Chapter 81 Did you only just find out about Lu and Li's existence? ...
The sudden kiss startled Qin Song. Lu Youchuan's kiss last night had been too intense, and her lips were still a little swollen.
When Li Yu touched her, she was still a little uncomfortable and shrank her neck slightly. Li Yu raised his hand to hug her and kissed her further.
Qin Song didn't know what restraint was, and she never found it cloying. Ideally, her period wouldn't come, so she quickly got used to Li Yu's kisses, responding to his rhythm and entwining her lips and tongue with his.
But she hadn't forgotten her important matters, and Li Yu's sudden forceful kiss was too unusual.
She couldn't help but turn her eyes to look outside the door.
The light flickered at the doorway, and a young man in a long black robe strode to the door and immediately saw the scene inside.
His brows furrowed suddenly, his eyes turned icy cold, but he strode over without stopping.
This is troublesome! Lu Youchuan is capable of drawing his sword.
Qin Song quickly turned around, moved towards the door, stood between Lu Youchuan and Li Yu, and forcefully broke free from Li Yu's kiss.
"No, there's still some good stuff—"
Before she could finish speaking, Lu Youchuan, who had been walking quickly, came straight up behind her and pressed his chest tightly against her back.
Her burning body temperature enveloped her with the calming scent of sandalwood and the crisp, cool fragrance—familiar yet stimulating.
Qin Song felt a chill run down her spine. Her mind automatically switched to a vibrant mode, filled with alternating images of different kinds of pleasure from the two people in front of and behind her.
She was truly born to be an emperor; a harem of three thousand was her destiny.
Just as she was marveling at her own remarkable unrestrained nature, the person behind her suddenly raised their hand, pinched her chin, and gently turned her head behind her. A domineering kiss landed unexpectedly on her.
Just as Li Yu had kissed her earlier, Lu Youchuan's gaze was also openly provocative towards Li Yu.
"Shameless!" Li Yu grabbed Qin Song's wrist and forcibly pulled away from Lu Youchuan's kiss that had come from behind.
Lu Youchuan's hand, which was on Qin Song's shoulder, slid down her arm and into her palm. He then grabbed her other hand and glanced coldly at Li Yu: "Not as good as you."
Li Yu's expression was unpleasant.
He disliked Tao Qingyang, but he was even more wary of Lu Youchuan, because she loved him first.
The thought of her calling him "Lu Lang" that night filled him with dread. He didn't care who her fiancé was, nor did he try to compete for her position as his wife.
But he was afraid, afraid that his appearance would take away all the positions he had won over the past five years.
His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he subconsciously pulled Qin Song closer to him: "You shouldn't have been here!"
Lu Youchuan pulled Qin Song back a little, looking down at him with disdain: "Where I am is none of your business."
He could have drawn his sword, but he couldn't act impulsively. His grand plan hadn't succeeded yet, and this kid was still useful to her.
Moreover, he always believed that he was different and that there was no need to prove his importance by killing the other person. He only needed to remember that she came to him first.
Out of respect for her virginity, he shouldn't interfere with her doing anything.
But he could only control himself to accept their existence; he couldn't suppress his greed that was being stimulated.
Qin Song was being pulled back and forth by the two men, feeling utterly helpless.
The two stunningly beautiful faces she admired were so close, yet they put her in a difficult position.
"Alright!" Qin Song forcefully pulled his hands back. "What else could it be so early in the morning? Did you only just find out about each other's existence?"
Neither of them responded, but they silently withdrew their gazes and involuntarily glanced at Qin Song.
Qin Song rubbed his wrist. "If you mind, then choose another beauty. I have important matters to attend to, so I won't keep you company."
After speaking, Qin Song stepped out the door without giving them another glance.
Li Yu immediately followed, "Songniang, I'll go with you."
Just now, she asked him to go out with her.
Qin Song neither refused nor responded, and walked forward without looking back.
Lu Youchuan followed, but as soon as he reached the door, Chunhe bent down and stopped him. "Lord Lu, it's someone from the palace. You'd better leave."
Lu Youchuan finally held back, and Qin Song led Li Yu and a group of secret guards to the place where the other party frequently appeared.
