Chapter 136

  As soon as the words were spoken, all four seats were shocked!

  The crowd gasped in shock, and all they saw was the woman's black long gown dancing without wind, her snow-white neck standing upright, her chin slightly raised, looking lonely and proud. Her flying hair bun and entire body formed a perfect straight line, her eyes cold and piercing, revealing a sharp gaze that chilled to the bone, as she stared at these blind and arrogant princes of Qin with disdain and contempt in her eyes.

  The Seventh Prince Qin Zhen presented himself as a member of the Qin Zhiyi party, his eyes gleaming with intensity, holding a wine cup in his hand, and speaking in a low, melancholic tone: "I had forgotten that Mistress Zhuang is after all the concubine of the Great Emperor of Southern Chu. We were pointing at the monk and cursing the bald donkey, so naturally you wouldn't be able to bear it."

  The ninth prince, Qin Zhiyuan, said coldly: "First, she was the runaway crown princess of Eastern Qi, then she was the abandoned and publicly denounced concubine of Southern Chu. Now, she is pointing fingers and drawing pictures in the Taihe Hall of our Great Qin. Indeed, she does not know how high the heavens are or how thick the earth is."

  Qin Zhiyi let out a soft sigh, his eyes slightly raised, and said with a seemingly sincere and regretful tone: "On that day at the White Deer Plain, my third brother defied our father for your sake, disregarding the lives of millions of people in the north. He risked everything to charge into battle for you, and clashed swords with the Chu Emperor. Today, within the borders of Great Qin, and in the Taihe Grand Hall, you say such words in front of my third brother's face - aren't you afraid of chilling his heart?"

  Qing Xia sneered and thought to herself, "The fox's tail has finally been exposed." She turned around fearlessly and gazed coldly at the refined but ruthless Prince Qin. With a hint of a smile on her lips, she said, "What does it matter that I was once an imperial consort in two dynasties? As a refined prince, you should be familiar with the history of Great Qin. In the year of Gengzi, the only female emperor in Great Qin's history, Qin Dianqiu, married into the imperial family as a widow, bringing her two children with her. Emperor Hu Hai not only didn't mind her status but also accepted it openly. Later, when she was kidnapped by the Xiongnu and taken to Hansha City for two months, she was made a concubine of the Xiongnu king and suffered humiliation and defilement. She lost the imperial heir and became infertile. If Emperor Hu Hai hadn't established her eldest son, Qin Nianzhi, as emperor, the rulers of today's Great Qin would still be from the Ying clan. You are all beneficiaries of the overthrow of the old and the remarriage of widows, yet you've forgotten your ancestors so quickly. Do you think you were born with an imperial destiny?"

  "A bold and wanton woman!" Qin Zhiyi flew into a rage, his sword-like eyebrows rising up, and he shouted: "In the main hall of our Great Qin, how can we tolerate a mere little woman being so reckless and insolent, speaking wildly and irrationally? Guards! Take her away!"

  "Halt!" Qin Zhiyan's cold eyes swept over, and the guards at the door immediately stopped in their tracks, too stunned to come in. All they heard was Qin Zhiyan's low, chilly voice saying, "Does Second Brother think this is the Yan King's palace? In Father Emperor's Taihe Great Hall, when has it ever been your turn to give orders?"

  "Your Majesty!" Qing Xia suddenly turned around, facing the throne and kneeling down to Qin Wang. In a solemn tone, she said: "I am but a humble woman, with a tarnished reputation and no face to stand in this grand hall and offer my opinions on the governance of Great Qin. However, I have mustered great courage to come before Your Majesty, as I share a deep affection with Prince Xuan. I beg of you, gracious ruler, to forgive me, a pitiful woman who has been tossed about by fate, unable to control her own destiny. I am not born licentious, nor am I prone to betrayal. Many things in life are beyond one's control, and as a weak woman controlled by my family, I implore you, with your vast and boundless heart, to leave me a small path to follow. I do not ask for complete pardon, but only a glimmer of hope, that this abandoned and helpless person may find a way to survive."

