Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

"His Majesty's harem is not large, and his sisters often invite me to dine and play together every day. We get along very well."

“Then you don’t need to worry about these things.” The woman surnamed Zhao, who had once been a Zhaoyi in the Liao Dynasty, gently patted Yelü Dalibo’s fair hand a few times: “You should know that you were originally a princess of the previous dynasty. You can’t become the empress of this dynasty. It is already a great fortune that you can win the emperor’s favor and have the people in the harem be friendly.”

She paused for a moment, then continued, "You haven't gotten pregnant in the past two years, is it because you don't want to?"

“It’s not that I’m unwilling, it’s just that the time isn’t right yet, and also…” Yelü Dalibo blushed and bit her lip lightly, “I just feel a little awkward.”

"Take one." The woman lowered her gaze and gripped her hand slightly. "Now that the Han people have regained control of the north, people from other tribes in Jizhou, Youzhou, and even Liaodong must find ways to survive."

The young princess from the previous dynasty hesitated, "What Aunt Zhao means is..."

"You should know that when the Han people were at their peak, there was almost no place for other ethnic groups in the court. Now, we Khitans can still have some influence in the court thanks to Xiao Haili, but he is, after all, a military general who is valued by the emperor and often leads troops into battle. However, no one can predict what will happen on the battlefield..."

The woman looked up at her, her gaze complex: "If something were to happen, who in the court could still shoulder the responsibility of protecting my Khitan people?"

Yelü Dalibo frowned and remained silent.

The woman beside her withdrew her hand and whispered, "You are different. You can at least protect our clan for several decades while you are in the harem. If you give birth to a son or daughter, you can at least allow our clan to live a good life for several decades. Your emperor... my brother and I can also die peacefully in our old age."

The young woman seemed lost in thought.

"Besides, since you are in the palace, the civil and military officials from your clan will naturally lend you a hand. Although they won't necessarily put you first in everything, at least they won't leave you isolated and helpless in the palace."

"...However, the throne is impossible." Yelü Dalibo narrowed her beautiful eyes slightly.

"Even if you did have a prince, no one would encourage you to fight for one." The woman grasped her hand again: "All everyone wants is someone in the harem who can say a few words to help in crucial moments, that's all."

"These words..." Yelü Dalibo looked at Zhao Shi with a complicated expression: "You didn't just think of them yourself, did you, Aunt?"

"Yes and no." Zhao slowly sat up straight, looking at the Buddha statue beside her: "I thought that I would spend my life with a Buddhist lamp and a Buddha statue, serving the Buddha and having nothing to do with this mortal world."

Turning to look at Dalibo, he said, "Your brother and sister-in-law are still alive, as are your nephews and nieces, but your father... I'm afraid something bad might happen to him in that state."

I cannot escape these three realms and five elements, and moreover, he came to visit me again a few days ago, and during our conversation, he mentioned this matter, which I wholeheartedly agree with, however…

The woman withdrew her hand and looked at her gently: "The decision is still in your hands."

Yelü Dalibo lowered his head.

……

Birds flew over the tall trees and landed on the eaves, standing in a row and tilting their heads to look down at the moving figures.

Lu Wen, who had grown quite a bit taller, walked down the street, followed by several teenagers. The one eating candy in front of her was Hu Yanyu, and the one with thick eyebrows that formed a straight line behind her was Wanyan Jindanzi.

He was noticeably taller than he had been a few years earlier. Although he was younger than Hu Yanyu in front of him, he was a head taller. Even though his body had not fully developed, he was still much taller than an ordinary boy, and he looked like a little calf.

"Princess, I heard your mother is going to become Empress?"

“Yes.” Lü Wen turned her head and smiled, scratching her hair somewhat uncomfortably. “But I feel no difference. Father is still Father, Mother is still Mother, and they treat me the same as before.”

You said...would your mother treat you differently because of your changed status?

"It seems unlikely." Jin Danzi slapped his head and rubbed his hair, then blinked and chuckled. "I don't understand these things, but my father and Uncle Lou Shi said they are willing to support Her Majesty the Empress and asked you to speak to her on her behalf."

Hearing their conversation, Hu Yanyu turned to look at them and quickly swallowed the candy in her mouth: "Our family will support you too."

"Oh, I'll tell them when I get back." Lu Wen didn't take it seriously and just waved to the two of them.

Thump thump thump, choke—

The sound of a gong came from ahead. Lü Wen pointed forward and said, "There looks like something fun over there. Let's go check it out."

"Alright, I'll lead the way."

A figure as small as a calf ran forward.

……

In the sprawling mansion, servants and maids dressed in thick clothes carried plates of exquisite dishes and roasted meat into the hall.

The four figures inside the room were eating and drinking. Su Yi raised his head, looked at his elder brother on the left, and his father and mother on the right, and pondered for a moment: "Father, elder brother, you've heard the news too, right? Why aren't you worried?"

