Qiu Ya spoke with a hint of surprise, "It's unbelievable that Liu Ruyan, the strong woman who has always been praised in the Canglan Empire, would actually show such a vulnerable side. But, are you really willing to accept such a fate? You must know that once you decide to become His Majesty's maid and serve Him, you will lose the opportunity to marry her in a formal ceremony.

At the same time, your identity and status in the Canglan Empire will no longer exist. If you had not chosen to stay in Wei, then in the Canglan Empire, you would have many prominent families willing to marry you, and you would not have to compromise in Wei. "

If there was any real love between Liu Ruyan and Chu Fan, Qiu Ya would never believe it. Liu Ruyan made this choice after careful consideration of the pros and cons. Qiu Ya firmly believed that Liu Ruyan knew very well what she really needed and what she would lose in her heart.

Liu Ruyan smiled and spoke calmly, "Miss Qiu, are you really just an ordinary woman? Although I haven't heard of any prominent Qiu family in our Shengwu Continent, I know that in the distant Central Continent, there is a powerful sect whose leader is named Qiu. Miss Qiu, do you happen to know anyone in that sect?"

Qiu Ya's eyes flickered slightly when she heard Liu Ruyan's words. She chuckled softly and replied, "Miss Liu, what are you talking about? I grew up in Wei State and know nothing about the Central Continent. Miss Liu, you have a truly vivid imagination. How could a mere Wei State maid be connected to those prestigious sects on the Central Continent?"

Seeing Qiuya seemed unwilling to admit it, Liu Ruyan stopped asking. After all, it was just her own speculation. However, Liu Ruyan knew in her heart that the four palace maids around Chu Fan were actually quite extraordinary.

Liu Ruyan smiled slightly, her bright eyes gleaming with curiosity. She said, "Even if you choose not to admit it, Miss Qiu, it doesn't matter to me. Because the intelligence I have collected through various channels shows that each of the four maids around His Majesty has an extraordinary background.

"The four of you each possess profound family heritage, yet I'm curious why you were willing to give up your noble status and become His Majesty's maids? Instead of choosing to return to your original families, restore your original status, and allow His Majesty to marry you in a formal ceremony?"

After hearing Liu Ruyan's words, Qiuya sighed softly, then slowly raised her head and looked towards the starry sky. She pondered for a moment and then calmly replied:

"Miss Liu, what you see is merely superficial. Each of us has our own past, and some unpleasant experiences with our families or sects. It was the State of Wei that provided us with a new haven, allowing us to escape the shadows of the past.

Although we are palace maids here, we feel an unprecedented freedom and peace. Rather than continue to endure the pain of family or clan constraints, it is better to redefine our own lives in this unfamiliar land. After all, only when our destiny is in our own hands can we make the most authentic and sincere choices.

After hearing this, Liu Ruyan smiled faintly and replied in a calm tone, "What Miss Qiu just said is actually my explanation of why I chose to stay in Wei. I decided to stay with His Majesty because even if I return to the Canglan Empire, those prominent families will only value my status as an imperial princess, not truly accept me as a person.

Even when His Majesty first started, he only cared about his own beauty, but even so, I felt at ease because he did not ask too much of me. Instead, he allowed me to find my own value and sense of existence in such a foreign country.

My beauty is my own value, and this is recognized by His Majesty. However, in the eyes of those forces in the Canglan Empire, they don't care about my personal value or existence at all. They only regard me as a pawn, thinking only of how to use me to gain a reasonable excuse to fight for the throne.

Qiu Ya nodded slightly after hearing Liu Ruyan's words, a glint of recognition flashing in her eyes. Although Liu Ruyan had sworn allegiance to Chu Fan, they would be living together in this vast palace in the future, and mutual trust and understanding were particularly important.

If they cannot be honest with each other, some estrangement and suspicion will inevitably arise in the future. This is undoubtedly a huge hidden danger for women around the emperor and may affect the stability of the entire empire.

At this time, Liu Ruyan asked in a cautious tone, "Your Majesty has decided to attack the Gan Kingdom. What is Mu Yu's opinion on this? After all, Mu Yu is also a member of a large family in the Gan Kingdom. Your Majesty is about to attack the Gan Kingdom. Does Mu Yu feel conflicted and embarrassed?"

Before Liu Ruyan arrived in Wei, she had already gathered detailed intelligence on the women around Chu Fan. She knew that one of Chu Fan's four maids, Mu Yu, came from a prestigious family in Gan State.

However, due to some reasons, Mu Yu's lineage was squeezed out of the core of power by the main family of the family, forcing Mu Yu to leave the country of Gan and go to the country of Wei. Although Mu Yu may be dissatisfied with her main family, Liu Ruyan is not sure whether she still has feelings for the country of Gan.

Qiu Ya replied with a smile, "Although Mu Yu is from Gan, her disappointment with her family far outweighs her feelings for the country. Furthermore, His Majesty's intention to attack Gan is actually to bring a better future to the people of Gan. Mu Yu has clearly seen the corruption and incompetence of the Gan rulers, and she knows that only reform can bring new hope to Gan.

Another reason is that, thanks to Mu Yu, her family secretly purchased refined salt in Wei and then brought it back to Gan State, selling it at a price lower than the market price there, earning a considerable profit and accumulating a large amount of wealth. As a result, they had already settled in Wei State and no longer had any relatives in Gan State that Mu Yu cared about. Therefore, Your Majesty's decision to attack Gan State did not cause her any conflict. On the contrary, she might see it as an opportunity to change Gan State's fate, and might even have those within her power secretly support it.