Spring arrives and the land smiles

82 Border Army (Center)

Early morning, Chongying Pavilion, Xuanhua Palace, East Palace of the Great Qi Dynasty.

The Cheng Ying sword flashed with a cold light and thrust straight forward. After a muffled groan, Ning Yuan sheathed the Cheng Ying sword.

"It's just sword practice, why be so harsh?" Yunxuan got up from the ground and dusted himself off.

"Your martial arts skills are only slightly better than Yan'er's, so you naturally need to practice more." Ning Yuan ignored Yun Xuan's complaints, picked up Yun Xuan's sword from the ground and threw it to him. Yun Xuan spun around and barely managed to catch it.

“Once that Prince Zhao enters the Eastern Palace, someone will naturally accompany you to practice swordsmanship. I’ve heard that he comes from a prestigious family and started following Li Muqing to defend the border at the age of fourteen.” Yunxuan was unconvinced. How could a civil official like him compare his skills with those of a military general?

"Let's wait until he enters the Eastern Palace before we discuss this." Ning Yuan turned around and slashed horizontally. Yun Xuan couldn't defend himself and had to retreat several steps. In the end, he had to use the blade of his sword to support himself and keep his balance.

"Ning Yuan, what's wrong with you!" Even Yun Xuan, who had the best temper, was furious. "If you're not happy, I'll accompany you to storm the Tranquil Heart Palace. I'd rather die than give up."

Yunxuan's words calmed Ning Yuan down. He stared at Yunxuan and asked, "What about you? Aren't you upset?"

Yunxuan's feelings for Yan'er are beyond doubt, so his ability to accept it so calmly can only be described as putting on a brave face.

Yunxuan replied with a wry smile, "How could I be qualified?"

Indeed, without Ning Yuan's assistance, he himself would not have been able to enter the Eastern Palace, so all the other claims are just empty talk.

“Qingyan is the future empress. There are two of her in the harem,” Yunxuan pointed to himself, “and there will be a third,” then pointed to the south, “and perhaps there will be a fourth, a fifth, and a sixth in the future.” He dejectedly put his hand down, “We all have to accept it.”

These words jolted Ning Yuan awake. He gripped the Cheng Ying sword tightly, stared at it for a moment, and then fiercely nailed it to a locust tree several feet away, the blade penetrating deep into the wood.

This level of martial prowess truly shocked Yun Xuan. It seems that even if Lan Zhen enters the Eastern Palace, her future days will not be easy.

Lan Zhen, far away in Yushan, suddenly felt a chill.

Inside Yushanxingyi.

Qingyan held the message brought by Sicheng in her hand, squeezing it tighter and tighter until the letter tore.

"Princess," Si Cheng reminded her.

Qingyan snapped out of her daze, crumpled the letter into a ball, threw it hard on the ground, and got up to leave the bedroom.

Si Cheng sighed, picked up the crumpled paper from the ground, and quickly followed.

The message on the letter was sent to her by Qing Huan: Her father had issued an imperial decree to betroth Lan Zhen, and the decree would arrive at Yushan soon.

The imperial decree has decreed this marriage; it seems Lan Zhen has been planning this for a long time. We shouldn't have been soft-hearted because of his previous self-destructive actions. Qingyan thought resentfully.

Sure enough, on the third day after the news arrived, the imperial edict from the Longqing Emperor arrived. When Qingyan saw Lan Zhen's mouth almost stretched to the back of his ears when he received the edict, she just wanted to slap him. But when she thought of the two people in Shengjing, she didn't know what to do. They must have known about this already. Well, that saved her the trouble of explaining.

A powerful neighbor sent a prince to marry into the family. Although the prince was to marry into the family as a concubine, his status as a prince was still significant. Coupled with political factors, the wedding had to be grand and solemn. This imperial edict also indicated that Emperor Longqing seemed to be impatient.

