Yan Beimo listened to her sharp-tongued words and spoke coldly.
"I misunderstood you. You don't know that thief. Were you stabbed by him?"
Chu Changning looked away, sobbing continuously, neither arguing nor agreeing.
Rain pattered against the windowpane outside, creating a somber and oppressive atmosphere inside.
Yan Beimo turned her face away, his voice indifferent.
"Don't cry."
Chu Changning lowered her head, sobbing softly, her delicate shoulders trembling, making her appear pitiful.
When Yan Beimo saw that the wound on her shoulder had reopened, he suppressed his anger, placed her on the couch, and removed the gauze to change the dressing.
"If you want to die in the future, you can stab your heart; you won't die here."
His voice was flat, revealing no change in emotion.
Chu Changning knew he wouldn't pursue the matter, and he was tired of acting, so he closed his eyes, no longer wanting to listen to such beastly words.
After the dressing was changed, both of them fell silent. She lay down to sleep and ignored everyone.
Yan Beimo ordered his men to tidy up the room, and then went to wash up.
Dark clouds loomed, rain and mist lingered, and the vast expanse of the river shimmered with light, while soft sunlight streamed into the cabin through the window.
He went to bed still damp.
Chu Changning rolled up in the blanket and moved further inside.
Yan Beimo disapproved of her actions and reminded her, "Don't sleep like that, it will put pressure on your wound."
Chu Changning didn't want to fall out with him at this critical juncture, so she obediently lay down.
A moment later, she felt a dry heave in her throat and nudged him.
"water."
Yan Beimo glanced at her, paused, and got up to pour her some water.
She still felt unwell after drinking the water, so she asked him to get her some ginger tea.
"Lemon."
She sat on the tatami mat, fussing with him as he fetched this and that.
Yan Beimo saw through her deliberate revenge, handed her a plate of lemons, and said in a sinister tone.
Do you need me to hand you a knife?
Just as Chu Changning was about to reach out, she heard his words, bit her lip, and looked up at him.
Yan Beimo's cold, hard heart faltered slightly when she looked at him like that. He looked away, took a knife, peeled the skin off, and handed it to her.
The thirteen capitals of the Eastern Dynasty were located in the eastern part of the capital, covering a vast area and with thriving trade.
For decades, Prince An had held sway over the east, but Prince Qi suddenly launched an attack on the east, working in concert with General Weiwu to catch him off guard. Meanwhile, the Western Regions also took advantage of the situation to move east, causing chaos in the east.
The northern kings, having failed to conquer Youzhou, set their sights on Chaodong like wolves and tigers.
The Lanling Yan clan has always controlled the capital's territory, except for the thirteen eastern capitals which were occupied by Prince An, and the aristocratic families have never been able to reclaim them.
After Yan Beimo occupied Chaoge in Libei, he maintained a good relationship with Prince An, and the two families remained relatively stable.
But now the east is in chaos, with princes vying for power, which not only affects the thirteen capitals of the east, but also threatens the interests of powerful families.
After Yan Beimo arrived in Chaodong, he was immediately entangled in many matters and frequently received the kings of the northern lands.
Chu Changning rarely saw him, so she often went to the council hall where they held meetings.
She lied that she was waiting for someone, and Night Hawk didn't stop her, often staying for the whole day.
Yan Beimo never avoided her, and always brought her along when discussing matters.
Chu Changning was intelligent; she could read military maps and knew military strategy, and she kept pestering him to go to the army.
Later, when attacking Tuguan, Yan Beimo actually gave her an army, ostensibly to let her take his seed to the battlefield.
Chu Changning, of course, would not let this opportunity pass, so he hid behind the scenes to devise a plan and helped him take down Tu Guan.
Rumors circulated in the military camp that the Marquis of Yan's wife was brave and resourceful, a true female strategist.
Helian Ye was not surprised at all when he heard that Tuguan had been breached.
