Shocking! Five men are in love with the same woman!

Seeing his joy, Lingyan was also delighted by his happiness.

Her eyes curved into crescent shapes, and a smile spread from the corners of her eyes and brows.

Her lips parted slightly, and her words flowed like a gentle stream under the warm spring sun, conveying boundless trust.

"Yes, I believe in you. I believe you will leave the harem empty for me, with no place for anyone else, only me by your side; I believe you can overcome all obstacles, no matter what they may be, you will cut them down with a single stroke; I believe you dare to face the court officials, stand tall for me, unafraid of the raging waves; I believe you will set aside everything, regard me as equal to the empire, and protect me in the palm of your hand. If that's the case... I believe in you! And I am willing to go back with you."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Muyao's eyes widened suddenly.

His eyes suddenly lit up, like a dazzling firework bursting in the dark night, full of surprise and disbelief.

His lips parted slightly, as if he wanted to speak, but the surging emotions in his heart choked him up.

After a long pause, a trembling voice finally broke through: "Yan'er!"

And at this moment, his heart was surging with emotion, and all he wanted to do was hold her in his arms and lock this precious affection in his heart.

He hurriedly raised his hand, but as soon as he made a move...

The wound on his chest felt like it was being torn apart by a ferocious beast; the excruciating pain was like lightning bolts flashing wildly, instantly draining all the color from his face.

The pain made him stiffen, his brows furrow, and a barely audible groan escaped from the corner of his mouth.

Lingyan's heart tightened instantly upon seeing this, and she hurriedly called out to stop her, "Don't move!"

Before the words were even finished, the person had already lunged forward.

Then, with delicate, graceful arms, she gently embraced him as if cradling a rare treasure.

Xiao Muyao helplessly let his arms hang down, the pain from the pulling of his wounds coming in waves, but it couldn't outweigh the joy he felt at that moment.

He could only lean closer to Lingyan, his burning cheeks gently brushing against her hair.

Her breath filled the air with a delicate fragrance that was unique to her.

His eyes stung, his throat tightened, and his voice trembled with a sob: "Thank you for trusting me. I will never let you down."

Every word and phrase was squeezed out from the heart, resounding with conviction, just like a solemn vow.

Upon hearing this, Ling Yan pursed her lips slightly, her eyes filled with determination, and nodded her chin slightly. That gentle movement was a silent yet powerful response.

Immediately, she slowly released her embrace.

Then, Chu Xiyao strode forward with a tense face, his brows furrowed into a deep frown.

Her eyes held no attempt to hide her reproach as she stared directly at Xiao Muyao, scolding him, "You can't act so decisively in the future! This time you were practically courting death! You scared us to death!"

He Jingchuan, Lu Yanqing, and Shen Qingchen, who were standing to the side, exchanged glances upon hearing this, each clenching their fists, their palms sweaty.

Recalling the previous harrowing experience, her heart was still in her throat, her face was still somewhat pale, and her body seemed to be trembling slightly.

The lingering fear clung to them like a shadow, permeating the air between the four.

Xiao Muyao's smile remained unchanged, and with a sincere expression, he replied to Chu Xiyao with a firm tone, "Definitely, I won't be reckless again."

His words were simple, yet they revealed his deep concern for the others and a solemn promise he made to himself.

Lingyan was still shaken.

Because he really put all his strength into that strike.

He genuinely wanted to rip his heart out and show it to her.

Fortunately, she reacted quickly and used silver needles to reduce some of his force.

Otherwise, even a god couldn't save them.

With his promise, the group felt a great weight lifted off their shoulders.

At this moment, Chu Xiyao lowered his head slightly and sighed softly, his sigh filled with regret.

Looking up at Lingyan, he said with regret, "It's a pity that I couldn't take you to Western Chu this time, nor could I take you to meet my royal brother and sister-in-law."

Upon hearing this, Ling Yan smiled faintly and shook her head gently, softly comforting him, "There will always be opportunities in the future; we have a long road ahead of us."

Her voice was calm, like a spring breeze, instantly dispelling the lingering regret in Chu Xiyao's heart.

Then he looked up at her with a smile and said, "Lingling is right, there will always be opportunities in the future."

Seeing this, Lingyan nodded and responded with a smile.

Then she turned to look at Xiao Muyao, her delicate brows furrowing slightly, and said slowly, "Your injuries were too severe this time, and you were unconscious for five days before waking up. But we must set off for the capital now. So, in half a month, when your wounds are no longer so bad, we will set off for the capital. But you can't ride a horse, so we can hire a carriage. We will try to travel slowly on the road and make our way back to the capital. Is that alright?"

Upon hearing this, a faint smile appeared on Xiao Muyao's pale face.

With warm eyes, she nodded gently like an obedient child.

Her tone was as gentle as a stream under the warm spring sun as she said, "I'll do whatever you say, you can arrange it."

Xiao Muyao had no objections, and the other four also had no objections.

So, half a month later.

With careful care, Xiao Muyao's wounds have lost their horrifying appearance, the redness and swelling have gradually subsided, and the stitches have mostly healed.

Although movement is still somewhat hindered, the intense pain is no longer tormenting him.

They bought a spacious carriage, packed their personal belongings, medicine, and bandages, and then set off.

At the same time, a message spread like wildfire throughout the world.

It refers to Empress Lingyan, who was still ill.

However, upon learning of General He's poisoning, he still forced himself to develop an antidote despite his illness and sent people day and night to deliver it to General He.

General He has now taken the antidote and successfully saved his life.

They have now left Qingcheng and are heading back to Beijing.

When people heard about this, they all expressed their respect and admiration for Lingyan.

She was praised for her superb medical skills and for her medical ethics and benevolent heart.

Of course, there was also joy and relief at He Jingchuan's rescue.

Many people couldn't help but cry tears of joy.

Because General He's life was truly too bitter!

Just like rowing against the current, battered by wind and rain, hardships follow you like a shadow.

Orphaned at a young age, he struggled through the chaos of the world, experiencing the full spectrum of human emotions.

In the same year, he donned armor and plunged into the flames of war.

On the battlefield, he charged into battle, using his own flesh and blood to build an indestructible bulwark for his country.

For many years, he has struggled to navigate between open and covert attacks, all for the sake of protecting the stability of the country and the peace of the people.

Now he is physically disabled.

If this poisoning disaster takes lives, the people of the world will surely beat their chests in despair, point their anger at the heavens, and denounce the injustice of Heaven!

Such a person is so sincere and devoted to serving the country.

After a lifetime of hard work, I shouldn't be treated so cruelly by fate.

Fortunately, Heaven took pity on him, and Empress Lingyan miraculously brought him back to life from the brink of death.

Their wishes for him have always been very simple.

That is peace.

They only hoped that he would stay safe and sound until his old age.

…………

Time flies like sand slipping through your fingers; a month and a half has passed in the blink of an eye.

Lingyan and his entourage followed the winding official road, accompanied by the gentle sound of horse bells.

Amidst the creaking of the carriage, one can admire the scenery along the way and gradually settle one's heart towards home.

The majestic and towering city gates of the capital finally came into view in the early morning light of September.