Seeing Chu Feiyang focus on his official duties again, Xi Lin did not dare to let his guard down. He immediately put on a serious expression and answered seriously, "The people we sent tracked him to the imperial mausoleum, but they lost track of him. It was as if he had disappeared from the face of the earth."
After hearing Xi Lin's reply, Chu Feiyang and Chu Nanshan looked at each other, but neither of them spoke again. They were both deep in thought.
"It seems he is a hidden talent." After a long while, Chu Nanshan spoke slowly. Chu Nanshan's tone was light, but his expression was slightly solemn. He seemed relaxed, but in fact, he had already taken this matter to heart.
Chu Feiyang also nodded slightly following Chu Nanshan's words, and then he said: "If he can survive, it may be a good thing for us."
Hearing this, Chu Nanshan immediately looked towards Chu Feiyang, his eyes thoughtful, as if he was thinking about Chu Feiyang's plan today and what he had just said...
"Do you know his true identity?" Chu Nanshan raised his head and looked at Chu Feiyang with a lively look.
"Although I'm not sure, I'm afraid it's almost there." Chu Feiyang said lightly with a smile on his face.
In the Haichenxi camp outside the capital of Western Chu.
"Qi Jingyuan, what do you mean? You promised my father to find out the hiding place of Emperor Yugan, so why are you staying in the military camp outside Beijing and not taking any action? Do you have other plans?" Hai Yue glared at Qi Jingyuan who was sitting calmly in the tent, his brows tightly furrowed.
Qi Jingyuan glanced at Hai Chenxi who was sitting in the same tent, and then glanced at the angry Hai Yue. A hint of sneer flashed across his eyes, but he was too lazy to argue with such a brainless person like Hai Yue.
"What do you mean?" How could Hai Yue not understand the contempt in Qi Jingyuan's eyes, and his anger grew even stronger.
"I'm afraid the prince has plenty of ways to find out where Emperor Yugan is hiding!" Qi Jingyuan snorted coldly, and his narrow eyes turned to Qi Jingyuan. There was a shrewd light flashing in his eyes, as if he was confident that everything was in his hands.
Hai Yue's heart tightened after being interrupted by Qi Jingyuan. The anger in his eyes and face disappeared instantly. He turned to Qi Jingyuan with a solemn look and asked with a hint of caution, "What do you mean?"
After he finished speaking, Hai Yue's gaze suddenly turned to Hai Chenxi beside him, but seeing that Hai Chenxi had a disdainful smile on his face as usual, Hai Yue frowned slightly, and then focused his attention on Qi Jingyuan, pressing Qi Jingyuan to speak.
"Hmph, don't you think your Highness doesn't know what I mean? Since I have agreed to go to the sea to assist you, I will naturally keep my promise to the end. However, your Highness has to show some sincerity to make me feel that this expedition is worthwhile!" Picking up the teacup at hand, Qi Jingyuan took a sip, a smile forming at the corner of his mouth, but his eyes looking into the tea were cold and bloodthirsty.
After listening to Qi Jingyuan's words, Hai Yue's eyes kept switching between Hai Chenxi and Qi Jingyuan, and he fell into deep thought for a while...
Hai Chenxi watched the two people in the tent coldly, sneered in his heart, read the secret letter that had just been submitted carefully, put it in his sleeve, then stood up and walked out of the tent.
"Qi Jingyuan, we each get what we need!" How could Hai Yue not understand Qi Jingyuan's purpose? Seeing Hai Chenxi leave the tent, he immediately whispered a warning to Qi Jingyuan.
Hearing this, Qi Jingyuan raised his eyebrows, his eyes flashing with a cold light. Hidden in that strange light was his extreme disdain for Hai Yue. He curled his lips in a cold smile and said coldly, "It seems that the prince has some tricks up his sleeve!"
"Hmph, so what if he has great means? Father loves Hai Chenxi more. He promised him 50,000 soldiers and horses, and even let him lead the troops to guard the city gate. When father wins in the future, Hai Chenxi only needs to order the city defense army to open the gate to welcome father into the city to become emperor, and all the credit will be taken by Hai Chenxi. People like me who have been running around and shed blood and sweat to fight for the world are overshadowed by his brilliance! Even if you have 100,000 troops, what can it matter? Hai Chenxi has 50,000 troops, and there are elite soldiers and generals hidden in the Haiwang Mansion, and Han Shaomian's troops are lurking everywhere. Once you make a move, the rest of the troops will probably counterattack. Only if you and I join forces can we have a chance of winning!" Hai Yue snorted coldly and told him the current situation in full. From his tone, it can be seen that he was unwilling in his heart.
