In the twelfth year of Xuanyuan Zhaoning, Emperor Xuanyuan Min, who hadn't appointed an empress for a long time, finally issued an edict to promote the daughters of various officials under the repeated urging of the Prince Regent and the court officials. Eight of them were gentle, virtuous, gentle, and beautiful. On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month of the twelfth year, the selection would be held at the Chengming Hall in the main hall of the Xuanyuan Imperial Palace. Since the main purpose of this selection was to select concubines, the Prince Regent specially participated in the entire process to show his importance.
The eight beauties were all descendants of officials. Their families came from all levels of the military, government, economy, and nobility. Of course, none of them had anything to do with Xuanyuan Min.
Among the eight, one empress, one imperial concubine, and one concubine would be chosen. As for the rest, if His Majesty liked them, they would be brought into the harem. If he didn't like them, they would be betrothed to the royal family.
On that day, a carriage with two red lanterns, signifying the 'Royal Selection', rolled into Shen 'An Men. Meng Fuyao was led by a eunuch into Chengming Palace along with seven other beauties. They kowtowed three times and nine times in front of the Emperor before bowing to the Prince Regent. King Meng had always hated kowtowing. Every time he kowtowed to Xuanyuan Min, he would record it down. Every time he kowtowed to Xuanyuan Cheng, he would scold him' motherf * cker '. Perhaps because he had scolded him too many times, Xuanyuan Min sneezed non-stop. Xuanyuan Cheng turned his body and asked with concern, "Is Your Majesty feeling unwell?"
Xuanyuan Min waved his hand, his eyes darting around. "I'm happy. They're all good beauties. The next time I perform, I won't have to worry about not having someone to act with."
Everyone in the hall snickered. Xuanyuan Cheng said gently, "Your Majesty, you've chosen the empress today. You'll be getting married in a few days. There's no need to perform."
"Oh," Xuanyuan Min replied lazily. "We'll listen to the Prince Regent." He took the Ruyi on the plate and tilted his head to ask Xuanyuan Cheng, "Which family does the Prince Regent like?"
Xuanyuan Cheng maintained his elegant expression and smiled. "They're all good girls. Your Majesty will like them. but in my opinion, General Yangwei's youngest daughter, Yiguang, is gentle and naive. She might be more to Your Majesty's liking."
The eunuch immediately took a step forward and handed Tang Yiguang 'token to Xuanyuan Min.
Xuanyuan Min didn't even look and said lazily, "Whatever the Regent thinks is good." Xuanyuan Min lifted the scepter and was about to place it on the plaque when Xuanyuan Cheng smiled. Just as the scepter was about to land, Xuanyuan Min suddenly stopped. He glanced over at the clueless Tang Yiguang and smiled, "Tang Corps?"
Tang Yiguang's mind was wandering …
"Tang Corps?"
Tang Yiguang missed the delicious sesame pancakes from Fuyao …
"Tang Corps?"
Xuanyuan Min raised his voice slightly and walked down from his seat curiously. He walked past Xuanyuan Cheng, who was sitting at the side. The moment he blocked Xuanyuan Cheng's path, Meng Fuyao flicked her finger.
Tang Yiguang let out an "Ah!" as he was pushed forward by Meng Fuyao's finger on his tailbone. He fell to the ground with a loud clang, pushing the bronze crane in front of the throne and rolling away. The eunuch rushed to help him up, but Tang Yiguang was already crying amidst the commotion.
"Wuwu … it hurts …"
Xuanyuan Min helped her up and carefully looked at her face, which was ruined from crying. He smiled and said, "Indeed, very cute."
Xuanyuan Cheng's eyebrows twitched slightly as he smiled. "The Imperial Censor's daughter, Jian Xue, has a calm and dignified temperament. She is a famous virtuous lady in the capital and is also very good."
The eunuch immediately changed into the Jian Xue brand. She was dressed in a light green dress embroidered with silver bamboo. She was dressed simply and elegantly, unlike the other beauties. The bright and beautiful Jian Xue remained motionless, but her posture was elegant and noble. Her hair was tied up in a bun, but it was obvious that she had carefully selected a top-notch emerald hairpin. It shone brightly, reflecting her beautiful brows and eyes. Her originally thin features due to her sharp chin looked plump and moist, adding some color to them.
Xuanyuan Cheng looked at her, his heart slightly weighing. He felt that although this woman was a bit scheming, this kind of deep woman knew how to judge the situation. She was also a good choice. He looked at Xuanyuan Min with a smile. His eyes were calm, but the meaning behind it was self-evident.
Xuanyuan Min also looked very satisfied. He walked away from Tang Yiguang and walked towards Jian Xue. Just as he was about to speak, Jian Xue had already lowered her head with a blushing face. Her demeanor when she lowered her head was extremely charming. Seeing this, Xuanyuan Min's eyes flickered, and he reached out to lift her chin. Xuanyuan Cheng's eyes flashed, and he smiled as he drank his tea.
"Achoo!"
Jian Xue suddenly sneezed!
