Chapter 48 Farewell
Whip the horse and urge it on; the order has been given.
Qiandeng watched Li Yingshang lead a thousand cavalrymen across the wilderness and rush towards the distant front.
The yellow sand covered his figure and the figures of all the soldiers who followed him. When the smoke and dust disappeared, only Qiandeng and Cui Fufeng were left standing in the dawn light, looking at each other closely, but neither knew what to say and could only remain silent.
After a long while, Qian Deng finally spoke first and asked, "Shaoqing Cui, I'm afraid I can't follow the path you arranged. I wonder where you will go from now on?"
Although he was an accomplice in this rebellion, what he really did was to divert all the blame to her, trying to force her to take the position that she refused to take.
Even after she explicitly refused to be the Queen of Kucha, he intended to rescue Xue Xiyang and let the Western Fan Army continue to stir up trouble as an external threat, but she and Li Yingshang stopped him in time and no big mistake was made.
So they just settled the matter with him privately and did not make it public, which showed her attitude - she did not agree with what Cui Fufeng did, but she could not and was unwilling to pursue everything he did.
After all, he and she bear the heaviest crime of complicity in the world. They cover up for each other and cannot tell anyone.
Cui Fufeng's gaze slowly turned from Li Yingshang riding a horse and giving orders, and fell on Qiandeng's wrist.
Beneath the Kucha blue-green, thin, narrow-sleeved dress, her slender white wrists were slightly exposed, on which she wore an ivory-colored armlet made of twisted vines.
He naturally remembered that this was a birthday gift given to her by Prince Linhuai.
It had disappeared after their breakup, but now it reappeared on her wrist.
And the way she wears it is so natural and relaxed that I think she may never take it off again in this life.
Unable to control himself, he stared at the armlet and whispered, "County Lady, you could have had the most luxurious armlet inlaid with gold and jade in the world, instead of having to endure the sharp edge and murderous intent every day, and having it fade and dull in the wind and sand of the desert."
"Really? But I think this is good." Qiandeng raised her hand and gently stroked the polished armlet. Its heavy weight and restrained sharp blade made her feel at ease.
"Shaoqing Cui, that enviable gold and jade bracelet is perfect for the sunny road you've paved for me, but I... have already decided to walk the bumpy and difficult single-plank bridge. Therefore, I need it more to protect myself, rather than to be glamorous and flashy."
"Since the county lady is unwilling to accept the path I have prepared, I cannot force her to do anything, nor can I influence your future." Cui Fufeng looked at her for a long time, and finally let out a long, gentle sigh, saying, "Fufeng wishes the county lady a smooth journey to the other shore she so desperately seeks, and a successful and fulfilling journey."
Qian Deng nodded silently and asked again, "What about you?"
"The prince's condition is getting out of control. I have to escort him back to the Tang Dynasty and, by the way, go to Luoyang."
Luoyang, where Prince Guang took Crown Prince Li Zi to last year.
When the Crown Prince is no longer able to shoulder the heavy responsibility of the Tang Dynasty, the most likely person to inherit the country should be Prince Guang.
Their Cui family would be the first to plan and support the next emperor. In the future, father and son would both serve as prime ministers, and the Boling Cui family's position as the leader of the clan would become unbreakable.
It seems that when he arranged the prince's fate, he had already arranged the glory for the Cui family for decades to come.
Even if she did not have that ambition and cooperated with him to fulfill his political ideals in the northwest, it would not affect the future situation of him and the Cui family.
Looking at his face, which seemed dim but still brightly illuminated by the early sun, Qiandeng suddenly remembered the time last year when he came to preside over the ceremony of choosing a son-in-law for her.
Even though all the potential candidates in her room were outstanding in appearance, each with their own merits, none of them could match his noble bearing that had been cultivated by a noble family for hundreds of years.
He was like a god-like figure walking out of the misty sky, coming to her side and accompanying her through the most difficult and bumpy journey of her life.
She had accepted his affection and was determined to spend her life with him, facing all the ups and downs of life together.
They had risked their lives for each other, saved each other from disaster. He had committed a heinous crime for her, and she would spend her life covering it up.
But now, they have different ideas and cannot work together. It is time for them to go their separate ways.
He has his pursuit and she has her persistence.
