“Meng Qingzhou, I, Gu Xiyue, pay my respects to the Space-Time Sword Saint, Your Majesty.”
“What is your cultivation level?”
“Not much, I just recently broke through to the Morning Glow Realm. I’ve been wandering the mortal world for many years as a rogue cultivator.”
“Rogue cultivators are free and unrestrained. Why would you want to join me?”
“Seeing Your Majesty’s majestic presence and vast wisdom, I’ve long admired you. Besides, the endgame in the Wilderness has begun. As a Morning Glow cultivator, I can’t stay out of it. Rather than submitting to the cruel and lecherous lamas, I’d rather follow Your Majesty, even unto death.”
Gu Xiyue spoke sincerely, bowing deeply.
Meng Qingzhou pondered for a moment, then turned his head and asked:
“Qingqiu, where did you find this girl?”
Morning Glow Realm experts aren’t as common as Chinese cabbages. The battle at the Ancestral Sect nearly wiped out most of them. The remaining few are concentrated in the Buddhist Kingdom and Great Jin. Other top forces might have one or two Old Ancestors barely hanging on.
Yet Qingqiu, this silly girl, just casually picked up a vigorous and clearly young Morning Glow Realm expert while wandering outside.
Absolutely absurd!
“Uh…” Su Qingqiu’s big, mischievous eyes darted around.
She was also at a loss. How should she explain this?
The Empress had repeatedly warned her not to reveal her identity. If the Empress’ Husband knew that the monarch of Great Jin had risked herself and come alone to the border of the Buddhist Kingdom, he would surely be furious.
Dongfang Liuli had left the capital for the Buddhist Kingdom to rescue Prime Minister Jiang Canghai. Only Qin Fenghuo knew about this, even Meng Qingzhou was kept in the dark.
She dared not reveal the truth.
“This Gu Xiyue lady had been living in seclusion in the mountains. Due to the chaotic times, she had no choice but to come out. She happened to meet me and, upon hearing that the Master was guarding the capital city of Langya, she admired him and begged me to bring her to see him…” Su Qingqiu racked her brains and stammered.
Hearing this, Meng Qingzhou nodded slightly.
A familiar pattern, a familiar taste. This silly girl was lying again!
In the past, Meng Qingzhou might not have thought much about it. After all, back then, he had just traveled to this world, wandered for three years, and immediately ‘hid in the mountains as a live-in son-in-law.’
He couldn’t have imagined that the rumored domineering and ruthless villainess Empress would have such a completely opposite personality.
Nor would he have thought that Su Qingqiu, this silly girl, who seemed adorable and silly, could lie so fluently, albeit sometimes stammering due to nervousness.
But ever since he learned the truth.
Meng Qingzhou’s worldview had completely collapsed and reshaped, making him re-evaluate the people around him.
Previously, Su Qingqiu had hidden Dongfang Liuli’s identity as the Empress in a similar manner.
Could it be…
Meng Qingzhou raised an eyebrow, feeling a bad premonition.
“Gu… Xiyue, right?”
“Xiyue is here.”
Dongfang Liuli’s voice was sweet, soft like a girl next door. A jade pendant hung from her waist, emitting a special fragrance that masked her original scent. Her hair was tied into a high ponytail, and she wore a dashing heroine’s outfit with a mask, completely transforming her appearance.
If Dongfang Liuli hadn’t found Su Qingqiu and revealed her identity, even her close maid who had been with her for years wouldn’t have recognized her.
“What do you think of me? Speak your mind,” Meng Qingzhou asked calmly.
Dongfang Liuli pondered for a moment and then slowly said:
“Your Majesty has the people’s well-being at heart. You wield thunderous power but also possess a compassionate heart. You punish the wicked, killing the King of Langya and the Lustful Arhat without hesitation, yet you treat ordinary people kindly, even when they slander you. You even drove away the forces that came seeking revenge.”
Meng Qingzhou felt more certain.
Goodness, my infamy is almost poetic, like Dong Zhuo holding the emperor hostage to command the lords, just missing Cao the Traitor rallying the heroes to rise against me.
And you’re praising me??
Having lived in seclusion and not caring about worldly matters, just based on the battle in Langya Kingdom, even Meng Qingzhou himself found it hard to judge his merits and faults.
Killing the King of Langya and rescuing the distressed female cultivators were indeed great achievements.
Various forces expressed their gratitude, and even some that had wavered and considered siding with the Buddhist Kingdom chose to support Great Jin after this event.
However.
With the King of Langya dead, the palace was without an emperor. Outside the capital, signs of chaos began to appear. The collapse of rituals and music was imminent, and when that happened, outlaws would sprout like bamboo shoots after rain, causing countless innocent civilians to suffer.
The country would fall into ruin, and war would break out everywhere.
In such a situation, Gu Xiyue praised Meng Qingzhou as if he were a sage…
“Could it be that beauty is in the eye of the beholder?” Meng Qingzhou rubbed his chin, pondering.
“What do you think of the Empress of Great Jin? The world says Empress Qin Liuli is cruel and ruthless, destroying countless families and nations. And I, as her chief minister, willingly serve as her blade, exterminating the seven major forces and slaughtering hundreds of Morning Glow experts from the Ancestral Sect. How do you evaluate that?” Meng Qingzhou asked again.
Upon hearing this.
Dongfang Liuli’s forehead under the mask began to sweat, and her fists clenched tightly, feeling quite nervous.
What’s going on?
Isn’t this lazy fish usually carefree? Why is he acting so differently today, asking all these questions?
Dongfang Liuli didn’t know what Meng Qingzhou was suspicious of, so she spoke her true thoughts:
“The Wilderness has been plagued by war for a long time, like a patient with a terminal illness. How can it be cured without strong medicine?”
“Your Majesty must have seen the Empress as a kindred spirit, a soulmate, and thus chose to bring hope to the people in these dark times.”
Meng Qingzhou raised his hand to interrupt halfway through:
“Alright, that’s enough.”
“I roughly understand what you mean.”
Alright, alright, besides you, Dongfang Liuli, who else has such an understanding beyond the times?
Thinking of this, Meng Qingzhou felt inexplicably angry.
He knew Dongfang Liuli’s body had problems, with only a few years left to live. At such a critical time, she had left the capital alone and happened to meet him in the capital city of Langya. Her intentions were obvious.
Meng Qingzhou’s expression gradually darkened, and he tapped his finger on the armrest of his chair, making a crisp tapping sound.
“Your Majesty, have you made your decision?” Dongfang Liuli asked cautiously.
Su Qingqiu watched with curiosity, her big eyes filled with gossip, excited and jubilant.
When had she ever seen the Empress so humble?
This was a once-in-a-lifetime sight!
If word got out, it would shock the world. No, such a good thing couldn’t be shared with Wu Die; she had to enjoy it alone.
Su Qingqiu took a small stool, picked up a watermelon, and split it with her hand, then started eating the watermelon flesh with a spoon.
Suddenly, Meng Qingzhou’s tapping stopped, and he said:
“In that case, from today on, you will be my bed-warming maid!”
Thud!
Crash!
Su Qingqiu, lost in thought, fell backward off her stool, sprawling on the ground, the watermelon falling, her beautiful eyes wide open.
What?
A bed-warming maid?!
Dongfang Liuli’s delicate body trembled, and she looked up in disbelief.
…….
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