in her backpack.

After organizing her ID and other essentials, she finally left the room.

She would not take a single thing belonging to the Zuo family.

As soon as Si Fuqing reached the third floor, she heard Zuo Qingya's wailing coming from the first floor, very clearly.

“Dad, she actually locked me out! She even laid hands on me, my wrist is all swollen!”

“Dad, what right does she have to stay in the Zuo family? Grandpa is already gone! She should get lost immediately!”

Si Fuqing pulled her coat closer and continued walking downstairs slowly.

Upon reaching the first floor, she indeed saw Zuo Tianfeng, who had just returned.

Having stayed up all night dealing with Old Master Zuo's affairs, Zuo Tianfeng had dark circles under his eyes and was in a terrible mood.

Hearing Zuo Qingya's complaint now, his frustration boiled over, and he exploded with a "bang."

“Stop.” Zuo Tianfeng slammed the table angrily and said coldly, “Take everything out of your bag and put it down.”

She wasn't even a member of the Zuo family, yet she wanted to take things from the Zuo family?

Si Fuqing slowly looked up, her fox-like eyes narrowed, deep and charming, yet hazy and flirtatious.

She moved her wrist and smiled, “My suggestion is: move aside.”