Chapter 29 The First Lady

  The sun slowly set behind the mountains, and the maids gathered outside the door, but didn't dare to step inside to light the lamps. Qing Xia had to shift her body slightly, propping herself up on her elbow, and smiled faintly at Chu Li with a gentle expression, her eyes as calm as autumn water, her face radiant with a soft glow, as if she had just discovered him, and said with a faint smile: "You're back."

  "En," Chu Li replied, then slowly walked into the inner chamber. The maids behind her hurriedly ran in, as if they had been granted a great amnesty, and lit up all the lamps in the room.

  The bright candlelight shone on the two faces, with a hint of faint ambiguity. Qing Xia got up and walked forward naturally, unfastening the buckle of Chu Li's armor in front of him, then went around to his back, taking off his armor piece by piece, placing it on a small table beside him. The movements were very natural, as if they had been practiced for many years, without any awkward expression.

  She had actually discovered Chu Li standing at the door, but she didn't know what emotions were surging in her heart, making her not want to get up and face this man. Some silent air reverberated between the two of them, ultimately destroying Qing Xia's super strong endurance. She wasn't a simple-minded ancient woman, nor was she a palace concubine seeking favor, mysteriously arriving in this strange dynasty, it seemed like she had always been drifting with the tide, without any direction of her own. After serving in the army for so many years, this was still the first time that made her feel such a strong sense of not belonging.

  Still staying in the palace, maybe it's really an ostrich complex, thinking that if you don't go out and take a look, the outside is still full of high-rise buildings? Or like newborn ducks, taking the first place they see as their home?

  The maidservants walked in from the outer room, laid out dishes on a small table for the two of them, and arranged a sumptuous feast, but it didn't stir up any appetite. Chu Li held his chopsticks, looking slightly dazed at Qing Xia opposite him, thought for a moment, picked up a piece of bamboo shoots, put it in his mouth without savoring the taste, and said indifferently: "Why did you save Dan Fei?"

  Qing Xia didn't expect him to ask this, holding a bowl and shoveling rice into his mouth, saying: "At the time, I didn't notice who she was, just that she still had breath."

  Chu Li's expression didn't change, and he seemed to ask casually: "Why weren't you in the palace when it caught fire? Where did you go?"

  Qing Xia's movements paused for a moment, her lips slightly pale, and after thinking for a moment, she said directly: "I wanted to try going out to send you a message, but I hadn't even left the East Flower Gate when I almost got discovered by the guards, so I snuck back in secretly."

  "Oh?" Chu Li's voice was slightly raised, his eyebrow arched as he said: "The historian Lin Mu Bai from the Imperial Archives reported that a palace maid assisted him in escaping the imperial palace. That person... isn't you?"

  Qing Xia furrowed her brow, muttering in a low voice with some confusion: "Lin Mu Bai? But isn't that the Chief Historian Lin of the Literature and History Museum?"

  "Was it him? Have you really seen him?"

  "Where is it?" Qing Xia raised her head, her eyes clear as water. "I just read his 'History of the Great Qin' and thought it had some literary talent, so I remembered it. A scholar like him dared to take great risks to leave the palace and report the news, indeed a loyal and righteous minister."

  "Yes, this is a great achievement, no matter who did it, should be greatly rewarded." Chu Li's words were laced with underlying meaning, and he said in a deep voice: "Qing Xia, you are skilled in martial arts, why have I never seen you practice before?"

  Qing Xia knew that it was definitely the day when he was locked in the Tianlao and Qi An came to rescue him, this doubt must have been hidden in his heart all along, secretly investigating. Perhaps even Qi An's escape, he had already suspected himself, saying that it was all caused by Lin Shu Sheng's trouble. Qing Xia looked at Chu Li quietly, her voice light and detached, with a hint of unwillingness to speak again, "I learned something back then in the Qi Imperial Palace, but I never had the chance to use it."

  It's been almost a month since I arrived here, and Qingxia already knew about 80% to 90% of the things about Zhuang Qingxia. She used to be one of the best agents in the Military Intelligence Department, and her specialty was digging out useful information from subtle clues. Moreover, Zhuang Qingxia's affairs were no secret here, and everyone knew about them. Seeing Chu Li say this, he also didn't want to continue talking. He lowered his head and quietly ate, without speaking again.

  At this time, a sound of footsteps came from outside the door. After a while, the voice of Rong Yuan, Chu Li's personal eunuch, was heard from outside the door, "Your Highness, someone has come to report that Consort Xiao is still kneeling outside the East Palace Hall."

  With a "clatter", the silver chopsticks in Chu Li's hand fell onto the small table, Qing Xia looked up in confusion, only to see Chu Li frowning, silently pondering, after a long while, he picked up the chopsticks and continued eating, but didn't react at all to the outside noise.

  But the other hand was clenched tightly in his lap.

  Qing Xia sighed, the most ruthless place in the world is the imperial family. Behind the peak of power, there are thick blood and tears, and numerous white bones. To stand at the top, one needs to have extraordinary courage and intense ruthlessness. Chu Li, aren't you prepared yet? Wanting to obtain glory and power also requires a price to be paid.

