What Lu Yunzheng is worried about now is that Liu Qiaoer will not recognize him.
After all, he had an unshirkable responsibility for the death that year.
And now he is engaged to Princess Mingxin.
At the palace dinner, the emperor rewarded his courtiers with drinking and laughing together.
Lu Yunzheng was weighed down with worries, and soon he withdrew from the banquet.
Liu Qiao'er was not used to such banquets. After drinking two glasses of wine, she wanted to leave, but the Queen kept talking to the Sixth Princess.
Zhao Ziyu's queen was beautiful and gentle. Although she was much younger than the Sixth Princess, they were the only two of their peers.
Besides, their house was clean and tidy, with no other women.
The court officials advised Zhao Ziyu to take more concubines in the harem and have more children. The empress also wanted to persuade him, but she felt uncomfortable.
The Sixth Princess couldn't leave, and neither could Liu Qiao'er. They came to sit in the pavilion, feeling the warm breeze, their minds drifting far away.
"I remember that spring, my legs had just healed, and you pushed me in a wheelchair to the suburbs. It was the same wind, the same weather."
Liu Qiaoer knew who was coming without even turning around.
Lu Yunzheng's health had not recovered yet at that time, and he was anxious to return to Beijing. He was depressed, so Liu Qiaoer took him out to relax.
The flowers and scenery were beautiful, but Lu Yunzheng was in a bad mood and did not appreciate them well.
Now when I recall the past, I feel that time flies by so quickly.
"Qiao'er, I have already handed over my military power and proposed to the Emperor to cancel the engagement. As long as you agree, I will immediately go to the Sixth Prince to propose marriage. Do you agree?"
Liu Qiaoer sighed softly and then turned around.
"With my current status, I'm sure your mother will agree, right?"
Lu Yunzheng's expression changed, but he didn't say anything.
"But I don't want to get married now. A woman's life is not necessarily tied to marriage. I can live a good life without marriage."
This is not allowed.
Lu Yunzheng panicked: "Tuoba Xiao will also propose a marriage to the emperor. The Sixth Prince will definitely not want you to marry far away."
Liu Qiaoer smiled slightly: "He said he can marry into the family."
Marry into the wife's family? Tuoba Xiao could actually do this.
Like a thunderbolt, it exploded in Lu Yunzheng's head, and he also wanted to marry into the family.
But think about it, my family, especially Mrs. Lu, they will definitely not agree.
Liu Qiaoer knew this would happen. To him, status is more important than love.
"Lu Yunzheng, I've always wanted to ask you a question."
Lu Yunzheng's expression darkened, and he was filled with a faint sadness.
"You ask."
Liu Qiaoer: "If I didn't save you, would you like me?"
Lu Yunzheng said without hesitation: "Yes."
Liu Qiaoer asked again: "If I ask you to abandon your family, will you follow me?"
Lu Yunzheng hesitated, and the weathered face of Mrs. Lu and his father appeared in his mind.
Liu Qiaoer smiled bitterly: "I understand."
Lu Yunzheng's gloomy eyes carried a hint of pleading: "Why do you ask that? With your current status, we can be together."
"My current identity..." Liu Qiaoer turned around and looked into the distance dimly.
At this moment, Tuoba Xiao also ran over. When he saw Lu Yunzheng and Liu Qiaoer, his nervous expression instantly subsided, and his face showed three parts of sneer and seven parts of laziness.
"Hey, isn't this the Marquis of Yong'an? The Emperor hasn't agreed to your breaking off the engagement yet, so why are you here?"
Lu Yunzheng handed over his military power, was named Marquis of Yong'an, and was granted a mansion.
However, for some unknown reason, Emperor Zhao Ziyu did not agree to his breaking off the engagement with Princess Mingxin.
When Lu Yunzheng saw Tuoba Xiao, his eyes instantly became sharp.
"What are you doing here?"
Tuoba Xiao smiled: "This is the courtyard where the emperor entertains guests. If you can come, I can come too."
Lu Yunzheng glanced at Liu Qiaoer. Not only did she not speak for him, but she also smiled and looked like she was watching the fun. He was very upset, so he threw his sleeves and left.
Wait until Lu Yunzheng walks away.
Liu Qiaoer waved at him and said, "How is it? What did you find when you went to the Emperor's study?"
Tuoba Xiao took out a map from his arms: "I don't know what's special about it, but I found this on the emperor's desk."
Liu Qiaoer took a closer look and found that she recognized the map. It was Zhao Ziyu's. But why hadn't he found this place after so many years
"Apart from this, is there anything else special?"
Tuoba Xiao shook his head: "If you are really worried, let's go look for it together one day."
Liu Qiaoer shook her head gently: "No need, Zhao Ziyu should be able to find me soon."
"Why? What exactly does he want to do with you?" Tuoba Xiao asked.
Liu Qiaoer pointed to her face and said, "Same body, different soul, immortality. Isn't this what the emperors of all dynasties have been looking for?"
Tuoba Xiao was shocked: "You know the secret of immortality..."
Liu Qiaoer sighed: "I don't know. But what's the difference between my current situation and eternal life?"
Tuoba Xiao was such a smart person that he understood it instantly.
"So, you have always known that the emperor would not let you marry Lu Yunzheng, or anyone else. He wants you to tell him the secret of eternal life."
Liu Qiaoer folded the map and handed it to Tuoba Xiao: "Let's go back. Don't let him know that we have been in. I have this map. It seems that we have to find an opportunity to go to this mysterious place."
Tuoba Xiao looked at Liu Qiao'er deeply and said, "Do you want me to go with you?"
Liu Qiaoer raised her head, her dark eyes flashing.
"Will you come with me?"
Tuoba Xiao's affectionate eyes flickered, and he nodded seriously: "I said, you saved me, my life is yours."
"I will. I will accompany you wherever you go."
Liu Qiaoer smiled: "Okay."
Tuoba Xiao asked again: "Why not Lu Yunzheng? I think you are still thinking about him."
Liu Qiaoer took a deep breath: "He still has his family."
“Once upon a time, when I first came into this world, I thought that as long as I lived every day well and made a lot of money, I could live my whole life.”
"Later, I gradually realized that I was just a passer-by in this world. I liked him because of his looks and his talent. But if I was willing to live like this for the rest of my life like before, it's not impossible for me to be with him."
"Not now, I have too many secrets..."
Tuoba Xiao thought about it seriously: "Is it your bracelet?"
Liu Qiaoer nodded: "After I woke up, I thought about it again. When we were on the street, Princess Mingxin arranged so many people to kill me. It is impossible that Zhao Ziyu didn't know."
But he still let Princess Mingxin do it.
Most likely he wanted to take the bracelet from her hand, but later he discovered that even if he got the bracelet, it was out of his control.
Therefore, he asked Doctor Zhu of Yaowang Valley to come up with the idea of resurrecting the dead. Zhao Ziyu must have asked about it a long time ago.
But Lu Yunzheng never told Liu Qiaoer about these things.