Chapter 605

Po Feng's words, Li Qingluo immediately understood his meaning.

Nowadays, the Western Regions act strangely, yet they are exceedingly cautious.

Apart from religion, only the marriage-alliance entourage can still enter the Western Regions' borders.

All other caravans are now outright forbidden to come and go.

For the peoples of both countries, this is indeed a great loss.

But the Western Regions themselves don't know what they're up to—on one hand they wildly disturb the peace among the three kingdoms abroad, on the other they seal their gates tight.

And nowadays, to enter the Western Regions, a marriage alliance is indeed a viable way.

But Li Qingluo also had reservations: 'The emperor of Great Chu has just abandoned the idea; if I now act under Great Chu's banner, this would easily be exposed.'

'By then, if I'm inside the Western Regions' territory, I'd be walking straight into a trap.'

Po Feng hurriedly said: 'How about sending the princess of Lanhai State for the marriage alliance?'

Lanhai State?

Li Qingluo had already guessed the identity of the Lanhai king in her heart.

But she had not brought it up herself.

Unexpectedly, Po Feng was the first to mention Lanhai State.

'Are you serious? Won't this disturb you… and your plans?'

Po Feng gave a rare smile: 'Miss, the Western Regions are now eager to find out what our Lanhai State is all about.'

'Originally, I, your subordinate, have been worrying about how to go deep into the Western Regions to stir things up.'

'You've come at just the right time.'

'Moreover, our Lanhai State ought to finally emerge into the world, so people know there is still a Lanhai in this world!'

Li Qingluo moved her lips.

She had originally wanted to ask a few more things, but in the end she held back.

'Then let's handle the matter like this.'

'I originally wanted to keep things separate from you, but now it seems that won't work.'

'I'll leave this entirely to you; hopefully you can set out within two or three days!'

Po Feng: 'Yes, miss! No… our Lanhai princess.'

Li Qingluo inexplicably became the Lanhai princess.

When Que'er found out, she was so excited she almost slapped her own thigh swollen.

'Miss, is the Lanhai king… Your Highness…?'

Li Qingluo raised a finger.

'Some things, don't say them out loud.'

'Maybe yes, maybe no.'

'Your Highness has never said so; let's not guess randomly.'

Que'er suppressed her inner excitement, but couldn't hold back the smile that was about to split her ears.

'Yes, miss! I understand.'

'Miss, then it will be trouble for you to pose again as the marriage-alliance princess?'

'Hey, I can also go to the Western Regions to see the scenery; I'm actually looking forward to it.'

Li Qingluo was combing her hair.

Hearing her say that, she suddenly smiled: 'Que'er, I hope this matter can be resolved quickly, so that you and Sha San can marry smoothly.'

'By then, Po Feng will have to work hard to arrange a grand wedding for you two.'

'By the way, how has Zhui Yu been on this journey?'

Que'er's smile faded, she tugged at the corner of her mouth: 'He just keeps staring at me and Sha San; otherwise, he hasn't done anything out of line.'

No sooner had Que'er finished speaking than Zheng Mama arrived.

'Miss, Qin Ling is on a hunger strike.'

'He hasn't eaten for three days; just now he finally managed to starve himself into fainting.'

Li Qingluo rose in disbelief: 'A hunger strike? Come on, let's go see.'

Li Qingluo came to Qin Ling's room.

Seeing Qin Ling lying on the bed with a pallid face, having just been given water, he had barely regained some consciousness.

Li Qingluo's face full of disdain: 'You're a doctor yourself, yet you can be so harsh on yourself.'

'Speak, what exactly do you want to do?'

Qin Ling replied weakly: 'I want Yun Niang…'

'You have forcibly separated me and Yun Niang, and it's been over two years—'

'I've toiled like an ox and horse to atone, doing so much for you; now shouldn't we be allowed to reunite as husband and wife?'

'After all, she is your aunt…'

'How can you be so ruthless?'

Li Qingluo let out a cold snort: 'Ruthless? Compared to what you two have done to me, this is only a minor trick.'

'If I were truly ruthless, I would have long since exterminated you two, and you wouldn't even be breathing today.'

'You are not unaware of the fate of others who have offended me.'

'Based on what you've done to me before, letting you off with a ten-year debt is already letting you off easy.'

'How can you still have the nerve to come here and put on this act for me?'

Qin Ling's expression stiffened.

He thought of Princess Qinyu.

He thought of the witch ancestor Zulya.

He thought of the Sixth Prince of Great Chu.

He thought of Li Qingluo's own parents and brother, even that fake young lady, thinking of the fate of all of them.

Although their fates were self-inflicted, how could each person's destiny not be the result of her stirring the waves from behind?

Qin Ling shuddered violently.

At this moment his expression also became somewhat awkward.

"I——"

Li Qingluo rolled her eyes, no longer looking at him, turned and walked out.

Qin Ling pounded the bed and shouted from behind: "Li Qingluo——"

"You're too heartless! Wuwuwu……"

"Even if you let me glance at my wife, that would be fine."

