Golden eagle! The Northern Di people were famous for domesticating golden eagles as messengers and game birds!
Xiao Chengyu's heart skipped a beat: Could it be that Qi Mingxuan was rescued by the golden eagle after falling off the cliff and taken to the Northern Barbarians? Then who is this person who looks so much like him?
She suddenly remembered a rumor: the Northern Barbarians possessed a secret art that could alter a person's appearance, making them strikingly similar to another. However, this art was extremely dangerous, and most victims did not live past three years.
If this "Qi Mingxuan" is a spy sent by the Northern Di, then the real Qi Mingxuan may still be in the hands of the Northern Di!
This idea filled her with both fear and anticipation. She feared the unfathomable depths of the Northern Barbarians' conspiracy, but she hoped that Qi Mingxuan might actually still be alive.
The next day, she deliberately discussed border military affairs with her bodyguards in front of "Qi Mingxuan," revealing false information that troops would be reinforced in a certain location. Sure enough, that very night they discovered him secretly passing messages out.
Xiao Chengyu did not alert the enemy, but instead sent people to secretly follow the messenger and, following the clues, found a Northern Di spy network.
When it was time to close the net, she personally led her men to surround "Qi Mingxuan's" residence.
"Yu'er, what are you doing?" He asked, looking bewildered.
Xiao Cheng said coldly, "There's no need to act anymore. You are not Qi Mingxuan at all."
His expression changed, then he laughed and said, "Yu'er, are you too tired? Why are you talking nonsense?"
“Qi Mingxuan’s pulse in his left hand is different from that of ordinary people because of an old injury. But you,” she stared into his eyes, “your pulse in both hands is exactly the same.”
He was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "I knew I couldn't hide it from you." His voice had changed; it was no longer Qi Mingxuan's. "But you're too late. The real Qi Mingxuan is indeed still alive, but in our hands. If you want him to live, do as we say."
Xiao Chengyu's heart tightened, but his expression remained unchanged: "Why should I believe you?"
He took something out of his pocket—it was the jade pendant that Qi Mingxuan never parted with: "Is this enough proof?"
Upon seeing the jade pendant, Xiao Chengyu almost lost her balance. It was a token of love that she had personally carved and given to Qi Mingxuan, and he had vowed never to part with it.
"What do you want?" she asked, trying to remain calm.
“It’s very simple,” he smiled. “Open the three border cities and allow Northern Di merchants to travel freely.”
Xiao Chengyu sneered inwardly: This seemingly commercial exchange is actually opening the door wide for Northern Di spies.
What if I refuse?
"Then you can just wait to collect the real Qi Mingxuan's corpse." He said casually, as if he were talking about something insignificant.
Xiao Chengyu remained silent for a long time before suddenly saying, "Alright, I agree. But I need to see proof that Mingxuan is safe and sound first."
"Three days later, you will receive a letter from him in person." After saying this, blood suddenly trickled from the corner of his mouth, and he collapsed and died—he had already taken poison.
Looking at his corpse lying on the ground, Xiao Chengyu was filled with mixed emotions. Although this was an imposter, the time they had spent together had made her occasionally feel as if the real Qi Mingxuan had returned.
Now, hope has been rekindled: Qi Mingxuan may really be alive! But at the same time, an even greater crisis is looming: the Northern Di are using him as a hostage to coerce her into betraying the interests of the country.
She immediately summoned her trusted ministers for a secret consultation. Opinions were divided: some advocated rescuing Qi Mingxuan at all costs; others believed that they should not compromise on this, otherwise there would be endless troubles.
Just as the debate was raging, an urgent report came from the border: the Northern Di army was making unusual movements and seemed to intend to move south!
Beset by internal and external troubles, Xiao Chengyu found herself in an unprecedented dilemma. As a wife, she longed to save her beloved husband; as a princess, she had to protect the Liang dynasty.
In the dead of night, she went alone to Qi Mingxuan's favorite study, touched the brushes, ink, paper and inkstones he used, and tears streamed down her face.
"Mingxuan," she murmured to herself, "if you were here, what would you do?"
As if in response to her question, a gust of wind blew open a military treatise on the table. As the pages turned, she saw a line of annotation that Qi Mingxuan had once written: "Major national affairs should not be neglected for personal reasons."
Xiao Chengyu suddenly realized. Yes, if it were Qi Mingxuan, he would never harm the country for his own selfish reasons.
She wiped away her tears, and her gaze became firm again.
The next morning at court, she announced her decision: to reject the Northern Di's threats, strengthen border defenses, and send an elite squad to secretly infiltrate the Northern Di to find an opportunity to rescue Qi Mingxuan.
The court officials were shocked; none of them had expected her to make such a difficult choice.
After court, Xiao Chengrui found her: "Yu'er, are you really sure? What if..."
“There’s no chance of anything going wrong.” Xiao Chengyu’s gaze was resolute. “I believe Mingxuan will also support this decision. Moreover,” she looked into the distance, “I believe he is still alive, waiting for me to rescue him somewhere. But I cannot gamble with the fate of the Great Liang.”
On the very night she made this difficult decision, an unexpected person requested an audience—Xie Ling'er.
“Princess,” Xie Ling’er said solemnly, “this humble woman may have a way to save the prince consort.”
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