The Great Shaman knew everything that his wicked disciple had told him. Fortunately, the disciple had not completely lost his conscience and had not killed his master as Grand Tutor Lu had instructed.
The Emperor had indeed been afflicted with the Soul Devouring Gu, a most potent Gu poison from the Southern Border, virtually incurable. With the time elapsed, the situation was dire. After a year, even if cured, the person would be but an empty shell, their brain severely damaged by the Gu, rendering them no different from an imbecile.
"There must be a way, there must be a way..." Ling Yao could not accept it, repeating the words over and over.
The First Prince could only console her, "Yes, there must be a way. You are a goddess, aren't you? You have divine power. What mortals cannot do, perhaps you can!"
"Yes, as long as I awaken completely, enter the divine altar, I can enter the divine altar." Ling Yao's excited expression then fell into dejection, "No, awakening requires the pain of bone washing and marrow cleansing. I am pregnant, I cannot, I cannot."
"Imperial Sister, you have been too tired lately. You should rest well and not worry General Xiao. Your father's matter can be dealt with slowly; it is not something that can be resolved in a moment."
The First Prince did not harbor much affection for the Emperor. His thoughts were simple: as long as power did not fall into the hands of outsiders, his father's illness could be treated if possible, or he could be cared for if not. The Jing Kingdom was not dependent on him alone.
"Yes, Miss. The most important thing for you now is to take care of yourself. News has come from the border; the Lord has already engaged in battle with the Turks. When the Lord returns, everything will be alright."
Yu Liu persuaded her, handing her the letter, "This was sent by the Lord before the battle. I heard Zeng Lin say that the entire border town now knows that General Shenwu has a beloved wife. Anyone who dares to offer women is in the same predicament as the enemy. This was the Lord's direct order."
"Is that so?" Ling Yao's brows gradually relaxed, the gloom in her eyes dissipating, becoming bright.
Indeed, the Emperor's status was no match for General Xiao. The First Prince raised an eyebrow, feeling quite balanced.
Seeing that everything was fine, everyone tactfully withdrew. Ling Yao quickly opened the letter. This one was not as thick, perhaps due to limited time, and it contained many typos.
However, the content was so direct it made one blush and feel shy, even indignant.
Ling Yao read two pages and put the letter away, her face flushed. He had changed after returning to the military camp. If Yu Liu had not informed her beforehand about the order he issued, she would surely have been uneasy.
Like a hungry wolf, a wolf that loved meat, how could it endure a life of abstinence, eating grass?
Especially when entering a wolf pack, and all other wolves were eating meat, could he, the pack leader, endure?
So be it. As long as he could remain steadfast, she would not hold him accountable for his verbally lewd remarks.
She pulled the letter out again and read it page by page.
Is the child still restless? Eat carefully, and when I return, I want to see you plump and fair.
It snowed today, and the mountain was covered in white, just like you.
Your dou dou has been used a few times, and its fragrance is almost gone. I dare not use it again.
But I cannot sleep at night, thinking of you makes my body ache, and my strength has nowhere to go. I broke three trees by the door.
Dou dou? What dou dou? Seeing this, Ling Yao suddenly remembered the dou yi that had gone missing when Xiao Shan left.
He had a history.
What was the dou yi used for? Why did it need washing?
Wasn't it obvious?
Ling Yao buried her face in the quilt. She truly lacked the courage to continue reading.
Perhaps it was his aggressive words, or perhaps she was too sensitive during pregnancy, but her mind constantly conjured shameful images.
She made herself restless, her eyes hazy with shyness, and uncomfortably rubbed her legs.
She missed Xiao Shan.
She missed him so much that her body felt weak.
Tomorrow you will attack the Turks. Take good care of yourself at home, waiting for your man to return to hold you, kiss you, entwine with you, and love you.
At the end, he drew two curved lines, mimicking her.
He also drew several fine lines resembling whiskers on the right white face.
He knew what that meant?
Oh my, he could see it even with such subtlety. Wasn't he usually straightforward? How did he figure it out?
"Baby, your father is going to win another victory and will be back soon."
"When he returns, Mother will teach him a lesson."
"Only for one day, and then it's up to him."
...
In the 22nd year of the Zhaohe Emperor of Jing, the resurrected General Shenwu led 300,000 troops from the border cities of Jing to launch a full-scale attack on the Turks. This campaign was the first large-scale war initiated by Jing. The Turks suffered repeated defeats and retreated west of the Honghai Grasslands.
The royal family issued eight imperial edicts ordering General Shenwu to cease hostilities and return to the capital. However, in front of 300,000 soldiers, he executed the eunuch who delivered the decree and poured wine to sacrifice to the souls of the fallen heroes on the frontier.
The war continued for over a month, and the Turks finally could not hold on and sent envoys to negotiate peace.
General Shenwu, using the Honghai Grasslands as the boundary, demarcated the territory of the Turks, demanding the return of Princess Ling Yao, who had been sent for a peace marriage, and annual tribute.
The Turkic royal family argued endlessly, leading to internal strife.
Historical records refer to this campaign as the Battle of Honghai Vengeance.
Meanwhile, in the capital, the Great Shaman was abducted. In his panic, the wicked disciple could only inform Grand Tutor Lu that he had not killed the Great Shaman. Grand Tutor Lu was furious and dispatched people everywhere to search, causing widespread panic in the capital.
It was only after the intervention of the King of Runan that the search was barely halted.
Just then, the Second Prince returned to the capital. As soon as he entered the city, he was met by the King of Runan's men and taken into the palace. Ling Yao did not even get to see him.
News from the border continuously poured into the capital. Grand Tutor Lu no longer had the leisure to deal with the matter of the Great Shaman and focused his energy on the court.
Xiao Shan disobeyed the imperial order. As the Emperor sat on the throne in the great hall, his expression grew increasingly grim. While quelling the Turks was a good thing, his refusal to return after being summoned was a serious issue.
A disobedient general wielding thirty thousand troops could easily turn the world upside down.
Even the usually calm King of Runan was seen with a furrowed brow every day.
At this moment, Grand Tutor Lu discovered a painting in his son's study.
A beauty of unparalleled allure, capable of toppling nations.
He had seen her before.
His heart was filled with shock. Under suspicion, all his secret guards were dispatched and soon pinpointed the First Prince's mansion.
A thousand imperial guards were deployed, surrounding the First Prince's mansion.
Ling Yao never imagined that the imperial guards who had previously guarded the Phoenix Que Tower to protect her would now treat her as a criminal and arrest her.
It was truly laughable.
"Miss, don't be afraid. I'll summon the Immortal King Sect to break out."
"Imperial Sister, Eldest Brother will protect you. Hurry and leave, you cannot fall into the hands of that Lu fellow."
The mansion's guards confronted the imperial guards, but they would not be able to hold out for long. Qu Linglong stood at the door, holding the child, looking at the pushing and shoving with a complex expression.
"Xue Niang, you truly are... Princess Ling Yao?"
"It's none of your business. Take the child back to your room!" the First Prince said impatiently.
Qu Linglong ignored him and said to Yu Liu, "I know you can disguise yourself. You can disguise me as the princess, and I will go out in her stead. You protect the princess as she leaves."
"Miss!" Su Mian cried out in pain, "You can't! If you leave, what about the little miss?"
"Stop talking. Yu Liu, hurry! The child, the child will be looked after by her father." Qu Linglong's expression was resolute, showing no sign of backing down.
The First Prince looked at her in surprise. In his memory, this was the first time she had been so decisive. Did she know that this might be a one-way trip?