Gu Baizhi, whose mood had improved slightly, suddenly felt depressed again after hearing the second half of the sentence.
"But we still have to give birth, right..." Gu Baizhi looked at Qin Muxue with a wronged expression.
"Children are just an important bargaining chip for me to fight for the throne. I don't necessarily want children. If I can stabilize the throne, or wait until my brother recovers, we won't need children anymore. You agree, right?" After saying that, she gently wiped away the tears from the corners of Gu Baizhi's eyes.
Gu Baizhi thought about it. Although she was very unwilling, she was currently in a dependent position, partly due to the master-slave contract. More importantly, she had nowhere else to go. If she returned to the Heavenly Sword Sect in the Southern Kingdom, the Southern Barbarian King would definitely drag her back, and her life in the Southern Barbarian Kingdom would be a hundred times more humiliating than it was now. After considering this, she decided to agree.
"Hmm..." Gu Baizhi gave a weak "hmm".
"That's a good girl. Alright, accompany me to pay respects to the Empress Dowager tomorrow. You should rest well today." With that, Qin Muxue released her arms from Gu Baizhi and left.
After Qin Muxue closed the door, Gu Baizhi lay on the bed, gazing at the falling leaves outside the window, which highlighted her sorrowful mood.
"Sigh," she sighed softly. Then she closed her eyes and fell asleep.
At the same time, the border between the Southern Barbarian Kingdom and the Western Qin Kingdom.
"You want to cooperate with me?" The Southern Barbarian King looked at the man and woman in front of him with disdain.
"King of the Southern Barbarians, you know we have a common enemy. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. You know this principle too," the woman said.
"Indeed, you've suffered a lot at her hands. We know you want her to go to hell, but you also know that in the current state of Western Qin and Southern Barbarian Kingdoms, trying to kill her is like an egg hitting a rock—you have no chance of winning," the man added.
"Yes, our Southern Barbarian army is indeed no match for your Western Qin army, but what ability do you two have to bring down Qin Muxue? Don't think I know nothing about your Western Qin affairs. You've long since lost your right to succession, and all the troops you once recruited have turned against you and joined Qin Muxue again. What ability do you have now to help me defeat Qin Muxue? Relying on your empty words?"
The people talking to the Southern Barbarian King were Prince Qin Yu and Princess Qin Wan of the Western Qin Kingdom.
"I'm curious, shouldn't you brothers and sisters be as close as family? For that so-called throne, you've poisoned your brother, persecuted your sister, and even betrayed the interests of your own country," the Southern Barbarian King said with a mocking tone.
"King of the Southern Barbarians, do you even have any feelings for your brothers? For the throne, you killed your eldest brother, who was originally the heir to the throne, with a single sword while fighting against our country's army. I bet he never understood that the younger brother he had cherished since childhood would tear apart the brotherhood he had built up over a decade ago for the mere throne on the battlefield. And for the throne, you even murdered your father after his defeat to seize power. How are you any different from us? Aren't we all just acting in our own self-interest?" Qin Wan said mockingly.
The Southern Barbarian King seemed to have been hit where it hurt. He drew his sword from his waist and pressed it against Qin Wan's neck.
"Don't think I wouldn't dare kill you. If you dare mention this again, you won't see the sun rise tomorrow."
"King of the Southern Barbarians, there's no need for that. If you cooperate with us, we have a bargaining chip that you can't refuse," Qin Yu said, waving his fan.
"What bargaining chips do you have? You have no political power, no military power, and not even any officials you can win over in the Western Qin Kingdom. What bargaining chips do you have that I would value?"
"King of the Southern Barbarians, don't you remember when you suddenly captured a woman and brought her to the border of our Western Qin Kingdom? You were thrown back to the border of the Southern Barbarian Kingdom by Qin Muxue, but that woman has been living with Qin Muxue ever since. Although I have never seen the woman's face, for someone to be favored by my sister, the most beautiful woman in the Western Qin Kingdom, her beauty must be beyond my imagination."
"Qin Muxue has taken a liking to him? What did you say? How could a woman like Qin Muxue take a liking to him!" the Southern Barbarian King said excitedly.
He had long considered Gu Baizhi his most important treasure, possessing both a stunning figure and beauty for his own amusement, or serving as a top-tier cultivation vessel to help him improve his cultivation. But just when he was about to obtain her, Qin Muxue abducted her, and now Qin Muxue actually wanted to take his treasure for herself.
"King of the Southern Barbarians, Qin Muxue has always been fond of women, you couldn't possibly not know that, could you?" Qin Wan said jokingly.
The Southern Barbarian King remained silent, the veins on his forehead bulging, his hand gripping the sword at his waist tightly, his knuckles turning white from the excessive force, and a scorching heat rising from his chest.
"King of the Southern Barbarians, if you cooperate with us, you can bring that woman back to the Southern Barbarian Kingdom, and we can obtain the throne. At that time, I will also give you several cities that you have always wanted. Not only will you win the heart of the beauty, but you will also achieve political success and make the people of your Southern Barbarian Kingdom completely submit to you. What do you think?" Qin Yu said slowly.
"Fine, I can cooperate with you, but after this is over, if either that woman or the city is missing, I will tear you to pieces."
"Of course, I'm glad you made the right choice, King of the Southern Barbarians," Qin Yu said, gently waving his fan.
"Is this all you have to do? Do you think the three of us can fight against that madwoman Qin Muxue?"
"Of course not, Qin Wan, invite him over," Qin Yu said to Qin Wan.
"Um"
After saying that, Qin Wan walked towards the flying boat they had taken beforehand.
"You can get down now."
"Now you want to beg me, the prince?" came an arrogant voice from inside.
A moment later, a dark figure descended from the flying boat. It was none other than Li Duanchen, the prince of the Southern Kingdom. His chin was slightly raised, and his gaze swept lightly over Qin Wan's head, as if he were looking at an insignificant person.
Qin Wan was furious. Looking at Li Duanchen's arrogant expression, she felt a surge of anger rising in her chest, but she held back because they desperately needed the help of the Southern Kingdom for their next plan, and they couldn't abandon Li Duanchen, an important partner.
"Let me make this clear first: I can do without the rest, but Qin Muxue is mine," Li Duanchen said arrogantly.
The Southern Barbarian King was initially furious at his arrogant demeanor, but upon hearing that he actually wanted Qin Muxue, that madwoman, he burst into loud laughter.
"Of course no one is taking her; if you like her, you can take her," said the Southern Barbarian King.
Li Duanchen was initially disgusted by the Southern Barbarian King's behavior, but when he learned that the Southern Barbarian King didn't want a beauty like Qin Muxue, his annoyance vanished instantly.
"Of course no one will compete with you for Qin Muxue. After things are done, we will cripple her cultivation, and you can take her back to the Southern Kingdom to train her slowly," Qin Wan said playfully.