Spring arrives and the land smiles

Sure enough, in this era where male superiority and female inferiority were deeply rooted, even with wise rulers like Shen Hong and Shen Sumei, it was difficult to change people's prejudice that women's virtue lay in their lack of talent. Qingyan sighed deeply. It seemed that Lan Zhen was indeed not easy to fool. It was probably no use in trying to gain sympathy by being naive and pretending to be innocent. She could only offer more valuable sincerity.

“Alright, I’ll tell you.” Qingyan stared into Lan Zhen’s eyes. “Third Imperial Uncle’s cooperation with you is a pretense; he’s really just using you.”

"What evidence?"

"Do you know that the mother of your Southern Xia Crown Prince Lan Jing has an older brother who is an illegitimate child?" Qingyan asked.

"I've heard a little about it." Lan Zhen nodded. Lan Jing's maternal grandmother was known for her fierceness, so his maternal grandfather had to keep her outside the home.

"Her brother has a beautiful daughter who, a few years ago, married the Prince of Jin's heir as a concubine, posing as the adopted sister of Leng Huai'an, a wealthy merchant from Nanxia. Last year, she even gave the Prince of Jin his eldest grandson. Tell me, is the Prince of Jin making a promise to you or using you as a stepping stone?" After saying this, Qingyan stopped talking, leaned against the carriage, and closed her eyes. The information her brother's Lingfeng Pavilion provided was never wrong.

Lan Zhen was stunned, not expecting things to be so complicated. He immediately summoned Cao Da and gave him a few instructions. Cao Da's expression changed and he immediately took action.

"I'm in your hands now, what good would it do me to lie to you?" Qingyan rolled her eyes inwardly.

Looking at Qing Yan, who still hadn't opened her eyes, Lan Zhen thought to herself that Qing Yan's analysis was perfectly reasonable. If she hadn't underestimated women from the beginning, her partner wouldn't have been the Prince of Jin. She hadn't expected this woman to not only be attractive on the outside but also possess a certain air of a crown prince. She had already lost her bet with Cao Da before, completely unexpectedly. Now, she had thrown out such a powerful tactic for cooperation, and under these circumstances, her method of turning adversity into advantage was quite effective.

It wouldn't hurt to believe her just this once.

"Since the princess doesn't mind my unintentional mistake, wouldn't it be asking for a beating if I were to act rudely?" Lan Zhen's lips curled into a calculating smile, a smile that sent shivers down Qing Yan's spine.

After traveling for several days, the convoy finally stopped to rest and resupply in a small town some distance from Quzhou.

The winter dusk after the rain lacked the most beautiful red hues of sunset; instead, it was gloomy and desolate, much like the streets of the small town at that moment, where only the occasional sound of voices could be heard but no one was in sight.

After being jostled around in the carriage for a long time, Qingyan felt weak and unsteady all over. She glared at Lan Zhen in annoyance and prepared to get off the carriage, feeling dizzy and lightheaded.

Ignoring Lan Zhen's outstretched hand to help her, Qing Yan gripped the edge of the carriage tightly, glanced at the relatively flat ground, and suddenly jumped, only to—

"Be careful." Lan Zhen quickly wrapped her arm around Qing Yan's waist, supporting her as she stumbled, a sly smile playing on her lips.

"Is it that funny?" Qingyan turned her face away angrily, so as not to lose control of her urge to punch someone.

He kindly helped her up, but didn't receive a grateful look in return. Instead, after Lan Zhen regained her balance, she subconsciously pushed his arm away. Lan Zhen looked very hurt, which made Qing Yan think that it was a huge loss to the entertainment industry that this transvestite didn't go into acting.

Perhaps the sleeping potion was particularly effective on Qingyan, as she felt drowsy the whole way. She wanted to ask Ningyuan about his situation in detail, but the transvestite kept beating around the bush, which made Qingyan's hard-won spirits wane again.

Following Lan Zhen into an inn, Qingyan looked around. The inn wasn't large, but it was very clean, indicating that the innkeeper was a tidy person. It was just past dinner time, and there were already quite a few customers eating there, suggesting that the cook's skills were quite good. Qingyan couldn't help but swallow.

"Sir, would you like to have a meal or stay at the inn?" "Having a meal" is a term commonly used by northerners, indicating that this town is already hundreds of miles north of Quzhou.

Upon seeing a group of well-dressed customers enter the shop, the shopkeeper hurriedly came forward, smiling obsequiously.