This sneeze was no less than a sudden clap of thunder in the solemn and clean Consort Selection Ceremony, causing everyone to sway on the spot. Xuanyuan Min raised his hand with a stunned expression. His hand was full of snot …
Jian Xue's face instantly turned ashen, but she couldn't stop sneezing no matter how hard she tried. One sneeze after another came out, causing her to feel so depressed that she wanted to die. Her internal organs were burning, and her vision darkened as she directly fainted …
Xuanyuan Min quickly wiped his hand with a silk handkerchief that the eunuch hurriedly brought over. He looked back at Xuanyuan Cheng with a smile. "Indeed, very dignified."
Xuanyuan Cheng put down his half-finished tea, glanced at Jian Xue, who had been helped to the side, and then at Xuanyuan Min, his brows slightly furrowed.
Meng Fuyao closed her eyes to rest. 'Miss Jian, you're really simple. You have the intention to harm others, but why don't you have the ability to guard against it? Why didn't you throw the Pearl Beautifying Powder I gave you away? Why didn't you throw it away yourself? You really don't understand the sufferings of the lower classes. Your maid wouldn't really be willing to throw away such a good powder. She would hide it for herself, and if she used it, it would be equivalent to you using it. It's actually just itching powder. When you have nothing to do, when you meet our flirtatious Emperor who loves to use Camphor Incense, he will mix some mutually reinforcing and restraining substances in the incense. Just wait for your beautiful snot to flow … Poor snot, the title of Imperial Concubine will probably follow you for the rest of your life.
Xuanyuan Cheng had already stopped drinking his tea and sat up straight to watch the selection. The two empress candidates he had the most faith in had both failed, so he naturally had some doubts. However, nothing else happened in the following selection. Xuanyuan Min walked around, as if he didn't have anyone he liked. He tilted his head and frowned. Xuanyuan Cheng muttered, "If Your Majesty really doesn't have anyone you like, you can choose the two concubines first and then choose the most suitable one from the four concubines …"
Before he could finish his sentence, Xuanyuan Min, who had been walking around nonchalantly, suddenly closed his eyes and turned around. He casually weighed the Ruyi scepter in his hand and placed it on the eunuch's tray behind him. He smiled and said, "Whoever it lands on will be the winner!"
"Clang!"
The sound of the scepter landing made everyone's heart skip a beat.
Xuanyuan Cheng frowned as well. Casually placed? Then, he revealed a relieved expression. Casually placed was fine. It was the same anyway.
The scepter landed.
It slid between Yuwen Zi and Hua Zhirong.
Hua Zhirong was so nervous that she straightened her back and stared unblinkingly at the swaying scepter. However, the scepter steadily bounced and landed under Yuwen Zi's name.
"Yuwen Zi!
The hall was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. Only the eunuch's croaky voice could be heard clearly. As soon as the name was announced, all the beauties let out a long sigh. They weren't glad that they didn't get chosen, but that the twists and turns of the selection process were too long and torturous. They waited with their hearts in their throats, but the beautiful empress just had to dawdle and be indifferent, which made them so nervous that they almost suffocated.
Now that the empress had been decided, although they were disappointed, they were also relieved. Only Hua Zhirong stared at the gold plate and jade scepter with resentment. That scepter was clearly heading in her direction, so how did it slip under Yuwen Zi's name?
Meng Fuyao took the jade scepter without batting an eyelid. "Yuwen Zi thanks you!"
Xuanyuan Min personally went to help her up. She looked up and exchanged glances with Xuanyuan Min. One was smiling, the other was smiling, and the other's eyes were filled with the words "Three Lights, Three Lights!" The other's eyes were filled with a confession. "Well said, well said."
Xuanyuan Cheng watched from the side, deep in thought amidst the fragrance of tea. He naturally knew that Xuanyuan Min doted on Yuwen Zi, and it seemed that the palace had put in a lot of effort to choose her as the empress. He didn't mind Xuanyuan Min's little tricks. It would be abnormal if the Xuanyuan family didn't have any schemes. Now that he had chosen the empress that he doted on, it was fine. At the very least, he wouldn't be able to refuse an audience with or visit the empress on the grounds that they weren't on good terms. Besides … he smiled after the faint mist. No matter what, since he had already made his stand, Tang Yiguang and Jian Xue would definitely be chosen. He wouldn't make things difficult for Xuanyuan Min on the selection of the empress. If Xuanyuan Min was smart enough, he would naturally know that he had already taken a step back. Then, the selection of the concubines would naturally be the same.
While he was thinking clearly, Xuanyuan Min seemed to be satisfied with his wife and even forgot about the four concubines. He pulled Meng Fuyao and wanted to leave. The eunuch of the Department of Rites coughed, but the old man didn't notice it. The minister of the Ministry of Rites stepped forward and quietly tugged on his sleeve. "Your Majesty, the four concubines …"
"Oh …" Xuanyuan Min suddenly realized and waved his sleeve. "Do as you see fit, Your Majesty. I think they're all good. The naive ones are naive, and the dignified ones are dignified."
He pulled Meng Fuyao's sleeve and walked into the palace. Meng Fuyao covered her face with her sleeve and turned to the Prince Regent for help. Xuanyuan Cheng couldn't help but clear his throat. "Where are you going, Your Majesty?"
"Back to the opera." Xuanyuan Min turned back happily. "After the opera … it'll be good to have a heart-to-heart talk."