The strategist beside him, not understanding what he meant, asked him.
"Why doesn't the young master send troops to support him, and instead just watches Tu Pass fall into the hands of the Marquis of Yan?"
Now that Chaodong is in a predicament, they have captured eight cities in succession. They could have continued to attack Tuguan and marched south, so why did they not send troops?
Helian Ye was sitting at his desk, looking at the letter in his hand, and chuckled casually.
"Our goal is the Central Plains. What difference does it make if we give Tu Guan to her?"
"Young Master is truly generous."
Suddenly, the curtain was lifted, and a burly man strode in.
Helian Ye looked up, raised an eyebrow and smiled.
"Why did the Little Khan come in person?"
Ashiletur, the Lesser Khan of the Southern Desert and Ashileyan's elder brother, personally went east two days ago with the aim of killing Yan Beimo and joining forces with the Western Regions to attack the Central Plains.
He strode in and sat down in a chair.
"That bastard Yan Beimo dared to kill my Princess Monan, I will make him pay with his life."
Helian Ye slowly took back the letter and began to discuss the war with him.
The thirteen capitals of the Eastern Kingdom occupied a vast area, but now they are falling apart, and troops from the Western Regions have also become involved. His Majesty in the capital has issued an edict to unite against external threats.
However, the Jin Dynasty was divided between the north and south, and the kings in the north all had their own agendas and were clearly just going through the motions.
Before long, the King of Qi marched straight in, captured Yandu, and occupied most of Chaodong.
With frequent wars and the new emperor having no heir, the court officials submitted several memorials. Finally, in the early winter of the first year of the Great Jin Dynasty, the news of the new emperor's establishment of an empress was proclaimed throughout the nine provinces, and the whole country rejoiced, both inside and outside the palace.
Inside the emperor's bedchamber, the red quilt was turned upside down, and the beautiful cries were melodious.
The tender, lingering moans of the young woman filled the entire magnificent palace.
Within the hazy, misty gauze curtains, two intertwined figures were clearly visible.
Shen Yan stared at the girl's face beneath him, his eyes bloodshot and filled with desire.
Call me by my courtesy name.
Chu Chang Le's cheeks flushed, and her eyes were misty.
She opened her mouth and whispered sweetly.
"Huailing, sinking Huailing--"
Huailing, with his heart set on the world, the nation, and all its people.
Shen Yan looked at her beautiful face and listened to her softly calling his courtesy name, panting heavily.
"Say it a few more times."
Chu Changle hooked her arms around his neck and obediently called out to him.
Her soft, sweet voice was just like before, making Shen Yan's back tremble.
He picked her up and kissed her passionately.
It was as if they were trying to make up for all the gaps in these days.
Kyoto has been freezing cold lately. Beyond the many eaves and long corridors, a palace maid carrying medicine waited outside the palace. After some time, when she heard the noise inside gradually subside, she respectfully spoke.
"Your Majesty, the medicine has arrived."
Shen Yan's eyes darkened slightly upon hearing this unwavering voice.
"Get up."
Chu Changle nudged him.
Shen Yan remained still, holding her and not letting her move.
"I need to take my medicine."
Her voice faded.
Shen Yan knew she was about to get angry, and his deep, cold eyes dimmed slightly as he reluctantly got off her.
Chu Chang Le lifted the gauze curtain, picked up the clothes from the ground and put them on, then ordered someone to come in.
The maidservant who was serving her didn't dare to stay long. After she drank the medicine, she quickly withdrew.
Shen Yan sat boldly on the dragon bed, his eyes fixed on her slender waist and back. He stood up, picked her up from behind, and carried her to the bathing pool behind.
Chu Changle went along with him, hooking her arms around his neck, but remembering that she had just taken medicine, she gave him some instructions.
"Don't come again, I don't want to take my medicine anymore."
Shen Yan lowered her eyes and said, "Then you don't have to drink it."
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