My Taoist buddy has practiced surrogacy

Chapter 1429 Attempt
Ling Xue was drawing plum blossoms on rice paper with charcoal pencil. The plum blossoms under her brush were so lifelike that they seemed to burst out of the paper.

Zhou Xing deliberately walked behind her and asked softly, "Does the plum blossom in this painting possess even a fraction of your noble character?"

Ling Xue was slightly startled. She turned around and saw that it was Zhou Xing, so she quickly bowed. She lowered her eyes and said, "Your Majesty flatters me. I am but a willow tree, how could I compare to the plum blossom?"

Looking at her, Zhou Xing couldn't help but feel even more favorably disposed towards her. From then on, Zhou Xing often came to the Imperial Garden to discuss calligraphy and painting, and to appreciate flowers and tea with Ling Xue.

Not long after, remnants of the previous dynasty attempted to assassinate Zhou Xing during the spring hunt. They bribed the Imperial Guards and set numerous traps.

Upon learning this news, Ling Xue was extremely anxious. She worked day and night to make a siege shield, hoping to protect Zhou Xing during the spring hunt. However, during the process, she accidentally burned her hand on hot coals.

On the day of the spring hunt, the Imperial Guards indeed mutinied. In an instant, arrows rained down like locusts, heading towards Zhou Xing. Without hesitation, Ling Xue drove her arrow-proof chariot and stood in front of Zhou Xing.

The arrow pierced through the carriage curtains, yet failed to harm Zhou Xing in the slightest. Ling Xue looked at Zhou Xing, her eyes filled with unwavering determination and deep affection. Zhou Xing looked at her injured hand, his heart aching.

Chapter 5: Cinnabar Branding the Heart
After the rebellion was quelled, the Imperial Household Department suddenly discovered that someone was secretly possessing a witchcraft doll. This doll was made in imitation of Ling Xue's appearance.

Rumors spread like wildfire. Everyone believed that Ling Xue was a witch who intended to harm the emperor and demanded that she be severely punished.

Zhou Xing sat in the imperial court, watching the ministers below accuse Ling Xue, and felt extremely angry. He knew that someone was deliberately framing Ling Xue, but he could not easily protect her.

Ling Xue was bound to the execution ground, surrounded by a dense array of soldiers. She looked at Zhou Xing, her eyes showing no fear, only a hint of disappointment.

Zhou Xing walked up to her, picked up a vermilion brush, and made a bright red mark on her brow. He looked at Ling Xue and said affectionately, "I want the whole world to know that this is my destiny."

Having said that, Zhou Xing disregarded everyone's objections and brought Ling Xue back to the palace. He ordered a thorough investigation into the matter and vowed to find the mastermind behind it all.

After a thorough investigation, it was finally discovered that Consort Chen was jealous of Ling Xue's beauty and the Emperor's favor towards her, and thus plotted to frame her.

Emperor Zhou Xing was furious and banished Consort Chen to the Cold Palace. After experiencing this ordeal, Ling Xue's feelings for Zhou Xing deepened even further.

Soon after, the war in the northern frontier became increasingly intense. Zhou Xing decided to personally lead the army, and Ling Xue insisted on accompanying him. She donned armor, took up a spear, and fought alongside Zhou Xing.

On the battlefield, smoke filled the air, and the shouts of battle were deafening. Ling Xue rode her warhorse, galloping through the enemy ranks. The long spear in her hand was like a dragon emerging from the sea; wherever it went, enemy soldiers fell one after another.

However, war is always cruel. Suddenly, an arrow flew towards Zhou Xing, but Ling Xue reacted quickly, leaping in front of him to shield him. The arrow struck her in the chest, and blood stained her clothes.

Zhou Xing looked at the injured Ling Xue, his heart filled with grief. He held Ling Xue in his arms and roared, "Where is the Imperial Physician?! If he cannot save the Empress, he shall bring his head upon himself!"

