Chapter 23: What Ungratefulness Is

　　Murong Qi Qi’s modesty made Duanmu Qing feel great joy. Especially the last ‘crown prince’ made Duanmu Qing feel really good. She stroked her belly as if she’ll immediately be able to conceive a boy and the moment he is born, he’ll inherit the empire.

　　“After bengong gives birth to the crown prince, the first one to reward is you!”

　　Not long after Duanmu Qing went back to Qing Luan Palace, Longze Yu came over. Duanmu Qing was very surprised at seeing Longze Yu. Can it be that he already knew of the matter with Jin Mo? She hasn’t thought of a good explanation yet! The emperor already didn’t love her. If he uses that excuse and puts the blame on Duanmu family for colluding with Bei Zhou, then what should she do? In just one moment, Duanmu Qing’s mind has already turned thousands times. Her palms have become wet because she is so tense.

　　“Empress, zhen1 has come today to tell you something.”

　　The thing that Duanmu Qing expected didn’t happen. Longze Yu changed his normal attitude and sat beside her. He put her hands into his palm. Such intimate action made Duanmu Qing startled. How long has it been since they had such intimate action? One year, three years or has it been five years? Even Duanmu Qing herself doesn’t remember anymore.

　　Longze Yu is unaware of the difference in Duanmu Qing. He is just still angry about the thing from a moment ago.

　　“Today, zhen received a marriage proposal from Bei Zhou. Wanyan Lie wants zhen to marry a princess over! You also know, our national forces simply can’t compete with that of Bei Zhou’s!”

　　“Wanyan Lie?”

　　It’s not what she thought, Duanmu Qing immediately feel relaxed. But the moment she thought about the princesses who were at a marriageable age, only her daughter Longze Yu Er is at a marriageable age, Duanmu Qing immediately panicked.

　　Looking at the frown on this man in front of her who has accompanied her for many years, Duanmu Qing spoke carefully: “Emperor, you are not thinking of marrying Yu Er over, right? But Wanyan Lie’s age, he could already be her father!”

　　“Empress, that’s not the case.”

　　Longze Yu pulled Duanmu Qing in his embrace. His chin is against Duanmu Qing’s hair. His voice also became sad: “Wanyan Lie is asking marriage for Nan Lin wang Feng Cang! I heard that Feng Cang’s body has always not been good. Wan Yan Lie wants to let a princess marry over for the peace and tochongxi2 for Fen Cang……”

　　“No!”

　　Hearing the words Nan Lin wang Feng Cang, Duanmu Qing’s heart went into her throat once again.

　　Connecting the matter of now and that of before, Duanmu Qing finally understood why today Jin Mo took such a big risk to go see her. Could it be that it’s because she is the future mother-in-law of his master? So it’s like that, ah! So it’s like that, ah!

　　“Emperor, this cannot happen! In this world, who doesn’t know that Nan Lin wang has a violent personality, is cursed and caused the death of eight wives. Now Wan Yan Lie wants our Yu Er to marry over, isn’t that pushing her into a pit of fire?!”

　　Just thinking about those rumors of Feng Cang, Duanmu Qing couldn’t help but shudder. Bloodthirsty, cold, without love……Making her daughter marry such a demon, even if she dies, she won’t agree!

　　Duanmu Qing’s reaction is in the expectation of Longze Yu, but he couldn’t help it! Bei Zhou has strong soldiers and sturdy horses and Nan Lin wang Feng Cang commanded the army like a god. If he doesn’t agree and angered Bei Zhou, the consequences are simply unimaginably disastrous!

　　Strong soldiers and sturdy horses: a well-trained and powerful army.

　　“Empress, zhen also doesn’t want it to be like this. The war at Yan Dang Mountain of that year, Xi Qi lost 400,000 men. Although fifteen years has passed, our country has only just recovered our strength. We don’t have the ability to fight with the powerful Bei Zhou, ah……”

　　For the first time, Longze Yu felt failure. He is not a qualified father. Even if he knew that it’s a pit of fire, he still ha to send over his own daughter, because he is incompetent and he can’t say no to Wan Yan Lie’s proposal.

