In the afternoon, Lin Yuqiao started rummaging through drawers and closets looking for clothes, changing into and taking off one piece after another.

"The concubine looks beautiful today; the prince will surely like her."

Lin Yuqiao changed into a light purple, floral-patterned floor-length dress. The waist was cinched, and the sleeves were wide, with seven layers of auspicious cloud patterns trimmed at the cuffs, fluttering in the wind. Even though Qingming served her every day, he was still somewhat amazed to see her dressed like this.

"This girl, am I not beautiful normally?"

After looking in the mirror for a long time, Lin Yuqiao was quite satisfied with herself.

Sitting down at the dressing table, Gu Yu loosened her long hair, combed it smooth, and applied honeysuckle-scented hair oil. Her originally dark hair looked even blacker and shinier than jade.

Her hair was styled into a heart-shaped bun, adorned with a gem-encrusted blackwood hairpin, and decorated with a golden peach-leaf ornament on her forehead, with a teardrop-shaped jade pendant in the center. Her makeup was light, with only her eyebrows lightly drawn and her lips rouged with cherry-red lip rouge.

Slightly excited, after getting dressed, Lin Yuqiao asked Granny Jiang, "Is everything ready?"

She was dressed up so formally because she was going to unleash her big move that afternoon.

She was inspired by the sight of the osmanthus tree in the courtyard, its branches laden with blossoms. A gentle breeze would scatter the petals like rain; if a beautiful woman were among them, it would surely be a picture-perfect scene.

Just as dusk was falling, Liu Heng arrived as promised. The inner courtyard was brightly lit, and he found it strange that Lin Yuqiao was not in the house but standing under a tree.

"Didn't I say yesterday that I would play the zither for Your Highness? I practiced in the courtyard this afternoon, but I haven't moved the zither back yet. I'll play it for Your Highness under the cover of night."

Liu Heng raised an eyebrow slightly and agreed with her statement without much objection. Sitting on the table and chairs that had been moved over long ago, he looked at the table full of tea and fruit, and then at the person who had dressed up specially, knowing that this person had planned this all along.

Lin Yuqiao returned to the zither and sat down with ease, her wide sleeves hanging down on both sides, blending seamlessly with the hem of her dress. Her delicate hands plucked the strings, and as her fingertips danced, melodious music emerged.

Upon hearing the melody, Liu Heng's heart skipped a beat; it was "The Phoenix Seeks Its Mate".

A beautiful woman, as fair as jade, plays a unique and exquisite seven-stringed zither. A breeze sweeps past her, causing petals to fall from the branches and flutter down. The faint fragrance of osmanthus permeates the air.

There was a beautiful woman, whom I could never forget.

I miss him terribly if I don't see him for a day.

The phoenix soars high, seeking its mate across the four seas.

Alas, the beauty is not here on the east wall.

Let me use the zither to express my feelings.

When will I be granted permission to meet you, to soothe my anxieties?

I wish to be worthy of your virtue, and walk hand in hand with you.

Unable to fly, I am doomed.

The melodious singing and the gentle piano music vividly express the deep affection of lovers who wish to grow old together.

Under the moonlight, everything was so beautiful, like a dream. Even though Liu Heng had been mentally prepared, he couldn't contain his amazement at the picturesque scene.

As the song ended, Lin Yuqiao stood up and walked towards him step by step. The petals that had fallen on her clothes danced and swirled with her movements before falling back to the ground.

"Your Highness, did I play well?"

She stopped beside Liu Heng and asked with a smile.

"very good."

Bringing his somewhat dazed thoughts back, Liu Heng's voice was a little hoarse as he expressed his approval and affirmation to her.

"Do I look beautiful tonight?"

Under the moonlight, the beautiful woman smiled charmingly, her beautiful eyes sparkling with boundless radiance.

Liu Heng's throat bobbed, and he nodded again.

Secretly pleased with Liu Heng's reaction, Lin Yuqiao continued with a smile, "Since you're so beautiful, why doesn't Your Highness come and hug me?"

Slightly surprised by the request, Liu Heng, who never had any intimate contact with women in front of outsiders, was actually bewitched and pulled her into his arms.

