Chapter 56

Chapter 56

"Come in."

Seeing Zhao Jiming somewhat disheveled, Yu Qizhi fell silent for a moment before finally saying,

"Your Highness, thank you."

"Is your leg... alright?"

The rolling sound of the carriage wheels filled the air as both Yu Qizhi and Zhao Jiming spoke almost simultaneously.

Then silence fell again.

"There's no need to thank me. I should be thanking you for your comfort last time." Yu Qizhi paused and asked,

"But are you... really alright?"

"It's nothing serious."

A faint smile appeared on Zhao Jiming's lips, and then he lowered his eyes, avoiding Yu Qizhi's gaze.

"It just hurts a bit during rainy days."

Hearing this, a hint of doubt arose in Yu Qizhi's heart.

Earlier, Zhao Jiming had moved freely, showing no signs of any hidden ailment.

But the Empress Dowager's words from earlier still lingered in her mind, so she did not delve deeper into the reason behind Zhao Jiming's condition.

...

As night fell, a light drizzle began under the dark sky. Inside the palace, the lanterns cast a dim glow.

The sound of wine being poured wafted out of Yu Qizhi's bedroom window.

Steady footsteps approached, growing louder, and the scent of strong alcohol became more pronounced. The man's brows furrowed, and the palace attendants along the way knelt down.

Pei Jing was still wearing his official robes, indicating he had come in haste, with an extremely low aura surrounding him.

Upon hearing this, the attendants serving close by quickly withdrew.

The room fell silent, with only the continuous sound of raindrops hitting the eaves.

"Just now, why didn't you wait for me?"

"Stay away from Zhao Jiming."

Yu Qizhi's slender body was half-sunken into the soft chair. Hearing this, she looked up at him.

Her pale cheeks were flushed, and her almond-shaped eyes were misty, with a faint redness at the corners.

Pei Jing recognized this appearance; she was drunk.

Pei Jing frowned slightly. He knew it wasn't easy for Yu Qizhi alone in the palace, but he wouldn't let her stay in such a situation for long.

He gently patted her face and held her chin, trying to feed her some sobering tea.

"Be more alert; I have something to say to you."

In the palace, drinking at this hour, Pei Jing sighed, unaware that his tone had softened, tinged with helplessness.

He felt an inexplicable sense of pity for her.

"You... again..."

Yu Qizhi's lips parted.

"What?" The rain outside grew louder, and Pei Jing didn't catch the end of Yu Qizhi's words.

"Play him once more." Yu Qizhi wrapped her arms around his neck, her voice light and slightly slurred with intoxication.

She had done this gesture many times before when they were together.

Pei Jing froze for a moment.

He didn't want to think deeply about who "him" was in Yu Qizhi's words.

In the wind mixed with rain and alcohol, Yu Qizhi held onto him, wanting him to be someone else.

Was she willing to get close to Zhao Jiming because he reminded her of that person?

Two impulses surged within Pei Jing: one to make her more sober, and another to hold her tightly.

Silver moonlight dimly illuminated the bed canopy, and the only sounds in the room were rapid breathing and the rain.

The next day, Yu Qizhi was still asleep.

"Take good care of her; don't let the Empress Dowager interfere."

Outside, Pei Jing whispered to the female official.

The official acknowledged his order.

...

On this day, the once-every-five-years spring hunt commenced as usual at the royal hunting grounds at the foot of the mountain.

The new emperor decided to reward the top three hunters with honors and gifts.

The Yegu of the Tiele tribe happened to tie with a young nobleman in the number of game they had hunted.

Following the usual custom, the two engaged in a contest.

When Pei Jing arrived, the young nobleman was already at a disadvantage. Unwilling to lose face as the host, he attempted to cheat.

A member of the tribe saw through the deception and threw a wine cup on the spot.

The shattered porcelain and spilled wine splashed onto the young nobleman, causing him to lose his composure and dodge clumsily.

On the high platform, the young emperor showed a displeased expression.

The Yegu's weapon clashed with the cold blade, sending sparks flying.

The Yegu took three steps back before regaining his footing. Seeing Pei Jing, he raised his hand to stop his tribesmen.

"Why have we not seen Her Highness the Princess today?"

The Yegu paused for a moment, giving Pei Jing a meaningful look. Seeing Pei Jing's cold expression without an answer, the Yegu turned to the high platform and asked:

"Our lord wishes to form a marriage alliance. If Great Yong marries Princess Yuanzhen to our Tiele tribe, all Tiele tribes will certainly honor the pact and fight against Xi Rong together."

"Princess Yuanzhen has been practicing in the Daoist sect since childhood and will not marry." The new emperor spoke after a brief silence.

Seeing the emperor's response, the Yegu did not press further on the topic.

Midway through the ceremony, the Yegu suddenly spoke to Pei Jing with a half-smile:

"Yuanzhen is not chaste."

"Commander Pei truly enjoys a good fortune."

