She was wearing an inner armor, which would be difficult for someone unfamiliar with it to remove, so Yan Qingli didn't find it too unbearable. She reached out and pulled her collar back, and seeing Qiu Lanxi's obedient eyes, she couldn't help but pinch her hard: "What did I do to you?!"
Yan Qingli knew long ago that Qiu Lanxi was not gentle, especially in the hot summer. She had seen Qiu Lanxi complain that she was annoying and didn't want to be hugged at night, and she had also encountered her when she was in a bad mood and didn't want to talk to people. No matter how well she pretended, it was hard for people who cared about her not to notice anything.
Yan Qingli just didn't understand, hadn't she done anything recently?
Qiu Lanxi blinked: "I just wanted to find some excitement for myself."
Yan Qingli gently patted her, and when she caught a glimpse of the smile on her lips, a strange feeling flashed through her mind. Without thinking much of it, she said irritably, "This isn't called exciting, this is called reckless!"
The two sat facing each other. When Yan Qingli saw her lower her head, she couldn't help but soften her heart: "Wait until this time..."
She suddenly fell silent, swallowing the rest of her words. She wanted her father to acknowledge everything, including the marriage, but it was better not to say anything about something that even she wasn't sure about, lest she be disappointed.
Qiu Lanxi didn't care about her unfinished words. She pulled out the riding whip that Yan Qingli had tucked into her waistband, grabbed it with both hands, and pulled Yan Qingli inside. Yan Qingli's neck was pressed against the riding whip, and she reached out to grab Qiu Lanxi's wrist: "What's wrong with you today?"
The question had already been asked, but she didn't stop her. Instead, she reached out and stroked her cheek, saying helplessly, "How am I supposed to face anyone after this?"
Qiu Lanxi thought, "It seems like she really does like me a little."
She let go, bored. Yan Qingli caught the whip, glanced at the sky, and then scooped her up from the horse: "Why aren't you happy anymore?"
She stepped into the woods, and only after confirming that the guards dared to follow at a distance did she take her hand and place it on her shoulder, asking gently:
"What else do you want to do?"
Qiu Lanxi felt a little irritated. She actually wished the other person would ignore her so she could have some peace and quiet for a few days. She was finding it increasingly difficult to control her self-destructive tendencies, yet she knew very well that no one had wronged her.
Qiu Lanxi had previously switched to psychology because she never had a healthy mind. The impact of her parents' passing on her was far greater than others imagined. She thought these things had long since stopped affecting her, but everything quietly intensified after she transmigrated to a point where she could hardly control it.
She tugged at Yan Qingli's earlobe, puzzled, "Isn't Your Highness angry?"
When she gets angry, Qiu Lanxi gets a beating and immediately regains her senses. Nothing makes people realize reality more easily than a beating. She needs external stimulation to maintain her composure, rather than letting the preferential treatment around her drag her down.
Yan Qingli couldn't understand even more: "Why would I be angry?"
She hadn't been approached by Qiu Lanxi in a long time. Although it was her own fault, Yan Qingli couldn't help but feel regretful sometimes, so she didn't spoil her mood. At this moment, she couldn't help but pinch the tip of her nose. "I'm just angry that you were so willful in such a dangerous situation."
Chapter 41
Qiu Lanxi was speechless for a long time before finally saying, "Your Highness, you've given me leverage."
Exposing yourself to someone who is good at exploiting human weaknesses is a very risky thing.
Upon hearing this, Yan Qingli simply smiled and remained silent.
Qiu Lanxi resisted her gentleness, as if it were trying to pull her into this world, but she no longer wanted to be a part of it.
She believed that Yan Qingli was sincere, but it was too desperate to place one's entire life on the sincerity of another person. That was definitely more despairing than mental illness.
Yan Qingli supported her legs, the bark of the ancient tree, its branches rough and aged. She braced herself against it with her other hand, sighing softly as she relented, "You can do whatever you want to me."