  The King of Qin slightly hesitated, his face calm and tranquil, with no discernible emotions. After a while, he slowly spoke: "According to what you said, the mountains and rivers of Great Qin are in imminent danger. If you stay in Great Qin, how can it be considered a way out?"

  Qing Xia's eyes lit up, and she raised her head to say: "There are two sides to every matter. What the woman said earlier was only one side of it. If Your Majesty is still willing to listen to this poor, homeless, and despised woman, I will dare to speak out my humble opinion again for Your Majesty's judgment..."

  The King of Qin's face was calm as water, and he said lightly: "Speak."

  Qing Xia smiled brightly, straightened his body and raised his head to say: "Compared with the other four countries, my Great Qin has four advantages that others can't match even if they try their best. These four points are the powerful driving force for my Great Qin's victory. As long as we grasp these four points firmly, others will have no chance of winning."

  The fourth prince Qin Zheyan raised an eyebrow slightly and said in a deep voice: "What four points?"

  Seeing him speaking, Qing Xia turned her head and smiled brightly at him, nodding her head in thanks: "The Fourth Prince has traveled south and north for many years, with great military achievements and broad knowledge, so naturally he knows what the common people call themselves?"

  The fourth prince was slightly stunned and said: "Of course, you call yourself a Han person?"

  "That's right." Qing Xia smiled slightly, with a confident glow in her eyes, and said proudly: "In the past, the Second Emperor of Qin unified the weights and measures, standardized the currency, built schools, established medical institutions, and managed the transportation stations, money shops, and river transportation, which made the country that was repeatedly ravaged and scarred during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period become a great power in just ten years. The economy flourished, the people were rich, and the various tribes of Huaxia were unified as Han, calling themselves the Han nationality. They abolished the enmity and divisions between the different tribes, and now, after a thousand years have passed, we can see the far-sightedness of Emperor Qin's vision. The people of the world are united, except for a few minority groups on the borders who have their own systems, there is no longer any tribal conflict. The people of the world consider themselves Han, which is also a tribute to the kindness of the Second Emperor. At the same time, it is also an unconscious recognition that we are the descendants of the great Qin dynasty. If our great Qin wants to rise up with arms, it would be justified and righteous, and it would be a matter of recovering the ancestral lands. Even if there were three kingdoms, they would still be strong and prosperous, but they would also be treacherous officials and rebellious sons, and the people's hearts would naturally return to us, making our task easier. As the saying goes, 'he who wins the hearts of the people will win the world.' This is one of the four points that I, a woman, have spoken about."

  "Well said! A man who wins the hearts of the people will win the world!" The eighth prince, Qin Zhi Xiang, suddenly spoke up, his low voice particularly loud in the quiet grand hall.

  Qing Xia knew that Qin Zhi Xiang was the younger brother of Qin Zhi Yan, and also the son of Yao Fei. Compared to other princes, he was naturally more intimate. He nodded his head in response: "Thank you, Eighth Prince, for your praise."

  Qin Zhi Xiang raised his cup high and drained it in one gulp. Qing Xia turned around, facing Qin Wang and continued: "Secondly, although our great Qin is located in the northeast, with harsh weather conditions and constant harassment by the Xiongnu, we have been at war for three hundred years, with battles raging on. However, it is precisely because of this that our great Qin has honed its fierce iron cavalry, and almost every citizen in the northern border is a soldier. Our warriors are brave and fearless, charging forward with their lives on the line, and even the Xiongnu people dare not confront them head-on. I ask you, which country can withstand the might of our iron cavalry, and use their flesh and blood to resist the ferocity of our tiger-like army?"

  The king of Qin's expression gradually eased, and he nodded slowly, saying in a soft voice: "You continue speaking."

