The night sky is dotted with stars, each one blinking diligently, like children vying for attention and shining brighter than the last. Tonight's unprecedented competition seems to shine especially for the happy couple on earth, brighter than ever before.
The leaves rustled in the breeze, as if cheering on the starry night sky in a contest of brilliance, and celebrating wildly with the happy couple.
The bright moon shone through, casting its light on the fragrant meadow, creating a dazzling stage for the happy couple. They were the most radiant protagonists on that stage tonight, enacting the most romantic love story.
After an unknown amount of time, the two intimate people on the grassy forest fell silent, simply enjoying the hard-won moment of mutual reliance and tranquility.
When people who love each other are together, no matter what they do or where they are, they are truly the happiest.
After a long while, Yi Shangyun seemed to suddenly remember something. She nestled against Xuan Yuanhan's chest and suddenly opened her eyes, breaking the silence. She asked, "By the way, Your Highness's mother... is she alright?"
A gentle breeze ruffled the surface. Xuan Yuanhan, holding her in his arms, was busy tightening her cloak when he heard this and suddenly paused. He then took her slender hand in his large hand and held it tightly, while his other hand unexpectedly reached out and gently flicked her smooth forehead, teasingly asking, "What? We're not even married yet, and you're already worried about the mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationship?"
"What are you saying, Your Highness? Yun'er didn't have any! I was just... asking casually!" Yi Shangyun blushed instantly and quickly reached out to touch the spot on her forehead where she had been hit to hide her embarrassment.
Xuanyuan Han then raised his eyes, his gaze lingering on the scene for a long moment, his expression gradually darkening before he spoke…
Having heard everything Xuan Yuanhan said and the suspicions in his heart, Yi Shangyun suddenly sat up and stared into Xuan Yuanhan's deep eyes, feeling quite astonished, and said:
"Does Your Highness suspect that there must be some unspeakable secret between the Emperor and the Empress Dowager that has caused a fatal rift? Otherwise, why would the Empress Dowager outwardly comply with the Emperor's wishes while secretly plotting against the Prince of Qin's residence, and use the young lady of the Western Qin Academy to murder the Imperial Concubine? And why would the Emperor keep Your Highness alive and treat you kindly until now, in order to achieve some unknown purpose? If one day he achieves his goal, Your Highness will no longer be of any use, then wouldn't that be..."
Yi Shangyun was deeply worried about him, but Xuan Yuanhan said calmly, "You don't need to worry about my affairs, but... why are you asking these questions for no reason?"
However, Yi Shangyun did not rush to answer his question, because according to everything Xuan Yuanhan had just said, things were probably not as simple as she thought.
After a moment of silence, she asked again, "Your Highness must also know about the descendants of the vampires and the guardians of Western Qin, right?"
Xuan Yuanhan gave her a serious, deep look, wondering why she would suddenly bring this up out of the blue. However, the matter of the Western Qin Guardians was already widely known throughout the entire Lingkong Continent. It wasn't surprising that she knew about it.
After a moment, he nodded slightly, recalling, "Those were the nobles who protected the true emperors of every generation of the Xuanyuan royal family of Western Qin, but unfortunately..."
As Xuan Yuanhan recounted the details about the Guardians, Yi Shangyun pondered to herself. The Guardians of Western Qin protected the emperors of each dynasty in Western Qin, but this Emperor Jing was rumored to be no wise ruler. He was worlds apart from Qin King Xuan Yuanhan, who was also of the Xuan Yuan royal bloodline. Should she also protect him? Wouldn't that be aiding and abetting evil?
Is this just someone deliberately spreading rumors and making unfounded accusations, or is there really something wrong with Emperor Jing? What exactly caused the rift between the Emperor and the Empress Dowager? And what is the Emperor using His Highness for?
As she pondered, an idea suddenly came to her mind, and she muttered to herself, "'Nothing ventured, nothing gained.' Perhaps, only in this way can we help His Highness uncover the truth behind all of this?"
"'Nothing ventured, nothing gained,' what are you saying?" Yi Shangyun said this in a very soft voice, which Xuan Yuanhan could only vaguely hear, so he wanted to ask again to clarify.
At this moment, Yi Shangyun seemed to have figured out everything and finally came to her senses. With deep affection and heartache, she stroked that cold and lonely face, looked into his eyes, and said, "Your Highness, you must remember that from now on, you will no longer be alone. So no matter what happens in the future, and no matter whether Yun'er will always be by Your Highness's side, for the sake of all living beings and the common people, Your Highness must live well. You must live well, understand?"
