The sky is vast and blue.
The wilderness is vast.
The wind blows the grass low, revealing cattle and sheep.
During the brief summer season on the vast grasslands, the green mountains serve as a backdrop and the lush grass as a stage.
The magnificent mountains and enchanting seas of flowers, the clear lakes and the white domes complement each other, creating a breathtakingly beautiful picture that slowly unfolds before people's eyes.
Accompanied and cared for by Young Master Yi, they traversed mountains and rivers.
After overcoming numerous hardships, Yi Shangyun finally sent Tuoba Hong back to the hometown he had always longed for in his midnight dreams.
After making inquiries everywhere, he was finally buried next to the old king of Beilie, surrounded by his clansmen.
Yi Shangyun wore a plain white gauze dress, and her expression appeared quite solemn.
Kneeling on the ground, he said in a mournful voice, "Second Prince, I have finally brought you back! With your father and mother by your side, and so many clansmen with you, you should never feel lonely again on this free land, right?"
As she spoke, it was unclear whether she was feeling sad or happy, but suddenly tears welled up in her eyes and fell one by one.
Seeing her so heartbroken, Young Master Yi worriedly raised one of his hands and gently placed it on her shoulder, wanting to offer her some comfort.
Unexpectedly, Yi Shangyun became even more heartbroken: "Second Prince, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. It's all because of me that things have turned out this way. These past few days, I've been thinking that if I had never come into this world, we would never have met, and then none of this would have happened!"
"Girl, girl..."
Seeing her suddenly become agitated, Young Master Yi could no longer bear to watch her be sad, so he gently shook her shoulder.
Yi Shangyun was still sobbing.
Helpless, Young Master Yi could only squat down, grab her shoulders, and forcefully turn her face towards him, saying, "Girl, you are pregnant, you must not continue to be so sad and upset."
After thinking for a moment, he continued to comfort and persuade her: "Even if he hadn't met you, everything that was going to happen would still have happened. The conflict between Bei Lie and Xi Qin has been going on for too many years, and it didn't start because of your appearance."
Yi Shangyun clutched her aching chest tightly, as if she could barely breathe.
Sobbing, she said, "But if it weren't for the King of Qin's suspicion that Tuoba Ze had abducted me to Beilie, the Northwest War wouldn't have come so quickly and urgently. The Second Prince wouldn't have had to bear the infamy of being a disloyal and unjust slave of a conquered nation because of his lack of military experience..."
Seeing that she was taking all the blame upon herself, Young Master Yi said angrily, "Then it's only because he was indecisive on the battlefield and was completely unskilled in the art of war and the art of defending against enemies; it's even more so because his brother Tuoba Ze was wicked and ambitious, and did not understand that when the enemy is strong, one should use intelligence, and when the enemy is weak, one should use force. He made his own trap and in the end he could only suffer the consequences of his own actions."
"Stop talking."
"Third Young Master, please stop talking."
I beg you, please stop talking.
Yi Shangyun immediately covered her ears with her hands, refusing to hear anything more.
Thinking of how Tuoba Hong was imprisoned in the Western Qin palace, and how he spent his last days with Yi Shangyun by his side.
He was actually quite envious: "He was able to meet you in his life, and you were able to accompany him through the last days of his life. I think he must have been satisfied when he left."
"sorry"
"sorry"
"I'm so sorry."
But it seemed that all Yi Shangyun could do for him was to keep apologizing.
Hearing her repeatedly apologize, Young Master Yi felt extremely sad.
There was a time when she had said the same thing to herself countless times...
Facing someone who, like himself, silently guarded the woman he loved but could not have, Young Master Yi felt a pang of loss and murmured, "She's gone. What's the point of saying 'I'm sorry' so many times, both before and after her death?"
Clearly, no matter how he tried to persuade her, Yi Shangyun couldn't stop crying.
Young Master Yi was starting to get impatient, but he still tried to suppress his emotions and said, "You really can't keep crying like this. Aren't you worried about the baby in your belly? As the saying goes, a mother and child are connected at heart. Don't you understand?"
How could Yi Shangyun not understand?
But she felt so suffocated inside; there were so many things she hadn't had a chance to say, and now she would never have the chance again.
She still harbors resentment about why he couldn't wait for her; she had clearly told him herself that she would definitely take him away.
But why won't he listen?
So all she could do was tell Young Master Yi, "Young Master, I'm really so sad, so very sad."
"I know you're sad, I know, I'll always be with you, don't be afraid..." Young Master Yi finally hugged her tightly with heartache, gently stroking her hair again and again.
Yi Shangyun nestled in his broad embrace, tightly gripping the corner of Yi Sanshao's collar.
Just then, Tuoba Ze suddenly appeared.
He stood abruptly between the two of them, staring at Tuoba Hong's tombstone for quite a while.
His pupils widened slightly as he looked at the two of them in utter disbelief, asking, "What are you doing here? Whose tombstone is this?"
Upon hearing this, the two released each other, and Young Master Yi stood up, supporting Yi Shangyun.
Young Master Yi spoke first: "As you can see, this is... your imperial brother's."
Upon hearing this, Tuoba Ze felt a sudden buzzing in his head.