The palace was filled with coughs. Xuanyuan Cheng smiled and said, "Your Majesty, she's the empress. Don't you think it's too much to bring her into the Treasure Spring Palace?"
Xuanyuan Min sighed and let go of Meng Fuyao's hand. He frowned and asked, "When is the coronation ceremony? Is it today?"
"Commoners don't even marry their bride on the day of the wedding. There are many etiquettes, let alone the royal family. According to tradition, the palace should send an envoy to the new empress's family. But Empress Yuwen's family is far away in the Changning Prefecture, and she has no relatives in the capital. Since Your Majesty is so anxious, it seems like you can't wait for this. "Xuanyuan Cheng smiled and looked at Meng Fuyao." Fortunately, Empress Yuwen is my distant sister. The Prince Regent's residence can be considered her home. I'll treat her like my own sister and marry her off in style. "
He ordered the Ministry of Rites, "Prepare to send a message to the world. My master is about to get married, and he invites all the royalty and dukes to attend the ceremony." He then stood up with a smile and bowed to Meng Fuyao. "It's an honor for the Prince Regent's residence to have an empress."
Meng Fuyao followed suit and said in a sweet voice, "It's my honor. Thank you, brother."
She quietly brushed away the goosebumps on her arms and suddenly thought of a serious problem. It seemed that the Xuanyuan family had a tradition of "elder brother to younger brother", which was why Xuanyuan Cheng and Xuanyuan Min were of the same generation as Crown Prince Wen Yi. Now that she was "married" to Xuanyuan Min, wouldn't she become Zong Yue's aunt? Oh, hahahaha …
Aunt Meng revealed a wretched smile as she imagined the venomous man in white calling her "aunt".
Xuanyuan Min sneaked a glance at her. This woman was really out of her mind. At this time, Xuanyuan Cheng was worried about her and brought her into the mansion. It might be a new test, but she was still thinking about it and showing such a lascivious smile …
= = =
On the 24th day of the eleventh month of the twelfth year of Xuanyuan Zhaoning, the empress of the Xuanyuan Dynasty finally decided to appoint the Yuwen family. The new empress was born in the Changning family of the Xuanyuan Northern Territory and was a relative of the Prince Regent. Currently, she was temporarily staying in the Prince Regent's residence. Thirteen days later, the Prince Regent's residence would send the new empress to the palace for the wedding ceremony.
Entering the palace with the new empress were Imperial Concubine Tang Yiguang, Concubine De Hua Zhirong, and other than the four concubines, Jian Xue, who was titled Concubine Jade.
All the etiquette of the empress was almost ready. The streets and alleys of Kunjing were decorated with lanterns and colored streamers. Especially on the short road from the outer gate of the Prince Regent's residence to the palace, people worked day and night to build colorful tents. Flowers could be seen everywhere, which was a symbol of the royal family's romantic charm.
Because there were too many flower sceneries, the palace was in a hurry to finish the construction before the big day of the wedding. The supervisor of rites responsible for the construction this time recruited slaves in the human market outside. The men in the human market were lined up in a row, and the eunuchs, who reeked of urine, cracked their teeth and knocked on their backs, as if they were looking at animals. Even so, the small workers still flocked like ducks — the imperial family recruited workers, and the food, clothing, and wages were all very good, and it was said to be glorious.
Early in the morning, Eunuch Zhao, the supervisor of rites, went to the human market again. On the way, he met the housekeeper of the Prince Regent's Mansion. They went together to select workers. After a while, they selected ten people and were about to take them away when Eunuch Zhao suddenly saw a young man in the corner.
He was dark-skinned and strong, with a pair of sharp eyes and a scar on his face. His face was covered with dust and dirt, and the color of his clothes could no longer be seen clearly. He was just a common man in the individual market who was down and out.
The only strange thing was that he was carrying a whip on his back. It was black and wrapped in iron wire. It didn't look unusual, but shouldn't a whip be wrapped around the waist? Why was he carrying it on his back?
Eunuch Zhao was curious and went over to ask, "Why are you carrying this whip?"
The young man raised his head. His eyes were surprisingly bright on his dirty face. His gaze was like that of a wild beast, causing Eunuch Zhao to unconsciously take a step back.
However, the young man instantly withdrew his gaze and asked in a hoarse voice, "Do you need a laborer?"
Eunuch Zhao shook his head. The ten people he wanted were already filled. The young man saw him shaking his head and immediately turned his head, ignoring him.
Eunuch Zhao became interested and felt that this child was interesting. He reached out to pull the whip on his back. The child suddenly turned his head and moved his fingers!
Fortunately, there was someone beside him who quickly pulled Eunuch Zhao and smiled apologetically, "Eunuch Zhao, don't touch this kid's whip. I know him. A few days ago, he was performing in Hu Guo Temple and was stopped by a group of hooligans. He was beaten half to death. Everyone thought that he was a coward. Who knew that he would be touched by the whip? He turned around and broke the legs of those hooligans. So you can touch other people, but you can't touch the whip."
Eunuch Zhao found it interesting and laughed, "What treasure is it? It's so rare." Although he said that, he didn't touch it again. The young man's fingers slowly let go. Eunuch Zhao looked at him and felt that the child's muscles and bones looked very good. He must be a good laborer. He thought about it and said, "Do you want to work with me?"
