Su Xiaoqi rubbed her eyes, clearing her sleepiness, and then carefully observed Yu Jing. She saw that Yu Jing's complexion was ruddy, and her eyes were clear and bright, looking like a luminous pearl.
Su Xiaoqi's face filled with surprise. "You... you're well."
"Yes, I'm well, I'm well. Thank you, Xiaoqi," Yu Jing said, patting her small abdomen. It had always felt bloated there before, and she had thought she was just gaining weight.
She hadn't expected that it was worms causing trouble inside her.
After a day and two nights of treatment, she now felt completely relaxed, her body flowing with ease.
There used to be a dull ache everywhere, but now it was gone, as if she had been reborn.
She looked at Su Xiaoqi, realizing that all of this was given by her precious daughter.
And seeing Su Xiaoqi's appearance, she knew she had been watching over her all along.
She tightly embraced Su Xiaoqi.
This was her own flesh and blood, her child. She had found her.
The moment she came to her side, she had cured a chronic ailment that had plagued her for over a decade.
She was her lucky star!
The mother and daughter talked for a long while.
Yu Jing's soaring spirits were indescribable at this moment.
She simply held Su Xiaoqi, pouring out her longing for her over the years.
Su Xiaoqi was very considerate, just listening, not interrupting much.
It was only when Yu Jing grew tired that Su Xiaoqi gently reminded her that it was time to catch the person who had poisoned her.
Otherwise, they were lurking by her side, making it impossible to guard against.
And she herself couldn't follow Yu Jing to Northern Chu.
"Xiaoqi..." Yu Jing exclaimed in surprise at Su Xiaoqi's words.
"You... you're not coming with me to Northern Chu? I thought..."
She and Chu Yu were the most esteemed individuals in all of Northern Chu.
Their child was also destined to be the most honored princess of Northern Chu.
But now, Xiaoqi, as if casually, told her that she wouldn't accompany her to Northern Chu.
Why?
Was Northern Chu not good?
Yu Jing looked at Su Xiaoqi with shock.
Su Xiaoqi, having spoken her mind, felt a weight lift from her heart.
She hadn't intended to discuss this topic with Yu Jing so soon.
However, in their conversation just now, Yu Jing's words had implied that she wanted to take her to Northern Chu to be the most esteemed princess there.
Whatever she wanted, she could have.
She thought that if she didn't express her intentions promptly, Yu Jing might assume she had agreed.
But she was unwilling.
At this moment, Su Xiaoqi realized that Shen Yun had thought much further ahead.
He had already foreseen all of this with great foresight.
It made sense. Previously, the Lord of Northern Chu and Yu Jing had no choice; they couldn't find their child.
Naturally, they couldn't bring her back to Northern Chu.
But now that they had found her.
It was understandable that they would want to bring her back immediately.
However, while they could think that way, she couldn't agree.
Moreover, she realized that this matter couldn't be delayed and needed to be resolved quickly.
Therefore, she casually mentioned it when Yu Jing brought it up.
She anticipated that it might make Yu Jing uncomfortable.
But there was no other way.
What surprised her, however, was that Yu Jing only asked a question.
Her emotions were not significantly affected.
As Su Xiaoqi breathed a sigh of relief, she also felt a hint of disappointment.
It seemed she wasn't that important to Yu Jing after all.
After all, they had been separated for seventeen years.
Once found, even with the most abundant love, life would eventually wear it down.
"Your Majesty, the Princess is not returning..."
"If she's not returning, then she's not returning. At most, I'll live in my parents' home.
I don't believe anyone can stop me," Yu Jing declared with lofty spirit.
This was the Third Miss of the Yu Guogong Mansion, the Empress of Northern Chu.
Majestic and powerful, exuding dominance.
"If Your Majesty and the Princess do not return to Northern Chu, then regarding the Lord of the Realm..." Yu Mama said, her heart filled with apprehension.
Yu Jing replied without hesitation:
"Then it's simple.
If he misses his wife and daughter, he can come and find us himself.
If not, then he can take ten, a hundred concubines.
It's not as though the Lord of Northern Chu has to be alone."
