Hier gibt es Liebe für dreihundert Tael

Kapitel 82

"Either die or go blind."

With a sharp "snap," Qin Zhen's long fingernail broke off due to excessive force, digging into her palm and drawing blood. Ignoring the pain, she pressed, "Is there any way to save it?"

Everyone in the room remained silent, waiting for Ji Wuhuan's reply. Ji Wuhuan said, "There are two paths you can take. One is to abort the child and make long-term plans after the poison in your body is cleared. Or, you can keep the child. I will do my best to help you keep the child, but the child will definitely be blind. What will you choose?"

Qin Zhen supported her forehead with her hand. This choice was so difficult for her. He definitely wanted the child, but the child was going blind because of her. How unfair this was to the child!

Su Mufei, however, reminded him, "Even though he's a blind child, can't we detoxify him and treat his eyes after he's born?"

Ji Wuhuan pondered and said, "Logically speaking, this isn't impossible. But by this time next year, I don't know if we'll be able to find the Eight-Leaf Lotus Eye Grass again."

Finally, Qin Zhen made her decision, saying, "Since there is hope, I will keep the child; he is also a life..."

The crowd responded with silence, sighs, and words of comfort. After a while, Ji Wuhuan said, "Since Junior Sister has made this decision, I will help you prepare. You don't need to worry about anything. Just rest well."

The long night was lonely, and Qin Zhen tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. She hadn't expected this child to arrive at this time, and she didn't know if her decision was right. But she knew she simply couldn't bear to abort her own flesh and blood based on just a few words!

The treatment process in the following days was actually not complicated. Ji Wuhuan used the Eight-Leaf Lotus Eye Grass to help Qin Zhen detoxify, minimizing the toxins absorbed by the fetus, while also using a special pregnancy-stabilizing medicine to ensure the fetus wouldn't die. Every time the medicine was served to Qin Zhen, she drank it all without a word, her resolute determination evident in every action.

The eight-leaf lotus herb was indeed a precious medicinal herb for improving eyesight. The eight leaves were used in eight separate doses of the medicine. After drinking the entire dose, Qin Zhen could vaguely see the figure in front of him, although it was very faint and blurry, it was still much better than before.

One evening, Qin Zhen had just finished drinking his medicine when Wan Qiu left the room to take the bowl away. Suddenly, the door opened again. Qin Zhen looked towards the doorway. The setting sun streamed in, but it was blocked by a dark figure in the doorway. Against the light, Qin Zhen couldn't make out who it was. He vaguely sensed it was a man's figure and tentatively asked, "Commander Liu?"

It wasn't Liu Qi. The man took a step into the room. Hearing the footsteps, Qin Zhen's heart skipped a beat. It was Zhao Gou? She was both surprised and delighted, yet afraid that she had misjudged him.

More than a month has passed since she left Bianjing. Naturally, she misses Zhao Gou. Although Zhao Gou did say he would come to see Qin Zhen before she left, she was busy with state affairs and did not take it seriously. She always felt that he would not come from so far away. But at this moment, she heard the approaching footsteps, which were so familiar!

Qin Zhen reached out her hand towards the figure, and the instant their hands touched, she had no more doubts; it was indeed him.

Zhao Gou grasped Qin Zhen's hand and gently pulled her into his arms. Qin Zhen felt Zhao Gou's rapid heartbeat and asked, "Are you tired from the journey? Let's rest."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhao Gou sealed Qin Zhen's lips with a kiss. After a long while, he raised his head and asked, "You told me yourself that they didn't lie to me, that you are pregnant with our child, right?"

Qin Zhen smiled sweetly and nodded in his arms, saying, "Yes, that's right. I'm pregnant with our child."

Zhao Gou reached out and carefully touched Qin Zhen's lower abdomen, as if he wanted to touch a precious treasure. Unfortunately, Qin Zhen was less than three months pregnant at the time, and her lower abdomen was still flat, only slightly swollen, so it was impossible to tell.

Qin Zhen tilted her head back, trying hard to see Zhao Gou, though she couldn't see clearly. Zhao Gou met her eyes, which were slowly turning yellowish-brown, and asked, "Are your eyes better? Can you see me?"

"Hmm, I can see a little. These are the eyebrows... eyes... nose, and mouth..." Qin Zhen explored the area little by little. Zhao Gou took the hand that was on his lips, kissed it gently, and said happily, "That's wonderful. Your illness is almost cured, and we're having a child. Everything is perfect..."

Qin Zhen paused for a moment upon hearing this, then lowered her head and said, "But, our child..."

Zhao Gou gently covered her mouth and said, "Don't say anything, don't worry... I know everything... Trust me, everything will be alright!"

Qin Zhen felt as if she had found a pillar of support in her heart, and she immediately became determined, believing that everything would be alright! The setting sun shone obliquely into the room, casting long, long shadows of the two embracing each other.

Volume Two: Eagle Soars Through the Sky Chapter 154 Unrivaled Heart Has Its Own

It should be 155.