The young man raised his eyelids and glanced at him, "Where?"
"The palace!" Eunuch Zhao thought that the child would be happy, but the young man immediately shook his head, "No!"
Eunuch Zhao choked and turned to the butler of the prince's residence beside him, "Old Li, look at this stubborn donkey. He's interesting. Doesn't your Prince Regent's residence also need people? Ask him if he wants to go or not? "
The words "Prince Regent's residence" immediately caused the young man to raise his head and say quickly, "Go!"
Both of them were startled. Eunuch Zhao laughed at himself and said, "A foreign vagrant also knows that the palace is not as good as the Prince Regent's residence …" He patted the young man's shoulder and said, "In the future, if the work in the prince's residence is finished, you can also come to the palace to do odd jobs. I often come to the city. My surname is Zhao."
The young man raised his head, looked at him carefully, and nodded.
After more than a month of wandering, this was the first person to show kindness to him. The young man's eyes, which had become colder and fiercer due to the hardships of the world, softened a little.
This young man was, of course, Xiao Qi.
He left with a whip, wandering the world, waiting for Meng Fuyao's whip. He would never return until he found her.
That day, Xiao Qi was chased away by Zhan Beiye and stood on Mount Yu. The world was vast, and he did not know where to go. He first searched within the country, but as Zhan Beiye used a lot of manpower to no avail, he began to look for other countries. Simple people had simple thinking, and simple thinking often led to the heart of the matter. Xiao Qi's first glance fell on the vast neighboring country, Xuanyuan.
To find someone, one naturally had to start from the nearest place. As for how much effort and effort it took to enter Xuanyuan, there was no need to mention them. When he left in a huff, he did not even think about money. After entering Xuanyuan, he quickly became penniless. He wandered around, begging, stealing vegetables, and fooling around until he reached Kunjing. He felt that Meng Fuyao was a troublemaker of the royal family who loved to cause trouble in other countries' capitals, so Kunjing was a must.
He had no money, and he still had to eat. Therefore, the necessary tricks for home travel, work, and travel came in handy. He had to sell his skills. The most suitable place to sell his skills was Hu Guo Temple. Finally, he got the news of the "literate rabbit" there.
Xiao Qi had never seen Lord Ingot before, but she had heard Zhan Beiye talk about this awesome godly mouse. Xiao Qi had been looking forward to meeting him for a long time, and now that she heard the people in the market talking about "your mother's godly mouse", she immediately thought of Lord Ingot.
The next step was easy. Wherever Lord Ingot was, Meng Fuyao would naturally be there. It had been taken in as a pet by the young princess, so Meng Fuyao was at the Prince Regent's Residence.
When Xiao Qi confirmed the news, he let out a long sigh … After more than two months of wandering, from the Han Dynasty to Xuanyuan, he was no longer the upstart of the Han Dynasty, no longer the favorite of the Black Wind Cavalry, no longer Commander Xiao Qi, who everyone respected because of his young age, and no longer the "Seven Generals" who everyone flattered after the establishment of the new dynasty. He was just a criminal, wandering, carrying a whip on his back, using his own two feet to travel the world day and night. In these two months, he had been drenched in rain and covered in snow, traveled day and night without rest, got sick from fatigue, fell off a cliff while walking at night, and was chased by dogs when he stole vegetables without food. It was all bitter, painful, tiring, and embarrassing. But in the end, he gritted his teeth, got up, and left with scars. The first time he was scolded by his master for stealing vegetables, he felt sad and uncomfortable for a long time. But in the end, he became completely proficient. He stuffed old corn under his arm, nibbled on it while clamping the dogs that chased after him, and broke the dog's neck with a twist of his shoulder.
That was not the hardest part.
The hardest part was the loneliness, the bone-deep loneliness of being abandoned.
Sleeping in the wilderness at night, a slender shadow of a person faced a cold bonfire, listening to the long howls of the wild wolves on the distant mountain peaks to the moon. The howls echoed in the empty valley, and a similar ferocity and wildness resonated in his chest. He also wanted to run out like that, face the moon, stretch out his neck, and let out a long howl, howl at the desolation of the world, howl at the loneliness of being a lone wolf that did not fit in with the pack.
It was the same as many, many years ago.
He was a wolf child.
His parents died when he was young, and he was thrown into the mountains by his uncle. A female wolf adopted him, and he thought that was his mother. He drank her milk, hunted with her, and rolled around with his wolf brothers. He crouched under the snow to look for rabbits on snowy days, and left footprints on the snow with his bare feet that were even faster than his wolf brothers. When the moon was full, he howled, and his heart and lungs were filled with joy.
After living like this for a few years, he was found by a hunter. The old hunter picked him up, and taught him how to eat and speak — at first, he only ate raw meat, and only knew how to howl.
He learned the basic human etiquette of eating and speaking. The old hunter passed away, and the hunter's son abandoned him again — this wolf child was arrogant, and looked at people like a wolf. If he was left alive, he would become a disaster!
He heard these words through the crack in the door, but he turned around indifferently and returned to the mountains to find his wolf relatives. The old female wolf had already died in the hands of the hunter, and the wolf brothers who used to roll around with him had grown into strong wolves. Their claws dug into the ground, and they looked at him with hostility, growling.