Qiu Lanxi was stunned.
Yan Qingli had thought it over. This stalemate couldn't go on forever. Although her father was lenient with her, she couldn't be sure he would agree. After all, everyone knew that submitting a decree directly was a different matter. If they kept dragging it out like this, she knew her own feelings, but it would be hard for him not to feel uneasy about it.
Therefore, Yan Qingli decided to take a step back, but only for herself, because she didn't need to consider her reputation or the consequences. However, the other party was different. Therefore, Yan Qingli would not touch her. In this way, if something really happened in the future, her chastity would still be intact. After she left, any decision she made would be complicated by the past.
Her expression was somewhat troubled. Qiu Lanxi lowered her eyes and said, "We've been out for so long, let's go back."
Yan Qingli's smile faded slightly. She pursed her lips and responded softly, calling the horse back.
Qiu Lanxi leaned against her, her gaze filled with a hint of confusion. She knew she had missed a good opportunity to take things further. Yan Qingli probably disliked arranged marriages, so the longer they spent together, the more lenient her attitude would become. As long as there were no unexpected events, with a good initial impression, their feelings would naturally deepen.
But what Yan Qingli saw was never the real her, and she couldn't pretend forever. If it were when she first transmigrated, Qiu Lanxi probably wouldn't have thought much and readily agreed, because she wasn't particularly averse to the other person. If she had the mindset she had back then, by now, feelings would have been cultivated.
Humans are highly adaptable creatures. There's a saying that "the wise don't fall in love." In Qiu Lanxi's opinion, even the most rational person might do something surprising after falling in love. Qiu Lanxi herself doesn't consider herself as calm and rational as Yan Qingli, so it wouldn't be surprising if she were to be swayed by emotions.
As a modern person who has been well protected since childhood, except for not going to military school in college, she has been surrounded by soldiers since birth. So from the moment Yan Qingli took her to the dark room, she found it difficult to treat him with a normal attitude.
Even though reason tells Qiu Lanxi that this is a common occurrence in this era, she can't help but wonder if she could do the same thing so casually if she really angered the other party one day.
The more honest Yan Qingli was with her, the more Qiu Lanxi could feel the distance between them, perhaps also influenced by psychological issues. This distance even led her to choose the worst possible course of action at this moment.
The other party was not a fool, Qiu Lanxi knew that it would be hard for her not to have doubts about this.
She clearly had better ways to dispel the other party's doubts at the time, but she still chose to avoid the main issue and focus on the less important one, leaving herself only a little room for maneuver.
Ultimately, it's because she's caught in a vicious cycle. She doesn't dislike Yan Qingli. Whether or not she can accept someone is something she can know just by imagining intimate actions with them. So she's very clear about her own feelings, but she resists building a closer relationship with him.
Qiu Lanxi is able to analyze her own psychology from an outsider's perspective, but in practice, she cannot be objective.
When they returned to the camp, it was already bustling with activity, just waiting for a command to start. As a subject, Yan Qingli had to temporarily separate from Qiu Lanxi. She would only come to pick up Qiu Lanxi after the civil and military officials had finished their competition.
Yan Qingli was excellent at riding and archery; if he hadn't been stabbed that year, he could have been even better. He quickly caught up with Emperor Qinghe.
Although Emperor Qinghe had clearly granted them the freedom to hunt, in reality, he was accompanied not only by guards but also by several princes and generals.
As an emperor nearing forty with princes who had already come of age, even though he believed he was healthy enough to reign for many more years, he could not stop the ambitions of his princes and the desire of his ministers to claim credit for his success.
Therefore, those with a keen sense of smell naturally noticed something amiss during this grand autumn hunt. Thus, the wise ones decided to stay close to Emperor Qinghe during this period. After all, Emperor Qinghe was willing to take the risk, which clearly showed that he was confident. Thinking further, could this be a test from their father?
