The Regent's Little Wife

Si Ning's mind was completely disturbed by the disturbance of the two ministers just now. In the deep night, she tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. As an empress, every step she took seemed to be bound by invisible shackles. No matter where she was, there were eyes following her like a shadow.

In this ancient world, the lack of entertainment made her feel even more depressed. Where could she find a bit of comfort? Even if she wanted to indulge herself and sing a song in the quiet night, she might be misunderstood as crazy by the soldiers.

At the same time, in the dimly lit area of ​​the Western Region Imperial City, Queen Xiyue was drinking with a masked man, and their figures looked particularly blurry under the candlelight.

Xiyue was already slightly tipsy. Holding a wine glass in her hand, she recited softly a verse from the Central Plains: "I look at my sword by lamplight while drunk; I blow the horn to connect the camps in my dreams." Her eyes revealed infinite nostalgia for the past years of fighting side by side, and a deep attachment to the days of fighting together with swords and spears.

The masked man drank the wine in the cup silently, bitterness spreading in his heart. He spoke slowly, his voice low and heavy: "But for me, what echoes in my mind are those miserable wails, the blood-stained dust, and the endless killing."

Xiyue's eyes softened when she heard this. She looked at the man in front of her affectionately, as if she wanted to take all his pain into her heart: "As long as you are willing, I can also give up this throne. I have waited for many years, just for your return."

However, the masked man's smile was mixed with bitterness and helplessness: "Xiyue, why are you still so persistent? Time flies, and I am no longer the person I was back then." As he spoke, he gently took off his hood, revealing his true face, and said softly: "Now, my name is Yuan Qi, and I am the leader of Lingyun Sect."

Queen Xiyue's heart suddenly sank. She asked unwillingly, "Aqi, how can you give up our past so easily? You are a prince of the Western Regions, how can you condescend to a small sect?"

Her words were filled with pleading and expectation: "Come back to me, you will be the king, and I will be your queen."

A trace of sadness flashed in Yuan Qi's eyes: "Xiyue, I should go now. I came back this time just to pay tribute to my sister Duo'er."

Xiyue's emotions got out of control instantly. She stood up angrily, her voice trembling: "Duo'er is dead. She was killed by the Empress of Si Dynasty! I am sending troops this time to avenge her!"

Yuan Qi shook his head firmly: "Duo'er's death has nothing to do with Empress Si Chao. I have personally investigated and she has never seen Duo'er, let alone set foot in the territory of Si Chao."

Xiyue widened her eyes in disbelief: "This is impossible!"

Yuan Qi frowned, he couldn't understand Xiyue's stubbornness: "Why are you so sure? Is it because of Yuan Yi? Although he is not my biological brother, I treat him as my own. But even so, his fate has nothing to do with Duo'er's death. The empress was not in the palace when Duo'er was killed. There is no grudge between them at all."

Queen Xiyue's eyes flashed with a sharp light. She stared at Yuan Qi, as if trying to penetrate every corner of his heart. "How did you know this?" Her voice was low and powerful, and every word was like a heavy hammer, hitting Yuan Qi's heart.

Yuan Qi knew that hiding the truth was futile, so he took a deep breath and decided to confess. "I met the empress once by chance and witnessed her elegance with my own eyes. Therefore, I firmly believe that this incident was a conspiracy carefully planned by someone to provoke a war between the two countries." His words were firm and resolute, trying to awaken the rationality in the queen's heart.

However, Xiyue's reaction was beyond his expectation. She sneered, and that smile was full of disdain and determination. "So what? Once the wheel of war starts, no one can stop it. My brother Hilton, the game he set, and the psychedelic array you left behind are the key to this game. As long as the empress steps into the fog, she will be like a moth to a flame, with no chance of survival. Have you ever thought about it, once Si Chao loses their empress, will there be a day for the two countries to coexist peacefully?"

Yuan Qi looked at the queen in front of him with mixed feelings. Once upon a time, she was so gentle and kind, but now she has become so cold and resolute.

He stood up angrily, his voice trembling with excitement: "Xiyue, you have changed, become so strange, so painful to me. Although the empress of Si Dynasty is an emperor, she is not irreplaceable. They have their own ways to choose a new emperor, even if it is a puppet, there will be people willing to help her take the throne. Why are you so obsessed with this meaningless war?"

Xiyue sneered even more, and a complicated light flashed in her eyes. "Yuan Qi, are you in love with that empress? Don't forget, you are the prince of the Western Regions, and your loyalty should belong to this land and your people. And that empress, she was your enemy, your enemy!" Her voice was full of warnings and threats, as if to pull Yuan Qi back to the cruel reality.

Yuan Qi said no more. He turned around and used his Qinggong skills to leap onto the roof, leaving only one cold word echoing in the night sky: "Xiyue, from now on, you and I are done with each other. I will never come back to the Western Regions." As his figure disappeared into the night, an indescribable sadness enveloped the entire palace.

Xiyue looked at the direction where Yuanqi left, her heart burning with anger. She and Yuanqi had been childhood sweethearts since they were young, and had experienced countless hardships together, but now they had come to this point.

She angrily ordered her men to search for Yuan Qi's whereabouts and to close the city gates, vowing to bring him to justice. However, as time passed, Yuan Qi disappeared without a trace.

At this time, Hilton walked into the hall and saw the anger on his sister's face and the fatigue in her eyes. "Sister, what's wrong with you? Why is the palace in such a mess?" he asked with concern.

Xiyue took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. "Gu Junchen is back, but he's gone." Her voice revealed a hint of fatigue and helplessness.

Hilton was startled when he heard this, and then he showed a look of surprise. "Brother Jun Chen is back? Where is he? If he is willing to help us, we will definitely be able to defeat Si Chao!"

However, Xiyue interrupted him: "But he has betrayed us and colluded with the Empress of Si Chao. I order you to mobilize the palace guards immediately and bring him to justice!" Her voice was full of determination and unquestionable power.

Hilton looked at the determination and madness in his sister's eyes, and felt mixed emotions. He understood that this war had involved all of them and they could not get out of it. And he could only stand by his sister silently and support all her decisions.

However, Si Ning was tossing and turning in the tent, unable to fall asleep.

She tossed and turned, thinking about the war and the dead soldiers and civilians, and her heart grew heavier.

At this time, Chen Ke suddenly came to the tent.

"Chen Ke, why are you here?" Si Ning asked in surprise.

Chen Ke said with some worry: "I couldn't sleep today either. I saw the light in your tent was still on, so I came to check. It's so late, Your Majesty, why haven't you rested yet?"

Si Ning sighed and said, "Alas, the political and legal system has not been broken, and the military situation is urgent. How can I sleep?"

Chen Ke said with a worried look on his face: "Although I don't know much about military affairs, Your Majesty, as the monarch of the court, you should take care of your health. If Your Majesty falls, the soldiers in the army will have no backbone and no one to rely on."