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"Hey, Lie, don't do this. You need to rest properly now, you can't move around!" Ling Yuxiang grabbed her hand, solemnly restraining her attempts to cause trouble, and held her close, carefully explaining each rule to her: "Listen carefully, you can't climb trees, you can't climb onto roofs, you can't jump around, you can't pick fights, you can't drink cold water, you can't eat spicy food, you can't get angry easily, you can't..."

"Stop, stop, stop!" Feng Xinglie shouted, sweating more and more, his words becoming increasingly incomprehensible: "Do you think I'm some sheltered young lady?"

"Ugh! Why are there so many rules? Are you trying to suffocate me by telling me I can't do this and I can't do that?"

"How could that be! I'm doing this for your own good, how can you be so ungrateful!" Ling Yuxiang looked hurt.

"I appreciate your kindness, but you should at least give me a reason!" Feng Xinglie felt something was unusually strange. Frowning, she recalled her sudden fainting spell in the front hall and a chill ran down her spine: "Could it be...could I have some incurable disease?" Her heart pounded, fear gripped her, and she looked on with sorrowful eyes. Although she found it odd, she believed this was the only explanation. Otherwise, why would Ling Yuxiang care about her to that extent? Feng Xinglie, always confident in her own intellect, naturally couldn't escape this highly probable possibility this time, and a chill ran through her body.

She was never afraid of death, but at this moment she was terrified and extremely unwilling. She had finally met Ling Yuxiang. Was it really that the heavens were jealous of her beauty and did not allow them to become a couple?

"Yu Xiang, tell me. Tell me the truth, where is Yao Tianlin? Has he diagnosed my illness? Did he say there's any way to save me? Yu Xiang, tell me quickly!" Feng Xinglie shook him anxiously, her brows furrowed with worry, her body trembling slightly. Ling Yu Xiang felt a pang in his chest, knowing that her clever mind must be overthinking things, and quickly hugged her tightly to reassure her.

"It's okay, you're fine, nothing's wrong..."

"I don't want to leave you. I don't want to, I don't want to..." Feng Xinglie pulled her back tightly, showing a rare moment of urgency. No one is unafraid of death. She had never cared about life and death before, simply because in her heart, the principle of dignity was more important than life. But when it came to death, how could she not be afraid?

Besides, they've been through so much to be together now, how could she bear to leave Ling Yuxiang? How could she let him suffer along with her?

"Lie, you're alright, you're really alright. I won't let you leave me. I won't!" Ling Yuxiang was terrified by Feng Xinglie's reaction. He kissed her delicate cheeks tenderly and lovingly, gently stroking her black hair, repeatedly assuring her.

"Don't lie to me just to comfort me. What exactly is wrong with me?" Feng Xing had calmed down a bit and was no longer agitated, but there was still a hint of negativity in her voice. She huddled in Ling Yuxiang's arms, unwilling to lift her head, afraid of hearing the terrible truth in her mind.

"Oh, silly cake, you're so smart it drives me crazy, and so clueless it's truly exasperating. Don't you feel anything at all? Haven't you felt weak, uncomfortable, or nauseous for the past two months? Come to think of it, your period hasn't come yet, and honestly, I didn't even notice. Haha, we're two of a kind, equally clueless..." Ling Yuxiang gently stroked her back as if it were a precious treasure, leaning against the headboard and laughing as he spoke. As he spoke, the silly grin that had been going on for so long reappeared, filling the room with warmth and happiness.

"What did you say?" This time, Feng Xinglie really jumped up from his arms, yelled, and then fell back onto the bed. His face was full of horror, his mouth was wide open, and his gaze was exactly the same as when the three of them found out the truth.

Although she hadn't considered it before, she wasn't oblivious. If she couldn't figure it out after hearing Ling Yuxiang describe these obvious symptoms, she wouldn't deserve to be called a woman of this generation! Feng Xinglie looked at Ling Yuxiang, then at herself, her gaze finally settling on her lower abdomen. Staring wide-eyed, her slender white hand couldn't help but touch it, and she whispered, "I...could it be..."

"That's right, it's that 'could it be'!"

Ling Yuxiang smiled with delight and grabbed her again, one hand around her waist and the other hand on her still flat stomach, their hands intertwined, as if to shelter the little life inside.

