Wild mountain flowers bloomed by the roadside, but where should her heart go?
An endless melancholy welled up in her heart, and she couldn't help but think of the palace.
In the palace, there was also Xi Men Xinyue. She had said the Emperor had favored her. She didn't know if that person was the Prince of Nan'an or the Emperor. However, her initial estimate was that it was likely the Prince of Nan'an, which was why the Prince of Nan'an wanted to marry her as a consort.
But did she really want to go back? To stay in the imperial harem forever...
A cool breeze brushed past her cheeks, her intelligent and beautiful face serene. Inside the carriage, Mochou and Bingxiao dared not speak. Such matters were for the mistress to decide. Even Xiaoyuer dared not make a decision for her.
"Let's return to Wuqing Valley first. The Seven Kingdoms are not yet unified, and I wonder how Qingfeng and Mingyue are doing?"
Qingyao sighed faintly, lowered the thin gauze curtain, and leaned back against the cushion, her eyes slightly closed, unwilling to discuss the topic further.
The carriage sped back to Wuqing Valley.
Time flew by with these comings and goings. In the blink of an eye, it was early summer, and the weather was hot. Qingyao and Xiaoyuer stayed in the valley, finding it both comfortable and pleasant.
News from Anding Peak arrived intermittently. The army marched straight down from Shanhaiguan, advancing towards the capital of Yun Cang Kingdom. Many cities surrendered without a fight, likely realizing that with the tide turning, there was no way back.
Surrender was merely delaying the inevitable and would only lead to a more brutal end. It was better to surrender, as the imperial court could no longer control these troops.
After another two months, the Yun Cang Kingdom was conquered, a process spanning nearly five months.
The royal family was annihilated, with not a single survivor. Anding Peak's methods were far more ruthless than Qingyao's.
Qingyao also didn't want to dwell on it. Everyone had their own fighting style. Since she had stepped back, she should let others do their work with peace of mind. Moreover, Anding Peak's loyalty was commendable.
Qingyao calculated the time; Qingfeng and Mingyue should be returning soon. Indeed, a few evenings later, the two of them returned.
Upon entering the valley, they first met Qingyao and Xiaoyuer. Both of them knelt down with a thud and respectfully said, "Thank you."
"What are you doing? Get up," Qingyao raised an eyebrow. If anyone deserved thanks, it was her. They had been implicated because of her. If that man hadn't targeted them because of her, they wouldn't have been in danger. Now, their kneeling made her feel a little uneasy.
Qingfeng and Mingyue rose. Xiaoyuer, already smiling, rushed over, grabbed Mingyue's hand, and said proudly, "How was it? Were you beaten?"
As she spoke, she used her hands and feet to pull at Mingyue's sleeve, wanting to check for any injuries. Mingyue's appearance made him shiver a little, and he resisted, saying, "Little Ancestor, I'm perfectly fine."
As soon as he spoke, Qingyao was completely at ease. The suspicion that they were impostors vanished.
One could impersonate appearance, one could imitate speech, but a person's mindset was impossible to fake. Mingyue had always been a bit timid around Xiaoyuer.
"Did he trouble you?"
Qingyao calmly raised her eyes and swept them over Qingfeng and Mingyue. The two of them appeared unharmed. But why hadn't Chang Sun Zhu harmed them?
"No, he just imprisoned us in a secret chamber. Meals were provided daily, but we were not released.
More than ten days ago, that man finally released us. We didn't know his identity before. That day, he not only released us but also asked us to deliver a message to you.
The Qing Luo Kingdom has surrendered to Xian Yue. From this day on, the kingdom will no longer be a kingdom. The royal family members have voluntarily become powerless vassal kings."
Qingyao pursed her lips, her expression indifferent. She hadn't expected Chang Sun Zhu to be a person who cared for the nation and its people. Perhaps if they fought, the Qing Luo Kingdom could have held on for a while longer, but the casualties would have been immense. With Chang Sun Zhu's abilities, it wouldn't have been easy for them to take over the Qing Luo Kingdom...
Chang Sun Zhu's actions might have been out of compassion for the members of the royal family, the people of the world, and those soldiers.
"What else did Chang Sun Zhu say?"
Qingyao asked calmly. Perhaps that person had been despicable in the past, but facing such magnanimity, she felt a hint of admiration.
"He said that he would enter Buddhism, sever all ties with the mortal world, and from then on, there would be no more Crown Prince Chang Sun Zhu of the Qing Luo Kingdom in the world."
Qingfeng's words made Qingyao pause. She hadn't expected Chang Sun Zhu to eventually become a monk. For a moment, she didn't know what to say. The past events were like clouds and smoke, truly a dream. She said faintly, "You must be tired, go back and rest first."
"Okay, we'll leave now."
Qingfeng and Mingyue retreated.
In the room, Xiaoyuer's cheers rang out from time to time:
"I didn't expect the Qing Luo Kingdom to surrender. Does that mean we've unified the Seven Kingdoms? This is wonderful! The most satisfying part is that Chang Sun Zhu became a monk. This man actually has some self-awareness."
Xiaoyuer had always been forthright in her affections and dislikes. Since Chang Sun Zhu had dealt with them last time, she had held a grudge. Therefore, hearing that Chang Sun Zhu had become a monk, she was overjoyed, clapping her hands and jumping around the room.
Qingyao looked at her helplessly, remaining silent for a long time.
The Yun Cang Kingdom was destroyed, the Qing Luo Kingdom surrendered, and the Huang Yuan Kingdom formally announced its allegiance to Xian Yue, thus unifying the world.
The Seven Kingdoms became one, and Xian Yue reigned supreme...
The world was finally at peace, though many unstable factors were hidden within this peace. It was easy to conquer a land, but difficult to defend it. Xiaoyuer hoped her mother would return to the capital to help her father. Openly, she would be the Empress, and secretly, with Fengchen Palace, things would be much easier.
"Mother, let's go back to the capital. What if Father really issues an edict to pass the throne to my imperial uncle?"
Xiaoyuer's small, tender face, like flower petals, was filled with worry.
Qingyao raised her eyes and looked. Not only Xiaoyuer but also Mochou and Bingxiao wore expressions of concern.
At this moment, Qingfeng and Mingyue entered. They had overheard Xiaoyuer's words outside and strongly agreed with her viewpoint. Moreover, they knew why Miss Mu was hesitant to leave. Qingfeng remembered a letter left by the young master, which they had all forgotten.
They quickly retrieved the letter and said respectfully,
"Miss Mu, this is a letter we found among the young master's belongings. We've always wanted to give it to you but kept forgetting. Please take a look."
Qingfeng did not know what was written in the letter, as it was left for her by the young master, so none of them had read it.
Qingyao was taken aback. She hadn't expected Wuqing to have left her a letter. She reached out and took it, surprised. The white envelope was covered in dust, and the paper was slightly yellowed, indicating it had been kept for a long time.
She opened the letter, slowly turned, and sat down. Everyone in the room retreated.
In the silence, Qingyao's eyes gradually misted over.
It turned out that Wuqing had known his path long ago. To prevent her from carrying any burden, he had left her this letter.