dognovel Chapter 137 The Selection Ceremony of the Consorts of the Hanba Tribe ②
Chapter 137 The Selection Ceremony of the Consorts of the Hanba Tribe ②
Because Qing Tingyu possessed the bones of an immortal, she became extremely sleepy, and cold, bloody tears would constantly seep from the corners of her eyes!
Right now, His Highness the Crown Prince, with a slightly swollen belly, has just woken up from a nightmare. His head is throbbing, and he can't quite hear what Mei Zifeng is saying in his dazed state.
Seeing the Crown Prince panting and pale, Yulan, who was serving him, felt sorry for him and stepped forward to cover his eyes with a steaming silk handkerchief. "Your Highness, Young Master Luo has sent a letter!"
Yulan's words jolted Qing Tingyu awake from his dream. He pressed the hot cloth over his eyes with his right hand, which was covered in bruises, his teeth chattering, "Read it!!!"
Mei Zifeng, kneeling on the ground, swallowed hard to moisten his throat before daring to read aloud the long-awaited secret letter.
"...Crown Prince..." After unfolding the secret letter, Mei Zifeng paused for a moment upon seeing the twelve bold and straightforward characters on the Xuan paper!
Qing Tingyu, pressing the hot cloth over her eyes, realized something was wrong and commanded in a panting voice, "Read it!!!"
Mei Zifeng, his hands trembling, presented the secret letter to the Crown Prince, bowing his head and kowtowing in apology, "Your Highness, please forgive this servant for daring not to speak!"
Upon seeing this, Yulan and Shuer, who were serving the Crown Prince, also knelt down with a thud, crying, "Your Highness, please forgive us!!!"
Qing Tingyu threw the hot cloth soaked with blood and tears onto the table, struggled to open her blood-red eyes, and reached out to take the secret letter that Mei Zifeng respectfully presented to her!
Qing Tingyu's deep voice, tinged with panting, resonated in the stagnant air of the outer hall!
"Your Highness, Your Highness!"
"The winter is deep!!"
"Add more clothes to avoid getting sick!!!"
Boom! ! !
Lightning ripped through the dark sky, and the clouds churned into surging waves, colliding and threatening to devour each other!
Qing Tingyu suppressed the restlessness deep within her heart and stared motionlessly at the words on the Xuan paper until nightfall without moving!
The outer hall of Tingyu Palace was filled with kneeling servants, all holding their breath and daring not to make a move!
"Cough cough cough!" Only after the Crown Prince coughed up a few puddles of blood from the corner of his mouth did the spotless Xuan paper take on some color and look much more pleasing to the eye!
"Your Highness! Your Highness!!!" Mei Zifeng was so frightened when she saw the Crown Prince cough up blood and fall off his chair that she rushed forward to help him up!
Qing Tingyu crumpled the letter in her hand, then dropped it to the ground, her expression a mixture of sorrow and joy. "It's alright. Have someone open the dungeon! Also, all of you, leave!!!"
"Yes, Your Majesty, I obey!"
After everyone had left, Qing Tingyu dared to sob aloud in grief, “Qingqing?! What a Qingqing! Are you all calling me Qingqing?!”
On the still chilly ground, shrouded in the night, Qing Tingyu lay on her back, her belly slightly swollen. She placed the blood-stained letter from home on her face and patted the restless movements emanating from her stomach. "Baby, be good, don't make a fuss!"
Outside the Tingyu Palace, many assassins and servants were waiting, completely surrounding the palace.
The Crown Prince's new concubine, Gui Ningzhi, arrived with two servants, Biyun and Qingshui, who had come from the Prime Minister's residence. She carried a box of dinner herself and greeted them with a charming smile, "Where is His Highness the Crown Prince?! It's already night, why hasn't the kitchen been summoned to prepare the meal?!"
Upon seeing Consort Ning come to question them, Yulan and Shuer immediately stepped forward, bowed, and explained, "Consort Ning, the Crown Prince is currently handling important military matters in the northern deserts and is not allowed to enter without an imperial decree!"
When Gui Ningzhi's maid, Qingshui, saw that these two maids who had long served by the Crown Prince's side dared to obstruct her mistress, she couldn't help but step forward and scold them, "How dare you! The concubine wants to see the Crown Prince, how dare you obstruct her like this?!"