"So, the prince wants to find another way to impress the Sea King?" Qi Jingyuan put down the teacup in his hand, his facial expression did not change at all, but the contempt in his tone subtly implied Hai Yue's wishful thinking.
Hai Yue saw Qi Jingyuan's expression clearly and clenched his hands at his sides. This time, he suppressed his rolling eyes and said in a deep voice, "So what? Hai Chenxi is deeply loved by my father and has never bothered to guess his thoughts. But this prince is different. Only by constantly pondering my father's thoughts and intentions can I have the opportunity to compete with Hai Chenxi. Now, no one knows what my father wants most in his heart better than this prince. The crown prince has always been resourceful and must have an idea in his mind. Why not let us join forces and get what we want? Why not?"
At this moment, Qi Jingyuan's face was full of sneers...
On October 15th, Yun Qianmeng received a letter from Chu Feiyang that was sent back to the valley. After reading it carefully, she held it tightly in her hand, feeling extremely worried.
"Princess, you must relax. The prince will definitely win the battle." Mu Chun saw Yun Qianmeng standing silently in front of the wooden window, and her hands were holding the letter sent back by the prince with great care, which made Mu Chun feel distressed.
Three months had passed. Although they were in the valley, the prince would send messages in from time to time to let them know the situation outside.
But Mu Chun saw everything how the princess had spent the past three months.
Looking at Yun Qianmeng, who was pregnant but still worried about the battle situation, Mu Chun walked forward and put the cloak on Yun Qianmeng's shoulders.
"I'm fine, you can go down." Yun Qianmeng pulled her cloak to block the cold wind blowing into the inner room from the window, and whispered to Mu Chun.
"I am brewing some pregnancy-protecting tea. I will bring it to you when it cools down." Seeing Yun Qianmeng like this, Mu Chun could only bow to her and quietly retreat.
Yun Qianmeng looked down at the letter again. The handwriting on it was much more sloppy than the neat handwriting on the first letter, which showed how busy Chu Feiyang was.
Such a long time has passed, and although Chu Feiyang has recaptured many cities from King Chen and King Hai, the enemy is numerous and we are few, and Chu Feiyang is fighting one against two, which is really heartbreaking.
Now the three kings are in a three-way stalemate, each occupying one-third of the cities in Western Chu. It will probably take a long time to defeat King Chen and King Hai.
Prince Chen had already taken advantage of this period to proclaim himself emperor in the capital, and under the pretext of suppressing the rebellion, he personally led an army of 800,000 to compete with Prince Chu and Prince Hai for the territory of Western Chu.
The slogan of the Sea King's uprising has changed to "clear the emperor's side", and this "emperor" refers to the Emperor Yugan who has passed away in the eyes of the people. The ones who need to be cleared out are naturally Jiang Muchen and Chu Feiyang.
As for the 1.4 million troops in Chu Feiyang's hands, he only mobilized 500,000 of them.
Firstly, they couldn't reveal their full strength too early. Secondly, after eliminating the two enemies, King Chen and King Hai, Western Chu was now facing Dongyu, Nanxun, and Beiqi from the east, south, and north. They had to be on guard against these three countries, so they had to leave most of their troops to guard the borders to prevent the three countries from taking advantage of the opportunity to invade Western Chu on a large scale.
Although an agreement had been reached with Qi Jingyuan, Qi Jingyuan was not the emperor of Northern Qi. If Emperor Ling Xiao ordered an attack on Western Chu, Qi Jingyuan alone would be unable to resist. Moreover, as the crown prince of Northern Qi, how could Qi Jingyuan not want his future territory to be even more vast than before?
Especially during this period, Dongyu divided its troops into two groups. One group stayed in the east of Xichu to fight against the Chu King's army led by Qu Changqing, while the other group was led by Dongyu's princess herself and continued to fight with Chu Feiyang in Chaocheng.
Calculating this way, Chu Feiyang, who was in charge of the overall situation, was the one who worked the hardest and most laboriously.
Slender fingers gently stroked the familiar yet tired handwriting on the letter, and a trace of deep longing flashed across Yun Qianmeng's half-closed eyes.