Thus, he understood that he could not go back.
No matter if he was a human or a wolf, that place was not his home.
He was ultimately a vagrant child, and after he was picked up by humans, the last bit of freedom he had in the mountains was taken away.
Then, he met Zhan Beiye.
He met the Black Wind Mount, which was like a wolf that lurked in the day and came out at night like the wind.
He had a home, and a master. He was the leader of the pack of wolves, and the future eternal king. He worshipped him like he worshipped an alpha wolf. Other than him, everyone else was a weak wolf.
He was the arrogant Xiao Qi, and all his willpower was given to Zhan Beiye. All his passion and bravery were given to the Black Wind Mount. His gaze was straight, like that of a wild beast, and his eyes were only born in front of him. If he did not turn his head, he would not be able to see the scenery around him, and he would never turn his head.
Thus, he made such a painful mistake, a mistake that he could not face himself. These days, whenever he slept, woke up, walked, and washed his face, he would see Zhan Beiye's expression and gaze from that night. He did not know how to describe that expression, but whenever he thought of it, he would feel heart-wrenching regret. He was afraid of facing this unfamiliar heart-wrenching moment, and from then on, he would not wash his face.
Those nights were the most unbearable loneliness. The wind hissed and roared, sweeping from one end of the bonfire to the other, bringing with it sharp shards of ice, cutting through the illusory warmth of the mortal world. He woke up from the cold next to the ashes of the bonfire. Often, he would climb up to the highest peak and look in the direction of the vast world for a long time.
He thought, what is Her Majesty doing? Ji Yu and the rest must have taken over my position to keep watch.
As he thought about it, he missed the Black Wind Mount. He had never left the Black Wind Mount for so long, and those days felt like a lifetime. In this lifetime, he finally saw himself clearly — a wolf that was hostile to the world because of his wolf birth, a wolf that was proud and arrogant under the protection of others.
For the first 16 years, under the tolerance of his master and his companions, he let himself go, and walked the life of a fierce wolf. From then on, he learned to be a man, starting from the most difficult place.
Xiao Qi pursed his lips, carrying the tools he bought, and the whip that could touch anything but that could not be moved. He followed the butler of the Regent's Residence into the Regent's Residence.
He thought that entering the Regent's Residence would be the closest to Meng Fuyao, but he did not know that he had inadvertently missed a better opportunity.
= = =
The moment Xiao Qi entered the Regent's Residence with the identity of a temporary worker, Meng Fuyao brought "Chun Mei" with her, dressed as the new Empress, and entered the Regent's Residence through the red door that connected to the palace gate. As she walked through the red door openly, she recalled how she had spent so much effort and even betrayed Tie Cheng to enter that door a few days ago. The world was really strange. In the blink of an eye, she had become the Empress, and in the blink of an eye, the Regent's Residence had become her maiden home.
She turned her gaze and saw a mark near the red door. Tie Cheng had safely escaped, and it seemed that someone else had helped him? Had the Wuji's secret guard finally arrived?
The magistrate of the Regent's Residence respectfully led her to the Yixin Residence, which was close to the residence of the young princess. This would be her temporary residence.
She did not know that in the direction she was heading, a very innocent young man who had been pursuing her for more than two months was standing at the intersection point opposite her.
Some crossings and encounters were not known to the parties involved, only fate knew.
Meng Fuyao's residence was very close to the young princess's bedchamber. The Regent had already instructed his daughter to "pay more attention" to the future Empress Xuanyuan. Other than matters involving Brother Yue, the rabbit princess was very obedient to her father, and thus invited Meng Fuyao to have tea and chat. Actually, the rabbit princess was not a virtuous hostess. She drank tea and her mind wandered, and their conversation was not on point. The rabbit princess had lost weight recently, and Brother Yue had not returned, and the "sacred rabbit" had disappeared. She had sent people to search for her for a long time, but to no avail. The direct result was that she could not get up, and tears welled up in her eyes all day long.
Looking at her tears, Meng Fuyao thought that even Lin Daiyu would have to concede defeat to her. Looking at this delicate and delicate child, her heart softened for a moment, but she also felt that there could be no construction without destruction. It was not necessarily a bad thing for this child to break through her beautiful illusory castle. Some things had to be faced, after all.
She stayed in the young princess's bedchamber for two hours, chatting about everything under the sun. She told her about the stories of a certain royal descendant being hunted by an iron-fisted person, and the battle of wits and courage between the two ended in mutual destruction. The young princess listened in a daze, and soon enough, she began to reminisce. She placed her hands on her chest and let out a long sigh. "At least not all stories have such an ending."
"What else could it be if not this ending?" Meng Fuyao laughed. "The two of them had a deep hatred for each other, and neither of them would take a step back. Not to mention them, which power struggle in the past and present had a good ending? It's just a case of you killing me and I killing you. "
"Why must they kill each other?" The rabbit princess asked in a daze. "We can still find a peaceful solution."
"You're really kind-hearted, Princess." Meng Fuyao moved closer and inhaled her pure, baby-like fragrance. She felt that life was really f * cking unfair. Why could some people live in a soap bubble and not be punctured? No, no, Witch Meng must maliciously expose it.