  Everyone saw the expression of the King of Qin, who dared to interrupt again? Qing Xia secretly rejoiced in her heart, but remained calm on her face. She thought to herself that if she didn't take advantage of this opportunity for herself, she would be either stupid or foolish. At this moment, she spoke out loud: "Thirdly, our great Qin nation is rich and prosperous, with the highest grain production among the four nations. Although the north may not produce as much rice as the south, which has two to three harvests a year, the yield of corn and sweet potatoes is quite impressive. Now that the Third Prince has opened up the livestock pass in Xichuan, if we manage it properly, I guarantee that within five years, our animal husbandry will also develop to the same level as Xichuan's. When the time comes for our great army to march east, with horses and mules following behind, and soldiers on foot, attacking cities and territories, riding horses and having sufficient supplies, who can withstand the blade of our great Qin?"

  The King of Qin had completely removed the color of disdain, and slightly furrowed his brow in contemplation: "In a battle between two armies, the attacking side consumes much more than the defending side. You say that the pack horses and civilian laborers are still behind, can they really supply the front line? It must be known that 160 years ago, my great Qin iron cavalry king, three times eastward expedition were all dismal conclusions, no more than because of the grain and grass relay not up, the army was in chaos, the military heart was unstable."

  "Heaven bless the great king's benevolence and might, illuminating all. On that day, after the battle at White Deer Plain, I had a strange encounter after falling into the valley. After staying in Penglai Valley for several days, I learned the techniques of several exquisite and profound mechanisms. If you give me five years' time, I can definitely create a wooden horse that can traverse mountains and valleys without needing food, rest or human labor, to serve as a convenient vehicle for our great Qin."

  "Is there really such a divine object in the world?" The Qin king was overjoyed and hastily asked, even the surrounding princes were wide-eyed with wonder. On that day, during the battle at Penglai, many soldiers from the Flame Character Camp and Eastern Qi and Southern Chu had entered, and even Western Chuan had sent scouts inside. Although they had all left under pressure from various parties, Penglai had closed off its passageway again, and no one could enter. However, the various wondrous things within naturally had some rumors circulating among the people. Upon hearing Qing Xia say this, he suddenly remembered that among the few people who had gone down earlier was this woman, and she had even been mistaken by Penglai as the master. Thinking of this, his gaze at her instantly became not so simple.

  "The queen of the people would never dare to deceive Your Majesty, it's just that what is needed is really complicated and cannot be accomplished in five years. It's truly difficult to succeed, therefore I beg Your Majesty to extend the deadline, if after five years I still cannot make achievements for Your Majesty by conquering the east, then Your Majesty can behead me."

  The King of Qin was overjoyed and said with a smile: "Get up, go on and talk about the fourth point."

  Qing Xia stood up, with a smile as bright as a flower, her eyebrows and eyes elegant, she raised her head and said in a clear voice: "As for the fourth point, everyone under heaven knows that it is our great king's wise and divine military prowess, both literary and martial arts are unparalleled in the world. He loves his people like his children, has a broad mind, is kind and virtuous, and his majesty is unmatched in the world. His benevolence and authority have spread throughout the four seas, and the northern white barbarians are competing to pay homage to him. It's already showing signs of being the master of the world. Our great Qin imperial family is prosperous, with a strong foundation, each of you princes is young and promising, brave and heroic. The world is governed by those who have virtue, and ruled by those who have ability. With Your Majesty having both virtue and ability, how can you not unify the world, recover the four seas, and ascend to the throne of the great king?"

  "Haha!" The King of Qin laughed loudly and said: "You are indeed the daughter of Zhuang Dianru, with broad vision, extensive knowledge, and strong memory. No wonder the Grand Emperor of Xichuan personally appointed you as the Female General of Xichuan and granted you a princess's salary, while the Crown Prince of Qi and the Emperor of Chu fought over you repeatedly, almost starting a war. Zhiyan brought back a good girl, haha!"

  "Thank you, Your Majesty," Qing Xia said again, kneeling on the ground and speaking loudly: "A loyal minister serves a wise lord, a divine crane carries a god, I am just an ordinary commoner, with a life of ups and downs. It is only because of Your Majesty's greatness that I can speak freely in this grand hall, expressing my shallow opinions. Only a benevolent ruler like you can forgive my past mistakes and not treat me as a wicked person to be burned at the stake. A thousand-mile horse wishes to gallop for its master, although I am not a thousand-mile horse, but just an ordinary commoner, I also wish to devote my life to serving our great Qin dynasty, shedding blood and sacrificing myself to repay Your Majesty's kindness."