"Princess, the Queen invites you." Mu Chun returned to the inner room, came to Yun Qianmeng's side, and reminded her in a low voice.
Upon hearing this, Yun Qianmeng carefully folded the letter in her hand and kept it close to her body. Then she turned around and led Mu Chun out of the wooden house. Sure enough, she saw Xiaoyi, the senior palace maid beside the queen, standing outside the door waiting.
Seeing Yun Qianmeng step out of the wooden house, Xiaoyi glared at Qiao Ying, who was guarding the door and not letting her in. She walked forward with a wry smile and bowed to Yun Qianmeng, "This servant greets Princess Chu. Her Majesty invites you to come and have a seat."
Yun Qianmeng glanced at Xiaoyi in front of her and instantly saw her hostility towards her. She felt a little confused, but she smiled calmly and said, "Since it is the Queen's decree, I will naturally go."
As she spoke, Yun Qianmeng walked past Xiaoyi and led her two maids towards the house where the emperor and empress lived.
When Xiaoyi saw that Yun Qianmeng didn't let her get up, she suddenly felt angry.
Xiaoyi stood up straight and looked at Yun Qianmeng's back coldly for a while before she took a step forward.
When they arrived at the Emperor and Empress's house, the eunuch waiting outside stopped Qiao Ying and only let Mu Chun and Yun Qianmeng enter the wooden house.
"Your humble servant pays homage to the Empress Dowager and the Queen." As she entered the room, she was surprised to find the Empress Dowager sitting right in the middle. Supported by Mu Chundi, Yun Qianmeng slowly bowed to the two of them.
"Hurry up and get up. Please take a seat." The Queen saw that Yun Qianmeng was not feeling well and immediately spoke gently. The little palace maid beside her quickly brought a stool for Yun Qianmeng.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Yun Qianmeng sat down on the edge of the stool, then half-lowered her head and sat in front of the Queen Mother and the Queen. Her silence clearly told them that she was not in the mood to chat today.
However, Yun Qianmeng caught a glimpse of Xiaoyi, who had led the way, following her into the house. When she saluted the Queen Mother, Xiaoyi was already standing quietly behind the Queen, with no intention of avoiding her at all.
A slight sneer appeared on her pursed pink lips. Yun Qianmeng immediately understood Xiaoyi's intention. No wonder she was so calm.
"Princess, you've lost weight again. Are you worried about the King of Chu?" The Queen looked at Yun Qianmeng, sighed softly, and said with a hint of sadness, "If it weren't for the two traitors, the King of Chen and the King of Hai, you and your wife wouldn't have been separated for so long."
Normally women would gain weight after pregnancy, but this was during a time of war, and Chu Feiyang was on the battlefield all day, so apart from a slightly bigger belly, Yun Qianmeng didn't look plump at all elsewhere, and instead looked thinner than before.
Yun Qianmeng half-closed her eyes, her expression calm, but after hearing the Queen's words, she sneered in her heart.
In order to encourage the Chu family to work harder to regain the throne for the royal family, the Queen's seemingly caring words contained a strong sense of provocation.
Yes, the separation between herself and Chu Feiyang was indeed directly caused by Prince Chen and Prince Hai. But ultimately, it was Emperor Yugan who failed to handle these matters properly. The Queen was now blaming everyone else for all the faults. Could it be that the royal family was completely innocent of any fault?
As her eyes fell on the woolen painted carpet under her feet, the smile that was always on Yun Qianmeng's face gradually froze. Even though they were taking refuge, the Queen and others still lived an extremely luxurious life. They didn't care about the suffering people at all. It was really heartbreaking.
At this time, all expenses for the Jiangnan disaster victims and all the expenses of the Chu King's army were borne by the Rong family alone. Even in this situation, Emperor Yugan was still able to judge the Rong family's ulterior motives based on a single memorial. Such behavior and such petty intentions are truly despicable.
"I wonder what important matter the Queen has summoned me here for today?" Yun Qianmeng raised her head and did not express any opinion on the affairs of Prince Chen and Prince Hai. Instead, she asked the Queen's intention in calling her here, instantly avoiding the sensitive topic of conversation between the two parties.
Both sides have lived in this valley for more than three months, but except for the first time they met at the entrance of the valley, they have been living their own lives for the rest of the time.
Yun Qianmeng was not naive enough to think that the Queen really cared about her, which was why she ordered someone to invite her over. Otherwise, the Queen would not have said those words just now.
