newbobooks Chapter 22 "Brother Dragon Elephant...you'll understand me, won't you?"
Chapter 22 "Brother Dragon Elephant...you'll understand me, won't you?"
Jiang Qingxue suddenly looked up, her eyes flashing with undisguised shock, panic, and... a hint of deep-seated humiliation.
Although she had known this day would come.
Although she had prepared herself mentally before entering the palace.
Although Xu Longxiang had told her that necessary sacrifices were inevitable for the sake of the great cause.
But when that moment actually arrived, the nausea, fear, and humiliation that welled up from the bottom of her heart almost overwhelmed her.
She looked at Qin Mu.
The young emperor, dressed in a black dragon robe, sat opposite her, his posture languid and his eyes calm, as if he had just said something as ordinary as "Let's dine together tonight."
But she knew what that meant.
It meant that she had to submit to this man she despised.
This means she is going to betray her feelings for Xu Longxiang.
It means... she can never go back.
Jiang Qingxue's fingers dug into her palms tightly inside her sleeve, the pain keeping her barely conscious.
She forced herself to lower her head, not daring to let Qin Mu see the emotions in her eyes.
"What, you don't want to?"
Qin Mu's voice rang out again, tinged with amusement.
Jiang Qingxue trembled and immediately knelt down:
"Your Majesty's hospitality at Yuxiu Palace is an immense blessing for me. I am overjoyed and deeply moved."
She spoke quickly, but her voice trembled slightly.
Qin Mu watched her kneeling figure quietly.
Sunlight streamed through the eaves of the pavilion, casting dappled shadows on her.
He could see her slender shoulders trembling slightly, and her fingers hanging at her sides, clenched so tightly they turned white.
She is afraid.
They are also resisting.
But for Xu Longxiang's sake, she had to endure it.
Qin Mu suddenly smiled.
He stood up, walked to Jiang Qingxue, and bent down to help her up.
The movements were very light, even gentle.
Jiang Qingxue was forced to raise her head, meeting Qin Mu's smiling eyes.
Those eyes were as deep as a pool, reflecting her image, as if they could see through all her thoughts.
"It's alright," Qin Mu said gently. "If you're truly not ready, just say so. I'm not the kind of person who forces others."
Jiang Qingxue was stunned.
She looked at Qin Mu, her eyes filled with disbelief.
In her mind, Qin Mu was a licentious and incompetent ruler, a lecherous man who only knew how to enjoy himself.
How could someone like that say something like, "I am not the kind of person who forces others"?
Is it hypocrisy?
Or... is he really different?
No, it's impossible.
Jiang Qingxue immediately dismissed the idea.
Xu Longxiang once said that in the six months since Qin Mu ascended the throne, the number of his concubines in the harem had expanded from twelve to thirty-six, and they indulged in nightly revelry, neglecting state affairs. How could such a person truly respect the wishes of women?
This must be a test.
It was like a cat playing with a mouse.
Thinking of this, Jiang Qingxue felt an even deeper sense of humiliation.
He not only wanted to possess her body, but also to toy with her heart.
But for the greater cause...
Jiang Qingxue closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and when she opened them again, her eyes were calm.
She took a half step back and gracefully knelt down:
"Your Majesty misunderstands. I was just... too overjoyed and lost my composure for a moment. To receive Your Majesty's favor is a blessing I have accumulated over three lifetimes. I... am already prepared."
She spoke with extreme deference, even with a hint of deliberately coy shyness.
But Qin Mu could see clearly that there was no affection in her lowered eyes, only cold resolve.
"Is that so?" Qin Mu smiled and didn't ask any further questions.
He reached out and gently brushed his fingertips across Jiang Qingxue's cheek.
It has a delicate, slightly cool feel.
Jiang Qingxue's body stiffened, but she dared not dodge.
"Alright." Qin Mu withdrew his hand. "I'll come over tonight. You... get ready."
After saying that, he turned and walked out of the pavilion.
His dark dragon robe gleamed faintly with gold in the sunlight, and his back was as straight as a pine tree.
Jiang Qingxue remained kneeling until Qin Mu's figure disappeared outside the moon gate before slowly straightening up.