  The King of Qin's face lit up with joy, he raised his head and downed a cup of wine, then handed the wine cup in his hand to an attendant beside him, smiling and saying: "Little girl, your words are very pleasant to hear, I'm delighted, so I'll grant you my imperial cup. From now on, at royal family banquets and policy discussions, you can enter the main hall."

  Qing Xia heard this and smiled brightly, kowtowing to say: "Your Majesty's words are as radiant as the full moon, being able to often hear Your Majesty's noble discussions is a blessing that this humble woman has cultivated for three lifetimes."

  As soon as the King of Qin raised his cup, the rest of the people hurriedly raised their cups to celebrate. The Righteousness of Qin talked and laughed with ease, not losing any face at all. On the other hand, the Seventh Prince and Ninth Prince looked worried and unhappy, their faces as ugly as they could be. Qing Xia smiled as she took over the wine cup handed by the inner attendant, stood up and retreated back to Qin's seat. As she sat down, she glanced at Qin with a bright smile, her smiling face as beautiful as a flower. She reached out to hold Qin's hand under the table, only to find his palm was covered in fine sweat, which made her heart warm up, and she grasped it tightly.

  Qin's flames turned around, his eyes flashing with devastating beauty, set off by the soft glow of the lanterns, like a precious deep-sea pearl. The loving couple gazed at each other and smiled, a thousand words and phrases all conveyed in their four eyes meeting, without needing half a word.

  "Father, with the help of Zhuang's daughter, I, Qin, will lead the army to the battlefield one day and conquer the four barbarians. The time is not far away." The sixth king, Qin Zheng, said with a smile, while the seventh king and ninth king raised their eyebrows and looked displeased.

  The King of Qin was in a good mood, and smiled as he said: "Since Miss Zhuang is well-versed in the art of mechanics, from now on she will go to the capital's construction department to take up an official post. Zhiyan, you arrange it later."

  Qin's flames nodded slightly. In a low voice, he said: "Yes, Father Emperor."

  Previously, the thirteen kings of Qin, who had been clamoring for Qing Xia's beauty, heard the sound and hastily stood up, shouting: "Father Emperor, all my elder brothers can share your worries, but I have been idle at home every day, wandering around. In the past, I repeatedly disobeyed Father Emperor's orders, but today, after hearing what Zhuang said, it was like a wake-up call, making me suddenly realize my mistakes. Father Emperor, why not give me a task too?"

  Everyone was shocked to hear this, and the King of Qin also doubted and said: "Where did today's sun come from? Our Qin family has a famous playboy, and it turns out that there is also a time for sudden awakening and reform. Then tell me, what can you do? As your father, I will consider it for you."

  Everyone burst out laughing at the same time. This Qin Zhiyu and Seventeenth Jiang Hua Wang Shijian, the Double Saints of the Imperial City, were notorious for their flirtatious ways, and were known as the most infamous playboys in the Qin family. Previously, when the King had repeatedly tried to appoint them to official positions, they had avoided it like poison, but now that they were voluntarily asking for a job, everyone felt as surprised as if it were snowing in June.

  Only to see Qin Zhiyu slowly standing up, brushing his clothes, and smiling: "I, the crown prince, have been interested in mechanical engineering since I was a child. Why not send me to the capital's construction department to assist Zhuang Juniang in creating divine weapons for Father Emperor to help my brothers conquer cities?"

  The King of Qin shook his head in disapproval, but also with deep smile lines. Qin's flame had a faint smile at the corner of his mouth, turned his head to look into Qing Xia's eyes, and tightened his grip on her hand. The two sat in the grand hall, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of people, the noise was deafening, but in their eyes it seemed as if there were only two people, as if heaven and earth had come to a standstill, everything was clear and unremarkable.

  No matter how tense the atmosphere was before, it has now returned to a festive mood. The six kings and nine kings are indeed good at adjusting the atmosphere. After a while, the hall is filled with music, the sound of silk and bamboo instruments rises, the dancing girls dance elegantly, and everyone eats, chats, and gradually relaxes.