"But a peaceful solution is impossible. There are no fools in the world who would be willing to give up their mortal enemy. You have to know that giving up one's life is equivalent to giving up one's life. No one would be willing to do that."
Witch Meng finished planting the poison with a smile and stood up to leave. "I'm leaving, Princess."
The Rabbit Royal Highness was still immersed in the poison of her last sentence. She said in a daze, "Ah? Oh. "
Meng Fuyao did not need to send Witch Meng. Poor thing, her mind could only think of one thing at a time. Let her focus on tasting the green apple that Witch Meng had given her.
That night, Meng Fuyao sat down in Yixin Residence and closed the door to smile sinisterly at the Dark Charm. The Prince Regent, who came to visit his daughter every day, was sitting in the princess's room, having a long conversation with his daughter.
Xuanyuan Cheng sat in front of his daughter's bed and stroked her hair lovingly but helplessly — this child had been born with a difficult birth, causing her to be born with a weak constitution. Even though he had asked Senior Brother Moon Soul to teach her personally and had helped his daughter consolidate her foundation since she was young, he had managed to train her martial arts with great difficulty. However, his courage hadn't improved at all. Sometimes, when he looked at his daughter, he couldn't help but wonder what sin he had committed in his previous life. In this life, he didn't have any children, and he couldn't even raise his only daughter.
If not for that, he would have seized Xuanyuan Min's throne long ago. All the excuses of usurping the throne, bestowing a surname and not being able to be the emperor, and all the old officials in the court were all frivolous jokes to him. In the battle for the throne, strength was everything. If he really wanted to take over the throne one day, how could he allow those old officials to make noise? He let them live now because he could not be bothered with them.
What was the point of having the throne? He had no heir.
It was easy for him to seize the throne, but if he were to pass away a hundred years later, leaving this child to sit on the throne without any support, facing the swords and knives of the court, as well as the sinister methods of the Xuanyuan Royal Family. What kind of tragic ending would that be?
Xuanyuan Cheng looked at Xuanyuan Yun in a daze and could not help but sigh.
Xuanyuan Yun looked up at her father timidly. She was not stupid and naturally knew why her father sighed. In her heart, there were many times when she wished that she was braver and more valiant so that her father would not worry too much about her. However, her grandfather always told her, "Yun 'er, you don't have to be strong. The Xuanyuan Family inherited the bloodline of the ancient gods. The legitimate throne has always been passed down, and outsiders who steal it will not end well. If you are weak, your father will always have scruples and will not make a mistake in the future. Otherwise, do you want to be enemies with Min and Yue for life?"
She would rather die than be enemies with Brother Yue for life.
"Father, why doesn't Brother Yue want to come back?" She asked this question for the ten thousandth time.
Xuanyuan Cheng looked at his disappointing daughter and a trace of disappointment flashed through his eyes. Recently, he had been a bit restless. Seeing Yun 'er's infatuation, his intuition told him that something bad was about to happen. He could not help but want to wake up this spoiled child of his. "Do you really want him to come back and kill your father?"
"Ah — —" Xuanyuan Yun did not know how to answer.
"You only know how to beg father to persuade him to come back. Do you really not know that he and I are irreconcilable enemies? The enmity between the two families is as wide as the sea and as high as the mountain. How do you want to overcome it? Return his title? You will marry him? "
Xuanyuan Yun opened her mouth and stared blankly at Xuanyuan Cheng.
"Let's not talk about whether he will marry you or not. Just your idea is laughably childish. Return the title? Would Yue be willing to only want a title? Then what about the enmity with Wen Yi's family? Don't forget, his father died in my hands. He should have been the heir to the throne! "
"Father …" Xuanyuan Yun stared blankly for a while and suddenly turned to stare at him. "You didn't try to persuade him to come back at all, did you?"
Xuanyuan Cheng was silent. After a while, he stood up and said, "Rest well and don't worry about these things. Some things are not as simple as you think."
"You still haven't answered me!" Xuanyuan Yun suddenly threw herself off the bed and knelt on the cold jade floor. She grabbed the regent's sleeve and looked up at him. "You didn't persuade him … and I told you his identity and secret hideout … you … what did you do to him?"
Her thin body was only half a crescent moon. When she raised her straight neck, it was even paler than the moonlight. Her chin was beautiful and thin, so thin that it was almost transparent. As for her eyelashes, her expression was the same as before. At this moment, there were tears of fear in her eyes. She looked at her father, who was as tall as a mountain, with her blurry vision.
Xuanyuan Cheng stood ramrod straight with his back facing her. He almost blurted out the words "I did what I had to do", but in the end, it turned into a long and suppressed sigh. He turned around and personally carried his daughter onto the bed. He said, "Good girl, no, I didn't find him."
"You really did it to him!" Xuanyuan Yun already understood everything. When her father called her good girl, it was mostly because he needed to lie to her. Blue veins appeared on her pale hands as she tightly gripped his sleeve. Tears instantly streamed down her face. "You lied to me, you lied to me, you lied to me, you lied to me! You lied to me! "
She had been sick for a period of time. Her voice was hoarse, and her cries sounded more and more heart-wrenching. Her cries were filled with grief, indignation, confusion, and disappointment. They shot out in all directions like sharp stones, piercing through this usually peaceful and tranquil luxurious and embroidered jade tent. In an instant, the air was filled with Beautiful Silk Blood and Agarwood, drowning her thin shoulders.
