activa-t Chapter 67 Jiang Qingxue was just kissed by Qin Mu in the carriage!? Xu Longxiang was stunned!
Chapter 67 Jiang Qingxue was just kissed by Qin Mu in the carriage!? Xu Longxiang was stunned!
The curtain of the gilded carriage was slowly lifted by a slender, fair hand.
The hand was small, with long, slender fingers, the tips of which were lightly stained with nail polish, gleaming with a warm luster in the dim sunlight.
The carriage curtain was only slightly lifted, revealing just a small gap.
But it was this very gap that made Xu Longxiang, who was standing in front of the main gate of the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion, freeze in his blood instantly!
He stared intently at that hand.
The outline of the back of the hand, the curve of the knuckles, the extremely fine, almost invisible old scar on the ring finger...
He was all too familiar.
That was when Jiang Qingxue was ten years old, and she accidentally cut herself with a knife while peeling a pear for him at Tingxuexuan.
She was in so much pain that her eyes were filled with tears. He felt so sorry for her, so he personally applied medicine and bandaged her wounds, and even tried to cheer her up.
"From now on, this scar will be my mark. When I see it, I'll know you're mine."
She blushed and whispered, "Who's yours...?"
But from then on, she never let the scar fade, leaving it on her hand like a hidden brand.
And now, that hand is inside that carriage, lifting the curtain for that man.
Xu Longxiang felt as if his heart was being squeezed and kneaded by an invisible hand, almost shattering!
She... rode in the same car as Qin Mu?
Did they all travel this far, three thousand miles, in this way?
They travel together during the day and sleep together at night, just like a truly loving couple?
Those unbearable images kept uncontrollably flashing through my mind.
In the dead of night, inside the swaying carriage and within the brocade curtains, her soft sobs and his panting filled the air…
"Hmm!"
Xu Longxiang felt a sweet taste in his throat, a metallic sweetness suddenly surged up, but he suppressed it forcefully, with only a thin line of blood oozing from the corner of his tightly pursed lips.
He quickly raised his hand and wiped it away with the corner of his sleeve, the movement so fast that almost no one noticed.
But the violent rage in his heart surged like magma, almost breaking through all the barriers of reason!
kill him!
Right now! Right here!
This is the North! This is his territory! This is the den of dragons and tigers he has cultivated for twenty years!
Qin Mu dared to venture deep into the lion's den with only three thousand imperial guards—how arrogant! How suicidal!
With just a single command from him, the 50,000 guards on the city wall, the 8,000 elite soldiers in the palace, and the hidden masters...
They could overwhelm these three thousand imperial guards in an instant!
At that time, Qin Mu will surely die!
And he will not only be able to complete his great task ahead of schedule, but also naturally win back Qingxue!
This insane thought gnawed at his reason like a venomous snake, instantly filling his eyes with bloodshot veins and making his killing intent almost tangible!
"Your Highness!"
Behind him, Sikong Xuan's aged and hoarse voice boomed in his ears like thunder, carrying an unprecedented urgency and warning:
"Don't act impulsively!"
These four words were like a bucket of ice water, poured harshly on Xu Longxiang's almost burning rationality.
He shuddered, and the madness and murderous intent in his eyes receded like the tide, replaced by a deep, almost deathly coldness.
Yes……
Don't act impulsively.
Qin Mu dared to venture deep into the northern border with only three thousand imperial guards; he must have something to rely on.
That powerful being who may have reached the realm of a terrestrial immortal, that mysterious expert who remotely controlled the speeding arrival at Qinglan Mountain, is very likely nearby at this moment, or even in the carriage!
Moreover, taking action now would be tantamount to open rebellion.
At that time, the greater good will not be with him, nor will the hearts of the people be with him. Armies from all over the country will flock to him, the northern border will become an isolated island, and the 300,000-strong army will be trapped in a desperate situation of being besieged on all sides.
That's not what he wanted.
What he wanted was a dignified and legitimate invasion by a large army, a popular abdication and enthronement, and a justifiable change of dynasty!
Xu Longxiang took a deep breath, the cold air from the North rushed into his lungs, carrying a biting chill, but it also calmed him down completely.
He slowly exhaled that breath of stale air, and the last trace of madness in his eyes disappeared, leaving only a bottomless darkness.
Then, he looked up and looked at the carriage again.
At this moment, the carriage curtain had been completely lifted.
A figure in light green slowly stepped out of the carriage.
It really was Jiang Qingxue.
She was still wearing that light green, wide-sleeved, flowing fairy dress, with a moon-white gauze long robe over it. Her long hair was styled into a flying fairy bun, adorned only with that jade hairpin.
That's right.
It's the one he gave me.
The thin morning light shone on her, outlining her slender and delicate figure.
Her face was still pale, even more haggard than when she was at Qinglan Mountain, with obvious dark circles under her eyes, clearly indicating that she had not slept well for the past few days.
But her back was very straight, and her face wore a perfectly reserved smile befitting "Consort Xue".