Ling Xue looked at Zhou Xing, smiled weakly, and said, "Your Majesty, please take care..."

Thanks to the imperial physicians' best efforts, Ling Xue was finally out of danger. After the war, Zhou Xing took Ling Xue back to the palace.

From then on, Ling Xue became the Empress of the Great Qi Dynasty, and together with Zhou Xing, they ruled the world. Their love story spread among the people and became a beautiful tale.

On the day General Zhou Xing returned in triumph, Chang'an was bustling with activity. The people lined the streets to welcome him, their cheers deafening. The silence of the long street was shattered by the sound of horses' hooves. Zhou Xing, clad in black iron armor, rode valiantly behind his army, which was in perfect formation.

On the Vermilion Bird Gate tower, Princess Ling Xue, dressed in a crimson palace gown, shone like a burning flame. Her gaze was fixed on Zhou Xing, her eyes filled with uncontrollable admiration. Suddenly, she raised her hand and pulled down the beaded curtain, revealing her stunningly beautiful face.

The falling fragments of the beaded curtain were swept by the wind, gently brushing past Zhou Xing's brow. At that moment, time seemed to stand still, their eyes met, as if a thousand words were flowing between them.

Inside the imperial study, candlelight flickered. The emperor sat on the dragon throne, looking at Zhou Xing and Ling Xue kneeling before him, and slowly said, "General Zhou Xing, the General Who Guards the North, has broken through three passes in succession, and his merits are outstanding. I wish to betroth Princess Mingzhu to you. What do you think?"

Zhou Xing was slightly taken aback, then raised his head and said with a firm gaze, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness. But I have something important to report." As he spoke, he took out half of a blood-stained phoenix pendant from his robes.

Ling Xue recognized it at a glance; it was the phoenix pendant she had lost years ago. It turned out that three years ago, during a hunt in the western suburbs, she encountered danger, and Zhou Xing appeared just in time to save her life. Both of them were injured at the time, and in the haste, the phoenix pendant was accidentally torn in half; Zhou Xing took one half.

A warm feeling welled up in Ling Xue's heart. It turned out that from that moment on, the red thread of fate had already tightly bound them together.

On their wedding day, the general's mansion was brightly decorated and filled with joy. However, the tranquility of their bridal chamber was broken by a series of urgent knocks on the door. Zhou Xing rushed into the room, carrying a secret report in his hands.

“The allied forces of the twelve tribes of the Western Regions are pressing on our border. I have already requested permission to return to guard the frontier tomorrow.” Zhou Xing looked at Ling Xue, his eyes filled with guilt.

Ling Xue paused slightly, then slowly walked to the table and poured the nuptial wine into the jade pot. She picked up a pair of scissors, cut off a lock of her own hair, and placed it into the jade pot. Then, she picked up Zhou Xing's hair and placed it into the jade pot as well.

"I await your return so we can drink together," Ling Xue said softly, her eyes filled with determination and reluctance.

Zhou Xing looked at Ling Xue, a surge of emotion welling up inside him. He held Ling Xue's hand tightly and said, "Wait for me to come back."

Time flies, and three years have passed. Ling Xue is left alone in her empty room, pacing around the courtyard of the General's Mansion every day, hoping for Zhou Xing's early return.

In her bedchamber hung a map of the northwest. Whenever she missed Zhou Xing, she would mark the changing seasons on the map with a vermilion brush. Now, the map was covered with dense markings, but Zhou Xing remained nowhere to be found.

One day, while tidying up Zhou Xing's old belongings, Ling Xue discovered a hidden compartment. Curious, she opened it and found a piece of coarse cloth wrapped around some bloodstained, broken arrows. Ling Xue unfolded the cloth and found a crookedly written message in the corner: "Father said we'll come home if we win."

