After tossing and turning out of the palace, the cold wind hit her face. Liu Jing finally recovered from her panic and realized that she was leaning closely against the strange man's body. Her hands were unconsciously wrapped around his waist, and she was embarrassed for a moment.
"Let me go!" She shouted in a low voice, broke free of him, and went to Yong Xiang.
The warmth around Timan suddenly disappeared. Seeing her flying towards the alley like a swallow, Timan couldn't help but follow her pure white figure, shuttling back and forth in the palace alley.
Although the time he agreed to meet with Gouli Lake was approaching, he couldn't care less. If he let the mysterious woman disappear from the palace alley like this, he would definitely regret it for the rest of his life.
Feeling a strong sense of oppression chasing after her, Liu Jing could not help but frown. Why did he come?
However, she had no time to think about it. Weiyang Palace was brightly lit, and so were the other palaces. Now, the guards were searching for the assassin and would soon find this place. She had to speed up her pace and go to Yong Alley. Xiangqi was waiting for her there.
Yong Alley was a special prison in the palace that only palace maids were allowed to enter. There were palace maids who broke the law and concubines who fell out of favor and were deposed. Back then, her mother was imprisoned there and committed suicide in depression. Most of the women who were banished to Yongxiang did not have a good ending. If not, their spirits collapsed and they became crazy women. Compared to the prosperity of the other palaces, the Eternal Alley was like a living hell.
It was precisely because ordinary people were not allowed to enter and exit that she had made an appointment with Xiangqi, who was guarding outside Li Ji's bedroom, to meet in Yong Alley after the matter was settled.
Because they thought that with Li Ji's current sensitive and delicate identity, once she succeeded, it would definitely cause a commotion. At that time, all the halls would be blocked, and they would definitely not be able to successfully retreat to the Flying Rain Dojo. As the Yong Alley was a forbidden area, the Emperor himself had to agree to enter and search. By the time the guards obtained the search token, they had already returned to the Flying Rain Hall along the palace alley.
As soon as they entered the alley, it was as if they had fallen from heaven to hell. It was cold and solemn, and ghost-like sorrowful voices came from all directions, sometimes far and sometimes near, like laughter and sometimes crying.
Even though Timan had been on the battlefield and had seen all kinds of miserable scenes, he couldn't help but be shocked by this strange atmosphere. However, he calmed himself down and quickly recovered. He was the favored son of heaven. Even the snake gods and ghosts were afraid of him.
Liu Jing stopped in front of the room where her mother had been imprisoned. There was now a madam who had been deposed for some unknown reason. She was lying foolishly by the window, her listless eyes looking ahead aimlessly. Her hair was messy and her face was covered in dirt.
When she saw Liu Jing, her eyes lit up. She hurriedly dressed up and bowed respectfully, reciting meticulously,
"ChenQie pays her respects to Your Majesty."
Liu Jing looked at her with mixed feelings.
Seeing that Liu Jing did not answer, the madam continued,"Your Majesty seems to be very worried. Let ChenQie dance for Your Majesty to relax your heart.”
After she finished speaking, she began to dance in the dark and narrow forbidden room. Her long sleeves were raised high above her head, her slender waist twisted to the right, and her long dress fluttered to the left. Her figure was graceful and graceful. She hummed a song and was completely immersed in the situation of pleasing the emperor.
When Liu Jing saw this, she was deeply moved and could not help but cry.
Back then, his mother had also enjoyed singing and dancing and was favored by Emperor Jing. Who knew that she would die of depression in this secluded room in the end!
The heart of an emperor was ever-changing, and prosperity was like fleeting clouds…This madam's current situation was very similar to her mother's. At that time, her martial arts were not so good. It was all because Xiangqi risked her life to secretly bring her to visit her mother. In the beginning, her mother would comfort her and confidently believe that Emperor Jing would soon remember their relationship as husband and wife and let her return to the palace. However, as the days passed, there was still no pardon from Weiyang Palace. Her mother became increasingly depressed due to disappointment, and her face became haggard. In the end, she did not even recognize her.
Later on, just like this madam, she treated everyone she met as the Emperor. She was respectful and cautious as she played the role of a lover, reveling in the glory and favor of the past.
