He almost fulfilled all my girlish fantasies about men and husbands. He was young, handsome, intelligent, knowledgeable, considerate, and had a good sense of humor. More importantly, he had the courage and ability to help me govern not only Qi Yue but also the entire world.

  He treats me very well, even if he hasn't fallen in love with me yet, but I can feel that he is genuinely willing to play the role of a good husband. I understand that even if he never falls in love with me, at least he will be good to me for the rest of his life, no matter how circumstances change.

  It was just because I gave him a home when he was at his lowest point.

  Before our big wedding, I had planned to give him a brand new identity and name.

  However, he shook his head and said: "I use my original name, but change to another identity. Please, Princess, let the world know that today's Murong Liu is born in Qi Yue, grew up in Qi Yue, and is a true Qi Yue person."

  I was just about to advise him to change his name and be done with it, but suddenly I changed my mind and looked into his eyes, where I unexpectedly found a deep-seated glow and nostalgia.

  I suddenly understood the reason why he did this, he wanted his sister far in Southern Dynasty to know about him, he wanted to tell her that he was now safe and sound and had the ability to rescue her, he wanted her to wait for him.

  It's understandable that he has always had a special feeling for this second sister, I know, and perhaps added some innate pride, so he is not willing to give up his original name.

  Why did I have to help him cover up and weave a lie to protect her from being implicated?

  He raised his eyes to look at me: "Does the princess feel embarrassed? Doing so, even if someone suspects, but there is no real evidence, it is impossible for Nan Chao to turn against Qi Yue just because of this matter."

  I smiled: "And your sister can know about you and won't be implicated, right?"

  He calmly looked back at me, nodded and did not deny: "Please forgive the princess, I will not change my name. Also, whether or not the princess believes it, arrange a brand new identity for me, for Rong Yue, the troubles that can be avoided are far more than those of my sister's. My sister is pregnant with the imperial heir and nothing will happen to her before the child is born."

  So you dare to take such a risk, huh?

  I closed my eyes and told myself it didn't matter, after all she was his own sister, I shouldn't be so petty.

  I nodded at him and smiled: "Don't worry, I understand what to do."

  In his eyes, a hint of guilt and gratitude flashed by, and he softly said to me: "Thank you."

  I stretched out my arms and hooked them around his neck, opening my mouth lightly but firmly by his ear: "We're almost husband and wife, so no matter what I do, you'll never need to say those three words to me."

  At our grand wedding, representing the Southern Dynasty was the third prince of the Southern Dynasty, the future Crown Prince, and also his second brother-in-law, Nan Xiangyao.

  They all knew each other's thoughts without saying a word, but on the surface, there was only an indifferent and cold politeness. I originally thought that this meeting would pass by so smoothly, but in fact, it can also be said that something unexpected happened in between.

  On the third day after our wedding, I hosted a grand banquet for guests. Before Southern Qi and Viet had an official falling out, Nan Chongyao was a noble guest, so he was naturally among them.

  Between the cups and chopsticks, his attendants suddenly rushed in despite the guards' attempts to stop them. Such a breach of etiquette told me that something big must have happened, but I remained expressionless on the surface.

  Until I saw Nancheng Yao, who was originally calm and collected, and had never revealed any extra emotions even when the attendants rushed in, suddenly change color after hearing just one sentence.

  The wine glass that was originally held in his hand was crushed by his uncontrollable strength, and blood mixed with the dark red wine trickled down along his slender fingers.

  His reaction was extremely quick, although his face was slightly pale, there was still deep pain in his eyes that had not completely subsided, but to be precise, his loss of composure only lasted for the instant when he crushed the wine cup.

  He clenched his bloody right hand into a fist and hid it behind his back, almost immediately standing up to bid us farewell. His words and actions were polite, but the broad back that departed from us clearly revealed deeply hidden intense pain and urgency.

  Nan Chengyao hastily left Qi Yue and rushed back to the Southern Dynasty, while Lin remained calm in front of everyone and didn't show any unusual behavior due to this incident. He continued to hold his wine cup and make a toast, chatting and laughing as usual.

  But I understand him so well, just like understanding myself. I can clearly feel that since Nan Chengyue left the banquet, he has been absent-minded, with a faint sense of worry and unease.

  He might be worried that Nan Chengyao's departure had something to do with his sister.

  It turned out that his premonition was not wrong, and soon the person he sent to investigate returned to tell us that Nan Chengyao was in such a hurry to rush to the southern court day and night because his queen had lost her child and was almost dying.

  I don't know if it was because of this matter, but Zan finally made up his mind to go to war with the Southern Dynasty. When he mentioned it to me, I didn't hesitate at all, smiled and nodded, telling him that not only me, but the entire Qi Yue would fully support him.

  I knew he was capable of anything, and I also knew that since I announced it on the court, he has been plotting and preparing, but I didn't expect that when everything is ready, it would be so fast.

  The Grand Minister once said to me with a serious tone: "Princess, you must be careful of your husband. I have lived for so many years and have never seen anyone with his kind of cunning and ability, and yet he is still so young. I am worried..."

