The carriage and ceremonial procession led by Qi Bei arrived at the Dreaming Moon Palace in a grand manner. They were stopped by a group of palace guards at the entrance, and except for Qi Bei, the ceremonial official, and the dozen or so maids, no one else was allowed inside.
Qi Bei had been to the Dreaming Moon Palace before, but of course, that was in the past. At that time, he used to run to the palace every day and pester Princess Ming Yue.
“Young Master, the princess requests your presence, just you.” A pretty palace maid came before Qi Bei and said in a crisp voice, bowing respectfully.
“Well, this is against the etiquette… but since Ming Yue is so eager, this young master will oblige her.” Qi Bei coughed lightly and pretended to be formal. When he saw the maid turn to leave, he chuckled and followed her.
Etiquette? You little rascal, do you know anything about etiquette? The old ceremonial official behind him grumbled in his heart but didn’t dare show it on his face.
The palace maid led Qi Bei to Princess Ming Yue’s bedroom, a place Qi Bei had dreamed of entering years ago. But he never expected that the princess would invite him in so openly now.
As soon as he entered Ming Yue’s bedroom, Qi Bei smelled a faint fragrance that was refreshing to the senses.
The bedroom was divided into a front room and a back room by a semi-transparent white veil.
The front room had tables, chairs, tea sets, and stacks of books nearby, which must have been where Ming Yue relaxed and read. The back room, needless to say, was where she rested and slept.
“Princess, Young Master Qi Bei is here.” The palace maid said through the veil.
“You can leave.” Ming Yue’s cold voice came through.
The pretty maid turned and left, and the bedroom became quiet.
If it were any other man, he would have sat down in the front room, but Qi Bei lifted the veil without hesitation and entered the back room.
Ming Yue sat before the dressing table in a pure white gown, her hair pinned up high with only a jade phoenix hairpin, simple but highlighting her noble and elegant temperament.
A trace of amazement flashed in Qi Bei’s eyes. He had to admit that Ming Yue’s beauty could move people’s hearts without any deliberate embellishment. And rather than her beauty, her temperament was the most attractive part.
“We’re two unmarried men and women. You invited me in, aren’t you afraid I’ll do something to you?” Qi Bei sat on the soft bed next to Ming Yue with a smile.
“You won’t.” Ming Yue said lightly and patted the little unicorn cub on her lap, which looked a little scared for some reason.
“Hehe, since you’re so sure of my character, I wouldn’t dare do anything even if I wanted to.” Qi Bei laughed and sniffed the fragrance on the bed, which was so pleasant, like a woman’s natural scent.
Ming Yue turned around, facing Qi Bei, her beautiful eyes fixed on him, with a hint of inquiry in her gaze, as if trying to see through his heart by looking into his eyes.
“Ming Yue, when you look at me like that, I can’t help myself. You know I don’t have much self-control, especially when it comes to beautiful women,” Qi Bei’s gaze became more aggressive as he swept his eyes over her rosy lips and full chest under the tight dress.
Ming Yue felt uneasy and turned her attention to the baby unicorn, gently stroking it. “Qi Bei, I called you in here to discuss something with you.”
“Go ahead,” Qi Bei said casually, but his gaze remained audacious.
“Our engagement, whether it’s politically motivated or not, still carries some weight. I heard that after you’re engaged, you’ll be heading to your own territory, and perhaps we won’t see each other again after today…”
Qi Bei was momentarily stunned, not quite understanding Ming Yue’s intentions. Something didn’t feel quite right about what she was saying.
“You know that I will be joining the Heavenly Mountain Peak soon and can’t get involved in the power struggle of the secular world anymore. The aristocratic families and imperial power will eventually have to come to a resolution, and it will either be the Nord family winning or the imperial power winning. If the Nord family loses in this generation’s power shift of the Golden Leaf Empire, I will ask my father to spare your family. But if the Nord family wins, I hope you can promise me to spare members of our imperial family,” Ming Yue said, pausing for a moment before continuing. “This is beneficial to both of us. As for whether your words will have any effect in the Nord family, we’ll leave that for later. For now, all you need to do is answer whether you agree or not.”
Qi Bei laughed out loud, standing up and walking in front of Ming Yue. Suddenly, he suppressed his smile, and spoke slowly but seriously. “I disagree.”
