Liu Qinglan put down his hand and looked at the beautiful queen beside him in confusion.
Xie Xuanzhao looked around, then walked to the base of the peach tree. He reached out and touched its trunk, then fiddled with the leaves to confirm that it was a real peach tree. Then he said, "It's really strange that peach blossoms bloom in autumn. Now that we're alone, I'm afraid we can't stay here for long."
"There's no danger here." Seeing her so cautious, Liu Qinglan couldn't help but hold his forehead, and then wanted to pull her back to his side.
Xie Xuanzhao, however, grabbed her wrist with his backhand, put his fingers to her red lips, hushed, and said with a frown, "Listen, there's the sound of an axe dragging the floor."
After hearing what she said, Liu Qinglan came back to his senses from his anxious thoughts of finding love.
The group of friends around him also quieted down and hid in the bushes without making a sound.
The sound of an axe dragging along the ground grew closer. The White Rabbit Spirit whispered, "The hunters of this forest have arrived. We must leave. He won't trouble humans. Just stay by your beautiful queen's side."
Liu Qinglan quickly used her demonic power to spread the word, "Go ahead, go back to your den and don't come out."
After the little animals ran away, Liu Qinglan grabbed the sleeve of the beautiful queen, hid behind her timidly, and asked, "Why did he drag the axe on the ground?" The voice sounded strangely harsh.
Xie Xuanzhao said calmly, "Because the royal family likes to hunt in Huoshan, they employ a group of imperial hunters to guard and manage the area. Now that the emperor has gone into the mountains, they should be staying home awaiting orders. He must have come out now because someone has given him orders. The axe is dragging on the ground to create a commotion."
Liu Qinglan looked ahead and saw that it was indeed a hunter who came as the footsteps approached. He was wearing a tiger-skin skirt around his waist and holding a weapon in his hand.
The royal hunter in charge of this mountainous area naturally recognized the Queen, having seen her from afar at the annual hunting competition.
"Your Majesty, the guards were patrolling here just now and said they found a demonic tree. They ordered me to come and cut down the tree." He saw Xie Xuanzhao in front of him and knelt down to salute him. The sword and axe placed aside flashed with a cold light.
Xie Xuanzhao nodded and said, "Huo Qing, you came at the perfect time. I discovered it too."
When Liu Qinglan heard this, he almost got furious. What? You want to cut down the peach tree!
"Sister Queen, you don't..." Liu Qinglan was so anxious that her tail was about to show. Give me back my love! At this moment, the little fairy Liu almost fainted.
Xie Xuanzhao turned around and quickly shook her hand to reassure her, whispering, "Don't be afraid. Since you brought me here to find the peach blossom, I won't do anything to it."
Liu Qinglan felt a little relieved, and then stopped talking.
Xie Xuanzhao noticed her troubled expression, and a glint flashed in his radiant eyes, but his face remained calm. "I'll get rid of this guy first."
Liu Qinglan nodded vigorously, and suddenly felt like he had someone to lean on.
After Huo Qing finished his greetings and explained his purpose, he picked up the axe from the ground and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, I will obey your orders."
After he finished speaking, he stood up and looked at the two ladies standing in front of the peach tree.
Xie Xuanzhao raised his eyes and said, "No rush."
Huo Qing paused, his face embarrassed. "Your Majesty, this is an order from above. I must obey it. The captain of the guards will be here to inspect it soon."
"Then we'll wait here for the captain of the guards to come, and I'll pass the instructions on. Huo Qing, how is your wife now?" Xie Xuanzhao said lightly, and actually started chatting with the other party about family matters.
Seeing her standing there, Liu Qinglan servilely dragged a large stone to the ground and placed it under the peach tree. Then, she wiped it clean with an embroidered handkerchief and said, "Sister Queen, please sit down and talk."
We must save this peach tree!
The Peach Blossom Demon, hidden deep within the branches, watched the scene with amusement. So this was how the Willow Fairy and the Beauty Queen interacted. She decided to remain silent for now, waiting to see if the Queen was truly as kind and gentle as she had been in the palace, and whether she would allow this little Feifei to be entrusted with her life.
So the Peach Blossom Demon did not move at all, and continued to let the peach blossoms bloom calmly on the branches.
Xie Xuanzhao pinched Liu Qinglan's fingers and said, "Qinglan, sit down and rest first. I don't need it."
Liu Qinglan scratched his ears, how could this be so embarrassing!
Huo Qing looked at the two of them and thought to himself: My wife was right, the queen takes great care of her concubines.