"I...I'm pregnant? It's ours?" Feng Xinglie murmured blankly, dazed. She had never had such an experience in either of her two lives! Even her one-night stand in her previous life was done with contraception, so she naturally didn't realize when she would...be pregnant!

"If it's not ours, then whose is it?" Ling Yuxiang was both annoyed and amused, feigning grievance and frustration: "Do you want it to belong to someone else?"

"Are you going to die? How dare you joke with me like this?" Feng Xinglie almost got angry when he heard this, but was immediately suppressed by Ling Yuxiang.

"I want to die, I want to die, I'm wrong, I'm guilty. My dear wife, it doesn't matter if I die. You can't get angry, what if you upset the baby? Don't scare me, okay?" Ling Yuxiang quickly pressed her down and kept trying to calm her down, his tense appearance was even more excited than going to the battlefield.

Feng Xinglie was both amused and exasperated by his behavior: "It's just a pregnancy, why are you treating me like a god? I'm not used to it."

Ling Yuxiang said seriously, "You have no choice but to be the ancestor now. Did you think I was just joking with you? You can't leave my side for a moment during this time. What you can't do is what you can't do. If you can't stay still..." He smiled wickedly, his handsome face radiating charm, revealing a touch of devilish allure, which made Feng Xinglie's heart race.

A deep, magnetic voice came close to his ear, teasing, "Even if you can't stay idle, you have to wait until tonight, at least until you've had enough rest."

Feng Xinglie's ears turned bright red. She kept cursing inwardly; ever since that night, she had become increasingly unable to resist his charm. Whenever he showed that rare, alluring, and slightly wicked expression, her heart would race and her body temperature would rise.

"You...you're going to die even more. I'm already like this, and you're still thinking about..." She buried her face in his chest in embarrassment.

"If I die, won't you be a widow?" Her blushing face was indescribably adorable, making Ling Yuxiang's heart flutter. A warm current slowly gathered in his lower abdomen, but he suppressed it, casually teasing her: "Besides, if I die, who will love you? If I die, who will be the father of our child? If I die... ouch!"

Before he could finish speaking, he was punched by Feng Xinglie.

"You you you..." Feng Xinglie was so angry at his words that she couldn't speak clearly. She swung her fists and punched him in the chest, but she didn't have enough strength and couldn't hit him effectively. Ling Yuxiang was afraid that she would get angry, so he let her hit him and pretended to be in great pain. Feng Xinglie couldn't help but point at his funny appearance and laugh so hard that she fell over.

"Alright, stop fooling around." Ling Yuxiang said affectionately, drawing out his voice as he pulled her close. Their eyes met, conveying a joy that was hard to express in words. Looking at each other's magnified faces, they couldn't help but smile happily.

Calming down, Feng Xinglie lay lazily on Ling Yuxiang, enjoying the quiet moment.

"Winter has passed, and spring is just around the corner. But as happy as I am, I must say, Yuxiang, our child came at the wrong time."

After calming down, Feng Xinglie regained his composure and frowned as he reminded him, "Qin Han's Gu poison hasn't been resolved, and I might be drawn into Qin's struggles at any time. Qing is currently in turmoil, and the Qing King's decree to appoint the Crown Prince has already been issued. You also have to go to Qing because of the pressure from public opinion in Ling for Liu Wuge's sake. Even if you wanted to contact me, it's probably impossible."

Feng Xinglie smiled bitterly. Their inseparable companionship over the past three months was due to their anticipation of the Qing King's actions; the Qing Kingdom's military strength was under their control. She understood that Ling Yuxiang absolutely had to go to the Qing Kingdom's capital.

"What are you afraid of? Would you really not come with me?" Ling Yuxiang laughed at her, biting the tip of her nose. "Don't try to hide it from me. If you don't get involved in Liu Wuge's matter, you wouldn't be Feng Xinglie. Although I don't know if this is an older brother or a younger brother, I know you won't abandon him. You want to save him, and that's enough. Lie, you underestimate my abilities. If your husband can't even protect this mere child, how will I take you out of this politics in the future? How will I take you to travel the world?"

His smug and arrogant demeanor was quite reminiscent of Feng Xinglie's style.