Emperor Qinghe knew perfectly well why they were crowding around him, but no one likes the feeling of being coveted, even if he knew that day would come sooner or later.
This displeasure deepened when he saw Yan Qingli approaching, forming a deep frown between his brows.
Yan Qingli ignored him, bowed on his horse, and said, "Father, did you hunt that fox? You have no use for it, so why don't you give me the fox pelt to make an ear warmer?"
Emperor Qinghe squinted at her: "Why are you here again?"
What he really wanted to say was, why did the other party bring Qiu Lanxi along? Emperor Qinghe was a gambler. He didn't mind taking risks, nor did he care whether his sons had considered the consequences when they came. If Yan Qingli wanted to come, he would at most offer a word of advice, but she brought Qiu Lanxi along. If something went wrong, wouldn't he be blamed?
Or perhaps, she was completely unaware of the danger of this trip?
Emperor Qinghe knew that Shaoguang was a smart person, and her performance in the court was enough to prove it. So he did not believe that she would notice anything unusual, but she still brought Qiu Lanxi over with a relaxed expression. Could it be that she thought he had already arranged everything and believed that there would be no accidents?
Regardless, Emperor Qinghe's mood finally calmed down, and he said with a stern face, "Stop bothering me and get out of here with your little wife."
Yan Qingli smiled and said, "Your subject will not leave, Father. Your riding and archery skills are amazing, but your subject still needs a white fox fur coat."
Such royal hunting grounds are naturally prone to underhanded dealings. Of course, this only applies to Emperor Qinghe. Whatever animal he wants to hunt, that animal can immediately appear near him. For others, it's all a matter of luck. Obviously, Yan Qingli is just looking to freeload. After all, white foxes are precious, and those who usually raise foxes might not be willing to let too many in.
Emperor Qinghe twitched the corner of his mouth. What clothes had she ever lacked?
Emperor Qinghe glanced at Qiu Lanxi, furrowed his brow, and said, "Then you'll be disappointed. Of the prey sent in this time, there's only one white fox."
...
As Qiu Lanxi watched Yan Qingli blend into the group with just a few words, her fluctuating emotions gradually calmed down.
Even though she lacked the sensitivity of others due to the limitations of her social circle, she understood the problem as soon as she saw the emperor surrounded by several princes in an unusual manner.
These princes pondered Emperor Qinghe's intentions. In the end, after weighing the pros and cons, they might prefer to incur Emperor Qinghe's suspicion rather than appear as ignorant fools. Even Qiu Lanxi could see that Emperor Qinghe was lenient, and they naturally understood that whether Emperor Qinghe was wary of them or not would not affect the selection of a crown prince from among them in the future.
Because Emperor Qinghe did not show much favoritism towards any of his princes, and no one was particularly favored, he could only choose the most suitable one after weighing the pros and cons.
So even though they knew perfectly well that their actions were too obvious, they still had to bite the bullet and do it anyway. Yan Qingli, on the other hand, used a much gentler approach. With her around, Emperor Qinghe could not possibly have as many doubts about Yan Qingli as the other princes did.
Therefore, Qiu Lanxi also realized that her worries were completely unnecessary. Yan Qingli's affection for her did not affect her from still using her as a tool. She had overestimated herself.
Qiu Lanxi was relieved by this. Carrying someone's deep love is a heavy thing, but as long as the other person is still clear-headed, she can still be without any burden.
Yan Qingli glanced down at Qiu Lanxi, then subtly let her horse blend into the crowd, her heart sinking.
Her reaction was too bland.
Someone as perceptive as her couldn't possibly be completely oblivious to the problem. Yan Qingli didn't intend to exploit her; she simply preferred to solve problems on her own. Even knowing that Emperor Qinghe's side was more dangerous, she didn't want to leave Qiu Lanxi among the women. After all, if something were to happen, the forces on this side would undoubtedly be stronger, while the women's side might have made a mistake.
If Qiu Lanxi were angry or disappointed, she could explain, but she showed no reaction.