There is no right or wrong, it’s just that they are unable to change themselves for each other, and the paths they want to take are too far apart, and they can no longer walk together in this life.
Perhaps it was because the rising sun was too dazzling, Qiandeng's eyes became moist and slightly red as she looked at him, and something in them was about to burst out.
She lowered her eyes and bowed deeply to him. "Then I... wish Mr. Cui a smooth journey, may all his wishes come true, and may his future be bright."
Cui Fufeng bowed slightly and bowed solemnly to her. "From today on, I will be in Chang'an guarding the Great Tang, and the princess will be in Qiuci guarding Anxi. I'm afraid we won't see each other again... For the rest of my life, I hope that no matter how far apart we are, we will never break our promise to each other and our faith today."
Qiandeng was waiting alone outside the city. When the morning sun turned into the evening sun, he saw Li Yingshang leading his troops back in the blood-red sunset.
He brought the good news that the Xifan Army was completely annihilated, and also brought Xue Xiyang's body.
"Originally, he didn't have to go near the battlefield. He just had to help us point out the exact location." Li Yingshang ordered people to cover him with white cloth and send him to the Thousand Buddha Cave with other sacrificed soldiers. After praying for blessings and eliminating disasters, they were buried together.
"But he took the initiative to point out that a head-on confrontation would inevitably result in heavy casualties. Therefore, he entered the enemy camp alone and led the entire Western Fan army into our ambush. As a result, after the enemy discovered him, he was killed by the swords."
Qian Deng nodded silently and gently tucked in the white cloth that wrapped Xue Xiyang's body.
In fact, when he left, she knew that he had no intention of coming back.
But in the blood-red sunset that dyed the whole sky and earth red, she looked at Xue Xiyang's body and suddenly thought, that's why he was not called Xue Xiyang. The descendant of the Xue family had long been buried in the wind and sand, leaving only his identity and name, which were stolen by him and became her candidate for fiancé.
But all the information about Sunali's family had been lost, and she could no longer know who he was.
When the Western Fan Army was completely annihilated and the army returned to the city in triumph, the people of the Kucha Royal City lined the streets to cheer and vied to see the officers and soldiers.
Among the crowd, Prince Linhuai naturally attracted the most attention. He rode his horse into the city with an awe-inspiring demeanor like a god, causing exclamations to surge like a tide.
"No wonder everyone says that Prince Linhuai is a genius once in a generation. With this appearance and this aura, how could he be an ordinary person?"
However, the sharp-eyed people had already noticed the woman beside him: "Is that... the Princess of Datang County?"
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's eyes immediately turned to Qiandeng.
She was dressed in plain clothes without any ornaments, and she didn't even bother to cover up the scar on her eyebrow.
But even though her face was damaged, even though she was beside the domineering Prince Linhuai, she was still dazzling and impossible to ignore.
"Yes, she is the county lady who returned from the Tang Dynasty, a descendant of the King of Changhua. She is also the benefactor who saved us from the great disaster that befell the whole country of Kucha!"
"Now that the royal family is declining, and the Princess of Datang is also a descendant of Queen Guishan, will she stay in Kucha and take charge of the situation?"
"This...it all depends on what our king and ministers plan."
Amidst the noisy discussions, the palace gates opened to welcome them in.
Qiandeng and Prince Linhuai and his entourage dismounted and entered the palace. All the officials of Kucha, both great and small, were already waiting respectfully in front of the palace.
They first went to the rear hall to visit the King of Kucha and report the news of their great victory. Although the great news made the King of Kucha smile with difficulty, his gloomy face remained unchanged.
Qiandeng couldn't help but think of Li Yingshang's previous judgment, knowing that he really didn't have much time left, and felt mixed emotions.
The sound of stringed instruments can be heard in the palace, and the celebration in the front hall is about to begin.
Everyone was led by the palace servants to sit down, and Qiandeng, as a cousin, prepared to go to the side hall to visit Princess Bai Zhaosu first to see how she was doing.
"County Princess..." The King of Kucha, despite his illness, raised his hand to signal her to stay for a moment.
Soon, Bai Zhaosu was lying on a small couch and was carried to their side. Everyone else around him left, leaving only the Grand Commandant, Yuchi Yiyao and several other important officials of Kucha by their side.