At night, Qin Zhen lay comfortably in Zhao Gou's arms. Zhao Gou played with Qin Zhen's long hair, wrapping it around his fingers repeatedly, as if it were a lot of fun.

Qin Zhen asked in a lazy yet slightly reproachful tone, "Your sudden arrival here has caused quite a stir in the court."

Zhao Gou kissed her forehead and said, "Why worry so much? I have made arrangements. They don't know I've left."

"Then...where is my father? Wanqiu said you released him?"

Zhao Gou nodded and said, "Yes, that's right. Your men are too well-informed; news of what just happened has already reached your ears."

Qin Zhen looked up and asked, "I don't know the specifics yet. How did you explain it to the court officials?"

Zhao Gou chuckled twice and said, "Yelü Yazhu is already dead, so there's no way to verify anything. I insisted that the letter was a forgery she fabricated to frame Lord Qin, and the Emperor of Western Xia cooperated fully, immediately finding a forger. Everyone was speechless. Who dares to accuse both emperors of lying?"

Qin Zhen said, "Father must have suffered a lot these past few months in prison..."

"I have already sent someone to take him to Lin'an to recuperate."

Although Qin Hui was released, Zhao Gou did not intend to continue employing him, giving him a sinecure to recuperate in the Jiangnan region. That was Qin Hui's hometown, and Zhao Gou's Linlang Pavilion held the most power in the area; presumably, Qin Hui could enjoy a comfortable life there. However, Qin Zhen knew that Qin Hui must harbor some resentment, but she couldn't worry about that now; she only hoped that her father could soon let go of his lust for power.

Seeing Qin Zhen deep in thought again, Zhao Gou reached out and teased her, saying, "Don't think about those things anymore. I have to rush back tomorrow. Why don't you hurry up and keep your husband company?"

Qin Zhen punched him and said, "Go get some sleep..."

The punch was light, but it made Zhao Gou cough incessantly. Qin Zhen asked in surprise, "What's wrong with you?"

"No...it's nothing..."

He was coughing so hard he could barely breathe, it was hard to believe he was alright. Qin Zhen pressed him for a while before he finally learned that Zhao Gou had been injured by Nong Shuang on his way here!

Seeing Qin Zhen's nervous expression, Zhao Gou reassured him, "I only took two blows, it's nothing serious. I'll be fine after a couple of days of rest."

Qin Zhen frowned and said, "Why is Nongshuang so stubborn? What should we do?"

"Never mind, let's think about it tomorrow. A moment of bliss is worth a thousand pieces of gold."

Zhao Gou gave a wicked smile, pulled Qin Zhen into his arms, and stopped her from thinking about anything else.

Zhao Gou arrived and departed in haste. The next day, after paying his respects at the tombs of Zhao Huan and Zhu Lian by Xiaojing Lake with Qin Zhen, he hurried back to the capital. Qin Zhen remained uneasy after his departure. Although Zhao Gou was accompanied by four guards, she still asked Zhuo Yiyi to secretly protect him. After all, Zhao Gou was injured; what if he encountered Nong Shuang again and became persistent?

Seeing Qin Zhen's worried face from behind Tang Yufeng, Nongying had heard Zhuo Yiyi mention Nongshuang before. After whispering something to Tang Yufeng, she followed Zhuo Yiyi out of the manor.

Qin Zhen stayed on the mountain for several more months. Summer was approaching, and her eyes were almost completely healed, plus Ji Wuhuan's injuries had also fully recovered. They then prepared to return to the capital. Qin Zhen was now five months pregnant, and if she stayed on the mountain any longer, her belly would grow so large that she couldn't walk anymore and wouldn't be able to come down.

So everyone prepared the most comfortable carriage for her. Except for Tang Yufeng and Nongying, who stayed at the manor, everyone else headed to the capital.

To take care of Qin Zhen and check her pulse at any time, Ji Wuhuan naturally rode in the same carriage as Qin Zhen. The persistent Su Mufei stubbornly insisted on staying by Ji Wuhuan's side, making Ji Wuhuan's already expressionless face even colder.

Qin Zhen was already bored sitting in the carriage every day. Seeing the two of them bickering for several days, he was worried and wanted to win them over, so he said to Ji Wuhuan, "Fifth Senior Brother, I've seen you and Third Senior Brother quarrel for so many years. Once my business is settled, the two of you should settle down."

Su Mufeng's eyes lit up when he heard his junior sister speak up for him. He stared intently at Ji Wuhuan, waiting for his reply. Ji Wuhuan, however, maintained his icy expression, glaring at Su Mufeng who had approached him.

After saying to Qin Zhen, he said, "Junior Sister knows the situation between us best. How could you say such foolish things? As long as Shuang'er's knot in her heart remains untied, there is absolutely no possibility between us."

—

Qin Zhen said, puzzled, "Sister Wushuang has long forgotten Third Senior Brother, and the knot in her heart is no longer there."