After a while, once she had calmed down a bit, she shifted her gaze to Yi Shangyun, who was quietly wiping away her tears, and asked, "Shouldn't you tell me what happened?"
At this moment, Young Master Yi strode forward and stood in front of Yi Shangyun, saying to Tuoba Ze, "This has nothing to do with her. Don't make things difficult for her. If you have any problems, come at me."
How could Tuoba Ze not know that ever since the fall of the Northern Lie Kingdom, his younger brother's eyes and heart had been filled with nothing but thoughts about this woman?
So he stared intently into Yi Shangyun's eyes, wanting her to give him an explanation in person.
Seeing that Tuoba Ze and Yi Sanshao were arguing because of him.
After thinking for a moment, Yi Shangyun reached out and pulled back the arm that Young Master Yi was using to block her way.
Young Master Yi shook his head at her, indicating that he would handle the matter.
However, Yi Shangyun smiled at him and said, "Third Young Master, this matter should be settled. Let me handle it myself!"
Young Master Yi firmly disagreed, saying, "No, Tuoba Ze is truly cunning and dangerous. Don't be afraid, girl, I'll take care of everything, don't worry!"
Yi Shangyun persisted, saying, "Third Young Master..."
Helpless, Young Master Yi could only slowly release his grip.
At this moment, Yi Shangyun walked around Yi Sanshao and stepped forward to persuade him, "Alright, stop arguing."
He then approached Tuoba Ze and said, "Your Highness, may I speak with you in private?"
Seeing that the two were really about to leave, Young Master Yi worriedly tried to persuade her to stay one last time: "Girl, don't go..."
But Yi Shangyun turned back and gave him a slight smile before leaving on her own.
The two came to a small river, where a shepherd was grazing his flock on the opposite bank.
As Yi Shangyun looked at the flocks of sheep running freely across the land, she recounted to them everything that had happened during this period.
After hearing her words, he realized how much suffering Tuoba Hong had endured.
For a moment, Tuoba Ze was so angry that his teeth itched, and he clenched his fists tightly.
Finally, he said with suppressed emotion, "In the end, he still lost his life for you."
Yi Shangyun said apologetically, "I'm so sorry..."
Unexpectedly, Tuoba Ze suddenly raised his voice and roared angrily at him.
"What's the use of 'I'm sorry'? Will 'I'm sorry' bring him back to life? My brother, Tuoba Ze's brother, from childhood to adulthood, only I could bully him, no one else could! But he suffered so much in the Qin Palace for you, enduring countless hardships and humiliations, and even lost his life..."
"You..." As he spoke, he pointed two fingers at the front of Yi Shangyun's nose.
This time, Yi Shangyun was indeed startled, and her already frail body trembled involuntarily.
Tears welled up in Tuoba Ze's eyes.
This really surprised her.
But he didn't say anything, like a child who had done something wrong, waiting for the unknown punishment to come.
Seeing that Tuoba Ze was lost in thought for a long time, it was unclear what he was thinking.
Yi Shangyun then asked cautiously, "What...are you thinking about?"
After a pause, Tuoba Ze suddenly turned around, looked at her face seriously, and said solemnly, "He died because of you, so you should stay and atone for your sins until I am satisfied. This is what you owe me."
Upon hearing this, Yi Shangyun stared at him, utterly shocked, and exclaimed, "I..."
"You mean..."
"You want me..."
"To stay by your side?"
Tuoba Ze deliberately took two steps forward, almost bumping into her nose, and asked her, "What? You don't want to?"
Seeing the hesitation in Yi Shangyun's eyes, Tuoba Ze continued, "It's alright, you have the right to refuse. But if you refuse, then I will announce to the world that the Princess Qin has faked her death and that she is still alive and well."
Upon hearing this, Yi Shangyun nervously refused, saying, "No...don't."
So he quickly made a decision: "Okay, I agree."
However, he also made a request: "But I also have a condition."
This did indeed surprise Tuoba Ze: "A person awaiting punishment dares to make demands? Let's hear what he has to say..."
Yi Shangyun said, "I can stay, but from now on, you must listen to me in everything."
Upon hearing this, Tuoba Ze suddenly lowered his head and began to scrutinize her entire body. After a while, he said with a strange look in his eyes, "You mean... perhaps you want to be with me..."
Yi Shangyun interrupted her thoughts: "Don't overthink it. I just feel indebted to the Second Prince. So, I don't want your fate to be too tragic, and I want to lend you a hand!"
Tuoba Ze seemed unable to believe his ears, asking, "Did I hear that right? I need you to lend a hand? What right do you have?"
Yi Shangyun said confidently, "I say I have it, and I have it. You can choose not to believe me, or refuse to cooperate with me, but with your current strength, if the Crown Prince of Nan'an wants to take me away, do you think you can still stop him?"
"Okay, I'll trust you this once."
Tuoba Ze asked curiously, "And what about you? What do you want?"
Yi Shangyun looked down at her belly, which she was gently stroking with one hand, and said, "I need you to absolutely guarantee my safety and let me give birth to this child safely..."
After careful consideration, Tuoba Ze concluded that compared to Mei Xiyuan, Yi Shangyun was clearly more helpful to him, so he finally agreed: "Okay, deal!"
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