The baby-making system is unreliable

Consort He, panting, spoke rapidly: "Your soft heart will only allow them to grow stronger! If you don't eliminate them now, they will surely become a great threat in the future!"

Yun Ziyuan, however, remained resolute, his gaze sharp, a stark contrast to his mother's attitude: "I know my mother's concerns, but I have even more faith in my own abilities."

"There has long been a rift between my elder sister and the Emperor, and their relationship is not harmonious. Even whether my younger brother Anran can enter the palace is still uncertain. Rather than ruining our reputation with such despicable means, we should win the hearts of the people with our true talents and abilities."

He admitted that he was not a good person, and that he would use some improper means for the sake of the people, but he did not want to hurt a child who had not yet grown up.

Yun Ziyuan was not kind, but he was not afraid of a brat. If they wanted to compete, then they would fight.

He was fearless, undaunted, and would not back down. He had the confidence and believed he could do it.

So what if he wasn't favored by his father? He believed in himself and wanted to prove with his abilities that he was the most suitable candidate.

He paused, his tone carrying a hint of determination and detachment: "Mother, the way of power lies not in using underhanded tactics, but in having a broad mind and taking action."

"I will not let my hands be stained with the blood of my loved ones, nor will I bear a lifetime of infamy. If destiny is on my side, no one can take it away; if destiny does not favor me, all my scheming will be in vain."

Consort He stared blankly at her son, her eyes filled with disappointment, resentment, and a sense of helplessness.

She knew all too well that her son was no longer the child she could manipulate at will; his thoughts and aspirations had long since transcended her control.

"..." Since he is so determined, what can Consort He do?! Her children are all debts; how can she close her eyes in peace if she doesn't repay them?!

If she did too much and things were exposed, she would be helpless. Why would she be afraid of such things?! She had lived most of her life, scheming for so long, all for the sake of her two children.

However, Consort He knew clearly that she could not take any more action. Not only would Yun Xinrou be on guard, but even her own son would probably stop her.

……

Winter has passed and spring has arrived. The snow that lingered in early March has long since melted, and the willows outside the imperial city are just beginning to turn green, a scene full of budding life.

However, an urgent report from beyond the Great Wall, like a cold blade piercing the spring, abruptly shattered this brief peace.

Internal strife broke out in the Turkic Khaganate, the Khagan died suddenly, and various tribes fought for the throne, with war raging everywhere.

When the news reached the palace, the first to panic were Consort He and her son, Yun Ziyuan.

At that moment, Consort He was applying makeup in front of the mirror when her fingertips trembled, and the eyebrow pencil fell to the ground, shattering into specks of bluish-gray.

She stared at her suddenly pale face in the bronze mirror, her fingertips icy cold, her heart feeling as if it had been struck by a heavy hammer.

Yun Ziyuan stood in the hall, his teacup swaying slightly, spilling tea onto the corner of his embroidered gold robe, but he was completely unaware.

The mother and son exchanged a glance, both reading the same message in each other's eyes: "Second sister... she's still in Turkic territory. With internal strife in Turkic territory right now, isn't she in grave danger?"

They were not worried about the change of the Turkic kingdom, nor did they pity the steppe warlords who were vying for power; rather, they were concerned about Yun Ning'an, who was connected to them by blood.

“Nurzhuoying and his people are still fighting in the civil war. If they die in the internal strife, it will be a relief. The Turkic chaos gives us time, which may not be a bad thing.”

Yun Ziyuan spoke in a low voice, almost inaudible, yet each word was like a nail, "But what about my sister? It's really dangerous for her to be alone in Turkic territory."

"Shut up, don't talk nonsense!" Consort He suddenly raised her hand, interrupting him, her fingertips trembling slightly. "Do you know what you're saying? He is a Turkic prince, of pure blood. If he becomes the Turkic king because of this, he will definitely be an asset to you!"

She gritted her teeth, a ruthless glint flashing in her eyes, shrewdly calculating as she hatched her own scheme.

"If all else fails, we can lend him a hand and help him become the new Turkic king. That way, we can use the Turkic army to force your father to abdicate!"

The palace was deathly silent. A spring breeze blew through the window, and the willow branches swayed gently, as if mocking the scheming and fear within the palace walls.

Yun Ziyuan slowly knelt down. He was more worried about his sister than this. His voice was low but firm: "Mother, we can't wait. My sister's life is hanging in the balance. I need to contact her first and make sure she is safe."