Xuanyuan Cheng's usually steady hand began to tremble slightly. However, it only trembled for a moment. Then, he calmly and slowly pushed Xuanyuan Yun's hand away and stood up.
With his back facing Xuanyuan Yun, he said indifferently, "Yun 'er, you are my daughter, a descendant of the imperial family. In the past, there were some things you didn't want to understand, so I didn't want you to understand. Now, I feel that I have harmed you. Why don't you understand? If you don't understand, then I've let you down. "
"I don't care if I understand or not …" Xuanyuan Yun stared at him with teary eyes. "You're lying again, you're lying again. Grandfather is right, you're lying to everyone. When Lady Mother was on her deathbed, you held her hand and said that you would never take another wife in this life. However, in less than a year, you married three wives and concubines … After you lied to Lady Mother, you lied to me. You made me harm my Big Brother Ah Yue, you made me unable to face him even in death …"
"Yun 'er!"
Xuanyuan Cheng roared, causing Xuanyuan Yun, who was crying in anger, to tremble. She suddenly shut her mouth. She saw that her father, who had always been gentle and elegant, was now trembling all over, his face pale and his brows ashen. She opened her mouth in panic, only then did she remember that she had spoken indiscriminately in anger and poked at her father's most sensitive spot. Seeing that her father had actually raised his hand in extreme pain, she couldn't help but retreat in panic, shrinking into a corner of the bed.
Xuanyuan Cheng's hand had already been raised, but when he met his daughter's frightened gaze, he felt a great pain in his heart. That gaze was so similar to that of the person who had passed away, as pure as water, clear and untainted, making people want to use their whole heart to protect that purity … His Princess, the only person he had ever loved in his life. When she passed away, he held her hand and swore that he would never have another wife or concubine in this life. He swore to use his life to protect her flesh and blood … However, he had broken his first promise.
It was all because he wanted an heir.
Now, he didn't dare to sweep her mausoleum. On the anniversary of her death, he could only lock himself in his room and burn three sticks of incense. The smoke rose in spirals, seeming illusory yet real. Her reproachful gaze was everywhere. He owed her too much, but he would never be able to redeem himself in this life.
However, that heart-wrenching betrayal still could not be exchanged for the heir he wanted! He used an iron fist to control the fate of others, but he was still bitten back by the sharp teeth of hatred. A single bite left a deep wound that could never be healed.
Xuanyuan Cheng slowly lowered his hand. At this moment, he suddenly felt all his hopes turn to dust. All these years of painstaking planning in the Golden Palace and Jade Imperial Palace, all these years of hard work, all these years of hard work, but in the end, even though you gave it to her, her gaze was still elsewhere. Why bother, why bother …
He gazed at his daughter's frightened and resentful gaze, and thought absentmindedly … She also hates me … Let's all hate …
"You only care about protecting your Brother A Yue. When has your Brother A Yue ever cared about you?" After a while, he calmed down and slowly walked out. He said tiredly, "Do you know why your father had no other children after you? Do you know why your only brother died prematurely? Yun 'er … So you are also a cold-blooded child of the royal family. It's just that your cold-bloodedness is only directed at your father who loves you dearly. "
"Ah …" Xuanyuan Yun froze there, not even knowing how to cry.
= = =
At the moment when the princess's boudoir and her daughter fell out, Meng Fuyao was leaning on the wall and listening happily.
She pricked up her ears and carefully listened to the faint sounds of crying in the small building opposite. Her face had a complex and wretched expression of pain and happiness.
Behind her, An Mei leaned against a tree under the wall and looked at her with her arms crossed. There was a faint smile in her eyes. Further away at the door stood Xiao An. All the servants from the Prince Regent's Residence were all kept outside the courtyard. They were not allowed to enter, so that she could climb the wall and do something bad.
She heard the hurried sound of the door opening in the courtyard. Xuanyuan Cheng hurried out. His gait was unlike that of an old scholar from the Three Villages. His gait was swaying and a little crooked. Meng Fuyao thought viciously, 'Could he be so angry that he's having a stroke?' She turned to look at Xuanyuan Cheng's gait and suddenly felt a little strange. He was walking so fast and his gait was so strong. Was he actually practicing external martial arts?
She should have hurried down the wall, but at this moment, she wanted to take another look at Xuanyuan Cheng's internal martial arts. Seeing that she still hadn't moved, An Mei got a little anxious. She suddenly went up and hugged her leg, wanting to pull her down.
Meng Fuyao refused and continued to hang on. An Mei hugged her leg. She had just taken a bath and was not afraid of the cold. She only wore a thin dress, and although the thin material covered her skin tightly, the hug made her skin fragrant. Like layers upon layers of fine flowers, the sparse texture of the fabric revealed the sparkling whiteness of her skin. Delicate and delicate, it was like a long and luxurious tune that quietly flowed through the gaps of the night and into her clear and bright heart.
