Forced to be a concubine? I turned around and married the scumbag's father.

Having finally made it to the palace, Zhao Luoxuan was about to get up when Duan Yu reached out his hand.

She hesitated for a moment, then obediently placed her hand in his large palm.

Duan Yu's hands were very soft, completely different from Qi Jun's.

Zhao Luoxuan's face inexplicably flushed red, and she lost her balance the moment her foot touched the ground, swaying slightly.

Duan Yu wrapped his long arm around her and steadied her.

"Your Highness, please be careful."

His gentle words echoed in her ear, and Zhao Luoxuan realized that she was almost in his arms, the two of them snuggling intimately.

She tried to stand up straight and push him away, but the arm around her waist was very strong, and she couldn't move at all.

Helpless, I had no choice but to follow his lead and slowly walk inside.

Consort Yu, leading a group of concubines, greeted them at the main gate. They were shocked to see Duan Yu and Zhao Luoxuan being so intimate.

Consort Yu was always by Duan Yu's side, and she knew very well that he and Zhao Luoxuan were only husband and wife in name only.

But now their expressions and emotions are clearly different from before.

An alarm bell rang in my mind.

Consort Yu quickly composed herself, smiled charmingly, and went to greet him, bowing as she spoke softly.

"Your Majesty and Queen must be tired from their journey back so late."

The concubines all bowed, but their eyes were fixed on Duan Yu's hand around Zhao Luoxuan's waist.

Duan Yu and the princess usually maintained a facade of affection, but they had never been this close before.

It seems this princess is not to be underestimated.

Zhao Luoxuan braced herself and returned to her room under the envious and jealous gazes of dozens of pairs of eyes. Duan Yu only told her to rest early before leaving.

She secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The maid, her face full of curiosity, helped her remove her makeup while cautiously asking, "Your Highness, were you and the King in the carriage..."

"Nothing at all."

Zhao Luoxuan interrupted her, feeling agitated.

The maid quickly shut her mouth.

The group of girls followed Zhao Luoxuan, who had demoted herself to a county princess, to Juzhou. Along with her wet nurse, they were all extremely loyal to her.

But in their minds, a princess should have the status of a queen.

Having spent over a decade navigating the complexities of palace life, they naturally understood the survival rules for women within its walls.

If the Queen and the King remain outwardly estranged, one day the concubines will have more and more children, and the King may no longer care about the Queen's reputation.

On their way back to Dali with the princess, they all heard strange noises coming from the carriage. Although they felt humiliated, as women, they felt it was wrong not to consummate their marriage with their husbands. They were also happy that the two of them could become husband and wife.

Zhao Luoxuan fell asleep with her mind in a daze.

The next day, I woke up when the sun was high in the sky.

"His Majesty came to see the Queen early this morning."

The maids were overjoyed as they helped her wash up.

Did he say anything?

The maids exchanged glances and whispered, "His Majesty said to come over tonight."

Zhao Luoxuan froze.

The discomfort she felt in the carriage last night made her feel as if she had been struck by lightning.

The maid asked her softly, "Your Highness...doesn't want to?"

Zhao Luoxuan quickly regained her composure: "Have the imperial kitchen prepare a few dishes that His Majesty likes, and warm up the peach blossom wine I brought."

The maids were overjoyed upon hearing this.

"Yes."

After familiarizing herself with the place, Zhao Luoxuan, still dressed in a simple ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), walked towards the Buddhist hall on the west side of her courtyard.

Pushing open the door, the room, filled with the warmth of red candlelight, exuded a cozy atmosphere.

Qi Jun's memorial tablet was placed properly on the altar.

Zhao Luoxuan's tears fell instantly.

He silently lit three incense sticks, knelt on the prayer mat, and solemnly bowed three times.

"Qi Jun, we are destined to be apart, and our marriage should end today."

After saying this, she slowly lay down on the ground, overwhelmed by grief and sorrow.

She could no longer hold back her tears and burst into sobs.

The maids guarding the door were heartbroken and shed tears. Fearing that outsiders might come in and hear something bad about the princess, the two of them hurriedly walked towards the hanging flower gate leading to the courtyard.

Suddenly, a tall, slender figure appeared.

The maid was so startled she almost cried out. She quickly turned around to look at the maids guarding the door, and then knelt down herself.

"This servant pays homage to the king."