Yulan and Shuer kept their heads down, blocking Guining Zhi's way and preventing her from taking a step forward!
Seeing that the concubine's maid, Qingshui, was about to fan Yulan, Mei Zifeng quickly stepped forward and drew his sword to stop her, saying, "The Crown Prince has ordered that no one may enter without an imperial edict!"
Seeing that this cold-hearted servant dared to draw his sword and threaten Qingshui, Biyun grabbed Guiningzhi's sleeve and muttered loudly, "How dare you, mere servants, be so disrespectful to the concubine?!"
Meanwhile, Consort Gui Ningzhi was squinting hard, trying to squeeze through the dense crowd outside the palace to peek inside!
However, the armored assassins outside the hall were mostly burly and formed several walls of flesh, making it difficult for Gui Ningzhi to peek inside the hall.
Seeing that her young mistress was still in a daze, Biyun reached out and gently pinched the soft flesh on her waist. "Miss! Please, say something!"
Gui Ningzhi was awakened by a sharp pain in her waist. With tears welling in her eyes, she gritted her teeth and pretended to be relaxed, saying, "It's alright. His Highness the Crown Prince has important matters to discuss, and it's not appropriate for Ning'er to disturb him!"
Gui Ningzhi flicked her sleeves, picked up the food box, and was about to turn and leave!
Seeing their young mistress indulging these troublesome servants so much, Biyun and Qingshui could only sigh helplessly and follow Guiningzhi with exasperation, "Miss, wait for us!!"
Mei Zifeng and the others had just dealt with Consort Ning when they encountered Lord Gui Ning'an, who had come to discuss matters!
Gui Ning'an was dressed in a vermilion court robe, wearing an official hat and a jade belt. He was tall and dignified.
He stepped forward, bowed to Mei Zifeng, and greeted him, "Zifeng, the Emperor has ordered me to discuss military matters in the northern desert with His Highness the Crown Prince. I would be grateful if you could enter the palace to announce my arrival!"
Mei Zifeng looked at the governor, who had changed his official position and robes. His aura was no longer as clear and gentle as before, but rather imposing. Mei Zifeng bowed and replied, "Your Excellency, the Crown Prince has ordered that no one may enter without an imperial edict!"
Just as Gui Ning'an was about to speak, the gate of Tingyu Palace creaked open, "So it's the Governor who has graced Dongguan with his presence? Come, please come in!"
After bathing, Qing Tingyu changed into a white silk undergarment and a red fox fur coat for warmth. She leaned back in a soft chair, smiling as she looked at her long-lost classmate Gui Ning'an from the Imperial Academy!
Meanwhile, the Imperial Court was also bustling with activity tonight!
General Lin stepped forward to report the latest military intelligence from the northern deserts to the capital, his face filled with worry. "Your Majesty! The remnants of the Snake Barbarian tribe have actually managed to return to the northern deserts and form an alliance with the Fierce Barbarian tribe! They truly harbor wolfish ambitions, and their crimes deserve to be punished!!"
General Yang stroked his white beard and said worriedly, "Your Majesty, the matter of the intelligence map of the Hanba tribe can no longer be delayed. This old minister begs Your Majesty to issue an order for my son Chenqing to go into battle!"
The current emperor, Qing Tingmo, sat high on his dragon throne, propping his head up with his hand and squinting his eyes. After a long while, he said sparingly, "Hmm, the military situation in the Northern Desert has suddenly changed. It's time to deal with it properly!"
Upon hearing that His Majesty intended to send troops to reinforce the northern desert, the powerful official immediately seized the opportunity and said, "Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, sending troops to reinforce the northern desert is indeed an urgent matter!"
Standing at the head of the assembled officials, Qing Tingmu saw that the time was ripe and slid down to kneel before the dragon throne, cupping his hands in supplication, "Your Majesty, Mu'er is willing to lead 50,000 elite troops to quell the rebellion in the northern desert!"
Upon seeing this, Gong Tongbai also slid down to his knees beneath the dragon throne, kowtowed, and pleaded, "Your Majesty, I am also willing to lead 50,000 elite troops to quell the rebellion in the northern desert!!"