He hugged her just like that, not wanting to let go.
Meng Fuyao was still staring at Xuanyuan Cheng. She carelessly patted his head as if patting a puppy, indicating for him to let go. An Mei ignored her, and the absent-minded King Meng did not care either. She was still studying the footwork, which seemed to be very helpful to the third level of the sixth level of "Breaking Nine Heavens" …
Then, she felt her knees tighten.
Something seemed to be sticking onto them.
It was slightly cold, and through the thin dress, she could feel the warmth of jade on her smooth skin. It also seemed to be a little ticklish. A certain someone's eyelashes were too long and thick, and even through the dress, she felt an itch at the bend of her knees. It reminded her of the falling flowers on the other side of the shore at the end of spring, leisurely floating across the water and landing on her palm, as beautiful as ever.
Fuyao's heart skipped a beat, and she felt the itch to the point where she wanted to laugh. But the moment she did, her body went limp. She held onto the wall and looked down. She saw the woman in disguise hugging her gently and pressing her face against her knees. She did not know which part of her itched even more. Her body trembled slightly, and the tiles on the wall made a soft sound.
From afar, Xuanyuan Cheng immediately turned his head.
Meng Fuyao was shocked and immediately wanted to jump down, but she forgot that her legs were still in An Mei's arms. As she jumped, she exerted strength in her legs, causing An Mei, who had yet to recover from his injuries, to fall backward without a sound. He refused to let go of her legs, and so Meng Fuyao fell straight down as well. Their clothes were intertwined, and they rolled into a pile.
Meng Fuyao was born to be a busybody. As she rolled down, she suddenly remembered that An Mei's injuries had yet to heal, and she could not let him use her as a cushion. She quickly turned her body and used her body as a cushion, but An Mei was already on top of her.
His weak body made him dizzy when he rolled down, and he could not control his direction. His face was right in front of Meng Fuyao's eyes. She stared blankly at him, who had barely combed his hair into a woman's bun without any makeup. She rolled her eyes gloomily and was about to push him away with her claws, but An Mei was lying in front of her, panting slightly.
His masculine aura, which was as elegant as Du Ruo's, was overwhelming. It was not the fragrance of a flower, but it was more enticing than that of a flower. This man belonged to the night, and his aura was mysterious and charming, like the floating night sky. The sound of a flowing spring was clear and distant, yet it surrounded her everywhere. This aura, along with the hand that was not using much force but was unwilling to let go of her waist, along with the deep look in his eyes when he opened his eyes in front of her, along with the action of him crossing her legs and wrapping his arms around her shoulders, all of these silently spoke of one word: entangled.
A faint fragrance floated, and the Tonglu deepened.
A lifetime of coldness, and at this moment, he had forgotten his feelings.
An Mei closed his eyes and panted. He was slightly happy that the woman beneath him did not dare to push him too hard for fear of hurting him. He closed his pale eyes and took advantage of the moment when she misunderstood to carefully capture the various auras flowing in the night sky that belonged only to her … Hmm, her aura was like some kind of flower that bloomed on the cliff of the mountains, noble and easy-going, distant and intimate. When it bloomed from afar, there was a kind of loneliness in the liveliness that could not be tainted.
He opened his eyes and looked at her with a cherished gaze. It was as if his heart was cold when he saw the twenty-four moonlit bridges, but peonies were growing by the bridge.
"How many blessings can I have in this life in exchange for a moment of cuddling with you …"
His slightly hoarse voice was like a gentle finger rubbing on fine sandpaper, adding a captivating rhythm to it. Listening to it, even the heartbeat of the night seemed to slow down a little. In the distance, someone's temple bell rang out leisurely, like a beautiful skirt swaying in the clear water.
Meng Fuyao's heart skipped a beat. At the same time, she heard footsteps coming from outside the courtyard. Someone announced, "The Prince Regent has arrived!" The voice came very quickly. Meng Fuyao was about to push An Mei away when Xuanyuan Cheng's voice rang out from outside the courtyard. "I'm here to pay my respects to the Empress, and also to see if there's anything the servants can't do."
He stood outside the door politely, but let the housekeeper, Mama Yao, poke her head into the courtyard and said, "The Empress and the maidservants are admiring the moon in the courtyard."
Meng Fuyao sighed softly and pulled the silent An Mei up. "Who asked you to … cause trouble? Hurry up and shrink your bones. I hope the Prince Regent doesn't stay more than an hour tonight, or else it'll be bad."
However, things always went the opposite of what she hoped for.
Xuanyuan Cheng's arrival rambled on and on, and he sat in the front hall for a long time without leaving. An Mei, who was' Chun Mei ', lowered her eyebrows as she' served 'him. From her appearance, she looked like an ordinary maidservant. Xuanyuan Cheng did not look at her, but just as he was about to leave, he suddenly started talking to Meng Fuyao about the strange people of the Seven Nations.
As time passed, Xuanyuan Cheng talked cheerfully and wittily. Meng Fuyao's mind was in a mess. She was worried that An Mei's body would not last long enough to shrink her bones. If word got out, everyone would be finished. He had no choice but to deal with it while listening carefully to the Dark Succubus' movements.
However, an hour later, she heard the faint sound of bones rubbing against each other.
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