"Sicheng, send a message to my brother to sound out Father's intentions. Is he planning to bring forward the final cleanup operation?" Qingyan instructed. "Oh, and don't tell my brother about Father sending me to the southeastern border." Qingyan recalled the secret letter from the other day.

"Yes," Si Cheng replied.

After Si Cheng withdrew, Qing Yan touched her forehead, feeling a headache coming on. If her father really had this plan, then the matter on the southeastern border would be even more urgent. But Lan Zhen, that thorn in her side, now had the imperial decree of marriage in her possession, and he was even more unscrupulous in clinging to her.

Forget it, let's take a step by step.

Qingyan sighed.

"Princess," Luo Qing greeted her from outside the door.

Finally, Luo Qing took the initiative to change her dressing, and Qing Yan quickly got up to open the door for her.

"It's time to change the medication." Luo Qing came in carrying a medicine box.

Just as Qingyan was about to close the door, she heard Zhuier exclaim in surprise.

"Princess."

"Zhui'er? What are you doing here?"

"Princess, this...this is the medicinal meal that Young Master Luo ordered." Zhui'er stuffed the medicinal meal into Qingyan's hand with a bitter face, and then ran away.

"Change the medicine first, then eat the medicinal food," Luo Qing said with a smile.

Qingyan carried the medicinal meal and walked over with her head down.

"The wound has healed a lot." Luo Qing's technique was skillful, and Qing Yan could no longer feel the pain.

"Then can we skip this medicinal diet?" Qingyan asked with a playful smile.

“Hmm,” Luo Qing pondered for a moment, “You can stop taking it after eating it once more tomorrow.”

"Alright." Qingyan resignedly picked up the medicine bowl.

"The Emperor sent a secret letter the other day, it seems the trip to the southeastern border will have to be brought forward," Qingyan said as she ate, the distinct taste of medicine in her mouth making her frown.

"It's alright, I'm ready to serve whenever the princess commands," Luo Qing said with a smile.

"Young Master Luo is a man of great integrity."

Qingyan truly admired Luo Qing's character—low-key, honest, and loyal; highly skilled in medicine yet not arrogant; and always ready to help her. Yet, Qingyan couldn't understand why Luo Qing would fall for her. Alas, what a tragic fate. As for Lan Zhen, although they had interacted before, it was always out of necessity. Luo Qing was different; she always had to beg him, repeatedly risking his life for her. This wasn't a debt of affection, but a debt of life. Affection could be repaid, but how could a life be repaid?

“Princess,” Luo Qing suddenly grasped Qing Yan’s hand, staring into her eyes, as if she had made a great decision.

Qingyan was startled, but she didn't pull her hand away. She steadied herself and listened to Luo Qing continue.

Luo Qing blushed and continued, "Princess, could you please stop calling me Young Master Luo?" Luo Qing paused, "Princess once promised that I would be your fiancé, so, then could you call me Brother Qing, just like, just like you would call Lan Zhenzhen Brother?" Luo Qing's voice grew softer and softer.

ah……?

The contrast with Luo Qing was so great that Qing Yan was stunned and didn't react for a moment.

"Princess." Luo Qing called out to her when she did not respond.

Qingyan snapped out of her daze, opened her mouth, but didn't know how to answer appropriately.

Perhaps it was Qingyan's hesitation that made Luo Qing's eyes darken: "I was being presumptuous."

Qingyan quickly said, "Brother Luo...Qing, how could it be so abrupt? It's only right. But why should we address each other like that scoundrel Lan Zhen? How about this, from now on I'll call you Luo Qing. Hmm, you don't need to call me Princess anymore, just call me," Qingyan thought for a moment, "just call me Qingqing. See, don't our names match well?"

Upon hearing the title "Brother Zhen," Qingyan recalled the fear of being dominated by Lan Zhen that day. She couldn't let Luo Qing take this as a symbol of getting closer to her.

"Okay." Luo Qing was indeed easy to coax and talk to.

"Qingqing."

"Ah."

Luo Qing left, satisfied.