This is precisely the biggest anomaly.
With no time to think about anything else, Yan Qingli's eyes were as sharp as a hawk's as she watched the nearby hiding places. Her father was a gambler, and his repeated high-stakes gambles had secured his throne and allowed him to defeat the Teng Kingdom. So even though he could patiently plan and wait a few years to finish off his opponent, her father still wanted to gamble.
Yan Qingli couldn't guess who was behind the Qunfang Pavilion, but she guessed it should be one of those uncles. Back then, the Emperor had a powerful eldest son and a beloved youngest son. Everyone thought the emperor would be chosen from among them, but in the end, it fell to the Qinghe Emperor, who had fallen early.
The reason this happened was simply because the political situation was chaotic at the time, and the late emperor did not believe that Ningguo had any chance of winning. It just so happened that she was seriously injured at the time, which aroused the late emperor's pity. Thus, the throne fell to Emperor Qinghe.
Perhaps in the late emperor's eyes, although Emperor Qinghe became a ruler of a fallen country, at least he was an emperor and it was not a loss. However, she never expected that her father would turn the tide and survive everything.
At that time, military power was in the hands of his uncles, and the most prestigious civil official was not Emperor Qinghe. Everyone could see that he was a puppet who had been put forward and did not have much real power. In the eyes of his uncles, Emperor Qinghe had just gotten a bargain, and the throne should have been theirs.
This resentment, coupled with the fall of the Teng Kingdom and the gradual deification of Emperor Qinghe by the people, made it increasingly difficult for them to accept.
Qiu Lanxi guessed that it might be remnants of the Teng Kingdom, but she did not expect that this was actually aimed at internal strife. She did not care, after all, in her opinion, this was just a trap, so there was not much risk.
This group didn't go hunting either, and Qiu Lanxi got a little sleepy after sitting on horseback for a short while.
Just as she was relaxing, a clear shout immediately snapped her back to reality.
"Enemy attack—"
"Protect Father/Emperor!"
The group immediately gathered around Emperor Qinghe, as if they had been preparing for this moment.
Emperor Qinghe remained calm as he looked at Shaoguang, who was always the first to rush over, as he bowed his head to comfort Qiulanxi. A slight twitch appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Chapter 42
"Don't be afraid."
Yan Qingli gently comforted Qiu Lanxi and pulled her closer to his chest.
Qiu Lanxi didn't cause any trouble. Although she didn't see any enemy besides the sounds of protecting the emperor, she still believed that someone who had been on the throne for more than ten years had deeply entrenched power. How could he possibly catch himself while fishing?
Just as she was thinking this, Qiu Lanxi suddenly heard several whooshing sounds. She couldn't help but turn her head to look, and saw bullets flying through the air. It wasn't hard to imagine their destructive power.
In a flash, Yan Qingli immediately pulled Qiu Lanxi off her horse, swiftly grabbed her hunting bow and arrows, and accurately shot them at the enemy.
In the blink of an eye, many people suddenly appeared in the forest, including not only enemies but also members of their own side.
Even so, Qiulanxi's side was briefly at a disadvantage.
Although the dart takes longer to reload than a bow and arrow, its range, lethality, and accuracy are all higher. Moreover, dart users are undoubtedly much easier to train than archers.
In a world with martial arts, it's actually easier to sneak up unnoticed than in an ordinary ancient world. Qiu Lanxi stood behind Yan Qingli, her mind unconsciously tense. Everyone present was armed in order to hunt, and even the capital city of Qinghe was a burden with too many people guarding it.
However, no matter how fierce the enemy's offensive was, Emperor Qinghe's expression never changed, because the opponent only had this one chance. Once the situation reached a stalemate, they would have no chance of victory once reinforcements arrived.
Emperor Qinghe drew his bow and shot an arrow. Soon his quiver was empty. She calmly said, "You all stay behind to cover the rear. General Sheng, Shaoguang will follow me."