The Queen did not expect Yun Qianmeng to ask the reason directly. In addition, Yun Qianmeng's eyes as calm as black jade were looking straight at her, which made the Queen's heart tighten for no reason. She felt that the Princess of Chu should not be underestimated. Just a glance from her could make people panic.
The hand holding the handkerchief tightened slightly. The Queen secretly hated Yun Qianmeng for being too smart, but on the surface she pretended to be relaxed and said to the Queen Mother, "Mother, the Princess of Chu is really smart. She even guessed that you and I had something important to discuss with her."
The Queen Mother also took in the expressions of the two. She sneered inwardly at the Queen's seemingly subtle but actually shameful retreat. Then she turned her gaze to Yun Qianmeng, who was already showing a hint of sharpness, and said with a smile, "Meng'er, you are my niece, and a blood relative of mine. I will speak frankly."
The Queen Mother knew that instead of beating around the bush with Yun Qianmeng, it would be better to state their purpose directly and clearly. Otherwise, with Yun Qianmeng's thoughts and clever words, she would definitely divert the question to irrelevant matters.
Yun Qianmeng saw the Queen Mother's pair of majestic eyes staring at her. Her tender pink lips curled up slightly, outlining an extremely elegant smile. She spoke in a clear and gentle voice without any fear, "Queen Mother, please speak."
Seeing Yun Qianmeng's acceptable attitude, the Queen Mother's eyes showed a hint of satisfaction, and she slowly spoke, "As for this matter, I have already asked Chu Nanshan in the military camp, and he admitted it. I want to ask you, did the ancestor emperor leave a red book and iron certificate for the Chu family? And this red book and iron certificate is in your hands?"
After more than three months of secret investigation, the Queen Mother and Emperor Yugan directly set their sights on Yun Qianmeng.
The Chu family has always had their eyes on this daughter-in-law, so Chu Nanshan will certainly not treat Yun Qianmeng, his granddaughter-in-law, badly.
Originally, they had moved into the valley with the intention of using Yun Qianmeng to threaten Chu Feiyang, Chu Nanshan, and the others, forcing them to serve the Jade Emperor loyally. However, Chu Feiyang, who always loved his wife dearly, actually allowed Yun Qianmeng to stay with them in the valley for over three months, a move that was truly suspicious.
The only explanation is that the most dangerous place is the safest place.
Chu Nanshan and Chu Feiyang handed the Danshu Tiequan to Yun Qianmeng, but took advantage of people's blind spots to let Yun Qianmeng stay safely in the valley, making Emperor Yugan think that Yun Qianmeng was not hiding anything.
This grandparents and grandchildren were truly masters of manipulating people's hearts and minds, having managed to deceive everyone. The Imperial Guards secretly investigated for over three months before finally finding the clues.
After she finished speaking, the faint smile in the Queen Mother's eyes disappeared instantly, and a sharp light permeated the depths of her eyes. She stared at Yun Qianmeng below, carefully observing Yun Qianmeng's expression and demeanor.
Yun Qianmeng, however, listened to the Queen Mother's words very seriously, with a dignified smile on her face the whole time.
But after the Queen Mother finished speaking, a look of confusion appeared in Yun Qianmeng's eyes. Her delicate brows knitted slightly. Yun Qianmeng said softly, "Your Majesty, I am not aware of this matter. Moreover, the Red Book and Iron Certificate is such a significant matter. Why didn't the ancestor emperor place it in the royal ancestral hall? Instead, why did he give it to Grandpa? This must be a misunderstanding. Please don't believe such rumors, Queen Mother and Empress."
The Queen Mother kept watching Yun Qianmeng's expression, trying to find any clues from it. However, Yun Qianmeng had already seen through the Queen Mother's thoughts, and her expression was flawless, making it impossible to detect anything wrong.
"Why does Princess deny it? This is what the old prince admitted himself. Princess, you'd better hand over the imperial edict before the King of the Sea and the King of Chen know about it. Otherwise, if Princess loses the imperial edict, it will be a capital crime with the family property confiscated and the Chu family exterminated. The Emperor's great cause will be ruined, and the Chu family will be sinners for all eternity. Princess, you have always been steady and knowledgeable. You will not fail to understand such a simple truth!" The Queen was annoyed when she saw Yun Qianmeng acting in front of her and the Queen Mother. Coupled with the rudeness she had just shown to her, the Queen's tone was even more sharp and aggressive, and she wished she could convict the entire Chu family.
