Mingde Emperor was surprised and asked, "Which guards were dispatched?"
"It was sent by Her Highness the Princess, the gold medal guards."
Gold medals were for the first-class guards, responsible for the safety of the monarch and the goddess.
What was she doing that required gold medal guards?
Mingde Emperor suddenly had a bad premonition. Yesterday, he had spoken the words hidden in his heart under the influence of alcohol and the night, and the words still echoed in his ears.
He was also very nervous. It was the first time he had confessed to a woman. When he didn't get a response, he made up a lot of nonsense to ease the awkwardness.
She showed no panic at all, her voice remained clear and cold, and he couldn't see her expression clearly. Perhaps she didn't believe him.
Or perhaps she was disgusted?
She had left the palace today.
Was it because of his words yesterday?
Mingde Emperor was anxious and quickened his pace to Fengque Tower.
He first went to see the two children. The two little ones were becoming more and more beautiful, exquisite and cute. They looked very much alike, with beautiful eyes inherited from Lingyao.
After playing with the children for a while, Mingde Emperor felt a little better.
Then he went to see Lingyao and asked casually, "I heard Qinghe left the palace? Was there something going on?"
"Yes, it was agreed long ago that she would leave after I gave birth to the children."
"Leave?" Mingde Emperor's voice suddenly rose. Seeing Lingyao look at him in surprise, he realized he had lost his composure.
He quickly regained his composure and asked, "Leave for where? Isn't the palace her home?"
"Yes, she is a descendant of the Tang Sect and has a blood feud. There are some things she must do."
He knew she was from the Tang Sect, an orphan without parents, but he didn't know about the blood feud. So, for all these years, she had been carrying this blood feud?
No wonder her eyes had always been so cold.
"She didn't tell me..." Mingde Emperor clenched his fist. If she had spoken, he would not have stood by and done nothing.
Who were her enemies? Could she handle them? Did she have enough people with her?
"The martial world has its own rules. Imperial Brother, don't interfere. Qinghe is not as weak as you think. How do you think she survived the year in Turkestan?"
"Why do you think the Great Prince of Turkestan treated her differently? Was it her beauty? Her hands were already stained with blood."
Like hers.
The moment Fengque Tower was breached, it was destined that they, as weak women, had to put on hard armor and stab sharply at those who dared to harm them without mercy.
Fortunately, she met Xiao Shan, who once again sheltered her from the rain, and supported her back when she was about to bend.
Qinghe's path would be much more difficult. Perhaps there would be brief respites, but the little bit of smooth road would still be followed by unpredictable traps.
It was already a miracle that she could return alive from a pack of wolves.
Qinghe was more resilient and tougher than anyone, not inferior to any man.
"She is not a pampered flower, nor will the inner palace be her destination."
Lingyao's gaze was fixed on Mingde Emperor, her eyes, which could see through people's hearts, reflected his pale face.
His thoughts were nowhere to hide.
Shattered mercilessly.
Mingde Emperor stood silently by the lotus pond. It was spring, and the fragrance of flowers filled the air. The golden carp in the water all swam over, crowding and waiting to be fed.
Everything was thriving.
Except for his cold heart.
"Imperial Brother."
Lingxi was about to go out with Ling'er when she saw Mingde Emperor by the lotus pond and had to come over to greet him.
Mingde Emperor withdrew his gaze and looked at her.
Lingxi was wearing neat clothes, followed by plainclothes guards and palace maids in ordinary clothes. It was clear she wanted to go out and play again.
She seemed to worry about nothing.
The former pitiable one was living so well.
"Be mindful of your boundaries. Don't always think about leaving the palace. You are, after all, a princess. Your father and the noble consort are gone, and your imperial brother is busy and hasn't managed you much. But you shouldn't be too willful. Cultivate your virtue in the palace and wait to get married."
Lingxi was startled.
"Imperial Brother, I don't want to get married yet," she said softly.
"You will have to get married eventually, and you will have to leave the palace."
In the end, only he would be left trapped here.
After saying this, Mingde Emperor turned and left.
Lingxi asked Ling'er blankly, "Is Imperial Brother trying to drive me away?"
She could tell that his voice was a little cold just now.
Her relationship with her imperial brother was very ordinary; she wasn't as close to him as her imperial sister. But the palace was so vast, with so many empty halls and pavilions, could it not accommodate her?
...
The Great Shaman was summoned to the palace and came to Fengque Tower. After listening to Lingyao's explanation, he remembered something recorded in the surviving manuscript.
Five hundred years ago, the goddess appeared at the very beginning of Jingguo's founding. The imperial ancestors and courtiers all believed this was a gift from heaven.
The goddess's reputation grew, resounding throughout the various states.
In the same year, the small border country of Qirong came to pay tribute to Jingchao. The leader was a woman, whom they called the Prophet, whose status was equal to that of the goddess.
Later, for some unknown reason, Qirong fell out with Great Jing. The small vassal state broke away from Great Jing's control and declared independence.
Furthermore, it repelled the army sent by Great Jing to suppress it, which was incredible.
The rest of the manuscript was damaged, and further details were unknown.
"According to the legends passed down by the successive shamans of the Imperial Observatory, it is said that the Qirong Prophet was infatuated with the Regent's beauty and, driven by love and hatred, provoked the war."
"The Regent? The Divine Lord of Great Yao?"
"Precisely. Although the portraits of the Divine Lord of Great Yao have been lost in the imperial family due to the hundred years of turmoil, it is true that the Divine Lord of Great Yao was an unparalleled handsome man. The popular legends are often verifiable."
What was the use of a man being so good-looking? It caused trouble for the country and the people.
Lingyao felt a little uncomfortable.
"So, the Great Shaman is saying that woman might be the Qirong Prophet?"
"Both the Prophet and the goddess possessed extraordinary abilities, so I suspect that woman might be the reincarnation of the Prophet."
She was born at the same time as the goddess 500 years ago, and appeared at the same time as the goddess 500 years later. What was the connection between the two?
When Xiao Shan returned, Lingyao told him about this matter.
Xiao Shan naturally knew more about Qirong than Lingyao. With this information, Xiao Shan had already identified a person.
The Queen of Qirong.
Originally the third princess of Qirong, fifteen years ago, at the age of eighteen, she ascended the throne over the corpses of her brothers and sisters, proving to be ruthless and deeply cunning.
What was most impressive was that in recent years, Qirong had been making frequent moves, subduing all the surrounding small tribes and expanding its territory considerably.
This showed that the Queen of Qirong's methods were quite formidable.
"It really is her, then she intends to make a move against Great Jing." Xiao Shan narrowed his dark eyes dangerously.
Thinking of that strange woman, a killing intent surged within him.
"This time, there is no handsome Divine Lord of Great Yao. Why is she provoking us again? Great Jing is not like those small tribes that she can attack whenever she wants."
Lingyao looked at the man beside her, "Could it be that she has taken a fancy to you again?"
After saying that, she shook her head, not really believing it herself.