You were taken hostage, why pursue the Enemy's Empress?

The young man had a face like jade, with slightly gentle eyebrows, but his eyes were extremely deep and full of heroic spirit.

He wore luxurious clothing, with pearl and jade decorations on his feet and a gold and jade belt around his waist.

He was the crown prince of the Kingdom of Li, Zhao Ning.

Zhao Ning raised his head and asked, "Do you remember the contents of the two poems Ying Wuji wrote in the bamboo garden?"

The black-clad man quickly took out two pieces of paper from his pocket and presented them, saying, "These were copied by the Flying Fish Guards, and the handwriting is a bit messy. We haven't had time to transcribe them properly, Your Highness, please forgive us!"

"I forgive you!"

Zhao Ning took the papers and found that although the handwriting was messy, he could still read it clearly. He put them aside and looked at the black-clad man. "Continue to protect him in secret! For every day that Ying Wuji lives, you will have a day of wealth and glory. But if he dies, you will be held accountable!"

"Yes!"

The black-clad man nodded and quickly left the Qingjiang Palace, disappearing into the darkness.

Zhao Ning then opened the papers and carefully read the contents. After reading the first poem, he couldn't help but laugh. "It seems that Luo Xiang's daughter is truly exceptional in playing the zither. She even made Ying Wuji say 'this music belongs only in the heavens, rarely heard on earth.' What an excellent line, too bad she has a malicious heart and lost her elegance."

As soon as he finished speaking, he heard the voice of a middle-aged woman behind him. "I thought he would give up on himself after being abandoned by the Kingdom of Qian, but I never expected him to become so arrogant. The alliance between Qian and Li may not be stable anymore."

Hearing this voice, Zhao Ning stood up and respectfully bowed. "Mother!"

This woman was the Queen of the Kingdom of Li. Although she was over fifty years old, she still had jet-black hair. Her face had the marks of time, but one could still vaguely see that she must have been a stunning beauty in her youth.

The queen picked up the papers from the table and glanced at them before saying, "He does have some poetic talent, but his behavior is unruly and he needs to be disciplined."

Zhao Ning smiled slightly. "Mother, your son thinks otherwise!"

The queen raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Zhao Ning said, "Although Ying Wuji's actions were despicable, he had a reason for doing so. Despite his bold appearance, he did not reveal his true nature. In my opinion, he is very clear-headed. He did this just to protect himself. After today, no one in Jingcheng should want to trouble him anymore."

The queen looked at him and couldn't help but smile. "You have made great progress in the three years you have been monitoring the country. Your father, the king, was right to value you so highly. However, the alliance between Qian and Li is very important, and we cannot be too lenient with Ying Wuji. You must handle this matter yourself!"

"Yes!"

Zhao Ning nodded.

The queen asked again, "In your opinion, who is behind this?"

Zhao Ning pondered for a moment. "If this matter escalates, Luo Xiang will be deeply involved, but it doesn't seem like something he would do. Even if he had a hidden motive, the price he paid was too high. So it's unlikely to be him."

The queen's expression became serious. "In the court, only the prime minister advocates for the punishment of Qian. If it's not him, then it must be some of the major clans with malicious intentions."

Zhao Ning sighed. "Although the Kingdom of Li is prosperous, the noble clans are too powerful and each has its own hidden agenda. Our ancestor, Duke Wen, really left us with a difficult problem!"

This was also the accumulated problem of the Kingdom of Li for thousands of years.For 1,500 years, the lords had been vying for power, and for most of that time, the Great Li had dominated. Especially in recent centuries, the monarchs of the Great Li had divided and united during times of war, and with the rise of the Kingdom of Qian, which shared the same ancestry, there was little fighting along the borders of the Great Li. Internally, the economy and culture of the Great Li experienced unprecedented prosperity.

In terms of territory and military strength, the Great Li might not be the strongest, but in terms of overall national power, only the two veteran powers of Qi and Chu could barely compare.

However, this Great Li was already suffering from serious internal problems.

Ever since the Duke of Li, Li Wengong, created the six noble families, these six clans had been constantly expanding. Not only did they have their own fiefs, but they also controlled most of the court. They were constantly in conflict with each other and used any means necessary to further their own interests.

If it weren't for the fact that the rulers of the Great Li had always made balancing the six noble families a priority, the Great Li would have long since fallen apart.

This time, the action to kill Ying Wuji with poison was definitely carried out by one of the six families, but who exactly wanted to provoke a conflict between the Kingdoms of Qian and Li? Perhaps only by catching that Huqin musician would it be possible to find out the forces behind the scenes.

The queen shook her head. "The Hundred Schools of Thought Conference is about to begin. The city of Jian is regarded as a holy land of learning by all the schools, so don't be stingy in your preparations. Don't embarrass the royal family of the Great Li. Have you prepared the gold and silver?"

Zhao Ning nodded. "It's already been prepared, but there was a drought in the north this year and there will be a shortage of food and clothing in the winter. The tax revenue from the six noble families' fiefs won't be enough. I'm afraid... Your son is ashamed. I'll think of a solution later."

The queen didn't blame him and sighed. "Your father was forced to go into seclusion and left this mess for you to handle. It's already very commendable that you've been able to handle it like this!"

She touched Zhao Ning's face, which was both delicate and handsome. "The country has been in danger for fifteen years, and yet you haven't had time to find a wife. Ning'er, you've worked hard!"

Zhao Ning smiled slightly. "This is what your son should do."

The queen's eyes turned slightly red, and she patted Zhao Ning's shoulder. "Rest well. I'm going back to the palace."

Zhao Ning bowed respectfully. "I bid farewell to the queen!"

After the queen's carriage left, the Qingjiang Palace became deserted again.

Zhao Ning opened the memorial and saw the huge expenses of the literary conference, which made him feel a little headache.

He rubbed his forehead and threw the memorial aside, picking up the paper that the man in black had just handed him.

To read the uncut version, go to ].

"'Rarely heard in the world.' I haven't even met Luo Xiang's daughter yet, so the second poem should be even more exquisite."

"When the swallows leave, the red beans fill the branches. Do not ask the traveler far away..."

Zhao Ning's face looked a bit strange. He didn't know why Ying Wuji had chosen such a low-quality work, but when he saw the latter part, he couldn't help but smile. "Killing with poison! Ying Wuji is really a clever person, but unfortunately he has been abandoned by the Kingdom of Qian and can only live an ordinary life!"

...

In a deep alley in the southern part of Jiancheng, there was a tall building.

Hua Chao was holding a score and staring blankly at it. The scenes of the lyrics and phrases on the paper constantly merged with her memories, making the poor and pitiful woman linger in her mind.

The more vivid the scene, the more red her eyes became.

At this moment, there was a knock on the door.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

Hua Chao was startled. "Who is it?"

Luo Ming's voice came from outside the door. "Sis, it's me!"

Hua Chao frowned and hesitated for a moment, but still got up and opened the door.

She didn't ignore him, but she didn't give Luo Ming a good look either. "What are you here for?"Luo Ming glanced at the tiny bloodline on her neck, shook the medicine bottle in his hand and smiled, "I came to deliver medicine to Sister. Your beauty is unmatched in the city. If there is a scar on your neck, countless talents in the city will be heartbroken!"

Hua Chao remained unmoved, "I have the medicine, go back!"

With that, she closed the door directly.

"Don't!"

Luo Ming quickly blocked the door crack with his hand and was painfully squeezed.

Unable to bear it, Hua Chao reopened the door and asked with a stern face, "Speak! What do you want to do?"

Luo Ming sighed, "Dad asked me to take you home."