Accord de Mu Yucheng

Chapitre 127

Enraged, I turned on him without hesitation and shouted, "Xiuwen, come here and serve the Emperor!"

Of course, before he could say those words, Xiao Chang firmly covered his mouth.

After I argued with him repeatedly, I finally got the bed. Xiao Chang was kicked off by me and had to sleep on the floor with his blanket.

"Xiao Chang?" I called out as I rolled over with my eyes closed.

"What's wrong now?"

Whom does the Empress Dowager care about most?

"have no idea"

"What are you most afraid of—"

"...afraid that I would have children."

"oh"

"What's wrong? Why are you asking this—"

"It's alright. Come back early tomorrow after court."

The next day, Xiao Chang returned earlier than usual. My side hall was filled with the strong smell of medicinal soup. He pinched his nose and walked in, waving his sleeve, "What are you playing at now?"

"What do you mean 'playing'? I'm taking medicine, didn't you see?" I said seriously, taking a small sip from the bowl.

"Are you sick?" Xiao Chang looked at me with suspicion, but immediately shook his head. "You look better than me!"

"Yes," I nodded solemnly.

"He is indeed sick."

"What kind of medicine did you drink?" He sat down next to me, picked up the bowl of medicine, and tasted it. "It's really bitter!"

I sighed softly, "Pregnancy-preserving medicine"

He suddenly spat out the soup in his mouth, coughing and gasping for breath: "Say it again?"

"I'm pregnant," I said calmly, taking the medicine bowl from his hands.

The palace servants standing nearby stared at me in astonishment. Xiao Chang waved his sleeve, dismissing them all.

With no one around, Xiao Chang quickly approached, "Whose child is this? The Han emperor's? No, the timing is wrong. So, is it the regent's or someone else's?"

His expression clearly wasn't looking for an answer, but rather saying, "You made a mistake, and a serious one!"

I snorted, "Yours."

He suddenly sighed, rolled his eyes at me, and said, "This is the brilliant idea you were talking about? It doesn't seem that great to me."

"At least it will drive the old woman crazy."

"Are you out of your mind?"

I laughed, "I wish she would come and kill me..."

Xiao Chang was taken aback: "You've already made all the arrangements?"

Lu Xiu's army is waiting on the outskirts of Youzhou, ready to give the order.

"What do you want me to do?" Xiao looked at me. "Do you really want to watch the two armies clash?"

"Can't you just let our army enter the capital without firing a shot?" I looked at him, his face expressionless, but his eyes full of expectation.

Xiao Chang frowned. "Am I inviting a wolf into the house?!"

"It's a wolf that brings you benefits."

The news that the women in the imperial harem were pregnant spread rapidly throughout the Liao Dynasty.

The Empress Dowager's repeated "well-intentioned" visits finally made me realize that she was getting restless. Perhaps soon she would seize the opportunity to force Xiao Chang to abdicate, and that would be the perfect chance.

After finally reaching the top of the back mountain, the sky was gradually warming, and the mist was dissipating. I gazed at the vast imperial palace a thousand miles away, which had transformed into a small red shadow, leaping in my sight. Suddenly, something called longing welled up in my heart, for Zhi'er, for Xi'er, for my Jinghan.

Turning around, I saw his figure.

His brows were furrowed with weariness and worry, and I noticed he had lost weight again. Seeing me climb the mountain, Lu Li was slightly taken aback, but said calmly, "You also have an interest in climbing mountains and enjoying the view?"

I smiled faintly, "Back in the Central Plains, I often climbed to high places, wondering if I would ever be able to leave the palace walls."

"Is that so?" His words remained calm.

"Are you still... unwilling to say anything?" I asked him softly.

His lips trembled, but he remained silent.

I smiled and said, "I understand."

"Would you be interested in hearing about the origins of our dynasty?"

I squinted; there were so many stories I hadn't heard before.

"When our dynasty was first established, we formed a brotherhood with Nalan Manor. This was because the founding emperor and the first lord of Nalan Manor were twin brothers. One was named Lu, who later became Emperor Shizu, and the other was also named Lu, whose other name you may have heard of—Nalan. The two brothers jointly conquered the Central Plains, but there could only be one emperor. One of them chose to become the monarch of the country, while the other, who was willing to retire from the martial world, became emperor. Out of gratitude for his brother's concession, he was granted the title of leader of the martial arts world. Over the centuries, this became a custom. People only know that Nalan Manor is famous throughout the martial world, but they don't know that they were originally one family with the royal family."