Hearing these words, which had never been so warm before, Xuanyuan Han couldn't help but pull her into a tight embrace, resting his chin on her forehead, and said with comfort and affection, "'In life and in death, we made a vow. Holding your hand, we will grow old together.' Of course, I know that you will be a part of my life from now on, and for you, I will take good care of myself. In the future, I also want you to bear me children and continue my lineage..."
Hearing someone who was once so cold and noble speak such tender words in her ear, Yi Shangyun silently said to herself, "Your Highness, Yun'er really wants to be with Your Highness forever, like this, always together, never to be separated..."
But the truth is, so that her beloved will never face that day of great calamity. Just now, she secretly made a very important decision.
Actually, her intention in asking about the Dowager Consort was to surprise Xuan Yuanhan, to tell him that his mother was still alive and hadn't left him. However, as the words reached her lips, Yi Shangyun still harbored some doubts. She wasn't sure how trustworthy the old woman from Peach Blossom Village was. But the matter was of great importance, so she could only probe the truth from Xuan Yuanhan first. And now, it seemed that, based on Xuan Yuanhan's recollections, the old woman's identity and what she said were undoubtedly true.
But upon further reflection, with the overall situation still uncertain, that little-known paradise might be a safer place for the Empress Dowager.
"By the way, what exactly were you trying to say just now?" As she was pondering, Xuan Yuanhan noticed that she still had a furrowed brow and seemed preoccupied, so he couldn't help but ask again.
Having no other choice, and with the words already spoken, Yi Shangyun could only continue making up lies. Without even thinking, she blurted out, "Just now, Yun'er actually wanted to ask, if the Dowager Consort were still alive, would she have liked Princess Qin more, or Yun'er more?"
"Are you jealous?" Upon hearing this, Xuan Yuanhan stared into her eyes and teased her.
"I...I didn't, Your Highness, do you just love making fun of people?" Yi Shangyun realized she had misspoke and lowered her face shyly.
Seeing this, Xuan Yuanhan pursed his lips and greedily embraced her again. He looked up at the bright moon on the treetop, his gaze seemingly infected by it, and said gently, "If Mother were alive, she would definitely like it very much."
Yi Shangyun buried her head deep in Xuan Yuanhan's chest. It was impossible not to be jealous, but what could she do when she had fallen in love with this man? So, she asked softly, "It seems that Your Highness is very fond of Princess Qin?"
"Yun'er, my queen consort, from beginning to end, has only ever been you. Why bother yourself with unnecessary troubles? Princess Yongle is nothing more than a pawn manipulated and used by our motherland. Moreover, she will soon lose her value. How could I bear to wrong you?"
As he spoke, Xuan Yuanhan slowly released his embrace, gently lifted her pointed chin, gazed deeply into her eyes, and then kissed her deeply.
Yi Shangyun's eyes glazed over, and just as she was about to close them, she suddenly caught sight of a dark figure flashing past from the bushes behind Xuan Yuanhan. She abruptly pushed away Xuan Yuanhan's kiss, raised her hand, and pointed in the direction the figure had disappeared, crying out in alarm, "Someone's there, Your Highness! There's someone over there!"
As she spoke, she hurriedly got up and was about to run after him when Xuan Yuanhan grabbed her. Yi Shangyun turned around and was wondering what was going on when suddenly about a dozen men dressed in black appeared out of nowhere, swords in hand, and flew after the figure.
"Who are these people?" Seeing so many men in black clothes suddenly appear and fly over his head in the once quiet forest, Yi Shangyun was startled and quickly stumbled to the side.
Xuanyuan Han quickly put his arm around the waist and explained, "Don't be afraid, they are all my personal guards."
"Hidden Guards? Then they must have seen us just now too..." Upon hearing this, Yi Shangyun opened his mouth wide, his face turning red as he hesitated to speak.
Seeing her shy and bashful appearance, Xuan Yuanhan's lips twitched, and he smiled inwardly. Then, he cleared his throat and said to her in a deliberately serious tone, "Don't worry, they will only see what they are supposed to see, and as for what they accidentally overheard... they will pretend they didn't hear it."
"Huh? There's such a thing?" Upon hearing this, Yi Shangyun immediately covered her face with both hands.
After a moment, Xuan Yuanhan finally gently pried her hand open and held it firmly in his palm: "From now on, with me here, you have nothing to fear?"
Upon hearing this, Yi Shangyun was about to say something when she saw another man in a cloak flash by from another direction. The man seemed to intentionally give her a long look before disappearing into the pitch-black night. Yi Shangyun cried out in alarm at his retreating figure, "Your Highness, there's another one over there!"
Xuanyuan Han turned around and glanced at the fleeing figure, muttering in surprise, "Judging from that back... could it be... Tuoba Ze?"
With this thought in mind, Xuanyuan Han took out a short sword that looked extremely exquisite and valuable and placed it in Yi Shangyun's hand...
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