Huancheng Shen Shen

Capítulo 83

I won't tell you!

Lu Ziqi tossed the smirking Song Xiaohua onto the bed, then casually stripped off his thin shirt, revealing a muscular chest, a supple waist, long limbs, and... well, you know...

With a light leap, he pinned the person with a nosebleed beneath him, slowly nibbling at the thin earlobe, the red lips, and... well, you know...

As Song Xiaohua gasped and groaned, she reached out and removed his hairpin. His ink-black hair instantly cascaded down his shoulders and cheeks, undulating with the rise and fall of his body, adding a touch of bewitching charm to his gentle and jade-like face.

"Holly, you are mine. Even if all your lovers from your past lives, even those from eight lifetimes ago, came back, they still wouldn't be able to take you away."

The next day, while tidying her room, Song Xiaohua found several seemingly unrelated words on the piece of paper from the previous night—

Northwest, Imperial Physician, Handwriting.

Author's Note: Please use your imagination to figure out exactly what that thing is...

Also, the monster has started a new project! The book is titled "Deception," and it tells a lewd and obscene story about how to master the art of seduction... lol~

Please take some time to support us! The button is in the text, and there's also our column, so please click on them and adopt us! MUA~

Chapter Seventy-Seven: The Final Chapter

Under the cover of night, the Bian River resembles a dazzling white ribbon stretching across Bianliang City from east to west. On both sides of the river, crowds of people throng and vendors shout loudly, while on the surface of the river, pleasure boats line up one after another, indulging in extravagant revelry every night.

Right now, countless eyes are focused on one place, some admiring, some appreciating, some amazed, and some simply joining in the fun...

A simple wooden boat, without a canopy, oars, or even a boatman, drifts slowly along the current, leisurely and carefree amidst the bright lights and bustling city.

The two people sitting and standing on the boat were the real focus of attention. They wore the same wide-sleeved long robes, possessed the same extraordinary bearing, and were both elegant and refined. The sounds of the zither and the flute rose and fell, echoing each other, sometimes lingering softly, sometimes soaring high into the clouds, silencing the surrounding music and breaking the clamor of the world.

Finally, the sound of the flute suddenly rose, followed by the sound of the zither, and then abruptly stopped, as if the strings were about to break from exhaustion.

After a moment of silence, some clapped, some sighed, some cheered, some silently savored the moment, and some remained silent. The two men, however, burst into loud laughter in unison, then sat down opposite each other, poured tea, savored the aroma, and admired the scenery, seemingly oblivious to everything around them.

"Brother Lu, let us toast with tea instead of wine to the fact that we have finally completed this piece together!"

"Brother Yuan, please."

"I never imagined that Brother Lu, a mere civil official, could possess such passionate and intense qualities in his zither playing."

"The reason why our Great Song Dynasty values literature is that we hope to govern the world with etiquette. However, if we encounter those who invade our borders by force, even the weakest of us will not retreat a single step. Our bodies may perish, but our souls will not. Even if iron hooves invade our land, they cannot destroy our national spirit!"

Yuan Hao smiled and played with the jade cup in his hand, then said lightly, "I'm afraid that's not necessarily true."

Lu Ziqi responded with the same slight smile and the same tone: "Why not give it a try?"

His eyebrows, which no longer curve downwards, now slant upwards, giving him a disdainful and aloof air.

His lips, always slightly upturned in a gentle curve, conveyed a sense of warmth and determination.

Then, they all laughed again.

"Brother Lu, you specially invited me here today to play a piece together. Is there any special purpose behind it?"

"Nothing more than fulfilling my duty as a host."

"Brother Lu has truly been very dedicated during this time!"

"With the Emperor's command, how could I not devote myself wholeheartedly to the task?"

"Indeed, it is time for me to express my gratitude to the Emperor in person."

"Brother Yuan, are you planning to depart?"

"Brother Lu, aren't you here to see me off right now?"

Lu Ziqi lowered his eyes and said in a hoarse voice, "And congratulations."

Li Yuanhao was slightly surprised: "What's the joy about?"

"I am overjoyed to have a son."

His eyes narrowed: "Yelü Ping? How did you know before me?"

He looked at her calmly and said, "The Princess sent me a letter the other day."

"Have you always had...?"

“No. Since we parted in the woods last time…” He suddenly smiled and said, “I believe you know the details of what happened back then. This is the first and last time we’ve been in contact since then. Out of respect, I cannot give you the Princess’s letter, but I can tell you its contents in full, as this is also the Princess’s wish.”

After a brief pause, he said in a deep voice, "Young Master Lu, my father is critically ill and on the verge of death. Please allow my husband to return immediately. Yelü Ping's last words."

Li Yuanhao's fingers, which were holding the cup, suddenly turned white: "What do you mean?!"

"King Xia suddenly fell ill with a terrible disease, and there was no cure. His queen suffered postpartum hemorrhage and has already passed away."

Taking a deep breath, she struggled to keep her tone steady: "If I knew nothing about it, how could you have known?"

“Although His Highness the Crown Prince wields great power and influence in the country, he is currently alone and unable to exert his influence. With the sudden turn of events, it would be easy for those who covet the throne to seize control of the court. It is only natural that His Highness’s spies are completely shut out. As for me, Lu…” Lu Ziqi poured him a full teacup: “Since His Highness the Crown Prince can place spies in our court, so can I. The Princess Consort’s letter was sent out through this channel.”

Li Yuanhao slowly sipped the warm tea, and when he put it down, his mind was clear and he was no longer flustered: "I believe that the reason your spies were willing to help smuggle this letter out was to give you more leverage so that you could take the opportunity to suppress me, rather than to tell me the truth, right?"

