Liu Shuyan followed Qin Peng back to the house. After Qin Peng had the meal served, he chatted with Liu Shuyan about Qin Ming's studies.

Qin Ming was listening quietly, looking at Qin Peng from time to time. Liu Shuyan was knowledgeable and had experience in military operations. He was not bound by textbooks when he talked about things, and even Qin Peng found it quite beneficial. She nodded, and suddenly felt that Qin Shuhuai had recommended Liu Shuyan at the beginning, perhaps just because Liu Shuyan was suitable?

Thinking of this, she asked directly after dinner: "Last time, Lord Liu told me that he had no relationship with the Regent King. So Lord Liu, what do you think was the reason why the Regent King recommended you?"

At this time, there were no people around, only Qin Ming was eating nearby, so Qin Peng asked directly. Liu Shuyan did not hesitate to answer, and after thinking for a while, he said, "In fact, the Regent King is a very fair person. Even if you have a grudge against him, if you are suitable, he will recommend you."

"Is that so?"

Qin Peng looked at Liu Shuyan suspiciously, and Liu Shuyan smiled and said, "It's good that he and I are not enemies. It's very fair to say this. Otherwise, I would have said something bad about him."

Qin Peng thought Liu Shuyan was interesting, so he chatted with him for a few more words, and then sent him off. When Liu Shuyan left, Qin Peng was about to leave when he felt someone grab his sleeve.

Qin Peng turned around and saw Qin Ming looking at her pitifully.

"What's wrong?" Qin Peng softened his voice, leaned forward, and asked, "What's wrong with you?"

"Sister..." Qin Ming lowered his head and whispered, "Sister, can you sleep with me for one night?"

Qin Peng was stunned for a moment. After Qin Ming finished speaking, he seemed to realize that he had said something wrong, and hurriedly said, "I was just saying it casually. Sister, just think I'm being childish..."

"Just be childish then." Qin Peng felt a little sad when he saw Qin Ming's cautious look.

A nine-year-old child is usually still innocent, but Qin Ming lives so cautiously that he even has to think twice before asking his sister to stay with him.

Qin Peng thought of Zhao Yu back then. At that time, Zhao Yu was much more lively than Qin Ming. She held Qin Ming's hand and said gently, "You are just a child. Tell me what you want. If it's right, I'll give it to you. If it's wrong, I'll tell you, okay?"

"Okay." Qin Ming nodded heavily, hugged Qin Peng, and said seriously: "I want my sister to always be good to me and protect me forever!"

"Of course," Qin Ming raised his head and said with a firm face: "I will also be especially good to my sister and protect her!"

Qin Peng chuckled, walked in with Qin Ming in his arms, pinched Qin Ming's nose and said, "You are so sweet."

"I'm not just being sweet," Qin Ming said anxiously, "I'm serious!"

"I know, I know," Qin Peng coaxed the child, "Our Ah Ming has grown up and will protect me!"

Because Qin Peng was with him, Qin Ming was particularly happy that night. He personally made the bed for Qin Peng, and the two siblings lay together. Qin Peng said gently, "Go to sleep."

Qin Ming was born skinny and small. He looked only six years old at the age of nine. Qin Peng pinched his flesh and muttered, "You should eat more."

"Well, okay, I'll eat more!" Qin Ming responded to Qin Peng's requests very promptly.

Qin Peng smiled, but was a little surprised: "A Ming, will you do everything I say?"

"I will." Qin Ming nodded. After thinking for a while, he reached out and held Qin Peng's hand with his small hand. He looked up at her and said, "So, sister, can you please not leave me? Ah Ming is very obedient."

"Why do you think I will leave you?" Qin Peng was a little surprised. She thought she had buried such thoughts very deeply, but Qin Ming still saw through them. He looked at her face with worry in his eyes and said, "I always feel that sooner or later, my sister will no longer be my sister and will leave me."

"Sister has another family in her heart," Qin Ming leaned against her, his voice a little hoarse, "Sister won't always love me, I know."

"you……"

Qin Peng didn't know what to say. People always say that children are sensitive. She didn't know this before, but now she feels it deeply from Qin Ming.

He may not be able to explain why he feels this way, but his intuition becomes his most accurate judgment.

Qin Peng held him, not knowing what to say. He patted his back gently and slowly fell asleep.

In the middle of the night, Qin Peng was awakened by Qin Ming's crying. She found that Qin Ming was in a nightmare. She woke Qin Ming up, and Qin Ming opened his hazy eyes and threw himself into Qin Peng's arms.

Qin Peng stroked his hair and said gently, "A Ming, what did you dream about?"

"I dreamed that my sister left..."

Qin Ming described his dream with a trembling voice: "There was no sister in the dream. I became the emperor and died soon after."

