Chapter 51 Today...we haven't kissed yet.

The person in the portrait is named Lu Xuetang.

Emperor Jingcheng meant that the person was already waiting in the side hall, and he wanted Jiang Zhishui to bring the person back with her when she returned.

Emperor Jingcheng put down the portrait and said, "I invited you here today because I hope you can help me make this auspicious event happen. Qianheng has inherited the bloodline of his ancestors and should shoulder the responsibility of the family to continue this invaluable power."

“Your Majesty, we have only been married for a short time. Isn’t it a bit too early to urge us to have children?” Jiang Zhishui found this emperor very strange. It was one thing to urge him to have children, but he even wanted her to match her husband with other women. She said irritably, “Besides, this matter should be discussed with His Highness. Why is Your Majesty coming to me?”

Emperor Jingcheng laughed and said, "How do you know that I haven't spoken to him?"

Jiang Zhishui glanced at the portrait on the table and felt that she had heard the name Lu Xuetang somewhere before.

She looked up and asked, "What did His Highness say?"

Emperor Jingcheng said, "He refuses, and he also refuses to marry Sheng Yuchen. I think you will have to personally intervene before he will agree."

"Me?" Jiang Zhishui hadn't expected Jing Qianheng to have such a complicated situation before his marriage. She shook her head and said, "Your Highness has a bad temper, I dare not."

Emperor Jingcheng raised an eyebrow and said, "I heard that you were seriously injured before. Marquis Chengyi invited many famous doctors, but none of them could do anything. One doctor said that your injuries were too severe and that you would not have been able to wake up. Even if you did wake up, your body would have been severely damaged, and you would probably never be able to have children again."

The doctors who had previously treated Jiang Zhishui had been warned by Marquis Chengyi that they would never easily reveal the details of her injuries. The Queen valued the selection of the Crown Princess highly and used every means to find these doctors, forcibly prying them open and obtaining a shocking secret.

This is also why the Queen was determined not to let the Crown Prince marry Jiang Zhishui.

Since she could not bear children, she was useless to the Jing family. Jing Qianheng and the Crown Prince were both important princes who had manifested dragon markings, and only their offspring could continue the bloodline of the demon dragon.

Jiang Zhishui was unaware of these things. Upon hearing this, she was stunned, as if she had been greatly shocked.

"Qianheng treats you very differently. I think he has probably fallen in love with you." Emperor Jingcheng saw her astonished expression and knew she was unaware of her physical condition. He spoke gently, "You must also have deep feelings for Qianheng and would never want him to make such a sacrifice. If he only favors you, how can he produce offspring for the royal family? If he gives birth to an heir before the Crown Prince, I might pass the throne to him."

A passage from the original novel suddenly flashed into Jiang Zhishui's mind—Lu Xuetang, who was infatuated with the male protagonist Jing Qianheng...

Lu Xuetang was the one who brought about Jiang Zhishui's death.

"Here are some... tonics. Take them back; they will be useful." Emperor Jingcheng opened a wooden box containing six or seven bottles and jars. "He is a prince, and the heir designated by Li Mo. How can we let him do as he pleases? It's time for him to shoulder his responsibilities. I remember his mother once said some unpleasant things to me, saying it was for my own good. Now that I think about it, it's true. I finally understand her good intentions."

Jiang Zhishui had learned too much information that day, and her mind was in a mess. Looking at the medicine in the wooden box, she murmured in a daze, "His Majesty wants me to poison him? If he finds out, he will definitely not forgive me. I can't..."

"How could that be?" Emperor Jingcheng sneered. "He can't bear to part with you. I have experience with this. No matter how much he hates you, he won't do anything to you. As time goes by, he will slowly forget. As long as you coax him well, he will do whatever you ask him to do."

Jiang Zhishui felt a little uneasy when she saw Emperor Jingcheng's strange expression. Judging from the implication in his words, it seemed that he had also been tricked by Zhou Qingxue before.

Jiang Zhishui didn't know where he got his confidence from, and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, could you allow me to consider this?"

Emperor Jingcheng closed the wooden box, walked up to Jiang Zhishui, and said in a pressuring tone, "Miss Lu is already waiting in the side hall. You can't expect me to break my promise."

Having grown accustomed to the emperor's majesty and domineering ways, Jiang Zhishui could no longer refuse.

Emperor Jingcheng specially sent someone to escort the two of them back. Sitting in the sedan chair, Jiang Zhishui was lost in thought.

A sharp alarm sounded in his mind: [Urgent Warning!! The internal defenses of this system have been compromised. Mission interrupted. Please find the artifact Nirvana Star. In the original novel's world, this artifact manifests as a divine weapon that allows the host to be reborn and travel through time, but in reality, it is a component of this system.]

Jiang Zhishui clutched her head and asked, "Ouch, that hurts! Don't suddenly shout that in my head! What kind of magical artifact is this? Where am I supposed to find it?"

System: [Upon searching, Nirvana Star was found to be missing from the host's first in-life timeline. In seven days, heavenly lightning will strike Wangfeng Cliff. Please arrive on time to receive the punishment and you will be able to travel through time.]

She was told she would also have to endure the punishment of heavenly lightning, but Jiang Zhishui shook her head vigorously in refusal.

The system said that the artifact was lost to help Jiang Zhishui be reborn. In her first life, Jiang Zhishui died because she was accidentally struck by a lightning strike formation. The artifact was set in her body by the system in advance, but it was accidentally struck by lightning and lost. Therefore, Jiang Zhishui also has to take some responsibility for this.