Yun Qianmeng was neither annoyed nor angry. With a faint smile on her face, she replied in a serious and solemn manner, "I remember that the last time the Queen Mother and the Emperor went to the military camp, the Empress came to the valley first. The Empress did not see it with her own eyes or hear Grandpa nod his head to admit this matter. How can you say it so confidently now? Could it be that the Empress has clairvoyance and keen hearing? Besides, this matter is of great importance. How can we women comment on it casually? I am just a pregnant woman now. Grandpa and the prince will naturally not tell me such a serious matter. Besides, Grandpa and the prince are loyal to the emperor and love their country. How could they secretly hide the red book and iron certificate of our ancestor? Please don't wrongly accuse my Chu family, Queen Mother and the Empress. Although the Chu family relies on the emperor to have today's glory, but Grandpa followed our ancestor to the south and north. "Empress, even if you can't remember, I believe the people of Western Chu remember. Your Majesty, you killed the entire Chu family. Could you kill all the people in the world? Justice is in the hearts of the people. How did our Chu family treat the emperor and the Western Chu royal family? The people of the world can see clearly. Do you need me to give you more examples? Your Majesty, as the mistress of the six palaces, has always been gentle and kind, and a model for the world. How could you say such words? Wouldn't it destroy the image you have always maintained? Moreover, how could Your Majesty, without any evidence, make such false accusations? This would wrongly accuse our Chu family and chill the hearts of the Chu army. I am afraid that it would not benefit the emperor's great cause!"
Yun Qianmeng spoke neither too fast nor too slow, her voice neither humble nor servile, her eyes stern and unyielding. Her words pointed out the truth of the current situation, but she also reminded the Empress Dowager and the Empress of the current situation of the royal family, so that they would not think that the Chu family had to support Emperor Yugan.
Estimating the Queen Mother and Empress's emotions, Yun Qianmeng stood up immediately after she finished speaking. Her expression had changed to a mournful one. She slowly knelt before the Queen Mother and said in a mournful voice, "Queen Mother, Empress, the Chu family has always remembered how the Emperor has treated you. This is why the Emperor is confident in handing over the military power to the Chu family. Please do not be suspicious of our Chu family. Only when the monarch and his subjects are united can we be invincible!"
The Queen Mother and the Empress were so choked by Yun Qianmeng's words that they couldn't utter a single word.
The phrase "loyalty to the emperor and patriotism" has already shut their mouths. If they deny the Chu family's loyalty at this time, it will undoubtedly show in front of Yun Qianmeng that the royal family and the Chu family are also suspicious. By then, Chu Feiyang will become rebellious, and the royal family will have no hope of regaining their power.
For a moment, the faces of the empress dowager and the queen turned pale and blue alternately, looking extremely ugly. They both pursed their lips and stared at Yun Qianmeng with dark eyes.
Yun Qianmeng had already anticipated how the Queen Mother and the Empress would react after hearing what she said.
But since the other party and the Chu family are so suspicious and worried, if he really hands over the Danshu Tiequan, after he pacifies the King of the Sea and King Chen in the future, Emperor Yugan will definitely convict the entire Chu family for the crime of privately keeping the Danshu Tiequan.
Yun Qianmeng naturally couldn't give Emperor Yu Gan this opportunity. Not only that, she also had to take advantage of the situation to shut their mouths so that they could never open their mouths again.
Yun Qianmeng knelt upright on the ground, her somewhat bulky body, her face stubborn and her eyes filled with an unyielding look. It was heartbreaking to watch, and one couldn't help but feel sorry for the Chu family.
"What are you doing? Get up! Why don't you help your princess to her feet? You should be more careful now that you're pregnant. How can you stand up and kneel so suddenly? If anything goes wrong, I won't be able to explain to the King of Chu. Why are you making things difficult for me and the Queen?" She knew Yun Qianmeng was just acting, but the Queen Mother knew that if Yun Qianmeng dared to do this, Chu Feiyang would definitely hear about what happened today. If Chu Feiyang slacked off on suppressing the rebellion because of what happened today, then the great kingdom of Western Chu would fall into the hands of those two thieves.
The Queen Mother cast a slightly displeased look at Mu Chun who was standing behind Yun Qianmeng, signaling her to help Yun Qianmeng up.
However, the Queen Mother was always resentful, especially when she was forced into this situation by the cowardly youngster. She was unwilling to give in. Although she spoke words of concern, she still couldn't help but blame Yun Qianmeng in the end.
