The role that Bai Yun had drawn was a supporting role—a princess in this kingdom that was about to be destroyed. Proud and unwilling to be the princess of a fallen country, in the end, she hugged the jade seal and jumped from the city wall.
The scenes were short, but the character was extremely fascinating.
This character was originally played by an actress who had since died of cancer. Her acting skills were excellent, and this character was also her last role before her death. At that time, she portrayed Princess Anping all the while enduring the torture of her illness, and even won the best supporting actress award in the country.
Everyone was waiting to watch Bai Yun make a fool of herself, for they didn't believe anyone could perform better than a deceased person. The actress's passing only made the scene even more classic.
Moreover, just the ancient lines alone were enough to give the actor a headache, even though it was only for ten minutes. Because it was a formal historical drama, her lines were numerous and long. Others could still work on their lines while someone else performed, but Bai Yun was the first to perform.
Lin Qu was also sweating for Bai Yun at the back. However, seeing that Bai Yun was still calmly flipping through the script and reading it very seriously, as if she was unaffected by these factors, Lin Qu inexplicably felt at ease.
Ten short minutes later, Bai Yun stood up and nodded at the judges. These things might be difficult for others, but to Bai Yun, it was a piece of cake.
She took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes again, her spine was straight.
Anping's death took place when the capital fell.
It was rare for snow to fall in the capital, silently covering the bones. Anping had seen some snow falling on the treetops yesterday, but in a moment, it was melted by the flames of war. Amid the crying and sighing from the soldiers and refugees in the city, she looked down from the high wall and saw only white.
When the snow fell, it was the quietest. It could hide everything in the world.
Within a year, every inch of the land was lost. The king, her father, had opened the palace gates to welcome the rebels.
Dressed in her finest clothes, Anping stepped onto the city wall. However, the city wall was too high, so much so she started panting as she walked with the jade seal in her arms. These high walls had trapped her for a lifetime, yet they could not stop the rebels.
Anping felt extremely useless in this life. Everyone had praised her for having an auspicious birth date and being knowledgeable, but she could not persuade her father. She could neither control the morale of the army nor hold real power. She only knew that the country was broken and her family was destroyed. She understood the responsibility that these high walls placed on the royal family.
It was a privilege, and also a curse.
Anping could still hear the wails of the soldiers, but she could not see how many mourning bones were buried under the yellow soil.
Her hands had turned stiff from the cold snow, and she could feel the heavy weight of the jade seal in her arms.
As the cities were conquered one after another, Anping often dreamed of listening to the soldiers singing at the frontier fortress. Under the generals' banners, the beacon fires were still burning, but those soldiers never survived that battle. Blood stained their armor, and the red tassels of their spears were red as plum blossoms. The old general's old horse let out a long neigh. The blood had not dried, and they had not closed their eyes.
The only question was: was the battle won?
Anping could not answer alone. Standing at the top of the wall, she lowered her eyes to look at the leader of the Qin family disciples.
The wind and snow blew wildly, causing the sleeves of her dress to flutter. The flag was already erected under the city.
She didn't shake at all as she climbed the wall, her steps perfectly steady.
"Princess Anping is here with the jade seal."
The city was silent for a moment. As smoke from the border entered Anping's senses, she suddenly felt as if she was in a dream. From afar, she saw the corpses of many soldiers stacked into mountains. When her eyes turned hazy from tears, the rivers and mountains dissipated. In the cold wind, her immense hatred for the Four Barbarians and the Qin family gathered into a ball of fire.
"Through five generations of the Qin family, they produced three dukes, two empresses, and thirteen prime ministers. Loyal to the country till their deaths, the Qin ancestors are worshiped in the imperial temple and enjoy the incense offerings of the country. Yet now, the descendants of the Qin family have become the Four Barbarians' lackeys, colluding with the enemy to commit treason and plot against the emperor. They are the traitors of the country!"
"Such humiliation. I hate the Qins so much I want to devour their flesh and marrow. Right now, the country is in turmoil, and the incompetent royal family has failed to protect the country. However, as a princess, I can't quell this hatred."
Weeping, she chanted word by word. She could not bring back the soldiers buried in the sand or claim back the Imperial soil.
How should Anping answer? The chill was like a blade cutting into her heart. She wanted to speak, but her tears fell first.
"Whoever can kill the Qin family, drive the Four Barbarians to the border, and sacrifice the blood of the Qin family to the spirit of the soldiers, I, Anping, will bring the imperial jade seal and open the city gates to congratulate you."
Anping took a step forward, and there was nothing under her feet. As the soldiers cried out in surprise and sorrow, she heard the cries that should have been heard when the country was destroyed. Amid the raging winds, snow fell to cover the blood on Anping's body.
As the heavy snow fell, she closed her eyes and watched the snow pile up in her eyes. When she exhaled the last breath, she suddenly smiled.
She, Anping, had sacrificed herself for her country. It was her responsibility.