  I quietly interrupted him: "There's nothing to worry about, he is the one I personally chose as my husband, I trust him."

  Wen Chengxiang slowly shook his head: "Although Qi Yue has been preparing for this war with the Southern Dynasty for many years, it's not easy to get everything in order and reorganized in such a short period of time. Princess, you and your husband have always been in harmony, which is a blessing for Qi Yue and something I've always looked forward to. However, I still want to remind you that if General Murong Lin was a formidable opponent in my eyes back then, today's Murong Lin would be someone nobody would dare to offend. His prestige in Qi Yue is growing higher and higher, and I'm worried that if he were to betray your trust one day, the consequences would be unbearable."

  I looked at the elder who had taught me how to govern the country since I was young, and treated me like a daughter. He opened his mouth lightly but firmly, word by word: "Prime Minister, rest assured that I will absolutely not let such things happen."

  After Wen Shang left, I felt inexplicably empty inside, so on a whim, I took Green Sleeve and headed to the front lines, going to Rong City, which borders the Southern Dynasty, to visit my husband.

  Although a large-scale war between the two countries has not officially broken out, Ziyu has already led the three armies to station on the border as the commander-in-chief of Qi and Yue. I stayed in the palace to handle government affairs, occasionally going to Rong City to visit him and take a look at the preparations for battle.

  After a long and tiring journey, I arrived at the government office in Rong City when night had already fallen. The guards at the office were accustomed to my arrival, although this time was somewhat sudden, but it didn't cause much commotion. They just told me that the imperial son-in-law had already gone to bed.

  I stopped the person who was going to report and walked into his room myself. As I passed by the window, I glanced inside casually. Qingying was leaning against the bed, dozing off, while Lian lay on the bed with a faint blue color under her eyes, not sleeping very soundly.

  I hesitated for a moment, didn't go in, afraid of waking him up, but also couldn't bear to leave, just standing quietly outside the window, my gaze lingering softly and painfully on his face.

  His eyebrows were deeply furrowed, and his expression on his face was increasingly uneasy, as if he had encountered a nightmare. I was hesitating whether to wake him up or not, but he suddenly sat up from the bed with a start, and in that frightened moment, the entwined words still lingered, uncontrollably breaking free from his sleep and self-control, crashing into the dense black night that concealed everything.

  Although it was just a simple and vague syllable, I knew I wouldn't mishear it. It was clearly the word "qing".

  I subconsciously hid in the darkness and watched as Qing Wei hastily got up, anxiously asking him: "Young Master, have you had another nightmare?"

  Without waiting for him to say what the nightmare was, Qingyi continued on her own: "Young Master, Miss Qing will be safe and sound, waiting for your return. Don't scare yourself unnecessarily. Since the Third Prince dared to take a huge risk to let you go back then, he must have deep feelings for Miss Qing. He definitely won't let anything happen to her, which is why you decided to send troops, isn't that what you told me?"

  "Yes, I said it, I had to gamble, but the stakes were her safety. I really hate myself." He wiped away a cold sweat from his forehead and closed his tired eyes: "But Qingyi, if I didn't send troops, I would never be able to rescue her for the rest of my life, do you understand?"

  "I understand, young master, you'd better lie down and sleep for a while." Qing Wei hastily said.

  He seemed to have not heard his words, and was lost in his own memories, his speech a bit disorganized: "At that time, I really wanted to take her away, but I knew I couldn't. I made those gestures knowing they would make her worried and uncomfortable, but I had no choice. I was afraid that Nan Chengyao would pretend to let me go in front of her, but secretly send someone to take my life, just like he did with Dong Ming back then. So I let him think that I'm just a reckless and incompetent young master who wouldn't pose any threat to him. I don't know if he saw through it or not, all I knew was that when I held her hand, his gaze was cold and hidden, every word strong and decisive, leaving no room for compromise. At that time, I knew he wouldn't let her go, he couldn't let her go... but he had already made her suffer so much, almost to the point of losing her life. I couldn't let her stay by his side any longer, my only choice was to take action. Do you understand?"

  Qingyi had long been dizzy from his illogical string of "he" and "she", and now could only respond with a series of "yes, I understand", and advised: "Young master, don't think wildly anymore, in the past when Qing miss went to Mo Bei, didn't you daydream about her being robbed by horse bandits? But she was fine, and it's the same this time, she is your sister, that's why...

  "She is not my sister," he suddenly said.

  "What?" Qing Wei stopped chattering and was stunned for a moment.

  But Wei Er slowly came back to her senses, didn't say another word, closed her eyes and lay back down on the bed.

  Qing Wei didn't pay much attention to his words, and walked forward to pull up the quilt for him. I turned around expressionlessly and left along the way I came, but not far away, I saw the guards of the Yungcheng government office carrying lanterns towards Ruo's room.

  "The prince has already rested, don't disturb him unless it's something important." I instructed calmly.

  The guard hastily said: "It's a disciple of Xieyigu who came to see the imperial son-in-law overnight, saying it was about the imperial son-in-law's sister."

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