Senior brother is so awesome!

Qin Yuechan had observed that the person who came to save them from the note would be an ordinary-looking guard, an inconspicuous palace maid, or even an elusive secret guard. But she never expected it to be him, a person who should have died, a person who appeared to be on the enemy's side.

There was no joy in his heart, only a heavy sense of doubt lingering in his mind. Looking at Liu Tingpei's terrifying face, his heart was in turmoil.

"Are you afraid of me?"

A hoarse voice, neither too loud nor too soft, echoed in the bedchamber, reverberating above the high-hanging gauze curtains and penetrating her heart. She raised her head and said, "How can I trust you?"

He forced a smile, his withered lips forming an awkward arc. "I didn't hurt you while you were alive, so how could I bear to hurt you even a little after you're dead?" Suddenly, he changed the subject: "Do you really think I know nothing about your affair with Qin Muhan when you were in the palace?"

Qin Yuechan stood there stunned. After a long while, she lowered her face, realizing that she had truly been foolish. But the truth was elusive and beyond her comprehension; they were merely pawns in Xuan Yuan Qingcang's resurrection.

She took the swaddling clothes and wrapped the sleeping Anran in them, then looked at him indifferently and said, "I still can't understand why you saved me."

He gave a bitter smile. "Go ask Zhong Zhichen after we get out." As they traversed the dark and damp tunnel, the water dripping from all directions chilled them to the bone. She carried Anran in one arm and a small tinderbox in the other, with Qing'er following closely behind. Liu Tingpei led the way. The pitch-black tunnel was surprisingly bright, requiring no light or fire to illuminate the way.

The tunnel was eerily quiet, with only the sound of their somewhat disordered footsteps. After walking for an unknown amount of time, they finally reached the end of the tunnel, where a ladder leaned against the man-made entrance and wound its way up.

Upon seeing the light of day again, they were met with the faint glow of a few candles flickering in the dim, ordinary house. Someone heard the noise and hurriedly got up to greet them. Familiar footsteps were steady yet urgent, and a familiar handsome face appeared before them.

"Cicada".

The deep voice, lost and found again, carried an indescribable joy. He was immediately embraced tightly, but when he touched the small "obstacle" in his arms, Zhong Zhichen's eyes flashed with surprise, and his thin lips trembled almost imperceptibly.

"This is...our child?"

Qin Yuechan looked at his haggard face and nodded gently, "It should be yours."

His brows suddenly sharpened. "Who else?"

"Fourth Senior Brother!"

"You little rascal, you haven't forgotten this even after recovering from a serious illness!" He took Anran from her, lifted the swaddling clothes covering the little head, and smiled again. "Look at these eyes and brows, they must be mine."

Qin Yuechan glared at her, "What do you mean 'yours' and 'mine'? An Ran is my daughter."

“Alright, alright, it’s ours.” Zhong Zhichen smiled. “Anran, although it lacks a bit of a man’s domineering spirit, it’s still a good name. Zhong Anran, not bad, not bad.”

“His surname is Qin! Qin Anran.” She hugged the child, glared at him, and looked behind her at Liu Tingpei, who had already covered his head with a black robe, making it impossible to see his face.

He said from the bottom of his heart, "Thank you for rescuing us."

Liu Tingpei remained silent, her head slightly moving as a long arm encircled her waist, and Zhong Zhichen's deep voice sounded in her ear.

"It is what he should do."

Upon hearing this, Qin Yuechan glared at him, but Liu Tingpei said in a deep voice, "A night of marriage is worth a hundred days of kindness. I will not let her suffer any harm. The person has been delivered. Farewell."

He turned his face toward her before walking into the tunnel, not giving anyone a chance to speak until that frighteningly thin body left the house, at which point the tension in his waist eased slightly.

"Why make it sound so self-evident?"

Zhong Zhichen smiled without saying a word, then hugged An Ran back into his arms and took her hand as they walked out of the house.

"It is not advisable to linger in a place of trouble."

Once seated in the carriage, they realized they were in a private residence in the capital. Zhong Zhichen had once held absolute power in the Xuanyuan Kingdom for years; digging a secret passage through the palace would have been a simple task for him. Fortunately…

Thanks to his foresight, otherwise it would have taken a lot of effort to leave the palace this time.

The entire Xuanyuan Kingdom was thrown into chaos by the arrival of the enemy army. They rode in ordinary, even somewhat dilapidated, carriages as they left the city along the streets, with armored soldiers running past them from time to time, their faces filled with sorrow.