"I think it's true that Emperor Shizu of the past cherished old favors and wanted to entangle the martial arts world from then on," I said with a faint smile.

"That's right... So Lu Cai decided to change his surname to Nalan and made an agreement with the emperor that they would not interfere with each other. He only wanted to create a peaceful world with his own strength and did not want to have any more entanglements with the royal family. At that time, Emperor Shizu agreed. So after Nalan Jin's death, no successor knew the true lineage of his ancestors. This connection with the royal family ended when Nalan Manor was submerged. After Nalan's death, Emperor Shizu passed away and left a will, informing the crown prince of this matter. Emperor Shizu warned future emperors that as long as our dynasty has not fallen, no military force should be used to besiege Nalan Manor. This old story is known only to each emperor, and even the past owners of Nalan Manor have not known it."

I don't find it laughable, "It seems we were one family two hundred years ago?"

Lu Li finally smiled. "It's a pity... Nalan had no children. His successor was his adopted son. Perhaps he deliberately kept it a secret. Nalan was actually worried that the royal family would try to use the manor's power to form a marriage alliance with the manor, causing the manor to be entangled with the royal family again... In fact, later on, there were indeed people with ulterior motives who tried to take advantage of the complicated relationships, such as your father—the Prince of Huainan."

"Is this why my father insisted on sending me to Nalan Manor?" I was stunned. "To use the power of the martial arts world to restrain the dynasty, and even to give a legitimate reason to plot a coup?!"

"Yes, if Nalan Huan had given birth to the Prince of Huainan's child back then, the Prince of Huainan's days of controlling the Jianghu forces would have been just around the corner. However, the Prince of Huainan did not get to marry Nalan Yanlun. When the Crown Prince was alive, he had one of his most capable subordinates, a general named He Zhisheng. The two were so close that they became sworn brothers, and Nalan Huan was once He's wife. After the Crown Prince Yanlun was executed by Emperor Lizong and the Prince of Huainan, He Zhisheng quietly disappeared in the capital, and no one knew his whereabouts. Only his wife fell into the hands of the Prince of Huainan. At that time, Nalan was also pregnant. She had been ordered to be executed by the emperor, but the Prince of Huainan hid her in his mansion. Power is something that you want to hold in your hands when you see it, and once you hold it, you want to swallow it. So the Prince of Huainan wanted that child more than anyone else, a Nalan descendant who could one day gain the world through her!"

Chapter Thirteen: No Regrets

Lu Li, you agreed to marry me that day for other reasons, right? Besides the Rong family's influence...?" I looked at him and suddenly smiled quietly.

"Yes," he answered without hesitation, as honestly as a child.

"You think I'm his daughter, your most respected and beloved Uncle He? If I were Nalan Qingqian, I would be his daughter."

After saying "Yes," he suddenly fell silent.

"Unfortunately... I'm not," I smiled, but it was a bitter smile.

A deeper meaning flickered in his eyes as he looked at me: "Yes, you're not someone I know."

"You actually knew?!" This was still beyond my expectations.

"If you were her, why would she go to such lengths to kill you?!" Lu Li said calmly. "He Bo's child died, and died mysteriously at that. Nalan Manor came to take the young master away, and the Prince of Huainan sent away his daughter. After losing his son, Nalan Huan seemed to lose his senses and gradually faded from the world's memory after disappearing."

"So... in the twenty-first year of Tianyou, you helped your imperial father annihilate the Rong clan."

"I don't like fathers who use their children as bargaining chips."

"So what were you thinking three years ago... three years ago when you set off for the war?"

"I want to go home alive."

Did you manage to do it?

"I survived," the light in his eyes faded, "but I couldn't go home."

"That woman not only wanted me dead, but also hoped to destroy everything I had, including you. That was the cause of the battle in Youzhou back then!"

"yes"

I turned to look at the rising sun and slowly said, "The Xiao brothers rescued you to escape their puppet fate, hoping to keep you alive while using a slow-acting poison to prevent you from leaving for three years. You remained silent to keep me out of this mess. You thought that if you died, Nalan Huan would stop interfering."

