Prologue (Part Two)

Ye Xiang smiled bitterly and said: "As for the feelings I harbor for Qingrong, although my second brother does not explicitly state it, he is well aware. Just now at the banquet, having had a few too many drinks, I came to the Empress's side, and coincidentally, all the palace maids had been sent away, so I could not control myself. This matter indeed does not concern the Empress. Whether to kill or punish, it is entirely up to my second brother to decide!" Ye Xiang unsheathed the sword at his waist and placed it at Si Ma Cheng's feet. Whether to kill or punish, it is entirely up to my second brother to decide!" Ye Xiang unsheathed the sword at his waist and placed it at Si Ma Cheng's feet.

Before the words were finished, the sound of palace maids outside the room could be heard, saying: "We respectfully welcome Your Majesty"

"White silk, dove wine, choose one for yourself!" Sima Cheng slowly sheathed his sword, his pale amber eyes deep with an indescribable weariness and frustration

Li Qingrong suddenly raised her head, her stunningly beautiful face pale to the point of being almost transparent, the colorless corners of her mouth curling into a hint of disdainful sneer, she gritted her teeth and said: "Whatever you want!"

Once she had tidied her clothes, the attendant beside Sima Cheng had already appeared, helping the injured Ye Xiang as they headed towards the inner court prison

Li Qingrong exclaimed: "Third brother, it is not like this, do not seek death for yourself!"

A faint dull pain, accompanied by a sharp sensation, suddenly surged from her lower abdomen to her head. Li Qingrong quietly closed her beautiful, water-like eyes, and crystalline tears streamed down in succession. Brother Bai, first it was Sima Cheng, then Ye Xiang, even if one day you could conquer the Northern Zhou, what could I use to match you?

You, you! Very well, since you are capable of such actions, go reflect in the inner court prison for a few days!" Sima Cheng brushed his sleeves and suddenly struck Ye Xiang's chest with a palm, coldly saying: "You can take anyone, but you cannot touch my queen! You have disappointed me greatly!

Sima Cheng's gentle voice had already come from outside the house: "Third brother, Qingrong, is there a bowl of sweet soup left for me?"

She merely took a small bite, yet was already unable to control herself; how much more so for Ye Xiang, who foolishly consumed an entire bowl!

Li Qingrong merely murmured: "You are a fool! You are a fool!"

Sima Cheng enunciated word by word: "I have never seen such a shameless empress! How could I, drawn in by your charm and demeanor, actually depose Empress Jia and elevate you! Who would have thought your character would be so despicable! You tell me, how do you wish to die?"

At that moment, Li Qingrong's expression suddenly changed. Just as she was about to speak, Ye Xiang had already rushed over, embraced her, and kissed her. He, who was always calm and smiling, now had bloodshot eyes, heavy and hot breaths, almost bordering on madness

Li Qingrong said resentfully: "You fool!"

Who administered the drug? Who is it?

The gentleman outside, dressed in a dragon robe and with golden hair, also appeared stunned. He immediately turned around and said, "All of you, leave the hall at once!" Without waiting for the guards to respond, he swiftly entered the room and closed the door. His elegant and dignified face turned pale with anger and shock.

Third brother! Third brother! You are a fool, a fool indeed!

Li Qingrong smiled sadly and said: "Third brother, you should quickly tidy up your clothes and leave this place. You must ultimately be careful of others' traps."

The door was pushed open, and on the crimson carpet, two half-naked young men and women were hastily covering their private parts with their clothes, their faces filled with panic and confusion

Li Qingrong! You actually dare to seduce my third brother!" Sima Cheng's treasured sword has already been drawn, its sharp brilliance dazzling under the long lantern.

Li Qingrong moaned softly, yet she could not break free from Ye Xiang's young wrist, and the intense heat surrounding her left her powerless to struggle. Ye Xiang's hands gently yet firmly caressed every inch of her skin, murmuring in a pained voice: "Qingrong, Qingrong, do you know how long I have liked you? Why do your eyes always only rest on Brother Bai?"

Brother Bai! Brother Bai! Where are you? Emperor Yongxi Sima Cheng is likely preparing to deal with me and my third brother again. My third brother has always refused to guard against him, unaware that his feelings for me have already become his life-taking soul-snatching knife

Li Qingrong's complexion was ashen, and she hung her head in silence

Li Qingrong gazed at his silhouette from afar, her heart feeling as if it had been sliced by a steel knife, she looked up to the sky, striving to prevent her tears from falling

Li Qing looked at Ye Xiang in confusion, then picked up the soup that had remained untouched in front of her and took a sip. It was fragrant and delicious, with no hint of anything amiss. Just as she was about to ask, she felt a wave of heat rising from her lower abdomen, quickly igniting a fire throughout her body, leaving her tongue dry and her mouth parched

"Third brother, Ye Xiang, let go of me, I am the queen, I am your second sister-in-law!" Li Qingrong struggled but did not dare to call for help. This person is Ye Xiang, the one she is closest to after Brother Bai! Her body was burning hot, and as she watched Ye Xiang tear off her clothes piece by piece, exposing her soft, pale yet burning skin to the cool night air, she surprisingly felt an extraordinary sense of coolness and comfort

The palace was illuminated by countless lights, shining as brilliantly as the sky, yet above the palace, the moonlight grew increasingly dim and pale. The wind stirred, pushing the ever-changing clouds across the sky, leaving one to wonder in the darkness whether what floated there was an angel or a devil

Ye Xiang lost his smile, silently scanning Li Qingrong's almost completely naked body, yet his eyes were devoid of desire. He gently asked, "Did you set a trap for me?"

This strike was not light, and Ye Xiang let out a large mouthful of fresh blood. Then he turned around and sighed softly, saying, "Qing Rong, I truly have harmed you!"

Sima Cheng stared blankly at his sworn brother and shook his head, saying, "Third brother, everyone in the world knows that you, Young Master Ye San, are not the kind of person who is greedy for wealth or lustful. Last time, when I asked you to choose two concubines from the three thousand beauties in the harem, you refused, let alone something like taking advantage of a sister-in-law."

Ye Xiang, with his remarkable wit, clearly identified the foreign substance in the soup, yet he could not bring himself to expose it simply because it was made by her. He believed that he wanted to avenge Brother Bai, so even if it were a deadly poison, he would not hesitate to swallow it whole!

Second Brother!" Ye Xiang fastened his belt and suddenly knelt down in front of Sima Cheng: "It has nothing to do with the Empress; it was Ye Xiang who, in a drunken state, acted immorally and assaulted Second Sister-in-law!"

After an unknown amount of time, Ye Xiang finally released Li Qingrong, half propping himself up and supporting his forehead, he苦笑道: "Qingrong, why did you drug me like this?"