The smile was beautiful, but it was as empty as a mask, devoid of any warmth.
Xu Longxiang looked at the face he had longed for day and night, his eyes momentarily filled with infatuation.
She was still so beautiful, so beautiful that it broke his heart.
But just then, he suddenly noticed something was wrong.
Her lips...
It seems redder than usual and slightly swollen.
It wasn't the red of rouge, but rather...
An unnatural, slightly broken, deep red.
Xu Longxiang's pupils suddenly contracted!
As a martial artist who had experienced battles and seen countless wounds, he knew all too well what those marks meant!
Those are the marks left after being repeatedly sucked and gnawed!
Just a short while ago, right here in this carriage.
Someone once kissed her forcefully, even... biting her lip until it bled!
"boom--!"
Xu Longxiang felt something explode in his mind!
All reason and restraint transformed into boundless rage and murderous intent at this moment!
Qin Mu!
It's Qin Mu!
That beast! That scum! He actually...
Xu Longxiang's fists clenched so tightly they cracked, his nails digging deep into his palms, and blood dripped from between his fingers, staining the cuffs of his black python robe.
He was almost losing control, wanting to rush up and tear that man to pieces!
But at this very moment—
Another figure slowly stepped out of the carriage.
Wearing a black robe with twelve imperial symbols and a crown with twelve tassels, the pearl and jade curtains swayed slightly, obscuring most of her face, revealing only her well-defined jawline and her deep, abyss-like eyes.
Qin Mu.
He calmly stepped out of the carriage, stood beside Jiang Qingxue, and then very naturally reached out and put his arm around her waist.
The movements were skillful and the posture intimate, as if they had done this action a thousand times.
Jiang Qingxue's body stiffened for a moment, but she quickly relaxed and even turned slightly to snuggle into his arms.
That posture, so submissive, was heartbreaking.
Xu Longxiang stared intently at the hand wrapped around Jiang Qingxue's waist, at her slightly swollen lips, and at the empty smile on her face...
He felt as if his heart was being slowly sliced apart, one cut after another.
"Xu Aiqing".
Qin Mu's voice rang out, gentle and calm, revealing no emotion:
"I came uninvited, you won't blame me, will you?"
Xu Longxiang took a deep breath, forced a smile, and bowed respectfully:
"Your Majesty is too kind. Under heaven, all land belongs to the king. The northern border is Your Majesty's northern border, and the royal palace is Your Majesty's royal palace. Your Majesty can come and go as you please; there is no need for notification. Your subject... is overjoyed."
He spoke respectfully, his tone perfectly controlled, displaying the humility befitting a subject.
But if you listen closely, you can hear a very subtle tremor in the voice, as well as an extreme coldness that is suppressed to the extreme.
Qin Mu seemed oblivious, smiled, and led Jiang Qingxue forward:
"My purpose in this northern tour is twofold: first, to inspect the border defenses and see if the soldiers in the north are well; secondly..."
He paused, looked down at Jiang Qingxue in his arms, his eyes tender:
"It's also for Qingxue. She said she grew up in the Northern Territory but didn't know who her parents were. I thought that since we're here in the Northern Territory, I might as well help her find her relatives and put her mind at ease."
Searching for relatives...
Xu Longxiang's heart sank!
really!
Qin Mu's visit is definitely not just a simple inspection!
He came because of Jiang Qingxue's "background"!
What does he want to do?
Do you want to expose Qingxue's disguise in public?
Is the intention to use this as a pretext to launch an attack and suppress the Northern Border?
Countless thoughts swirled wildly in Xu Longxiang's mind, but his face remained calm, still bearing a respectful smile:
"Your Majesty's favor towards Consort Xue is truly a blessing for her and a boon for the Northern Frontier. I have already ordered a banquet to be prepared to welcome Your Majesty and wash away the dust of your journey. Your Majesty, please—"
He stepped aside and gestured for him to enter.
They adopted an extremely humble posture.
Qin Mu nodded slightly, but did not take a step immediately. Instead, he turned to look behind him.
Two more figures stepped out of the carriage.
Su Wanqing and Lu Wanning.
Su Wanqing was still dressed in a scarlet palace gown, with a dignified demeanor, while Lu Wanning wore a pale yellow ruqun, looking fresh and lovely.
The two concubines walked behind Qin Mu and stood with their hands at their sides.
"These two are Consort Shu and Consort Wan."
Qin Mu casually introduced, "This time, I am accompanying the emperor on his northern tour to see the scenery of the northern border."
Xu Longxiang bowed again:
"Your subject greets Consort Shu and Consort Wan."
Su Wanqing and Lu Wanning nodded slightly in return, without saying anything more.
Qin Mu then put his arm around Jiang Qingxue and walked into the palace.
Zhao Kuo led three hundred elite imperial guards in close pursuit, while the rest of the imperial guards lined up outside the palace for defense.
Xu Longxiang and his five advisors followed respectfully, but their hearts were in turmoil.
......