  Qing Xia poured wine and served dishes for Qin's Yan, gentle and virtuous, truly like a noble and virtuous lady. King Qin also knew that Qin's Yan was not in good health, so the wine jug on their table contained honey brewed flower wine, sweet to drink, similar to modern beverages. Qing Xia drank several cups, but showed no signs of intoxication, instead her cheeks flushed slightly red from the wine fumes in the great hall, looking charming and captivating.

  Just then, a round of singing and dancing ended, Qin Zhiyi suddenly stood up and said to the King of Qin: "Father Emperor, Mother Empress, Song'er has specially prepared a song and dance for this family banquet, to present to Father Emperor and Mother Empress, wishing you both good health and longevity."

  Empress Chunyu was one of the few gentle people in the harem, with a motherly air that commanded respect. She disliked conflict and was always amicable to everyone in the palace, including the princes. It was precisely because of her temperament that she could keep the peace among the various consorts in the harem, allowing King Qin to marry one wife after another and have child after child. All Empress Chunyu did was smile kindly and say, "Song'er hasn't been seen since she gave birth; it's hard on her, but she's doing well."

  The woman in red sitting next to Qin Zhiyi slowly stood up, and Qing Xia could almost see the powder on her face falling off as she moved. It's unknown how Qin Zhiyi tolerated it. She walked slowly to the center of the venue, bowed to King Qin and Empress Chunyu, and the musicians played their instruments in unison with the sound of silk and bamboo. The woman danced elegantly, looking like a 17 or 18-year-old girl, unexpectedly having given birth to a child. Her body was slender, her dance moves beautiful, but Qing Xia had an unfavorable impression of her husband, which extended to this woman as well. She lazily glanced at her twice before burying her head in the food on the long table and eating voraciously.

  As the music ended, applause erupted from all directions. Qing Xia was holding a grape and also raised her head to join in the clapping, but suddenly saw that woman turn around and give her a cold glance before sitting back down. She couldn't help but be taken aback, and a thread of vigilance rose up from the bottom of her heart.

  Sure, here is the translation:

  As expected, a woman named Song'er had just sat down when the concubine of the Seventh Prince stood up to sing. Afterwards, the female companion of the Ninth Prince wrote an extemporaneous seven-character regulated poem praising her virtues. If Qing Xia still didn't know what was going on at this point, then she would have truly lived in vain all these years. She turned around and instructed a servant with one word before quietly sitting back down, waiting for the next round of storms to pass.

  As expected, half a time later, the family banquet turned into a talent show for Qin's daughter-in-law. Each of the mistresses from various palaces brought out their specialties, and eighteen different talents were displayed in a dazzling array. Before long, the focus was on the Princess of Xuanwangfu.

  The ninth prince, Qin Zhiyuan, was indeed a sharp-tongued person and spoke up first: "I've often heard that Master Zhuang is well-versed in the classics of past and present, and Miss Zhuang must also have some hidden talents. I wonder what kind of skill she can show us to open our eyes?"

  Qing Xia smiled faintly, having already guessed what these people were up to. They had taken turns singing and dancing, reciting poetry and painting, showcasing all the skills that women should possess. If she were to perform something they had already done, she would naturally be looked down upon. So, for now, she didn't rush, smiled calmly, and said: "A commoner like me has neither talent nor virtue, how can I be mentioned in the same breath as Your Highnesses? It's better not to come out and lose face."

  The seventh prince, Qin Zhiyong, said loudly: "What are you talking about, Young Lady Zhuang? Do you know that since the founding of Great Qin, except for the three generations of female emperors, only the leader of the 72 water armies of the Southern Region, Fei Lian's daughter, General Lu, the mistress of Huayang County, had the honor of entering the inner court to discuss politics. You have received this special honor, how could you design a plan with such mediocre and incompetent people? Are you saying that Father Emperor is not good at judging people, and his eyes are dim and old?"

