Li Qingxun remained silent.0
Having spent every moment with Zhang He'an on this journey, inseparable day and night, she had long anticipated the day she would become pregnant.0
The physician was utterly loyal to Li Qingxun and knew the child in her womb was Zhang He'an's.0
Kneeling on the ground, the physician asked, "Your Highness, we will soon arrive at the imperial capital of the Yelang Kingdom. If news of your pregnancy spreads, you may face persecution from the Yelang Emperor... Your Highness, would you like a dose of abortifacient?"0
In the physician's view, getting rid of the child early would spare them much trouble.0
But Li Qingxun only shook her head. "I want this child. Brew me some prenatal medicine instead."0
The physician's lips twitched, but in the end, he obeyed her command.0
Before long, the warm, bitter medicine was ready. Li Qingxun held the bowl, steeling herself to drink the foul-tasting concoction, when Zhang He'an strode in and snatched it from her hands.0
Li Qingxun frowned. "What are you doing?"0
Zhang He'an's expression darkened. "A-Xun, do you really not want this child?"0
During dinner, Li Qingxun had suddenly felt nauseous, and Zhang He'an had sensed something amiss. He watched as she summoned the physician, who soon brought in a bowl of medicine.0
Zhang He'an was heartbroken.0
He thought Li Qingxun didn’t want their child.0
Li Qingxun scoffed. "Who said I don’t want it? This is prenatal medicine."0
Zhang He'an froze.0
Li Qingxun hooked a finger under his chin and smirked. "When I dared to sleep with you, I knew this day would come."0
There was no turning back now, and Li Qingxun had no regrets about her choices.0
Zhang He'an suppressed his joy, though the corners of his lips curled upward.0
The prenatal medicine was unbearably bitter, and Li Qingxun nearly teared up as she drank it. After a gulp, she yanked Zhang He'an by the collar, pulling him close, and transferred the bitter liquid into his mouth with a kiss.0
Zhang He'an tasted the bitterness.0
He cupped the back of her head and kissed her back.0
No matter how bitter life was, no matter how treacherous the road ahead, as long as they stood together, it was already a blessing.0
...0
Secrets never stay buried. News of Li Qingxun’s pregnancy soon reached the county magistrate’s ears.0
The magistrate was horrified!0
He immediately reported it to the Yelang Emperor.0
A princess sent for a marriage alliance, not yet wed to the emperor, was already pregnant—this was an unspeakable disgrace, a scandal that could never see the light of day. Soon after, envoys from the Yelang capital arrived at the county to meet Li Qingxun.0
The envoy first offered polite greetings, then raised his head to study Li Qingxun’s face.0
Seated in the main hall, Li Qingxun was strikingly beautiful, her sharp, upturned eyes exuding a fierce elegance.0
The envoy recalled the Yelang Emperor’s orders—if Princess Taihua was ugly, execute her on the spot; if she was beautiful, force her to take the abortifacient, then bring her to the capital to become a concubine.0
The old emperor, lustful as he was, would never let such a beauty slip away.0
Thus, the envoy respectfully said, "His Majesty is merciful. Knowing of your pregnancy, he will not hold it against you. As long as you take this medicine and rid yourself of the bastard in your womb, His Majesty is willing to take you as his consort."0
With that, he signaled his attendants to present the prepared abortifacient.0
The cold liquid gave off no scent.0
Li Qingxun lazily glanced at the bowl before setting it aside. "I’ve heard the southern coastal region of Yelang is rich in gemstones and has unearthed large quantities of black oil. Is this true?"0
The envoy, puzzled, replied politely, "Indeed."0
Li Qingxun’s eyes gleamed.0
Black oil—likely petroleum. In ancient times, it held little value, but in the modern era of advanced technology, it was an indispensable industrial resource.0
She had once researched petroleum extensively, even writing a bold thesis proposing that Earth was a massive mechanical sphere created by extraterrestrial civilizations, with petroleum serving as the lubricant for its moving parts.0
Unfortunately, her eccentric theory had been met with scorn from traditionalists.0
If she could secure Yelang’s petroleum reserves, perhaps she could craft modern instruments. The thought flickered through her mind.0
Li Qingxun pressed further, "How many troops does Yelang have stationed within its borders?"0
The envoy balked at such an outrageous question.0
His tone hardened as he pointed at the abortifacient. "Your Highness, please drink the medicine. As for other matters, you may seek answers yourself once you enter the imperial household."0
Li Qingxun rested her chin on her hand. "What if I refuse?"0
