Although Miss Xie and Miss Wang saw Miss Liu running out crying, they couldn't give up halfway since they had already come this far, so they braced themselves and asked to see her. The maid only looked them up and down and then told them to wait.

They stood there for most of the night, their legs were numb, before someone came out and said that the lady and the lord were not feeling well and that they should go back.

The news of the three girls returning home disappointed spread throughout the West Courtyard in no time.

Although the West Courtyard is large, it is currently occupied by many people, and there are eyes and ears everywhere, with each family watching each other's every move.

While they mocked the three young ladies for being disliked, they couldn't help but wonder whether Zhao Xiheng was jealous and wouldn't allow anyone to get close to Wei Li, or whether Wei Li himself didn't fancy these young ladies.

The three women were of above-average looks. Compared to Zhao Xiheng, they were not as beautiful, but not bad either. Men are always looking for novelty. Even if they have a celestial beauty by their side, they can't help but have wandering thoughts to wild flowers and weeds. After thinking it over, they didn't think that Wei Li was chaste and virtuous, but rather that the three young ladies were not to his liking.

People are always inclined to judge others by their own standards. They thought that even a minor governor could have a harem of wives and concubines, so they certainly didn't believe that Wei Li didn't want to have the blessing of having multiple wives.

But did Wei Li dislike the three women's appearances, or their personalities?

After Wei Li and Zhao Xiheng finished bathing again, it was already midnight. He wrapped his arms around her from behind, rested his chin on her shoulder, and kissed her cheeks repeatedly.

When I was feeling unwell, it was truly unbearable; when I was feeling excited, it was truly exhilarating.

"Who upset you? Why are you taking it out on me?" The man's voice softened after he had satisfied his hunger.

Zhao Xiheng's hands ached, and her body was exhausted; she didn't have the strength to lift her arms at all. "Don't you know you're the one who's been philandering?"

"Zhao Xiheng!" Wei Li exclaimed, startling Zhao Xiheng awake. He continued, "You can't be so heartless. When have I ever been unfaithful? I spend all my time with you, except in my study and the military camp. You can't just throw mud at me like this."

"Heh..." Zhao Xiheng burst out laughing. She covered her lips and said, "Then I was wrong. I shouldn't have said that to you. Please don't be angry, my lord."

Wei Li then rested his chin on her shoulder with satisfaction. He wasn't stupid; after a moment's thought, he remembered the beautiful women in the West Courtyard.

He said that although those people came with their families, they were all women, so it turned out they were planning to ruin his reputation.

That Ms. Liu tonight is probably one of them.

"As I said before, they should be kicked out and made to sleep on the streets," Wei Li said angrily.

"Alright, after we finish our reporting in a few days, we'll hold a banquet to send them off." Zhao Xiheng reached out her hand and placed it in his palm in a coquettish manner: "My lord, my hand is sore, can you massage it for me?"

Wei Li blushed, his tone unconsciously softened, and he rubbed her fingers.

Her hands were as white as jade, soft and boneless, with a faint pink hue at the fingertips and knuckles. It was these very hands that had just held his life in their hands, and were now stained with something unspeakable.

The more he thought about it, the redder his face became, his throat tightened, and his breathing became rapid. He quickly looked away and changed the subject, "Then let them send all those women back, so you won't be in my way."

"No need for that. If you don't have that intention, can they force you? If you do have that intention, I could turn the entire manor upside down until there isn't a single female mosquito, and I still wouldn't be able to stop you," Zhao Xiheng said lazily, trusting Wei Li completely.

Pingzhou is a vast area, and if those young ladies were to set off home alone, it wouldn't be good if they encountered danger along the way. Moreover, if she were just sent away like this, they might gossip and think that she was scared. They should be shown that it's not that she's petty, but that Wei Li herself didn't want it to be this way.

Wei Li sensed the trust in her words, and his heart softened, as if he were soaking in warm water. He kissed her fingertips and awkwardly turned his head away.

He should have said something sarcastic in this situation, but he just couldn't bring himself to say it.

But when she thought about her conversation with Zhao Xiheng last time, and how she longed for a husband like her father who could say sarcastic things and write sarcastic letters, Wei Li blushed, licked Zhao Xiheng's fingertip, stared at her with deep affection with a tingling scalp, and then said as if reading from a script, "A-Dan, you are the best wife in the world, and I will never let you down in this life."

After he finished speaking, he wished he could disappear into a crack in the ground.

Zhao Xiheng shuddered and quickly wiped the wetness from her fingers on his body. "If you're sick, go see a doctor. If you're not sick, why are you being so lewd?" Her expression was complicated. She added, "So greasy and pretentious."

Wei Li felt like he was about to explode. He thought Zhao Xiheng would like it and be touched, but he didn't expect her to be so disgusted. "Isn't this what you like?"

"Who said I like it? I don't like it." So sour and cheesy, if Wei Li ever did that to her again, she'd probably go crazy.

"You said that yourself last time!"

"Whenever? I don't remember saying that."

Although Zhao Xiheng did not send these people away, Wei Li confined them to their quarters, forbidding any of them from stepping out of the west courtyard, let alone coming to Zhao Xiheng's side to irritate her.