"Don't be shy. This official hunter is one of ours." Xie Xuanzhao looked at the stunned Huo Qing with an ambiguous smile on his face. "Huo Qing, isn't that right?"
Huo Qing immediately lowered his head and replied, "Yes, Your Majesty. I am deeply grateful to you and am willing to serve you."
Liu Qinglan sat down in confusion, while Xie Xuanzhao stood beside her, dressed in a fiery red outfit with a python leather whip wrapped around his waist. He looked heroic and had a very powerful aura.
Liu Qinglan instantly felt like a fox borrowing the power of a tiger to bully others, and all the worry and panic he had just felt disappeared.
Huo Qing chose his words carefully, "This person seems to be Empress Yue."
Liu Qinglan sat obediently on the stone, watching his nose with his eyes and his heart with his nose, leaving everything to the Queen to handle.
"Yes. I went hunting with her and discovered this peach tree." Xie Xuanzhao reached out and touched the trunk. "This tree blooms so beautifully in autumn. I'm afraid it's not an evil tree, but rather a tree of good fortune, signifying a peaceful and prosperous age. It's a good omen. So don't cut it down lightly."
Huo Qing understood the Queen's intention. She wanted to protect this strange peach tree. "I will definitely protect this tree in front of the captain of the guards later."
Xie Xuanzhao nodded, "Thank you for your help."
"Empress, my wife misses you very much. She has given birth to a son for me and is at home." Huo Qing mustered up his courage and said, "I wonder if Your Majesty could..."
Xie Xuanzhao nodded and glanced at Liu Qinglan, who was still confused beside him. "I will go to see her with Yue Fei later."
Huo Qing glanced at the new concubine of unknown origin and said hesitantly, "She..."
"She belongs to me, it's okay." Xie Xuanzhao said lightly, with a hint of oppression in his tone.
Huo Qing sensed the Queen's dissatisfaction and immediately withdrew his gaze from Liu Qinglan, not daring to look at her again.
A moment later, the captain of the guards who received the news came hurriedly, and Huo Qing repeated what Xie Xuanzhao had just said.
He was a seasoned hunter, having lived deep in the mountains for years. He was undoubtedly more familiar with the taboos and laws of nature than these noblemen who grew up in the capital. The captain of the guards did not dare to make a decision on his own. Seeing that the Empress was also present, he said, "Since that's the case, I'll leave it to you to take care of this tree. If anything goes wrong, it will be your fault."
Huo Qing nodded in agreement, and the matter was over.
Liu Qinglan breathed a sigh of relief, tugged at the Beauty Queen's sleeve, and said, "I was really scared to death just now."
Xie Xuanzhao helped her up and said calmly, "You seem to care a lot about this peach tree."
"She is very important! She is..." Liu Qinglan stopped talking in time. Seeing that the hunter next to him was still staring at him with his eyes wide open, he quickly shut his mouth and stopped talking.
Xie Xuanzhao understood and pretended not to care at all. He turned around and said to Huo Qing, "Let's go to your house now."
Huo Qing bowed and saluted, then led them all the way to his residence.
Liu Qinglan looked at the man's back. She had seen him several times before. It turned out that he was the royal hunter. No wonder he lived here all year round.
Just a few years ago, this man suddenly brought back a beautiful woman and then seemed to have gone into seclusion. Having not seen him for a year or two, Liu Qinglan thought the hunter had moved away and her impression of him had become vague.
Now I am walking on the road and I gradually remember them.
Huo Qing's home is in a bamboo forest, a row of bamboo houses, very clean and tidy.
From a distance, I saw a woman sitting in the yard with a toddler on her knees. She was embroidering in her hands, and from time to time she looked up at the child with a gentle smile.
Huo Qing stepped in first, bent down and picked up his child.
Xie Xuanzhao and Liu Qinglan stood at the door. Xie Xuanzhao looked at the happy family of three, curled his lips, and said to the confused Liu Qinglan beside him, "I often think that three palaces and six courtyards are far less happy than being together for a lifetime. It can bring peace of mind."
Liu Qinglan was stunned. Is this what a human home should look like?
Huo Qing came over holding the child, and the young woman next to him looked surprised, "Empress!"
She walked up to Xie Xuanzhao and bowed first.
Xie Xuanzhao helped her up. "This isn't the palace. You don't have to be so polite. Just treat me as an old friend."
"Yes, Queen." The young woman smiled shyly, pointed to the side, and said, "This is my child. If it weren't for the Queen's help, I would still be..."
Huo Qing coughed softly beside him, and the young woman smiled embarrassedly, "I won't say anything more. Come in and have a cup of tea."