"If the county lady hadn't taken the lead in raising funds and united the Tang and Kucha armies to defeat the Western Fan army... Kucha would have had difficulty maintaining long-term stability. The county lady is Kucha's great benefactor!"
Hearing the King of Kucha say this, Qian Deng immediately said, "Kucha is the land of my bloodline and the country of my ancestors. I am fortunate to be able to contribute a little this time, and it is also my unshirkable duty."
"Yes, I thank you for your generosity. I... now have another matter to entrust to you. This matter concerns the long-term plan of Kucha. I hope everyone present here will bear witness."
He spoke so hard and solemnly that everyone knew he was entrusting his son to someone else, and they all knelt down with heavy faces to listen.
The King of Kucha raised his hand to signal for Bai Zhaosu to be carried to his side. He stroked her head and spoke with difficulty, "My royal family has suffered misfortune, and thanks to the County Lady, she has preserved Zhaosu, our only remaining bloodline. However, she is... still young, and has never been involved in government affairs or received any upbringing. Fortunately, the County Lady has been kind to her, and she, in turn, has great admiration and respect for the County Lady. The County Lady is... a relative of my royal family, and a noblewoman of the Tang Dynasty, with farsightedness and extraordinary vision. I would like to ask the County Lady to remain in Kucha for a while to teach Zhaosu and oversee state affairs. I wonder... what is the County Lady's opinion?"
When these words were spoken, everyone was stunned, but also felt it was natural.
After all, after Bai Zhaosu ascended the throne, the weak ruler of a small country would certainly not be able to control the situation in Kucha, and would most likely be swallowed up by surrounding forces in a short period of time.
However, the Princess of Lingling had the support of the Tang Dynasty in the distance and the Beiting nearby. Moreover, she was a relative of the royal family and a descendant of King Changhua. If she could serve as regent, Kucha should be able to maintain peace and stability.
only……
The same thought suddenly came to the minds of all the ministers. They thought, Princess Lingling is powerful and capable, and has a status blessed by her father and grandfather. She only needs to obtain the permission of the Tang Dynasty. It will not be difficult for her to become the Queen of Kucha. Why should she just be a regent sister standing behind the scenes?
No wonder the King of Kucha wanted them to be witnesses. The only thing he could hope for was to give the county lord the moral title of "entrusting the orphan to someone else" so that for the sake of his ancestors' reputation and his own reputation, he would give up his ambition to usurp the throne and avoid being criticized and ridiculed by the people of the world.
The Grand Commandant, kneeling in the front, looked at the King of Kucha and Bai Zhaosu, seeming to want to say something but stopping himself.
Yuchi Yiyao secretly observed Qiandeng's expression, thinking of the majesty of King Linhuai standing behind her, and her heart was filled with worry and anxiety.
Everyone in the hall secretly changed their expressions, waiting for the reaction of the Princess of the Tang Dynasty.
Only Bai Zhaosu did not understand the undercurrent behind this moment. He just looked at Qiandeng with hopeful eyes, his eyes full of peace of mind, as if he knew that the county lady would definitely help her out of the predicament as always.
Amidst the ambiguous gazes of everyone in the hall, Qian Deng pondered for a moment, then let out a long sigh, nodded to the King of Kucha, and smiled slightly.
She walked over to the pale, frail Bai Zhaosu, raised her hand to hold her slightly cool small palm, knelt on one knee before her, and whispered, "Bai Qiandeng has little knowledge and no great wisdom, so I dare not say I will teach you. But I am willing to stay in Kucha and assist you with all my heart and soul. I believe that she will be able to achieve peace and stability for the people and create a new era of prosperity for Kucha, just like our great-grandmother, Queen Guishan."
Hearing her solemn promise, the King of Kucha was overjoyed and burst into tears: "Having the county lady guarding the country and assisting in governance is a blessing for Kucha and the Northwest!"
All the ministers in the hall also kowtowed to Qiandeng and shouted: "Blessings to Kucha, blessings to the Northwest!"
When such a major event was settled and the news spread, the people in the city, who were already celebrating the victory, sang and danced all night long to celebrate.
