From the moment she set out under the stars and moon, a gentle breeze caressed her face, and her feet trod on the morning dew. Yi Shangyun, carrying only a few simple old clothes she had worn at the Yi Mansion before her marriage, was making her way alone to Yanfu Temple to meet Dingxiang.
She felt very depressed throughout the journey.
As he walked, he muttered to himself, "They don't believe me, they actually doubt me. Turns out I'm the biggest fool in the world, actually believing your nonsense."
She had already given up everything and entrusted everything to Xuan Yuanhan, but Xuan Yuanhan distrusted her so much that he sent people to follow and monitor her.
At this moment, she even began to doubt whether her initial choice was right.
Actually, she didn't close her eyes at all last night.
If he had just apologized and tried to appease her, perhaps she wouldn't have been so heartbroken.
However, he turned his back on her and ignored her.
Just three days after their wedding, this same thing happened twice on the same day.
She knew that at first he was just being stubborn and hadn't really fallen asleep, but in the end, he really ignored her and fell asleep on his own.
As she thought about it, tears welled up uncontrollably. She quickly looked up at the sky above, hoping to swallow them back down.
But the frustrating thing is, I started missing him again as soon as I left him.
Who can understand such contradictory and complex feelings?
"Xuanyuan Han, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you! You big idiot, you're not worth my tears at all! I never want to see you again!"
With this thought in mind, she turned to the tranquil lake beside her and shouted those words aloud, as if she were making a firm decision for her wavering heart.
After shouting it out, the frustration in my heart seemed to lessen considerably.
So she rubbed her hands together, perked up, and began to walk with light steps, quickening her pace.
Soon, we arrived at Yanfu Temple.
Standing at the doorway, after tidying up her slightly disheveled clothes, Yi Shangyun encouraged herself, saying, "Believe in yourself, you can do it!"
After saying that, he reached out and pushed the door open to enter.
In an instant, everyone in the courtyard turned to look at her.
And there seemed to be something different about that gaze than before.
As she continued to cautiously venture further in, puzzled, suddenly everyone in the courtyard bowed and knelt before her, shouting, "Your Highness, may you live a thousand years!"
Where had Yi Shangyun ever encountered such a scene? So many people were bowing to her with such great respect. She widened her beautiful phoenix eyes in astonishment and asked, "What are you all doing? Get up, get up, get up and let's talk this out."
At this moment, Dingxiang smiled and stepped forward to her side, explaining, "They already know that you are the current Queen Consort of the King of Qin! When they were in their homeland, they were greatly harassed by the Northern Lie Kingdom. Fortunately, His Highness the King of Qin protected them, which allowed them to live in peace. Therefore, they have great respect for the King of Qin, and naturally, they also respect you because of him."
Upon hearing this, Yi Shangyun could only give everyone a helpless look and laugh, "Hehe..."
Then, he dodged aside and grabbed Dingxiang, taking her to a secluded corner.
Dingxiang had already noticed the bundle slung over Yishang's shoulder and seemed to have guessed what was going on, so she asked to confirm, "Your Highness, you don't really intend to come to Yanfu Temple to treat the disaster victims, do you?"
Now that Yi Shangyun had left the mansion with a letter, he had no way out. So he patted his chest and said, "Of course, a gentleman's word is as good as his bond. I have never broken my promise!"
Dingxiang slowly looked around at the dozen or so wise men in white robes in the courtyard, and said with a helpless expression, "But Your Highness, your status is now noble, unlike before. You really don't need to suffer like this! Besides, you see, even I am almost useless in Yanfu Temple now. I'm afraid that I will be forced to return to the palace soon..."
Yi Shangyun then noticed that there were more people in the crowd today, and asked in confusion, "What's going on? Who are they all?"
Dingxiang said with great admiration, "These people are all top-notch experts in their respective fields of folk medicine. Even the richest and most powerful officials might not be able to invite them if they are not destined to do so."
Upon hearing this, Yi Shangyun couldn't help but think that she still had no idea how to allocate the money for disaster relief. So she said with great concern, "Then the medical fees for these people must be very expensive!"
She paused, feeling quite embarrassed, but she had no choice but to speak weakly, "Dingxiang, to be honest, I was just about to discuss with you whether we could..."
Just then, Dingxiang suddenly said, "The fees for these expert doctors have already been paid. They will stay here until all the disaster victims have recovered."
"What? The consultation fee has already been paid?"
Upon hearing this, Yi Shangyun's eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at Dingxiang's face.
Dingxiang then added, "Your Highness, that's not all. Yanfu Temple is currently well-supplied with supplies. Someone delivered a large quantity of medicinal herbs and other provisions last night, and the temple's storerooms are already full, all of which are listed on our inventory. So, Your Highness, you no longer need to worry about this!"
For a moment, Yi Shangyun was completely stunned by the news.
After regaining her senses, she hurriedly asked Dingxiang, "Who is this donor? They are so generous!"