Tears flowed down her cheeks. The past was like a dream. She seemed to see herself in the past, crying and kneeling in front of her mother, begging her mother to cheer up…Vaguely, she also saw her mother finally wake up and give up. She slowly walked to the deepest part of the forbidden room and said sadly but not without nostalgia,"Jing Er, take good care of yourself…Mother is going…"
Since then, she had never seen her mother again. A beauty of a generation, half of her life was prosperous. After she died, she only had a small coffin and was buried hastily. She was buried in a lonely grave in the wilderness, infinitely desolate.
She never understood why her father treated her mother like this. As she grew older, she learned from the other palace maids that her mother was stubborn and offended her father in the process of fighting for favor. As a result, she fell out of favor and was deposed. She even died with regrets.
She hated her father's ruthlessness, lamented the impermanence of the palace, and felt even more sorry for the concubines who lived in seclusion in the palace and could not see the emperor all year round. The good years passed day after day in anticipation. The young ones still had some hope. The old ones could only wait for the day they were sent back to their hometown.
Because she missed her mother dearly, she often came here in the dead of night to remember her mother. A few months ago, another person came into this empty house. It was this lady. She was weakening so quickly! Her youth and beauty were instantly tormented by the environment and disappeared without a trace. She did not have her mother's confidence back then. She still wanted to return to the palace one day. She just kept asking questions and condemning herself. Her emotional breakdown quickly destroyed her.
Revisiting the old place, she was heartbroken. She could not help but shout,"Mother, cheer up…"
As her heart ached, an unknown warmth came from behind her. She fell into a broad embrace, and his strong arms hugged her tightly, like a vast bay, comforting her surging heart.
That familiar yet strange touch was like throwing herself into her mother's embrace. The loneliness and emptiness were instantly filled. This sense of security satisfied her long-cherished desire. It must be a dream! It was her mother who finally realized her loneliness.
Time seemed to have stopped, and her thoughts had also stopped. She had already forgotten where she was until another high-pitched voice came,
"Shangxie! I want to know you and live a long life…"
Shocked, she pushed away the unknown chest and jumped to the side reflexively, pulling a few steps away.
The moment his toes touched the ground, he woke up from his trance. Thinking back to just now, he felt embarrassed.
The sad song continued to sing,"
"Mountains without hills, rivers without water, thunder in winter, rain and snow in summer, heaven and earth combined, only then would I dare to sever ties with you!”
It was always like this here. Whenever there was a sign of trouble, they would call out for help. Those who were good at dancing danced, and those who were good at singing sang. Those who were good at beating drums and zither would randomly beat them. Those who felt that they had been wronged started to wail. Every voice and every movement was filled with hope, hoping that the Emperor would know and let them out as soon as possible.
This kind of misery, regardless of day or night, would drive any normal person crazy very quickly.
Liu Jing was used to this hell on earth. She ignored the cries and laughter around her and focused her gaze on the burly man in front of her. And he was looking at her with an arrogant gaze.
She straightened her back and suppressed the embarrassment in her heart. She asked the person unhurriedly,"How dare you barge into the palace?”
This imposing manner was not angry but powerful, causing Timan's heart to surge again. He could not help but sigh,"You're really beautiful!"
As soon as she said this, Liu Jing subconsciously touched the veil on her face. Fortunately, it was still covering her face. However, his sharp gaze seemed to be able to penetrate the gauze, causing her face to heat up and even moving around her body without stopping. She felt that she had been seriously offended. Coupled with the skin contact just now, she felt murderous on the spot.
His already cold eyes were now covered in frost and snow. Killing intent rose, and he immediately moved forward, raising his sword and stabbing at his chest.
Timan dodged easily, a mysterious smile on his lips.
She missed her first move, and then she made several moves in a row. Each move was aimed at her vital points, but they were all calmly resolved by him. The terrifying thing was that he did not even make a move. He only moved his body and easily avoided her series of fierce attacks.
Seeing that her moves had failed, Liu Jing panicked. Her sword momentum began to become unstable and she lost her center of gravity a few times. The strange man, on the other hand, saved her.
Liu Jing was furious. He was obviously toying with her! She believed that with his martial arts skills, he would be able to subdue her in a few moves. However, he did not do so. Instead, he made her embarrass herself repeatedly. Looking at the evil smile hanging on the corner of his mouth, it seemed to be mocking and mocking. Seeing it, the fire in her heart burned even more. She wanted to tear that face apart. Why wasn't Xiangqi here yet? How long was she going to endure this humiliation?