Qiandeng stood on the palace city, looking at the lively and joyful scene in the square in front of the palace, and couldn't help but smile.
Daimao, who was standing behind her, was both nervous and excited. "Oh, County Princess, I told Aunt Xuanji before that we would return to Chang'an after the ceremony, but now you want to stay in Kucha as regent, and the princess is so young. We won't be able to go back in the next year or two..."
"It's not just one or two years..." Listening to the noisy singing below, Qian Deng closed his eyes and said softly, "Maybe, it's a lifetime."
Daimao was dumbfounded, not knowing what to do: "This..."
"I will write a letter back to Chang'an and explain everything in detail. I believe the court will support me in managing the overall situation in Kucha and stabilizing the northwestern border defense."
But by that time, the prince might have been in trouble, and the emperor and empress would have no energy to care about her, a little county lady.
"I believe Aunt Xuanji and the Chief Secretary will take care of the affairs of the palace. Those who are willing to move in can pack up their belongings and come over. For those who are unwilling to come, we will find a way out for them. The Changhua Palace...is simply a return from Chang'an to Kucha, the place my grandfather protected with his lifelong faith."
And now, it will be up to her to spend her life protecting this vast land and guarding the northwesternmost barrier of the Tang Dynasty.
Perhaps her power is not strong enough, but fortunately the situation has now been developed. Fortunately, she has the most steadfast allies nearby who will defend the world with her.
Her hand involuntarily touched the bracelet on her wrist, and at this moment, she heard quick footsteps behind her. It was Li Yingshang who walked quickly and grabbed her wrist.
She looked up and saw his face. In the flickering firelight in the square, the rage in his eyes was clear.
Daimao looked at him and then at Qiandeng fearfully, but dared not say anything. Qiandeng could only signal her to leave first.
Before Daimao could walk down the steps of the city wall, Li Yingshang had already grabbed Qiandeng's wrist, pulled her into his arms on the deserted palace wall, and hugged her tightly.
Qian Deng leaned against his chest and listened quietly to his rapid heartbeat for a while before hearing his question: "Why?"
He didn't say anything else, but she knew what he was going to ask.
"For a happy ending for everyone." Qian Deng withdrew his hand and pointed at the celebrating citizens in the city. "The people of Kucha are at peace; the succession to the throne is logical and smooth; the catastrophe is over, and a prosperous and peaceful era is imminent... Don't you think this situation is good?"
"But what about you? Why should this situation be based on your self-sacrifice?" Li Yingshang suppressed his voice, but couldn't suppress the fierce and fierce tone. "What did you say when you asked me to borrow troops? The situation has been decided. You clearly promised to go to Beiting with me. Why did you promise to stay in Qiuci and clean up this mess? Are you really going to abandon everything we have experienced, betray your promise to me, and dedicate your life to burying yourself for that sick little girl?"
"No, everything I did was not for Bai Zhaosu, but for myself."
Qian Deng raised her head from his embrace and gazed at him steadily from the closest distance. "Li Yingshang, you are the Prince of Linhuai. You are stronger than anyone else in this world. You can achieve anything you want and accomplish anything you want. But I am different. Throughout this journey, perhaps you are the only one who understands best how difficult it is for a woman to make a name for herself in this world, to accomplish what she wants to do, and to realize her dreams. Now, I have this opportunity before me—and I have seized it to realize my long-cherished dream. Even if the price is that I can no longer live a peaceful life under your wings, even if I can no longer enjoy all the prosperity and splendor that the Tang Dynasty has given me, for me, it is all worth it!"
Li Yingshang stared at her intently, but this look that would make everyone in the world fear him did not change the resolute expression on her face in the slightest.
"Actually, I had another plan." Qian Deng met his terrifying expression and said something that made his face even gloomier. "Actually, the monks at Qianfo Temple said that I have wisdom and that the imperial preceptor during the reign of Queen Guishan was a bhikkhuni. So, I originally planned to become a nun. That way, my position as imperial preceptor and regent would be more legitimate, and the people of Kucha would feel more at ease..."
Li Yingshang grabbed her shoulders with such force that she almost lost control. "What did you say?"
