A month ago, Zhao Yu had already sent someone to give the news that Beiyan would send another delegation to negotiate peace.

Although Zhao Yu and Qin Shuhuai had already signed the agreement privately, such a major matter still had to be made public so that the people and lower-level officials would be informed.

Of course, Qin Shuhuai knew the most important reason in his heart. Since Qin Peng was here, Zhao Yu would definitely come again.

The itinerary of the Northern Yan delegation was reported step by step all the way, but delays were inevitable. For example, the last report was only made, and it came so quickly that Qin Shuhuai was somewhat caught off guard.

Now the whole city was under martial law, and the Northern Yan envoys were blocked outside. They needed Qin Shuhuai's warrant to open the city gates. In matters between the two countries, they could not lose courtesy and face, so Qin Shuhuai could only say, "Let the Ministry of Rites prepare, and let Duke Chengguo lead people to open the city gates to welcome the envoys."

"My Lord..." the palace maid whispered, "This time... the Northern Emperor is here too."

Hearing this, Qin Shuhuai stopped in his tracks. He looked up at Duke Cheng. After a moment, he nodded and said, "I'll go and meet him in person."

After saying that, Qin Shuhuai rushed to the city gate.

The people prepared by the Ministry of Rites were already standing at the gate. When Qin Shuhuai got off the carriage, the Minister of Rites Kong Qian immediately came over and said respectfully, "Your Majesty."

"Is everything arranged?"

Qin Shuhuai raised his eyes, and Kong Qian nodded and said, "Everything is ready. The envoys from Northern Yan will rest in the pavilion outside the palace and wait for the prince."

Qin Shuhuai nodded, stood at the city gate, asked someone to report to the Northern Yan delegation, and then led his men to stand in front of the city gate according to their positions.

The Beiyan envoys received the news of Qin Shuhuai's arrival and set off to rush over. Beiyan brought 5,000 people on this tour, which was unprecedented. Qin Shuhuai specially added troops around Xuanjing. Before, no one knew that Zhao Yu was also in the envoys, and there were some objections to such a deployment of troops. Now that they know it, Qi can only admire Beiyan's courage.

Not every monarch has the courage to go directly to the capital of another country to negotiate.

However, in addition to admiration, everyone also had some concerns and doubts in their hearts. After all, a problem that required a monarch to come in person to discuss must not be a trivial matter.

The delegation stopped in front of the city gate, and the people in the front line dispersed neatly to the back. A luxurious carriage slowly moved forward and stopped in front of Qin Shuhuai. The servants hurried forward and put down the steps to the side of the carriage. The maid opened the curtain from inside, and a handsome young man leaned out of the carriage.

Northern Yan regarded bright red as its national color and the color of the emperor. The visitor wore a crown with twelve tassels, a bright red long gown with wide sleeves, a plain gauze inner garment, and a black skirt. He also wore a dark red knee-length apron, a large white silk belt, and a fine mutton-fat jade, and wore red shoes.

He was naturally handsome and gorgeous, and looked even more beautiful against the red background. However, his face was calm and cold, and he carried an invisible aura of nobility that made people feel oppressive and did not allow people to have any extra thoughts.

As soon as he appeared, everyone bowed respectfully. Only Qin Shuhuai stood calmly in front, holding a tablet in his hand, and bowed slightly, saying, "Qin Shuhuai, the King of Huai'an of Southern Qi, is here on the order of the Emperor to welcome the Northern Emperor. May the Northern Emperor be safe and sound."

Hearing this, Zhao Yu raised the corner of his mouth: "Prince Huai'an, long time no see."

Qin Shuhuai stood up and said calmly, "It's only been two months, which is not that long."

Zhao Yu smiled and was about to say something when Kong Qian came up to him and said politely, "I have met the Northern Emperor. I am Kong Qian, the Minister of Rites of Southern Qi. I am in charge of arranging the Northern Emperor's itinerary. If the Northern Emperor has any questions, he can ask me at any time. The Northern Emperor must be tired from the journey. Does he need to rest immediately?"

Zhao Yu turned to look at Kong Qian, nodded and said, "Master Kong is right. I am a little tired."

He spoke in a calm voice, and even when talking to a minister, he seemed to be particularly patient, which made it difficult for people to have any bad feelings towards him. Although everyone knew that he was the emperor of Northern Yan, they could not help but develop a good impression of him in these few words.

