The eldest daughter's scheming, the crown prince's exclusive favor to the venomous concubi

Murong Chuan frowned slightly upon hearing this, somewhat displeased, but still said, "In that case, Yun'er should choose the best name. I am a rough man, and what I come up with is really not worthy of our child."

Yue Leyun paused, clenched her fists, and forced a smile: "How can Your Majesty belittle yourself? I think the name of the eldest princess Rouge is quite good, how could a name be bad?"

Upon hearing Yue Leyun's words, Murong Chuan was immediately put on an awkward position. He suddenly said in a deep voice, "Does the Empress think Rouge's name sounds nice? Then Feng'er's name sounds bad? I used the word 'Feng' because I love our child. How come it seems like I didn't put any thought into it when it came to my beloved consort?"

Upon hearing this, Yue Leyun's expression changed immediately, and she knelt down abruptly, saying, "Your Majesty, please calm down. That's not what I meant."

Murong Chuan flicked his sleeve and turned his back to her, saying, "I do not know the Empress's thoughts, but I have put my heart and soul into everything I do for her. Now, it is merely a matter of a princess's name. Does the Empress really want to force me to consult the classics and go to such lengths?"

Yue Leyun trembled slightly and said, "I have never had any other thoughts. It is just that she is my first daughter with the Emperor. I thought that the Emperor would name her and strengthen the bond between father and daughter. I have absolutely no other intentions."

"As for Rouge, I have absolutely no ill intentions. I merely envy the name bestowed upon me by Your Majesty. Your Majesty bestowed upon me the name Feng'er, but I felt that was too offensive, which is why I sought out suitable characters by order of Your Majesty. Your Majesty, do you truly not know my feelings for you?"

Murong Chuan didn't speak. He stood there with a frown, and after a long while, he turned around and helped Yue Leyun up. He sighed and said, "Yun'er, I know how you treat me, but after all, I am the emperor. Sometimes, there are things I really don't have the energy for."

Those old fogies in the court exhaust me every day. I rarely have a moment of peace, so how can I possibly have the energy to waste on unnecessary matters? Yun'er, you must understand me, otherwise, wouldn't I be worked to death?

Yue Leyun wept bitterly, her downcast eyes filled with disappointment in Murong Chuan. Even so, she still wanted to hold onto this man tightly. She sobbed, "Your Majesty is right. It was Yun'er's fault. Your Majesty is busy with state affairs every day, all for the sake of a better future for Yun'er and the child. Instead of sharing Your Majesty's burdens, Yun'er brought up unnecessary difficulties. Yun'er lost her sense of propriety. In the future, Yun'er will definitely not do it again."

Her sobbing finally calmed Murong Chuan down, but he still didn't want to stay there any longer. He glanced at the sleeping child and said, "It's not your fault. Yun'er was too tired from giving birth. In that case, I won't stay here today to avoid disturbing Yun'er. You should go to Consort Ling's place."

Yue Leyun paused, wanting to stop him, but then she saw Murong Chuan laugh and say, "Speaking of which, it has been two months since Consort Ling entered the palace, and I have not summoned her to serve me even once. Would you say that I have a beauty by my side, yet I remain unmoved?"

Yue Leyun remained silent with a stiff face, her mind filled with Qiu Lingyu's dying words.

"Yue Leyun, do you think you've won? You say I'm a substitute, but aren't you one too?"

"You said I was Qiu Lingyu's substitute, so I became a special existence in his heart. Now that I am no longer needed, it must be that the blade in his heart has returned, and you are nothing more than a pawn he discarded."

"You're talking nonsense. I am the Empress of a nation, the Empress who will be buried with the Emperor a hundred years from now."

"Yes, you are the Empress, but this is all you have left. Haven't I been an Empress before? Yue Leyun, you are more pitiful than me because you can't bear to die, you can't bear to part with this hard-earned bright red palace dress, and you can't bear to part with your life."

So you have to struggle. Just watch, you'll be more pitiful than me. When he no longer needs you, see what kind of face you really have, whether you'll be as miserable as me, or even worse off.

No, I'm not!

Yue Leyun shuddered suddenly, her mind filled with screams of denial.

He needs me. I will never become like you, Qiu Lingyu. Get out of my mind. You are dead. All you can do is watch me sit in your place, with a son and a daughter, and be happy for the rest of my life.

Yue Leyun suddenly stared blankly. Murong Chuan frowned slightly. After a while, seeing that she still hadn't come back to her senses, he asked, "Yun'er, what's wrong? Is there something wrong with what I said?"

Yue Leyun was startled, then quickly came to her senses and said, "It's nothing, I just suddenly thought of my sister and wondered if she was doing well in the afterlife."

Murong Chuan was taken aback, and the image of her smiling face from the past flashed through his mind. He immediately said with displeasure, "Why did you bring her up again out of the blue?"

Yue Leyun shook her head and said, "I just suddenly thought of it. After all, Consort Ling is in front of me every day. They look alike, so it's unavoidable to think of her. Your Majesty, my sister has been dead for several days. I wonder if Your Majesty has prepared her body for burial?"

