Here is the requested translation:
```html
The red-clad woman’s eyes briefly grew sore; she slowly bowed and smiled sweetly:
"Thank you, Prince."
If she truly bore a child, Qin Qingluo would essentially be acknowledging a bastard. This would undoubtedly disgrace her ancestral lineage, for Qin Qingluo could entirely insist the child bear the surna Zhu.
Yet, Qin Qingluo’s decision—whatever the hidden motivations—on the surface, ant that any such child would inevitably be regarded as a royal descendant, a prince or princess.
As those words of gratitude fell, Zhu E noticed that Qin Qingluo’s complexion grew even paler, and her heart ached.
She had long cared for her niece, and the blood covenant between them made them virtually connected in spirit. Only she truly understood the depths of Qin Qingluo’s suffering over the past couple of days.
Despite sudden upheavals and the collapse of her martial resolve, as soon as she returned, she had to reorganize the troops and enforce strict discipline, holding herself together to maintain the outward appearance befitting a prince. The soldiers believed she remained as steadfast as ever, unmoved even if a mountain crumbled before her—for only in this way could she stabilize their morale.
"Prince, I shouldn’t..." Zhu E began, before guilt caused her words to falter.
She should not have ntioned this matter, but in her fervor to track down the Bright Venerable, she had montarily forgotten Qin Qingluo’s feelings.
"There’s no need to apologize... Aunt Zhu," Qin Qingluo lowered her face slightly, her gaze falling emptily, "In the end, it’s my skills that fall short."
It was she who ordered Chen Yi’s ambush, and it was she who treated Chen Yi as a whetstone in that small isolated world. Even though Zhu E herself had considered killing him, Qin Qingluo would not shift all the bla onto Zhu E.
Looking now at the Prince of Annan, whose sharpness had been ground away, the red-clad woman’s expression beca complicated. This incident, to herself, turned out to be a fortuitous turn of events, but to Qin Qingluo, it was anything but—she wanted to return to past intimacy, to speak a few heartfelt words, yet could not suppress her excitent at finding the Bright Venerable.
At the mont, Zhu E felt both relief and anguish, her emotions intertwining. Qin Qingluo neither pursued nor revealed these sentints and said calmly:
"He was right; I lost control. I once tried to take fire from the flas, always erging miraculously unscathed, convinced fate was on my side, thinking I could fight for and gamble on everything. In the end, one slip, and I finally learned regret."
Zhu E raised her gaze to Qin Qingluo, who coolly analyzed her failure. Even after the upheaval and this great humiliation, the prince remained, undeniably, the prince.
Qin Qingluo softly murmured, "If I, Qin Qingluo, couldn’t bear to lose, how could I have survived until today?"
The red-clad woman froze montarily, then felt a pang of sorrow, her voice tinged with bitterness, "You’ve suffered too much."
Yet the female prince laughed serenely:
"It’s but virginity lost—gone is gone."
Zhu E stared in bewildernt for a mont. Once again, she saw in Qin Qingluo the decisiveness befitting the Great Yu Vassal King.
Suddenly from outside the tent ca hurried footsteps.
Qin Qingluo heard them and turned to step out of the curtains. Shortly after, she returned, her expression stern.
"What happened?" Zhu E asked.
"From the mountain below cos a signal flare for aid—it seems Qin Liancheng is in trouble."
"...The eldest son of the third lord, your nephew?" Zhu E, upon confirming, continued, "That man has long been arrogant and unruly, unfit for great undertakings. The third lord sent him with the troops, rely trying to speculate whether he might achieve rit. If trouble has truly arisen..."
"Aunt Zhu, rest assured—I have a plan."
With that remark, Qin Qingluo turned and lifted the curtain. The earlier conversation seed to resolve a concealed burden, and she departed with bold strides,
"I’ll leave the command here to you."
............
Chen Yi utilized his Qinggong (lightness skill) and stealthily infiltrated the military camp, carefully advancing while avoiding guards, both openly stationed and hidden.
Within the camp, wisps of cooking smoke rose in the air. Torchlight flickered as soldiers gathered around fire pits, taking respite and waiting for their als. Flags flew high, horses neighed faintly, and scouts stood atop watchposts, gazing into the distance.
There were quite a few martial experts inside the camp, but Chen Yi treaded cautiously, slowing his steps and evading them one by one.
His decision to send Min Ning away was not only to avoid being noticed and hindered but also because tonight’s target was another woman.
Even though nothing had happened between them yet, Chen Yi felt a tinge of guilt, as though Min Ning were his true girlfriend.
She liked him, and if she did, he thought he should try not to hurt her.
Step by step, he approached the main commander’s tent. Beneath the dim dusk light, Chen Yi’s expression was obscured in shadow. Reaching the tent, he gently lifted the curtain.
"Who goes there? Why do you not report your presence?"
Upon entering, Chen Yi saw the tall figure flipping through docunts, her side turned to the doorway.
From afar, she remained imposing and regal, albeit with traces of fatigue furrowing her brow.
Chen Yi suddenly stepped forward.
With a swift motion, Qin Qingluo sharply turned her head—but in the next instant, a sword was pressed against her neck.
"Qin Qingluo... we et again."
Chen Yi sneered as he spoke, his hand already resting on the tall woman’s waist.
Chilled terror coursed through her marrow. The towering woman froze in place, her breath seeming labored.
Chen Yi’s hand, now thoroughly acquainted, wandered deftly. The majestic woman before him struggled to suppress her trembling, though he did not hurry to speak, savoring her fear.
Silent tension perated the tent.
After a long pause, the towering woman finally said:
"...You cannot kill ."