  As soon as the words fell, the Seventh Prince knew he had misspoken. Sure enough, only to see the King of Qin's eyebrows slowly furrowing, this remark was ostensibly directed at Qing Xia, but in reality, it also carried a veiled rebuke towards him. Qing Xia saw the Second Prince raise an eyebrow, about to speak up to cover for him, how could she give them this opportunity to correct their mistake? She hastily stood up and said loudly: "Since Your Highness has spoken, I, a humble subject, will make a foolish suggestion."

  Smiling and nodding at Qin Zhiyan, she walked into the arena, bowed to King Qin and Empress Chunyu, and said: "Everyone has already performed what they should have performed. If I were to repeat it, first of all, I wouldn't be able to surpass the various princesses, and secondly, there would be no novelty. How about this? I'll just perform a little trick, if I can make Your Majesty and Her Majesty smile, that's my good fortune."

  Junyu Empress smiled and said: "You child is very interesting, and you look dignified and elegant, no wonder you are the daughter of Mr. Zhuang."

  Qing Xia smiled and thanked him, then clapped her hands twice. The servants of the Xuanwang Fu carried a table into the great hall and placed it in the center. Everyone looked at each other in confusion, no one knew what she was up to. Unlike the optimistic disdain of the seven kings and nine kings, Qin Zhiyi looked at Qing Xia's smiling face and suddenly felt a sense of foreboding, his brow furrowed as he thought to himself: this woman always managed to do what others couldn't, turning things around unexpectedly, hopefully she wouldn't end up doing all the work only to have someone else reap the benefits.

  On the sandalwood table, a black satin was spread, hanging down to the ground. Qing Xia took out a cage from underneath and everyone looked over, only to see that inside was a small white animal with green eyes and white fur, about the size of a palm, looking very cute and spirited.

  The King of Qin had never seen such a spiritual beast before and curiously asked: "What is this? How come I have never seen it before?"

  "This is a spiritual beast living under the snowy plains of the North, and local legend has it that this beast can change its form at will, and after a thousand years, it can ascend to heaven as a god. That's why the people of Penglai Valley consider this beast an ancient divine beast, worshiping it as their tribe's totem, and dare not capture it. I don't know why, but this little beast has been following the footsteps of our Qin army all along, bringing good fortune from afar, rushing thousands of miles from Penglai Valley to Xianyang City, presumably because the spiritual beast is reporting good news, knowing that our great Qin will rise again, and thus brought down good fortune ahead of time."

  As soon as this statement came out, the seven kings and nine kings immediately rolled their eyes in disgust, secretly thinking that this woman's flattering words were endless, even more skilled than those who flattered them every day. She told lies without blushing or gasping for air, simply shameless to the extreme.

  But outsiders are another matter, whether they believe it or not. When Qin Wang heard this, he was overjoyed and smiled, saying: "Zhuang's daughter, what performance do you want to show me? Don't keep me in suspense."

  Qing Xia smiled brightly, picked up a red cloth and shone it on the cage, closed her eyes with a pretentious air, muttered a few sentences to herself, then opened her eyes and laughed, saying: "Okay."

  Jiǔ Wáng glared with wide eyes and added incredulously: "Is that it? What kind of ending is this?"

  Qing Xia didn't even glance at him and said to the King of Qin, "This is a trick that requires one final step, I hope Your Majesty can help me."

  The King of Qin was greatly amused, and Qing Xia took the opportunity to say: "Your Majesty is a true dragon son of heaven, with the mandate of heaven, your breath is the clear and imperial dragon energy, which can ward off all poisons and has the power to communicate with spirits and ghosts. I hope that Your Majesty will blow a mouthful of air in my hand, so that the commoner's daughter will have a momentary divine power."

  Although he knew that the king was talking nonsense, King Qin was still very happy and readily agreed. Qing Xia walked up to the high platform from the side, knelt beside him, and respectfully stretched out his hands. The king, with a hint of drunkenness, placed his hands on top of Qing Xia's, who immediately closed his hands like he had obtained a treasure, tightly covering them. He stepped back, smiled at the crowd, and said: "Everyone, look closely! The moment to transform the rotten into the magical has arrived!" After speaking, he opened his hands and blew a mouthful of air towards the cage, as if blowing the king's breath into the cage. Immediately after, he stood up and lifted the curtain covering the cage with a whooshing sound. The crowd erupted in shocked cries, even Qin Zhiyan slightly raised an eyebrow.

