The two were standing close together, his breath brushing against her ear. Chu Changning instinctively pushed him away and stood up.
Helian Ye raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Why are you so nervous?"
Chu Changning rolled his eyes and said bluntly, "Young Master, you don't need to tease me. The thirty-six kingdoms of the Western Regions send countless beauties to the royal court every year. They're not so desperate as to want a married woman."
"Never touched it."
Chu Changning, "---"
That's not what she meant.
"If the young master intends to use me to anger Yan Beimo again---"
Before she could finish speaking, Helian Ye leaned against the peach tree and interrupted her.
"A few days ago, the Gaoche tribe of the Western Regions sent a woman to the emperor of the Central Plains. I heard that the woman was favored by the emperor and slept with him every day."
Chu Changning paused, his expression freezing almost imperceptibly.
“Ah Wan, it’s only been half a year.”
He stared straight at me with a faint smile.
Chu Changning lowered his eyes, walked to the table to eat, and said calmly, "Food and sex are human nature, it's only natural."
She always knew that the emperor's favor could not be trusted.
"You're so open-minded, then why did you have to remain chaste for him?"
Chu Changning glared at him, "You mean you want me to pounce on every man I see?"
Helian Ye was amused by her and went over to sit down.
“When he’s angry, he’s much better than when he’s lying on the bed half-dead.”
Chu Changning was really tired of staying in this small courtyard. After the two finished eating, she discussed with him whether they could go out.
"Even going to the outer towns to see the excitement during the day would be fine. I heard from the Great Shaman that the city is very festive."
Helian Ye tapped her head with his chopsticks in dissatisfaction.
Chu Changning hissed, "It hurts."
"You're always causing me trouble."
Helian Ye said something in a low voice, then told her to pack her luggage.
Where to?
"Didn't you say you didn't want to stay here? Shall I take you back to the Western Regions?"
"---"
Then locking her up in the Western Regions royal court is not as good as keeping her here.
Chu Changning tentatively replied, "I'm much better now. I'll never forget the young master's life-saving grace, and I will definitely repay your kindness in the future."
"Alright, stop with all that insincere talk."
"---" She paused, "Then I won't bother you anymore, I want to leave here---"
"So heartless?"
Chu Changning muttered under his breath, "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have fallen off the city wall and been poisoned."
Her voice was very low, but Helian Ye still heard it.
He raised an eyebrow and said, "It's my fault. How about I dig up Yuwen Hu's corpse and kowtow to apologize?"
"---"
"What kind of twisted sense of humor do you have?"
Helian Ye laughed, "Scared already?"
A faint aroma of tea wafted through the air as a maidservant brought out freshly brewed tea.
Chu Changning asked bluntly, "Young Master, please speak plainly. What will it take for you to let me go?"
Helian Ye thought for a moment, "You still owe me two things. Once you've done them, I'll let you go."
"It's better to speak frankly."
"How about this, come with me on a trip to Northern Xinjiang?"
Chu Changning paused for a moment, then asked, "And the second one?"
"I haven't thought about it yet, we'll talk about it later."
"---" Chu Changning, fearing he was playing a trick, added, "How long will I play with you?"
Helian Ye, "---"
"Is a month enough?"
She nodded. "Okay."
The mountain is shrouded in mist, and sunlight shines through the thin fog, scattering a soft light over the distant flowers and grasses. Birds with outstretched wings skim across the pond, creating ripples.
The two walked down the mountain path, their figures disappearing into the vast green grass.
After descending the mountain, they rode their horses straight to the town.
The northern border region is home to many countries, and the small towns near the border each have their own unique charm. You can see merchants from various countries traveling back and forth, as well as caravans riding camels, all along the streets.
The aroma of strong liquor wafted from the wine shops on both sides of the street, and vendors hawked their wares, creating a lively atmosphere.
Apart from the time he spent in Penglai, Chu Changning had never truly been free.
She led her horse, looking at the bustling and noisy surroundings, standing quietly in place. Countless people walked past her, and everything from the past drifted away in a chaotic mess before her eyes.
“A-Wan”.
A clear voice came from ahead.
Chu Changning paused for a moment, then looked up and saw the boy carrying a lantern in front of her.
"for you."
There are many vendors selling lanterns on the street, including rabbit lanterns, tiger lanterns, long dragon lanterns, and doll lanterns, in all shapes and sizes.
She looked at the phoenix lantern in her hand and spoke.
"Are there artisans in the Western Regions who can make lanterns?"
Helian Ye led her forward, his smile alluring.
"The skills of the people of the Central Plains".
Chu Changning paused, carefully looking around.
This place seemed untouched by the ravages of war. People strolled leisurely in the streets, merchants from neighboring countries bought tools, and caravans from the Central Plains came to the Western Regions to buy spices. The noise rose and fell.
"I have heard that during the reign of the Great Jin Emperor, maritime trade flourished, and it was very convenient for the northern border countries to purchase silk, tea and exquisite porcelain from the Central Plains."
Helian Ye laughed, "But as soon as the Emperor of Great Qi ascended the throne, he built a barrier that was several thousand kilometers long. If the Western Regions wanted to trade south, the sea route was strictly guarded."
"So, is this why the young master has always wanted to march south to wage war?"
He didn't speak, and his expression didn't change.
Chu Changning led the horse forward, saying, "The western part of the Great Qi is plagued by the Quanrong tribe, causing unrest on the border. Furthermore, there are barbarian invasions in the northern part of the Central Plains. There is nothing wrong with him building a city to defend against foreign enemies."
"The Western Regions are vast and the thirty-six kingdoms have submitted to them. If they cease hostilities with the Central Plains, the people of the Western Regions can live in peace and prosperity, and will not have to suffer the hardships of war and displacement."
Helian Ye chuckled, “There are many countries in the northern frontier. In the past, they sent countless pearls, clams, jade, hawksbill turtles, and exotic fruits as tribute to the Central Plains.”
Chu Changning paused, then said no more.
This world is too chaotic. Only the strong have the right to speak. The emperors in the imperial court are focused on expanding their territories. All the kings of the nine provinces are vying for the throne. Who doesn't want to be the overlord of the world?
"Ah Wan, do you know that hundreds of thousands of troops from the Central Plains are pressing on the northern frontier?"
"So the young master actually has the leisure to stroll around here?"
Helian Ye leaned closer to her, "I just want to see Yan Beimo go crazy."
"---"
Chu Changning remained silent, admiring the bustling scene of northern Xinjiang as he strolled along the street.
It was a small town. The two of them wandered around for a while, had a meal at a restaurant, and then left.
Helian Ye said he would take her to see the Green Spring Lake in the northern frontier, to watch the witch pray for rain, and also to Funan to see specially trained white elephants dance.
Emperor Wei had a particular fondness for treasures during his lifetime.
Back then, when the Central Plains was powerful and the Eight Princes had not yet rebelled, the small kingdoms in the northern border regions were frequently presented with rare and exotic animals as tribute from the Central Plains, which were very popular among the upper-class families.
At palace banquets, one often sees dancing elephants, trained beasts, lions, and strange parrots.
This time in the northern border region, Helian Ye took her to several countries.
In Ruoqiang, we admired the Western Region dancers, gazed at the bright moon over the Tianshan Mountains, and witnessed the high skies of the northern frontier, the sounds of pipa and Qiang flute in the western night, and murals of eminent monks.
Beneath the azure sky and the vast rivers and mountains, she traversed the towering peaks and saw an even more expansive world.
The farther she traveled and the more beautiful scenery she saw, the stronger her longing for Ayu became. She wanted to take her son to see all the beautiful landscapes of the country.
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