Feeling the joy of success, Lin Yuqiao looked up at him in his arms and said, "I am overjoyed to be able to play this 'Phoenix Seeking Its Mate' for Your Highness. I wish to repay your kindness with this piece and express my sincere feelings."

Liu Heng lowered his head and stroked her face. She played "The Phoenix Seeks Its Mate" with great passion, and he listened with equal emotion. She was using the music to seduce him, and he didn't want to waste this beautiful moment.

He led Lin Yuqiao into the house, and for the first time, he was so eager to press her down in the tent and indulge in unrestrained pleasure. His fingertips skillfully swept over her body, and waves of hot pleasure rose and fell, like the lingering echo of a song ending.

The next morning, Liu Heng woke up early and stared at the person still sleeping beside him for a long time.

Last night's melodious piano music and profound joy were like a fleeting spring dream, like a pebble thrown into a clear, cool pool. By morning, everything will return to calm.

All morning, Lin Yuqiao's joy was overflowing, radiating from her smile. Because last night had been a great success! She felt she had shaken Liu Heng's seemingly unbreakable heart, and becoming the most favored concubine in the Prince's mansion, bearing children, was no longer a dream!

Just before noon, she suddenly received a wooden box delivered by someone sent by Liu Heng.

She was overjoyed to receive his gift for the first time, but when she saw what was inside, she felt her heart shatter instantly.

Inside the rosewood box, a jade-green bamboo flute lay quietly.

Jiang, who was initially surprised by the uniqueness of the gift, had just started to smile when she saw Lin Yuqiao's face covered in tears.

Takemoto has no intention. What a treacherous thing.

The Qin Dynasty was mostly flat, and because it encouraged land reclamation at its founding, it had a vast area of ​​arable land.

From the thirty-third year of Jianwu onwards, the weather was consistently unpredictable, with consecutive years of drought causing crops to fail in many places. Farmers who owned land but had no harvest still had to pay taxes and rents, so many people abandoned their fields and fled their homes to escape famine.

When granaries are full, people know etiquette; when food and clothing are plentiful, people know honor and shame.

Desperate for food and forced to sell their children, these refugees became displaced people, willing to do anything to get enough to eat. If they couldn't beg, they resorted to robbery, gathering in large groups to form a considerable force that engaged in banditry. They even raided towns and plundered merchants.

In the spring of the thirty-ninth year of Jianwu, Shan Chen, Fu Zhen and others rebelled, proclaimed themselves generals, gathered refugees and occupied Yuanwu City, and also kidnapped the city's officials.

The imperial court dispatched Zang Gong with several thousand troops from the Northern Army and the Liyang Camp to besiege the rebels, but the stalemate lasted for three months and the attack failed, resulting in numerous casualties among the soldiers.

Yuanwu City belongs to Nanyang and is close to the capital. The city is well-fortified and is known as the "granary". Although the harvest has declined in recent years, the city still has enough food accumulated in previous years to sustain its consumption for at least a year.

After a long period without any good news, Emperor Yongle sent Luo Chenghao, a cavalry commander, to Yuanwu City, but he still failed to capture the city and returned empty-handed.

Upon hearing Luo Chenghao's report upon his return, Emperor Jianwu was furious in the court.

"What use are you people? Not one of you can share my burdens!"

Luo Chenghao, the commander of the cavalry, is the father of the Crown Princess and a member of the Crown Prince's faction.

Now that he has been trained without merit, the Crown Prince feels ashamed. He increasingly senses his father's disappointment and dissatisfaction with him. He has been the Crown Prince for nearly thirty years, and although he is getting closer and closer to the throne, he feels that he is regressing instead of progressing.

He glared at his third brother, the Prince of Huaiyang, and his fifth brother, the Prince of Lunan, with a hint of resentment. In recent years, the Crown Prince had regarded these two as formidable rivals. The Prince of Huaiyang was known as the "Wise Prince" and had extensive connections in the court. No matter which faction he belonged to, they would do him a favor.

The Prince of Lunan's maternal uncle was a Grand Secretary in the imperial court and was highly respected by the Qingliu faction.