Qin Shuhuai has always known that Zhao Yu is such a man of great social skills, so he was not surprised. He nodded and said, "Then I will lead Beidi to his residence."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Zhao Yu smiled and said, "Your Majesty, I am an old acquaintance. Why don't we chat for a while in the car?"

Qin Shuhuai looked up at him, and Zhao Yu met his gaze with a smile. After a long while, Qin Shuhuai slowly said, "It is better to obey than to be respectful."

After saying that, Qin Shuhuai got on Zhao Yu's carriage. Zhao Yu dismissed the maid and left the two of them sitting on the left and right sides of the carriage.

The carriage started again. Outside, there was a commotion of people evacuating. Zhao Yu looked at Qin Shuhuai, who was sitting upright opposite him. His expression immediately turned cold and he asked directly, "Where is my sister?"

"Shouldn't you know that?"

Qin Shuhuai raised his eyes to look at him calmly: "You came here for her, have you found out everything you need to know?"

"Why do you think I rushed here at all costs?" This time, Zhao Yu seemed particularly calm. He looked at Qin Shuhuai and said calmly, "Qin Shuhuai, I told you that you don't have the ability to protect her."

These words pierced Qin Shuhuai's heart. However, every time Zhao Yu said this in the past, he could instantly think of the scene when he knelt in front of Zhao Yu, and he could think of Qin Peng dying in his arms, and him hugging her tightly and crying loudly. But this time, he only felt a slight tremor in his heart, and was able to face Zhao Yu's questioning calmly.

"This time," he spoke slowly. This was always the way he spoke, carefully considering every sentence. But this time, wasn't he just carefully considering it?

It was as if he had used everything he had to inlay and chisel on that sentence, and every word was as valuable as a thousand pieces of gold: "I will protect her well."

"Protect her to be imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison, protect her from being demoted to a commoner?"

Zhao Yu laughed out loud: "Qin Shuhuai, you are really capable."

Qin Shuhuai did not reply. Zhao Yu was telling the truth and he had nothing to say.

Zhao Yu looked at Qin Shuhuai's calm appearance for a long time, then slowly said: "I didn't come here to cause trouble for you this time. We have been arguing for many years."

This was beyond Qin Shuhuai's expectation. He was a little confused. Zhao Yu looked at him and said seriously: "This time, I want to beg you."

"What do you want?"

"Please," Zhao Yu's eyes were full of determination, "Since you can't protect her, please return my sister to me."

Hearing this, Qin Shuhuai couldn't help laughing.

"You are asking for trouble by telling me that you want to take my wife away from me."

"You want her to be well, don't you?"

Zhao Yu did not lose his temper; every word he spoke was spoken with great earnestness.

"I also want her to live a good life. I want her to be peaceful, calm, happy, and live a good life. My sister never asks for much, you always knew that, didn't you?"

Zhao Yu's words left him speechless. He opened his mouth but found that he could not reply.

Qin Peng never asked for much. If she had not been born in an imperial family, if she were an ordinary person, it would indeed be a simple wish. If Qin Peng did not stay with him, did not stay in Nanqi, it would not be difficult for Zhao Yu to protect her with his identity and ability.

"Qin Shuhuai, my sister has already given up her life for you once." Zhao Yu's tone was filled with suppressed grief: "I was about to ascend the throne that year, and she could get what she wanted immediately, but she gave up everything for you. This time, can you let her live a good life for once?"

Qin Shuhuai remained silent.

He suddenly realized that he was so selfish.

He loved her and couldn't leave her, so he stubbornly imprisoned her by his side, no matter whether she was doing well or not.

But he kept all these thoughts in his heart, and his face always remained calm, making it impossible to tell his true nature.

Seeing Qin Shuhuai's indifference, Zhao Yu smiled. With bitterness in his eyes, he slowly said, "Qin Shuhuai, you really won't give up until you see the Yellow River, and you won't cry until you see the coffin. You won't be satisfied until you kill my sister again, right?"

"I told you," Qin Shuhuai looked at him coldly, "I will protect her well."

Zhao Yu sneered, said "It's up to you", and said nothing more.

The carriage arrived at the mansion where Zhao Yu was resting. This was a courtyard specially used by Nanqi to receive distinguished guests. Zhao Yu was led in by Kong Qian, and Qin Shuhuai did not follow.

When night fell, he went to the prison again.

In the sky prison, Qin Peng was painting a peach tree. Qin Shuhuai recognized it as the one they loved to climb the most in the backyard of the palace when they were children.

