Ling Yao got up and called out, "Yuliu."
She leaned lazily against the headboard. Through the bed curtains, she could see a graceful figure approaching.
Yuliu came from a martial background, and even in palace attire, she couldn't shake off her inherent aura. Her figure was ample, not delicate, and no other maids had been assigned to her. Who was this?
The woman first refilled the teapot with hot water, then checked the extinguished palace lantern, and finally opened a small gap in the window.
Ling Yao's heart began to race, but she dared not lift the bed curtains to confirm.
Until the figure reached the bedside and softly called out, "Princess."
The curtains were lifted, revealing a smiling, fair, and lovely face.
"Qinghe!"
It was indeed Qinghe!
"Princess, I'm back."
Qinghe's eyes welled up with tears. She knelt on the ground and, leaning against the headboard, embraced Ling Yao.
"Qinghe, I, I thought I was dreaming. You're really back, Qinghe, Qinghe..." Ling Yao cried uncontrollably.
Qinghe was the most composed and calm person among the four personal maids of Fengque Tower, and she was their leader.
She hailed from the Tang Sect. When the sect was destroyed during the martial world's chaos, she entered the palace as a maid at the age of eight. After passing through numerous selections, she joined Fengque Tower. Later, after her occasional use of poison arts was discovered, her identity was revealed. The Emperor ordered her to be beaten to death, but Ling Yao saved her. From then on, Qinghe stayed by her side. Due to her talent in medicine, she requested the Emperor to allow her to study at the Imperial Academy.
Qinghe possessed exceptional medical skills and was also adept at poison arts, but she served only one person: Princess Ling Yao.
They were mistress and servant, but also sisters.
They had grown up together since childhood, inseparable and confiding in each other.
In the eyes of outsiders, Qinghe was a cold beauty. Except when facing Ling Yao, she was distant with everyone else.
"Qinghe, have you suffered? Have they bullied you..."
Qinghe was the first to stop her tears. "Princess, please don't cry. You are pregnant, and you must not experience extreme joy or sorrow. Your servant is well, truly well."
She first took Ling Yao's pulse, then pressed a few points on her chest along the meridians. Regarding the marks on the princess's body, she merely smiled with relief and said nothing.
Judging by the color of the marks, it was evident that the Divine Martial General had restrained his strength.
It seemed he treated the princess very well.
"Qinghe, I missed you so much. This side hall is filled with your shadows. I missed you all, but I dared not ask Xiaoshan, fearing bad news."
"Princess." Qinghe lowered her head. "I'm sorry, I couldn't protect them."
Lü Meng was fiery. Upon arriving in the Turkic territory, unwilling to be humiliated by those people, she took her own life.
As for Hongmian and Lanwu, she had painstakingly found them a way to survive. Although they married Turkic men, she had found them reliable individuals. As long as they were alive, it was good.
"Qinghe, I know you did your best. It's good that you're back. Forget about those things."
It was good enough to be alive. She had done her very best.
The two spoke at length about what had happened since their separation and remained in the sleeping quarters until Xiaoshan returned from court.
Upon entering the room, he saw his wife's eyes were swollen like peaches.
He glared at Qinghe. He had brought her back early from the Turkic envoy delegation to please his wife, but why had she made her like this?
Qinghe was not his subordinate and was not afraid of him at all.
"General Xiao, according to protocol, you cannot enter or leave the princess's room without being summoned," she said calmly.
What? He couldn't enter his own room? Look at her arrogance. She had just returned and already wanted to cause trouble.
"Xiaoshan, you go out."
What? His wife was also asking him to leave?
Xiaoshan glared. "Why should I go out? This is my room too!"
Qinghe offered a standard fake smile. "You and the princess are not legally married. Therefore, it is not that your servant is making things difficult for you, but it is truly against the rules."
"I don't like hearing that!" Xiaoshan was angry. "What do you know, you little girl? Your princess and I already performed the wedding ceremony before heaven and earth, and it was announced in front of all the officials. If you don't know, don't talk nonsense!"
Qinghe still smiled. "As long as it's not on the imperial registry, even if you have children, the princess will have nothing to do with you!"
"Say that again?"
Xiaoshan's temper flared. If this were a man, he would have punched him by now.
The wife he had held for so long was not his? If not his, then whose?
Should he have brought this woman back?
Seeing Xiaoshan so angry, Ling Yao quickly said, "You go out first. Qinghe and I still have things to discuss!"
"Then tell her first, am I your man!"
"Why are you so childish?"
This was not a matter of childishness, but of ownership. He knew this servant held a significant position in her heart. As the saying goes, one should not lose face. If he were suppressed the first time, how could he fight this battle?
"Divine Martial General, are you forcing the princess?"
This little b*tch, why was she stirring up trouble? Should he really send her away again?
"In the past, the Great Shaman personally tested the Divine Lord of Da Yao, and he had a legitimate reason to visit the princess at Fengque Tower. Your servant never allowed him to get too close. General, tell me, was your servant right or wrong?"
"Of course, you were right."
"Then why is it wrong when it comes to the General?"
Xiaoshan: "..."
How could this be the same? This was his own wife! No matter who came, they were husband and wife.
"If it's not on the imperial registry, it doesn't count. If there's an invasion or a marriage alliance, the princess will still be single. Allow your servant to remind the General, the princess is not an ordinary royal woman, but a divine maiden, almost equal in status to the emperor. She only marries in, never out. Therefore, your servant is doing this for your own good."
Xiaoshan understood.
Oh, so she was truly doing it for his good. Was she reminding him to quickly establish their status?
Then he needed to handle this matter as soon as possible.
"Hmph!" He still found this maid displeasing!
Xiaoshan cast a lingering glance at the dazed Ling Yao. What an ungrateful little thing, not helping him at all.
Xiaoshan ultimately lost the argument. After leaving, he was visibly displeased and asked a guard, "Where is the one named Song?"
"Reporting to the General, he is at the training grounds."
"Very good!" It was just the right time to practice with him.
After he left, Ling Yao looked at Qinghe in confusion.
Qinghe smiled genuinely this time. The princess looked just like she used to, adorably naive.
"Princess, don't worry. Your servant doesn't dislike the Divine Martial General. She was merely testing his character. After all, although your servant knows he is incredibly brave, she doesn't know his temperament. Now, it seems he is quite sincere towards the princess."
"As for the imperial registry matter, your servant was not joking. Although the Divine Lord's name will be written down after the divine maiden ascends the throne, there is a princess among the Turkic envoys who is here for a marriage alliance. I overheard their plan to propose a marriage alliance with the General."
"To avoid unnecessary trouble, it is best to have it on the imperial registry as soon as possible."
So that was it.
Qinghe always thought things through so thoroughly.
This Turkic princess, how dare she try to snatch her man! What a dream!
"Qinghe, you'll sleep with me tonight."
"Ah? Will the Divine Martial General throw your servant back to the Turks in the middle of the night?"