Although my sister's family has faced much obstruction and betrayal from the Emperor, she truly loves you. Aside from the matter of the armored soldiers, she truly deserves the Emperor's sincere treatment.

He never admitted that he had truly fallen in love with Qiu Lingyu, because in his heart, he always believed that he loved Consort Ling in the palace. But no matter how much he deceived himself, he could not ignore the fact that his heart ached whenever someone mentioned her.

Forcing himself to forget the pain, he looked at Yue Leyun and smiled slightly, saying, "Yun'er's consideration for Yu'er is beyond my expectations. After all, she died in front of you."

Yue Leyun's expression changed, and she retorted, "I have never given up on my sister, but she was too stubborn, and I had no choice but to do so for the sake of the Emperor. Even after she committed suicide, I was still heartbroken, but what could I do? For the sake of the Emperor's smooth path, what is it to be at odds with the whole world?"

Her words were so poignant that Murong Chuan almost believed her. However, given Murong Chuan's suspicious nature, he wouldn't trust anyone but himself. After a moment, he took her hand and sighed, "I was just saying that. Why did you take it so seriously? I know you two have a good relationship. Alright, alright, don't think about those things anymore. Have someone turn off the lights in Consort Ling's palace. I'll stay here with you for a while, then I'll go rest with her."

At this moment, Yue Leyun had no excuse to refuse, so she could only nod and gesture to Dingxiang to light the lanterns. Dingxiang nodded and quickly took the palace lanterns towards Qiu Lingyu's bedroom, while Murong Chuan helped Yue Leyun lie down together.

They sleep in the same bed but dream different dreams; their hearts are ashen.

Dingxiang quickly lit the lamps in Qiu Lingyu's palace, instantly waking everyone in the entire palace. Only then did they realize that Murong Chuan was coming to sleep. Bing'er was immediately flustered and said to Qiu Lingyu, "Princess, what should we do? Xing'er didn't tell Tongchuan in advance. It's so sudden, and we weren't fully prepared."

Qiu Lingyu calmly got up, washed up, and changed her clothes, saying, "Don't make a fuss. There's no news from Xing'er. This must be because it all happened so suddenly. We can't blame her. Besides, since she's already chosen this path, it's inevitable that something bad will happen."

Bing'er was immediately shocked and said, "Does the princess really want to serve the emperor? Murong Chuan is not worthy of the princess at all."

Qiu Lingyu smiled and looked at her face in the mirror, saying, "Because of this face, she fell in love with someone she shouldn't have. Isn't it all my fault? So, I have to make up for this mistake. Isn't it said that you can't catch a wolf without risking your cub? The daughter of the Northern Desert never cares about reputation."

"cocoa……"

Bing'er frowned anxiously, not knowing how to dissuade her. But right now, even if Qiu Lingyu refused to serve her in bed, there was no time to prepare for her escape. Seeing Qiu Lingyu's resolute attitude, Bing'er's heart ached.

Just then, Qiu Lingyu's window suddenly opened, and Bai Jianan, still dressed in black, swaggered in and said, "Princess, don't worry, the people are ready for you."

Qiu Lingyu looked up and saw Bai Jianan placing a woman on her bed. She got up to look and was slightly surprised. Then she saw Bai Jianan smile and say, "I am acquainted with the Thousand-Faced Gentleman. A mere human skin mask is nothing to me. The princess can disguise herself as anyone here and watch."

Qiu Lingyu couldn't help but admire the man's speed, but she still cautiously asked, "Is this person reliable?"

Bai Jianan nodded confidently: "Of course it's perfect. From her virginity to her appearance, there's nothing wrong with it. After all, a substitution always needs to be prepared in advance."

Qiu Lingyu nodded and said, "Thank you for your help, Young Master."

Bai Jianan shook his head: "Princess, there's no need to be so polite. I'm doing all this for my own reasons. We're cooperating with each other."

After Bai Jianan finished speaking, he strode away, while Qiu Lingyu hid in the wet nurse's room with the child.

The wet nurse was drugged and fell into a deep sleep. Qiu Lingyu then sat on the bed with Rouge in her arms, listening to Murong Chuan arrive, hearing Bing'er say that she had already fallen asleep, and then hearing Murong Chuan walk into the room. After that, the creaking of the bed never stopped that night.

Early the next morning, while Murong Chuan was fast asleep, Qiu Lingyu took the woman from the bed and took off her own coat to sit by the bronze mirror, pretending to do her makeup. Before long, Murong Chuan woke up and saw Qiu Lingyu shyly facing the bronze mirror.

Murong Chuan recalled the pleasures of last night; though the beauty was asleep, her voice remained vibrant, especially…

Thinking it over, Murong Chuan got out of bed, walked to Qiu Lingyu's side, picked her up and laughed, "Wife, last night was the first time, why are you still so troublesome? The ground is so cold!"

Qiu Lingyu tilted her head shyly and said, "Put me down. You know this is my first time. You were so insatiable last night. After this, Your Majesty, please don't come again. Let me recuperate for a month or so."