Cao Yu, who was behind them, immediately stepped forward to make arrangements, while Lan Zhen helped Qing Yan find a quieter spot to sit down.

"My lady, what would you like to eat?" Lan Zhen poured Qingyan a cup of tea with great enthusiasm, winking at her with a mischievous smile, and the atmosphere immediately became ambiguous.

What's going on here? Qingyan frowned, glaring at Lan Zhen: You damned freak, always trying to take advantage, even with your words. She glared at him and gave him a big eye roll.

Lan Zhen secretly gave her a wink, glancing at the men at a table not far from her, but quickly looked away.

Upon receiving Lan Zhen's signal, Qing Yan also stole a glance at those people and found that the four of them did not look like they were there to eat. There was a full table of dishes, but no one touched their chopsticks. They only occasionally picked up their wine glasses and took a sip, and their eyes kept looking towards the door, as if they were waiting for someone.

He can't even pretend to eat a few bites. He ordered a table full of dishes but didn't eat any. Isn't that obviously arousing suspicion? He's not even half as dedicated as a transvestite. Look how realistic his acting is. Qingyan chuckled inwardly and glanced back at Lan Zhen, meeting his gentle expression. "Try the osmanthus cake here. My wife loves sweets the most." Finally, he considerately held the teacup to Qingyan's lips.

"Hey transvestite, don't be so dedicated! You even found out what I like to eat." Qingyan sighed and reached for the teacup, but Lan Zhen flicked his wrist and said, "Wife, I'll feed you."

"Husband, others are watching!"

"You've got guts," Qingyan thought angrily, but forced a shy smile on her face. Then, she lowered her head, her eyes sparkling, letting Lan Zhen's hand, which was holding the glass, hover in mid-air. "I've been so eager to please you, so just keep holding it up for now."

"What are you afraid of? What does our love between husband and wife have to do with others? Come on!" Lan Zhen, undeterred, held the cup to Qing Yan's lips again, smiling warmly as if insisting that she drink it.

The four people at the next table, perhaps bored while waiting for someone, occasionally turned their heads to admire the sweet banter between the young couple.

Seeing those people looking over, to avoid arousing suspicion, Qingyan shyly drank the fragrant tea. Her pink lips, visible through the tea on the cup, looked incredibly alluring. She glanced up at the four men, then immediately looked down again, her eyes filled with a delicate charm, as shy as a budding peony. The four men were momentarily stunned and forgot to turn around.

"My wife, why are you acting so seductive in front of your husband? Are you doing this on purpose?" Lan Zhen whispered close to Qing Yan, his face full of teasing.

It was that annoying flirtatiousness again. Qingyan couldn't help but curse him a hundred times in her heart. However, she still had to play her part in front of others, so she pretended to be a coquettish young girl, slowly approached Lan Zhen's bewitching handsome face, gritted her teeth with an evil look, and whispered in his ear: "If you don't get the waiter to bring food, I'll eat you up for dinner!"

"Oh?" Lan Zhen didn't mind the blatant threat. "If my wife wants to eat, I will wash my hands and serve it to her! I wonder if my wife would like to eat it raw or cooked before eating it?" He put down the teacup, his slender index finger lightly brushed against Qing Yan's crystal lips, taking away a water droplet that was stuck at the corner of her mouth, and then he ambiguously put his finger in his mouth and sucked it clean.

Qingyan glared at him fiercely, but smiled sweetly. Just as she was about to retort, the waiter quickly brought over plates of dishes, plus a large plate of steamed buns. "Fine," she thought, "for the sake of the delicious food, I won't argue with him."

"Eat slowly, don't choke." Having seen the princess's unrestrained eating habits, Lan Zhen wasn't surprised and considerately ladled her a bowl of soup.

He picked up a steamed bun and ate it slowly, glancing back at her every now and then. Suddenly, he noticed that she was covering her mouth with her hand, suppressing a slight frown. After all, she was a princess, and it was inevitable that she couldn't get used to such coarse food. So, he gently comforted her, "This is just a simple meal at a mountain inn. Please bear with it for a meal or two."

Normally, Qingyan would never shed a tear in front of Lan Zhen, but she couldn't hold it in any longer. A small, glistening tear slid down her cheek because it really hurt. "I bit my tongue," Qingyan said, covering her mouth and swallowing the steamed bun with difficulty, looking pitiful.

"Hahahaha!" So that's how it is. Lan Zhen laughed loudly. "If my wife wants to eat meat, just eat it. Why make things difficult for your tongue? Hahahaha!" His laughter was so irritating that Qing Yan wanted to punch him in her heart.