Ming Yue was taken aback. She had thought Qi Bei would agree, as the royal family currently held power over the Nord family. She didn’t expect him to refuse so straightforwardly.
“When two tigers fight, one will die. You are too naive,” Qi Bei said.
“It is very likely that the one who dies will be your Nord family,” Ming Yue replied coldly.
“But it could also be the imperial family. Otherwise, why would you make this request?” Qi Bei laughed.
Ming Yue was left speechless. Although Emperor Han Mo was laying out a big picture, she believed that the old patriarch of the Nord family was definitely not someone to be underestimated.
In fact, Ming Yue had thought about this question before. But since her confrontation with Qi Bei in the western outskirts, she had faintly realized that he could be a big variable. He had an unsettling and fearful aura about him. Even now, her magical pet, the unicorn cub, felt afraid when it saw him.
“It’s almost time, my princess. Let’s go. The entire Nord family is waiting to welcome you.” Qi Bei reached out his hand, making a gesture to hold her hand.
“Qi Bei, you are too reckless. You know that if your Nord family loses, the tens of thousands of people in your main and branch families will die because of your impulsive actions.” Ming Yue’s pretty face was filled with a fit of thin anger, ignoring Qi Bei’s outstretched hand.
“No family can be immortal, and no empire can last forever. If we cannot win, then we will perish.” Qi Bei smiled faintly and withdrew his hand, walking towards the palace gate.
If we cannot win, then we will perish! Ming Yue stared blankly at Qi Bei’s back. Does everything for this man boil down to either victory or defeat, life or death?
“Foolish girl, although you are intelligent, when will you understand that some things cannot be a win-win situation? That’s why you are just a princess, not an empress.” Qi Bei sighed in his heart.
The relationships within the Golden Leaf Empire, whether it was the emperor’s faction or the aristocratic faction, were too complicated. They were intertwined, with shared glory and shame. The five Holy Lands had agreed not to intervene in secular power struggles. Even if Emperor Han Mo listened to her words, would his subordinates listen? And the Nord family was the same. Unless one day, Qi Bei had absolute control over everything.
The carriage and ceremonial procession led by Qi Bei arrived at the Dreaming Moon Palace in a grand manner. They were stopped by a group of palace guards at the entrance, and except for Qi Bei, the ceremonial official, and the dozen or so maids, no one else was allowed inside.
Qi Bei had been to the Dreaming Moon Palace before, but of course, that was in the past. At that time, he used to run to the palace every day and pester Princess Ming Yue.
“Young Master, the princess requests your presence, just you.” A pretty palace maid came before Qi Bei and said in a crisp voice, bowing respectfully.
“Well, this is against the etiquette… but since Ming Yue is so eager, this young master will oblige her.” Qi Bei coughed lightly and pretended to be formal. When he saw the maid turn to leave, he chuckled and followed her.
Etiquette? You little rascal, do you know anything about etiquette? The old ceremonial official behind him grumbled in his heart but didn’t dare show it on his face.
The palace maid led Qi Bei to Princess Ming Yue’s bedroom, a place Qi Bei had dreamed of entering years ago. But he never expected that the princess would invite him in so openly now.
As soon as he entered Ming Yue’s bedroom, Qi Bei smelled a faint fragrance that was refreshing to the senses.
The bedroom was divided into a front room and a back room by a semi-transparent white veil.
The front room had tables, chairs, tea sets, and stacks of books nearby, which must have been where Ming Yue relaxed and read. The back room, needless to say, was where she rested and slept.
“Princess, Young Master Qi Bei is here.” The palace maid said through the veil.
“You can leave.” Ming Yue’s cold voice came through.
The pretty maid turned and left, and the bedroom became quiet.
If it were any other man, he would have sat down in the front room, but Qi Bei lifted the veil without hesitation and entered the back room.
Ming Yue sat before the dressing table in a pure white gown, her hair pinned up high with only a jade phoenix hairpin, simple but highlighting her noble and elegant temperament.
A trace of amazement flashed in Qi Bei’s eyes. He had to admit that Ming Yue’s beauty could move people’s hearts without any deliberate embellishment. And rather than her beauty, her temperament was the most attractive part.