Qian Deng seemed oblivious to the pain in her shoulder. She softly said, "Back then, when Yan Penglai wrote my fortune-telling and said I had no connections with any relatives... and later, when the imperial court was making such a fuss about choosing a husband for me that it caused a sensation throughout the capital, I told my mother that I didn't want to get married. I wanted to become a nun. I wanted to protect the Bai family's glory, every day that passed..."
Hearing her trembling voice, Li Yingshang felt a dull pain in his chest and slowly loosened his grip on her shoulders.
In fact, he knew very well that she had this obsession buried deep in her heart.
After he first entered the palace as Ling Tianshui, she had been drugged by the jade pendant and had treated him as a relative in the dark night, crying and whispering to him—
"Mother, I don't want to get married... I want to continue the glory of the Changhua Palace. I want to glorify the glory of my ancestors, even if it means I have to stay at home and cultivate my cultivation with my hair uncut to protect my Bai family..."
Up to now, fifteen fiancés have come and gone, and no one has been able to stay by her side. She has trudged all the way back to her destined place, and worked hard to grow into what she is today. He knows the hardships and difficulties better than anyone else.
He stared at her in silence for a long, long time before finally squeezing out a few words: "Then I should be thankful that you didn't choose to become a monk, a more ruthless way to deal with me."
"Yes, my mother wouldn't agree, so I gave up the idea. But... Li Yingshang, in this life, I don't want to be just one person's wife. I am Bai Qiandeng, a descendant of Queen Guishan, granddaughter of Prince Changhua, and the Princess of Lingling County. What I aspire to achieve is not the envied Princess of Linhuai, but to dedicate my life to serving as regent and defending Kucha. This is the life I want. In this life, I will never look back."
Looking at her stubborn and resolute face, Li Yingshang's words of rebuttal were stuck in his throat. In the end, he just said, "Yes, your life is not about finding a man to marry."
After all, she once had more than a dozen fiancés waiting in the backyard of the palace for her attention.
"Madam Meng...your mother, she too had a special skill, a masterful blender of perfumes and medicines. Had she been a man, she could have saved lives, earned her living, and stood tall in the world. But because she was a woman, she was trapped in the harem's strife, ultimately losing control and dying young from depression. Li Yingshang, I'm luckier than your mother. My life didn't have to rot in splendor, nor was it consumed by struggle. I found my own path. If it were you, would you be willing to be confined in a garden, a wealthy and idle person who lives a long life, bidding farewell to this beautiful land forever?"
The hand that was tightly holding her slowly let go, he gently stroked her back, and while holding her in his arms, he also silently gave her some distance to breathe easily.
"Have you really made up your mind?"
"Yes, I also hope that you can support me and understand me. Just like you promised me back then, 'Li Yingshang, I will definitely help you'... You helped me survive, helped me get revenge, and you will definitely help me realize my life ideals, help me become myself, and let me become the real Bai Qiandeng."
"Yes."
He raised his hand and gently pressed it on her head, once again, as if solemnly promising: "Deng Deng, you will get what you want and become the person you want to be."
Qiandeng looked up with relief. In the night breeze from high above, under the flickering lights from afar, she smiled brightly at him. "It's just a pity that the dignified King of Linhuai would mind having a wife who lives in Kucha and can't go with him to Beiting..."
"I do mind," he said without hesitation, "but who told you to strangle my lifeblood, making it impossible for me to find anyone else in this world who can make my heart flutter besides you? So... I can only endure the separation of the newlyweds for a few years."
As he spoke, he stared at her with his scorching eyes, a helpless smile on his lips, but his rare and charming dimples finally appeared in front of her: "I just hope that my wife can be as capable as possible, stabilize the situation in Kucha as soon as possible, and return to reunite with me without distraction."
This can be considered as a rare confession from him.
"Yes, we will all get what we want."
Qiandeng smiled and stretched out her hand to shake his tightly.
Together, they looked at the dancing crowd in front of them illuminated by the fire, and the vast mountains in the distance with their deep outlines outlined by the moonlight, and listened to the happy songs brought by the long wind. On the high palace walls of this thousand-year-old Silk Road and century-old ancient country, their fingers were intertwined, never to be separated.
The Ending
Li Yingshang was very angry, even to the point of being furious and having no place to vent.
His original life motto was to never give in. But after he gave in once for Qian Deng and allowed his princess to stay in Kucha, he found that he had to give in more often.