"If the chaos in the Turkic Khaganate continues, envoys will surely come to the court seeking help. At that time... that will be our opportunity to act. One wrong move, and ten years of planning will be ruined in an instant."

At this point, it would be most advantageous for the Turks to be completely leaderless. This would eliminate any external threats, so it would be best if something unexpected happened to Nurzhuwing…

Consort He closed her eyes for a long time. When she opened them again, her eyes were devoid of emotion, only cold decisiveness remained: "Since that's the case, then do it, child..."

She paused, a cruel smile playing on her lips. "Bring your sister back. As long as she's alive, that's all that matters. The rest... don't matter!"

The wind rustled through the beaded curtain, like the whispers of departed souls. Meanwhile, a thousand miles away in the Turkic royal court, an even greater storm was quietly brewing.

Yun Ziyuan slowly raised his head, his eyes filled with unfathomable shadows. He gazed at his mother's face, once gentle but now etched with the furrows of political intrigue, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly, as if a thousand-pound burden were pressing down on his shoulders.

He hesitated for a long time, as if remembering something, and then said softly, "Sister... what if she no longer wants to come back?"

Upon hearing this, Consort He's fingertips trembled violently, and she sneered, "Unwilling? Does she even remember which country's princess she is? She's only been married off to a distant land for a year, does she think she's been bribed?!"

Her voice rose abruptly, then fell just as quickly, like a viper flicking its tongue, “She is not a Turk after all; this capital is where she grew up. If she refuses to return, then she is not my daughter, but—a traitor.”

Consort He slowly rose, walked to the window, and gazed at the crescent moon in the sky, which resembled a hook or a blade.

“Go tell those spies that if she resists, they should forcibly bring her back under the guise of ‘escorting’ her.”

"If necessary, they can also use some extraordinary methods to make her obey!"

Yun Ning'an had only been married off to a distant place for less than a year, and the phoenix coronet and embroidered robe that symbolized the honor of the Great Yin Dynasty still seemed to hang deep in the palace, exuding a faint sandalwood fragrance.

But now, it is being forcibly taken back from the Turkic royal court thousands of miles away, like a lost item that has been recovered.

Yun Ziyuan remained silent for a long time before finally bowing and accepting the order: "Your subject... obeys the decree."

Yun Ziyuan's fingertips were icy cold; his mother's words were like poisoned ice picks, piercing his heart.

His older sister, Yun Ning'an, was always smiling gently and would secretly slip him candied fruit when he was scolded by his father.

Now, she has become a pawn in her mother's eyes that must be taken back, an object for which all dowry and servants can be sacrificed, as long as she is alive.

The most tragic thing is that he also felt he should do it, and that it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so he had to do it.

“Mother,” Yun Ziyuan’s voice was dry and hoarse. After thinking for a moment, he decided to tell his mother, “My sister is in the Turkic Khaganate… and is pregnant.”

"Oh? It's Nurzhuoying's child?!" Consort He raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly, and a ripple finally appeared in her unfathomable eyes, but it was not pity, but a calculating glint.

"Yes." Yun Ziyuan lowered his eyes, not daring to meet his mother's scrutinizing gaze. "According to the calculations in the letter, this child is probably already three months old."

“March…” Consort He paced slowly in the palace, the soft tinkling of her pearls and jade pendants blending with the sound of the wind outside the window to create an eerie melody.

"The timing is perfect. A princess with the blood of an enemy country is more useful and more... easier to control than a princess who is returned to her rightful owner."

She stopped, turned around, and stared intently at Yun Ziyuan: "Tell the people who go to bring the best midwives and medicine to prevent miscarriage. I want my daughter to live, and I want the 'little wolf cub' in her belly to live. This child may one day be the sharpest knife that the Great Yin Dynasty will use to penetrate the Turkic court."

A mixed-race individual with the blood of the Dayin royal family and the Turkic Khan, whether as a hostage or as a future contender for the Turkic throne, is a trump card capable of stirring up the winds of war on the grasslands.

Meanwhile, a thousand miles away in the Turkic royal court, the atmosphere inside the golden tent was completely different from the cold and gloomy atmosphere in the capital.

Yun Ning'an was leaning back on the soft couch covered with snow-white wolf skin. Her lower abdomen was still flat, but her hand often unconsciously stroked it. Her face had a peaceful and satisfied glow, like that of a new mother.

Outside the window, there is an endless grassland and a clear blue sky. Compared to the narrow sky in Chang'an, the freedom here is intoxicating.