She lifted a corner of the curtain to reveal a pair of eyes. The bustling and noisy streets in her memory were completely overturned, leaving only a mess on the ground. People were fleeing in panic, and the situation was even more chaotic than before her attack. There were many people on the street who were attached to their homeland. Most of them were old and dragged their tired legs and walked listlessly on the street, their gray hair flying in the wind.

"safely."

Just as I was lost in thought, I heard a soft call in my ear, as if I was afraid of disturbing something.

She turned around and saw a scene she had never seen before: an arrogant man in a dark blue brocade robe was holding a soft swaddled baby in his arms in a very incongruous way. From her angle, she could see that Xiao Anran had woken up and was looking at the man holding her with his big, dark eyes, without blinking or crying, with a very curious look.

What surprised her the most was that Zhong Zhichen's stern face was full of tenderness, his eyes filled with the joy of being a father and his doting love for his child. His posture in holding the child was incorrect, but he was extremely careful, as if he were holding the most precious and fragile treasure in the world, and he would accidentally let it slip out of his hands.

Qin Yuechan felt ashamed and thought about herself. She had always been under his control and had never seen him so fearful. So she pouted and let out a barely audible hum.

Immersed in joy, Zhong Zhichen looked over upon hearing the sound. His narrow eyes shone brightly, and a doting smile appeared on his lips. He stretched out his long arm and pulled her into his arms. "You're even jealous of your own son. You really are a jealous person."

Rolling her eyes, Xiao Anran noticed her mother whimpering and squirming, her little mouth pouting as if about to cry. She quickly took her into her arms and gently rocked her, saying to Zhong Zhichen with dissatisfaction, "This is how you hold a baby. Look at your stiff posture, no wonder Anran isn't comfortable."

The man who had just become a father lost the domineering arrogance he once possessed in the world. The lines on his face softened involuntarily. Holding his wife and looking at the child in his arms, he was filled with contentment. He hadn't seen her for a long time, and the scent of her perfume made him a little restless. However, considering their current dangerous situation, he did nothing and tried his best to focus his attention on Anran.

The baby got hungry easily, and he started crying after walking for a short while. Qin Yuechan quickly lifted her clothes to breastfeed him, which stopped his crying. It was already dawn, and Pei Yulin would definitely discover that she was missing and would surely send people to chase after her. An Ran's loud crying might attract the pursuers, which would be terrible.

Thinking this, she belatedly realized that a gaze was fixed on her. Looking up, she saw his burning eyes, gazing passionately at her breasts, which had become even fuller after childbirth. Even though they were an old married couple, she blushed, glared at him, and scolded him lightly, "What are you looking at!"

Zhong Zhichen's deep eyes flashed, and he leaned close to her ear, his breath spraying evenly behind her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

"I'll give you a good talking to when we get back to camp."

After a while of commotion, they finally arrived at the army stationed twenty miles outside the capital. Zhong Zhichen carried the two people, one big and one small, out of the car.

Suddenly seeing the bright daylight from the dark carriage, Qin Yuechan instinctively covered her eyes. She heard several cheerful and familiar voices calling her name. When she opened her eyes, she saw Situ Ze in military uniform and her fifth senior brother Zhao Yelin running over.

The hard, metallic armor made the two look even more handsome. The fifth senior brother, who was already strong and burly, looked like a war god descending to earth in the armor, majestic and awe-inspiring. The extremely handsome Situ Ze, on the other hand, had a different kind of aura in the armor. His beautiful peach blossom eyes were fixed on her, sparkling with light.

Like surviving a catastrophe, the reunion after nearly a year was even more exciting. It wasn't until later that she learned that during the year they disappeared, they had searched the entire continent, even sending people to secretly investigate the dangerous Xuanwu Kingdom and Xuanyuan Kingdom, but to no avail. Just when everyone was heartbroken, Zhong Zhichen actually brought her back. It was like being reborn. How could she not be excited?

Qin Yuechan and An Ran were placed in a tent, which was heavily guarded to prevent anyone from taking advantage of the situation. At the same time, the final battle between the three-nation allied forces and the Xuanyuan Kingdom officially began.

The army of Xuanyuan Kingdom originally belonged to Zhong Zhichen. Although they submitted to the new emperor, they still favored their old master in their hearts. There was no shortage of people who surrendered, so they were able to advance smoothly to the capital and conquer the imperial city without suffering many casualties.