He was upset and his sword moves lost their original sharpness. If he was not careful, he would be pulled into his arms along with his sword. She cried out in surprise, and her body was locked in place in an instant.
Timan's steel-like hand was wrapped around her waist, and his other hand was on her hand that was holding the sword, forcing her to cross her neck. This time, she could no longer move.
Her face was pale and her eyes were filled with panic. She pressed her back against his chest and could clearly feel his strong heartbeat. He turned his head and looked straight into her eyes. She didn't give in. With her pride as a princess, she looked him in the eye. There was almost no distance between them. He smiled confidently and slowly pressed his face against hers…She gasped in shock and her body trembled involuntarily.
"Don't be afraid!" His gentle and wild breath brushed across her face. In order not to make her overly nervous, he softened his tone."Let me see you…"
Unable to resist, she could only let him gently bite off her veil. When her flawless face was no longer covered by the moonlight, she heard this exclamation:
"Ah! There is actually such a beautiful woman in this world…"
Liu Jing was embarrassed. Two red clouds floated on her face, embellishing her spotless beauty.
Timan was mesmerized as she watched. A passion that she had never felt before assaulted him. He tightened his grip on her waist. The sudden suffocating feeling made her moan softly. Her red lips parted slightly. Looking at her bright red lips, he could no longer hold back the passion in his heart and kissed her gently.
Like the morning dew that moistened the petals of a flower, the coldness of her lips aroused his pity. He sucked on her thin lips and rubbed them extremely gently. He felt her resistance, but it was an even more primitive desire. In the end, he could only let go of his feelings and explore her mouth to his heart's content.
The world was spinning. If it wasn't for his strong arms, Liu Jing would have collapsed to the ground. Waves of warmth flowed from his mouth into her body. She was powerless to resist, and she did not want to resist subconsciously. His body gradually heated up, and there was an inexplicable feeling in his chest that exploded. What kind of wonderful feeling was this? No one had told her about it, and she had never read about it in books. Was this…the love between a man and a woman?
No one had ever taught her what was going on between a man and a woman. Perhaps the other princesses knew because they had their mothers 'teachings.
She had lived alone in the Flying Rain Club since she was young. Other than music and dance, there was nothing else in her life. She had never been so close to a man before. In fact, apart from the eunuchs in the palace and her father, she had never seen any other man since she grew up. However, this person in front of her had actually had intimate contact with her three times in just a few hours. Strangely, she didn't reject it from the bottom of her heart. What was wrong with her?
There were still sounds around her, singing, dancing, and music. Her entire body was light as if she was floating between heaven and hell…Her eyes were closed tightly, allowing the unfamiliar lips to linger around her mouth. The hand holding the sword had naturally dropped. His broad palm held her petite face, and as he kissed her, he chanted,
"You're so beautiful! It's really beautiful…"
In a dream-like state, an ear-piercing scream suddenly sounded."Your Majesty! This lowly servant was wrong! Please forgive me, Your Majesty…"
This miserable cry once again attracted the attention of the crowd, and the Eternal Alley was once again in an uproar.
Liu Jing's eyelashes lifted, and she suddenly woke up. After realizing how licentious her behavior was just now, morality and etiquette surged in her heart in an instant. Shame and anger rushed to her head. She turned the hilt of her sword and used all her strength to stab into his chest.
This time, he didn't have time to dodge. A third of the sword had sunk into his chest, and blood instantly soaked his clothes.
She let go of her hand and cried out in shock. Her chest ached for no reason. Even she herself could not understand why she had such emotions. She thought that he would still be able to avoid it this time. She covered her trembling lips with her hand and watched in panic as his face gradually turned pale like paper. The passion in his eyes gradually faded... He was still standing upright, the corners of his mouth slightly moved, and his gaze never left her face. He stared at her tightly as if he was silently condemning her. Just when Liu Jing thought that he would eventually fall to the ground with all his blood drained, he unexpectedly pulled out his sword calmly. The pain did not even make him frown. The shock in her eyes became even more intense!
He quickly looked at the wound on his chest. Blood was flowing out, but he did not move. He was so free that it was as if he had never been injured. He still spoke in a strong voice,
"Fortunately, you don't have any accuracy. Otherwise, my life would have been buried under your sword.”
