The funeral procession moved slowly toward the imperial mausoleum. Suddenly, a woman awoke from slumber. As her eyes fluttered open and took in her surroundings, a wave of panic struck her—she was inside a moving carriage.
The woman was none other than Empress Li Hua.
This was not where she was meant to be. She should have been resting within the Empress's quarters, not aboard this carriage. Empress Li Hua tried to piece together the events that had occurred earlier. Vague fragments of memory returned—she had been in her palace chamber, accompanied by two attendants, Zhong Lin and Ah Zhi.
She faintly recalled the room being filled with an unfamiliar incense, one that made her drowsy and weak. Her body had grown heavy and sluggish for no apparent reason—and then, darkness had claimed her.
Realizing her dire situation, Empress Li Hua tried to call for help, but no sound came out. Her arms and legs were tightly bound. She struggled, but her efforts were in vain—every movement was met with resistance.
Then a terrifying thought flashed through her mind: if she remained aboard this carriage, she would soon be buried alive alongside the late Emperor—and no one would even know she was the Empress.
Terror surged through her chest. She thought of the child within her—the unborn heir to the Dragon Throne. She could not allow this to be their end. Gathering what strength remained, she fought to move again, even if hope was faint.
Her eyes scanned the interior of the carriage for a means of escape. The rear door was bolted tightly. With no way to flee through the back, her only chance lay ahead: the driver's seat. It was the only path left to salvation.
It took considerable effort, but she eventually reached the wooden partition separating her from the driver's seat. Unable to cry out, with her limbs bound, she began striking the wooden panel with her head, again and again, hoping the coachman might hear.
The carriage came to a brief halt.
Her efforts bore fruit. A moment later, the back door creaked open—and there, a woman in servant's garb appeared.
The Empress quickly moved, trying to signal to her identity.
"Help me," Empress Li Hua whispered. Her voice had returned—but it was so faint, barely audible.