Ji Qingge couldn't help but sigh softly. He had always known that Yun Xiao was trouble and not someone to be trifled with, but he never expected his Crown Prince brother to do something like this.
"Xiao'er, those Xiliang soldiers are not to blame. Can you spare their lives? As long as you spare them, we will agree to all the conditions that your Eastern Qin proposes."
If a large number of Xiliang troops were to die, the Xiliang kingdom would surely face immense public outcry, and the people would undoubtedly revolt. After all, the two countries were at peace, yet war had broken out, resulting in countless casualties among the soldiers, a truly heartbreaking situation.
This was why Ji Qingge had come to the Eastern Qin military camp to seek an audience with Yun Xiao, hoping she would show leniency.
Although he considered himself a master of poison, he had not expected Yun Xiao's skill in this area to be so profound.
He had studied it carefully. The medicine was potent and spicy. Without an antidote, by the time he developed one, most of the Xiliang army would likely be dead. Thus, he could only implore Yun Xiao.
"Can your words still be trusted?"
Yun Xiao's lips curled into a mocking smile, and she paid him no mind.
Just as Ji Qingge was about to speak, the sound of a guard's voice echoed from outside: "Your Majesty."
It turned out that Shangguan Yin had been detoxified and walked in, clad in a white cloud-patterned robe embroidered with misty clouds and rosy hues. As he moved, his sleeves fluttered, creating a breathtaking spectacle, as beautiful as a painting. In a blink, he reached Yun Xiao's side and spoke softly.
"Xiao'er, spare those people."
He knew that Xiao'er was not a cruel person. The reason she was acting this way was due to her extreme anger over his injury.
He was not trying to protect the Xiliang soldiers, but rather the soldiers of Eastern Qin.
If Xiliang descended into chaos, the entire realm would be thrown into turmoil, and war would reign once more, leaving more people displaced. Eastern Qin would also be dragged into this conflagration.
At that point, how could they remain aloof? All he desired was to peacefully accompany Xiao'er through every sunrise and sunset.
Their eyes met, and they understood each other's thoughts. Yun Xiao said no more, her lips curling. The soldiers could be forgiven, but the prime culprit absolutely could not. Thus, she gazed coldly at Ji Qingge and spoke in a low voice.
"If you wish to save those Xiliang soldiers, then kill the Crown Prince, and I will give you the antidote."
"Kill the Crown Prince."
Ji Qingge stood up, his gaze veiled. While he resented the Crown Prince's arbitrariness and arrogance, he had never considered killing him. This was a grave sin of fratricide.
Yun Xiao spoke slowly.
"You probably don't know that the Xiliang Crown Prince is also the leader of the Skull Blood Bandits of Xishan. He was originally a disgrace among our Four Kingdoms. If you don't kill him, not only will those soldiers be in vain, but Xiliang will surely fall into chaos. Secondly, Eastern Qin will announce this to the world. At that time, Xiliang Guowang will be eradicated from this continent. It is your choice what to do."
Having spoken, Yun Xiao called out towards the outside, "Someone, escort Prince Li away."
Given that they were at war, her politeness towards him was solely out of consideration for Wu Yuan Niang. However, if she were to concede further, she would not do so again.
The Xiliang Crown Prince was still the leader of the Skull Blood Bandits of Xishan. If he were not dealt with now, he would still gather people to cause trouble in Eastern Qin. This would not only leave a problem but also create trouble for all the kingdoms.
Ji Qingge looked up at Yun Xiao, then at Shangguan Yin. The expressions of both men in the hall were somewhat cold.
It was indeed Xiliang's fault, and he could not force others to provide the antidote. However, asking him to kill the Crown Prince made Ji Qingge's brow furrow deeply.
To say he had never considered it was a lie, but he had never imagined that day would come so soon.
But how could the Crown Prince be the leader of the Xishan Blood Bandits? This organization had existed for many years. He could not believe that he would become a member of such a sinister and despicable group.
"Farewell."
Ji Qingge clasped his hands in a farewell gesture and left. Yun Xiao spoke softly from within the hall, "I will only wait for you until tomorrow evening. If there is no news of the Xiliang Crown Prince's assassination by tomorrow evening, then I will be unable to help."
Ji Qingge's body trembled, but he did not halt his steps. He only wanted to return and investigate whether the Crown Prince was indeed a member of the Xishan Blood Bandits.
If this were true, then he could not be blamed for being ruthless. Because if Eastern Qin exposed this matter, it was likely that their Xiliang kingdom would be seen as mere minnows in the eyes of the world, with everyone calling for their heads wherever they went.
Xiliang would surely be in chaos.
The flower hall quieted down. Shangguan Yin turned to look at Yun Xiao, reached out to pull her closer to his chest. Her round belly was becoming even more prominent. He couldn't help but sigh, tenderly lifting her face and kissing her.
"Xiao'er, you truly don't make it easy for me."
Yun Xiao's lips curved into a smile, and she leaned against his chest, listening to his heartbeat and gazing at his peerless demeanor, like a proud bamboo in the forest standing between heaven and earth. Suddenly, she felt a sense of profound emotion. The Buddhist saying spoke of five hundred lifetimes of turning back to look, only to exchange glances in this life.
As for her and him, how many lifetimes of turning back must it have taken for them to find love and reliance in this life? Therefore, she cherished this most genuine emotion in the world.
"It's good that you're alright."
Shangguan Yin held her, then slowly released his embrace and gave a command outside.
"Serve dinner."
As he spoke, Yun Xiao realized she was hungry. Her heart had been in her throat all day, and she hadn't felt hungry at all. Now that her heart had settled, listening to his voice, she felt inexplicably hungry.
Outside the flower hall door, maids, temporarily summoned from the General's residence, led several other maids as they efficiently arranged the meal.
The table was laden with food. Although there was a lot, it was simple. This was no palace, but because she was hungry, even the simple dishes looked so fragrant.
Yun Xiao paid no mind to anyone else and sat down to devour her meal.
Beside her, Shangguan Yin's exquisite features and his pair of serene, cold eyes held a tenderness as deep as the sea. He gazed at her without blinking.
Thinking that she had traveled thousands of miles, disregarding her own safety, just to save his life, he felt that heaven had treated him with immense kindness.
The grievances and hatreds of the past were no longer important. If not for those experiences, how could he have met her, and how could he have understood that in this world, love was far more important than this empire or this realm?
After Yun Xiao had eaten her fill, she looked up and saw that Shangguan Yin had not started eating. She spoke with concern, "You should eat something."
"I'm not hungry."
Even the sound of his voice was so gentle it could be squeezed for water. Yun Xiao couldn't help but look at him a few more times.
This man was already extraordinarily handsome. Now, with a face full of radiance and eyes sparkling with a dazzling sheen, he could truly be called peerless, both in heaven and on earth, worthy of the title "enchanting."
After the meal, because Yun Xiao had been traveling by carriage for consecutive days, which was not conducive to the fetus, Shangguan Yin took her hand and they went for a stroll on the main street.
The night in the border town, though not as bustling as the capital, was filled with joy due to the victory of the recent battle. People were coming and going on the streets, small vendors were selling various handicrafts, and the sounds of hawking and haggling rose and fell.
It was indeed a border town. Having endured years of war, the resilience of the people was unmatched by any other place.
By day, it seemed lifeless, like an empty city, but by night, it was ablaze with lights, a scene of merriment and liveliness.
Shangguan Yin led Yun Xiao around the street twice, only turning back to the government office to rest when she was tired.
The full moon hung in the middle of the sky like fine jade brocade, its soft light like lake ripples, stirring up shimmering silver waves in the gentle breeze.