He paused, stunned, then a wave of indescribable emotion warmed his heart. Feng Xinglie hugged his neck, kissed him on the cheek, and laughed, "My husband understands me so well! Even if fate wouldn't allow us to have this child, I would still have it!"

"Even if the sky falls, I'll hold it up for you. You just focus on giving birth to our baby." Ling Yuxiang happily grabbed her and showered her with kisses, expressing his determination and confidence.

Gently stroking his lower abdomen, Feng Xinglie revealed a rare tenderness in his eyes.

The unexpected surprise also brought a challenge, as the current situation was dire. They could no longer remain in Fengcheng, and to make matters worse, she was diagnosed with a child, forcing them to accelerate many things and plans.

Feng Xinglie's expression slowly hardened, becoming ruthless and unpredictable once more. For the sake of the little life in her womb, she would show no mercy this time! After a moment's thought, she patted Ling Yuxiang's shoulder and smiled coldly: "Yuxiang, let's send a message to summon Youming. This time, I'm going to pull off a big heist and show you the results my Dark Moon Sect has achieved over the years!"

Chapter Ninety-Four: Mission to the Qing Kingdom

Another month has passed in a flash, spring has returned to the earth, and with the approaching Qingwang Pregnancy Wind, Qingli and Ling Yuxiang have finally made all the necessary arrangements and are preparing to lead the main force to the capital of Qing Kingdom.

On this day, a gentle breeze blew, the river flowed, and the green willows on both banks swayed in the wind. On a magnificent bridge, Ling Yuxiang, riding a white horse and dressed in fiery red, danced in the wind. His handsome and imposing presence made him rejoin the grand procession. He leisurely stepped onto the west bank of the South River, and with a few smiles, he smiled slightly at the season that had come from the distant Qing Kingdom.

"With the Qing King's pregnancy imminent, our Great Ling wishes to express our respect. I have specially discussed the Qing King's preferences with His Highness the Crown Prince of your country and prepared a very important gift. As the envoy knows, we dare not be negligent on the Qing King's birthday, which is why we carefully selected these gifts and racked our brains to ensure they were perfect. As a result, we have only been able to travel to Qingcheng today. We are truly ashamed."

Since the Battle of the Yangtze River, under the pretext of ensuring communication between the two countries, Feng Xinglie and Qingli and others reached an agreement to build a bridge across the Yangtze River that was wide enough for more than ten people to walk side by side, without any regard for the consequences. It was said to be to promote the development of relations between the two countries. It was completed not long ago and is now being put to use.

"Not at all, not at all. Prince Ling's magnanimity and righteousness are known throughout the world. How could we dare to blame him?" The envoy was a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties. Compared to a peerless talent like Ling Yuxiang, he was so inferior that he would be lost in a crowd. At this moment, the two men's demeanor was so different that one was radiant and bright, while the other was dull and ordinary. This comparison made the envoys from the Qing Kingdom feel ashamed.

Even Heaven is jealous of geniuses, so how can man escape the common fate? It's a pity that the mighty Qing Kingdom has no one who can compare with this peerless genius, which makes these people want to vomit blood.

Ling Yuxiang chuckled to himself, knowing that his goal had been achieved. Then he shouted loudly at the silent Qing Army camp, "Brother Qing, has the gift delivery team been arranged?"

"Thank you for your trouble, Brother Ling! I'm coming right now!" came my reply with a clear and melodious laugh.

Not far away, the Qing army camp stood solemnly and imposingly, a magnificent sight, fully equipped and ready to go. Every soldier and officer's face was filled with excitement, their dashing and heroic demeanor a stark contrast to their dejected state just a few months ago.

Two teams of elite soldiers stepped forward in unison from the large group, separating them. In the center stood a man and a woman, both dressed in magnificent robes. The man, in a blue python robe, had his hair tied up with a jade hairpin, exuding a dashing and unrestrained air. His demeanor had become less unruly and more composed, making him appear almost like a god, in no way inferior to Ling Yuxiang's peerless elegance.

The woman beside her slowly rode her horse. She was an unparalleled beauty, cold as ice. A blood-red glass hairpin was tied high on her head, and she wore a pale yellow jacket. Her phoenix eyes were raised, and her willow eyebrows were slightly horizontal. With her exquisite makeup, she was so beautiful that people dared not look directly at her.