Moreover, without the divine artifact, the system's internal defenses would be compromised by unknown viruses, leading to system program chaos and ultimately the collapse of this fictional world.

After a heated negotiation, Jiang Zhishui and the system agreed that as long as the artifact was found, the original questline could be canceled, and Jiang Zhishui would then obtain a free identity card, freeing her from the constraints of the plot.

The sedan chair stopped at the gate of the Ling Prince's mansion. Jiang Zhishui and Lu Xuetang stepped out of the sedan chair at the same time. The two looked at each other for a moment, and then Lu Xuetang walked up to Jiang Zhishui, affectionately hooked her arm around hers, and sweetly called out, "Sister, I'm new here, and I hope you can take good care of me."

Lu Xuetang pressed her chest against Jiang Zhishui's arm. Jiang Zhishui's expression changed slightly, and she looked down at her chest somewhat uncomfortably. She coughed awkwardly.

Lu Xuetang was beautiful and voluptuous, with a captivating fragrance that could charm anyone. Not only were men unable to resist her advances, but even Jiang Zhishui found it hard to resist.

Emperor Jingcheng was shrewd and calculating, so the people he sent were naturally of high quality.

The emperor was eager for Jing Qianheng to bear an heir. Unable to do so openly, he resorted to this underhanded tactic. He aimed to break down Jiang Zhishui's psychological defenses, making her aware that she was infertile, thus leaving her with neither the face nor the courage to refuse the emperor's orders.

Jiang Zhishui would never have poisoned him, but Emperor Jingcheng was determined to have him and his words were very oppressive. She couldn't confront him directly, so she could only take the medicine with her first.

Jiang Zhishui led Lu Xuetang into the mansion. Jing Qianheng and Su You were waiting in the main hall. All the other people had already left. Lu Xuetang first bowed to Jing Qianheng and exchanged a few polite words. After they stopped talking, the scene became extremely quiet.

Su You stood beside Jing Qianheng, his brows furrowed. He glanced at the awkward Jiang Zhishui and the smiling Lu Xuetang, then looked nervously at Jing Qianheng in the main seat.

Lu Xuetang is the disciple of the Imperial Advisor Li Si, and has met Jing Qianheng several times.

Jiang Zhishui stammered out the story of the Emperor's summons. She said softly, "His Majesty has given the decree, and I really dare not disobey. Moreover, Miss Lu has long been in love with Your Highness, and I... considering her sincere feelings, I dared to bring her back first. His Majesty's words are not without reason. The doctor said that my body is not suitable for childbearing, and Your Highness should consider the royal offspring more. Anyway, taking... taking two women is only a matter of time."

Su You noticed that Jing Qianheng was gripping the corner of the table, his veins bulging, and he was sweating profusely. He was desperately trying to wink at Jiang Zhishui.

Jiang Zhishui was also nervous and didn't notice Su You's side. She continued with the words she had prepared: "It's late at night and the dew is heavy. It's not appropriate for us to send Miss Lu back at this time, Your Highness. Why don't we arrange Miss Lu's accommodation first, and then we can discuss the rest?"

After he finished speaking, a deathly silence fell over him again.

"Su You, take Miss Lu down to rest." Jing Qianheng stood up, his eyes fixed on Jiang Zhishui, and said softly, "Okay, I'll listen to you. Let's discuss it properly."

Su You hurriedly led Lu Xuetang downstairs first.

Jiang Zhishui gave an awkward laugh, "Then...I'll go help too."

Jing Qianheng said in a low voice, "Try taking one more step."

Jiang Zhishui turned around and took only one step before stopping immediately. She closed her eyes, bit her lip, and turned back again, looking obedient: "Your Highness, I won't leave."

"You've changed again after just one day away." Jing Qianheng slowly approached her. "Didn't you say you liked me? How could you so easily push me away to someone else? Do you really like me? Shouldn't someone you like want to possess you and never allow them to have anyone else? Why aren't you like that?"

“Um… I can’t refuse His Majesty’s decree in person.” Jiang Zhishui said cautiously, “They have all found out that I have health problems. For the sake of bloodline and offspring, they will not give up easily. Rather than keep making excuses, it is better to agree, bring the person back, appease them first, and then think of a solution.”

Upon hearing this, the anger in Jing Qianheng's eyes subsided slightly. He raised an eyebrow and said, "You're not the daughter of Marquis Chengyi..."

Jiang Zhishui saw the look in his eyes and inexplicably understood another meaning behind his words.

She was not the daughter of the Marquis of Chengyi, nor was she Jiang Zhishui, who was seriously injured and unable to have children.

"You don't really want to be with me, do you?" Jing Qianheng took a step closer. "You're just stalling for time until they arrive... What's your plan?"

"No..." Jiang Zhishui, her thoughts exposed, felt guilty and blurted out angrily, "You're so strange. Didn't you hate me before? Why are you suddenly like this now? Just because I said I liked you, you like me too? So fast? Didn't you like Senior Sister Liu? You've already transferred your affections so quickly? Do you think I'll believe that? After what happened in the cave, you clearly hated me to death. Why are you testing me like this?"

Seeing her anger, Jing Qianheng was stunned and said in a hoarse voice, "Who said I hate you? I just..."

Jiang Zhishui knew she had fooled him. She knew how to gauge the situation, so she gently pinched his sleeve with her fingers, her cheeks slightly flushed, and coaxed, "Your Highness, stop arguing. Let's go back to the room. We haven't kissed yet today."