I am invincible, that's why I lie down. You're using your entire clan to rebel?

Chapter 318 Xu Fenghua's 3-step plan, Step 1: Eliminate Jiang Qingxue!

Xu Fenghua took a deep breath and gradually suppressed her surging emotions.

Three months.

From the time she becomes pregnant until her pregnancy becomes noticeable, there are approximately three months left.

Three months, ninety days.

She had to get Xu Longxiang to succeed within ninety days.

But there was very little she could do in the palace.

She couldn't see anyone outside, couldn't send out any messages, and even her connection with Wang Jimin had been severed.

She was trapped in this magnificent cage, like a bird with clipped wings, only able to watch the sky outside the window, unable to fly away no matter what she did.

Xu Fenghua's fingers slowly tightened on the window frame, a resolute glint in her eyes.

All she could do was deal with Jiang Qingxue.

This thought lingered in her mind for a long time, like an eagle reluctant to land.

These past few days, she has been observing Jiang Qingxue.

From the few words exchanged during each meeting to the long silences during each delivery of medicine.

From the fleeting tremor in her fingertips when she took the medicine packet, to the ever-deepening, unfathomable look in her eyes when she looked back at her.

Xu Fenghua couldn't help but wonder.

Does Jiang Qingxue still have feelings for Xu Longxiang?

She was once absolutely certain of the answer to this question.

The girl who laughed like a snow sprite in the Listening Snow Pavilion in the Northern Territory looked at Xu Longxiang with a gaze that was different from how she looked at anyone else.

There was dependence and trust in his eyes, a deep affection etched into his very bones.

That kind of deep affection cannot be cultivated in a day or two, nor can it be erased in a day or two.

But these past few days, every message sent back from Yuxiu Palace has been like a stone thrown into the calm lake of her heart, stirring up ripples.

She stopped replying to the notes.

Those tiny scraps of paper that she carefully tucked under the medicine packet, those notes with the questions, words, and messages she wanted to convey, all vanished without a trace.

I haven't replied to a single one.

Xu Fenghua closed her eyes, and the image of Jiang Qingxue's pale, aloof face appeared in her mind.

She sighed softly.

He then slowly opened his eyes, his amber eyes filled with complex emotions.

She was almost certain that Jiang Qingxue had lost her loyalty to the Northern Border.

She had her own thoughts, her own plans, and her own path.

She was no longer the girl waiting for Xu Longxiang to return at Tingxuexuan in the Northern Border.

She has changed.

She was changed by this deep palace, by Qin Mu, and by those things she didn't know but that must have happened.

Xu Fenghua pursed her lips slightly.

But she didn't tell Xu Longxiang about it.

It's not that I don't want to, it's that I don't dare.

Xu Longxiang has already suffered too much trauma.

The elder sister was forcibly taken as a concubine, and the childhood sweetheart was sent to the deep palace to become a concubine as well...

This series of blows had already pushed him to the brink of collapse.

If I tell him now, even Jiang Qingxue might not be reliable anymore—

She dared not think any further.

So she kept it a secret, telling herself to wait and see until she was sure.

Let's wait until we have solid evidence before making any decisions.

But now, she can't wait any longer.

Jiang Qingxue must be eliminated as soon as possible.

Or, prevent her from ever doing anything harmful to the North again.

This decision made Xu Fenghua hesitate for a time.

Because she was unsure.

It's unclear just how far Jiang Qingxue has drifted away from the Northern Border.

Did she tell Qin Mu about the situation in the North?

Xu Fenghua didn't know.

She could only guess.

From those scattered, fragmented, and ambiguous clues, piece together an answer.

It shouldn't be there yet.

She had no evidence for this judgment, only intuition.

Her intuition told her so.

Qin Mu is a person who absolutely cannot tolerate betrayal.

This is something she gradually came to understand during their time together.

If Qin Mu knew that Jiang Qingxue was a spy from the Northern Border, knew her purpose in entering the palace, and knew all her pretense, flattery, and insincerity during those days...

Qin Mu would absolutely not allow Jiang Qingxue to live peacefully in this harem.

And now, Jiang Qingxue is still alive.

What does this mean?

This means Qin Mu is unaware of it yet.

This means that Jiang Qingxue has not yet told him about the situation in the Northern Border.

This means she still has a chance.

Xu Fenghua slowly loosened her fingers on the window frame.