Her words were astonishing and audacious.
Su Xiaoqi looked at the spirited Yu Jing with surprise, unable to suppress a laugh.
Her mother was truly extraordinary.
With this matter clarified, the burden on Su Xiaoqi's heart was lifted.
She began to worry about another issue.
That was, who exactly had targeted her.
Considering Yu Jing's demeanor and the fact that the Lord of Northern Chu's harem consisted only of her as Empress, without even a single concubine.
Then who had wanted to harm her?
"Who? I guess it's Prince Yuanlin.
If something happened to me, Brother Yu would surely be preoccupied and unable to manage state affairs, and we also wouldn't have an heir.
He might entrust the imperial power to Prince Yuanlin.
So he had the strongest motive to harm me, and he did it so subtly."
Su Xiaoqi was not familiar with the affairs of Northern Chu.
Yu Jing enthusiastically explained it to her.
Of course, Northern Chu and Daliang were similar.
In this world, anything involving power struggles was never peaceful.
Daliang had power struggles, and so did Northern Chu.
Su Xiaoqi was indifferent when Yu Jing spoke of Prince Yuanlin.
But when she mentioned his son, Prince Ge, Su Xiaoqi suddenly realized something.
Hey, it turned out that the so-called Prince Yuanlin was Chu Lege's biological father.
Hearing Yu Jing summon her hidden guards and order them to send messages back to Northern Chu to inform the Lord of the Realm about her poisoning and to order an investigation, Su Xiaoqi's eyes gleamed with an idea.
She said, "Prince Yuanlin's actions might be known to his son.
Chu Lege is currently in Daliang.
Why don't we capture him and interrogate him thoroughly?"
This idea was unconventional; if they captured Chu Lege, it would bring the conflict between the two sides into the open.
Most people would be hesitant.
Even Yu Mama repeatedly dissuaded Yu Jing, urging her not to be impulsive.
Impulse is the devil.
"Let's do it. If their father and son harbored malicious intentions to harm me,
what does it matter if I offend them?
If it's not them, then it will also prove their innocence.
He has always wanted the pastures of the Hexi Corridor, hasn't he? I'll have Yu Ge give it to him."
Upon hearing this, Yu Mama had nothing more to say.
Given the Lord of the Realm's fondness for His Majesty, he would try to pluck stars from the sky for her.
What was a mere pasture?
However, if Prince Yuanlin was proven to be problematic, then he would be in grave trouble.
Losing his life would be a minor matter; the Lord of the Realm would surely make him regret being born into this world.
With Yu Jing's affirmation, Su Xiaoqi immediately went to find Shen Yun.
After all, Chu Lege was an envoy representing Northern Chu.
Before taking action, it was better to let Shen Yun know.
Shen Yun was busy at the time and couldn't return immediately.
But upon hearing that it was to investigate the person who had harmed his mother-in-law,
he immediately dispatched Zhang Lei.
They did not use the name of Daliang's government.
Instead, they acted like bandits, crashing into the Daliang official post in the middle of the night and abducting Chu Lege.
Then, after severe torture, they completely subdued him.
He confessed everything, whether true or false.
They indeed obtained information from him that Prince Yuanlin, Chu Lege's father, had once ordered someone to harm Yu Jing.
However, Chu Lege knew little; he only vaguely heard his father and subordinates mention such a thing when he was in the study.
But he was unclear about the specifics.
Still, obtaining this information was quite good.
At least it gave Yu Jing a reason to act upon her return to Northern Chu.
Poor Chu Lege had not stayed in Daliang for even a few months before being repeatedly arrested and interrogated, being drugged, and then presented with a Daliang princess to marry.
Originally, Chu Lege thought he was going to meet his end here.
But those people only captured him and made him confess his past wrongdoings.
Other than that, there was nothing else.
After extorting fifty thousand taels of silver, he was released.
Emperor Yongxing had initially told him to marry within three days and leave Daliang within ten days.
Now, having been married for only one day, on the fourth day, he immediately left with the envoys from Northern Chu.
He fled so quickly, as if fire were burning at his heels.