Dingxiang, also looking curious, said, "It's anonymous."
Yi Shangyun was even more astonished: "What? Anonymous? Such a large donation, and it's still anonymous?"
Dingxiang nodded in response.
"Who exactly is this person?" Yi Shangyun was wondering to herself when suddenly a "gurgling" sound came from her stomach.
Dingxiang smiled upon hearing this and said, "Has Your Highness not had breakfast yet?"
Yi Shangyun got angry at the thought of Xuan Yuanhan, so she pouted and said pitifully, "Um... don't even mention it. We started rushing here before dawn, and in our haste, we forgot to bring any dry food..."
Dingxiang thought for a moment and said, "How about I take Your Highness to try the vegetarian noodles at the temple? The vegetarian noodles at Yanfu Temple are the best in the entire Western Qin Kingdom."
Yi Shangyun quickly reached out and supported Dingxiang's arm, smiling as she said, "Well, then I must eat two bowls. You have no idea how hungry I am!"
Upon hearing this, Dingxiang said in utter surprise, "What? In such a vast Qin Prince's mansion, surely you wouldn't let your mistress go hungry?"
The cloud-like figure on the robe said, "What kind of lousy mistress is she? I don't care. Whoever cares can be her."
Dingxiang teased her, "Are you really willing to part with him? His Highness Prince Qin is the man every woman dreams of!"
"We're willing to give it up," the two said with a smile, and happily walked towards the backyard together.
Time flies.
Before I knew it, more than half a month had passed.
Ever since Yi Shangyun stormed off, Xuan Yuanhan felt extremely guilty, but also utterly helpless.
So, whenever it was late at night, he would arrive as scheduled, coming directly to Yunshui Pavilion after returning from outside.
He carefully examined every place and every object, downstairs and upstairs, inside the room, and everything related to it, recalling the figure of Yun Zai on his clothes.
I couldn't help but imagine her earnestly writing at her desk, meticulously preparing medicine, and quietly turning the pages of a book while listening to the rain pattering on the banana leaves outside...
Of course, there was also the self-righteousness when he was angry with himself, and the tender and intimate physical contact he had with her every time.
But all of this suddenly seemed to be getting further and further away from him, becoming more and more blurry. He tried desperately to think about it, but he still couldn't understand it anymore.
For a moment, he felt so sad he could hardly breathe, but he had to keep holding back because he couldn't selfishly deprive her of her freedom and choice.
Clearly, she was not a canary that could be hidden away at will.
Just then, Cheng Liang slowly walked in.
"Your Highness is clearly going crazy with longing for the Princess every day, and you can only feel at ease when you see the Princess at Yanfu Temple every night, so why do you only watch from afar and not show yourself?"
Upon hearing this, Xuanyuan Han said in a deep voice, "What good is it to want to see her? Do you think she will willingly come back with me?"
Thinking about the hardships Xuan Yuanhan had endured these past few days, Cheng Liang felt indignant on behalf of his master and said angrily, "They've only been married for three days, and she just abandons her husband and runs off to some temple to treat disaster victims. Your Highness has already gone to great lengths to find those top-notch doctors willing to help save people, and has even anonymously donated enough supplies to meet all the needs of Yanfu Temple. What's the point of her staying there?"
Recalling the words Yi Shangyun left behind, Xuan Yuanhan could understand her: "She is right. Now, facing those disaster victims, she feels the same way as I do. She knows that every war will result in countless deaths and injuries, but she still has no choice but to fight."
Cheng Liang argued, "The reason we chose to fight is to spare more people the harm caused by war."
Xuanyuan Han, standing in place of Yi Shangyun, said, "But isn't what she's facing now also a war without gunpowder?"
Whenever I think of her body and her injuries, I feel a pang of self-reproach and inner turmoil: "She herself is covered in both new and old wounds, yet she still fights for the lives of others. She is just a weak woman, yet she wrote the unprecedented and unparalleled 'Treatise on Desertification Control,' leaving even Grand Tutor Wen with nothing to criticize and admitting his inferiority. Cheng Liang, you have followed me for over ten years, do you know less about the ravages of sandstorms in the Northwest than Yun'er? How much can you actually do?"
Upon hearing this, Cheng Liang naturally admitted his inferiority and silently lowered his head.
At this moment, Xuanyuan Han suddenly spoke up and exclaimed, "My queen has never disappointed me. She is truly a mysterious force in my Western Qin Kingdom and a worthy protector of the people!"
After saying that, he glanced at the sky and said to Cheng Liang, "Alright, it's getting late, you should go and get some rest too!"
"Yes, Your subordinate takes his leave!"
After Cheng Liang left, Xuan Yuanhan slowly walked over, lifted the hem of his robe, and sat down on the edge of the couch. He reached out and stroked the cloud pattern on his robe, muttering to himself, "If you really were as you said, only protecting me and our family, how wonderful that would be!"
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