Xie Xuanzhao smiled and shook his head. "No, I just came to see you. Seeing that you are living a happy life now, I feel relieved."
The person in front of him was Concubine Hui, who had been sent to the palace by her family and had always been unhappy. Later, when Xie Xuanzhao asked around, he learned that Concubine Hui had a lover outside the palace, her cousin, who worked as a hunter in Huoshan.
Xie Xuanzhao wanted to help her, so he sent her out of the palace and removed her name from the royal register. At that time, rumors were rife in the palace, all saying that the queen was jealous and had driven the concubine out.
The emperor had no intention of doing so, and the matter was eventually dropped.
Concubine Hui held the child in her arms and watched the Empress and the woman beside her leave together. She couldn't help but turn her head and ask her husband, "Who is that girl?"
Huo Qing said, "I heard it was the newly appointed Empress Yue."
"They have such a good relationship." Hui Meiren said enviously.
Huo Qing couldn't help but sigh, "Yes."
After leaving the bamboo forest, Liu Qinglan led the beautiful queen towards the peach tree intentionally or unintentionally. She still wanted to establish a romantic relationship.
Xie Xuanzhao followed her and asked casually, "I just went to Huo Qing's house and saw him and his wife. What do you think?"
Liu Qinglan was distracted, immersed in his own fantasy future.
She was imagining that if she and the Beauty Queen could form a small family like the Huo couple, she would definitely give birth to pups for the Beauty Queen like that young woman did! A whole litter, hehe...
However, Liu Qinglan suddenly realized a problem: could he and the beautiful queen have a baby? Peach Blossom Demon probably knew the answer to this question!
"Sister Queen, let's go quickly. We were interrupted just now. You are not allowed to interrupt me again this time." Liu Qinglan really wanted to find the Peach Blossom Demon to ask, so he went to hold the hand of the Beauty Queen.
Xie Xuanzhao remained calm and said, "You haven't answered my question yet."
"What?" Liu Qinglan looked at her in confusion.
"That's right. When you see the Huo couple together, do you want to be with me like that?" Xie Xuanzhao finally expressed her good intentions. She wanted the girl in front of her to understand what it meant to be in love, what it meant to be married, what it meant to have a family, and what it meant to truly be together.
It's not the flirtatious kisses and touches, the flirtatious sweet talk, or the alluring beauty that truly determines a relationship. It's the mutual understanding, the shared responsibility of a family, the understanding of what they face together, and the unwavering determination to grow old together, no matter the odds.
This is the true conclusion of marriage.
Xie Xuanzhao never thought that in the end, all the sweet memories and contacts between him and Liu Qinglan would turn into a beautiful misunderstanding, transforming into flowers in the mirror and the moon in the water, leaving only a sigh.
The sweetness was touching at the time, but what she wanted more was true longevity.
Xie Xuanzhao raised his eyes, his expression focused and serious, "Qinglan, do you really understand?"
Liu Qinglan looked at the extremely serious Empress and was suddenly intimidated. She didn't know what to say. She lowered her head and touched her hands a little awkwardly, realizing that the beautiful Empress might not really want to enter into a relationship with her.
but……
Liu Qinglan mustered up his courage and said, "I just want to complete the ceremony of worshiping the boss."
Xie Xuanzhao paused, looking at her expectant yet pitiful expression, and realized that she was frightened by his sudden seriousness.
So it really is just a matter of paying respect to the boss. It seems I was overthinking it. Xie Xuanzhao turned sideways and gave a wry smile.
"You...you don't want to do it anymore?" Liu Qinglan scratched his ear, feeling a little at a loss.
Xie Xuanzhao was very strong inside and quickly adjusted his mood. He met Liu Qinglan's eyes, stared at her, and thought a lot.
Liu Qinglan bore the pressure, tried to remain calm, and let her stare at him openly.
Xie Xuanzhao thought: Since she doesn't understand, then I will patiently lead her step by step, and I will definitely be able to bring her home to be my wife.
Liu Qinglan thought: Although I don’t know what the beautiful queen is thinking, I must be with her and give birth to her babies!
The author has something to say: Little Fairy Liu: I have already thought of how to give birth to a baby for you, and you are still thinking about how to take me back to be your wife. Are you stupid?
Beauty Queen: ...
Allow Willow Fairy to put her hands on her hips for a while, because she won't be able to laugh anymore~~~
Ahhhh, why does it take so long to create a relationship? I thought I could finish it in this chapter, but it’s not even finished after 4,000 words. I’m going back to face the wall and reflect on my mistakes!!!
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