Zhao Xiheng wasn't angry with them, but that didn't mean Wei Li wasn't annoyed. After all, these people had caused him trouble, but they were all useful people, and he couldn't kill them. It was really troublesome.

He sighed.

The governor of Ji'an arrived four or five days later, making him one of the last to arrive. It wasn't that he was fearless, but rather that his carriage had broken down on the way, delaying his journey.

He was startled by the scene in front of the West Courtyard. Was he here to report on his duties or to go to jail? He was trembling with fear, thinking that Wei Li was indeed as bad as ever. After so long, his temper was still as bad as ever, and his actions were still as cruel as ever.

His daughter also came along. The young girl originally wanted to pay her respects to Zhao Xiheng, but she couldn't even leave the house, which made her feel a little sad.

I also feel it's a real pity that Sister Zhao is paired with Wei Li. He's too fierce; he won't even let her leave the house. I wonder if he treats Sister Zhao well? Probably not. He wasn't nice to her when he left; he kept yelling at her.

Now that my sister is pregnant, I hope Wei Li won't be so fierce anymore. I wonder if the amulet I gave her has protected her.

Xie Qingyu's two trips back and forth between Yongzhou and Pingzhou were both more devastating than the last.

The first time he witnessed Zhao Xiheng's wedding to Wei Li, he acted as her brother, carrying her across the door. The second time, he walked through Wei Li's residence, where everyone not only called him "Uncle," but he was actually going to be her uncle.

After returning from Pingzhou, he fell ill and was bedridden. He vowed never to set foot in Pingzhou again for the third time in his life. However, he still carefully selected gifts for Zhao Xiheng and their unborn child and had them sent over, along with two or three nannies.

Xie Qingyu felt uneasy seeing that Zhao Xiheng was surrounded by young girls, so he had his mother choose the girls and sent a message to Zhao Xiheng, telling her to use them without worry, as he hadn't planted any spies or done anything underhanded.

These words, though spoken with sincerity and respect, inevitably carry a bittersweet and humble feeling, leaving one with a sense of melancholy.

Seeing that Xie Qingyu had become much more composed after his illness, the Xie family head subtly brought up the matter of marriage. This time, Xie Qingyu did not reject it outright as usual, but remained silent for a while before nodding, "Let's see how fate brings us."

That means there's no refusal.

Now that Zhao Xiheng has settled down in Pingzhou, he can only let go, even though he's unwilling. He hopes she meets the right person and he can open his heart to her, so he doesn't let Zhao Xiheng down, or let others down. If he doesn't meet the right person, that's fate; adopting a child from a collateral branch to inherit her mantle isn't a big deal.

Xie Qingyu is always like this, trying to balance both sides and striving for perfection, hoping to please neither side. But in the end, things always fall short of expectations, and she ends up failing in both areas.

The lessons learned from the past have taught him a lesson he will not dare to repeat.

In a year and a half, Zhao Mingxin transformed from an arrogant young girl into an arrogant young woman.

Aside from the humiliation she suffered at the hands of Wei Li and Wang Zhiyao, she never experienced any further injustice.

The King of Goguryeo didn't know what he saw in her, but he was completely obedient to this young wife. He not only took out half of the national treasury to build a town in the style of Jinyang in the palace for Zhao Mingxin, but also declared that he would change the crown prince for her.

Although Zhao Mingxin was very dissatisfied with this old man, he had no choice but to play along.

Zhao Mingjin had originally comforted her, telling her to keep a firm grip on the Goguryeo queen and use the Goguryeo army to help him conquer Pingzhou. But although the Goguryeo king was blinded by lust, he was not so foolish as to fight for Zhao Mingjin's country. What did he want from this?

But he didn't want to disappoint his little queen, so he took advantage of the situation and fanned the flames when Liu Huan and Wang Zhiyao besieged Pingzhou.

If we were to name Zhao Mingxin's greatest enemy in life, it would undoubtedly be Zhao Xiheng. Her obsession with Zhao Xiheng far outweighed her desire to become a princess. What she wanted most in this life was to trample Zhao Xiheng underfoot and see her unable to rise again.

Originally, Zhao Xiheng was taken away by the treacherous Wei Li, and she thought that she would never be able to get back on her feet. However, she was married off to an old man, while Wei Li won battle after battle. In comparison, it was hard to tell who was the one who couldn't get back on their feet.

Zhao Mingxin was both anxious and angry, but she was in North Goguryeo, separated from Pingzhou by a river and from Bhumyeong by countless miles. She couldn't see Zhao Xiheng's situation and was extremely distressed.

When she had nothing to do all day, she would pray that Zhao Xiheng was not doing well, and that she would have a miscarriage, which would be even better if both she and her unborn child died. Wei Li didn't seem like the kind of person who would care for others, and maybe Zhao Xiheng was secretly crying right now. Thinking this way, Zhao Mingxin felt much better. Although the King of Goguryeo was old, he still cared for her, didn't he?

But she didn't know that as the weather gradually warmed up, Wei Li's suppressed desire to conquer Goguryeo was also rekindled.

He made two small slips of paper and had Zhao Xiheng draw lots for them: North and South Goguryeo. Whichever slip of paper Zhao Xiheng drew, that one would be attacked first.

Unfortunately, when Zhao Xiheng unfolded the note in her hand, the character "North" was written on it.