But because it went too smoothly, people couldn't help but suspect that there was something fishy going on. After interrogating the deposed king Pei Yulin, Zhong Zhichen and the others returned and just stared at her for a long time before finally saying, "a femme fatale."

Qin Yuechan was completely innocent. After being questioned by Situ Ze many times, he finally gave a hesitant explanation.

It turns out that Pei Yulin had no intention of seizing the throne. So why did he later commit patricide, usurp the throne, frame Zhong Zhichen, and even join the Mingyue Cult and cooperate with the Xuanwu Kingdom? The reason was actually...

At this point, Situ Ze's gaze towards her was exactly the same as Zhong Zhichen's. Qin Yuechan innocently held the little Anran in her arms, staring at each other with wide eyes, and said with great sorrow and shame, "Your mother really didn't mean to cause such chaos in the world."

With the Xuanyuan Kingdom on the verge of collapse, Zhong Zhichen naturally ascended to the throne. During his previous years in power, the people lived in peace and were convinced of his authority. Apart from some pedantic literati who criticized him, there were no other dissenting voices. After all, it didn't matter to ordinary people who were in charge of the country; as long as they could have enough to eat and live a simple but peaceful life, that was enough.

On the day Pei Yulin died, he asked to see her one last time, but Qin Yuechan did not go. To her, he was just a stranger. Even if he was willing to defy human ethics and destroy the world for her, it was ultimately none of her business.

Having easily dealt with the Xuanyuan Kingdom, she then began the formal war against the Xuanwu Kingdom. Throughout the entire process, she did not see her second, third, or youngest senior brothers. According to Zhong Zhichen, the continuous warfare had caused many refugees to flock to the Qinglong Kingdom, and her second senior brother was a newly enthroned emperor with many matters to attend to. They would naturally meet again when the world was at peace.

She dared not ask who her second senior brother's empress was, for fear of touching the softest string in her heart. Fortunately, An Ran was always clinging to her, so she didn't have much time to wallow in melancholy.

Just when she thought a great battle was about to begin, the entire Xuanwu Kingdom closed its borders and forbade anyone from entering or leaving the Xuanwu Kingdom. At that time, the emperor of the Baihu Kingdom issued a recall order. After some deliberation, Zhong Zhichen and the others decided that a few days later, the fourth senior brother would lead the fifth senior brother back to the capital.

The absurdity of three people in one night will eventually lead to separation.

She stood atop the high city tower, watching the dark army recede into the distance. Her gaze remained fixed on the two tall and imposing figures. Her fourth senior brother turned and waved, while her fifth senior brother stood ramrod straight, presenting her with his stiff back.

Perhaps the wind was strong on the city wall, because the tears that had just welled up in her eyes were quickly dried. The handsome man standing next to her put his arm around her shoulder, and without saying a word, he felt a deep sense of security.

The bloody storm that was supposed to rage vanished without a trace. Xuanwu Kingdom closed itself off from the world, and no one could find out what Qin Muhan was up to. Meanwhile, the Yunting Prince, who rightfully inherited the throne of Xuanwu Kingdom, had a special status and had to live in the palace.

Qin Yuechan really disliked this person, so she tried to stay indoors as much as possible. But just because she didn't go to him didn't mean he wouldn't come looking for trouble.

In the afternoon, in the pavilion of the Imperial Garden, she was playing with little Anran when a black figure appeared before her like a ghost. The palace maids and guards who were nearby stood there as if they had ignored him, probably because he had been acupunctured.

Yun Ting approached step by step in her black boots embroidered with cloud patterns. She tightened her grip on An Ran's arm and her body tensed up like a hedgehog as she watched the tall figure approaching from afar.

Looking at his handsome face, as clear as clouds, she couldn't bring herself to say a harsh word, and could only say indifferently, "What are you doing here?"

Yun Ting gave a mocking smile, gazing at the stone table carved with auspicious clouds in the pavilion, and said jokingly, "Sister-in-law, do you still remember the stone table in the Hundred Flowers Garden?"

Qin Yuechan's heart skipped a beat. She suddenly recalled the entanglement between Qin Muhan and her in the pavilion of the Hundred Garden at the Xuanwu Kingdom Palace. Even now, she could still recall the feeling of her bare back against the cold stone table. Could it be that he was there at that time?