She has three months left.

Three months, ninety days.

She has to do three things in these ninety days.

First, get rid of Jiang Qingxue.

Or, make her never be able to speak again.

Second, find a way to contact Xu Longxiang and tell him everything that is useful in the palace.

Third... save the child.

Xu Fenghua's hand covered her lower abdomen again.

Beneath my palm, there was still that flat, warm skin.

There, a tiny life is quietly growing.

Like a seed, buried under the snow, waiting for the arrival of spring.

She had to ensure the child was born in the spring.

Growing up in the sunshine.

Run, laugh, and bloom your own flower in the free wind.

She spared no expense for this.

Xu Fenghua took a deep breath, the air carrying the coolness of the night, which made her more awake.

Jiang Qingxue —

She silently murmured the name in her heart, a complex emotion flashing in her amber eyes.

There was regret, reluctance, and guilt.

But that emotion was fleeting, quickly replaced by a deeper, colder resolve.

She used to treat Jiang Qingxue as her younger sister.

In the Listening Snow Pavilion in the Northern Territory, the girl who always sat quietly under the plum tree reading a book had eyes that curved into two crescent moons when she smiled, filled with a clear, bright light that only existed on the snowy plains of the Northern Territory.

She taught her embroidery, taught her to play the piano, and taught her how to protect herself from the men who coveted her beauty.

Jiang Qingxue has called her "sister" for over ten years.

She had heard that voice for over a decade.

From tender to clear, from clear to gentle, from gentle to the detachment of this moment.

Xu Fenghua closed her eyes.

We'll probably never hear that "sister" again.

For the Xu family, for Longxiang, and for the unborn child in her womb.

She had to harden her heart.

Just then—

"Squeak—"

The palace doors were pushed open.

Xu Fenghua's body jolted violently, and she sprang up from the soft couch, turning around almost instinctively to face the palace gate.

She moved her hand away from her lower abdomen and let it hang down at her side, her fingers slowly tightening inside her sleeve.

She saw him.

Moonlight streamed in from outside the palace gates, making the figure appear exceptionally clear.

A moon-white robe, a handsome face, and a languid and composed demeanor.

He stood there on the threshold, the moonlight shining in from behind him, bathing him in a pale golden glow.

Qin Mu.

Xu Fenghua's heart suddenly raced.

Countless thoughts flashed through her mind in an instant.

Why is he here?

At this time?

But her face quickly regained its composure.

She took a deep breath and stepped forward to meet them.

She stopped three steps in front of him.

Then she gracefully bowed down.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects."

His forehead touched the ground, his posture impeccably submissive.

The moon-white nightgown spread out around her, like a flower blooming in the night.

Qin Mu looked down at her.

Get up.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Xu Fenghua slowly stood up, her hands hanging down, her gaze lowered, falling on the hem of his clothes.

I didn't dare look at him.

Qin Mu walked past her and entered the hall.

He walked to the soft couch and stopped.

His gaze swept over the neatly folded brocade quilt on the couch, over the small sandalwood table by the window, and over the cup of tea on the table that had gone cold.

Finally, it landed on the windowsill.

There was a small water stain there.

It is tears.

His gaze lingered on the water stain for a moment, then moved away.

He turned around and sat down on the soft couch.

Leaning back in his chair, one hand supporting his chin, he looked as languid as a neighbor who had just come to visit.

"It's so late," he said softly, "your beloved concubine is still awake?"

Xu Fenghua's heart skipped a beat.

Countless answers flashed through her mind in an instant.

She looked up and met his gaze.

Those amber eyes were now filled with just the right amount of tenderness and longing.

"During His Majesty's absence,"

She spoke softly, her voice trembling with a suppressed joy that had been building up for a long time, "I can't sleep well."

Qin Mu looked at her, a slow smile creeping onto his lips.

"Missing me?"

Xu Fenghua's face flushed slightly.

The blush spread from her cheekbones to her ears, appearing exceptionally beautiful in the candlelight.

She lowered her head, her voice even softer.

"Um."

Qin Mu's smile deepened.

He reached out and patted the spot beside him.

"come over."

Xu Fenghua did not hesitate.

She stepped forward, walked to his side, and sat down on the soft couch.

Her heart beat even faster.

Qin Mu looked at her like this and didn't say anything.

He simply reached out, gently put his arm around her shoulder, and pulled her into his embrace.