  The cage that originally held the small beast was now empty, with only a single jade plate left behind. On it was placed a gigantic bird, its aroma wafting up, perfectly cooked and tender.

  "Congratulations to Your Majesty, felicitations to Your Majesty, the auspicious beast presents gifts, wishing our king great fortune and prosperity that will last for a thousand autumns and a hundred generations, forever flourishing."

  In this era, these people had never seen such magic before. Although it was extremely simple, it was enough to leave them speechless. Qing Xia didn't know how modern magicians did their tricks, but with the help of Tong Ren's great wisdom, it was naturally easy.

  The Prince of Qin ordered in a low voice to the eunuch: "Test for poison."

  A eunuch in a green robe stepped forward, the silver needle pierced deep, but suddenly inserted into a hard object, slightly furrowed his brow, used a knife to pry open, and saw that inside the bird's abdomen was actually a sandalwood box. The surprised eunuchs presented it respectfully to the King of Qin. The King of Qin opened it with suspicion, and saw that inside the box was a white silk painting. He ordered the two eunuchs beside him to unroll it, and saw that the painting was over three zhang long, with mountains, rivers, maps, and seas all included, and marked on it was the entire map of the Chinese mainland.

  Shocking and unparalleled, all around is silent.

  Qing Xia hastily knelt on the ground and said loudly: "It is said that the Prime Minister's belly can hold a boat, Your Majesty is the ruler of a country, and what you carry in your chest and abdomen is naturally this magnificent and prosperous world. This painting was painted by the Third Prince after exhausting his efforts for many years. The common woman borrows flowers to offer Buddha, using this method to present it to Your Majesty, hoping that when Your Majesty competes for the world, it can serve as a guiding light, and include all four sides and six harmonies under the iron horse of our Great Qin, establishing an eternal and unparalleled achievement!"

  After a brief silence, the King of Qin burst out laughing and said with joy: "Indeed, you are worthy of being the God of War of my Great Qin and the son of Qinzi Cheng. This great gift makes me happier than your conquest of dozens of cities."

  Tai's flames sank as he walked towards the center, knelt down and said: "To share worries with you, I, your son, cannot decline!"

  "It's hard for you to find such a clever and resourceful woman, so today I grant the title of Duchess of Tai's sharpness to Zhuang Qingxia, and after my 60th birthday, I will personally preside over your wedding."

  Tai Zhiyan and Qing Xia were stunned, half a beat later they reacted. Knocking their heads on the ground, they thanked him loudly.

  The entire imperial family congratulated Tai Zhiyan, and the banquet was in full swing. Amidst the flattering voices, Qing Xia finally had another identity and successfully resolved the impending crisis of her life. She could now live a legitimate life in the Xuanwang Fu, but for some reason, after the faint joy, a layer of heaviness slowly covered everything again. The surrounding scenery seemed a bit dizzy. Standing beside Tai Zhiyan, holding his hand, her heart seemed to drift thousands of miles away to that night three years ago. The dazzling windpipe and Xiafu had once been worn on this body's shoulders. The man's back in the small pavilion by the lake was lonely and sparse, but it had the power to hold up the sky.

  Everything will be covered in dust, and she will finally cast aside all her past to welcome a new life. This time the great tide of fate, whether it will go as she wishes, from now on the four seas will rise and fall without waves.

  A snow-white small animal was sleeping soundly, biting the hem of her skirt. The Thai king was old after all, and the banquet had almost come to an end by this time. After the Thai king left his seat, everyone gradually dispersed, and as soon as they got on the carriage, Tai Zhiyan hugged Qing Xia's waist, with a happy smile in his eyes, like a child, even the corners of his eyes were filled with uncontrollable joy.

  She thought that the Thai royal family would easily accept Qing Xia, and she couldn't have imagined that tonight they would kill two birds with one stone, solving both the crisis of Nan Chuyi and Jia Yun's marriage. Although he had already thought of many countermeasures, none were as effortless as Qing Xia's approach.

