"I can feel it, I can feel it." Wei Li nodded quickly, and then touched her lower abdomen again.

It was flat and smooth, without any trace, but inside it, a life was being conceived—his and Asan's child.

Ah-Dan was willing to keep the child and bear him children.

Wei Li's eyes inexplicably welled up with tears. He pressed his cheek against Zhao Xiheng's abdomen, knowing he wouldn't hear any response, yet still trying to feel the child's presence.

"What did you touch? It hasn't even been two months." Zhao Xiheng blushed at his actions and couldn't help but retort.

Wei Li glanced at her slightly flushed cheeks, a surge of unprecedented excitement and responsibility welling up inside him. He wanted to protect Zhao Xiheng and their child; she was his wife, his home. He wanted to give them the best.

"I'll be back soon." He stood up, cupped Zhao Xiheng's face and kissed her, then picked up his bundle and left without looking back.

Zhao Xiheng watched his retreating figure and muttered, "So mysterious."

Pingzhou doesn't need to fall. She's safe and sound now, and her future is secure. Her child won't be without a father after birth, nor will she have to wander with her.

Zhao Xiheng sighed, lay down, and pulled the blanket up high. "This feels good."

The key is that she can now torment Wei Li without restraint. She's not one to be magnanimous and forgetful; she'll get her revenge for anything Wei Li did to her before.

Why not take advantage of being young, beautiful, and having someone who loves you deeply while you're still in love? When else would you go to do it?

Xie Qingyu and her group had arrived in Tiangang City, but were shocked by the current situation. Liu Huan and Wang Zhiyao were fighting fiercely, their eyes bloodshot with rage.

He immediately decided, "Change course and go to Bu Xian City."

Originally, if Liu Huan and Wang Zhiyao controlled Pingzhou, he planned to exchange them for benefits to get A-Dan. However, seeing that the two of them were no longer a threat, he felt a vague unease. Would Wei Li really give up three cities so easily? This was probably not like him.

He wanted to take advantage of the chaos to rush to Buxian City and bring Zhao Xiheng out.

Xie Qingyu admitted that even though he was willing to give up A-Dan, he couldn't help but still have some hope that Wei Li would not be able to take care of her for a while, giving him an opportunity to take advantage of the situation.

He is now not much worse than Wei Li, and he can also protect A-Dan.

Seeing the gates locked and Tiangang City in a state of cholera, Xiao Tao couldn't help but cry out. Even though the princess had suffered all kinds of mistreatment in the palace, she had never been in a place like this before. She wondered how scared the princess must be now. She shouldn't have left in the first place; she should have stayed by the princess's side.

Li Qinglong gave her a rough handkerchief. "Don't worry, good people are always protected by heaven. Emperor Huiwu will bless the princess from heaven. The princess is a royal descendant, how could she be as fragile as you think?"

Xiao Tao cried and glared at him through gritted teeth, "You all keep talking about royal blood, but royal blood isn't that magical! Can it be eaten or worn? Does it make you invulnerable to swords and spears? Everyone cares about their master, but you just open and close your mouth as if people really can't suffer. Why is my princess destined to suffer?"

She'd heard such things countless times. On the day the princess left Jinyang, she vaguely overheard people saying that the princess was Emperor Huiwu's daughter, selfless and courageous, a true model of womanhood, and that Heaven would surely protect her. Protect her? Protect her of what? If it were truly a blessing, the princess wouldn't have been sent on a political marriage, nor would she have met Wei Li on her journey.

Wei Li was only slightly better than the King of Goguryeo.

Because of her status, Your Highness only enjoyed some advantages in childhood. After Emperor Huiwu passed away, her life was not as comfortable as that of those noble ladies. She gained no benefits and still had to bear responsibilities. Her fiancé was also unreliable, and she had to take advantage of the chaos to save people.

She longed for her princess's husband, a peerless hero who, no matter the hardship, could overcome every obstacle and protect her princess without hesitation. In the prince consort's heart, her princess would always be number one.

But the truth is, Xie Qingyu, who is already the best candidate, is already tied down and wavering between two options.

She has already made two trips to seek refuge with Xie Qingyu, but there has been no result yet. However, she has no special abilities and can only rely on Xie Qingyu.

Xiao Tao took a deep breath. She felt she shouldn't think that way. Xie Qingyu and the princess had already dissolved their engagement. If the Xie family were cold-blooded, they might as well kick her out and not entertain her.

But she felt heartbroken. Why couldn't His Highness have a reliable person to rely on?

Li Qinglong was speechless, unsure of what to say, and could only lower his head, grip the reins, and continue on his way.

The news of Xie Qingyu and his party's arrival in Tiangang City naturally did not escape Wei Li's notice. General Song asked, "My lord, should we stop them?" Xie Qingyu was from Yongzhou. What was he doing in Pingzhou during the chaos? This inevitably aroused suspicion about his motives.