What the hell! A wave of hot blood surged, and Liu Jing almost fainted from anger. He was still blaming himself for being too harsh just now, but now, he hated that he could not cut him into pieces.
He politely handed the sword back to her and said seriously,"
"This sword was worth it. To be able to get a kiss from a rare beauty in this world, even death was worth it.”
Touching his wound, he looked at it deeply again and said in an unquestionable tone,""I like you. Come with me!”
In fact, based on his habit, he should have taken her away without asking, but the woman in front of him was born with a graceful and noble appearance, so he could not do so.
It was an extremely serious gaze, but the timing was not right, the terrain was not right, and more importantly! She did not even know his name, yet she had allowed him to take advantage of her three times in a row. Now, this lecher who came out of nowhere actually dared to speak to her like this? It was ridiculous to the extreme! Enough! She cried out in pain. She did not want to be humiliated like this again. She was a princess! If today's matter spread out, how could she still have a foothold in the palace? Even if no one knew, her self-condemnation was enough to make her sad for the rest of her life. He closed his eyes in pain. Forget it, forget it! She couldn't beat him, and she couldn't stab him to death. Looking at him, he might even be able to easily kidnap her. Why should she suffer humiliation? Steeling her heart, she lifted her sword and slashed it at her neck.
Seeing through her intentions, Timon shouted in fear,"" Don't..." He wanted to rush forward, but he had no choice but to move. The pain caused by the tearing caused him to bend down. Seeing that the woman was about to commit suicide in front of him, the anxiety in his heart was indescribable. At the critical moment, a small stone flew from the sky and bounced the sword away.
"Princess, you can't!"
A thin shadow appeared between the two of them at lightning speed. Timan took a look and saw that it was another beautiful woman.
He smiled with a complicated and fortunate smile. He was really lucky. Tonight, there were all rare beauties. Princess? The woman in front of him was actually a princess of the Han Dynasty? Not Emperor Jing's favorite concubine? That was great. An inexplicable emotion made him smile even more strangely.
Xiangqi ran to Liu Jing's side and asked anxiously,"Princess, how are you?"
As he checked Liu Jing, he looked at the strange man who was kneeling on the ground and bending his body slightly. A series of questions flashed through his mind. He was only a moment late, so why did such a man appear? It even forced the princess to almost commit suicide. Fortunately, she was alert and kicked a flying stone at the last minute. Otherwise, wouldn't she regret it for the rest of her life? The princess treated her like a sister and she swore to serve her for the rest of her life.
Liu Jing's eyes flashed coldly as she looked at him mercilessly. She said sternly,"Xiangqi, kill him!"
"Yes, sir! Princess."
There was no need to doubt the princess's orders. Xiangqi picked up the sword on the ground and turned around to attack Timan.
Timan cried out in alarm. This girl's kung fu was obviously much better. She did not have the princess's gentleness, but her killing intent was obviously higher. If he was not injured, he could easily fight. However, the princess's sword had pierced too deep. In addition, he had torn his wound in a hurry. The pain had made him unable to stand up. How could he have the strength to resist? He smiled bitterly. He didn't expect that he would die in this place.
Just as the sword was about to strike, a figure appeared behind Timan. He raised his saber to block the attack and managed to block Xiangqi's sword in time. It was Gouli Lake. It came at the right time!
With this obstruction, Xiangqi retreated and saw the enemy's position before agilely attacking forward.
Swords and sabers came and went, and shadows flashed. Gouli Lake was overwhelmed, but he secretly applauded in his heart. What a powerful girl from the Central Plains! The sword was like a storm, each move faster than the last. Moreover, there were many moves, both virtual and real. What was even more amazing was that the girl was so beautiful. Of course, there were many such experts in the Xiongnu tribe, but most of them had rough looks. It was really rare to see someone as weak as her with unique skills. He couldn't help but praise,
"Miss, your swordsmanship is good!"
Xiangqi smiled and replied,"You're not bad either!"
In the midst of their exchange, Goulihu took the opportunity to shout in Timan's direction,"
"Timan, you go first!"
"Princess, you go first!" The wonderful thing was that Xiangqi spoke almost at the same time as him.
This tacit understanding made the two of them look at each other and smile again. However, although they admired each other, they still had to pay attention to the merciless swords.