  Qing Xia naturally knew what he was thinking, happily hooked his neck and said with a smile: "I'm awesome, your father likes me very much."

  Tai Zhiyan happily said: "Yima is the smartest woman under the sky."

  "Really clever." Qing Xia kissed his face and smiled, saying: "Since you also say I'm smart, from now on, everything must be discussed with me, can't just keep it to yourself. Let me help you, okay?"

  Tai Zhi Yan was taken aback for a moment, then said in a low voice: "Yima'er, I like you, I don't want you to scheme or fight for me, I just want..."

  "It goes without saying...” Qīng Xià suddenly stretched out her hand, covering his mouth, and whispered: “Husband and wife are originally one body, one loss is shared by both, one honor is shared by all. You're going to be my husband anyway, do I need a reason to help my own husband?”

  His voice calling out to Tai's flames softened the bottom of his heart, almost as if he had been scalded by boiling water. He slowly tightened his arms and tightly held Qing Xia in his embrace. He softly called out: "Yima'er, my Yima'er."

  Qing Xia's whole body felt warm and cozy being held in his arms, smelling the pleasant scent on him, she didn't want to say anything else. The tense atmosphere of the imperial court earlier seemed to be getting farther and farther away from her.

  Tai Zhi Yan, how did you know that as long as we are together, all the plotting is not plotting, all the fighting is not fighting, but just managing our home and protecting our love.

  The horse carriage moved slowly, Qing Xia gradually closed her eyes and fell asleep.

  After a busy half night, after returning to the Wang Fu, Tai Zhi Yan's face was slightly pale. Qing Xia had already prepared hot water and food for him early on. After taking his medicine, he went to sleep first.

  Qing Xia walked into the study, summoning Xiang Shu's son and also Li Zezhou and other personal guards of Yanziying. These people were all loyal subordinates of Xuanwangfu who had followed Tai Zhiyan on his southern and northern expeditions for many years, their loyalty was not to be doubted. Looking at Qing Xia's calm expression, Li Zhen Tao knew she had something to say, and asked softly: "Miss, is there anything you want to instruct?"

  Qing Xia smiled coldly, her eyes flashing with a bold idea that had already formed in her mind. She thought of the arrogant and overbearing behavior of Tai Chou and others at the banquet, and couldn't help but feel a murderous intent rising up within her. Since they were not benevolent, she could not be righteous herself. This group of people had repeatedly opposed the Xuan Wang Fu, and it was time to give them a lesson. With this thought, she began to instruct the crowd.

  Half an hour had passed, and the crowd was still somewhat bewildered. Only Li Zhen Tao and Li An Zhou had a slight epiphany, Qing Xia said in a low voice: "You follow my instructions to do it, remember to be careful and cautious, not to reveal any wind or horse's hoof."

  Everyone responded in unison and retreated, Qing Xia suddenly remembered something and called out to Lian Zhou, after everyone had left, he said in a low voice: "You send the carrier pigeon to Peng Lai's Zhuo Ling, tell him what I said before, it doesn't matter if it's slow, the blueprint must be made ambiguous, let the Thai people figure it out for themselves, the longer it takes, the better."

  Lianzhou nodded in agreement and closed the door of the study.

  Candles lit up the cave, a gentle breeze blew outside the window. Qin's study was by the water, with a lake right outside, willow trees shading both sides, and a small pavilion in the center of the lake, very serene. Walking out, only to see the moonlight desolate, ripples on the water, occasionally a bug chirping, making the surroundings even more quiet and peaceful.

  She slowly raised her head, gazing at the southern sky, her eyes dazed and murmuring in a barely audible voice: "The great Qin state is rich and powerful, its intention to conquer the east is evident. I can only fight for five more years for you, with your abilities, after five years you should have the strength to fight against Qin. I owe you, I've wronged you, this is all I can do for you."

  The moonlight is eerie and mysterious, all things are quiet, under the dim moonlight, the woman's figure floats like a mist, making it hard to see clearly.