So when our emotionally charged Yuan Qian heard that Gao Yang Wang was plotting against Wushu—and even Tonglou—she panicked. She rushed back as if fire were burning her eyebrows, anxiously watching Ming Zhen and Qin Yaoyue bring Qiu Huan to acknowledge their kinship, and restlessly waiting for Qiu Huan to come find her.

As it turned out, Qiu Huan had just “escaped” from Ming Zhen and found Yuan Qian looking as though she were sitting on pins and needles.

“Your Majesty!” Yuan Qian’s hushed call snapped Qiu Huan out of her thoughts.

Qiu Huan shook her head, disapproving of such overt emotion. “Don’t be so anxious.”

“The health of the Gaoyang Huangdi is already quite poor. His greatest obsession now is to secure Tonglou for his youngest son, which puts us in a precarious situation! The only viable course of action at present is to join forces with Liangqiu to oppose Gaoyang. We could easily offer to assassinate the enemy’s top general during wartime—surely the Empress of Liangqiu won’t remain unmoved! Your Majesty, time is running out; you must make a decision quickly!”

Seeing her urging him like a statesman deeply worried about the downfall of the nation, Qiu Huan was rather at a loss. Then, thinking of the Wushu secretly controlled by Tonglou, she couldn’t help but smile wryly.

“Don’t be so radical. War isn’t that simple. I have my own considerations regarding cooperating with Liangqiu. You may withdraw for now.”

Yuan Qian bowed in resignation and left.

“Zhao Erhan, Qin Yaoyue—whether we succeed or fail depends entirely on you,” Qiu Huan murmured into the darkness.

“Ling’er, I’m leaving,” Zhao Erhan said, gazing deeply into Duan Yunhe’s eyes. Her tender gaze was like a vast net, trapping him and making it impossible for him to escape.

“Mm,” Duan Yunhe nodded absentmindedly. “Take care of yourself… I—I won’t go back on my word. Once Fengze has resolved everything smoothly, I’ll return to Gaoyang.” His cheeks were slightly flushed.

Zhao Erhan suppressed the urge to pull her beloved into her arms, politely nodded to Qiu Huan and the others, mounted her horse, cast one last long look at Duan Yunhe, and then rode off into the distance.

Duan Yunhe stood there for a moment, staring after Zhao Erhan’s departing figure.

Shang Rong chuckled in a hoarse voice, “She’s just left, and you’re already missing her? Why don’t you chase after her and go together? After all, Qiu Fengze has someone to keep him company now—” Before he could finish, Qin Yaoyue covered his mouth and dragged him away.

Well, at Shang Rong’s pleading, Qiu Huan finally released the chain around Qin Yaoyue’s body. Besides, her inner strength had already recovered, so even if he had some ulterior motives, there was no need to worry. Perhaps because she felt overly guilty, Qin Yaoyue spent all day by Shang Rong’s side, serving him tea and water, and whenever she had free time, she would tell him many things she knew—of course, nothing confidential—including plenty of gossip about Zhao Erhan and Duan Yunhe, Qiu Huan and Yuan Mo, and other pairs.

Duan Yunhe blushed furiously at being talked about like this. Just as he was about to retort, he remembered that Shang Rong was still injured, so he hesitated. In the end, Qin Yaoyue beat him to it, and by the time he came to his senses, Shang Rong had already ridden far away.

“What is this…” Duan Yunhe exclaimed, dumbfounded.

“…” Qiu Huan burst out laughing inside.

Zhao Erhan was returning to Da Liang, and Duan Yunhe finally made up her mind to have an open and honest talk with her. What exactly they discussed remained unknown to outsiders, but what was clear was that their happy ending was drawing near.

“Let’s go back inside; it’s cold out here,” Qiu Huan said, noticing that Duan Yunhe had been standing motionless for a long time.

“Oh, all right,” Duan Yunhe affectionately linked her arm with Qiu Huan’s, and the two entered the Frost Forest Garden.

Unknowingly, Duan Yunhe and Qiu Huan had also “made up.” Duan Yunhe realized she had misunderstood Qiu Huan and felt very embarrassed. After clearing up her confusion, she continued to cling to her as if nothing had happened, and Qiu Huan, of course, didn’t press further. Thus, the pair once again returned to harmony.

Yuan Mo followed behind them, somewhat puzzled.

Why on earth did these two get along so well? Could it be blood ties at work? As soon as one guard entertained this idea, he immediately rejected his proposal—no, that couldn’t be the case. Otherwise, how could Qin Yaoyue be so distant from Qiu Huan?

End of Chapter 35: Reflecting and Reconsidering