Although he had no intention of hurting her, she had no intention of showing mercy. Every sword move she used was vicious and intended to take her life.
On the other side, Gouli Lake and Xiangqi were fighting fiercely, and it was difficult to determine the victor for a moment. On the other side, Liu Jing drew out the sharp blade she had hidden in her bosom and slowly walked to Timan, preparing to finish him off personally.
Timan was unable to support herself due to her injuries. She caressed her wound and smiled weakly when she saw her." Are you…alright?"”
Liu Jing's raised hand stopped in mid-air and could not land for a moment.
"Princess."
His eyes were filled with affection as he said in a conceited but sincere tone,"I like you. There are so many girls I don't like, but you're the first one who has moved my heart.”
This commanding yet straightforward tone instantly confused Liu Jing. Thousands of emotions flashed through her mind, and she hesitated between killing or not killing.
At this moment, the sound of the guards 'hooves could be heard from not far away. She thought of something and realized that she had found this place. She could not stay here for long. She would leave this guy to the guards!
"Xiangqi, leave quickly!" She shouted and immediately jumped onto the roof, heading towards a dark place. Xiangqi also took the opportunity to stop and quickly followed her figure away.
"Princess!" Timan shouted in her direction in disappointment.
"Hurry up and leave!" Ju Li Lake propped him up and rushed to the city gate without delay.
In the Flying Rain Pavilion, the sound of the zither rang out. Xiangqi brewed tea and placed it on the small table beside Liu Jing. She did not feel anything and was still focused on playing the zither.
Xiangqi stood quietly at the side. When the zither music stopped, she finally couldn't help but ask,"Princess, do you have something on your mind?"
Liu Jing raised her head as if she had only noticed Xiangqi's existence at this moment. She didn't answer and just stared at the strings silently.
"Princess, you've been playing this song 'Thoughts' for the whole morning…"
She was slightly stunned. Had she been playing this song?
It turned out that her emotions were all unknowingly expressed through the zither music. She stood up blankly, her mind filled with the image of that man. Was it for him? Ever since she returned to the palace, she had repeatedly asked herself if she had shown mercy because of her compassionate nature, or if there was a faint reluctance in her heart. Her heart was in a mess. Ever since she was kissed by him, it felt like a part of her body no longer belonged to her.
Why was he so anxious?
"Has there been any news from the guards?”Many days had passed, but the guards were still actively searching inside and outside the city.
Xiangqi was smart and quick-witted. She guessed the princess's thoughts and calmly replied,"There was no news of any assassins being captured, so the two should have escaped.”
Escaped... Hearing this, she felt as if a huge stone had been lifted from her heart, and she instantly felt much more relaxed.
"Princess, those two were Xiongnu.”
Liu Jing was surprised." How do you know?”
"When I was young, my father and I performed in the north and saw many Xiongnu people. The clothes of the two men that night were indeed Xiongnu people.”
" Huns…" He subconsciously touched the corner of his lips, as if he could still feel the wonderful touch from that day.
On second thought, her first kiss was taken away by an outsider, and she felt extremely humiliated.
"Princess, there's one more thing about Princess Ping Ling…"
Liu Jing turned around." Auntie?”
"Yes, I am. During the morning court today, His Majesty had already decided to marry Princess Ping Ling to the Xiongnu Chanyu to resolve the danger of the Xiongnu invasion.”
"What?!" Liu Jing was shocked when she heard this." To marry my aunt to the Xiongnu, this…"
Just as he was panicking, there was a sudden commotion outside.
Xiangqi went out to inquire, but when she reported back, her face was pale as she said with a trembling voice,
"Princess, Princess Ping Ling…she committed suicide!”
Hearing this, Liu Jing's mind went blank as she muttered to herself,""How could this be…How could this be…"
They rushed to the side of the Taiye Pool, surrounded by palace maids and eunuchs. They passed through the crowd and came to Princess Ping Ling's side.
She used to be beautiful and smiling, but today, she was only left with a cold body. Her tightly pursed lips seemed to be protesting against the unfairness of fate. This scene made Liu Jing unable to hold it in any longer. She pounced forward to hug her and burst into tears.
" Auntie…Auntie…Why are you so silly…"
Liu Rong and Liu Che also rushed over.