Wei Li naturally knew what Xie Qingyu was there for—to fish in troubled waters. Now that his son had gained power, he felt more confident and assertive, and dared to confront Xie Qingyu head-on. He wasn't afraid of Xie Qingyu at all.

"They've come at the perfect time. If they stay a few more months, they could attend a wedding. Let them in."

General Song then turned a blind eye and let Xie Qingyu and the others pass through Tiangang City.

He noticed that ever since Wei Li returned from his trip, he had become much happier, more radiant, and his tone of voice had become much lighter and gentler.

Wei Li glanced up. Everyone was saying they were going to a wedding banquet, but General Song didn't even ask him what kind of banquet it was so he could say he was going to be a father. He really didn't know what was going on.

Wei Li remembered that General Song had a daughter who got married this year. Since he didn't ask directly, he decided to give a hint. So he cleared his throat and asked, "General Song, what year was your daughter born?"

"Oh, my lord, my daughter is already betrothed and will be getting married soon," General Song replied evasively. A chill ran through him. Could it be that his gentle treatment these past few days was just a pretext to take his daughter for himself?

That won't do. Wei Li already has a wife. How can his daughter become someone else's concubine?

"Look at your stingy face, how could I possibly be interested in your daughter?" Wei Li pinched his brow, quite disgusted. "My wife is gentle and virtuous, with extraordinary looks and character, far surpassing your daughter by a thousand times."

General Song felt a little displeased with Wei Li's words, but what if he praised her too much and Wei Li really took a liking to his daughter? He only had one precious son.

So he could only pinch his nose and reluctantly agree.

"When your wife was pregnant, cough..." Wei Li coughed lightly, his cheeks slightly flushed, "what was the process like?"

He doesn't understand this kind of thing, so he has to ask someone with experience for advice.

Moreover, he had to let others know about Zhao Xiheng's pregnancy, such a wonderful thing, otherwise it would be too uncomfortable for him to keep it to himself. But when he did let others know, he couldn't appear too deliberate or showy, otherwise he would seem too ignorant.

Speaking of this, General Song's gaze drifted into the distance, his eyes filled with layers of nostalgia and affection. "When I learned that my wife was pregnant, I was naturally overjoyed. I thought that if it was a son, I would teach him to ride horses and shoot arrows so that he could inherit his father's business; if it was a daughter, I would teach her to play the zither, chess, calligraphy and painting so that she could grow into a well-bred lady."

Wei Li, “…” He had heard that General Song’s daughter was not from a respectable family, but was better at archery and horsemanship than men, and that she had even snatched his husband away.

“But when she was born, she was only this small.” General Song gestured with emotion. “At that time, all our expectations for her were no longer valid. As long as she was happy, that was all that mattered. Let her learn whatever she liked.”

Wei Li felt a pang in her heart, but still coldly interrupted him, "I didn't ask for your insights, I asked for the process and what you need to prepare?"

General Song's eyes widened, and only then did he realize what was happening. He quickly congratulated Wei Li with a beaming smile, "Is the Lady of the Lord pregnant?"

Wei Li raised his chin with a reserved air; it felt quite nice to be looked at like that.

"Congratulations, my lord!"

"Yeah, keep it low-key." Wei Li gestured for him to calm down, but the smile on his lips just wouldn't go away.

General Song was getting old and loved to pay attention to the affairs of his children. He was tight-lipped about important matters, but he couldn't help but spread the news about happy events. Before long, the news that Wei Li had a successor spread among his confidants, and they took turns coming over to congratulate him.

During Wei Li's second wedding, he felt physically and mentally refreshed, as if he were floating on air.

When Xie Qingyu arrived at the gate of the mansion, the guards stopped her and her entourage.

They recognized Xie Qingyu; he was their lord's brother-in-law. But Xie Qingyu's large number of men inevitably aroused suspicion.

“We are here to visit your wife.” Xie Qingyu showed him the token.

His palms were slightly sweaty. The journey had been far too smooth since he entered Pingzhou, which made him a little uneasy.

"Although he is the lady's brother from her maternal family, your imposing presence..." The guard glanced awkwardly at the people following behind him, hesitating to speak.

Xie Qingyu's heart stopped when he heard the words "brother from the bride's family." Indeed, on the day of Zhao Xiheng and Wei Li's wedding, he was the brother from the bride's family who carried her to the Qinglu. Anyone who had any impression of the wedding should know that.

He tried his best to maintain a perfect smile. "In that case, please trouble your wife to inform her and see if she is willing to see me."

After much hesitation, the guard invited him to the reception room, saying, "Please don't bring too many people into the mansion, Uncle." Then he ordered someone to inform Zhao Xiheng, whispering, "Uncle has arrived. Ask if Madam wishes to see you?" The man obeyed and left.

Before leaving, the lord instructed that the lady should not be bothered by trivial matters, but since the uncle has arrived, it is not unreasonable to inform him.

Xie Qingyu was stung by the term "Uncle," and could barely keep a smile on his face as he led Xiao Tao and Li Qinglong inside.