"Anyway, I count as your uncle, right?"

"Even if you refuse to acknowledge it, blood ties are right here, you can never shake them off!"

"If you really want to torment us, then at least give us a quick end!"

"At least the Cowherd and Weaver Girl get to meet once a year; you're even less reasonable than the Queen Mother——"

Li Qingluo felt annoyed.

"Enough!"

"Best you starve to death!"

"Then tomorrow you won't even have to see your Yuniang!"

The room fell silent for a moment.

Only when Li Qingluo was about to walk far away did they hear Qin Ling's cheer.

He was so excited that he even fell from the bed with a bang.

It caused a low exclamation from the attendant inside.

Zheng Mama couldn't help but sigh: "Li Yunchu really got such a good husband, devoted to her, truly moving. Her fate isn't too bad either."

Li Qingluo: "She must have her own merits; otherwise where would this unfounded affection come from?"

"Go arrange it, let them meet."

Zheng Mama: "After all, Miss, you are still too kind-hearted."

"Originally this scheming couple almost made you lose face, even wanted you to lose everything; if it weren't for you, Miss, relying on your own perseverance to fight your way out, ordinary people would really have been fooled by them."

"You and the Old Lady actually gave them a chance back then; you didn't even exterminate them completely."

"That Li Yunchu was merely driven to Mantuo City by the Old Lady; if left alone, she would have starved to death on the streets."

"Finally we gave her a chance to survive; now she works as an embroiderer in our shop, and I hear she's even become the top seller."

Li Qingluo: "Perhaps that is her excellence."

"No matter where one is, no matter how dire the situation, one can always find a way to survive."

"However, to completely trust this couple is also impossible."

Li Qingluo leaned in and whispered a few more instructions to Zheng Mama, whose eyes instantly lit up.

Meanwhile, Zhui Yu swaggered around the manor of the Mantuo City lord.

Seeing that the grand lord's manor was inhabited by just Po Feng alone, Zhui Yu's words were full of sourness: "You're actually living carefree these days."

"You've become the city lord."

"In the future, will I, Zhui Yu, still dare to call you brother, Po Feng?"

Po Feng gave him a punch.

"Have you been drinking too much sour soup?"

"Your matter, I heard from Leng Dian's letter."

"If you messed things up yourself, don't spend all day acting like a resentful woman."

"Zhui Yu, seeing you now, you're completely different from before."

All over, there's not a trace of the former vitality left.

"Is this what love does?"

"It can actually change a person so greatly, and moreover it's not a good change."

"This made Po Feng's heart fear worldly love affairs even more."

"Your Highness once wrote saying he should find a suitable opportunity to marry; otherwise a city lord living alone would look inappropriate."

"But when the city's wealthy clans offered their daughters, he hastily refused them all."

"Po Feng originally just didn't want these love troubles to hinder his pursuit of great endeavors."

"But now he begins to gradually realize the drawbacks of remaining unmarried for so long."

"His subordinates, who don't know his true identity and background, due to the city lord's prolonged lack of marriage and heirs, have all begun to have obvious worries."

"Po Feng's heart was originally also restless."

"Seeing Zhui Yu in this state, his heart instantly felt like ants on a hot pan."

"Love is so troublesome, how could he dare to get involved?"

"However, if he were to marry a complete stranger straight away, Po Feng still couldn't take that step."

"Hey!"

"What nonsense are you thinking about?"

"I've been calling you for ages and you didn't respond."

"Your Highness's letter, have you read it?"

Zhui Yu waved her hand, pulling Po Feng's consciousness back.

Po Feng suppressed the restlessness in his heart, slowly nodding: "I've read it. Your Highness ordered me to treat the Princess Consort as I would him. Even if the Princess Consort asks about the Orchid Sea Kingdom, I can tell her everything."

"He also said, the Princess Consort represents Your Highness himself, and ordered me to spare no effort in assisting her endeavors."

"Back then, Your Highness concealed this from the Princess Consort precisely so that, should things go wrong one day, it wouldn't implicate her."

"Now that the Princess Consort has come to Mandara City, even if she doesn't ask about this, she must already have her own suspicions in her heart."

"I never expected that the Princess Consort would trust Your Highness's actions so completely, without even a single question from us."

"Your Highness and the Princess Consort now have such deep affection, have they really come to this point?"

Zhui Yu nodded: "Mm, they have long become one entity, truly indistinguishable."

"To find such a soul‑matched person in this life is indeed enviable."

"For this matter, we just need to follow Your Highness's words."

"The Princess Consort is no reckless person; her actions follow her own methods and principles."

"And toward Your Highness, her sincerity is unequivocal."

Po Feng: "That's good then."

"Sincere people in the world are something you can encounter but not seek."

"Even if Your Highness meeting the Princess Consort means we all spend our lives alone, what does it matter?"

Saying this, Po Feng suddenly gave Zhui Yu a deep look.

"Right. The person you asked me to find—there's news."

"You, do you want to know?"

Zhui Yu snapped her head up upon hearing that.

"What did you say?!"