"Laugh all you want, but be careful not to laugh yourself sick!" Qingyan grabbed two steamed buns and ordered the waiter waiting nearby, "Take me to my room," then glanced back at the dishes on the table, "And take all of this to my room!"

Eating dinner alone can be unseemly, involve a large appetite, or be a picky eater. Qingyan enjoyed a delicious meal and felt extremely happy. If it weren't for the jarring knocking at the door, she could have maintained this mood until the next morning.

"The person you're looking for is already asleep." Qingyan snapped at the door, wiping her mouth with a handkerchief before reluctantly opening it. Knocking on the princess's door at night—so audacious! Qingyan couldn't think of anyone other than a transvestite.

"My husband is still outside the door. How can my wife sleep alone?" Lan Zhen stepped in with light steps, closed the door, and smiled with a foxy, alluring smile.

"If Your Highness is truly interested in becoming my husband, I might consider taking another concubine." Now that the two were alone, there was no need to act anymore. Qingyan smiled calmly, meeting Lan Zhen's ambiguous expression without any embarrassment, and gave him a very wicked look from head to toe.

Such boldness is truly rare; she is indeed out of step with worldly customs. Lan Zhen couldn't help but smile, seemingly genuinely saying, "Princess, you have such a true nature. Perhaps we can not only cooperate, but also form a marriage alliance?"

Knowing the transvestite was there to discuss cooperation, Qingyan stopped joking and solemnly invited Lan Zhen to sit down. Cooperation was out of the question; marriage was out of the question. If she were to keep this viper-like transvestite by her side, she would surely be reduced to ashes.

"Let me state this first: the premise of cooperation is that you give me back a complete and intact Ningyuan." Since it's about cooperation, Qingyan didn't mince words and directly stated her conditions.

The moment she spoke of Ning Yuan, Lan Zhen felt a slight displeasure. This seemingly carefree woman was actually quite devoted. "I can return the person to you, but I can't guarantee that he'll be intact." Lan Zhen narrowed her eyes, waiting to see Qing Yan's expression in her rage.

What do you mean by "not being able to guarantee completeness"? Damn it, if Ning Yuan suffers even the slightest mishap, I'll make you pay double! Qing Yan suppressed her surging anger, a slight smile on her face. In this world, we are at their mercy; I don't seek completeness, just peace.

"In that case, Your Highness, please tell me where my husband is." As she spoke, she glanced at Lan Zhen unintentionally, then casually poured him a cup of tea and handed it to him.

"You will see him when you arrive in Suizhou tomorrow." Lan Zhen took the teacup.

"Why in Suizhou?" Suizhou is the closest major town in the northwest of the Great Qi to the Qiu Rong. About a hundred miles west of Suizhou lies the Baishan and Heishui regions, which are border passes. Beyond the passes lies the Western Regions, a vast Buddhist kingdom. Although nominally subordinate to the Great Qi, it has been constantly harassed by the Qiu Rong. A century ago, the Great Qi was too preoccupied with internal strife to attend to it, making it a no-man's-land. The Great Qi only intervenes when the Qiu Rong invade its borders, as was the case with Ning Yuan's expedition. Normally, the Qiu Rong's minor skirmishes are easily dealt with by the vassal states, who, upon petitioning the Great Qi, are merely driven away. Imprisoning Ning Yuan so close to the Qiu Rong must be related to that sea chart. Qing Yan's heart tightened; she could almost see Ning Yuan's mangled remains before her. General Ning had dedicated his life to defending the northwest frontier, killing many of her generals; this time, wouldn't she settle all her old and new scores with Ning Yuan?

“The princess is so intelligent, surely she wouldn’t have thought of that,” Lan Zhen replied casually.

As expected, it was Hai Tu. Qingyan frowned. "I wonder what benefits my Third Imperial Uncle promised Hai Tu's son?" Please, please don't say it was Ning Yuan, please don't, Qingyan silently prayed.

"The benefits that Prince Jin has given me are not worth mentioning. Why don't you ask me what benefits I promised him?" Lan Zhen raised an eyebrow, and his answer did not disappoint her.

Could it be that there's some secret between Lan Zhen and Hai Tu that Prince Jin doesn't know about? Qing Yan stared at him questioningly, while Lan Zhen gave him a look that said, "You guessed it."

