?

  "Not bad, he's still the same as before. He's got a straightforward temper." Gao Zhan took a sip of wine, shaking his head and saying: "This kid, even after winning a big victory and showing off in front of everyone, is still that blunt. For the sake of his family's trivial matters, he spoke directly to me for the first time. Ah, this is good too, they all want to divorce, but still want to go through me to handle it. His temper may not be good, but his loyalty to the emperor is strong. I'm really afraid that when this kid grows up and becomes more powerful, he'll become even more unmanageable!"

  "Heshen hastily praised: 'Your Majesty, you are the heavenly god of all eternity. His high and long reverence is loyal to the king, and it is also due to Your Majesty's heavenly power.'"

  "Alright, alright, stop flattering."

  As soon as Lang Ling Wang stepped out of the palace gate, his face regained its expressionless state. Seeing him get on the horse carriage, Zheng Yu called out: "Chang Gong." She bit her lip and choked with sobs: "Chang Gong, do you really want to divorce me?"

  She walked behind him, carefully and pleadingly saying: "Chang Gong, we grew up together, don't be so ruthless to me, A Yu is very scared!"

  She had tears in her eyes, and with a raised face, she begged: "Chang Gong, don't abandon me, okay? I won't compete with Zhang Shi anymore, really, I won't compete for anything. If you want her to be your official wife, I'll accept it too, just please don't drive me away so ruthlessly..."

  She covered her face with both hands and began to sob.

  The King of Lanling turned his head back.

  Standing in front of him, crying with sobs, and begging him in a low voice was his best friend from childhood, the woman he once thought was his ideal wife.

  Her situation, he now knows some too. Now she has no friends and no pursuers, even if she returns to the Zheng family, because of Empress Hu's dislike for her, she is excluded by the family. As for her stepmother, it is even more hostile.

  She used to have some difficulties. She always liked to tell him, and he would help her as long as he could. Those days had been going on since he was seven years old, but when he turned thirteen, the two gradually became less close.

  Now she weeps and begs before him like this, even voluntarily giving up her position as his legitimate wife.

  Unconsciously, Langling Wang let out a light sigh and closed his eyes.

  Hearing his sighs, she felt the softness in his sighs and Zheng Yu's heart was delighted, her crying became even louder.

  After a while, she heard his low and gentle voice, "Ayu."

  Zheng You choked back a sob and replied: "Okay, I'll listen."

  Langling Wang looked at her and said softly, "Ayu, I actually never understood." He gazed at her and slowly continued, "When I went to war, I had promised you that you would still be a virgin. At that time, if you were willing to divorce me, whether it was Yang Jing or Lou Yuanshao, they could have given you a life of wealth and luxury no less than that of a princess. Moreover, these two men are also young and talented. In terms of appearance, they are worthy of matching with you."

  He furrowed his brow, with a hint of puzzlement and doubt, and also with a hint of warmth, saying: "But no matter if I make an announcement or they climb the wall to meet you, even if Li Ying and others act as matchmakers, you uniformly refuse them with stern words, insisting on not wanting to be with me, this husband who has already had a change of heart, and instead want to be with those men who are devoted to you."

  Upon hearing this, Zheng Yu was shocked at first: he had clearly gone to war, so how did he know about the things that happened in the mansion? Suddenly she quickly lifted her head, with tears and deep emotions looking at him, just as she was about to say that it was because she loved him.

  Zheng You had just lifted his head, and the words had not yet left his mouth when he heard the hesitant and contemplative voice of Lanling Wang coming from afar. "Some people also say that you are deeply in love with me, so you only wish to be with me... This is truly absurd. Ah You, we have known each other for many years, and you see in my eyes admiration, infatuation, and expectation, but not a deep and unrelenting passion. As for the word 'love', I didn't understand it before, but after being with Aqi, I now understand it deeply, there's no need to doubt this."

  He asked in a low voice: "Ayu, you obviously don't have deep feelings for me, so why are you so fixated on me? What do you really want? I've been thinking about it until now, but I still can't figure it out!"

  At this point, Langling Wang stared at Zheng Yu, waiting for her response.

  Zheng Yu had already forgotten his tears at this time.

  The words of Lanling Wang were straightforward and cold, his eyes staring at her were firm and ruthless, she couldn't cry anymore.

  She opened her mouth, and for a moment she didn't know how to answer. To be honest, she regretted it now, really regretted it... If she had known that one day she would not be tolerated by the noble ladies of high society, and would be told by him in a stern tone that he wanted to divorce her, she would have chosen to marry Lou Yuanshao. Yang Jing, although his appearance and talent far surpassed Lou Yuanshao, but as a Han minister, his identity was far from being able to protect her for a long time like the powerful and influential family of Lou Yuanshao.

  But there is no medicine for regret in this world.

  Now, there is no choice for her to marry those young nobles and sons of minor officials, it's already not easy for her. Because Empress Hu doesn't like her, even the eldest son of an ordinary family wouldn't choose her. The only ones she can marry are those marginalized, untalented younger sons, or even have to choose from some merchant families.

  It's the same with Yang Jingxian and Yuan Zhao, compared to Gao Changgong, they are still far apart by 108,000 miles. Let alone those people from humble backgrounds? You should know that in the common understanding of the world, marrying someone like them as a wife is not even as good as being a concubine to someone like Gao Changgong!