Ling Xue's heart stirred; she seemed to see Zhou Xing bravely fighting on the battlefield. She carefully put away the broken arrow and coarse cloth, as if they were a connection between her and Zhou Xing. During the spring festival, Ling Xue, accompanied by her maid, went to the Huguo Temple to pray for blessings. In a side hall of the temple, she encountered a blind shaman. The shaman seemed to sense the extraordinary aura emanating from Ling Xue and forcibly gave her a faded brocade pouch.

"The lady's heart is filled with the sound of tearing silk; this divination slip can help her overcome this tribulation," the witch said mysteriously.

Ling Xue was puzzled, but she still accepted the brocade pouch. Back at her residence, she opened it and found a yellowed piece of paper inside with some obscure and difficult-to-understand words written on it. She frowned, a vague unease creeping into her heart.

On a stormy night, the gates of the general's mansion were pounded on. The steward hurriedly opened the gates and saw a woman, soaking wet, kneeling before the gates, holding an infant in swaddling clothes.

The silver hairpin in the woman's hair was broken. She held up the token in her hand with trembling hands and said, "This is the jade pendant that the general gave me as a token of love at the inn in Dunhuang."

Upon hearing the news, Ling Xue was shocked. She rushed to the front hall and saw the woman and the baby, her heart filled with mixed emotions. She stared at the cinnabar birthmark between the baby's eyebrows, and something came to mind.

"Three years ago, on the night of the Awakening of Insects, the general bandaged my wounds," the woman said, her voice choked with sobs, her eyes filled with tears.

Ling Xue remained silent for a long time. She knew that this matter could not be concluded lightly. She had the woman and child settled in a guest room and decided to wait for Zhou Xing to return before making a decision.

The old nanny carefully examined the child and found an inner garment embroidered with the character "Zhou" inside the baby's swaddling clothes. However, the imperial physician diagnosed that the child was less than eight months old, which clearly did not match the time when Zhou Xing left.

Ling Xue's doubts deepened. She set up a chessboard in the side room, trying to find clues. Pointing to the black pieces on the chessboard, she asked sternly, "You said the general promised the eldest son a position, but these pieces are still in the corner and haven't been moved."

The woman trembled with fear, unable to meet Ling Xue's eyes. Just then, Zhou Xing's urgent military report arrived. Ling Xue opened the letter and found the handwriting different from usual; a maple leaf covered in northern desert sand was also tucked inside.

Ling Xue was startled. She had a vague feeling that there was a huge conspiracy behind this.

Ling Xue decided to go to the Dunhuang Inn herself to find out the truth. She took a few attendants and rode at full speed to Dunhuang.

At the inn, Ling Xue carefully questioned the innkeeper and the staff, finally discovering that the woman's younger brother was indeed a镖师 (bodyguard/escort) transporting military supplies. The ledger showed that someone had exchanged eighty catties of arsenic three months prior.

Ling Xue's heart tightened; she realized that someone might be deliberately framing Zhou Xing. Just as she was about to leave the inn, a group of masked assassins suddenly appeared and attacked her.

Ling Xue was fearless. She drew the dagger from her waist and engaged in fierce combat with the assassin. Just as she was beginning to tire, Zhou Xing's personal guard, Xuan Ying, appeared with his shadow guards.

Amidst the flashing swords, Ling Xue intercepted the assassin's secret letter. The sealing wax stamp turned out to be the Imperial Noble Consort's personal seal. Ling Xue suddenly realized that the Imperial Noble Consort had deliberately framed Zhou Xing and her in her quest for the throne.

Ling Xue returned to the capital with the evidence and reported the matter to the Emperor. The Emperor was furious and ordered a thorough investigation. In the end, the Imperial Noble Consort's conspiracy was exposed, and she received her due punishment.

Zhou Xing returned in triumph, bringing with him the true orphan of the war—an orphan from the Western Regions. In the imperial court, before all the civil and military officials, Zhou Xing presented the tiger tally to Ling Xue.

"Your Highness, please oversee the country. This humble general is only willing to guard the border for the princess," Zhou Xing said with deep emotion.