But Mu Chun knew his master's temperament very well. Before Yun Qianmeng spoke, Mu Chun would not obey other people's orders.
Furthermore, Mu Chun also knelt down following Yun Qianmeng, kowtowed three times to the Queen Mother with a pleading look on his face, and then bowed his head and replied, "Queen Mother, my princess must have something to say. I beg Her Majesty the Queen Mother and Her Majesty the Empress to listen to her."
The Queen Mother was furious. She slammed the coffee table with her hand, twirling her Buddhist beads, and shouted angrily, "Have all my words fallen on deaf ears? Is it so difficult to get you up? Or is my decree no longer effective?"
After hearing the Queen Mother's words, all the palace maids in the room knelt down in silence. Even the Queen quickly put down the teacup in her hand and knelt down, but the corner of her eye that glanced at Yun Qianmeng was filled with hatred.
Xiaoyi, who knelt down with the queen, had the same expression as before, but her half-lowered face showed an unconcealable shock in her overly lively eyes. She must have been frightened by the four words "Red Book and Iron Certificate" just now.
"Your Majesty, please calm down. I have no choice but to do this. I didn't hear the conversation between Your Majesty and Grandpa with my own ears, so I naturally don't understand what happened. The Red Book and Iron Certificate is such a big deal. If Your Majesty hadn't mentioned it today, I would have no idea that such a thing existed. Your Majesty, please sympathize with the Chu family who are fighting bloody battles on the battlefield right now, and don't hurt the relationship between the monarch and his subjects because of some false rumors. What's more, if this is true, it is a matter of the previous dynasty. How can I, a woman, make rash assertions? Please forgive me, Your Majesty." Yun Qianmeng was not afraid of the Queen Mother's anger at all. She raised her head and looked at the Queen Mother calmly, speaking these words clearly.
The Queen Mother was so enraged by Yun Qianmeng that her heart trembled. She clutched the tourmaline Buddhist beads tightly in both hands and gritted her teeth, saying, "Princess Chu, you are so bold! You actually dared to threaten me. You keep saying you didn't know about the Danshu Tiequan, but to me, your words sound like you're trying to cover up something. If Princess Chu truly has a clear conscience, she shouldn't mind my ordering a body search."
After she finished speaking, the Buddhist beads in the Queen Mother's hand made a series of crisp sounds. The Queen Mother raised her arm to signal Aunt Lan and others to go forward and search Yun Qianmeng's body. She also saw Eunuch Qu leading the young eunuch out, obviously going to search Yun Qianmeng's residence.
"Let's see who dares!" Yun Qianmeng suddenly raised her upper body, straightened her back and shouted at the palace maids and eunuchs who wanted to come forward. There was a fierce look between her brows and an invisible aura of majesty emanated from her body. Not only did the palace maids and eunuchs stop in fear, even the empress dowager was stunned by Yun Qianmeng's expression at this moment.
"Yun Qianmeng, do you want to rebel?" However, the Queen Mother came to her senses very quickly, her eyes shot towards Yun Qianmeng with anger, her tone was extremely bad, as if she wanted to punish Yun Qianmeng immediately.
Yun Qianmeng's stomach suddenly felt a slight pain, which made her realize that she was pregnant. If she lost her temper, it would definitely harm her unborn child. Gently caressing her slightly bulging belly with both hands, Yun Qianmeng took a deep breath and spoke calmly, "Queen Dowager, calm down. Right now, the Emperor and the Prince are united in their efforts to pacify the Sea King and the Chen King. Why would the Queen Dowager cause any more trouble? A fire in the backyard would have a huge impact on the front court. If the war was delayed because of this, even the Queen Dowager would not be able to bear the responsibility."
The Queen Mother's face turned pale. With a sound of ripping, the Buddhist beads that were originally in her hand were torn apart by her. The eighty-eight beads instantly rolled to the ground and scattered in every corner of the house.
For a moment, apart from the sound of Buddhist beads rolling to the ground, there was no other sound in the room. Everyone held their breath and dared not make a sound. The room was tense. However, Yun Qianmeng fearlessly looked at the angry empress dowager for a long time. There was no fear on her face or eyes. Instead, the look in the empress dowager's eyes became more gloomy and ferocious.