“We’re two unmarried men and women. You invited me in, aren’t you afraid I’ll do something to you?” Qi Bei sat on the soft bed next to Ming Yue with a smile.
“You won’t.” Ming Yue said lightly and patted the little unicorn cub on her lap, which looked a little scared for some reason.
“Hehe, since you’re so sure of my character, I wouldn’t dare do anything even if I wanted to.” Qi Bei laughed and sniffed the fragrance on the bed, which was so pleasant, like a woman’s natural scent.
Ming Yue turned around, facing Qi Bei, her beautiful eyes fixed on him, with a hint of inquiry in her gaze, as if trying to see through his heart by looking into his eyes.
“Ming Yue, when you look at me like that, I can’t help myself. You know I don’t have much self-control, especially when it comes to beautiful women,” Qi Bei’s gaze became more aggressive as he swept his eyes over her rosy lips and full chest under the tight dress.
Ming Yue felt uneasy and turned her attention to the baby unicorn, gently stroking it. “Qi Bei, I called you in here to discuss something with you.”
“Go ahead,” Qi Bei said casually, but his gaze remained audacious.
“Our engagement, whether it’s politically motivated or not, still carries some weight. I heard that after you’re engaged, you’ll be heading to your own territory, and perhaps we won’t see each other again after today…”
Qi Bei was momentarily stunned, not quite understanding Ming Yue’s intentions. Something didn’t feel quite right about what she was saying.
“You know that I will be joining the Heavenly Mountain Peak soon and can’t get involved in the power struggle of the secular world anymore. The aristocratic families and imperial power will eventually have to come to a resolution, and it will either be the Nord family winning or the imperial power winning. If the Nord family loses in this generation’s power shift of the Golden Leaf Empire, I will ask my father to spare your family. But if the Nord family wins, I hope you can promise me to spare members of our imperial family,” Ming Yue said, pausing for a moment before continuing. “This is beneficial to both of us. As for whether your words will have any effect in the Nord family, we’ll leave that for later. For now, all you need to do is answer whether you agree or not.”
Qi Bei laughed out loud, standing up and walking in front of Ming Yue. Suddenly, he suppressed his smile, and spoke slowly but seriously. “I disagree.”
Ming Yue was taken aback. She had thought Qi Bei would agree, as the royal family currently held power over the Nord family. She didn’t expect him to refuse so straightforwardly.
“When two tigers fight, one will die. You are too naive,” Qi Bei said.
“It is very likely that the one who dies will be your Nord family,” Ming Yue replied coldly.
“But it could also be the imperial family. Otherwise, why would you make this request?” Qi Bei laughed.
Ming Yue was left speechless. Although Emperor Han Mo was laying out a big picture, she believed that the old patriarch of the Nord family was definitely not someone to be underestimated.
In fact, Ming Yue had thought about this question before. But since her confrontation with Qi Bei in the western outskirts, she had faintly realized that he could be a big variable. He had an unsettling and fearful aura about him. Even now, her magical pet, the unicorn cub, felt afraid when it saw him.
“It’s almost time, my princess. Let’s go. The entire Nord family is waiting to welcome you.” Qi Bei reached out his hand, making a gesture to hold her hand.
“Qi Bei, you are too reckless. You know that if your Nord family loses, the tens of thousands of people in your main and branch families will die because of your impulsive actions.” Ming Yue’s pretty face was filled with a fit of thin anger, ignoring Qi Bei’s outstretched hand.
“No family can be immortal, and no empire can last forever. If we cannot win, then we will perish.” Qi Bei smiled faintly and withdrew his hand, walking towards the palace gate.
If we cannot win, then we will perish! Ming Yue stared blankly at Qi Bei’s back. Does everything for this man boil down to either victory or defeat, life or death?
“Foolish girl, although you are intelligent, when will you understand that some things cannot be a win-win situation? That’s why you are just a princess, not an empress.” Qi Bei sighed in his heart.
The relationships within the Golden Leaf Empire, whether it was the emperor’s faction or the aristocratic faction, were too complicated. They were intertwined, with shared glory and shame. The five Holy Lands had agreed not to intervene in secular power struggles. Even if Emperor Han Mo listened to her words, would his subordinates listen? And the Nord family was the same. Unless one day, Qi Bei had absolute control over everything.