Behind them was a large procession of carriages, with several capable soldiers surrounding a large sandalwood chest with gold trim in the center. The chest was as tall as two people and comparable to a small carriage. Looking at it, it stretched out in a long line, and when you finally caught sight of the end, it was just a small black dot the size of a mung bean. There were actually more than twenty of them.

Before him stood a small but spirited squad of soldiers, their heads held high and their bearing exceptionally upright.

The arrival of this group of people was truly timely. The envoys from Qing Kingdom were all inwardly sighing. Although the Third Prince had achieved numerous military exploits, he didn't have a good reputation. He was either frequenting brothels or refusing to attend court for no reason, spending his days idly. Therefore, these envoys rarely had the chance to see his true appearance. Now, seeing him, they were surprised to find him so handsome and capable, almost on par with Ling Yuxiang, one of the two peerless geniuses of the Great Xia.

The delegation that came to greet them was large and diverse, including all sorts of people. When they saw Qingli's appearance, their eyes lit up with a strange light, and their faces were filled with barely concealed excitement.

Qingli's performance was hundreds of times better than that of the Crown Prince Qingxuan, causing many ministers who were still neutral to slightly shift their stance. Although the effects would probably only be seen after Qingli successfully ascended the throne, it had at least laid a certain foundation for him.

Pang Ji, the middle-aged envoy from the Qing Kingdom, was a confidant of the Qing King. Upon seeing Qing Liyi and the others' demeanor, his heart sank, but he still had to be obsequious on the surface, which was truly exhausting.

"His Highness the Crown Prince is indeed dashing and outstanding, unforgettable at first sight..." His gaze fell on the woman approaching on horseback, and only then did he see her clearly. His pupils suddenly contracted, and he exclaimed in surprise, "Crown Princess?"

Qingli and Ling Yuxiang exchanged a glance, their hearts already pounding with joy. This whole charade was clearly planned by Feng Xinglie and his group beforehand, all to help him establish a positive image and project the reputation of the Qing King's envoy.

The situation. Although Pang Ji could be considered cunning and shrewd, he was far inferior to Feng Xinglie, that three foxes.

Xiao Jiu casually took Feng Xing Lieying's hand, Qing Li cleared his throat, and introduced with a leisurely smile: "Lord Pang has excellent eyesight, this is indeed my Crown Princess." As if afraid that others would not know, he emphasized the words "Crown Princess" very much, which made Pang Ji's eyelids twitch and his heart shake.

Nangong Rou! Nangong Rou really slept with Qing Li! This means that the Nangong family, the most powerful family in the court, must have conspired with Qing Li!

Pang Ji, being an old minister, was quick-witted. His eyes darted around a few times before he chuckled and said, "Your Highness is very fortunate. Consort Rou is the most beautiful woman in Qingcheng. This old minister must congratulate Your Highness."

"There's no need for congratulations. I'm only worried about my father's health. I believe he will be very happy to see me and my gift. I haven't slept well for over a month because of this gift. My father has been incredibly kind to me, bestowing upon me the title of Crown Prince. How could I possibly let him down? Lord Pang, I wonder if my father is angry that I'm a month late? I am indeed unfilial. If I anger my father, my sins will be even greater!" Qingli put on a very convincing performance of this "touching" speech, raising her blue sleeve to wipe away the few tears she had squeezed out of the corners of her eyes. She looked every bit the dutiful son.

Pang Ji couldn't help but curse Qing Li in his heart for being shameless. If she was really worried about the King's health, why didn't she go back to check on him sooner? Instead, she stubbornly stayed here, holding onto her army for three or four months. It was clearly a plot to rebel, but she turned black into white. In the blink of an eye, the old hen had become a duck!

He had originally received an imperial decree to question Qingli, but he was completely overwhelmed by the contrasting styles of Ling Yuxiang and Qingli. Qingli had used a strategy of retreat to advance, adopting a self-surrender stance and launching into a tearful rant before he could even question her, laying out all her reasons clearly and seizing the initiative. If he were to question her again, he would be petty and it might even cause some negative consequences. How could he possibly say anything more?