She sat on the stone bench, gazing at the empty courtyard gate with a complex expression.
There was fear, humiliation, longing for Xu Longxiang, and uncertainty about the future.
After a long while, she reached out and took out the white jade phoenix hairpin from her bosom.
The hairpin gleamed with a warm luster in the sunlight, and the ruby at the phoenix eye shone brightly.
This was a coming-of-age gift from Xu Longxiang, and it was also the thing she cherished most over the years.
"Brother Longxiang..."
She murmured softly, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Brother Longxiang..." she murmured softly, her voice so low that only she could hear it, "You'll understand me, won't you?"
Tears blurred her vision, and she blinked hard to force the tears back.
Can't cry.
Crying is a sign of weakness.
In the depths of the palace, weakness is fatal.
However, the tear finally slipped down and dripped onto the hairpin, shattering into a glistening droplet.
She held the hairpin tightly in her palm, as if she could draw strength from it.
Then, she stood up and wiped away her tears.
The weakness and confusion in his eyes vanished, replaced by a cold, resolute determination.
Having chosen this path, there's no turning back.
No matter what lies ahead, whether it's a mountain of knives and a sea of fire, or an abyss.
She has to keep going.
.........
Meanwhile, Qin Mu had returned to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
The hall was filled with the gentle fragrance of sandalwood incense, and remained as tranquil as ever.
He walked to the rosewood desk by the window and sat down, his fingers tapping lightly on the smooth surface, a playful glint in his eyes.
"Yunluan".
"Your Majesty." The silver-armored female official appeared like a ghost and knelt on one knee.
"I will be staying at Yuxiu Palace tonight," Qin Mu said calmly. "Spread the word. Remember, make sure Xu Longxiang's spies know."
Yunluan suddenly looked up, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes, which then turned into understanding.
She had followed Qin Mu for ten years and knew his thoughts all too well.
This is not simply about favoring concubines, but rather...
"Your Majesty wishes to..." Yunluan asked softly.
"Fishing," Qin Mu laughed.
"Xu Longxiang sent Jiang Qingxue into the palace, wasn't it so that she could be his mole? Then I'll give him the illusion that his mole is favored."
"And I'm also very curious, what will his expression be when he learns that his childhood sweetheart, his beloved white moonlight, will be enjoying himself on my dragon bed tonight?"
Yunluan felt a chill run down her spine.
Your Majesty's move was too ruthless.
It was not only to test Xu Longxiang's reaction, but also to plant a thorn in his heart.
No matter how magnanimous or how much he prioritizes the greater good, the humiliation and pain of watching his beloved woman be taken by another man is something no man can truly let go of.
Once this thorn is planted, it will take root and sprout in the heart, eventually growing into a towering tree that distorts people's minds and affects their judgment.
An opponent who loses their composure and judgment is the easiest to defeat.
"Understood, Your Majesty." Yunluan lowered her head. "We have already taken notice of the Zhenbei Prince's spies in the capital. This news will surely reach Xu Longxiang's ears within half an hour."
"Very good." Qin Mu nodded in satisfaction.
He watched Yunluan's handsome figure disappear outside the palace gate, and the smile on his lips deepened.
........
Thousands of miles away, in the northern border, at the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion.
Inside Zhenyue Hall, the atmosphere was so heavy it was almost suffocating.
It was already late afternoon, and sunlight streamed in through the high windows, casting bright spots of light on the bluestone floor, but it could not dispel the somber atmosphere in the hall.
Xu Longxiang sat on the tiger-skin chair in the center, his black python robe making his figure appear even more upright.
His face was resolute, his eyebrows were furrowed, and his fingers unconsciously tapped on the armrest, making a dull sound.
Standing before him were five people, the five celestial advisors he relied on to contend for the world.
Sikong Xuan, Fan Li, Tie Tu, Liu Hongyan, Mo Shen.
The five men, each with a different appearance, all wore solemn expressions, their gazes fixed on the bright yellow imperial edict rolled up in Xu Longxiang's hand.
That was an imperial edict from the capital of the Qin Dynasty, delivered by express courier this morning.