Naturally, he wouldn’t go into details with Ning Huai’an about this, but Xuantian didn’t mind.

He just wanted to provoke Ning Huai’an, after all, the kid talked too much.

Xuantian talked to Ning Huai’an for a whole incense stick’s worth of time, describing in great detail the intense situation between the two of them that night.

He even mentioned how Beichen Yuan took away the fallen red cloth.

Ning Huai’an was so uncomfortable hearing this that he eventually couldn’t stand it anymore and fled.

Xuantian felt so relieved after saying all that.

Now, he thought, this kid probably wouldn’t dare to compete for women with his own master anymore.

Because of their disturbance, Beichen Yuan had lost his focus on government affairs.

He opened a hidden compartment, retrieved a brocade box, and inside it was a bloodstained handkerchief.

What was once a filthy object now looked strangely pleasing, the crimson bloodstains resembling blooming plum flowers, which stirred his emotions.

He didn’t understand his feelings for Gu Qingwan.

He couldn’t exactly say he liked her, nor could he say he truly cared, but there was a strong possessiveness.

After that night, in his heart, that woman seemed to belong to him.

Anyone who wanted to covet her would stir his intense possessiveness.

He wasn’t sure whether he and Gu Qingwan would end up together, but at least he wasn’t opposed to being with her. In fact, he somewhat desired her closeness.

That kiss behind the rockery, although he was angry, he didn’t resist it.

He even thought about capturing her and giving her a good punishment.

That night, he hadn’t been just passing by the general’s residence; he had purposely gone to see her.

After all, the general’s residence and the royal residence were not on the same path.

He had gone with a clumsy excuse.

Although they only exchanged a few casual words, he felt strangely satisfied.

Especially when he saw her half-reclining in a rocking chair, drinking wine, like an immortal fallen to the mortal world, secretly tasting divine wine.

In the moonlight, her face was like a peach blossom, her black eyes slightly intoxicated.

Perhaps it was that scene that left such a deep impression on him.

After returning, Beichen Yuan immediately picked up a brush and painted her drinking in the moonlight.

That painting was still on his bookshelf.

Although he couldn’t clearly describe his feelings for Gu Qingwan, he was absolutely unwilling to let anyone have thoughts of her.

Not even the emperor.

Gu Qingwan was still unaware that the emperor had taken an interest in her.

However, Gu Tingyi had decisively rejected the emperor’s proposal and boldly declared that their Qingwan had no intention of marrying but only sought a husband to be adopted into their family. Though the emperor was unwilling, he couldn’t force it, so the matter was dropped.

But Xiao Rui-ci had not given up.

As the emperor, there was no woman in the world he couldn’t have.

At the end of March, when the flowers bloomed all over the city and the weather in the capital suddenly warmed, the war in the Daxia Kingdom also grew tense.

Prince Liang and Prince Huainan raised armies in rebellion, with Prince Liang commanding 100,000 elite troops and Prince Huainan commanding 150,000.

The two joined forces in rebellion, which was a major disaster for Daxia.

Beichen Rong and Xiyue also sent their armies to Daxia, seemingly determined to tear off a piece of Daxia’s flesh.

They say that persimmons are always squeezed when they’re soft, and that couldn’t be truer.

Daxia was severely weakened, and with the rebellion of Prince Liang and Prince Huainan, and the new emperor still insecure on his throne, this was the perfect time to attack.

Gu Tingyi received orders to head to the northwest outposts immediately, and Gu Shaoqing would go with him.

Before they left, Shen Qingwan gave each of them a bulletproof vest and two handguns, reminding them to wear the vests every day and carry the guns with them.

They understood that Shen Qingwan was worried about them and promised to follow her instructions.

Shen Qingwan also mentioned that if they needed supplies, they could contact her immediately.

Gu Tingyi reassured her, saying that now that the emperor had ascended to the throne, the imperial court would certainly provide supplies, so she didn’t need to worry.

After sending off her father and brother, Shen Qingwan was still anxious, but she had her own affairs to attend to and couldn’t stay in the capital forever enjoying peace.

Before leaving, she wanted to eliminate Ye Lingxue and her daughter.

She worried that without her presence in the capital, they might harm her mother, but she couldn’t keep them by her side constantly, especially since the northern route was long, and her grandmother was old and couldn’t handle the journey.

So, killing Ye Lingxue and her daughter would be the only way to resolve the issue once and for all.

The day after Gu Tingyi left, Beichen Yuan also hurried back to the northern region.

Shen Qingwan could sense that this time was different from before.

The armies of two countries were pressing on, and chaos erupted both inside and outside the court.

The big families had already begun to plan their escape routes.

After all, no one dared to say that Daxia could face off against two enemies at once.

The Northern Border Army and the Northwest Army had been able to withstand the attacks from Beichen Rong and Xiyue’s smaller forces earlier, but now the large armies were closing in.

Beichen Rong’s 300,000 troops and Xiyue’s 250,000 troops were all eyeing Daxia’s wealth.

Once Dong Chu joined in, Daxia would truly be surrounded on all sides.

Later that night, Shen Qingwan infiltrated the palace.

Ye Lingxue had entered the palace and, with a space ring in hand, it wouldn’t be easy to deal with her.

Shen Qingwan had learned that Ye Lingxue had been granted the title of “Cai Ren” and had already been chosen to serve the emperor.

Ye Lingxue was quite lucky, though it was possible she had used some methods to achieve it.

Ye Lingxue, at least a college graduate, still had the space ring, so it wouldn’t be a problem to handle an emperor. But for the emperor to fall in love with her… that might not be so easy.

After the emperor had spent the night with her, Ye Lingxue seemed to have been forgotten by everyone.

She was supposed to be a talent from the capital, but after serving the emperor, she only received the title of “Cai Ren.”

Naturally, Ye Lingxue was dissatisfied.

However, she hadn’t had a chance to meet the emperor in the past few days.

No matter how talented she was, it was useless if she didn’t have the emperor’s attention.

Ye Lingxue had finally found out that the emperor would go to Longquan Pool to bathe tonight.

She had prepared early, planning to “accidentally” run into the emperor on his way there.

But instead of the emperor, she ran into Shen Qingwan.

Shen Qingwan appeared suddenly in black clothing, startling Ye Lingxue.

“Shen Qingwan, how dare you enter the palace? Aren’t you afraid of being discovered?”

Shen Qingwan took a few steps forward, slowly approaching. “So what if I’m discovered? You should worry about yourself.”

“You… What do you want to do?” Ye Lingxue instinctively hid her hand behind her, as if Shen Qingwan wouldn’t be able to take the ring if she couldn’t see it.

“What do I want to do? Naturally, I’m here to take your life. You and your daughter have harmed my mother time and time again. Do you really think I’ll let you go?” Shen Qingwan said as she drew a dagger from her waist.

Ye Lingxue, in a panic, took out a crossbow arrow from her space ring and pointed it at Shen Qingwan.

“Want to kill me? You better see if you have the ability,” Ye Lingxue said, releasing the arrow directly at Shen Qingwan.

Perhaps because she was too nervous, she didn’t notice how calm Shen Qingwan was when she saw Ye Lingxue pull the arrow out of thin air.