20demayo Chapter 246 Zhao Qingxue is never one to admit defeat!
Chapter 246 Zhao Qingxue is never one to admit defeat!
Qin Mu looked at Zhao Qingxue and nodded.
"Of course," he said.
His voice was gentle, as gentle as a spring breeze.
Zhao Qingxue did not look at him again.
She turned around and took a step.
She walked toward the room behind her that had imprisoned her for a day and a night.
The moonlight shone on her, making her tattered, moon-white dress stand out clearly.
She walked to the door and pushed it open.
I stepped inside.
The door closed gently behind her.
She was shielded from the moonlight, the night wind, and the deep gaze that had been fixed upon her.
The room was dimly lit.
Only the faint moonlight filtering in from the window cast a pale silvery-white shadow on the floor.
Zhao Qingxue stood still, motionless.
She didn't know why she had returned to this room.
This was the dilapidated room where she had been imprisoned for a day and a night, a room used for holding prisoners.
The place was simple, cold, and even had a faint musty smell.
The beds here are so hard they hurt your skin, the blankets are so thin they're almost unbearable, and every corner here exudes the aura of a "prisoner."
But she came back.
Qin Mu had clearly promised to let her go and rest.
She could have gone to a better place.
But she still came back.
Zhao Qingxue walked to the bedside and slowly sat down.
The bed frame creaked, a sound that was particularly clear in the quiet room.
She sat there, gazing at the moonlight streaming in through the window.
A thought suddenly flashed through my mind.
perhaps,
It was because of this room that she could stay awake.
Those magnificent palaces, those soft beds, those exquisite furnishings...
It's too easy to get lost in it.
It's too easy for people to forget who they are.
It's too easy for someone to accept everything that man gives them without even realizing it.
Then, little by little, you lose yourself.
And this dilapidated room, this hard bed, and this faint musty smell constantly reminded her:
You are a prisoner.
You are the one who is imprisoned.
You are not free yet.
Zhao Qingxue closed her eyes.
Take a deep breath.
The breath she inhaled, carrying the chill of the room, made her more alert.
She slowly lay down.
I curled up on that hard bed.
The night is getting darker and the moon is setting in the west.
Inside the dilapidated room of Qingxin Pavilion, Zhao Qingxue curled up on the hard bed, motionless.
Moonlight streamed in through the window, casting dappled shadows on the floor.
She gazed at the roof beams above her, which were faintly illuminated by the moonlight, and something was churning deep within her pupils.
Zhao Qingxue raised her hand and gently brushed away the strands of hair stuck to her face.
Then, she looked down at her own hands.
These hands once held the imperial seal, reviewed memorials, and guided the nation's affairs.
These hands once made countless heroes bow down and made millions of troops flee in terror.
But now, her hands were covered with red marks from the ropes, bruises from the struggle, and the marks of humiliation she didn't want to recall but could never forget.
Looking at the scars, Zhao Qingxue slowly curved her lips into a smile.
That curve was cold, as cold as thousand-year-old ice.
"Zhao Qingxue..."
She spoke, her voice hoarse and low, echoing softly in the quiet room.
"You haven't lost yet."
She spoke slowly and deliberately, each word seeming to be squeezed out from between her teeth.
"not yet."
The moment the words fell, a chilling light flashed in those deep purple phoenix eyes.
The light, like a drawn blade, was so sharp it almost pierced the darkness.
She recalled the records in those historical books.
Which of those who ultimately achieved great power did not experience the darkest moments?
Which one hasn't endured humiliation and hardship?
Which one of them didn't grit their teeth and climb to the top step by step when everyone looked down on them?
Why shouldn't she, Zhao Qingxue, be allowed to do the same?
"Qin Mu..."
Zhao Qingxue murmured the name softly.
The voice was very soft, yet it carried a chilling, bone-deep coldness.
"Do you think you've won?"
The cold curve of her lips deepened even further.
"Do you think that just because I agreed, I've truly resigned myself to my fate?"
"You think—"
She paused, then spoke slowly and deliberately:
"Am I, Zhao Qingxue, the kind of person who would easily admit defeat?"
No.
of course not.
If she had easily given up, how could she have ascended to the throne at the age of twenty as a woman?
If she had easily given up, how could she have fought her way through the overwhelming opposition in the court at the beginning of her reign?
If she easily admits defeat, how could she possibly eliminate eight princes who held heavy military power and firmly grasp the entire Liyang in her hands within five years?
Zhao Qingxue is never one to admit defeat.
It wasn't like that before.
Now it is not.
In the future, it certainly won't be like that.
Zhao Qingxue took a deep breath.
She silently analyzed her current situation in her mind.
Qin Mu wanted her to marry him.
She wanted to be his empress.
She must acknowledge herself as his woman in front of the whole world.
This is indeed a humiliation.
This truly trampled on the dignity of Empress Li Yang.
But if you look at it from another angle,
Isn't this an opportunity?
Becoming the Empress of Qin meant that she could rightfully stay by his side.