The two of them were also very close to Princess Ping Ling. Princess Ping Ling was good at embroidery. Every winter and summer, she would weave a few sets of clothes for them. Because of her easy-going personality, Liu Che and Liu Rong would often stick to her side and sometimes play together in the imperial garden. However, ever since Liu Rong became the Crown Prince, he was ordered by Li Ji not to casually interact with others to avoid ruining the Crown Prince's reputation. The two of them were currently kneeling beside Princess Ping Ling, sobbing.
"Sister Jing Er, why did auntie die?”Liu Che raised his tearful eyes and asked in confusion.
Liu Jing felt even more bitter when she heard this. Che 'er was still young and did not understand that the country was in danger. She did not understand the pain of Princess Ping Ling marrying a barbarian in a foreign land in order to protect the country. She could only explain," Che 'er, aunt has gone to another place. That place is better than the palace. Aunt will be happier there…"
"Where is that place? Can I go?"
Liu Che was still asking, but he was reprimanded by Beauty Wang, who was behind him.
"Che 'er, don't spout nonsense! You can't go to the place your aunt goes. Be good and don't ask too much. I'll explain it to you when we get back, okay?”
After all, Beauty Wang was still a reasonable person. She personally brought Liu Che to see Princess Ping Ling, and her eyes reddened.
In contrast, Li Ji, who had rushed over after hearing the news, was different. She did not like Liu Rong to be too close to these princesses who had no power or influence. Moreover, after someone died, she was even more taboo. She was afraid that Liu Rong would be contaminated with unclean air and was even more afraid of ruining her dream of becoming the Empress. Therefore, she did not care about the mournful scene around her. As soon as she saw Liu Rong, she angrily rebuked,"Rong 'er! Who told you to come here? You're the Crown Prince, so it's better to avoid this kind of scene so as not to provoke us. Quickly follow Mother back to the palace…"
As soon as he said this, everyone felt indignant. The dead were the most important. Not only did Li Ji not have any sympathy on her face, but she also had a look of disgust on her face, as if it had nothing to do with her. However, she was the Crown Prince's biological mother and was very likely to be the future Empress. Even if someone felt indignant, they did not dare to show it. Only Liu Jing stared at her fearlessly with a pair of sharp eyes.
Li Ji shrank back reflexively. Ever since that night, she had become especially timid and fearful. Because the assassin had not been captured yet, she was worried that the assassin would come back for her, so she was extra cautious. Now that he met Liu Jing's condemning gaze, he lowered his head guiltily, but he felt that the gaze was so familiar. He felt puzzled and could not help but glance at it from the corner of his eyes.
"Mother, I want to see auntie a few more times. Mother, you can go back first!”
Facing Liu Rong's insistence, Li Ji was very unhappy." Rong 'er, are you not listening to your mother?”
"Mother…"
Just as he was in a dilemma, Liu Jing put her hand on his shoulder and persuaded him tactfully,"Rong 'er, you can go back first!"
As a result, Li Ji happened to see the scar on her wrist clearly. Li Ji was shocked and immediately understood. There was no mistaking it. Those were the burn marks from last night's lamp oil. Coupled with those terrifying eyes, it was the person who had tried to assassinate her that night! Princess Liu Jing of Yangning. After thinking it through, her heart trembled, and her face could not help but turn green and white. She was frightened." You…You…"
Liu Jing was not afraid of being recognized by her. Anyway, the whole thing was without evidence, and Li Ji could not do anything to her, so she still had an indifferent expression.
"Mother, what's wrong?" Seeing that Li Ji was on the verge of collapse, Liu Rong was worried that she was afraid of this kind of death scene, so he obediently said,"Since mother doesn't like it here, then I will follow you back to the palace.”
Li Ji was already scared out of her wits and couldn't wait to leave as soon as possible. She held Liu Rong's hand and hurriedly said,"Yes, yes, yes…Hurry! Let's go quickly…"
Before he left, he still looked back at Liu Jing with lingering fear.
A few days later, Empress Dowager Dou hosted a memorial ceremony for Princess Ping Ling in a small room on the left side of the rear palace. The royal relatives gathered together.
Empress Dowager Dou felt guilty and remained silent. She sincerely prayed for the passing Princess Ping Ling.
Emperor Jing, on the other hand, frowned deeply. His heart ached for his always gentle and obedient sister, but he was also troubled about which princess to choose to marry the Xiongnu.
