Shocking! In this matriarchal society, every man wants to marry me!

Yu Yijin's body was found quickly, but it was unrecognizable. He was tightly holding the child in his arms. Both Yu Yijin and the child were dead. Yu Yijin had chosen a very high cliff, and he left himself no way out when he died.

General Yue stared at Yu Yijin's corpse for a long time and remained silent for a long time. Then, with some sorrow, he instructed the steward to collect and bury their bodies.

But the butler was in a dilemma!

Yu Yijin and his child had no place to be buried. Married men could not be buried in their mother's family home, and Yu Yijin had also been divorced by General Yue, so he could not be buried in the Yue family's ancestral home either.

Le Xingxi then spent money to choose a beautiful place for Yu Yijin and buried them there. It was a small grave with no fancy decorations.

Xia Jin'an returned to the palace.

Le Xingxi and Zhong Tian stood at the grave and lit an incense stick for Yu Yijin.

Le Congxi squatted on the ground, looking at the blank wooden sign, and said, "I don't actually have any ill feelings towards Yi Jin. Maybe it's because he didn't do anything to us after he entered the General's Mansion, or maybe it's because I saw my own reflection in him."

Zhongtian listened silently without saying a word. Le Xingxi was pouring out her heart, and all she had to do now was be a quiet listener.

"Yu Yijin's meeting with Xia Wen was a mistake. When Yu Yijin jumped down, I wondered if my meeting with you was also a mistake."

"When we first met on the street that year, you saved me from a carriage in the bustling city. That's when our fates became linked and intertwined."

"I have always believed that I am destined to be your husband, but in reality, my bond with His Majesty is much deeper. I grew up with His Majesty, and even if my brother had tried to stop me in every way, I would still have entered the palace in the end if you hadn't come along!"

Zhongtian looked at Le Xingxi and gently wiped away the tears on her face: "Xingxi, are you trying to convince me? You can't even convince yourself. If you really think that way, then why are you crying? The way you're desperately trying to convince yourself is so heartbreaking!"

Le Xingxi didn't want to cry, but people can't control their tears.

But he knew he had to harden his heart; otherwise, the next time he appeared in the fire, it would be Zhongniang, her body charred black.

He hadn't been sleeping well these past few days. He had dreamt of his senior brother more than once. His senior brother wasn't a talkative person when he was alive, and even after he died, he didn't say anything to criticize him in Le Xingxi's dream.

He just stared at Le Xingxi with a pained expression, constantly crying out, "It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!"

He was already so distressed that someone he barely knew died because of him; if Zhongtian died because of him, he would break down.

So, he wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes and said to Zhongtian, "Zhongniang, I'm not joking. I... I'm going to give up on you! I'm going to give up on my love for you."

“Zhongniang, this is not a particularly bad thing, don’t you think? I will win the love of the most noble person in the world, and I will also get the empress position that all men dream of.”

Le Xingxi wanted to laugh and make a joke: "You know, my twin brother dreams of getting these things. He can't get them, but I got them easily and effortlessly. What do I have to be dissatisfied with?"

However, the tears on Le Xingxi's face could not be wiped away, nor could they be wiped away completely.

Zhongtian was heartbroken and said to Le Congxi, "Xingxi, stop talking, stop talking."

Le Xingxi shook her head: "No, I want to say it! Zhongniang, from now on you must not come looking for me anymore. I will stay at home and prepare to marry His Majesty. Zhongniang, we must not see each other again."

Le Xingxi knew that if they met again, he wouldn't be able to resist.

If he were to enter the palace and truly become His Majesty's consort, then any further interaction between them would be considered an act of debauchery within the harem, which would implicate their entire families.

Zhongtian held Le Xingxi's shoulders and said to her, "Xingxi, lift your head and look into my eyes."

While speaking, Le Xingxi kept his eyes fixed on the void, not daring to look Zhong Tian in the eye. After hearing Zhong Tian's words, Le Xingxi shifted his gaze to Zhong Tian.

Zhongtian looked into Le Xingxi's eyes and said, "Xingxi, I hope you are free. Even if you enter the palace, it should be because you are willing, not because you are forced. Even if the person who forces you is the emperor, you cannot submit!"

"Xingxi, listen to me! No matter what happens, don't despair. I will help you, I will save you."

"Xingxi, do you believe me?"

Le Xingxi nodded without hesitation.

"Xingxi, I will not let you down!" After saying this, Zhongtian left.

Le Xingxi watched Zhong Tian's departing figure, then glanced at Yu Yijin's grave, and murmured, "What will become of me?" Unfortunately, no one answered.

Upon returning home, Zhongtian immediately sent a large sum of silver to Zhao Duan in Lizhen and wrote a letter urging him to increase the production of repeating crossbows.

Zhao Duan's reply came quickly. In addition to guaranteeing that production would be increased, he also mentioned that someone was secretly inquiring about Li Zhen's weapons.

Recently, someone has been buying weapons on a large scale at high prices. Zhao Duan secretly investigated and discovered that it was someone working for Prime Minister Jiang.

Zhongtian held the reply in his hand, deep in thought. It seemed that Prime Minister Jiang was unable to contain himself upon learning that the Empress Dowager was pregnant!

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Jiang was in the Empress Dowager's palace. The vast palace was empty except for the Empress Dowager and Prime Minister Jiang, who were snuggling together and talking intimately. Prime Minister Jiang placed his hand on the Empress Dowager's stomach, and the smile in his eyes was almost overflowing.

She never imagined that at her age, she would be able to have a child of her own, especially since the child's father was the current Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager touched her face with some distress and said with a hint of resentment, "The baby in my belly is really causing trouble. It's keeping me up at night. When I looked in the mirror, I noticed my face was a bit swollen!"

With a broad smile in his eyes, Prime Minister Jiang pinched the Empress Dowager's cheek and said with a smile, "In my heart, no one can compare to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager is stunningly beautiful, and now that she is pregnant, she is even more sacred than the Buddha statues that are worshipped."

The Empress Dowager laughed and pointed at Prime Minister Jiang, saying, "Your mouth is so glib and slippery. You're so old, yet you're still so improper."

After exchanging a few jokes with Prime Minister Jiang, perhaps due to his advanced pregnancy and exhaustion, he lay down on the chaise longue, slowly rubbing the worry between his brows, and said...

"I haven't told His Majesty about this child yet. I wonder what his reaction will be?"