"It's in the bamboo forest just ahead," the secret guard who had received the information reported, pointing to the secluded depths of the bamboo forest outside Kaifeng City.
Li Yuchao's secret guards glanced at him and asked, "Have you scouted them out? How many are on the other side?"
The guard reported, "I've scouted it. There's a small bamboo house ahead, surrounded by a circle of eunuchs, with only a few dozen people guarding it."
"Only a few dozen people?" Li Yu paused for a moment, then took Qin Song's hand. "The people from the palace went to great lengths to come to Kaifeng, so they must have come prepared. But only a few dozen people showed up. There might be an ambush. You stay here, I'll go."
“There’s definitely an ambush,” Qin Song said confidently. “But Long’an isn’t that stupid. If the Crown Prince doesn’t come to kill us, she’ll only bring about her own destruction.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she stepped inside.
After Li Yu summoned several more groups of guards to reinforce the defenses, he closely followed Qin Song's steps.
As the two approached the wooden house, a eunuch hurriedly went inside to announce their arrival. A moment later, a handsome man in fine clothes emerged gracefully from the house, respectfully waiting for them to approach.
"Young Master, Lady Qin, it's been a long time." The handsome man bowed to the two of them, then glanced almost imperceptibly behind them.
Qin Song knew what he was looking at; the Crown Prince's absence would disappoint them.
She pretended not to notice his gaze and nodded politely: "So it's Consort Xiao."
Qin Song remembered him. During the Winter Solstice Banquet, he fed her medicine in the palace. Qin Song only called him the Princess's male favorite, and later learned that his surname was Xiao.
"Why did you come to Kaifeng alone instead of staying by the Princess's side? Is there something important you need?"
"It's not a good place to chat, please come inside." He stepped aside to make way for them.
Qin Song shifted his gaze from him to the bamboo house, already having made his decision. Without refusing, he steadily entered.
The small bamboo house appears to be uninhabited, with a simple layout and sparse furnishings.
The entire main room contained only a small square table in the very center, along with four bamboo chairs, and no other furnishings.
Further on, there is a small door leading to an inner room, with a guard standing on each side of the door.
Qin Song glanced at it, then looked away and followed the man to the table.
"Please have a seat, both of you." Xiao Cejun poured two cups of tea.
Qin Song sat down, holding the teacup, but made no further move.
Li Yu glanced at the teacup, but didn't pick it up either. He cut to the chase first: "Prince Xiao, since His Majesty has taken the time to come, why not meet and talk?"
Xiao Cejun paused in the act of pouring tea for himself, his expression changed, but he quickly regained his composure. Just as he was about to speak, while adjusting his cuffs, a noise suddenly came from the inner room.
"As expected of the young master praised by everyone in the capital, he truly has discerning eyes."
A woman in a yellow robe and golden crown calmly entered from inside.
Long An was beautiful and charming, but after putting on this dragon robe, she inexplicably gained a sense of majesty and became imposing.
Upon seeing her emerge, the guards and Consort Xiao all rose to pay their respects.
Qin Song and Li Yu also stood up and bowed respectfully, saying, "Greetings, Your Majesty."
Long'an did not blame them for their impolite manners; everyone knew perfectly well that she was not someone who could make them submit.
She walked gracefully to the table and sat down opposite Qin Song, with Xiao Cejun quietly attending to her from behind.
Qin Song and Li Yu did not wait for her to remove her formalities and sat down on their own. Qin Song said first, "This humble woman is terrified to be able to see Your Majesty's esteemed face in Kaifeng."
"Your Highness Qin, is that how you address her? You should know who I have come to see personally."
Before Qin Song could reply, Li Yu preemptively stated, "His Highness the Crown Prince is seriously ill and unable to leave the house."
Long An's gaze dimmed for a moment, then he turned to look at Li Yu. "Young Master, please be careful with your words. Li Xu is a convict and is no longer His Highness the Crown Prince. Besides, you don't need to be nervous. I just want to make friends with Consort Qin."
Her gaze returned to Qin Song, "Kaifeng is not the legitimate dynasty after all. Lady Qin is a goddess bestowed by heaven, and should bring blessings to the country. Why not pledge allegiance to me and work together to build a prosperous and powerful world?"