The envoy’s face turned icy. "You were sent here for a marriage alliance. You should understand the law of the jungle. Today, you either drink—or die."0
Li Qingxun smiled.0
She summoned the guards from her entourage and calmly pointed at the envoy. "Kill him."0
The envoy never expected Li Qingxun to dare strike first. He barely had time to react before a guard’s blade flashed—blood splattered across the hall.0
Chaos erupted in the county office. Li Qingxun led her entourage in a desperate breakout, fleeing to the wilderness outside the city.0
Yelang’s pursuers were hot on their heels, but her fifty-strong retinue, battle-hardened from their journey, fought valiantly—even the seemingly delicate maid Yuan'er wielded a composite bow with deadly precision.0
A chase. An escape.0
Finally, Li Qingxun and her people found refuge among a tribal settlement, where the chieftain, owing to past favors, granted them shelter.0
...0
News of the Qing State’s princess becoming pregnant during her marriage alliance soon reached both Qing and Yue, sending shockwaves through their courts.0
The Qing Emperor was livid. He ordered border patrols to execute Li Qingxun on sight.0
Her actions had worsened relations between Qing and Yelang. The emperor, fuming to the point of illness, prepared to pass the throne to the second prince.0
The second prince, the empress’s son, was the rightful heir. Yet the emperor never imagined that the usually refined third prince, Li Ang, would besiege the capital with an army.0
As it turned out, Li Ang had a bizarre origin—his mother, Consort Xie, had once been the concubine of the late crown prince. After the crown prince was falsely accused and executed by the emperor, the pregnant Consort Xie fled south. Her stunning beauty later ensnared the emperor, and she entered the palace as his consort.0
Thus, Li Ang was actually the late crown prince’s son.0
In short, Qing’s court descended into chaos, with old and new factions locked in brutal conflict. With the empire in flames, no one spared a thought for Li Qingxun.0
...0
Yue Kingdom.0
Crown Prince Tuoba Yu had married the sixth princess, only to lift the bridal veil and find Li Qingling in the wedding gown.0
Tuoba Yu was deeply disappointed.0
He had preferred the clever Li Qingxun, the woman who could recite verses like "Where are the great houses that shelter all beneath heaven?"—proof of her noble ideals, the makings of a wise partner.0
But fate was cruel.0
Tuoba Yu sent men to track Li Qingxun’s whereabouts, only to learn she had been sent to distant Yelang for the marriage alliance. His heart sank—the Yelang Emperor was a violent lecher, and Li Qingxun would surely meet a grim end.0
Before his worries could fester, news arrived: "Princess Taihua is pregnant en route to her marriage alliance."0
A scandal of the highest order.0
Tuoba Yu was utterly stunned—he never expected Li Qingxun to be so audacious!0
"What a pity, beauty is often fleeting," Tuoba Yu lamented with mixed emotions. A pregnant princess sent for political marriage would no longer be accepted by either the Yelang Kingdom or Qing State.0
Li Qingxun’s remaining years would likely be spent in exile.0
With a heavy heart, Tuoba Yu ascended the throne of Yue Kingdom, becoming its new emperor. Li Qingling, with her delicate beauty and a temperament softened by time, was named Consort Xie of Yue Kingdom.0
In the Yue palace, the newly appointed Consort Xie Li Qingling wore a troubled expression. She had also learned of Li Qingxun’s pregnancy.0
Li Qingling was overwhelmed with conflicting emotions.0
She knew Li Qingxun had a unique personality, but she never imagined her sister would commit such a scandalous act.0
Whose child was it?0
Suddenly, the cold, moon-like visage of Zhang He'an flashed through Li Qingling’s mind.0
She murmured to herself, "It can’t be... Chancellor Zhang is as noble as the bright moon—he would never fall for Li Qingxun. Could it be that Li Qingxun forced herself upon him?"0
The more she thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.0
Li Qingling sighed softly, "Sixth Sister, your path ahead is treacherous... Rejected by two kingdoms, you’ll spend the rest of your days wandering the wilderness."0
She pitied Li Qingxun, yet felt a faint trace of relief. Had their ages and identities not been swapped, she, Li Qingling, would have been the one sent to the Yelang Kingdom.0
After marrying the Yue crown prince, Li Qingling discovered he was a man of ambition, nothing like the lustful rumors suggested. Tuoba Yu treated her well, bestowing affection and status, even naming her Consort Xie.0
Though confined to the rigid walls of the imperial harem, at least she lacked for nothing.0
If she bore a child someday, there would still be hope.0