"What? I, the dignified Prince of Linhuai, not only am I rarely with my wife, but even my child is being taken away from me?"
The killing god who was feared throughout the northwest shouted so loudly that all the soldiers and civilians around him were shocked. They quickly buried their heads in their work and did not dare to look up.
Qian Deng, who had been busy with affairs all day and was supervising the reconstruction of the border defenses today, tugged at his sleeve guiltily, hurriedly gave instructions on all matters, and then pulled Li Yingshang to a deserted place.
She didn't dare look at his furious face and whispered, "There's really no other way. Zhaosu was born with a deficiency, and during that disaster, she was pierced in the abdomen by a vajra, a wound that hasn't healed yet. You examined her injuries then, and now all the famous doctors in the northwest have diagnosed her with uterine damage, fearing she's infertile. And I... am the only remaining descendant of the Kucha royal family."
"In other words, the bloodline of the Kucha royal family depends solely on you." Li Yingshang raised his hand and placed it on her lower abdomen, feeling extremely depressed. "So after we get married, we must quickly give birth to a child for Kucha to continue Queen Guishan's bloodline. Then, you will not only be the regent, but also the mother of Kucha's next king. In this life, I'm afraid you will never be able to leave Kucha again and stay with me in Beiting peacefully."
"That won't happen. When the child grows up, we as parents will naturally have to let go and let him take control of his own life."
"How long? Eighteen years, twenty years? I originally thought Bai Zhaosu could be independent, but now I have to leave a child in Qiuci. Even if you can return to Beiting with me in the future, I'm afraid you will still be worried about this place and worry about it for the rest of your life!"
"No, in the future, our children will have a father like you. Kucha will surely be as strong as a rock. Do I need to worry about it anymore?"
These words finally made Li Yingshang's expression look better. He took her into his arms and said bitterly, "Then get married quickly and have a baby quickly!"
Qian Deng looked at his expression with a smile, and asked with relief, "You don't object to our first child... not taking your surname, but inheriting the Bai family instead?"
"What's the good of taking after this? My family's surname wasn't originally Li anyway." Li Yingshang didn't care at all. "My ancestors were originally Turks. After they surrendered to the Tang Dynasty, they abandoned their original surname and changed it to Li. As for my mother, she didn't even know her own surname. She just took the name of the mountain in her hometown, Emei. But you're different. Since you're determined to continue the glory of the Bai family, it's fine for your child to have the surname Bai."
Seeing him so open-minded, Qian Deng felt she was being a bit stubborn. The two of them rode side by side, slowly returning to the royal city. She took advantage of the moment when their horses occasionally crossed paths to whisper in his ear, "Don't worry, we'll have more children."
These low words made his eyes dim slightly. He raised his hand and was about to pull her from the horse's back, but he heard a shout from the side that ruined the mood: "Xianzhu, I'm here again!"
These familiar words made the two of them look at each other, and their faces showed an expression of worry and helplessness.
Looking back, they saw that the one riding towards them was, of course, Mingjiu.
With a shamelessly relaxed expression on his face, he rushed over to them and asked, "Xianzhu, why didn't you call me when you were investigating? I'm the best at it!"
Before he could get close, Li Yingshang raised his hand, and the guards around him had already galloped forward and stopped him three feet away.
Li Yingshang gestured for Qiandeng to return to the city with him, and waved his whip to drive Mingjiu away from a distance: "Prince Mingjiu, why don't you return to He? Do you really have to stay and drink in my and Dengdeng's wedding wine before leaving?"
"Fine wine? What kind of wine is that?" Ming Jiu naturally didn't understand what he meant.
"Wedding wine is what Han people drink when they get married. Deng Deng can't possibly marry into the Huihe tribe. She—"
As she spoke, Li Yingshang stretched out her arms, and amid Qiandeng's unexpected cry, her slender body had already soared into the air and landed on his horse's back.
"——She will soon become the Princess of Linhuai!"
Upon hearing this, Mingjiu almost jumped off his horse: "I am Xianzhu's husband. When have you ever been on her carriage (book)? Besides, even if it's Ling Tianshui, the duck (bet) in the Chang'an gambling house, I'm much taller than him!"