"Why, I don't even have this little right? If a palace concubine says something immoral, I have the right to punish her severely. What's more, when it comes to matters of state, how can I let you go just by saying a few nonsense? Otherwise, how can I reprimand the concubines and ladies in the harem in the future?" The Buddhist beads in her hand fell to the ground, and the empress dowager gripped the armrests of the chair tightly with both hands, and said these words almost with gritted teeth.
After she finished speaking, without waiting for Yun Qianmeng to speak, the Queen Mother once again ordered Aunt Lan beside her: "Why don't you search them quickly? Search Princess Chu and this maid thoroughly, and have Xiao Quzi lead the others to search the house!"
"Empress Dowager, have you ever heard of the saying 'officials force the people to rebel'?" This time, Yun Qianmeng did not try to stop her, but a sneer appeared on her face as she asked the Empress Dowager in an extremely calm tone.
"You..." The Queen Mother was furious and pointed her well-maintained finger at Yun Qianmeng, but she couldn't say a word.
"Empress Dowager, the Emperor is here." Eunuch Qu, who was standing at the door, suddenly trotted in and half-knelt in front of the Empress Dowager to remind her.
"Mother, what happened? Who made you angry? The palace maids and eunuchs are kneeling on the ground, and why are the Queen and Princess Chu also kneeling?" Before Eunuch Qu finished his words, Emperor Yugan's voice came from far away.
Seeing Yun Qianmeng kneeling on the ground, a glint of understanding flashed in Emperor Yugan's eyes, but he pretended not to know the reason and asked the Queen Mother.
The Queen Mother listened to Emperor Yugan's question, which he asked knowingly, and a sneer flashed across her heart. Just as she was about to speak, Emperor Yugan spoke again.
"The Princess of Chu is pregnant, but she is the treasure of the King of Chu. You'd better get up and don't hurt yourself by kneeling. The Queen should also get up. Someone, pick up the Buddhist beads on the ground and don't let the masters slip." Emperor Yu Gan ordered the palace maids and eunuchs in the room to pick up the scattered Buddhist beads on the ground, and then walked forward and sat side by side with the Queen Mother.
The Queen Mother knew that Emperor Yugan was only playing the good guy in front of Yun Qianmeng, and she felt even more unhappy. She ignored Emperor Yugan with a gloomy expression.
"Empress Dowager, Emperor, and Empress, I'm not feeling well and will take my leave now." Yun Qianmeng slowly stood up with Mu Chun's support and spoke calmly.
Emperor Yugan looked at Yun Qianmeng and saw that she was pregnant. He nodded sympathetically and said, "In that case, you should go back and rest."
"Your Highness will take your leave." Yun Qianmeng half-closed her brows, not looking at the empress dowager's unpleasant expression, and walked out of the house step by step very carefully.
"Why did the emperor let that bitch go?" The Queen Mother was furious. She looked at Yun Qianmeng's receding figure with hatred in her eyes.
This evil spirit even implicated Emperor Yugan, and the Queen Mother was very dissatisfied with Emperor Yugan letting Yun Qianmeng go.
Yun Qianmeng had just disobeyed the imperial order, which was a great opportunity to overthrow Yun Qianmeng, but Emperor Yu Gan suddenly appeared and disrupted all the plans.
Emperor Yugan took the teacup handed to him by Eunuch Yu and took a sip. Seeing that only three trusted servants were in the room, he whispered, "Chu Feiyang is relieved to let Yun Qianmeng stay in the valley. He must have taken precautions. If Queen Mother touches Yun Qianmeng in public, I'm afraid Chu Feiyang will not give up. If he joins forces with King Chen and King Hai, we will have no chance of victory."
After a pause, Emperor Yugan glanced at the Queen Mother's increasingly unfriendly expression, then said soothingly, "My Queen Mother is wholeheartedly thinking of me. That's why she would rather offend the Chu family than not find the whereabouts of the Danshu Tiequan for me. How could I not understand your mother's loving heart? However, the Princess of Chu has lived in the valley for more than three months, and her words and actions are completely secretive. I have tried to send people to secretly investigate the Princess of Chu several times, but to no avail. I think she must be protected by someone. If I want to bring her down openly, I'm afraid it won't be that easy..."
After he finished speaking, Emperor Yugan placed the teacup on the tea table, turned to the Queen Mother with a cold look in his eyes, but did not speak again.
The Queen Mother pondered over Emperor Yugan's words and suddenly understood. The anger on her face gradually dissipated. "Your Majesty is indeed far-sighted."
