The former Qin king, a vassal king of the previous dynasty, was known for his benevolence. The people in his territory lived in peace and prosperity, a stark contrast to the cumbersome taxation in other regions. At that time, there were no rebel armies, and many people, hearing of the good life in Qin, flocked there.
However, there were far more monks than meat. The King of Qin thought he had made all the necessary preparations, but in reality, he was unable to settle all the refugees. As a result, the people who could not enter the city complained bitterly, and the original residents of the city also harbored resentment because their lives had been disrupted.
Before long, a conflict broke out between the two groups in the city, resulting in more than a dozen deaths and injuries. The original inhabitants of the city demanded that these outsiders be expelled, while the outsiders believed that they should not be discriminated against once they entered the city and demanded that the government act fairly.
The King of Qin was caught in a dilemma; siding with either side would displease the other. Ultimately, left with no other choice, he decided to allow the outsiders to leave the city. However, the imperial court, citing the King's large-scale acceptance of refugees as a sign of disloyalty, launched a military campaign against Qin.
The last emperor of the previous dynasty was licentious and tyrannical, and listened to slander, wanting the King of Qin dead. So on the day the army was at the city gates, those outsiders who had not yet been driven out of the city opened the city gates, letting the army into the city and shattering the only peaceful place in the chaotic world.
The King and Queen of Qin died at the hands of their own people; their deaths were so innocent and without any reason.
Xie Wanqing once thought that if the King of Qin had been more assertive and led the people of Qin in rebellion, would the outcome have been different?
A person's character determines their fate. The King of Qin was too kind and lacked an iron fist, which led his family to their doom and shattered the dream of peace in Qin.
In a prosperous era, he would have been a worthy ruler, but in a chaotic world, only a ruthless hero can survive.
A cool breeze rustled through the treetops; it was late March, early April, and the evening air was still chilly. Qin Yu's pupils first dilated and then contracted. He pursed his lips and murmured, "What did Your Highness say? I don't quite understand."
This matter concerns Xie Liwei's safety, and it's not something she, as his mistress, can reveal.
Among the servants who accompanied Xie Liwei to the Xie family, besides him and his mother, only Fang Rao and a few secret guards knew Xie Liwei's true identity, and they were all absolutely loyal.
Song Yaozhu appreciated their loyalty.
"It's alright." Song Yaozhu patted his shoulder and said, "I'll ask the prince myself."
Qin Yu froze, thinking that if the prince was willing to tell Song Yaozhu about her background, then they would accept it. She was someone the prince was willing to give everything for.
"Your Highness, you look just like our Prince's late sister."
He scratched his head. "It's not that we look alike, it's our personalities."
Song Yaozhu thought that her personality had changed a lot; at least she wasn't as flamboyant as before.
"Really? Then tell me, is it because I resemble Empress Jingxian that His Highness has fallen for me?"
Qin Yu: "..."
What kind of fatal question is this?
How is he supposed to answer that?!
Qin Yu, trying to slip away quickly, said, "Your Highness, the ginseng soup is getting cold! I'll take it back to your courtyard right away!"
Qin Yu arrived at Tingxue Courtyard a few steps earlier and told Xie Liwei everything about his conversation with Song Yaozhu. Xie Liwei held the ginseng soup and drank it sip by sip. After waiting for a long time without seeing Song Yaozhu return, he asked the maid and learned that she had gone back to Biluo Courtyard to sleep that day.
Xie Liwei laughed in exasperation, thinking that he really had no temper at all.
He put on his outer robe and went to Biluo Courtyard to find Song Yaozhu.
Song Yaozhu had already turned off the lights and was asleep in bed. Hearing the noise, she groggily opened her eyes and found that the sash of her undergarment had been torn open.
"What are you doing?" Song Yaozhu pushed him away, but his grip was strong. One of his large hands pressed down on her inner thigh, and her waist went limp.
"What's wrong with the princess? Why are you sleeping in a separate room from me?" Xie Liwei bit her earlobe, his large, cool hands roaming over her body, causing Song Yaozhu to gasp for breath.
She bit Xie Liwei's shoulder, suppressing her voice, sweat dripping onto the red sheets with each movement. It wasn't until midnight that she finally had some peace and quiet, as he lifted her up and fed her water.
Song Yaozhu drank two glasses of water, then lay back down, panting. She didn't even have the strength to speak, let alone be angry.
Xie Liwei pinched her hair, "Are you still angry?"
Song Yaozhu snorted and didn't want to pay him any attention.
"Was it because I didn't serve you well that my elder sister is angry with me?"
When Song Yaozhu heard him call her "elder sister," she thought that if she didn't have a proper talk with him soon, she might die of embarrassment because of this.
She rolled over again, resting her neck on Xie Liwei's arm, and asked, "When did you figure it out?"
Xie Liwei kissed her forehead as if he were kissing a precious object, solemnly and carefully.
"When my older sister came back."
Isn't that your wedding day?
How could that be!
"At first glance, I felt it was like her. I always thought it was just my imagination, but after testing you a few times, I realized that you really are my older sister."
"So you summoned Lord Yu to see me to corroborate your suspicions?"
Xie Liwei hummed in agreement. Yu Gong was the person his elder sister trusted most. Even if he wouldn't reveal his true identity to her, she would reveal it to Yu Gong.
My sister must have a lot to do now that she's been given a second chance at life. She doesn't have many people she can trust, and Yu Gong is one of them.
She realized she had been exposed so early on; she hadn't expected Xie Liwei to be so perceptive. Come to think of it, he was so clever; he had simply been pretending all along.
But I'm still angry!
"So you admit you had ulterior motives towards me!"
Xie Liwei chuckled and pulled the person into his arms, holding them tightly.
"Isn't it good? It's hard not to be moved by your older sister, isn't it?" His voice was tinged with laughter, as if he didn't understand where Song Yaozhu's anger came from, but was happy to coax her.
“Of course it’s different. You and I are siblings, and even if we’re not blood-related siblings, we’ve gotten along like this for many years!”
"Sister, this is not fair. I know I have no blood relation with you, so why can't I have any greed? At least, when you were still Xie Wanqing, I always hid it well, didn't I?"
Song Yaozhu lowered her eyelids, her heart churning with emotions. She felt sorry for Xie Liwei. If she had always been Xie Wanqing, would Xie Liwei have suppressed his true feelings and followed her wishes to marry and have children?
"Aren't you tired of doing this?"
"Not tired." Xie Liwei's five fingers intertwined with Song Yaozhu's, their fingers now interlocked. "I know Yuwen Wuji's true colors. I'm waiting for the day when you see through him, sister."
By then, he will have grown from a "younger brother" into a capable and responsible young man, and his older sister will no longer treat him as a younger brother.
Unfortunately, he did not expect that Yuwen Wuji would be so ruthless, even capable of harming his elder sister who had accompanied him to the pinnacle of power.
"Thank you for your hard work over the years."
Song Yaozhu hugged his waist tightly and pressed her face against his chest. There was no shame or embarrassment as she had expected, and she calmly accepted the fact that he knew her identity.
Her breathing gradually calmed down and became long and even.
Xie Liwei murmured, "Sister, this is so unfair. Didn't you always know that I wasn't your biological brother?"
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