Unfortunately, both of them were sons of the Empress Dowager, and could be considered legitimate heirs. The thought that these two were secretly eyeing his position as Crown Prince made the Crown Prince feel a boil in his heart.

While Emperor Jianwu was reprimanding Luo Chenghao, Liu Heng was secretly pleased. With Luo Chenghao in power, the Crown Prince held military authority, which was always a source of unease. If he could find an opportunity to cut off this left hand of the Crown Prince, then the Crown Prince would be practically an empty shell, nothing to fear.

Watching Emperor Jianwu pant heavily after his outburst, his hands trembling slightly, Liu Heng sighed inwardly. His father, a hero when he seized the throne, was now old and frail. Seeing his father growing increasingly old, he knew he had to act quickly; the Crown Prince could not remain in that position any longer.

Yuanwu City was a tough nut to crack, and no one was willing to take it on. When Emperor Jianwu asked who was capable of handling the task, everyone fell silent.

Everyone had their heads down, but the Crown Prince noticed that the Prince of Huaiyang remained calm and composed, and a plan formed in his mind.

"Your Majesty, I recommend my third brother, the Prince of Huaiyang, to go to Yuanwu City. My third brother has always been resourceful and wise; he will surely be able to win the battle if he goes as the special envoy."

Several ministers in the court who were loyal to the crown prince also submitted memorials expressing their agreement. Emperor Yongle, remembering his third son who had always been resourceful, also held hope for him.

Seeing that the task had fallen to him, Liu Heng had no choice but to accept it. If he refused now, it would be an admission of incompetence, and his carefully cultivated image over the years might be damaged. Besides, successfully completing this task would be a great achievement.

Liu Heng had always harbored ambitions to seize the throne. He never believed he was unqualified; a magnificent empire should always belong to the capable.

One general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand. The path to imperial power is alluring, but it is also a bloody road paved with hidden arrows and flashing blades. He had long been prepared.

Time was of the essence. After returning to his residence, packing his belongings, and entrusting everyone in the household to the Princess, Liu Heng hurriedly set off for Nanyang.

Before leaving, he made a special trip to visit Lin Yuqiao, who was recovering from a serious illness.

After receiving that bamboo flute, Lin Yuqiao's feelings towards Liu Heng changed from expectation to resentment.

Thinking about the stupid thing she did that night, she felt like banging her head against the wall.

She offered him her sincere heart, filled with beautiful expectations, but he trampled on it with his feet.

She was still resentful that Liu Heng hadn't shown it on the spot, but instead dealt her a blow the next day.

Feeling deeply hurt, Lin Yuqiao soon fell ill and remained sick for over a month.

Knowing that her illness was psychological, Liu Heng visited her once and then simply instructed people to take good care of her, occasionally checking her pulse records.

She'll figure it out someday.

She will get what she deserves, and he will treat her well.

"You've just recovered from an illness, and your foundation has been damaged. You'll need to take better care of yourself in the future."

He led her into the inner room, and looking at the person in front of him who had lost weight, Liu Heng didn't know what to feel.

"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I will be careful."

Sensing that Lin Yuqiao was not as close as before, Liu Heng sighed inwardly, realizing that he had still hurt her in the end.

Lying in the tent, watching her lying obediently about an arm's length away from him, no longer clinging to him, Liu Heng took the initiative to pull her into his arms.

Relaxing her body and moving with his movements, Lin Yuqiao tried her best to immerse herself, but her state of mind was different. Her body was still burning with passion, but her heart was like a dry well, undisturbed.

Life went on as usual after Liu Heng left, and Lin Yuqiao couldn't even tell the difference between having him or not.

Having experienced hope and despair, she now has no expectations, and therefore no joy or sorrow.

She thought that the future wouldn't change just because she tried, so she could only shut herself in this backyard and wait for time to slowly drown her.

She originally thought that life would continue like this, that Consort Jiang's today would be her tomorrow, and that she would gradually accept her fate and transfer her hopes in life to her children.

When Lin Yuqiao heard that Liu Heng had been shot by a hidden arrow in Yuanwu City and was on the verge of death, she suddenly realized that her situation might be even more dire.