"I once hoped for this."

"If I hadn't been drawn here by the stone tablet Xiao erected for you, how long would you have continued to hide?!"

"Hiding away until Nalan Huan is gone, or until he has no power left," he suddenly laughed, as if speaking of a distant dream.

"Perhaps if I intervene, things will change a lot."

"indeed"

“Going to the capital might mean certain war,” I looked at him and suddenly laughed. “Are you willing to let He Bo’s woman die?”

She's so pitiful.

"Then... are you willing to let me die?"

His eyes froze, he stared at me for a long time, and then answered firmly, "I won't allow it!"

We descended the mountain in silence. Just when I thought we were parting ways, I suddenly offered to see him off. He abruptly took my hand and said, "Today... I want to take you for a walk."

I should have refused, but no matter what I did, I couldn't bring myself to say it, and could only accept it silently.

The streets of Shangjing were packed with people. The authentic, antique wooden buildings were lined with countless stalls, and vendors selling snacks weaved through the crowds. Innkeepers at the taverns and hotels eagerly greeted their guests. I fiddled with the hairpins on display… such jewels, which I had previously disdained in the palace, now inexplicably filled me with delight as I looked at them.

"This is a crabapple hairpin from the Central Plains, a recent design," the shopkeeper hurriedly introduced.

The pristine white crabapple blossoms seemed to have settled on the silver hairpin, perfectly complementing the serene and harmonious figure. Lu Li smiled and handed over the silver, saying, "I'll take it."

I was slightly taken aback and looked at Lu Li. "You gave it to me?"

He smiled gently, "Let me put it on for you," he said, and with one hand, he gently ran his fingers through my hair, inserting the hairpin. Then, as if reluctant to leave, his hand lightly brushed against my ear, and my face instantly flushed red. I inwardly scolded myself for how I, who had always been so poised and confident when kissing and making love with him... had actually blushed at this small act of tenderness.

He chuckled softly, his voice pleasant, "From now on... you'll have to wear it."

I looked up. "Yeah, it's the first thing Grandpa has bought for me in all these years."

His smile froze, and his gaze at me became somewhat unfocused. "I'm sorry..."

Most people on the street were walking in groups, but a few elegant young men from wealthy families attracted furtive glances from the girls along the way. When I looked up, I noticed many girls secretly "greeting" us. When I returned their gazes, they would shyly lower their heads, avoiding eye contact with those beside them. Lu Li, dressed in an elegant blue robe, strolled through the crowd, his unintentional air of nobility overshadowing all the men around him. I couldn't help but reach out and gently grasp Lu Li's fingers, my eyes scanning the room until the shy, hesitant gazes turned to jealousy before I was satisfied. Lu Li looked at me with amusement. I thought he was going to accuse me of being impolite, but he didn't. He simply tightened our clasped hands and continued walking.

We sat in the tavern, and the waiter brought us the finest Bai Mao Jian tea.

Lu Li frowned slightly. "Please bring a different flower tea, preferably chrysanthemum."

I looked at Lu Li, puzzled. He used to prefer plain tea, and rarely even touched the finest jasmine tea. The waiter quickly changed the tea and handed over the menu, but Lu Li...

They gave it to me, saying, "Order whatever you want to eat."

I found it amusing. He could enjoy endless delicacies in the palace; why would he drag me to this restaurant?

He seemed to understand what I meant and said calmly, "Liaoning cuisine is greasy and fishy; you get tired of it after a while. The chefs here are Han Chinese, so you can taste some of your hometown flavor..." He then took a sip of tea, and then frowned slightly. I wondered to myself, why would he change it if he clearly didn't like flower tea?

I flipped through the menu and casually remarked, "Candied ginkgo nuts, chestnut and bean cake, magpie on plum blossom, sweet assorted vegetables, butterfly shrimp rolls, ginger fish slices, roast suckling pig, braised chicken, chrysanthemum pork tenderloin, wild ginseng and eleutherococcus senticosus, Huiren rice porridge, and two bowls of hot embroidered green tea."

The waiter looked at me uncertainly, then at Lu Li, "You... there are only two of you."