At the time when the Emperor was favoring the esteemed Noble Consort Jia, his heart was filled with unease.
Upon hearing a mention from Zhao Baiyue, the Emperor promptly led a group of people to the White Horse Temple the next day.
Subsequently, Zhao Baiyue was guided around the White Horse Temple while the Emperor engaged in a game of chess with the temple’s abbot.
After a few moves, the Emperor looked at the abbot with curiosity and asked, “It seems you have something to tell me?”
The abbot chuckled lightly and replied, “I want to congratulate Your Majesty.”
“What is the cause for celebration?”
“The joy comes from the heavens.”
The abbot gently tapped a chess piece and continued, “Your Majesty, you have formed a three-life bond.”
The Emperor’s face displayed confusion as he asked, “What is a three-life bond?”
“Your Majesty, you are the true dragon celestial lord who descended to the mortal realm after enduring countless tribulations. This person shares a three-life bond with the Emperor. Unfortunately, the Emperor has disappointed them in the previous two lives. Fortunately, in this life, it has finally come to fruition,” the abbot said with a profound expression.
The Emperor, who had some belief in Buddhist philosophy, requested the abbot to elaborate further.
However, the abbot remained silent and only instructed the Emperor to personally choose a potted flower from the courtyard filled with blooming plants, stating that the flower would bloom when it encountered its destined person.
The Emperor believed that Zhao Baiyue was his destined person and asked her to give it a try.
However, the flower remained motionless, causing Zhao Baiyue to mock the Emperor, suggesting that he had been deceived by the abbot.
The Emperor pondered and realized that Zhao Baiyue’s words might hold some truth.
Nevertheless, he did not pay much attention to the potted flower.
However, when he saw the green headboard at night, he recalled the esteemed Noble Consort Jia, whom he had recently showered with affection.
Could she be his destined person?
Doubts arose in the Emperor’s mind, and he summoned the esteemed Noble Consort Jia to his chambers.
Casually, he asked her to look at the flower.
As the Noble Consort Jia lightly touched the flower bud, it swiftly bloomed, releasing a captivating fragrance.
The Emperor sat up straight, exclaiming, “This flower…”
The Noble Consort Jia giggled playfully and teased, “Emperor, it seems this flower and I are truly destined.”
Destined!
Fate!
In an instant, the Emperor recalled the words of the White Horse Temple’s abbot. Could it be that the esteemed Noble Consort Jia was indeed his three-life bond?
The more he contemplated, the more convinced the Emperor became. As for whether someone had tampered with the flower…
He had personally chosen this flower from among many others and had kept it in his sight all along.
No one could tamper with it!
Recalling the abbot’s words about him disappointing his bond in the previous two lives, causing them to die in each life, the Emperor felt a sense of guilt and pity towards the esteemed Noble Consort Jia.
Furthermore, the abbot mentioned that this bond had also undergone countless tribulations. As long as he made amends and cherished this bond, the Da Liang would be protected for thousands of years.
The Emperor: …
The Emperor’s heart was filled with intense desire!
Looking at the gentle and enchanting Noble Consort Jia, he couldn’t help but perceive her as a fairy.
Subsequently, Noble Consort Jia gained even more favor and gradually began to rival Zhao Baiyue in the harem.
Noble Consort Jia was gentle and tender, while Zhao Baiyue was arrogant and indulgent.
Noble Consort Jia was understanding and yielding, while Zhao Baiyue constantly competed. Although the Emperor was initially captivated by Zhao Baiyue, he couldn’t help but gradually lean towards Noble Consort Jia.
Shen Qi watched as Qiu Hua, the messenger, came out and couldn’t help but curl her lips. “Well done.”
All those tales of eternal love and transcending tribulations were nothing but illusions.
Even the blooming flowers were merely the result of using potions.
These tricks might not deceive others, but they worked just fine on the Emperor, who had already been fooled by Zhao Baiyue’s “miracles” before.
When Zhao Baiyue first entered the palace, she portrayed herself as a “fortunate one”, which made the Emperor frequently seek her out.