Xu Fenghua leaned against him, her face pressed against his chest, listening to his steady and powerful heartbeat.

For some reason, her nerves, which had been tense for so long, gradually relaxed.

Xu Fenghua's eyes suddenly became moist.

It wasn't out of fear or nervousness, but because she suddenly realized what that strange feeling she'd been having these past few days really was.

It's a dependency.

It was a deep-seated dependence that she never dared to admit.

These days, when he's not around, she always feels like something's missing.

Xu Fenghua told herself that it was just a habit.

I've gotten used to his presence, used to his touch, used to his daily antics...

But she couldn't fool herself.

That's not a habit.

That's dependence.

It was without her realizing that she developed an inappropriate dependence on this man she should have hated to the core.

This realization filled her with a deep sense of panic.

How could she depend on him?

He was the enemy of the Xu family, the tyrannical emperor who forcibly took her as his concubine, and the source of all her humiliation and suffering.

She should hate him, she should fear him, and she should be thinking about how to escape from him and overthrow him at all times.

Instead of lingering in his arms, indulging in that unwanted warmth.

Xu Fenghua's fingers clenched tightly inside her sleeve, her nails digging deep into her palms. The sharp pain brought her back to her senses.

But she dared not move, dared not raise her head, and dared not even let her breathing become too rapid.

Because she knew he was right beside her, his arm around her shoulder, his breath brushing against the top of her head.

Any slight abnormality could arouse his suspicion.

She had to endure it.

We have to keep going.

Only in this way can she survive.

Only then can we wait until those three months have passed.

Only then can we wait until the day when Xu Longxiang succeeds.

Xu Fenghua closed her eyes and buried her face in his chest.

The movements were so natural, so dependent, so self-assured.

But only she knew that her heart was bleeding.

Qin Mu gently stroked her back.

"My beloved consort," he suddenly spoke, his voice soft, "has anything new happened in the palace while I was away?"

Xu Fenghua's heart skipped a beat.

She took a deep breath and lifted her head from his embrace.

Those amber eyes were now filled with a gentle smile.

"There's nothing new about it."

She said softly, "With His Majesty gone, the palace is so quiet and deserted. I spend my days reading, embroidering, and occasionally taking a stroll in the Imperial Garden."

She paused, a faint, self-deprecating smile curving her lips.

"Those few wintersweet bushes, however, are blooming earlier than in previous years. I was thinking that when Your Majesty returns, I'll pick a few branches, put them in a vase, and place them on the table; Your Majesty will be pleased to see them."

That was a perfectly watertight statement.

It answered the question, expressed longing, and steered the conversation to the unimportant flowers and plants.

Qin Mu looked at her, his smile deepening.

"Winter plum blossoms?" He raised an eyebrow. "I do like them. Have someone pick a few branches tomorrow and put them in that celadon vase."

Xu Fenghua nodded.

"I will take care of it tomorrow."

The night was as dark as ink, and the moonlight as smooth as water.

Xu Fenghua leaned against Qin Mu's chest, feeling the warmth from his chest and listening to his steady, strong heartbeat.

She hadn't felt this at ease in a long time.

These days, she sits alone in this hall, from dusk till night, from night till dawn, turning over and over in her thoughts about things she can't understand.

The child, the northern border, Jiang Qingxue, three months.

Every thought was like a needle pricking her heart, causing a sharp, persistent pain.

But now, held in his arms, listening to his steady heartbeat, all the pain seemed to fade, become distant, and become blurred.

It's like looking through a layer of mist; you can see it, but you can't touch it.

She closed her eyes, letting herself indulge in this moment of peace.

Qin Mu gently stroked her back, the movement slow and light, like soothing a cat that had finally calmed down.

His fingers were long and slender with distinct knuckles; she could feel the warmth of his fingertips even through the thin nightgown.

Warm, calloused touch, gently sliding from the shoulder blades to the waist, and then slowly back down to the shoulder blades.

The rhythm was so comfortable that she almost fell asleep.

"My beloved concubine."

His voice came from above her head, very soft, but it instantly dispelled most of her sleepiness.

Xu Fenghua didn't move, still leaning against him, only letting out a soft "hmm," her voice as languid as a cat softened by the sun.

Qin Mu's hand remained on her back, neither stroking it further nor moving it away.

"There's something else I need to tell you," he paused, "that's why I've come."