0p0 Chapter 441 The Princess's Maid (45)
Chapter 441 The Princess's Maid (45)
Upon hearing this, Yue Zeyuan's expression changed.
That's right. If she had shown even the slightest flaw and been discovered by him, she wouldn't have survived and would have been executed.
Yue Zeyuan stared into Qi Ning's eyes and asked her, "Aren't you afraid?"
"I'm afraid, of course I'm afraid," Qi Ning replied. "Especially after Yun Jing was captured by you and you started to dote on me even more, I became more and more afraid that one day I would be exposed."
Yue Zeyuan never expected that his doting affection for her would be the reason why she became increasingly anxious and fearful.
Qi Ning glanced at Yue Zeyuan's expression and clearly saw that his expression had softened.
She then said in a tone that seemed to say she was ready to die, "I have confessed everything that needs to be confessed. If His Majesty wants to take my life because of this, then it is worth it. At least I have lived for so long, so I can die without regrets."
Originally, Yue Zeyuan's anger had been slowly replaced by pity for her, but upon hearing Qi Ning's words, a surge of anger suddenly rose in Yue Zeyuan's heart again.
He said with a hint of exasperation, "Even if I wanted to take your life, couldn't you think of a way to beg me? The simplest thing is to secretly get pregnant and make me change my mind, can't you even do that?"
In the palace, it was not uncommon for women in the harem to use their children to gain favor and secure their survival. Since Qi Ning had previously been a palace maid in the Chu Kingdom, she must have seen many such cases. Yue Zeyuan did not believe that she could not think of this method.
But she not only didn't try to conceive his child, she had also been taking contraceptives.
Qi Ning's expression was tinged with melancholy as she said self-deprecatingly, "Even if I were to conceive His Majesty's child, it might not be of any use. If His Majesty truly wanted my life, he probably wouldn't show mercy for the sake of a child. He could simply take the mother and spare the child."
“Even if His Majesty spares my life for the sake of the child, that child has a disfavored mother and will not have a good life. I am not willing to use the child as a bargaining chip.”
Yue Zeyuan knew that Qi Ning's words made sense and her thoughts were very insightful, but Yue Zeyuan would rather she be a little selfish.
Moreover, upon hearing her say that, Yue Zeyuan immediately thought of something else.
After the antidote was discovered, he told her to stop taking the contraceptive, but after so long, she still hadn't gotten pregnant.
"Are you still secretly taking contraceptives?" Yue Zeyuan asked.
Qi Ning was silent for a moment, then nodded: "Yes."
Yue Zeyuan was furious. He lifted Qi Ning's chin and asked with a stern face, "Do you really want to die that badly? You said before that impersonating Yun Jing was out of necessity and to survive, but now you don't want to live anymore? Are you just waiting to die like this?"
"That's not it, of course I still want to live."
Qi Ning pulled Yue Zeyuan's hand down from her chin, and said while holding his hand, "If Your Majesty really wants my life, instead of using the child, I have another way that might allow Your Majesty to spare my life."
"what?"
"I know something that can strike at Chu Hanfeng's weak point and give His Majesty a helping hand."
Yue Zeyuan didn't really believe it when he heard this. He didn't think that a mere maid like Qi Ning could know Chu Hanfeng's weakness.
However, Yue Zeyuan was still satisfied that she was able to find a way to survive.
He patiently asked, "What's your Achilles' heel? Tell me."
Qi Ning then said, "Shen Yixiao likes Yun Jing, and Yun Jing is Shen Yixiao's weakness. Your Majesty should know this, but Your Majesty certainly doesn't know that Chu Hanfeng's weakness is also Yun Jing."
Yue Zeyuan was indeed somewhat surprised upon hearing this.
"Why?"
"Because Chu Hanfeng also likes Yun Jing."
“How is that possible?” Yue Zeyuan didn’t believe it. “If Chu Hanfeng really liked Yun Jing, why didn’t he marry her? Why did he have to send her to Yue Kingdom for a political marriage?”
“It’s normal for His Majesty to think that way. Even Chu Hanfeng thought so before. He felt that he didn’t like Yun Jing, and even hated her, which is why he sent her to Yue Kingdom for a marriage alliance.”
"But in reality, Chu Hanfeng had feelings for Yun Jing, but he didn't know it until after he sent Yun Jing to marry him. He had already begun to regret it."
Yue Zeyuan was skeptical of Qi Ning's words: "How do you know something that even Chu Hanfeng himself doesn't know? Is it just a guess?"
"Of course not. I used to serve Chu Xiyue and often saw Chu Hanfeng and Yun Jing together. As the saying goes, those involved are often confused while bystanders see clearly. Chu Hanfeng himself thinks he has no feelings for Yun Jing, but from my perspective as an outsider, I can actually see that he treats Yun Jing differently."
"In addition, after Yun Jing and I came to Yue, we have been corresponding with Chu, and we can also glean some information from those letters."
Qi Ning asked Yue Zeyuan, "Do you still remember when the Chu envoy came to offer his congratulations on the last Emperor's birthday?"
"Hmm." Yue Zeyuan nodded slightly.
Of course he remembered that it was after the Emperor's birthday celebration that his feelings for Qi Ning grew stronger, and news of his affection for Consort Ning spread. The Chu envoy even wrote a letter requesting to meet the princess who was to be married off.
“It was that time,” Qi Ning said. “That time, the Chu envoy brought back the news that the princess had gained favor, and Chu Hanfeng even sent a message by carrier pigeon to ask me about it again.”
"You should know that I had an agreed-upon time with the Chu Kingdom for sending messages by carrier pigeon, which is why I was able to keep it a secret for so long without being discovered."
"That time, Chu Hanfeng didn't send the letter at the agreed time, risking being discovered, just to ask if it was true or false that Yun Jing was favored. This shows that he lost his composure."
Yue Zeyuan's expression turned serious.
Qi Ning's statement may seem absurd at first glance, but upon closer examination, it is not entirely impossible.
If Chu Hanfeng truly has deep romantic feelings for Yun Jing, and Yun Jing is currently in his hands, then Yun Jing is indeed holding Chu Hanfeng's weakness in his grasp.
Qi Ning added, "If you don't believe me, you can wait a little longer. Before long, you will definitely see Chu Hanfeng's reaction."
Yue Zeyuan smiled as he looked at Qi Ning's serious expression.
"Alright, let's assume you're telling the truth for now. You think you can get me to let you go based on this information?"
Based on this, if she really comes in handy and performs meritorious service, sparing her life is nothing; it seems she was prepared all along.
"Mm," Qi Ning replied.
She glanced at Yue Zeyuan and said, "If Your Majesty really spares me because of this, I don't ask to continue serving Your Majesty. I would be extremely grateful if Your Majesty could let me leave the palace."
Yue Zeyuan's expression had just improved a little when it darkened again in an instant.
"You want to leave the palace?"
"Yes."
Qi Ning certainly didn't want to leave the palace; she was just saying it on purpose.
It's just a feigned retreat to lure the prey, a strategic retreat to advance.
Yue Zeyuan took it seriously.
"Ah."
He thought she had grown up and knew how to find a way to make him forgive her and let her stay by his side, but she actually wanted to leave the palace.
Yue Zeyuan sneered: "So, you don't want to bear me any children so that you won't have any ties when you leave?"
------