Chapter 869 - 868: Yes, You Heard Right, They’re Triplets

She and Guan Yu squeezed into the inner circle of the onlookers with the help of Zhu, the strong maid, and stood on tiptoes in front of a group of guards to look inside.

Shu Ran and Li Yang were kneeling at the door, loudly expressing their grievances.

"Crown Prince, it was my brother and I that misjudged people, rashly devised strategies, causing our father to suffer defeat in the battle against the enemy nation!"

"Our father has been fighting for the country for many years, loyal and devoted, how could he betray the nation to join the enemy?! It’s all my fault! I am willing to take all the assets of the General Mansion to the border, and join him in redeeming our wrongs!"

Mu Qiu watched with keen interest, pulled by Guan Yu, and when the guards were inattentive, she swiftly slipped under their armpits and stood beside Shu Ran and Li Yang.

As soon as they met those bright eyes of hers, both were at a loss, momentarily out of character, causing Li Yang to even forget the lines on the tip of his tongue.

Mu Qiu gave him a signal: Go on, speak.

Li Yang’s ears turned a bit red; it was his first time acting in such a situation. He always thought speaking lines in front of many people was embarrassing. Now, being stared at by both, he felt uncomfortable, unable to help but wave for them to leave quickly.

Then—

"Li Yang was out of character again~"

Li Yang and Shu Ran closed their eyes simultaneously, sighing in frustration.

"Just think of them as dead fish and quickly say your lines." Shu Ran nudged him.

Li Yang nodded, hurriedly recalling the lines he had prepared, though still influenced somewhat, speaking less loudly than Shu Ran earlier.

"No, Your Highness, it’s all my fault! I beg Your Highness to allow me to go to the border, and keep the border with my father until we’ve won! Your Highness!"

The shout for the Crown Prince sounded like calling someone out for a fight, making Mu Qiu want to laugh.

After a while, both Li Yang and Shu Ran began to run out of words, when the door of the Eastern Palace finally opened, and Cheng Zhirang strolled out from inside.

He first glanced over the crowd outside, frowned slightly upon seeing Mu Qiu, but said nothing, his gaze darkly fixed on the two kneeling individuals.

Sometimes silence is the best way to create pressure. So the quiet continued for a moment, even the actors playing extras fell silent, before he finally spoke with authority, directly commanding:

"Li Yang, proceed to the border. Shu Ran, sent to the palace. Within a year, reclaim the lost territory, or your whole family can only atone with death."

Li Yang immediately raised his head: "Your Highness, my sister..."

"Little General, silence!" shouted the eunuch behind him, "This is already the best outcome Crown Prince could negotiate for you. If you wish your sister to go too, you’d better resign yourselves to death here, letting others replace the National Guardian General!"

Shu Ran hurriedly pulled him down to bow their heads.

"Thank you, Crown Prince, your great kindness is impossible to repay, I only hope for a great victory at the frontier!"

But Cheng Zhirang no longer looked at them, instead beckoning to Mu Qiu: "Come here. What made you think to come at this hour today?"

Under everyone’s gaze, Mu Qiu walked over with her skirt in hand, suddenly feeling a bit embarrassed.

How did this really feel a bit like an ancient romance?

Once she got closer, Cheng Zhirang wrapped his arm around her waist as they entered the Eastern Palace, the door closing behind them once more.

Outside was his battlefield; behind closed doors, inside was her battlefield.

"Where are the Crown Princess Consort and Consort Bai? I want to go talk with them."

"No more Crown Princess Consort, she’ll be deposed in a few days. Bear with it a while longer, a great battle at the frontier makes it ill-advised to propose marriage now."

"It’s nothing."

She didn’t say much more on the matter, seeming uncaring about the title, only saying she wanted to find the Crown Princess Consort.

These days, the two of them have been confined to an exceptionally quiet part within the Eastern Palace—a small pavilion where two noblewomen reside. According to the maids, they sometimes even engaged in mutual bickering and cursing.