At that time, the two of them sat on the tree, looking at the Northern Yan Palace side by side.

Qin Peng once asked him how big the Beiyan Palace was.

He said, very big.

She asked, how long will it take to get out?

He thought about it and told her that some people only needed to go out in a quarter of an hour, because they could go out by riding on a steed through the Xuanwu Gate. However, some people had to spend a lifetime to go out. Even after a lifetime, they might not be able to go out.

He stood behind Qin Peng, watching her finish painting the flowers on the peach tree, and couldn't help but say, "You have always hated the Beiyan court."

Qin Peng turned to look at him, with a strange look in his eyes: "Why are you talking about this suddenly?"

Qin Shuhuai looked at her, his expression uncertain: "If you hate it, why do you still paint it?"

Qin Peng blew the ink on the painting and said calmly: "When I say I hate it, it's because you are by my side. When I paint him, it's because I suddenly miss you."

Qin Shuhuai was slightly stunned. Qin Peng looked at the peach tree with a gentle gaze.

"Thinking about it later, even though I hate the Northern Yan Palace, if that is where I was bound to meet you and A-Yu, then... it is not unacceptable."

Those words were like a spring breeze or warm water, brushing across the frozen ice of winter and melting the accumulated snow.

Qin Shuhuai couldn't help but hug her from behind and buried his head in her shoulders: "Do you regret meeting me?"

"I regretted it," Qin Peng answered truthfully. Qin Shuhuai's body stiffened, but he heard her say, "Later I thought about it and realized that if I had never met you, I would have regretted it even more."

Qin Shuhuai hugged her tightly.

He thought, it's not that he is really too selfish or bad, but this person is born to make you hard to let go.

Qin Peng noticed his mood and couldn't help but look back at him: "What's wrong?"

"It's okay," Qin Shuhuai smiled, "Ayu is here, I'm a little scared."

"What are you afraid of?"

"I'm afraid he'll take you away."

Qin Shuhuai spoke sincerely. Qin Peng was slightly stunned, but then he smiled.

"Don't be afraid," she said in a gentle voice, "He can't take me away. As for me," she smiled, "I have been Madam Qin for a long time, haven't I?"

Qin Shuhuai was also amused by her.

All the anxieties were like wrinkles in clothes, being gently smoothed out.

Qin Shuhuai stayed with Qin Peng for a while and left soon after.

After he left, Qin Peng put away the painting and prepared to rest.

However, in the middle of the night, she heard hurried footsteps coming from outside. Qin Peng stood up suddenly and opened her eyes, and saw Zhao Yu hurriedly walking to the door of the cell and anxiously said, "Sister, I'm here to see you."

Qin Peng was stunned for a moment, then reacted: "How could you get in here?!"

Zhao Yu hadn't thought that Qin Peng would question him first. Before he could understand what was going on, he saw Qin Peng frowning and asking in a cold voice, "Are you related to the people from the Dali Temple?"

Zhao Yu didn't say anything, but after a while, he smiled.

"Zhao Peng," his brows were covered with frost and snow, his eyes were like the ripples of a cold pond, cold and desolate. He looked at her with disappointment in his eyes: "Don't you really think you are the eldest princess of Qi?"

Qin Peng raised his hand to tuck his hair behind his ears and said calmly: "Ayu, if it didn't involve the two countries, you would be my brother for the rest of your life."

"But if it involves two countries," she looked up at him with a chilling gaze, "I am indeed the eldest princess of Southern Qi."

"You're ridiculous!"

Zhao Yu suddenly raised his voice: "You were born and raised in Northern Yan. How many years have you been a Qi citizen?"

He approached the cell door and asked in a low voice, "Five years? Seven years? Ten years? You have become a Qi citizen?!"

"Ah Yu..." Qin Peng's voice softened. Looking at the agitated young man in front of him, he said helplessly, "You shouldn't have come."

"As the monarch of Northern Yan," Qin Peng said, his heart aching, "I shouldn't have come here."

"I shouldn't have come," Zhao Yu calmed down, his eyes full of her, "but you are here, I have to come. Wherever you are, through mountains of swords and seas of fire, I have to go. Not to mention that you are imprisoned now, even if you are living a luxurious life in Southern Qi, I have to come."

As he spoke, his expression gradually became firm. He looked at her through the cage, just like when they were young and they were bullied. She came back injured and he stood guard at the door of the cold palace, watching her.

"Sister," he stretched out his hand, his eyes full of persistence and care: "I'm here to take you home."