The Yegu then gave a cryptic laugh, turning slightly towards Pei Jing and speaking in a tone only the two could hear:

"That year at Zuiyun Tower, I witnessed how bravely you acted, holding a beauty in your arms..."

Pei Jing's grip on the hilt tightened, and a chill emanated from him.

...

Ten days later, the Xi Rong indeed took advantage of the weakened defenses in the southwestern prefectures and launched a major attack on the border town.

Although the Xi Rong failed to breach the city, the defending troops were unable to reinforce in time, leading to a stalemate. The new emperor returned to the capital ahead of time to discuss strategies with his ministers.

In the gradually empty palace annex, Pei Jing repeatedly invited Yu Qizhi to meet.

The red carnelian earring felt increasingly cold in his palm, reminding him of its former brilliance on its original owner. Pei Jing smiled bitterly inwardly.

He owed Yu Qizhi much, Pei Jing thought, he owed her an apology.

The sound of a woman's footsteps approached.

Pei Jing turned around to see Xue Qi.

Xue Qi walked towards Pei Jing, failing to notice the fleeting disappointment in his eyes.

"I will cure the poison in your body; I will definitely do so."

"With the imminent departure, you must conserve your strength and avoid using your inner energy easily," Xue Qi said with concern.

Pei Jing glanced at her and responded softly after a moment.

Not far away, someone paused.

Yu Qizhi stopped for a moment, recognizing Xue Qi's silhouette. Under the dim moonlight, the two stood very close, their shadows intertwined.

...

The court mobilized reinforcements to support the southwestern border, and the imperial troops relieved several towns, gradually clarifying the situation.

However, Songzhou was besieged by heavy Xi Rong forces. Pei Jing was ordered to lead troops there, taking two thousand light cavalry deep into the desert to strike at the rear of the Xi Rong, capturing tens of thousands of prisoners and lifting the siege of Songzhou.

But when summer arrived, the capital lost contact with the front lines.

Yu Qizhi learned from Helan Mingyue that the governor of Xichuan's adopted son had conspired with the Xi Rong and rebelled, confronting Pei Jing's group head-on, while Jin Yue held back and refused to provide support.

Pei Jing's whereabouts were unknown.

"Since Her Highness the Princess cares so much, why did she refuse to meet the Crown Prince who had invited her multiple times?"

The lady-in-waiting beside Yu Qizhi remained expressionless.

Then, her face turned to panic.

Yu Qizhi turned pale and collapsed.

The physician diagnosed her pregnancy.

"There are no secrets within the palace walls; the Empress Dowager is already aware. I expect... she will arrange a marriage for you soon."

Inside the princess's residence, Zhao Jiming came to visit.

"I want to marry you and treat your child as my own."

Later, news of Pei Jing's death and victory arrived simultaneously.

During the heavy snowfall, inside the princess's residence, red plum blossoms fell silently.

Through the window, Zhao Jiming picked plum blossoms for Yu Qizhi.

Yu Qizhi looked up at him, and as their eyes met, Zhao Jiming was momentarily stunned. Snowflakes settled on his head, but he smiled at her without a care.

The world was tranquil. Yu Qizhi, now showing her pregnancy, also smiled gently at the man in the courtyard.

...

Three years later, to everyone's surprise in Chang'an, Pei Jing returned to court.

At the imperial family banquet, it seemed much the same as before, except this time, Yu Qizhi's identity had changed.

During the banquet, Pei Jing frequently glanced at Yu Qizhi.

Yu Qizhi and Zhao Jiming left early, and Yu Qizhi took their daughter from a palace attendant.

The former Li family residence had been converted into a princess's mansion, but it wasn't until Tangtang was born that it began to feel like home.

At the corner of a corridor, a figure appeared. Pei Jing's dark eyes were somber, and Yu Qizhi stopped in her tracks.

Tangtang broke free from her hand and curiously looked at Pei Jing.

"Tangtang, come here quickly."

Upon closer inspection, Tangtang's features bore a slight resemblance to Pei Jing. Yu Qizhi didn't want Pei Jing to notice and was also concerned about Zhao Jiming's feelings.

Tangtang was closer to Zhao Jiming, who looked at Pei Jing expressionlessly before taking Tangtang's hand.

Tangtang walked a few steps with Zhao Jiming, then turned back to look at Pei Jing, ultimately following Zhao Jiming obediently.

After a few more steps, Tangtang reached out for a hug, and Zhao Jiming lifted her up.

Zhao Jiming and Tangtang interacted naturally, just like any ordinary father and daughter.

Yu Qizhi restrained herself from looking at the man behind her and took Tangtang from Zhao Jiming's arms.

The couple handled the child with practiced ease, clearly used to taking care of her themselves.

Xue Qi hurried over with a cloak, and the four of them met in the corridor.

By the time Yu Qizhi and the others had walked far away,

the winter night was silent. Pei Jing's tall figure swayed, and he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.

Main text ends

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