Thousand Miles of Bright Moonlight

Chapter 51: No Regrets

After giving a few instructions, Li Zhongqian left in a hurry with his bloodstained hammers.

The young lady then sat back on the armchair and kept watch until dawn.

The next day, Zheng Biyu left, following the people sent by the Zheng family to pick her up.

Later, her mother told her that the Zhao family's women had preserved their chastity and did not attempt to commit suicide. Furthermore, the Li family did not exterminate the Zhao family. They gave back the Zhao family's old residence and their servants, allowing them to settle back in their ancestral home.

....

Zheng Biyu finished recalling past events and looked at Li Xuanzhen.

"Your Highness, the Seventh Princess saved the Zhao family women but never brought this matter up. Later, she also saved the women of the Lu family, the Lu family, and the Sun family...

"That year when I gave birth and Your Highness was away on a campaign, rebels were roaming the city walls and blocking the city gates. The city was in a state of panic, but the eleven-year-old Seventh Princess sent someone to take care of me and the other women and children. She herself climbed the city walls with her guards to persuade and deter the rebels."

Zheng Biyu would never forget the heavy and depressing atmosphere of despair in the city at that time, the feeling when a great disaster was imminent.

The residence was a complete mess. Li De's concubines could only cry, and there were some who were fussing to surrender. Li Yaoying issued an order to behead the inside man who was going to open the city gate. Gathering the city's men and horses using her identity as the Li family's noble lady, she guarded the city walls for more than ten days.

After Zheng Biyu gave birth, she gritted her teeth and got out of bed, intending to also go to the city walls to keep watch. She was Li Xuanzhen's wife and could not let Li Zhongqian's younger sister make too much of a splash.

When the maid supported her under the wall, she raised her head and saw the young girl on the wall, dressed in hunting clothes and bathed in the bright and scorching sun, and suddenly remembered the scene when she first saw Li Yaoying.

After marrying Li Xuanzhen, Zheng Biyu had asked Li Yaoying, "Why did qiniang save the Zhao family's women when you had nothing to do with them?"

Li Yaoying said carelessly, "It's just a matter of raising my hand."

Zheng Biyu was the daughter of a noble family, sober and sensible. Married to Li Xuanzhen, she single-mindedly planned for him. Zhu Luyun's tossing and suffering, so what? She would always be Li Xuanzhen's rightful wife.

A calculating Zheng Biyu stood under the wall, raised her head, looking at Li Yaoying's petite but determined figure, stunned for half a day. She turned around and went back to her room.

Zheng Biyu knew that qiniang was not attracting hearts and minds for Li Zhongqian. She merely wanted to protect the people of the city and the women and children of the Li family.

Just as she protected the women of the Zhao family, similarly women with no strength, why not help when she could give a hand to save the other party from the tragic fate of being violated?

Glistening tears surfaced in Zheng Biyu's eyes.

"Your Highness asked why this concubine spoke for the Seventh Princess. The reason is simple: because this concubine still had a little conscience."

Li Xuanzhen closed his eyes, his hands shaking slightly, and the veins on his forehead rippled: "She was the one who came to beg me! She was the one who came to me for a deal! She is the daughter of the Xie clan, and her death is unrelated to me!"

Zheng Biyu looked at Li Xuanzhen, whose eyes were tightly shut and whose expression was vaguely crazed, and let out a long sigh.

"Dalang.... you will regret it."

"No!" Li Xuanzhen's eyes flew open, dark currents surging within his pupils, "I will not regret."

Never.

....

Two days later, news came back from the flying cavalry.

They found Li Zhongqian. Li Zhongqian was still in a coma, with only five or six guards left around. Although the situation was critical, it was not life-threatening.

The flying cavalry team had already taken Li Zhongqian and were on their way back.

Li Xuanzhen had someone send the news to the wangfu.

Yaoying had just recovered from her lethargicness. Clutching the letter, tears fell in succession.

Elder brother was still alive.

As long as her brother came back safely, she was no longer afraid of anything.

The messenger reminded Yaoying, "Your Highness, the Chief Historian said it was time for you to keep your promise."

Yaoying clutched the news, brushed away the tears at the corners of her eyes, and gave a faint 'en'.

Three days later, there was a banquet held in the palace where Li De once again invited Chief Yelu and other tribal leaders and sons of kings. All the envoys, cabinet ministers, concubines of the harem, and influential and prominent families attended the banquet.

The palace sent its guards to fetch Yaoying for the banquet.

Yaoying, dressed in fancy attire, stepped into the carriage with the help of Xie Qing, holding the bright moon pearl tightly in her hand.