"Unfortunately, the mistakes you made to Qiuci and Ji Linyou are too deep. Deng Deng will never forgive you." He said, looking down at Qian Deng in his arms.
Qiandeng, as the sister of the regent of Kucha, had to be more magnanimous. She said, "Prince Mingjiu, although you, the Huihe, harmed Kucha at a critical moment, now that the Western Fan army has retreated, if the Huihe are sincere, Kucha is still willing to negotiate for our mutual benefit. However, I hope you will come with sincerity and not harbor any hidden ulterior motives."
Seeing their intimacy, Mingjiu was furious and didn't care about the overall situation: "Xianzhu, do you really want to choose him? Look at me, look at me! How is the Princess of Huihe worse than the Princess of Linhuai? Hey, Xianzhu..."
Unfortunately, his cry was against the wind in the wilderness and could not be heard very far.
Li Yingshang and Qiandeng had already ridden away, leaving him far behind.
However, while galloping, Li Yingshang suddenly became thoughtful: "Speaking of which, although the fifteen husbands you've had are a mixed bag, many are also outstanding. But in the end, it was me, the last one who was always the least favored by the people of Chang'an, who finally won you."
"You also know that you are at the bottom? I thought you never cared about this." Qian Deng said, with a relieved smile on his cheek, but then he thought of the young men who had been scattered along the way, and felt sad in his heart, and couldn't help but sigh.
Li Yingshang knew exactly what she was thinking. He lowered his head and stroked her hair, changing the subject: "Speaking of which, I wonder how the bet of the people of Chang'an will end?"
The names of fifteen young men were hung on the door of Shengfa Casino.
Qiandeng sighed softly, feeling a little dazed.
At this point, only Cui Fufeng and Ming Jiu are left. When people know that her final choice is Prince Linhuai, who has never appeared in the gambling house, no one knows how it will end.
But, that was their business. Let the dealer and the gambler resolve the issue themselves. It had nothing to do with her anyway.
Li Yingshang escorted her back to the palace and then hurried back to deal with the affairs of Beiting. The two busy people were anxious to finish their tasks so that they could safely welcome the auspicious day of their wedding.
Qiandeng changed her clothes and went to visit Bai Zhaosu first.
The young queen who had just ascended the throne has basically recovered. She is reading poetry and books under the guidance of teachers invited from the Central Plains, and is working hard to learn the culture of the Tang Dynasty.
Qiandeng happily read with her for a while. After she said goodbye and left, she found that the palace maids were leading a group of people towards them.
Upon seeing them, Qiandeng was immediately delighted: "Aunt Xuanji, Aunt Yingluo, Liuli, Zhenzhu, Uncle Zhuang... are you all here?"
It was the old people from the palace and the village who rushed from Chang'an to Qiuci, trekking through thousands of mountains and rivers, and finally met her again here, calling her "County Princess" as always.
"County Lady, we were able to come here thanks to the help of Cui Shaoqing—of course, the Jin family caravan also helped a lot."
Aunt Xuanji packed up the important things she brought from the Changhua Palace and put them in Qiandeng's residence in the Kucha Palace. At the same time, she chattered about what they had seen and heard from Chang'an to Kucha.
"Although our journey has been arduous, the trade routes and the towns and villages along the way have been quite smooth. Everyone says that with the northwest now at peace and the borders at rest, the restoration of the Tang Dynasty's former prosperity in the Western Regions is just around the corner!"
Qian Deng said with relief, "Yes, as long as there is no war and no more unrest, and the Northwest is stabilized and governed, the Tang Dynasty will be able to restore its former glory."
Aunt Xuanji nodded with a smile, then remembered something and took out the letter that was close to our body and handed it to her, saying, "This is what Cui Shaoqing asked us to pass on to the county lady before we set off."
Qian Deng took the envelope but didn't open it. After a moment's hesitation, he asked, "Shaoqing Cui... How is he doing in Chang'an now?"
"Shaoqing Cui is as low-key and reserved as ever. However, when he came to help the County Lady with the remaining matters in the mansion, I noticed that he seemed a little down and sad. County Lady..." Aunt Xuanji observed Qiandeng's expression and said softly, "I thought that you and Shaoqing Cui were destined to be together, but in the end, how did you miss each other?"