Frustrated, Pang Ji gave a bitter laugh to himself and had no choice but to step forward and play along, offering well-intentioned "advice": "Your Highness, please don't be distracted. The King is doing well and is just waiting for Your Highness to return to court so that he can properly celebrate his birthday. I believe the King will be very happy to see the Crown Prince."

"Mr. Pang, is this true?"

"Of course, Your Highness, rest assured, this old minister can guarantee it with a pat on the chest!"

The two were having a great time putting on their act when, in the distance, the sound of hooves thundered again. Xi Suifeng, a handsome and valiant man with white hair and dressed in black, led his Flaming Cavalry across the pontoon bridge, accompanied by several Qin officials, the leader of whom was Xiang Ju.

"Having heard that Your Highness Qingli intends to return to the capital, I have come to bid you farewell. My city lord has been unwell recently and is unable to send me here. Please forgive me, Your Highness." Xi Suifeng slowly raised a celadon cup, poured a full cup of wine, and presented it to Qingli. The latter smiled heartily, raised the cup, and drank it all in one gulp.

"Of course, please convey my regards to your lord, Brother Xi. I will go right away!" Qingli's words were calm, but she seemed quite anxious, as if to show how much she missed her father: "Lord Pang, I am worried about my father's health. Let's skip the formalities and hurry back to the capital."

He smiled slightly, and with a flick of his blue sleeves, a series of orderly footsteps suddenly echoed through the military camp. Groups of soldiers, having finished their preparations, surged forward and appeared before him, forming a vast and orderly line on the west bank of the Yangtze River. The Qing Kingdom soldiers stood in neat rows along the river, creating a magnificent and awe-inspiring scene.

This move immediately caused astonishment on the faces of everyone in the Qing Kingdom delegation. All the envoys looked around and began to discuss among themselves.

Pang Ji stared dumbfounded at the soldiers who were clearly prepared in advance. His gaze returned to Qing Li and Ling Yuxiang's indifferent faces, and he couldn't help but ask with an unfriendly expression, "Your Highness, what... does this mean?"

Qingli blinked innocently: "What do you mean? It means returning in triumph, of course!"

"But! This...this might not be a good idea..." Pang Ji looked troubled, glancing at the soldiers with considerable repulsion, secretly cursing Qing Li. Of course, he understood what Qing Li meant by this move; he clearly intended to bring the army back to Qingcheng! And if a large group of elite troops were brought back to Qingcheng, half of Qingcheng would fall under his control!

Pang Ji knew Qing Wang's military strength better than anyone. Qing Wang had already deployed Bai Tingfu's supposed million-strong army to garrison near Qingcheng, but this was merely a claim, and compared to Qing Li's deployment, this million-strong elite force was far inferior. Qing Li currently had approximately 550,000 troops at his disposal, but if a real battle were to break out, the outcome would be difficult to predict.

As for Fan, he was ordered by the King of Qing to give Qing Li a warning and make him obediently return to the court. Who would have thought that he would want to bring the army back to the capital? Even if Pang Ji wanted to agree, how could the King of Qing possibly agree?!

Looking at Pang Jihuai's expression, Ling Yuxiang exclaimed in surprise, "Lord Pang, what's wrong with this? Do you really think it's inappropriate to let these men who have been away from home for so long go back to see their hometown? Don't forget, they were all betrayed by that bastard Bai Zhongyan! It's one thing if Lord Pang doesn't think they are unfortunate, but to even deprive them of the chance to reunite with their families? This is definitely not the behavior of a benevolent monarch like King Qing. It must be your own idea, isn't it?"

The Qing Kingdom's court naturally needed an explanation for the Battle of Dajiang. The Qing King publicly claimed that Bai Zhongyan disobeyed military orders, falsely conveyed imperial edicts, and arbitrarily mobilized troops, causing unrest on the border. He then pinned all the blame on Bai Zhongyan and called it a day. As for Bai Zhongyan, upon learning this news, he was utterly devastated but refused to testify against the Qing King. He died the next day in the Fengcheng prison. As a result, Qingli has yet to find an excuse to rebel, since there are no witnesses. The Qing King can easily fabricate a story, blaming everything on a dead man.

Bai Zhongyan spent his life pursuing fame and fortune, yet he left behind a lasting infamy after his death. Such a fact is truly laughable.