"That's right, in fact, that was originally my intention. After all, Your Highness, you are indeed a capable and ambitious ruler. As long as you are alive, our Great Song Dynasty will never be able to rest easy. Therefore, if you cannot inherit the throne, or if you return to your country to seize the throne afterward, it will lead to internal strife in the Xia Kingdom. The more chaotic things are on your side, the more advantageous it will be for us. However, after repeated consideration and obtaining the Emperor's consent, I ultimately did not do so. I once owed the princess a favor, promising that I would fulfill any request she made. Even after the princess became a queen, this promise would still be valid. That is why she was willing to take such a great risk and entrust me with this task."

Lu Ziqi softened his voice, which was low and hoarse: "Now, she is begging me to let her husband come home and protect their newborn child."

Li Yuanhao suddenly stood up, turned around, and stood at the bow of the ship, facing the wind.

That fiery red riding outfit, I haven't worn it since the day I married you. Along with it, your fiery spirit vanished. From fire to water, what kind of heart must have turned to ashes, your blood to ice, beneath your gentle and refined exterior? I don't want to see you like this. I'd rather you ride a tall horse, chin held high, coldly mocking me, than be confined to a corner of the palace, head bowed, deliberately humbling yourself before me. Yet, I can't change you, not even in the slightest.

Yelü Ping, I have treated you so coldly, do you hate me? My queen, do you hate me...?

Clothes fluttered in the wind, the autumn breeze was chilly.

Lu Ziqi sighed silently and slowly poured a cup of hot tea into the Bian River.

After a long while, Li Yuanhao turned around, lifted his robe and sat down, poured himself a drink, and said in his clear voice, "Actually, you're not doing this entirely for that promise. The Empress Dowager's health isn't so good right now. You should know that the spies I've planted are still somewhat useful."

Lu Ziqi smiled and nodded: "Imperial Physician Zhang."

As if not at all surprised, he casually asked, "When did you find out?"

"I'm ashamed to admit that I only started to have doubts a few days ago."

"Could you tell me why you suspect him? Because strictly speaking, he is not exactly our informant."

"Physician Zhang has been treating the Empress Dowager for many years, working diligently and loyally, so he would never do such a betrayal. However, his wife does not have such a strong sense of secrecy, and sometimes she inevitably reveals a sentence or two of their conversations. As the saying goes, the speaker may not mean it, but the listener may take it to heart."

"I've learned my lesson. So, you also definitely don't want us to fall into chaos. Because if that happens, the situation will inevitably get out of control. With the Empress Dowager recently deceased, it's not advisable to send troops. Naturally, stability must be the top priority on the border."

Lu Ziqi smiled and said, "That's right. Your Highness, the reason you came to the capital this time is to confirm this matter. If our Great Song is truly determined to fight you, we will definitely detain you as a hostage, or at least put you under house arrest. The reason we have allowed you to come and go freely during this period and even comforted and rewarded you is only because we have the intention not to start a war lightly unless there is no other way to avoid it."

Li Yuanhao also frankly admitted: "That's right."

"Unfortunately, I realized this too late... But you're really willing to gamble with yourself, aren't you afraid of what might happen?"

"There won't be any unforeseen circumstances. Even if the Empress Dowager is unharmed, you can't do anything to me. At most, you can detain me for a few days and negotiate a temporary agreement."

Lu Ziqi couldn't help but smile bitterly. Yes, for now, surrounded by powerful enemies, they could only use this temporary, false peace to buy time. But what if one day this facade were completely shattered? ...

After drinking their tea in silence for a while, Li Yuanhao said, "In addition, I would like to test the weight of Lord Lu, who is now incomparably powerful, in the Emperor's eyes."

"Oh? What was the result?"

"Whether it is a blessing or a curse, the ruler and his subjects do not doubt each other."

Lu Ziqi faced east and bowed respectfully: "How fortunate I am!"

"I'm afraid that's not necessarily true."

Li Yuanhao narrowed his eyes and suddenly reached out like the wind to grab Lu Ziqi's wrist.

Lu Ziqi raised an eyebrow, but remained motionless and did not struggle at all.

His narrow eyes curved almost imperceptibly, so he changed from holding his hand to supporting his pulse, lightly touching the pulse point with two fingers, and after a moment's thought, said, "Brother Lu's stomach ailment is much better!"

Shaking his head, he sighed helplessly, "It's all because of those strange and unusual herbal medicines. Oh, and I haven't thanked Brother Yuan yet. If it weren't for your prescription, I might already be dead."

He snorted and withdrew his hand: "If I had known, I shouldn't have given it to you in the first place!" He dusted off his clothes and said, "Originally, I left because I had confirmed the information I wanted and was preparing to go back and make a final stand. But now things have turned out this way, and I have no choice but to leave. Oh well, it's just a few years later."

She pursed her lips slightly: "I'm always ready."

Yuan Hao suddenly tilted his head and looked around, revealing a malicious smile, which immediately gave Lu Ziqi an ominous feeling.

"Now, let's return to our previous topic. Mutual trust between ruler and subject may not necessarily be a good thing. Because you will probably be meeting your friend soon."

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That night, a fast horse galloped out of the city. When it reached a high slope outside the official road, the reins were pulled sharply, the horse turned its head, neighed loudly, and stood still.

The man on horseback reached out and removed his black cloak, revealing a blue shirt underneath and a handsome face.

Looking into the distance, Bianliang, devoid of the lights of countless homes, has fallen into slumber, with only the bright moon and a sky full of stars silently overlooking the world.