  Qing Xia stood up, summoned the maid, put on a magnificent palace dress, wore a large fur coat, walked out of the bedroom, and said to Rong Yuan: "Prepare the carriage."

  "Where are you going, girl?"

  "East Palace Grand Hall."

  The night wind was indeed a bit chilly, and after about half an incense stick's worth of time had passed, Qing Xia finally saw the most noble woman in Southern Chu today.

  Recalling the dignified and solemn face of Chu Li in the grand hall of Lan Ting, a chill rose up in Qing Xia's heart. This was none other than Chu Li's own birth mother, the virtuous and wise queen who had voluntarily sent her son to Qi as a hostage, and the treacherous subject who had plotted to overthrow her own son's position just last night.

  Is the harem a place of murder, and how can it give birth to such a woman? Qing Xia followed behind with a large group of personal guards, sitting on the golden phoenix carriage, looking at this ruthless woman who had repeatedly stretched out her black hand towards her son, she suddenly didn't know what to say.

  "You're already kneeling here, what more do you want to do?"

  Her voice was cold and had a desolate flavor in the wind. Consort Xiao seemed to have knelt for some time, her limbs numb. The woman, nearly forty years old, had skin as white as snow, eyebrows and eyes like a painting, looking like a thirty-year-old enchantress. Her raven-black long hair had a broken beauty in the air, like butterfly wings, fluttering and dancing in the wind. She slowly lifted her pale, slender face, her pale lips slightly opening, speaking coldly to Qing Xia: "Where is he? Call him to see me."

  "Who is he?"

  "Chu Li."

  "Who is Chuli?"

  "The Crown Prince."

  "Hmph..." Qing Xia couldn't help but let out a cold laugh, her voice calm and laced with a hint of mockery. "If he were just the current crown prince, do you think you'd still be able to kneel here safely? You keep saying you want to see Chu Li, but have you ever stopped to ask yourself if you even have the face to see him again?"

  "This is between him and me, it's none of your business." The Empress Xiao's face turned pale, her neck stretched high as she spoke coldly.

  Qing Xia An sat on the sedan chair, looking at the woman kneeling in the cold wind. Her heart suddenly turned icy. She supported her chin with one hand and said slowly: "I didn't expect that the plot of Zhu Ji harming her own son for an illicit affair would be reenacted today. Xiao Guifei, since I can come here today, I have the qualification to talk to you. Chu Li doesn't want to see you, don't you understand?"

  "What right does he have to refuse to see me!" The Empress Xiao was furious, standing up with her white fox fur coat fluttering in the wind, her black hair flying horizontally, her face filled with indignation and hatred. "If it weren't for me, he wouldn't be where he is today! I am his mother! This unfilial son of mine, plotting to usurp power, cunning and shameless, his crimes are unforgivable..."

  "Shut up!" Qing Xia suddenly stood up, looking down at her with a stern expression, and said in a cold voice: "At this moment today, you still have the face to stand outside the East Palace gate and claim that you are his mother?"

  "You took advantage of him, deceived him, and even tried to kill him. You have the nerve to stand here and claim you are his mother? You gave birth to a son but did not raise him, unworthy as a mother! Your schemes brought chaos to the country, unworthy of the heavens! Unfaithful to your husband, unworthy as a wife! Now that your schemes have been exposed and your lover has been captured, you still dare to stand here, relying on that little bit of laughable blood relation, trying to demand that your son follow the proper order and release your lover. A woman like you, without shame, without faith, and without heart, how can you be worthy of standing here and saying he is your son?"

  Xiao Guifei's face suddenly turned pale, she stared blankly at Qing Xia, her lips trembling, and suddenly burst out in a loud cry: "You this cheap woman! What status do you have, dare to speak to me like this here? Call out Chu Li, I want to see him, I want to see him!"

  The queen behind him suddenly became a madwoman, Qing Xia knew that it was just because of what he had said, she had thought about it thousands of times in her heart, but she never dared to face it head-on. Still relying on her identity as Chu Li's mother, naively thinking that everything would be calm and peaceful, without any waves. Now that she has woken up from her dream, she suddenly realizes that everything is already beyond repair, which is why she is so desperate and out of control.

  A person who is pitied must have a place to be hated. The bitter fruit this woman has today, all comes from her past actions. She can't blame heaven or others, she can only blame herself.

  "Your Ladyship, it's getting cool at night, let's get on the carriage." Hongyuan said softly beside her.

  Qing Xia shook her head, wearing a thick and heavy long coat, turned around, raised her head, and walked on the empty and long straight road, slowly walking towards the magnificent Crown Prince's East Palace. Behind her were hundreds of low-browed and humble servants and maids, as well as a golden carriage frame. The night wind blew gently, blowing over her thick coat and pale face, while the crying voice of Consort Xiao echoed in front of the grand East Palace, the dark red city walls and the majestic stone lions at the gate witnessed the downfall of this empire's first lady.