Mu Chun and Qiao Ying supported Yun Qianmeng back to the wooden house, but they saw that Yun Qianmeng's face was slightly pale, as if she was not feeling well. They were immediately extremely anxious.
Letting Yun Qianmeng lie on the soft couch, Mu Chun half-knelt beside her, covered her with a thin blanket, and asked with concern, "Princess, are you feeling unwell? What should we do? You must be angry with the Queen Mother."
As Mu Chun spoke, his eyes began to turn red, and he was deeply worried about Yun Qianmeng's health. Things were different now than they had been in the past. If the Queen Mother knew about the princess's condition, she would definitely seize the opportunity to murder her.
Yun Qianmeng reached out her hand and gently wiped away the tears from the corners of Mu Chun's eyes with her fingertips. She smiled faintly and said, "Don't worry, I'm fine. I just got angry. I'll be fine after some rest."
"Princess, please have some pregnancy-stabilizing tea. I brewed it according to the recipe that Doctor Nie gave me. The tea is warm and delicious now. Please drink some for the sake of the baby in your belly." Looking at Yun Qianmeng's slightly pale face, Mu Chun felt as if her heart was being cut by a knife. She stood up and poured a cup of pregnancy-stabilizing tea for Yun Qianmeng.
Yun Qianmeng stared blankly at the teapot of pregnancy-protecting tea on the table, and the image of Emperor Yugan's timely appearance just now emerged in her mind. Contrary to his usual behavior, he did not embarrass her.
Yun Qianmeng's heart suddenly became alert. She stared at the teacup in Mu Chun's hand with a sharp look. She shook her head firmly and pushed the teacup away. She pointed at the potted cactus on the windowsill and whispered, "Pour this pregnancy-protecting tea into the potted plant."
Muchun stood up obediently, took the cup of pregnancy-nourishing tea to the window, and poured the tea into the potted plants.
Little did people know that the cactus shrank and died immediately after it came into contact with the pregnancy-stabilizing tea. There were no visible symptoms, and people only thought that it died from lack of water.
"Princess!" Mu Chun turned around in shock, her forehead already covered in sweat. The teacup in her hand had already fallen to the ground and shattered into pieces. "Princess, I don't know... aren't there secret guards here? Why would this pregnancy-protecting tea be poisoned?"
Mu Chun hurried back to Yun Qianmeng's side. He was speechless. If the princess drank this cup of pregnancy-protecting tea, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Qiao Ying, who was originally guarding outside the door, heard the noise inside the house and hurried in. Seeing the pot of cactus that suddenly died, shock and anger flashed in his eyes. His eyes immediately turned to Yun Qianmeng. Seeing that she was safe and sound, he felt relieved.
Yun Qianmeng looked at the pot of dead cactus indifferently. A cold smile slowly rose on her lips. She half-closed her eyes and said slowly, "They are truly cruel. In order to protect their country, they are willing to sacrifice even innocent lives."
The Queen Mother and the others knew that there were countless people in this world who wanted to capture the Princess of Chu, including the Sea King and the King of Chen. If they created an accident and then shifted the blame to these two, Chu Feiyang would be heartbroken and would retaliate wildly after losing his beloved wife. The Queen Mother and the others would just sit back and reap the benefits.
They have such vicious thoughts that they don't even let go of the child in my belly. How can I forgive them?
Yun Qianmeng's gaze fell on Qiao Ying, motioning her to come forward.
Qiao Ying understood and quickly walked to Yun Qianmeng, half-knelt in front of the soft couch, and asked softly, "What are your instructions, Princess?"
"Emperor Yugan and others have obviously guessed that the thing is with me. This place is extremely unsafe. You must immediately convey my order and everyone must prepare to evacuate. There is one more thing you must do personally." Yun Qianmeng waved to Qiao Ying, asking her to come closer and whisper something in her ear.
"Don't worry, Princess. I will definitely take care of this matter. Mu Chun, please take good care of the princess. I will be back soon." Qiao Ying promised Yun Qianmeng carefully, then got up and left the wooden house.
"Pack our daily clothes immediately. We'll leave as soon as it gets dark." Mu Chun wiped the tears from her eyes, nodded seriously, and packed her bag very skillfully.
As night fell, the valley was extremely cold and gloomy. The mountain wind in the valley slammed against the window frames violently, making bursts of roars similar to those of wild beasts, which made people tremble with fear and dared not go out.
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