Ling Xue looked at Zhou Xing, her eyes filled with emotion and relief. She took the tiger tally and said, "With you here, I feel at ease."

Beneath the palace walls, Ling Xue untied the witch's brocade pouch. Inscribed on it were the words: "Twin pendants, enduring love amidst chaos." It turned out that Zhou Xing had secretly repaired the broken pendant from years ago.

Ling Xue was in tears. She knew that their love had withstood countless trials, yet remained as steadfast as a rock. From then on, she and Zhou Xing joined hands to protect the Great Qi's empire, and their love story became a legendary tale passed down through the ages.

Ling Xue sat in the cramped office, the air around her seemingly frozen by the oppressive atmosphere. Her gaze fell on the resignation letter on the table, her hand trembling slightly, but she finally mustered the courage to pick up the pen and sign her name.

The whispers of her colleagues surged in like a tide: "Such a good job, quitting just like that, what a fool!" "Taking the civil service exam isn't that easy, it's just a waste of time and energy." These words were like sharp needles, piercing Ling Xue's heart. She bit her lip tightly, trying hard not to let the tears fall.

After get off work, Ling Xue dragged her heavy steps back to the apartment rented by her boyfriend, Chen Mo. It was a cramped 40-square-meter room, so small it felt suffocating. Ling Xue curled up in a corner of the sofa, staring blankly out the window.

When Chen Mo returned and saw Ling Xue's condition, he felt a pang of heartache. He gently walked to Ling Xue's side, squatted down, and took out a crumpled civil service exam schedule from his pocket. He said tenderly, "I've checked. I'll make you nutritious meals every day. I'll go to the secondhand market tomorrow to find a cheap desk. Don't let my girl get dirty in this dusty weather."

Ling Xue looked at Chen Mo, a hint of emotion flashing in her eyes. She gently leaned into Chen Mo's arms, choking back tears, and said, "Thank you, Chen Mo, I will definitely pass the exam."

From that day on, Ling Xue began her arduous preparation for the exam. Every morning at five o'clock, before the alarm clock even rang, she was already reciting essay templates in the morning light. Her voice was hoarse but firm, as if she were searching for a glimmer of dawn in the darkness.

Chen Mo always quietly stayed by her side, preparing breakfast for her and watching her study hard. In the evenings, when Ling Xue wearily looked up from her desk, Chen Mo would gently massage her temples to relieve her fatigue.

To create a better learning environment for Ling Xue, Chen Mo bought a desk at a secondhand market. He placed the desk in a corner of the living room and used a blue cloth to create a "separate kingdom" for her.

Neighbors often came over to borrow vinegar. Seeing Ling Xue studying so hard, they couldn't help but tease her, "What are you studying for, girl? The hallway here is well-ventilated, so your mind is clear!" Ling Xue just smiled slightly and continued to bury herself in her studies.

However, the preparation process was not smooth. In one mock exam, Ling Xue's score was far from ideal. Looking at the test paper covered in red crosses, she felt extremely depressed. She began to doubt her abilities and wondered if she was truly unsuitable for the civil service exam.

That night, Ling Xue lay in bed, her pillow soaked with tears. Chen Mo heard her crying and rushed into the room, hugging her tightly and comforting her, "It's okay, one mock exam doesn't mean anything. Let's analyze the mistakes together, learn from the experience, and we'll definitely do better next time."

Encouraged by Chen Mo, Ling Xue rallied. She and Chen Mo stayed up all night reviewing the questions she got wrong on the civil service exam. Chen Mo circled each tricky option in red and patiently explained them to her. Under the lamplight, their shadows overlapped, creating a warm and comforting scene.

Just as Ling Xue was diligently preparing for her exams, an unexpected incident occurred. One morning, while washing up in the bathroom, Ling Xue discovered that her nose was bleeding profusely. She covered her nose with her hand, but blood seeped out from between her fingers.