　　“Empress, zhen is sorry to you, sorry to Yu Er……”

　　“Don’t!”

　　A figure in yellow rushed in.

　　“Fuhuang3, muhou4, daughter doesn’t want to marry demon wang! Don’t want to marry him!”

　　“Yu Er……”

　　Seeing her daughter’s face full of tears, Duanmu Qing’s heart felt very painful. She immediately moved away from Longze Yu’s embrace and pulled Longze Yu Er into her embrace.

　　“Yu Er, muhou won’t let you marry him! Won’t let you go chongxi for him!”

　　“Muddleheaded!”

　　Hearing Duanmu Qing’s muddleheaded words, Longze Yu opened his mouth to reprimand.

　　“Could it be that you want to let go of the citizens of Xi Qi country because of Yu Er?!”

　　“Fuhuang, why is it daughter?”

　　After hearing Longze Yu’s words, Longze Yu Er, immediately stood up.

　　“Fuhuang can bestow the title of princess on a daughter of an official and let her marry in place of daughter! Weren’t there such examples in the past? Why must daughter marry over?! Bei Zhou only said they want a princess. They didn’t say it must be a princess from the royal bloodline!”

　　Longze Yu Er’s words made the original troubled heart of Longze Yu brighten up.

　　“That’s right, ah! It can be like that! How come zhen has forgotten?! It was zhen who panicked!”

　　After Longze Yu said that, Duanmu Qing is immediately aware that there’s a turning point. She must strike the iron while it’s hot and consolidate his ideas.

　　“Who should become princess?”

　　As Longze Yu is thinking about this problem, Duanmu Qing is also thinking about it. Searching through the four great families as well as officials with high posts;  to find a suitable candidate is really not easy.

　　Suddenly in Duanmu Qing’s mind emerged a figure, Murong Qi Qi. After thinking it through, Duanmu Qing finally decided to push Murong Qi Qi as the ‘scapegoat’.

　　“Emperor, chenqie5 has one candidate.”

　　Duanmu Qing waved at Longze Yu Er to let her excuse herself. She went to Longze Yu’s side and told him everything that had happened today, but she concealed the fact that Murong Qi Qi gave her a ‘having children’ pill.

　　“Jing Tian wrote a letter of breaking the engagement?”

　　After hearing that Longze Jing Tian broke off the engagement with Murong Qi Qi, Longze Yu was somewhat surprised. In the surprise, he also understood the reason. He understood his son. He is such a proud and arrogant person, how could he accept a rubbish as wife?!

　　“It’s alright that he broke it! Murong Qi Qi’s reputation doesn’t seem that good. If we let her marry over, zhen is afraid that they will not accept……”

　　“Emperor, if it really cannot be helped, we can give her more dowry. Beside the mountain is high and the road is far, by the time the things here spread over to Bei Zhou, she has long married over. Whether she can or cannot survive the wedding night is still a question!”

　　Duanmu Qing took the initiative and held Longze Yu. Her voice is surprisingly gentle. Although her mouth is saying that but in her heart, she has another idea.

　　She is eager for Murong Qi Qi’s bad reputation to be spread far and wide and to let Fang Cang know the truth quickly, that Murong Qi Qi is just a woman to warm the bed. By that time, if Bei Zhou came to demand an explanation, then she can say that they all have been lied to by Murong family. By that time, she wants to see how much longer Longze Yu can protect Murong family! If Murong family is ruined, she’d like to see how Murong Xue Lian, that bitch, can still show off in the palace!

　　After hearing Duanmu Qing, Longze Yu was in a good mood. Just now, the tough problems, which made him get a headache, has been solved so easily. Now Longze Yu has completely accepted Duanmu Qing’s suggestion.

　　“Qing er, you really are zhen’s good empress, ah! Tonight, zhen will rest here!”

　　Comments:

　　Zhen: I, used by emperor. Chongxi: arrange a wedding for a very ill young man with the hope that the ’event of great joy’ will drive away his bad luck and hasten his recovery Fuhuang: emperor father, what the emperor’s children calls him Muhou: empress mother, what all children of the emperor calls the empress Chenqie: I, used by emperor’s wives to refer to themselves.