Ling Yuxiang's blockade was brilliant! He managed to give the King of Qing a high compliment of 'benevolence,' and who in the delegation dared to object? After he said that if this group of soldiers were not allowed to return home, it would mean that the King of Qing was 'cruel,' and Qing Li would have a reason to rebel. The delegation fell silent immediately; no one dared to speak up.

Xi Suifeng deliberately drew a long face, his expression as hard as iron: "Lord Pang, what are you saying? If you don't send these Qing soldiers back to your Qing Kingdom, do you want them to stagnate on the border of the three kingdoms? Do you want to be like Bai Zhongyan, able to roam around our Feng City with these troops at any time? Did you get the Qing King's permission to do this? Don't end up like Bai Zhongyan!"

On the other side, the Qin envoy Xiang Ju also said with a dark face: "Although your Qing Kingdom's attack on Fengcheng is understandable, our Great Qin Kingdom and the Ling Kingdom of Fengcheng have signed a treaty. Our King of Qin will never sit idly by and watch your Qing army stagnate on the border! If you continue to station troops in Jiangxi, you must have wolfish ambitions. Don't blame Qin Kingdom for getting involved in this mess!"

"Lord Pang, has the King truly decreed that these soldiers cannot return home?" After they finished speaking one by one, Qingli poked her head out and asked with concern in her eyes. Immediately afterwards, several pairs of eyes, including Ling Yuxiang's, which were either sharp, playful, or expectant, all looked at Pang Ji.

Pangji desperately suppressed the urge to roll his eyes; he was secretly furious!

This...this is clearly coercion! It's like forcing someone to have sex with you!

Who exactly came up with this idea? Ling Shanxiang, Xi Suifeng, and Xiang Ju pressed on step by step, gradually escalating their approach from gentle to angry to threatening, layer by layer, laying bare all the interests in Pang Ji's mind through their words.

If he takes the person away, he will be unable to explain himself to the King of Qing, causing the King of Qing a huge problem, and he will inevitably be punished by the King of Qing.

However, if he refused to allow Qingli to bring these people back to the capital, it would be tantamount to admitting that King Qing was a tyrant, giving Qingli a reason to rebel. That wasn't all; the Liejun, Lingguo, and Qinguo could all use this as a pretext to accuse Qingguo of harboring wolfish ambitions and launch separate military campaigns against the three kingdoms. Apart from Fengcheng, the other two kingdoms would probably be more than happy to see Qingguo in chaos, so they could carve up Qingguo's territory and expand their own. Pang Ji clearly couldn't afford such consequences.

In comparison, the only option was to bring the Qing army back to Qingcheng and then make further plans. After all, Bai Tingfu still had a million-strong army on their side, and they might not necessarily lose. Pang Ji quickly realized that whoever devised this plan had probably thought it through clearly. They were determined to force him to bring the Qing army back to Qingcheng, ostensibly under the pretense of returning home, making it sound perfectly respectable—it was utterly treacherous and cunning! These people were now eyeing him like tigers, like arrows on a bowstring, ready to be released, leaving him no room to turn the tables!

While cursing the mastermind in his mind, Pang Ji had to force a smile that was more like a grimace, and his voice almost distorted.

"Of course not! How could my king forget these generals who have made great contributions to the Qing Kingdom? Your Highness, there is no time to lose, let's get going!"

This man was truly provoked. He didn't even bother to say a few words of polite pleasantries, which he was usually quite adept at. After this explanation, fearing that there might be some conspiracy later, Pang Ji quickly slipped back into the delegation, waved his hand in disappointment, and signaled that they should get going.

Seeing his disheveled appearance, Qingli and the others couldn't help but laugh inwardly. In this first battle, they had completely defeated their opponents! The Qing army's triumphant return to the capital was undoubtedly a trump card that played a decisive role in his war for the throne!

"Brother Xi, there's no need to see me off. Even if I accompany you for a thousand miles, we will eventually part ways. Let's say goodbye here!" Ling Yuxiang gave a slight bow to the white-haired man beside him and sent a comforting message in a voice that only he could hear: "Don't worry, even if I die, I won't let her lose a single hair."

"I'll let it go for now because you said that. But if you can't do it, don't blame me for burning your mansion down!" Xi Suifeng patted his shoulder, a rare smile appearing on his resolute face, and joked.