Qin Song stared at Long An with neither servility nor arrogance: "Co-governance?"
Long An nodded: "You are also a woman, shouldn't you understand me better? I am of royal blood, how am I not better than the former crown prince who was convicted? Isn't everything I've done what you wanted to see? Look, how many women have stepped onto the high platform in the entire capital, no, in the entire Great Yu? Don't you feel gratified? Why do you have to oppose me at every turn?"
As Long An finished speaking, he naturally exuded the powerful and authoritative aura of someone in a high position.
Qin Song remained relaxed and calmly replied, "Your Majesty misunderstands. Since Your Majesty ascended the throne, we have never led troops to the capital even a step, nor have we interfered with any of Your Majesty's decrees. How can you say we are opposing you?"
"Is that so? But you and I both know perfectly well that Imperial Censor Lu is your man. Although you have retired to Kaifeng, you have been hoarding troops and raising the banner of rebellion. Every single one of these acts constitutes disloyalty, and any one of them is a capital offense."
Long An chuckled again, "However, in these difficult times, since we both harbor ambitions, why should we be hostile to each other? I have never harmed Imperial Censor Lu in the slightest; isn't such sincerity enough to move you?"
“Your Majesty, you may have forgotten that you did not touch Censor Lu because you dared not touch him. If my father were still alive, all the prefectures would certainly be under his control. But my father has fallen. Under the current circumstances of Your Majesty’s sudden ascension to the throne, only the Censorate can keep order in the prefectures. You do not trust Lu Youchuan, but you have no choice but to rely on him. You should be grateful that he is an honest and upright official. Otherwise, you would not have lasted five years.”
Qin Song disliked beating around the bush and bluntly exposed her scheme.
Long An's expression changed, and he gripped the teacup tightly with his hand on the table, suppressing his anger that was about to erupt.
"As for your sincerity," Qin Song said with a cold laugh, completely unconcerned by her anger, "it's more like fear than sincerity. If it weren't for the Zhenbei Army stationed in Kaifeng, you would rather I disappear forever than become a speck of dust in your eyes. Don't you agree, Long'an?"
She actually called her by her first name.
Long An lightly slammed his cup on the table, the small room echoing with a jarring clang. "So you're determined to oppose me? With such a powerful army, why do you remain hesitant, neither surrendering nor taking action? Or do you intend to use Li Xu to enter the harem?"
Having asked this question, she seemed to have found a reason to mock Qin Song, and her anger subsided considerably. She then said gently, "Miss Qin, you are a smart woman. Instead of clinging to a man, why not take real power for yourself? Submit to me, and I will grant you the treatment of a prince. If you like Kaifeng, then I will grant you this place as a fief. What do you say?"
She finished speaking slowly, and Qin Song felt a pang of pity for her. "Long An, you are so naive."
Five years after ascending the throne, she still hasn't seen her ambition. She actually thinks that everything she has done is for the crown prince's ascension to the throne. Does she really think she is a fool with a mind full of men?
If she had launched a coup five years ago, she could only have supported the crown prince to succeed to the throne, but things are different now.
During Long An's five-year reign, the people had become accustomed to women in power, which could easily be seen as a stepping stone for her.
She worked hard to gain the support of the people and had already defeated the Crown Prince, who was regarded as the true Son of Heaven by blood alone.
Now, she could lead the Zhenbei Army to overthrow Long'an, then deal with the Crown Prince. With no leader, she could rightfully succeed to the throne.
Moreover, the strength of the Zhenbei Army, the shrewdness of the Censorate, Li Yu's writing skills, her prestige, and the economic wealth she gradually accumulated by relying on the Qin family and outwardly complying while secretly defying them, have long formed a powerful protective network. Even if the country changes drastically, there is no need to worry about the hidden dangers of warlordism and local warlords.
However, Long An seemed never to have thought deeply about these things.
"But Long An, to be honest, I really admire you."
Because she dared to be a pioneer, she not only climbed to a high position herself, but also wanted women to stand at the top.
If she were a woman of this era, she would also be a "Li Niang" who wholeheartedly supports her, after all, her actions have surpassed those of the vast majority of women of this era, and she has truly stood from the perspective of women.