At this moment, Li Ji, who was thinking of revenge, took the opportunity to say, Your Majesty, the dead are already dead, you must not be too sad…" She paused for a moment and deliberately glanced at Liu Jing before continuing,""We should focus on national affairs now. I heard that the Xiongnu Chanyu has initially agreed to marry and withdraw his troops. For the sake of the country, we should choose another princess as soon as possible to avoid the fear of the people.”
Emperor Jing grunted, appearing a little impatient. "This Zhen knows."
" Your Majesty, forgive me for speaking too much. There are not many adult princesses in the palace. Princess Ping Ling was originally the best choice. Now that she has unfortunately passed away, in my humble opinion, Princess Yang Ning of the Flying Rain Mansion is suitable in terms of appearance and age. She is the best candidate for the marriage…" He shot Liu Jing a gaze that did not contain any kindness.
Liu Jing was expressionless, but her gaze was cold.
Before Emperor Jing could speak, Empress Dowager Dou was the first to flare up. How can you interfere in national affairs! The emperor has his own ideas about the marriage alliance, don't give any more opinions.”
Being reprimanded in public, Li Ji immediately felt ashamed, but the Empress Dowager had real power, and even the Emperor had to obey her. Moreover, she was just a small wife. She immediately turned her face away and secretly sulked.
In fact, Empress Dowager Dou was acting selfishly. She liked Liu Jing very much and could not bear to let her marry far away. She immediately said,
"Emperor, please choose another princess! Jing Er is still too young." Suddenly, he thought of something." Don't Beauty Wang also have three princesses?”
When the conversation turned to Beauty Wang, she was terrified and quickly replied,
Empress Dowager is wise, Princess Yang Xin has already betrothed herself to Marquis Ping Yang, and Princess Nan Gong has also been chosen. As for Princess Long Lu…" She paused and continued in panic," She's two years younger than Princess Yang Ning…" As he spoke, he looked at Emperor Jing, hoping that he could help.
"Is that so? What about the other princesses?"
For a moment, everyone was in danger. They were afraid that their daughter would be targeted, so they hurriedly defended her. All kinds of reasons came out. Some said that she was too young, some said that she was weak, some even said that she was not good looking and was not suitable to serve the Xiongnu Chanyu, etc. Seeing this, Liu Jing's chaotic heart gradually cleared up. The final result would still be her. No matter how much the Empress Dowager favored her, she had to agree for the sake of the overall situation. Since that was the case, he might as well ask for permission to get married so as to eliminate the fear in the hearts of others. In any case, her favorite aunt was already dead, and there was nothing worth staying in the palace for. Moreover, she had sworn to avenge her aunt's unjust death. If she did not marry the Xiongnu Chanyu, how would she have the chance to kill him?
Having made up his mind, he took a step forward and said firmly,"Imperial Father, your son is willing to marry into the distant Xiongnu. Imperial Father, please issue an edict immediately.”
As soon as she said this, the surroundings were in an uproar. Everyone looked at her in disbelief. Empress Dowager Dou was even more shocked and hurriedly stopped her." Jing 'er, don't spout nonsense. There are other candidates for the marriage alliance…"
" Empress Dowager…" Liu Jing slowly knelt down and begged,""I am grateful for Empress Dowager's love, but the Xiongnu have invaded and the situation is critical. As a member of the Liu family, I am willing to contribute my strength to the Liu dynasty.”
Li Ji, who was standing at the side, saw that this was an opportunity that could not be missed and quickly added,
"Empress Dowager, it's rare for Jing 'er to be so responsible and aware of the big picture. Since she's so willing, you should go along with her wishes! Moreover, the Xiongnu finally agreed to the marriage and retreat. If we don't seize the opportunity quickly, I'm afraid that the Xiongnu King can't hold back and will go back on his word and attack Chang 'an. Then the people will suffer.”
"Yes, Jing 'er has made up her mind. Empress Dowager, please fulfill her wish.”
Seeing that things had come to this, Empress Dowager Dou could not insist anymore and could only reluctantly agree to her request.
"Jing Er!" Empress Dowager Dou's eyes were filled with tears as she sighed and praised,""You are indeed a descendant of my Liu Clan. If only the others were half as open-minded as you…"
Everyone lowered their heads in shame.#
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