  The King of Lanling saw Zheng Yu's face turn pale and then white, but he stared at her with his mouth agape, unable to speak. He furrowed his brow as he gazed at her for a moment, shook his head, and turned to leave.

  Seeing him about to leave, Zheng Yu sobered up a bit. She hastily called out: "Chang Gong!" With tears streaming down her face, she implored: "Chang Gong, don't be so heartless towards me. Really, I won't fight anymore. Whatever Zhang Shi wants, I'll give it all to her..."

  This time, without waiting for her to finish, Lang Ling Wang had already cut off the iron and replied: "Ayu, it's useless!" Turning his head around, he said to Zheng Yu, who was still in a daze, one word at a time: "You should understand that apart from Aqie, I don't want another woman." He said lightly: "I have never been very interested in women. Moreover, with Aqie by my side, my heart is already full, and taking another woman would inevitably displease her and cause trouble."

  With an air of naturalness, Langling Wang sat in his carriage and ordered: "Let's go."

  "Yes!"

  It wasn't until Prince Langling's carriage had driven for a while that Zheng You slowly climbed aboard, his soul lost and listless as he followed behind and left the imperial palace.

  As soon as the two of them left, a eunuch hastily walked towards Chunhua Hall. Earlier when Langling Wang and Zheng Yu were talking outside the hall, they didn't avoid others. At that time, Zheng Yu was thinking that as long as Langling Wang showed a hint of compromise, as long as he agreed to her terms, then his words would be equivalent to having been approved by His Majesty, and even if he wanted to go back on his word, with His Majesty present, he wouldn't be able to.

  So, the eunuch hastily walked to Chunhua Hall and stood there, recounting Lanling Wang and Zheng Yu's conversation.

  Gao Zhan was slightly displeased upon hearing this.

  He furrowed his brow, and his delicate face fell into a gloomy expression. After the eunuch finished speaking, he let out a heavy hum, "Is it true that Gao Zhanggong said that apart from Zhang Shi, he wouldn't want another woman?"

  "Yes."

  Gao Zhan sneered: "This stubborn little brat, his obsession is indeed very deep!"

  Having said that, he seemed a bit dispirited, waved his hand and let the eunuch retreat. He stood up and walked to the cabinet on one side.

  He stretched out his hand, pulled out a painting from the cabinet. Looking at the beautiful woman with elegant eyebrows and eyes in the painting, looking at the words "Zhang Shi Aqi 15 years old" written on it, he puckered up his mouth and made a few clicking sounds, suddenly raised his head and let out a long sigh, "Such a beauty, can't be mine? Why?"

  Sighing to this point, Gao Zhan's facial muscles twitched violently a few times, and a hint of reluctance seeped out.

  He was a noble as the Duke, and all the beauties of Ye City, Jin Yang, had almost all been tasted by him. Even the famous Empress Li, he also thought about going up, and even made her pregnant and gave birth to a child, until he got bored with her and threw her into the nunnery.

  At this moment, it was as if Zhang Shi had never been in his hands. Thinking of Zhang Shi's stunning beauty, thinking of her gentle and charming appearance, imagining the various charms she showed on the bed, Gao Zhan swallowed hard, his heart like a claw scratching his heart, that kind of longing almost made him want to disregard everything and reach out to Zhang Shi.

  But he can't, yes, he can't!

  Sighing, Gao Zhan's face turned stern and majestic. With a swift motion of his hands, the painting was torn in two with a loud "ripping" sound. Gao Zhan gritted his teeth and said, "I am the renowned ruler of this generation, for the sake of this great nation, I shall put aside my thoughts of Empress Chang'e!"

  The King of Lanling returned to his mansion.

  After locking himself in his study for two hours, he summoned Yang Shoucheng and other trusted followers.

  Yang Shoucheng and ten others came in just as Langling Wang was spreading out a map of the Central Plains, drawing on it.

  The crowd, who were chatting and laughing, immediately fell silent. They stood there quietly, waiting for the King of Lanling to speak up.

  "Yang Shoucheng, go and take a look outside to see if there's anyone around." This was an order for him to clear the area.

  "Yes." After a while, Yang Shoucheng walked in, "Prince, there's no one left."

  "You stay outside."

  "Yes."

  Yang Shoucheng walked away, and the King of Lanling raised his head, stared at everyone for a while, and then slowly said: "I just saw His Majesty."

  Everyone knows this.

  The King of Lanling furrowed his brow, his voice low and even. He walked two steps in the study with his hands behind his back, saying slowly: "Your Majesty told me that the Turks' attack on Beihuan State was something he made up to deceive me into coming back. He said that because I had been away for over a year, he missed me, so he fabricated this news to trick me into returning."

  As soon as this was said, the study room buzzed with whispers. The officials looked at each other, their faces filled with dissatisfaction and worry. Such a major military affair, Your Majesty fabricated to deceive people. Most importantly, when the lie is exposed, not only does he not feel ashamed, but he is also complacent, taking it lightly as if nothing happened, which is absolutely an ominous sign.

  Is it possible that Heaven and Earth truly want to destroy the state of Qi, so these dim-witted and tyrannical rulers keep emerging one after another?