The First Prince, Yu Liu, and Yu Shan all listened in stunned silence, their eyes burning with fury, their fists clenched as they couldn't help but weep along. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
The First Prince recalled how, when he first found her, she had been so indifferent, distant, and guarded, and how she had bared her fangs when he had mocked her with sarcasm.
At this moment, he was filled with regret and hatred.
Why had he been so cruel with his words back then!
Ling Yao had suffered so much, and she had never even considered telling him, her imperial brother.
What kind of brother was he! Worse than an outsider!
"Great Shaman, please don't be like this. I'm fine now, but Father... *cough*... *cough*..."
Amidst her grief, Ling Yao couldn't help but retch.
Yu Shan quickly stepped forward, popped a pill into her mouth.
"What did you give her? Little Princess, what's wrong?" The Great Shaman, forgetting his prostration, grabbed Ling Yao's wrist to feel her pulse. "This... you're pregnant? You married the Great Yao Divine Lord?"
His troublesome disciple hadn't mentioned this. When had they married? The pulse indicated she was two or three months along.
"No, it's not him." Ling Yao swallowed the pill, suppressing the urge to vomit. She was hungry in the middle of the night, which was causing her stomach to cramp.
"Not him? How is that possible? Who is it?" The Great Shaman was shocked. Could it be that she was... This was impossible. No one could withstand a divine maiden's spiritual energy, except for the Great Yao Divine Lord.
"It's Divine Martial General Xiao Qishan, who has now changed his name to Xiao Shan," the First Prince said.
"Xiao Qishan? Xiao Shan, Xiao Shan... he's not dead?"
"He's not dead. He faked his death before."
"I mean, is he not dead *now*? Married to the little princess, and he's not dead?"
Uh... he's very much alive and kicking.
"Great Shaman! He's perfectly fine!" Ling Yao said, displeased. "He's strong and healthy, capable of killing a tiger with a single punch. He's completely fine. You must be mistaken!"
"That can't be right? Give me his birth date and time!" The Great Shaman's face turned serious. "That bear-like strong man, how can he be worthy of my little princess? The handbook records that the Great Yao Divine Lord is exceptionally handsome. The divine maiden fell for him because of his face!"
Ling Yao: "......"
The First Prince: So the Great Yao Divine Lord served the divine maiden with his looks?
Yu Liu: "Our Lord is a towering man in this world, the most fitting match for the princess. In these chaotic times, only he can protect the princess. Whether he is the Great Yao Divine Lord or not, what does it matter!"
"What do you know! If he were not the Great Yao Divine Lord, not only would he die, but the divine maiden would also perish!"
But the little princess, as it seemed now, was unharmed and even carrying a child. This was not logical.
"I would die too? That's great, he won't die alone then."
"Oh dear! Little Princess!" The Great Shaman was extremely anxious. It seemed this bear of a man had captured the princess's heart. What was to be done? Was it still possible to switch back with that young man from the Song family?
"You don't need to calculate anymore. According to his birth date and time, he is indeed not the Great Yao Divine Lord. But I only acknowledge him, I don't want anyone else."
"This... this..." The Great Shaman was at a loss.
For hundreds of years, he had waited for the divine maiden's reincarnation. If she died due to the mistaken identity of the Great Yao Divine Lord, she would enter another cycle of reincarnation.
A faint, lingering fragrance wafted into his nostrils. The Great Shaman sniffed and his spirits lifted. "Lotus, has the lotus bloomed?"
His sudden question left the First Prince, Yu Shan, and Yu Liu bewildered.
Ling Yao responded with a soft "Mm."
"When did it bloom? And why did it bloom?"
"It showed itself when I was in the palace. I asked Qing He to find a way to erase it."
"No! In the palace, that was just a lotus bud! Do you think Qing He has that much ability? That was a secret medicine I gave her! I'm asking about when it bloomed, when did it open?"
Huh? Ling Yao saw the Great Shaman's grave expression and realized this was the first time she was hearing about it. Was it just a lotus bud back then? She hadn't looked closely; it was faintly visible before being erased.
So it was the medicine the Great Shaman gave. He knew all about this?
Then, when it bloomed, it must have been...
She touched her stomach, feeling a little uncomfortable.
"Did it bloom the first time you were intimate with the Divine Martial General?" Seeing her blush and her shy demeanor, like her timid self in Fengque Tower, the Great Shaman softened his tone, afraid of frightening her, and asked with a raised voice.
Ling Yao nodded, whispering, "It felt like being burned by fire, and then, it just... appeared."
It matched. This point matched.
What was going on? Could the Divine Martial General actually be the Great Yao Divine Lord?
But the birth date and destiny of the young man from the Song family matched the Great Yao Divine Lord!
The Great Shaman fell into deep confusion.
The First Prince listened, utterly lost. Seeing the Great Shaman's fatigue and knowing Ling Yao couldn't stay up too late, he said, "Great Shaman, do you believe me now? You should stay in this courtyard to recuperate. I'll take my imperial sister back. She's pregnant and cannot be tired. If there's anything, you can discuss it with me, and I will relay it to my imperial sister."
The capital was fraught with danger at this time, the Emperor had not yet been rescued, and the Great Shaman's identity had been usurped, rendering him powerless. He couldn't show himself, so this was the only way.
But he couldn't bear to part with the little princess!
So this was the great tribulation? After guarding against it for 18 years, it all fell apart in the final year. This disaster wasn't from the outside; it was their own inadequacy, they old fools!
The little princess, such a small person, had suffered so much. Thinking about it made him wish he could die to atone!
"Princess, oh Princess!"
The Great Shaman's white hair was as dry and tangled as straw, lacking its former elegance. He looked like a remorseful and helpless old man, gazing at Ling Yao with longing and reluctance.
"Great Shaman, Miss cannot be overly worried, and please don't cry. We will meet again." Yu Shan comforted the Great Shaman, also speaking to Ling Yao.
"Mm, yes, very soon. Great Shaman, rest well. It will all pass quickly!"
Ling Yao held back the tears that threatened to fall and bid farewell to the Great Shaman.
"Elder Imperial Brother, you must hide the Great Shaman well. Don't let those people find him."
"Don't worry, Imperial Sister. Your health is paramount. Don't overthink things. General Xiao left some people with me when he departed. Just focus on taking care of yourself, or General Xiao will beat me again."
The First Prince now only felt concern for her, even his words were gentle.
Ling Yao sniffled. "You deserve to be beaten. Who told you to burn down our house that we worked so hard to build!"
"Yes, yes. When the time comes, I, your Elder Imperial Brother, will personally go to the mountains to chop wood and rebuild it for you on the original site."
Who knew when they would be able to return!
That dilapidated small mountain village, what had become of the villagers? Could they survive this winter?
"Yu Liu, have someone go to Donglin!"