She married Ashina Sun, a man as agile as an eagle on the battlefield. He gave her unprecedented respect and affection, allowing her to find a sense of belonging in this unfamiliar land.

Yun Ning'an was initially unwilling to marry Nurzhuoying, but after arriving on the grasslands, she found them to be more interesting than the palace.

However, an unusual commotion arose outside the golden tent today.

Nuerzhuoying lifted the heavy tent flap and walked in, his tall figure almost blocking out the light in the doorway. His face was gloomy, and a dangerous glint flashed in his hawk-like eyes.

“The situation is too chaotic. It’s too dangerous for you and your son to stay here…” He walked to her side, his rough hand gently covering her hand on her lower abdomen, his voice low and suppressed.

Yun Ning'an's body stiffened abruptly, and the color drained from her face instantly. What should she do?! Should she leave? No, leaving her husband would only put her in greater danger.

"What should I do?! I don't want to drag you down with me, but... if I leave, where can I go?!" Her voice was as soft as a feather, carrying a fear she herself was unaware of.

Ashina Sun pulled her into his arms, rested his chin on the top of her head, and said in a deep voice, "Why don't you go home?!"

"Go home?" Yun Ning'an smiled sadly, tears silently streaming down her face. "Now? What will you do then? I'm already a married woman. My home is here, beside you, beside our children."

“I know.” Nurzhuoying tightened his arms, his tone firm and cold. “This is the Turkic land, the territory of your husband, me. No one can take my wife and my unborn child away from me.”

He raised his head and looked outside the tent, his gaze sharp as a knife: "But the current battle situation is really not optimistic. If you go back, you can still save your life."

Inside the golden tent, the fire crackled in the hearth, casting flickering light on Nurzhuoying's face. His rough fingers, calloused from years of wielding knives, gently stroked Yun Ning'an's hair, his movements surprisingly tender.

Yun Ning'an looked up abruptly, her eyes brimming with tears, thinking she had misheard: "Eagle... what did you say?"

Nurzhuoying, the most valiant young nobleman of the Turks, was also the one who secretly protected and accompanied her after she married into the Turkic tribe. At this moment, he was gazing at her with eyes that held the stars of the grasslands.

He didn't repeat himself, but gently patted her head again, his voice low and hoarse: "I'm telling you, this time, you should go home."

"Didn't you always want to go home? This time, just go home."

"No!" Yun Ning'an shook her head almost immediately, tears streaming down her face even more rapidly. "If I go back, what will you do! You... didn't you say you would take me to see the starry sky over Ergun, and teach our children to ride horses and shoot arrows?"

Her hands gripped his sleeve tightly, as if he would vanish if she let go. She recalled the despair of her marriage to a distant land and the fear she felt upon first arriving at the Turkic royal court.

Yun Ning'an initially thought that Nurzhuoying was not someone she could entrust with anything, and she was not kind to him at first.

But he later realized that his ambitions lay with the grasslands, the Gobi Desert, and the entire Turkic Khaganate.

For her, it was a man's possession of a woman, but also a form of care and cherishing. Gradually, she grew accustomed to Nurzhuoying's presence and accepted this fate of marriage alliance.

Now, she has a child, the product of her and Nurzhuoying's passionate love on a full moon night.

Nuerzhuoying held her trembling body tightly in his arms, his chin resting on the top of her head, his voice filled with suppressed pain and determination.

“Listen to me. Now is not the time to be willful. Once the news reaches the capital, your father and mother will definitely come to bring you back.”

He felt the body in his arms stiffen, and he carefully held her close.

"My brother..." Yun Ning'an's voice trembled with tears, "Will he send someone to bring me back?"

"Yes, he will save you. After all, you are his sister, and he will spare your life out of consideration for family ties."

Nurzhuoying sighed. He knew in his heart that Yun Ziyuan would save her, but he might not save himself.

Nuerzhuoying's voice softened, carrying a hint of seduction, "This may be your only way out, and it's the best thing for you. Go back to Chang'an, where Ziyuan is, where you're in familiar surroundings, and you can safely give birth to your child."

"Let's go together, okay?" Yun Ning'an asked desperately, raising her tearful eyes.

Nurzhuoying's eyes darkened, then he gave a reassuring smile: "Me? I am a Turk, my roots are here. I will stay and take care of everything here. Catching a lone eagle on the grasslands is not so easy."

He was lying to her. Yun Ning'an knew it. If he stayed, he would face the pursuit of the entire Turkic royal court. He was risking his life to pave a way home for her.