Chen Yi pressed the sword closer, inch by inch. "A sword piercing an inch deeper always brings pain."
Qin Qingluo remained impassive, then clenched her fists, her expression growing icy as she retorted coldly, "Which sword are you referring to?"
Chen Yi didn’t reply but observed her subtle movents.
All the way here, unhindered—could she truly be so self-assured, unconcerned about assassination attempts? Or was this a trap, anticipating his arrival?
Maintaining his advantage, regardless of the scenario, Chen Yi remained untroubled. He rely wished to see how the female prince would react.
He leaned closer.
Qin Qingluo shuddered violently as though struck by lightning yet stayed rigidly within his embrace, not daring rash movent.
"Which sword would you prefer use against you?" Chen Yi grinned slyly. "This one—or the other?"
The towering woman appeared to gather her composure, chuckling derisively:
"You’re far too conservative."
"Oh?"
"Why not use both?" Qin Qingluo pinched the blade’s edge between her fingers, drawing it nearer to her neck. "I possess Liuli’s Radiance—why not raise the stakes? But don’t let frighten you limp."
Chen Yi faltered for a mont at her boldness; this was escalating quickly.
Swiftly, his gaze narrowed, understanding that she rely sought to seize control.
Gently tugging her ponytail.
Qin Qingluo’s abundant form convulsed sharply, her knees bending as her pallor intensified, teeth clenched tightly.
She tilted her face to him with difficulty, questioning, "Is this what you ca for?"
Chen Yi grinned and asked, "What’s wrong with it? The prince is about to leave—shouldn’t I ride once more before departure?"
Qin Qingluo countered with a laugh: "You lack even a shred of dignity. If you have the guts, why not ride the one in Jingren Palace?"
Chen Yi blinked at the unexpected reply; this female prince frequently delivered unforeseen remarks.
Loosening her ponytail slightly, though his mories lingered fondly upon the fiery embrace of an ’ember horse,’ Chen Yi assured himself tonight’s purpose lay elsewhere.
Qin Qingluo re-tied her ponytail, smoothly turning to face him, towering over as she gazed down.
Before he could speak regarding the child she carried, the towering woman abruptly brushed dust from her shoulder, comnting:
"It’s clear now—you care naught for Heavenly Family’s grace, only the beauty before your eyes."
Chen Yi chuckled, "Your analysis isn’t wrong."
"Only because I made one misstep. If I had sent Zhu E, that bitch, to seduce you—would you have co to my mansion as a tribute?" Her serpent-like gaze glinted with greed; for soone who had shattered her martial resolve, Qin Qingluo felt not an ounce of fear.
Chen Yi caught onto a point. "You called her a bitch?"
"She betrayed ," Qin Qingluo replied nonchalantly.
Chen Yi’s gaze tightened.
Years of loyalty—but overnight, she beca a ’bitch.’ This female prince was crueler than he.
"Still not enough."
Chen Yi’s superficial smirk reflected in Qin Qingluo’s piercing snake-like gaze. She pondered before softly querying:
"How about adding myself?"
Chen Yi’s expression shifted humorously at this offer.
"Prince and Princess together—would you join forces against that devilish queen?" Qin Qingluo asked aloud.
Chen Yi deliberated.
After a while, he asked pointedly:
"You do not hate ?"
He had destroyed her spear aura, shattered her martial resolve—and shattered her she herself.
Qin Qingluo dismissed him with disdain: "Virginity lost—it’s no big deal. What do you think you are?"
Chen Yi’s gaze grew cold, gripping his Hou Kang sword, prepared to run it through her heart any second.
"The Great Yu Vassal King can marry one primary wife and two secondary consorts," Qin Qingluo seed unfazed, her smile faint: "...In my mansion, should there be children, they’ll bear the surna Qin."
"...Are you saying..."
Before Chen Yi could conclude, the towering figure taunted with cold derision: "You think I’d make you a princess?"
"Heh, Prince definitely has a sense of humor..."
"No humor," Qin Qingluo’s gaze lowered as her tone grew hoarse: "...Ultimately, I remain a woman. My aning behind those words—haven’t you grasped them yet?"
Seeing her vulnerability, Chen Yi froze montarily, incredulous.
"Beautiful, isn’t it? This body—isn’t this what you fancy?" The towering woman approached him, tearing open part of her collar, and radiated a domineering aura: "I invite you to be my prince consort. Will you accept or refuse?"
Her words struck him, and for a mont, Chen Yi stared at her supple, fair figure, briefly hesitating.
The towering woman stepped closer.
Her hands quickly grasped Chen Yi’s waist, fervently tugging at his clothes.
Caught off guard, Chen Yi realized that she was now forcefully advancing upon him, breath rapid, her face red as blood.
What the hell was this?
I was reversed, shoved down?
In his astonishnt, Chen Yi suddenly connected the dots, asking the final question.
Calmly, he said: "Do you know... you’re carrying a child?"
The towering woman froze, stiffening there for a long mont.
Was her act finally up, intent on murder?
No, she did not...
The female prince abruptly lifted her head, eyes wide, lips trembling—then suddenly tears stread, she laughed and sobbed uncontrollably, blurting:
"I... I truly am?"
Chen Yi abruptly pushed away the towering woman’s fra with great force, then pointed his sword at her throat.
The dynamics shifted; the female prince stood rigid.
"Qin Qingluo, what exactly are you plotting?"
Following a series of tests, Chen Yi coldly demanded answers.
"I am not plotting," she replied.
"You are Qin Qingluo—how could you not plot?"
"So I am not Qin Qingluo."
The "female prince" before him coquettishly uttered,
"I am Zhu E."
User Comments
0 comments from readers