They dare not curse her, nor the Crown Prince, only able to curse each other, which she found strangely comforting.

The Crown Prince, understanding she changed a lot, still did not have the heart not to indulge her, thus turning a blind eye to her actions provoking the Crown Princess Consort.

When Mu Qiu came out of the small pavilion, she seemed like she had drunk a couple of ounces of clear wine, her brows and eyes relaxed, feeling very happy, even enhancing her attitude towards Cheng Zhirang, smiling and tolerating him taking her into his bedroom.

Not staying long, she returned to Qingyin Pavilion, verbally noting that the scene had already skipped two months ahead.

Subsequently, she began feigning illness, pretending to be lethargic, craving sour foods, and displaying a bad temper.

The symptoms so obvious, Cheng Zhirang sent her from the Eastern Palace, and soon after was informed that two months had indeed passed, confirming her pregnancy.

The scenes came on rapidly and densely, it was hard for him not to suspect she had noticed the late hour and was in a hurry to end this play within the stipulated time to have dinner.

He rushed over, coincidentally encountering her as she awoke from sleep, alone wiping tears and clutching her stomach.

"How is it? Did the Imperial Physician say anything?"

Mu Qiu looked at him with a melancholy gaze: "Yes, he said it was triplets."

Cheng Zhirang: "... Triplets?"

"Yes, and due to my poor health, the Imperial Physician recommended frequent walks for fresh air after getting pregnant. But with triplets, surely I’ll show soon. Then I... it seems I am to be hidden here forever."

He was still digesting the triplet news, answering wearily, "Bear with it a little, soon enough, soon you’ll be able..."

"How soon? When I’ve birthed the children, when they grow up, when the world forgets who I am? I should have seen clearly earlier, your affection is just that. Initially claiming to love me only, but immediately marrying another. I’m defeated, married someone else, and you still unable to let go, reached out to snatch.

You’re forever insatiable, so perfunctory, seeking only your own pleasure, never considering my feelings! Why did I fall for someone like you?! I won’t bear this child! I won’t unreasonably deliver someone else’s child! Go away, get out!"

Her outburst happened abruptly, and Cheng Zhirang almost couldn’t hold her back. Once finally constraining her to stop throwing things, she dramatically "fainted" into his arms.

Truly, it was "overwhelming."

He acted tired, physically and mentally, contemplating for a long time before calling some guests and ministers.

Three days later, the Emperor died suddenly, the Crown Prince ascended the throne, with the ceremony held simply due to frontier turmoil. A day later, the new Emperor made Mu the Empress.

To show attitude towards the aristocracy, the deposed Crown Princess Consort and Consort Bai were likewise sealed into the palace, albeit at a mid-low rank, needing to pay daily respects to the Empress.

Nine months later, the Empress gave birth to triplet Princes, with the Imperial Physician’s help, feigning critical health, leaving a will, declaring she harbored no grudge over past events, only wishing to leave cleanly. The new Emperor mourned, staying day and night, ultimately reviving her.

Thus, distance vanished, the new ruler favored the Empress even more.

A month later, a great victory at the frontier, a young general returned the coffin to the court, greeted by the new Emperor and Empress at the gate.

Yesterday’s immature youth now replaced his father as the frontier fighter’s most trusted Little General, face full of firmness and stability, only showing touches of youthful spirit when embracing his sister.

Half a month after the army’s return, the former Sixth Prince, now Prince Jin’an, was found self-immolated at the foot of Nameless Mountain, the remains of three bodies indistinguishable, only able to be buried together.

Thus, the two who once loved each other forced themselves into reunion later, the carefree General Mansion’s young lady and gentleman—one who could never again see their beloved, the other who lost pure innocence. The three once reliant upon each other in fleeting encounters, ultimately became ash under love and non-love.

Eight o’clock arrived.