“Little Yan’er, you can see through that old fox’s scheme of your Third Imperial Uncle, so how could I completely trust him? He had Hai Tu provoke the enemy at the border. After it was done, of course, I would make you disappear, lend the White Mountains and Black Waters to Qiu Rong for a hundred years, and of course, your concubine was also sold off by him.” Lan Zhen paused, stepped forward, and lightly pinched Qing Yan’s chin. Because she was listening intently, Qing Yan forgot to resist for a moment. Lan Zhen continued with satisfaction, “However, I made use of you and sold you to Hai Tu, letting him exchange the White Mountains and Black Waters for you.”

"What?" Qingyan was taken aback. Making use of waste? Well, this is not the time to argue with him. Qingyan slapped away Lan Zhen's mischievous hand.

What does he want me for? Does he hate me more than Ning Yuan? Qingyan really couldn't understand. Besides her status as the eldest princess, what use could Hai Tu have for her? It couldn't possibly be to threaten Da Qi, unless he intended to fight Da Qi to the bitter end. However, Qiu Rong was far from having that strength, and besides, even if he brought me here, he couldn't just kill me and be done with it.

"So, once we arrive in Suizhou, does Your Highness intend to hand me over to Haitu?" Qingyan cursed under her breath. I was like a fish on a chopping block, completely at the mercy of others.

"If you stop calling me Your Highness, perhaps I can consider backing out." Lan Zhen squinted slightly, looking at Qing Yan with a smile. "The princess is stunningly beautiful, and I do indeed regret it." Lan Zhen's ability to provoke a beating has only grown stronger.

"What else should I call him if not Your Highness? Your Highness? That's the same thing." Qingyan rolled her eyes in annoyance, then suddenly felt a jolt and looked at Lan Zhen. Was she suggesting she call him—Husband?

Lan Zhen looked enlightened. "You're right."

"Why?" Such a serious analysis of the situation—given Lan Zhen's status, he would never be so quick to speak at this moment. Could he have some other intention?

Lan Zhen straightened his expression, his tone no longer teasing: "Although the Qiu Rong are a nomadic people, their royal court resides in the harsh and cold land of Huichuan in the northern desert. The Qiu Rong have long coveted the numerous small kingdoms in the Western Regions and want to move their royal court inland. However, all the Buddhist kingdoms in the Western Regions have always regarded the Empress of Great Qi as their supreme ruler. The princess should know this better than I do." Lan Zhen paused, looking at Qing Yan, whose brows were gradually deepening with worry, knowing that she must have understood the unspoken meaning in his words.

Lan Zhen's words were indeed correct. Ever since Shen Hong, the first empress of the Great Qi Dynasty, like Wu Zetian in her time, donated millions of strings of cash to build Buddhist temples and promote Buddhism, thus winning her first reputation and support in this patriarchal world, successive empresses, in order to win the hearts of the people, all adopted the title of "Lay Buddhist Master" and, after ascending the throne, spent a hundred days in seclusion at Chengen Temple, a royal temple, personally praying for peace and prosperity for the country. Therefore, whenever an empress was in power, the Buddhist kingdoms of the Western Regions always regarded her as a savior and gave her exceptional support.

"Does Hai Tu intend to use me to subdue the various countries of the Western Regions?" Qing Yan seemed to understand something.

Lan Zhen smiled calmly as an answer.

"Why are you helping me?" The transgender person is as shrewd as a monkey; he would never do something without a benefit to himself.

"Neither of us wants another powerful neighbor in the west, right?" Lan Zhen was quite frank.

“I really don’t want to,” Qingyan nodded knowingly, “but wouldn’t it be better if we didn’t have this neighbor to the west?”

Such a sharp remark caused Lan Zhen's expression to change slightly, and she retorted sarcastically, "Indeed, the most poisonous heart is that of a woman."

"Wrong," Qingyan slammed her hand on the table and stood up, her face full of disapproval. "Listen carefully, my principle is: I will not offend others unless they offend me; if they offend me, I will retaliate; if they offend me again, I will eliminate them completely!"

"Hahaha, what a great way to nip it in the bud," Lan Zhen laughed. "Women really shouldn't be offended."

“Yes, I am a woman, and a petty one at that, a very narrow-minded one.” Qingyan glanced at him sideways, gritting her teeth, “It’s not about eliminating him completely. Right now, I just want to return the favor with one injection.”

“Oh,” Lan Zhen said with interest, “then I’ll wait and see.”

Hmph, I'm afraid you're just trying to reap the benefits later!