“But you’re still wrong.” Qin Song stood up and walked step by step to the window. He pushed the window up as far as it could go and looked out into the deep bamboo forest through the wooden window. “You are very capable, including your forbearance before showing your talent and your disregard for worldly reputation. You are really brave and ruthless. I have no pity for the late emperor, but I admire your ability to easily sever that family bond. In any case, if you want to hold onto the throne forever, you are still missing one thing.”
She spoke very seriously, and Long An couldn't help but ask, "What is it?"
"Looking outwards. Do you know why you were able to succeed to the throne so smoothly?" Qin Song continued to look out the window.
The eldest princess remained silent. It was indeed shameful to seize power by killing one's father, and she offered no explanation.
Li Yu, still sitting upright across the table, spoke at the opportune moment, "You were able to successfully ascend to the top because you are the daughter of the late emperor. You cleared away one obstacle after another that could threaten you, ensuring that after the late emperor's death, you were the only heir left in the entire capital, so your ascension to the throne was naturally without any suspense."
“That’s right, this is your flawless plan.” Qin Song turned around, stood sideways by the window, and looked at Long An. “But this is also the root of your mistakes. You think that the Great Dynasty is the Great Dynasty of your Li family, and that you can achieve your grand goals just by having the blood of the Li family. But you should have realized it by now, right? There are many people who oppose you. Among them, the most troublesome and the most difficult to shake are the aristocratic families. They are the various aristocratic families that have quietly flourished after the Great Yu treasury has been empty for many years. Even if you sit on the dragon throne and the entire court is filled with your confidants, you still cannot move the country.”
Long An's expression changed slightly. Over the years, she had been focused on guarding against Kaifeng and had not paid much attention to other matters. Most of the matters that could not be advanced were resolved by the Censorate at crucial moments.
Her gaze passed over Qin Song, then across the window beside her, as if a sudden realization dawned on her. "But as you say, will these problems be solved once the Crown Prince ascends the throne?"
The crown prince cannot succeed to the throne, but she can.
She lay low for five years; she's not just a good-for-nothing who only knows how to indulge in pleasure.
But she didn't want to tell her, since even if they didn't fight, it would be difficult for them to become friends.
Long An remained silent for a while, and seeing that Qin Song did not want to talk to her anymore, she stopped pressing him.
She had two purposes for this trip. One was to lure the Crown Prince here. Once the Crown Prince died, Kaifeng would become an unnamed rebel and would be condemned by the people of the world.
The second was to persuade Qin Song to submit.
It seems all my words were in vain.
She didn't want to linger any longer, so she tapped the table. Immediately, a dense sound of footsteps and the clanging of weapons came from outside the door.
Li Yu immediately shielded Qin Song, asking, "Does Your Majesty still wish to resort to arms?"
Seeing Li Yu's reaction, Long An smiled calmly: "There are only three thousand elite troops outside the door. I just wanted to remind Miss Qin that I dared to come here in person because I have made full preparations. If I leave, please do not make any futile pursuit."
Three thousand elite troops are considered a full preparation? Qin Song's gaze swept over her for a moment.
Was she testing her? Trying to find out how much power she still had left in Kaifeng?
Qin Song smiled and said, "Don't worry, I can wait for five years, so why would I fight with you today? Besides, we have always believed that the foundation of the Great Yu Dynasty is in the capital. If you die in Kaifeng, it will only make us a target of criticism."
"Good to know." Long An stood up, gave a forced smile, and leisurely walked out the door.
Just as she reached the door, Qin Song suddenly called out to her: "Long'an, if you can be a good emperor, I can let you off the hook, but you must not make even a single wrong step. Take care."
Long An stopped at the door and turned around, only to see that she was still standing by the window, with her back to her, without turning her head to look at her.
Long An's gaze lingered for a moment before he turned his head away.
After striding out the door, her eyes suddenly turned cold: Not to compete with her? Then you have to have the strength to compete with her first?
The only one to blame is that she dared to let Tao Qingyang return to the Northern Border; she really did stumble upon the perfect timing.
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Author's Note: [Dog head with rose in hand]
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