Li Qingling sighed softly, gazing at the sky beyond the window where a flock of geese soared across the blue expanse. Losing freedom in exchange for wealth and status—perhaps it was worth it.0
...0
...0
Eight months later, in the Moon Rong tribe.0
The moon hung over willow branches as the icy wind rattled the tent. Inside, Zhang He'an clutched Li Qingxun’s sweat-drenched hand, his handsome face etched with anxiety.0
Then, the cry of an infant pierced the night.0
Li Qingxun had safely given birth to a son.0
Strangely enough, as the child was born, a rare lunar eclipse appeared in the sky. The full moon slowly vanished, then reappeared, leaving the tribespeople awestruck. They cried out in reverence, kneeling and bowing toward the tent.0
In their primitive beliefs, they thought Li Qingxun had birthed a celestial deity.0
The next day, Li Qingxun awoke and drank a large bowl of medicinal broth to recover. Zhang He'an brought the baby over, and Li Qingxun leaned in to examine the wrinkled, rather unappealing newborn.0
After staring at her homely son for a while, she felt no immediate maternal affection.0
Zhang He'an, however, adored the child, tending to him with meticulous care. When the baby turned a month old, Li Qingxun began pondering a name.0
As a brilliant researcher, naming a child wasn’t her forte.0
After much deliberation, she summoned Zhang He'an and declared, "A man should aspire to greatness and possess unyielding strength. How about Li Tigu (Iron Bones)?"0
Zhang He'an: "..."0
Li Qingxun thought again. "A true man should be a conqueror. Li Ba (Tyrant) would work too."0
Zhang He'an: "..."0
Finally, the erudite former top scholar of Qing State, Zhang He'an, named their son "Li Huaijin."0
If Li Qingxun later bore a daughter, she could be named "Li Yu."0
"Huaijin Woyu" (holding gems and jade)—a name symbolizing noble virtues and impeccable conduct, perfect for a child.0
Li Qingxun wasn’t fond of "Huaijin," finding it too scholarly and lacking in boldness. At her insistence, the child’s nickname became "Ba."0
Calling him "Baba" now and then sounded amusing.0
Li Qingxun settled temporarily in the tribe, getting along surprisingly well with the "barbarians." Unfortunately, the Yelang emperor never ceased his relentless pursuit.0
News of the pregnant princess had spread far and wide. Humiliated, the Yelang emperor dispatched soldiers to hunt her down.0
The tribe faced frequent attacks.0
Li Qingxun grew weary of it.0
Silence led either to destruction or rebellion—and the best defense was offense. Li Qingxun resolved to fight back, to seize control of her own fate.0
She refused to be a lamb for slaughter.0
She would be her own master.0
Every member of her entourage was loyal. If she raised the banner of revolt, they would follow.0
Her only concern was Zhang He'an.0
One deep night, she entered the tent. A candle flickered as the baby slept soundly in a cradle of animal hides. Zhang He'an, still clad in his crimson robe, his dark hair half-tied with a wooden pin, sat beside the cradle, fanning away mosquitoes with a leaf-woven fan.0
The dim candlelight painted a picturesque scene of beauty.0
Li Qingxun watched him for a long moment.0
Such a handsome face, such a perfect homemaker. Sending him away would be a shame.0
"Are you tired?" Sensing her gaze, Zhang He'an lifted his eyes.0
Li Qingxun plopped down beside him and cut straight to the point. "When are you returning to Qing State? I can send ten guards to escort you. I hear the new Qing emperor is the third prince, Li Ang. You were close—he’ll surely reinstate you."0
Zhang He'an was a prodigy, having risen to chancellor at a young age.0
His future was boundless.0
He had a family behind him.0
Li Qingxun had selfishly dragged this lofty statesman into her world, bringing him to this desolate land. A man of his brilliance now spent his days tending to her and their child—a waste of genius.0
Zhang He'an waved the fan, dispelling the summer heat for her.0
He said, "A-Xun, I’m not going back to Qing State."0
Li Qingxun laid it out plainly. "I’m about to do something dangerous. If you stay, you’ll face even greater peril—you might not live long."0
Zhang He'an replied, "It doesn’t matter. Whether in heaven or hell, I’ll follow you."0
Seeing his resolve, Li Qingxun smirked, leaned in, and kissed him twice.0
Together, they watched their sleeping child.0
Innocent and unaware, the baby knew only hunger and sleep, oblivious to the storm the adults would soon face.0
Li Qingxun gently touched the infant’s cheek. "In the torrent of history, ordinary people cannot foresee destiny—they drift with the tide, becoming mere specks of dust. Zhang He'an, I won’t drift."0
Fate must be grasped with one’s own hands; the future must be fought for.0
Zhang He'an gazed at her.0
Li Qingxun’s eyes were calm. "I will become the torrent itself."0