Chapter 56 The Price of Victory

"Thank you for your hard work during this time."

Tianyao met Xie Mingyuan's astonished expression, slowly curled her lips into a gentle smile, and said softly.

Xie Mingyuan's eyes widened visibly, then he lowered them to hide his expression, turned his head to the other side, not wanting Tianyao to see his discomposure.

"Your Majesty, it's not hard work for me, it's not hard work for you."

"I did all this for myself, Your Majesty, there's no need for that."

"Although I do not know Your Majesty's reasons for choosing me as your male concubine, I am truly very happy to be chosen by Your Majesty."

A slightly choked voice came from Xie Mingyuan, who was standing to the side of her.

Tianyao felt a sharp pain in her chest for some reason, and looked at Xie Mingyuan with gentleness and tenderness.

She had only given him an umbrella.

What kind of treatment did he receive from childhood to adulthood that made him so moved by an umbrella?

"What was my reasoning? What could I possibly be thinking? It's only because I have a good impression of you that I chose you."

Tianyao reached out and gently stroked Xie Mingyuan's face, applying slight pressure to force him to face her directly. She looked into his eyes and said, word by word.

Even though Tianyao had turned his face around, Xie Mingyuan, who still kept his eyes down to hide his expression, was stunned when he heard this. Then, with a look of disbelief on his face, he tremblingly raised his eyes to meet Tianyao's eyes for confirmation.

Was what I just heard true?

The idea had barely been on my mind for a second when I received a response.

"So, are you willing to help me get through my heat cycle?"

!!

She actually agreed to let him stay with her during her heat!

If she didn't truly have feelings for him, she definitely wouldn't have agreed.

Without hesitation, Xie Mingyuan replied, "Your Majesty is willing, Your Majesty is very willing. It would be an honor for Your Majesty to help you through your heat cycle."

As soon as Xie Mingyuan finished speaking, Tianyao stood up, pulled Xie Mingyuan up, and, seeing his somewhat bewildered expression, dragged him into the inner room and closed the door.

She could barely suppress the intense hormones emanating from her heat cycle.

She was able to fall asleep peacefully thanks to Huo Tianheng's top-grade essence, but when she woke up, the essence had already been completely absorbed by her, and her three-day heat cycle had only ended one day, leaving two days remaining.

"Quickly, give me pheromones!"

Tianyao loosely hooked her arms around Xie Mingyuan's neck, tilted her head back, her snow-white neck stretched into a line, and her fair face flushed with a blush due to her heat, making her breathtakingly beautiful.

Xie Mingyuan's breath hitched.

The next moment, her body responded to Tianyao faster than her brain.

Like morning dew, a breath of essence emanated from the back left of Xie Mingyuan's neck, binding Tian Yao inch by inch like invisible ropes.

"Waaah..."

Tian Yao couldn't help but let out a sound. The top-level essence in her body could no longer be suppressed and was released all at once, like magma erupting from a volcano.

The sweet pheromones instantly filled every corner of the room, and Xie Mingyuan felt Tianyao's pheromones on every inch of his skin and every pore.

"So sweet."

Xie Mingyuan's clear eyes were momentarily lost in thought as he murmured to himself.

"Give me, give me more."

Tianyao's eyes were somewhat unfocused at this moment. Instinctively, she tiptoed and brought her lips to Xie Mingyuan's lips, giving him a command as she kissed him.

So soft.

Xie Mingyuan's dark pupils dilated, and only one thought occupied his mind at that moment.

The next second, he raised his hand, gently cupped the back of Tianyao's head, lowered his head, and deepened the kiss.

...

Two days later, Tianyao's heat ended, and she lay exhausted and powerless on the bed, unable to move even a finger.

Meanwhile, Xie Mingyuan, the culprit, sat impeccably dressed on the edge of the bed, wiping Tianyao's body with a clean, damp towel.

Has any news come from the north?

After Xie Mingyuan cleaned Tianyao's body, Tianyao regained some strength, propped herself up, and asked weakly.

Xie Mingyuan paused in his actions of dressing Tianyao, a hint of jealousy flashing across his face, and tried to reply in a calm tone.

"Not at the moment."

Not yet...

Tianyao frowned, a deep worry on her face. She turned her head and asked again, "Has Qin Ge returned to the capital?"

Upon hearing this, Xie Mingyuan's face showed a hint of disappointment, and he replied softly, "I've returned. I just arrived in the capital. His Majesty wants to see me?"

"Yes, summon Qin Ge to see me immediately."

Tianyao's tone was decisive.

Xie Mingyuan lowered his eyes, concealing his expression, and helped Tianyao get dressed as he turned around.

"yes."

After serving Tianyao and getting her dressed, Xie Mingyuan turned around and left the inner room with a bitter smile on his face.

The ancients were right; indeed, the greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment.

I thought that after accompanying His Majesty through his heat cycle, our relationship would become closer, but in reality... nothing has changed.

Xie Mingyuan sighed softly, pushed open the door to the outer room, and instructed his personal eunuch, "Summon General Qin to an audience."

"yes."

The father-in-law immediately responded.

Fifteen minutes later, Tianyao met Qin Ge in the outer room.

Tianyao's dark pupils trembled incessantly, her face filled with disbelief and unwillingness to accept it.

Her voice trembled as she asked.

"You...your arm..."

"Ah! This one, he was cut when he killed the Qi general."

"It's just an arm. I can still go into battle at any time if Your Majesty needs me."

"Your Majesty summoned me here because you want me to lead the army on the northern battlefield. I am willing to accept the order."

Qin Ge replied with a hearty smile, seemingly unconcerned.

Xie Mingyuan stood there, stunned.

Qin Ge single-handedly not only resisted the enemy state but also defeated the Qi army. He thought it was because Qin Ge was powerful and a brilliant strategist, but he forgot that no matter how powerful Qin Ge was, he was just a person with two eyes, two arms, and two legs.

I never imagined what price he would pay in order to quickly defeat the Qi army!

"Don't cry, I'm still alive, aren't I?"

Qin Ge, who hadn't taken it seriously, panicked the moment he saw Tian Yao's tears fall without warning. He hurriedly stepped forward and gently patted Tian Yao's back with his only remaining arm.

Tianyao remained silent, simply lowering her head and letting her tears fall.

She owes Qin Ge.

If Qin Ge hadn't wanted to achieve results faster, he would never have personally joined the battle. If he hadn't personally participated, he wouldn't have lost an arm and become disabled.

Isn't he afraid?

Aren't you afraid of actually dying on the battlefield?

How could he not be afraid? Everyone is afraid of death. He just wanted to protect her more than his own life.

Even if Qin Ge didn't say it, she understood.

"No... I forbid you to go to the battlefield again!"

"If you disobey my orders, I... I will divorce you."

Tianyao suddenly raised her head, her clear eyes filled with tears, her face serious, and she threatened.

This threat was quite intimidating to him.

Qin Ge smiled helplessly.

He never wanted to take the risk, but if he didn't, the people of the Great Wei Kingdom and Tianyao would be in danger.

"Alright, Your Majesty, please don't cry. I will certainly not go to the battlefield again."

"Even without Your Majesty's permission, I will no longer personally go to the battlefield. I wish to stay with Your Majesty for a long, long time."

Qin Ge raised his hand and, with his very rough fingertips, very gently wiped away the tears on Tian Yao's face.