She has no children now, is only fifteen years old, and has only been married to Liu Heng for less than three months. If something happens to Liu Heng and he dies, she will be a widow and have no hope for the rest of her life. She will have to rely entirely on the princess to make a living.

People only realize the value of blessings when they are about to lose them. Lin Yuqiao suddenly felt that if she was unhappy now, she wouldn't even be able to catch up with this in the future. She was not even 16 years old yet, and she was going to be a widow in the prime of her youth, which would be even more unbearable.

A strong survival instinct instantly roused her; she had to go see Liu Heng.

After all, she's a modern person; who knows, she might be able to help in some way.

After making up her mind, Lin Yuqiao sent someone to find Baili Shi, as she urgently needed an ally who could speak on her behalf.

When Lady Wang heard the news that Liu Heng was seriously injured, she was extremely anxious. Liu Heng's injuries were so severe that he could not move and could only be treated in Yuanwu City. As the princess, she had to stay in the mansion to keep the family in order.

If she can't go, then someone has to go to Yuanwu City to visit and take care of Liu Heng.

The best candidate should be the eldest son, Liu Kang. Wang Shi knew that as the eldest son, Liu Kang should be sent to Yuanwu City. However, the battle in Yuanwu City was still raging, and what if Liu Kang were to be lost again? Wang Shi was very conflicted.

Then she heard that Lin Yuqiao had volunteered to go to Yuanwu City, and she refused without thinking.

"Consort Lin is, after all, a woman. How could she possibly show her face in public like this?"

"But we don't know what's going on with the prince over there. How can you let someone else take care of him?"

Lin Yuqiao knew that Wang Shi was unlikely to agree, but fortunately she had made preparations in advance, and it was time for Baili Shi to step in.

Baili Shi had always secretly hoped that Lin Yuqiao would suffer misfortune, after all, this concubine position was originally hers. However, Wang Shi had also suppressed her for so many years, leaving her with no hope of survival, which she also deeply resented.

She wished both of them bad luck, but couldn't do that for the time being, so she had to deal with them separately. Currently, Wang was clearly in the lead, so she decided to help Lin Yuqiao.

"What Your Highness says is true. It would be best if the Second Young Master could go. After all, the Heir Apparent is the pillar of the household, and the Second Young Master is getting old. He should be able to share Your Highness's burdens."

When Consort Jiang heard Baili recommend her son, she glared at her fiercely. The princess was worried about the same thing she was worried about. She only had one son. Yuanwu City was so dangerous. How could she agree to this?

Forced by circumstances, for the sake of her son, Consort Jiang, who was usually low-key and didn't like to speak out, also began to support Lin Yuqiao.

“Yan’er is still a child after all. How can we let him take care of the prince? Let Consort Lin go instead. There are guards from the prince’s mansion along the way, so I don’t think anything will happen. Besides, Consort Lin is a woman, so it will be more convenient for her to take care of the prince.”

After hesitating for a moment, and having no better options, Wang had no choice but to agree.

In her opinion, she would rather Liu Yan go, but Jiang Shi was worried, and she couldn't force Liu Yan, lest she be labeled as cruel and mistreating her illegitimate son.

Lin Yuqiao was on tenterhooks the whole way, imagining many possible dangers. To be on the safe side, she specially changed into a servant's outfit, gave her luxurious and spacious carriage to the servants who came with her, and sat in an inconspicuous carriage herself.

After entering Nanyang, she instructed her guards to wait outside Yuanwu City while she went ahead and entered the city under cover of night, fearing that she might attract attention and be discovered by the rebels.

Lin Yuqiao suppressed her anxiety and worry as she rushed to Liu Heng's residence.

Without having time to wash and change her clothes, she went to Liu Heng's room first.

To her delight, Liu Heng's injuries were not as serious as she had imagined; the messenger who returned to the Prince's residence told her something truly terrifying.

Liu Heng was just a little paler and seemed to have lost weight, with more defined facial features.

Before she could take a closer look, Liu Heng was clearly surprised when he recognized her.

What brings you here?

What's with that surprised yet delighted expression?!

She traveled over mountains and valleys to visit and take care of him, but he wasn't moved at all!