This means she can observe him closely, understand him, and find out his weaknesses.
This means she has access to more core secrets and more things that are unknown to others.
mean,
When she finally finds her opportunity, she can strike with absolute certainty.
A sharp, knife-like glint flashed in Zhao Qingxue's eyes.
She recalled those women in history who, as empresses, ultimately overthrew imperial power.
If they can do it, why can't Zhao Qingxue do it?
Moreover, she was originally an empress.
He was a man who had once ruled an empire.
He was someone who understood the game of power better than anyone else.
Qin Mu thought that he had won by marrying her.
They thought that by making her empress, they had tamed her.
He thought that from now on, she would belong to him.
But he forgot—
Even an empress can seize power.
The empress can also rule.
The empress could deliver a fatal blow when he was most vulnerable.
The cold curve of Zhao Qingxue's lips deepened even further.
Just you wait, Qin Mu.
You're plotting against me.
I'm also scheming against you.
You think you're a hunter.
Little did they know that the hunter could also become the prey.
Zhao Qingxue changed her lying position.
But this time, the way she lay down was completely different from before.
Just now, she was curled up, like a wounded little animal, curling herself into a ball.
But at this moment, she is relaxed.
His back remained straight as he lay on the hard bed, like a sword about to be drawn.
"Qin Mu..."
She murmured the name again.
We'll see.
She spoke softly, her voice as soft as a dream.
But in those eyes burned a flame powerful enough to consume everything.
"Let's see who the winner is in the end."
As soon as she finished speaking, she finally closed her eyes.
His breathing gradually became steady.
......
Outside the courtyard gate.
Qin Mu stood with his hands behind his back, staring at the tightly closed door.
The moonlight shone on him, making his pale figure stand out clearly.
He watched for a while, then finally turned around.
His gaze fell on the woman who had been standing quietly behind him.
Jiang Zhaoyue.
She stood there, head bowed, hands neatly hanging at her sides.
The moonlight shone on her, illuminating her cool and aloof face with exceptional clarity.
Those clear eyes were lowered, looking at the ground.
You can't see the emotions in her eyes.
But her slightly pursed lips betrayed that her heart was not as calm as it appeared.
Qin Mu looked at her and smiled gently.
"Let's go," he said, "let's go back too."
Jiang Zhaoyue raised her head and looked at him.
The moonlight and his figure were reflected in those clear eyes.
She nodded.
"Yes, Your Majesty," she said.
The voice was very soft and gentle, revealing no emotion whatsoever.
Qin Mu extended his hand.
Jiang Zhaoyue looked at the hand; it was slender, with distinct knuckles, and gleamed like jade in the moonlight.
She pursed her lips, reached out, and grasped his hand.
Qin Mu took her hand and turned to walk back the way he came.
Jiang Zhaoyue followed closely behind him.
The moonlight shone on the two of them, casting their shadows on the ground, where they intertwined.
The night wind blew, lifting her clothes and her long, flowing hair.
Her hair shimmered softly in the moonlight, gently brushing against her cheeks.
She watched Qin Mu's retreating figure.
Looking at that moon-white, upright figure like a pine tree.
A complex and indescribable emotion welled up within me.
Jiang Zhaoyue recalled the slight disappointment she had felt just now.
She knew what that sense of loss was.
It was because of Qin Mu's attitude towards Zhao Qingxue.
It's because of those phrases like "grand wedding," "empress," and "my wife."
It was because of that thought in her heart that she shouldn't have, yet which truly existed—
If only she were Zhao Qingxue.
This thought made her feel ashamed.
It made her feel like she was ungrateful.
She cursed herself in her heart:
Jiang Zhaoyue, wake up!
You are just a traitor.
An undercover agent sent from the North.
A prisoner who was pardoned from the death penalty and had his life saved.
It is an immense blessing that you are alive.
Being favored by His Majesty is a stroke of luck you could never have dreamed of.
How can you ask for more?
Jiang Zhaoyue took a deep breath.
He forcefully suppressed the inappropriate emotion that was surfacing in his heart.
Then, she gripped Qin Mu's hand tightly.
Feeling the warmth from his palm.
She felt safe and protected.
Will suffice.
She said to herself.
That's enough.
Qin Mu seemed to sense her movement.
He didn't turn around, but simply squeezed her hand gently.
The force was very light, yet it made Jiang Zhaoyue's heart skip a beat again.
The two walked along the long palace road, passing through many palace gates.
The moonlight followed them all the way, casting their shadows on the ground, making them very long.
Behind me, the gate of Qingxin Pavilion receded into the distance.
In that dilapidated room, Zhao Qingxue curled up on the bed and fell into a deep sleep.
The tear tracks on her face gleamed faintly in the moonlight.
The body lying in the courtyard had already been silently dragged away by the guards.
The bloodstains on the ground were also washed away.
It was as if nothing had happened.
Only the night wind continues to blow.
Only the moonlight remained, still cold and desolate.
Only those few bamboo stalks still rustled in the night wind.