Ji Wuhuan shook his head and said, "Forgetting doesn't mean it's all over. What if Shuang'er regains her memories one day and sees me with him... wouldn't she be even more heartbroken? What will we do then?"

Su Mufei's previous energy completely vanished, leaving him as withered as a vegetable touched by frost.

Qin Zhen was truly heartbroken by her third senior brother's deep affection, so she tried her best to think of a solution. Finally, she decided to reveal a huge piece of gossip to them.

"Ahem... Fifth Senior Brother, have you ever considered that Sister Wushuang might already have someone she likes..."

Even when Mount Tai is pressing down on him, Ji Wuhuan is stunned. He stares at Qin Zhen, who lifts a corner of the carriage curtain and points directly at Liu Qi at the front of the convoy. Both Ji Wuhuan and Su Mufei look at him with disbelief.

"This...how is this possible?"

Qin Zhen smiled and said, "Don't believe me? Then let's test it out. Third Senior Brother, you should get off the carriage now. Let Sister Wushuang come over here with me."

Seeing Qin Zhen desperately trying to find a solution for him, Su Mufei obediently got out of the carriage and switched Ji Wushuang with another carriage. Ji Wushuang, completely unaware of what was going on in Qin Zhen's carriage, assumed that Qin Zhen had come to chat with her out of boredom, so she made small talk.

Qin Zhen waved the handkerchief in her hand and said, "Oh dear, this heat is so unbearable."

Ji Wushuang nodded and said, "Yes, that's right. The autumn heat wave is really fierce, just as bad as summer."

Qin Zhen glanced at the guards on horseback outside, sighed, and shook his head, saying, "We're already so hot sitting inside the carriage. They must be even hotter outside in their armor. What should we do?"

Ji Wushuang was completely unaware that Qin Zhen and Ji Wuhuan were watching her. Sure enough, she unconsciously looked at Liu Qi, and a look of heartache appeared on her face.

"Sister Wushuang, I see that Commander Liu's water bag is deflated, so it must be empty. Please give him the two water bags at the front of the carriage; they've worked so hard."

"Okay, sure." Ji Wushuang fell for it.

She took out the water bag from the carriage, walked to the carriage door, lifted the curtain, and softly called out, "Brother Liu..."

Hearing her call, Liu Qi reined in his horse and stepped back a few paces to make the carriage parallel, then asked, "Is it appropriate for Miss Wushuang to call me?"

Wushuang timidly handed him the water bag and said, "It's hot, drink more water..."

Liu Qi was slightly surprised, but he couldn't refuse the kindness, so he accepted the water bag and said, "Thank you, young lady."

As the two were exchanging water bags, their fingers accidentally touched slightly. Ji Wushuang, who was half-leaning out of the carriage, trembled and lost her balance, falling headfirst out of the carriage. Ji Wuhuan inside the carriage reached out to grab her, but Qin Zhen stopped him. When they looked again, Ji Wushuang had already been picked up by Liu Qi and placed in front of his horse.

"Miss Wushuang, be careful," Liu Qi said, seemingly with a headache, before gently placing his arm around her waist and carefully escorting her to the carriage. Ji Wushuang's face was already flushed red as she thanked him, saying, "Thank you so much, Brother Liu, for saving me again..."

Liu Qi smiled and clasped his hands in a fist salute to her, then rode away.

Back in the car, Ji Wushuang was stunned for a long time before Qin Zhen asked her with a smile, "'Saved' you again? When was the last time? You didn't even tell me!"

Ji Wushuang looked at Qin Zhen, then at her brother, and said apologetically, "It was that time when I went to the palace to watch the play. The Emperor sent Brother Liu to take me back. On the way, the carriage axle broke down, and I almost fell out. Luckily, he saved me."

Qin Zhen deliberately dragged out her words, saying, "Oh, so that's how it is. It seems you two have a close relationship."

"No, no, I just gave her a purse as a thank you gift later."

Qin Zhen actually knew that the axle was broken, but she didn't know about the purse. Now that Ji Wushuang had told her, she was even more excited. Ji Wushuang couldn't sit still in the carriage and had to flee.

After Ji Wushuang escaped, Qin Zhen smiled and asked Ji Wuhuan, "How about that? I wasn't wrong, was I?"

Ji Wuhuan didn't answer, but the smile on her face grew wider and wider until she finally muttered, "Liu Qi got a good deal..."

Volume Two: Eagle Soars Through the Sky, Chapter 156: Smoke and Clouds Rise in the Capital

When autumn arrived, Qin Zhen returned to the palace she had left half a year ago. When her bright eyes met Zhao Gou's, the joy in their hearts was self-evident. Qin Zhen, heavily pregnant, returned to Yuxiu Palace and had Wanqiu prepare a room for Ji Wuhuan in a side hall so they could continue their treatment.

The court already knew that the Empress was pregnant. It was precisely because this news was released that the officials who were relentlessly pursuing Qin Hui's crimes finally relented.