From a son-in-law to a favorite of the empress

Chapter 1224

It is very complicated here, and it is very simple here.

The complexity lies in the conflict of multi-ethnic ideologies and interest positions, and the contradictions and entanglements of multiple groups under different demands. They must be handled more delicately to truly achieve the desired goal.

The simplicity lies in that the struggle here is not a large-scale military battle, and it does not need to rely on a large number of lives to accumulate. The root of resolving the contradiction lies in finding the right way and in political compromise.

Zhou Yuan likes the latter because he is good at calculating, but always feels sad about sacrifice.

After coming to the Western Regions, he did not plan his progress in detail, nor did he formulate those meticulous chain strategies.

He was just doing one thing-seeing the second senior sister.

Seeing her and making sure she was safe, this was reassuring.

Only when you feel at ease can you really do things.

In the dark Jinding Temple, there is no light.

Countless memories came to his mind, and Zhou Yuan remembered the last time he met the second senior sister.

That was when he was writing poems in the manor of Fuzhou Prefecture. The second senior sister was indignant and said that Zhou Yuan was obscene.

Later, they met late at night and talked about the textile industry, maritime trade, and import and export.

Then he was taken by Qu Ling to visit a brothel and was caught by the second sister.

The past is like smoke, and it is just before my eyes.

Looking back and thinking carefully, it was two years ago.

It was like a dream, Zhou Yuan shook his head, woke up, and felt the footsteps.

With such deep internal strength, he already has many abilities.

He did not stop.

Then someone approached quickly, and his ankle was kicked. When he half-knelt down, a knife was put on his neck.

"Don't move! Otherwise, your throat will be cut!"

A cold voice came, and Zhou Yuan was tied up by two people and escorted to the depths of the temple.

A moment later, they came to the dimly lit Buddhist temple.

Three big Buddhas stood in front, and more than a dozen women from the inner court were dressed in various clothes, ready for battle.

"Master Ye, we caught a monk who sneaked in!"

Ye Qingying narrowed her eyes, looked at the monk coldly, and said in a deep voice: "Look up!"

Zhou Yuan looked up.

He saw Ye Qingying.

He saw Ye Qingying again.

It was different from many times before, because at this moment, Zhou Yuan even doubted whether she was Ye Qingying.

She was so thin and haggard that it was hard to describe.

There was no flesh on her face, so that her cheekbones were more prominent than before, her skin was sickly yellow, and her eyes were full of bloodshot.

The messy hair was tangled, her temples were slightly sunken, and the whole person was in a tense state, but it seemed that she would fall down at the next moment.

This is not her.

Zhou Yuan deeply remembered what she looked like when he first met her.

Liuye eyebrows, Danfeng eyes, oval face, fair skin, and frosty face.

She was tall and straight, and her close-fitting official uniform outlined her perfect figure. She walked with a knife, and her heroic posture was so dashing.

Yes, that's the second senior sister.

Not the one she is now.

While Zhou Yuan was thinking, Ye Qingying's expression slowly changed.

She strode over and suddenly lifted Zhou Yuan's monk robe.

She was stunned and looked at Zhou Yuan's head in horror.

There was only disbelief on her face, and she couldn't help asking in a trembling voice: "Where is your hair!"

Zhou Yuan just looked at her quietly and whispered: "Second senior sister, you have lost a lot of weight."

For a moment, the whole Buddhist temple was quiet.

Everyone looked at Zhou Yuan, gradually widening their eyes, as if they realized who this person was.

"Everyone go down!"

Ye Qingying gritted her teeth, with a stern face, and untied the rope on Zhou Yuan.

The guards around her had been withdrawn. She seemed unable to stop her emotions and said indifferently, "Who asked you to come? Who asked you to pretend to be a monk? Your hair and body are from your parents. You are a first-class prince, and you can shave your hair just because you want to..."

"Are you trying to say that I am useless? I have implicated you and made you suffer so much."

She is no longer the inexperienced intelligence officer she was back then. She has accumulated enough skills through many trials and tribulations. When she saw Zhou Yuan's appearance, she had already judged his behavior.

Zhou Yuan did not speak, but just hugged her and held her tightly in his arms.

Ye Qingying did not struggle, she reached out and touched his head, whispering: "Your hair is shorter, not as good-looking as before."

"You know I've lost weight, but you have lost weight through so much hardship in the past two years. How can you be as high-spirited and powerful as you were in Fuzhou Prefecture?"

Zhou Yuan grabbed her hand and gritted his teeth and said: "I came too late. I shouldn't have allowed you to come to the Western Regions. These burdens should not be placed on you."

Ye Qingying said: "Who asked you to allow me? I came here on my own. I have things I want to do."

Zhou Yuan said:But it's been two years. I haven't seen you for two years."

"Before that, we didn't have many opportunities to meet. Second Senior Sister, how many times have I seen you since I came to Beijing? How many times have we been together!"

"Even if there is affection, it will fade sooner or later if we are together so little and apart so often."

Ye Qingying pushed him away and looked at him seriously.

She was still haggard, but there seemed to be something different in her eyes.

She asked Zhou Yuan: "Do you love me?"

Zhou Yuan said: "Yes, I never deny my feelings for you."

Ye Qingying said: "Actually, I do too. I love you too, and that's enough."

"I do my thing, make myself successful, and make you successful."

"You do your thing, make yourself successful, make this world successful, and make me successful."

She lowered her head, her voice became low, and she murmured: "Love is like this, mutual achievement. ”

“As for meeting, romance, grand weddings, confessions… I can live without them, I don’t value them.”

“Although our love was bumpy.”

“But bumps and turns are to love like wind is to flames, destroying only the fragile but strengthening the strong.”

“I think my love is strong, what about you?”

She rarely speaks so much.

She even rarely speaks out her inner thoughts.

She is a silent person, her actions speak louder than words, always using practical actions to prove her feelings and personality.

Zhou Yuan looked at her, met her eyes, and whispered: “Second Senior Sister, you have matured a lot, and can say such meaningful words.”

Ye Qingying pointed to the Buddha statue and smiled faintly: “Bathed in incense, there will always be a bit of Buddha nature.”

“Following your footsteps, I will always learn something. I can’t always be that woman…in the Baihua Pavilion, asking you to save her. "

Zhou Yuan was in a trance.

Ye Qingying continued: "You saved my life, this is the beginning of our relationship."

"I have helped you many times, doing things that others can't do. Does it count as repaying your life-saving grace and making our relationship complete?"

"Zhou Yuan, look at my current appearance, it's ugly, right?"

"But at least this proves that I am no longer reckless and fragile. Don't underestimate me, although, this time it's still you who came to save me. "

At the end, her voice was a little hoarse.

Zhou Yuan said nothing, walked over and hugged her tightly.

Then Ye Qingying's body trembled, and she let out suppressed, hoarse sobs.

God knows how she has survived these past few months.

The lack of food affects their life and death at all times.

Being surrounded by monks, none of them dared to sleep well. They were alert and tense every moment.

She had to take all responsibilities, including food, crises, and the hesitation of her subordinates.

If she was a perfect person, she couldn't have any fragility, otherwise this place would collapse.

But now, she didn't need to hold on.

She had a place to rely on.