"I suppose you remember the wonderful taste of having sex in the wild."

She glared at her with her beautiful eyes and said in a low voice, "What exactly are you trying to say?"

Yun Ting's playful expression softened, and his gaze towards her revealed pity. He opened his thin lips and said, word by word, "You are pitiful."

"Nonsense!" Holding An Ran, she stood up. The chill rising from her feet made her unwilling to be alone with him. But a dark shadow flashed by in an instant, and his cold face was already facing her. She subconsciously stepped back, her knees hitting the stone bench, and she sat down abruptly.

Startled, she patted An Ran on the shoulder, and seeing that he was alright, she glared at Yun Ting and said, "What good does it do you to bother me?!"

He smiled bitterly, "I was being ungrateful. If Yun Che hadn't begged me, do you think I would have wanted to get involved in your mess!"

Looking into her bewildered eyes, Yun Ting slowly bent down and said, word by word, "Haven't you realized that you've been used by someone from beginning to end?"

"What nonsense are you spouting!" Qin Yuechan roared in anger.

Yun Ting ignored her angry rebuke and continued to speak calmly: "Why did Ye Xianqing adopt you? Your senior brothers are all outstanding individuals, so why would they lower themselves to share a woman like you? Why does Qin Muhan like you? Do you really think he acted impulsively for a woman? Haven't you ever doubted your true identity?"

A series of questions left Qin Yuechan stunned. Ye Xianqing had adopted her to wait for Xuan Yuan Qingcang's rebirth, so wasn't the purpose of the six senior brothers to truly love her and be willing to stay with her alone? Also, Qin Muhan had already joined the evil cult at that time, so was being with her also a conspiracy?

Her heart was filled with panic and helplessness, her face was ashen white, and she numbly shook her head, "You don't need to sow discord, I won't believe your nonsense."

Yun Ting's eyes held a hint of mockery. "Do you know what's written on the Landscape Map?"

"The Map of Mountains and Rivers?" She suddenly remembered that when she first transmigrated, Ling Zhao had come to Sanqing Mountain to steal the Map of Mountains and Rivers, and then mysteriously disappeared. She heard that it contained the location of a treasure left by an ancient god emperor, but how did it get involved with her?

His cold fingers lifted her chin, and looking into her lifeless eyes, he said calmly, "The map of mountains and rivers that everyone is fighting over is in Zhong Zhichen's hands. There's only one sentence written on it. Do you want to know it?"

Before she could refuse, Yunting continued, "When the souls of the three lifetimes return, the waves will rise again. If I obtain the imperial daughter, the world will be at peace."

Qin Yuechan shook her head subconsciously after hearing this, "I don't know what you're talking about. It's time for Anran to go to sleep. Young Master Yun, please make yourself at home."

With that, he scooped up An Ran and fled back to his palace. Yun Ting stood in the pavilion, watching her beautiful figure disappear into the distance. The smile on his lips gradually faded, finally turning into desolation. He murmured listlessly, as if devoid of spirit, "Leave them..."

Upon entering the palace, Qing'er greeted her and, seeing her pale face, asked anxiously, "What's wrong, Master?"

"fine."

Qin Yuechan handed Anran over to Qing'er, then walked heavily into the bedroom. After closing the door, she leaned against it and slid to the floor. The cold marble floor seeped into her skin, and her whole body trembled slightly. She wanted to fall asleep right then and there, but her mind was unusually clear. Apart from what Yunting had said, almost everything else was connected, forming an impenetrable net that enveloped her, making her feel like she was living a life worse than death.

She recalled the conversation between Zhong Zhichen and his second senior brother in the farmyard, and the safe arrival of their first child, Kai. Everything seemed like a coincidence, yet there was a hint of something strange about it.

Before the miscarriage and before the pregnancy, Situ Ze was always around, and he had always been on good terms with his second senior brother...

"Junior Sister will never get pregnant..." Her second senior brother's words echoed in her ears, startling her like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.

So, she miscarried because she was drugged, and for more than two years she couldn't get pregnant. Later, when she was intimate with her fourth senior brother, she smelled a medicinal scent. She initially thought it was because he was recovering from a serious illness and might have picked up some of the smell, but now she realizes that it was actually the antidote to her infertility...

Haha, no wonder my second senior brother was so cold to her, it was because he felt guilty...

---Aside---

A little bit of angst before the ultimate perfection~