Only then could she gradually rely on the system to entice the Emperor. Now, she was merely imitating others, using mysticism to defeat mysticism~!
“Who is it this time?” Shen Qi asked again.
“It’s Wang Yue. Niangniang wants Wang Yue to become the Official of Personnel,” Qiu Hua replied.
She’s extending her influence to the Ministry of Personnel! Shen Qi’s eyes narrowed.
“I will have someone accuse Wang Yue. Inform Noble Consort Jia and ask her to persuade the Emperor to eliminate Wang Yue.”
With Noble Consort Jia’s assistance, it would be much easier to disrupt Zhao Baiyue’s plans.
“Furthermore, Noble Consort Jia is pregnant. Her child conflicts with the Crown Prince, so the Crown Prince must be relocated out of the palace,” Shen Qi added.
Whether it was true or false, Noble Consort Jia must be pregnant!
The palace could become chaotic at any time, and it was unsafe for Liang Sirui to stay there. It would be better to bring her to her own residence!
Qiu Hua lowered her head and hesitated for a moment before saying, “Minster Shen, Niangniang seems to have become… uglier.”
Her nose, eyes, and mouth were no different from before, but she just appeared slightly less beautiful than before. Qiu Hua wondered if she was being too sensitive and seeing things wrongly.
Shen Qi’s expression relaxed at her words. “Don’t worry about it.”
It seemed that after several consecutive failed tasks, Zhao Baiyue had suffered significant losses and couldn’t even maintain her own beauty~
Shen Qi’s eyes narrowed for a moment, wondering what twisted ideas she was brewing.
…
On a sunny afternoon, the Kachar delegation arrived at the capital.
Busy with her duties in the former imperial and harem, Shen Qi rarely had time to join in the excitement.
However, she managed to spare a moment to observe the Prince Kachar.
Among the group of tall and robust Kachar envoys, the prince appeared like an immature scholar, with delicate eyebrows and a seemingly gentle demeanor, showing politeness to everyone he encountered.
He maintained a humble posture, but Shen Qi saw through his true nature with his cold, ruthless eyes.
“The Prince Kachar is a great threat.”
After returning home, Shen Qi sought out Gu Qing. “Have you seen him?”
Gu Qing looked at Shen Qi’s slightly weakened cheeks and replied, “I haven’t.”
“You will soon be able to meet him, he is like a famished wolf, greedily coveting everything in Da Liang .”
Shen Qi coldly smiled, then asked, “What do you think he would do to you if he saw you?”
“Most likely, he would find a way to subdue me.”
A talented strategist who is undefeated in battles is not someone any ambitious person would want to miss, especially when this strategist is currently facing difficulties.
Ambitious individuals would be even more eager to extend a helping hand.
“Then, General Gu, would you go with him?”
Shen Qi raised her gaze and looked at Gu Qing. Her calling him “General Gu” was like calling him a lover, with a gentle and lingering tone, causing Gu Qing’s heart to suddenly itch.
“No, I wouldn’t,” Gu Qing replied in a calm tone. “With high-ranking positions, wealth, beautiful women, and fame, I believe that as long as you ask, that prince would definitely be willing to give them to you. Would General Gu be willing to give them up?”
“It’s not about giving up or not, I am a person of Da Liang .”
“If you were abandoned by the Emperor, subjected to my various humiliations, and one day the Kachar Empire attacked the border, would you still be willing to face the enemy?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
Gu Qing even felt a bit puzzled. “That is a matter of the country. If it really comes to that, I would set aside personal grievances and be loyal to the nation.”
Shen Qi raised an eyebrow.
She was inherently selfish and couldn’t become someone like Gu Qing, but she truly admired and liked someone like him.
“General Gu, you truly are my precious darling, so broad-minded,” Shen Qi said with a smile.
Gu Qing: …
He couldn’t help but look at Shen Qi.
Seeing her smiling and charming appearance, he felt somewhat speechless.
“Please don’t speak nonsense.”
In front of others, Shen Qi was either calm and composed or cunning and treacherous.
But why, when she was with him, did she become so out of tune, always saying things like liking and loving, calling him her precious darling?
How could she really say such things?