"They fed me poison and tied a white silk around my neck... My mother cried beside me, very sadly, but I still died..."

Qin Ming was shaking all over, and Qin Peng's emotions were surging.

Qin Ming raised his head, looked at Qin Peng, and said with tears in his eyes: "Sister, please don't leave me, okay?"

Qin Peng didn't dare to speak. She wanted to answer him, but she couldn't.

Saying she would not leave would be a lie to him. She was from Beiyan, and her brother was still waiting for her in Beiyan.

Saying leave is too cruel.

Qin Ming was right. If Zhao Peng hadn't come, if it was really just this Qin Peng, perhaps this would be Qin Ming's fate. After drinking a cup of poisoned wine and killing himself, Qin Shuhuai took the throne openly.

Once she leaves, Qin Shuhuai will definitely eat Qin Ming alive.

The throne should have belonged to Qin Shuhuai. Once Qin Shuhuai's power is consolidated, why would he need a puppet emperor?

But she wouldn't stay in Qi forever just for Qin Ming.

As soon as Qin Peng thought of this, another idea came to his mind - why would he return to Beiyan instead of staying in Qi?

There were only three people she cared about in Beiyan: Zhao Yu, Qin Shuhuai, and Bai Zhi.

Now Qin Shuhuai has become his enemy, Bai Zhi is by his side, and only Zhao Yu is left in Beiyan. But now Zhao Yu's throne is secure, Beiyan is prosperous, and the boy who needed her protection has grown up. Now she has come back from the dead, does he believe it? Even if he believes it, does he need it?

He personally conferred the title of Princess of Zhenguo on her. If Qin Peng goes back, can the family relationship between them stand the test of power and time?

As these questions came up, and Qin Peng met Qin Ming's clear and eager eyes, he suddenly had an absurd idea: "Maybe, it's okay not to go back."

She is already Qin Peng, and this is a fact that cannot be changed. If she wants to become Zhao Peng again, it is destined to be a very difficult road. Moreover, if she returns to Beiyan, there is only Zhao Yu, who doesn't know whether he welcomes her or not; if she stays in Qi, there is her brother Qin Ming who needs her protection and her enemy Qin Shuhuai who is waiting for her to kill. She may even have a home and a child here.

She could definitely have a new life here.

Qin Ming looked at Qin Peng with demanding eyes. Qin Peng didn't know whether it was her original mood or the affection she had for Qin Ming because of his unreserved dependence and trust, but she suddenly wanted to rub Qin Ming's head and then agree to him.

Qin Ming asked again: "Sister, please don't abandon me, okay?"

Qin Peng felt helpless.

She thought that if one day, Qin Ming was forced to death because of her abandonment, she would not be able to bear it.

So she could only answer: "Okay."

"I've grown up with you, don't worry, okay?"

Qin Ming finally felt relieved after receiving Qin Peng's promise. He placed his palm against Qin Peng's and said seriously, "Sister, wait until I grow up. I will get whatever you want."

Qin Ming said it so seriously that Qin Peng was still a little hesitant to calm down. She looked at Qin Ming and inexplicably felt that she had a responsibility towards Qin Ming.

Because Qin Ming had a dream, Qin Peng held him in his arms until he fell asleep in the second half of the night. When he woke up the next day, Qin Peng took Qin Ming to the morning court.

After the case of the governor of Yangzhou murdering his wife was sentenced, the focus of the morning court shifted to the candidate for the governor of Yangzhou. Zhang Ying and Qin Shuhuai's people quarreled to no avail. Instead, the two sides of the dispute bit each other and pulled out a long list of officials with serious crimes. Every day, the historians at the Yushitai were busy submitting memorials. Although there was nothing major in the morning court, it was unusually lively.

Three days later, a heavy rain hit Xuanjing. The rain was so heavy that several places collapsed.

The next morning after the heavy rain, a female corpse was found on the river bank.

The female corpse was so decayed that it was almost reduced to bones. The outer clothes were stained with mud and corroded into tatters, but one could still tell that the clothes were of excellent quality.

She was found in the moat, and people thought that she was originally buried in the mountain, and was washed out by a mountain flood and landslide, and fell into the moat and floated out.

After the female corpse was recovered and her identity confirmed, Qin Peng was talking to the strategist. The strategist said with some worry: "If they find out that the prince was behind Jiang's death..."

"No." Qin Shuhuai spoke decisively, lowered his head, and said with lowered eyes: "Jiang Yi is not dead."

Just as he finished speaking, a servant ran in and said anxiously, "My Lord, the lady from Shuntian Mansion said that she found Madam Jiang's body!"

Qin Shuhuai: "..."