Good news finally arrived from the North.
Empress Liu Shushu donned armor and went to the battlefield. She not only won the battle but also led her troops in a surprise attack, reclaiming a city that had been captured by the enemy.
Liu Yu was overjoyed and praised, "Daughters of the Liu family should be like Shushu, a woman who is just as capable as any man!"
Upon hearing this, Qingying was taken aback.
I still remember when Liu Yu said to her, "Women should be like delicate flowers raised in a greenhouse, while men should be the ones to protect them from the wind and rain."
Now the topic has changed.
Clearly, a man's words are ultimately unreliable.
Liu Yu was like this, and so was Yin Shuli.
Since that night, Yin Shuli has never set foot in Baoyi Palace.
But she knew that he had gone to see Liu Chenglin.
Qingying had already discussed this with Xie Jiaoying; she wanted to force Yin Shuli to admit it himself.
However, things turned out completely differently than she expected.
——
It was during the national sacrifice, and Qingying, as the highest-ranking concubine in the harem, took Liu Shushu's place and accompanied the emperor to Huguo Temple to pray for blessings.
It was March again, and soon after they arrived at the temple, a light drizzle began to fall.
The early spring wind was still biting, carrying a chill with its raindrops. Qingying, who was sensitive to the cold, returned to her room after offering incense in the main hall.
She had planned to change into something warmer before going to the front to listen to the master's sermon, but she found that her room had been locked from the outside. Just as she was about to shout, someone suddenly covered her mouth from behind.
Her eyes widened immediately.
As he struggled, a familiar voice came from behind him: "Don't be afraid, it's me."
Qingying turned around, looking the person in front of her up and down in surprise. "Wei Dongchen, what are you doing here?"
"The Emperor sent me."
"What?"
Wei Dongchen sighed, "Actually, I didn't want it to be like this either. The Emperor told me that he was poisoned when he was shot by an arrow and fell into the water, and that he would never be able to have children again, so..."
He found it difficult to speak.
Qingying already understood what he meant.
She said coldly, "I told him I wanted a child, but he couldn't have one, so I asked you to have one with me, is that right?"
“…Yes.” Wei Dongchen lowered his head, not daring to look at her.
Qingying suddenly laughed out of anger.
What was that person thinking? For a king to be so eager to cuckold himself is truly unprecedented and unparalleled.
"So what are you planning to do?" she asked Wei Dongchen, arms crossed.
Wei Dongchen shook his head. "I don't know... but I won't force you."
"How did he manage to convince you of something so absurd?"
He said that he was destined to have no children in his life, and if the throne were to fall into the hands of someone else in the future, it would be better to pass it on to your child.
"Did he really say that?"
"Um."
Qingying's feelings became very complicated. "I won't agree."
Wei Dongchen nodded. "I understand, I get it."
The two sat facing each other in the room, not saying a word, just quietly waiting for someone to open the door.
But before they knew it, they had all fainted.
...
When Qingying opened her eyes again, she found herself lying naked on the bed, covered with a thin blanket, and there was no one beside her.
"What's going on..."
She sat up, clutching her forehead, and in a daze, some intoxicating and passionate images flashed through her mind, which were quite indescribable.
Although she was not a naive young girl, she now realized that she had been tricked.
And she could only think of one person, "Yin Shuli!"
He's absolutely insane!
Qingying put on her clothes and walked out of the room, only to find that the sun was already high in the sky. The palace maid Maiqiu was guarding the door, and when she saw her come out, she immediately bowed and greeted her.
She waved her hand, signaling him to stand up, and asked, "What time is it now?"
"It is past Chen Shi (7-9 AM)."
It's already the second day!
"Where is the Emperor? I need to see the Emperor!"
Just as she was about to leave, Mai Qiu hurriedly caught up with her, "Your Majesty, His Majesty returned to the palace early this morning. He was afraid you wouldn't get enough sleep, so he asked me to wait here."
"And what about the heir apparent of Prince Yu?"
"What Prince Yu's heir?" Mai Qiu asked, puzzled.
"General Wei Dongchen, the General Who Guards the North".
"Is the general also in the temple? I've never seen him before."
Qingying calmed down and rubbed her forehead. "I was so angry I lost my mind. Guards, prepare the carriage and return to the palace!"
——
The first thing Qingying did upon returning to the palace was to rush straight to the Yuqing Hall.
However, Yu Ze stopped her at the door. "Your Majesty, the Emperor is inside discussing important matters with the officials. Please wait here for a moment."
Having said all that, even though she was furious, she could only wait outside.
However, she waited for two whole hours, but the person inside never came out.
She gradually realized that Wei Huaixu didn't want to see her.
As it grew dark and she grew tired of standing, she had no choice but to return empty-handed despite Yu Ze's repeated attempts to persuade her.
For several days in a row, she went to the Imperial Purity Hall and the Diligent Governance Hall, but found them empty.
My anger subsided on its own.
"Forget it, I'm not at a loss anyway. He's not angry, so why should I be?" Thinking this, she simply stopped looking for him.
Unexpectedly, just two days later, news came that the emperor was preparing to personally lead an expedition.
Qingying was very puzzled: "What's going on? Does our Donglin Kingdom have no one left? Do we still need the Emperor to personally lead the army?"
The eunuch who reported the incident immediately prostrated himself on the ground: "This servant dares not speak ill of His Majesty."
"Have any battle reports arrived from the North?"
"This servant does not know."
Qingying had a feeling that something was going to happen, and was about to go out when Tongxia came in with a letter. "Your Highness, it is a message sent by Lord Jin."
She took it and opened it immediately. As she looked at it, her expression gradually darkened.
Seeing that her expression was off, Tongxia asked in a low voice, "Your Highness, has something happened?"
"It is unknown who leaked the news, but Liu Yu actually found out about the incestuous relationship between Liu Shushu and Liu Chengfeng. He was already seriously injured, and he was so angry that he vomited blood and died a few days ago."
Tong Xia was also shocked and her expression changed. "What? With a formidable enemy at hand, we have suddenly lost our commander. Won't the army descend into chaos?"
“No wonder…no wonder he wanted to lead the army in person…” Qingying murmured to herself, clutching the letter tightly.
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