Qian Deng smiled sadly and said, "Aunt, it's true that Cui Shaoqing is very good, but we chose different paths and can't walk together. Look, now we are each heading towards our own best direction. Isn't this the best outcome?"
"Then... after coming to the northwest, why did the county lady suddenly choose the Prince of Linhuai, a man she had never met before?" Aunt Xuanji looked at her with concern. "Is it because of the situation? For the stability of Kucha and the northwest, so the county lady made this choice after weighing the pros and cons? But county lady, we all hope that you will choose the life you truly want, without sacrificing for other purposes..."
Qian Deng couldn't help but smile at her and said softly: "No, aunt, don't worry, this is my own choice."
Aunt Xuanji naturally didn't believe her. After a moment's thought, she opened the box and took out a meticulously folded blue-green feather satin cloak. "Come to think of it, I brought this unicorn feather satin cloak with me when I came here this time. When Prince Linhuai saved the county lady at the cold pond, she came back wrapped in it. We cleaned and sorted it, but never had the chance to return it. I never thought this bond would last until now, forever."
"It's more than just this fate..." Qian Deng reached out and touched the Qilin flower clustered with feathers, smiling with some emotion. "Perhaps our fate was destined even earlier, when he saved me during the palace coup; or perhaps it was in the many times later, when we experienced countless changes together..."
As she spoke, she thought about everything that had happened between them along the way and smiled with emotion: "You'll know when you meet him, Aunt. You won't believe anything I say now. Aunt, please tell me about the situation in Chang'an after Cui Shaoqing returns."
"Young Master Cui is doing better now than before. I think the Cui family's reputation is about to become even more prosperous. After all—" Aunt Xuanji looked around and lowered her voice to her, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had an accident after returning to the capital. Did the County Lady know about this?"
Qiandeng lowered her eyes and picked up the letter brought by Aunt Xuanji. She looked at Cui Fufeng's clear and crisp handwriting on the envelope and said calmly, "I have also heard that it is the legacy of the Grand Princess of Gao State."
"Yes, the Crown Prince fell ill, and the Emperor and Empress were heartbroken. Since the Fengtian Incident last year, the Emperor has been in poor health due to his displacement. Now bedridden, with no one to lead the court, he has ordered Prince Guang to return to Chang'an as soon as possible and to act as Regent as the Prince's younger brother. The Cui family has a close relationship with Prince Guang, so the County Lady naturally knows this."
Qiandeng nodded silently.
She knew that Cui Fufeng would make sure everything went according to his plan and would not allow any mistakes to happen.
Perhaps his only failure in life was his scheme against her.
She locked herself in the study and opened Cui Fufeng's letter.
Although the letter was signed by Cui Fufeng on the outside, after taking out the letter inside, she found that the content he gave her had no address or signature.
It wasn't even a letter, it was just a little piece of paper attached to another letter—
He is already in a state of delirium, but occasionally becomes lucid and can barely recognize people. He asked me to pass this letter to you.
He did not say who wrote the letter, but Qiandeng naturally knew who this person was who had fallen into madness and was approaching death step by step.
Holding the letter from Chang'an to Kucha, she seemed to see the scene when she was thirteen years old, wearing his clothes and running wildly within the palace walls.
From that moment on, she began to lose one thing after another: her grandfather, her father, her grandmother, her mother...
It was also from that moment that she had the scar on her eyebrow and was judged to have a life without any relatives. As a result, she had many husbands who came and went. In the end, she walked step by step through the blood and rain to where she is today.
He changed her destiny, but she had already stepped under her feet on this tampered destiny and would never be influenced by it again.
Now that things have come to this, what should he say to her, and what should she accept from him about what he says to her?
Just like when he left the northwest to return to Chang'an, he also wanted to see her one last time. But she never hesitated, and in the end she never said goodbye to him, let alone looked at him again.
Life is already determined, no matter what you say, it is meaningless.
She moved aside the burning incense burner and threw the unopened letter into it.
The embers of the fireworks slowly consumed everything he wanted to say to her.
Just like he had done with her mother's letter, he burned it completely and disappeared without a trace.
——The lights and the wind are over——
Tips: If you are looking for a good novel, come here~
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com