Duan Yu raised his arm and waved his hand. The maid who had intended to enter and deliver the message dared not move upon seeing this.

He walked to the door and heard sobbing inside, as well as Zhao Luoxuan's words to Qi Jun.

“As a princess of the Great Liang, I share the same responsibility of marrying into the country to secure peace. Qi Jun, I know you care deeply for the Great Liang. If I become your wife and only indulge in my longing for you without doing anything, you will look down on me.”

"Today, I kowtow to you. From this day forward, I am the Queen Consort of Dali, and Duan Yu's wife. Qi Jun, please forgive me."

Duan Yu felt as if a hole had been dug in his heart, and he felt a strange, indescribable emotion.

He reached out and pushed the door open, then went inside.

This was his first time coming in.

Previously, he didn't care, because what he wanted was for Zhao Luoxuan to keep Bianjing and the Southern Frontier in check.

But he didn't know when it started, he began to feel uncomfortable.

When he entered the room and saw Zhao Luoxuan in a white dress kneeling on a prayer mat, weeping before her deceased husband's memorial tablet, his heart clenched painfully.

Zhao Luoxuan turned around abruptly and saw Duan Yu suddenly appear. She was so frightened that her face turned pale and she quickly stood up.

"Your Majesty..."

Duan Yu walked straight ahead.

Zhao Luoxuan was worried that he would be angry and smash up the mourning hall, so she quickly knelt down in front of him.

This time, he didn't kneel on the prayer mat; the heavy thud of his delicate knees hitting the bluestone slabs struck Duan Yu's heart painfully.

He looked down at Zhao Luoxuan, whose face was contorted in pain, and said nothing.

Ignoring the pain in her knees, Zhao Luoxuan quickly said, "Your Majesty, I have come to say goodbye to Qi Jun."

Duan Yu reached out and helped her up.

Zhao Luoxuan was filled with trepidation, but the next moment her eyes widened as she watched Duan Yu light three incense sticks and stand up to bow three times to Qi Jun's memorial tablet.

Place the incense sticks in the incense burner, take a step back, and gaze at the memorial tablet.

"General Qi, I have always admired you greatly. You are brave and skilled in battle, and even the Grand General of Dali fears you. I should have come to pay my respects long ago. I am fortunate to have married Princess Shuhe, and I believe we share the same vision."

Zhao Luoxuan's heart was touched, and she stared in astonishment at his sincere face.

"General Qi is wholeheartedly dedicated to protecting the country, which aligns with the wishes of Princess Shuhe and this king."

Duan Yu reached out and took Zhao Luoxuan's hand, giving her a deep look: "If you knew this in the afterlife, I would surely agree to let me take care of Xuanxuan for you."

Xuanxuan?

Zhao Luoxuan stared blankly at Duan Yu.

This was the first time he had called her that affectionately.

"Xuanxuan, do you believe Qi Jun will bless us?"

Zhao Luoxuan's eyes were red, and she felt a mix of emotions as he looked into her deep, unfathomable eyes.

She nodded slowly: "Your Majesty and I are of one mind. Today, I am here to apologize to my deceased husband. From this day forward, I am Your Majesty's principal wife, and I have no other identity."

Duan Yu slowly curved his lips into a gentle smile, revealing his usual radiant smile.

"Thank you, Princess."

When the two walked out of the Buddhist hall hand in hand, the maids were overjoyed.

Zhao Luoxuan instructed: "Just clean it every day, and I will come to offer incense on the first and fifteenth of each month."

The maids quickly replied, "Yes."

Zhao Luoxuan followed Duan Yu out of the hanging flower gate, turning her head to look at him: "Wasn't Your Majesty supposed to come at night? Why are you here now?"

Duan Yu took her hand and pulled her closer: "I just wanted to come see you. I still have official business to attend to later. We'll have dinner together tonight, and then we can discuss how to deal with the upheaval in Bianjing."

Zhao Luoxuan nodded: "Very well. I have already prepared wine and dishes to await Your Majesty."

Upon hearing this, Duan Yu smiled deeply and leaned closer to whisper in her ear, "I like the peach blossom wine that the Princess brought from Juzhou. I wonder if I'll be lucky enough to taste it."

Zhao Luoxuan blushed slightly from his warm breath. "Of course, Your Majesty can enjoy it as you please."