Time can heal all wounds, erasing all traces and fading memories, leaving nothing behind. The changing of dynasties is inevitable, and war gradually breaks out on the Cloud Sky Continent.
Friction and disputes constantly arise between small countries, all bearing the shadow of larger powers. This is also a test, an attempt by the Great Jing Kingdom and the Great Yan Kingdom. The conflicts between small countries are merely minor skirmishes, but if the two great powers were to clash, it could ignite war across the entire Yuntian Continent.
Nobody wants to be the first to stick their neck out, so they can only keep testing the waters and waiting for the best opportunity.
The current ruler of the Great Jing Kingdom is Jin Mingrui, who quickly ascended the throne with his outstanding abilities and the support of his two elder brothers, crushing all his brothers.
However, Jin Mingrui was inherently cunning, and with his grand ambitions unfulfilled, he wouldn't betray his brothers after they had served their purpose. He treated his brothers with relative courtesy, maintaining a facade of peace. His only strained relationship was with Jin Minghe, because the two brothers had both fallen for the same woman—Helan Wuxia.
Since ancient times, even heroes have found it hard to resist the charms of a beautiful woman. Even two brothers of noble birth and extraordinary ability couldn't escape the allure of Helan Wuxia. Alas, there was only one beauty, and only one could have his wish fulfilled.
For the sake of her country and family, Helan Wuxia tearfully married Jin Mingrui, becoming the Consort Xin of the Great Jing Kingdom. From then on, she severed all worldly ties and devoted herself to serving her husband.
Wuyou was not surprised when she received the news. Helan Wuxia was destined to be no ordinary woman, and the man she married would certainly not be just a minor prince. Jinming and Cisheng could only be wronged.
Fifteen years have passed, and the tiny, babbling infant has grown into a handsome young man with impeccable character. He inherited the royal bloodline of the Great Yan Dynasty, possessing a resolute and handsome appearance, and is a well-known beauty in the Great Yan Kingdom.
Yan Xia was an extremely intelligent child. His excellence was evident to all. At a young age, he inherited the throne of Qi and was deeply loved by the King and Queen.
Wuyou raised the child exceptionally well, imparting all her knowledge of imperial arts to him. Yanxia did not disappoint Wuyou's expectations, growing up in the direction she had hoped for.
Even the eldest prince himself deeply regretted giving his excellent son to Wuyou. He thought that since Wuyou was a lowly illegitimate son, it was fine to give him away, but he never expected that he would grow up to be so great in fifteen years.
The King of Great Yan lived an unexpectedly long life, remaining healthy even in his sixties, which was rare in that era. He can be considered one of the few long-lived emperors in the history of Great Yan.
But even the best health cannot withstand the ravages of time, and he was content. Surprisingly, he passed the throne of the Great Yan Kingdom to the fifteen-year-old King Yanxia of Qi.
The eldest prince was furious upon hearing the news and immediately contacted his court officials to protest. He had been waiting most of his life, over 40 years old, just waiting for the king to die so he could ascend the throne. He never expected that the king would bypass him and hand it over to his grandson. How could he accept this? Even his own son could not stand in his way.
What nearly killed the eldest prince was that none of the court officials were willing to support him; instead, they greatly admired Yan Xia, showering him with praise and admiration. This angered the prince so much that he fell ill and remained bedridden.
Even a small change can alter people's perceptions. The rulers and ministers of the Great Yan Kingdom saw more of the decadence beneath the surface of prosperity. What they needed was a ruler with ambition, a wise and enlightened monarch who could lead the Great Yan Kingdom to strength, not someone like the eldest prince who only cared about vying for power and was domineering and ruthless.
For the sake of the nation's future development and his grand ambition of unifying the world, the King of Great Yan had no choice but to exclude his eldest son and pass the throne to his grandson. In any case, to him, they were all descendants of the Yan family, so there was no difference.
By the time the eldest prince wanted to retaliate, the outcome was already decided. He was powerless to stop it; his henchmen had been ruthlessly removed, and he could only live as a carefree prince.
Everything happened with lightning speed. Compared to the fierce and spectacular struggle for the throne in the Great Jing Kingdom, the power transition in the Great Yan Kingdom was eerily peaceful. Yan Xia, with her outstanding abilities and excellent personal charm, became the new ruler of Great Yan, and Wu You smoothly became the Empress Dowager. No one dared to look down on her, talk about her behind her back, or ridicule her anymore. On the contrary, they all rushed to flatter and please her.
After Yan Qi died, many people mocked them behind their backs as a widow and orphan, and some even tried to lay a hand on them, but Wu You ruthlessly chopped them off, thus safely protecting Yan Xia as she grew up.
Although the mother and son were not related by blood, they were as close as mother and son, their bond cultivated over many years, a relationship that no outsider could easily break or sow discord between them. Moreover, Wuyou had no desire for power and would never interfere in politics, so there was no conflict between them.
Rou'an Palace was the residence of Empress Dowager Wuyou. Every building inside was exquisite, designed according to Wuyou's preferences. The palace was surrounded by vast bamboo groves, quiet and elegant, just like the fragrance on Wuyou's body. It was built under the personal supervision of Yanxia, which shows her filial piety.
In the sweltering summer, vast stretches of lush bamboo forests become a carefree place to rest, where a bamboo chair and a cup of tea are enough to soothe the soul.
A gentle breeze blows, causing a few bamboo leaves to flutter down. Sunlight filters through the bamboo leaves, casting wisps of light onto Wuyou, bringing her peace of mind.
"Your Majesty, a letter has arrived from Yong Kingdom, along with a large number of gifts." At this moment, Xiao Tang, dressed in an orange palace gown and with her hair styled in a woman's bun, walked in, holding a thick stack of letters and looking puzzled.
More than a decade ago, Wuyou arranged a good marriage for Xiaotang, but Xiaotang was reluctant to let Wuyou stay. Wuyou had been sitting by her side as the head steward of the inner quarters, and now she had also entered the palace as a head maid.
Xiao Tang's husband was a poor scholar with a somewhat pedantic and stubborn nature, but he was not a bad person at heart and loved Xiao Tang very much. Later, he became a minor official, had a son and a daughter, and lived a happy and fulfilling life. Even just out of consideration for the bond he had with Xiao Tang since she was a child, Yan Xia would not mistreat Xiao Tang's family.
They had been married into the Great Yan Kingdom for over ten years, long since severing ties with their motherland. They hadn't exchanged letters or offered any greetings during festivals, and considered themselves simply citizens of Great Yan. Their experiences in the Yong Kingdom's palace hadn't been pleasant at all; forgetting them was perhaps a blessing in disguise.
Everything they have today is the result of their own hard work and perseverance, without ever relying on the people of Yong. The king has only just ascended the throne, and there's already movement from Yong. During the most difficult and challenging times, not a single person from Yong offered a word of concern. Why are they suddenly appearing now?
"Keep the things safe, listen to the instructions, and focus on the key points." Wuyou lowered his hand from his forehead and slowly sat up straight. He knew that Yongguo would not be peaceful and had been waiting, but it was taking a little longer than he had expected.
The preceding remarks were merely high-sounding platitudes meant to build rapport; the real purpose of the Yong Kingdom lay behind them. They wanted to marry Wuyou's youngest daughter to Yanxia to become its queen, thus forging a marriage alliance between the two nations.
With a niece to help out, life would be much better, since Yanxia isn't his biological son.
"Your Majesty, they are utterly shameless! We must not let them succeed!" Little Sugar was furious. Where did these people get their audacity? They have no shame whatsoever.
"Don't worry, I won't." It's time to reveal the big secret I have in my hand.
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