"In a hurry? Why the hurry?" Master Su, with his half-black, half-white hair, looked at his youngest son: "Will being in a hurry get His Majesty to make your sister Empress?"

Su Yi quickly shook his head.

"That settles it then." Master Su rolled his eyes, raised his hand and took a sip of wine: "Eat when you should eat, drink when you should drink, thinking about useless things all day long, when will you ever mature?"

"..."

Su Yi picked up a chicken leg somewhat blankly, took a big bite, put one foot on the stool, and chewed it in a nasty manner. He cursed inwardly, thinking that he had just spoken up to comfort the three people in his family because he was worried that they were upset. How come it was his fault again?
clap clap-

"You have no manners when you eat." Master Su tapped the table with his chopsticks: "Who are you trying to impress with that ridiculous pose?"

Su Yi stopped what he was doing, put his legs down, glanced at his older brother who was acting, and his mother who was pouring wine for his father. He opened his mouth, then uttered two words: "I didn't..."

The father glared at him: "Nothing! After you finish eating, go kneel in the ancestral hall for an hour."

"I……"

“Father,” Su Liang said, “Erlang didn’t commit any major offense, kneeling for an hour is a bit too much.”

Su Yi glanced at his elder brother with some gratitude.

Master Su thought for a moment and nodded: "You're right, it's making a mountain out of a molehill."

Su Yi let out a sigh of relief and reached for his wine glass.

"Then let's squat in a horse stance for two hours," Master Su said casually.

"Pfft-cough-cough-cough..."

The father smiled and glanced at his youngest son, who was wiping his mouth: "You practice martial arts, this little bit of time shouldn't be a big deal for you."

Nothing?! He'll die after squatting there for two hours, okay?!

Father, you still have some thoughts about the matter of being made empress, don't you?
Are you taking your anger out on me?
Am I my biological child?

Does this have anything to do with me?
A few thoughts raced through Su Yi's mind, but looking at his father's smiling face, he didn't dare to say them aloud. He lowered his head and replied weakly, "I know."

Looking at his elder brother with a resentful gaze, Su Liang quickly picked up his rice bowl to cover his face, pretending to eat his rice, completely disregarding brotherly affection.

"Okay, let's eat."

Master Su smiled with satisfaction upon hearing his son's words, and ate two extra bowls of rice that very meal.

at the same time.

The old man of the Hu family was also having dinner with his son, Hu Cheng. The old man had been in poor health for the past few years, but after some recuperation, he was feeling better. However, his hands were still shaking uncontrollably.

While eating, he scooped a spoonful of tofu into his mouth and asked, "Is everything alright with Third Aunt?"

"Everything is fine." Hu Cheng sat up straight and put down his chopsticks upon hearing this. "Third Sister is not a child anymore, Father, please rest assured."

"Back when they were on the mountain, Consort Wu took good care of her, and they lived together for many years. Don't let these things ruin their relationship."

"No, it won't happen." Hu Cheng smiled and looked at his father. "My third sister even advised me not to overthink it. She knows what she's doing."

"That's good."

……

The lanterns are on.

The night breeze brushed past the lanterns under the eaves and squeezed into the gaps in the window frame, the candlelight remaining motionless inside the lampshade.

Wu Qing folded the letter in her hand and placed it aside. She rested her chin on her fingers and stared at the candlelight lampshade with a slightly unfocused and bewildered look in her eyes.

creak-

Lu Wen pushed open the door and poked her head in. Her smiling eyes met her mother's sharp gaze, and she froze abruptly: "Mother...you didn't go to watch over my brother?"

He walked in somewhat reluctantly, turned his back to the door and closed it. His expression turned bitter for a moment, then he turned around and lowered his head, occasionally stealing a glance at the figure over there.

“Your brother is already asleep, unlike you who’s still out and about. Where have you been today? Why are you only coming back now?”

Wu Qing glanced at her daughter with annoyance and frowned: "What are you standing there for? Come here."

"No... I didn't go anywhere." Lü Wen pouted and walked over slowly. Seeing her mother glaring at her, she shook Wu Qing's hand and said, "I was just bored in the palace, so I went out to play for a while."

“You…” Wu Qing poked her daughter’s forehead with her finger: “Be careful that your dad doesn’t find you when he comes back to check your studies. You’ll be in trouble then. Be careful that he doesn’t hit your palms with a spanking.”

"No way." Seeing her mother's expression, Lü Wen knew she wasn't really angry, and immediately smiled. "Dad wouldn't bear to hit me."

Thinking about how her husband usually doted on their daughter, Wu Qing rolled her eyes and said, "Who did you go out with? Where did you go? You can tell me, right?"

"I went to the market with Huyan Dalang and Jin Danzi. We watched a monkey show, and some people even swallowed and breathed fire. It was quite fun." Lü Wen sat down next to her mother with a grin, her eyes fixed on the letter. She asked curiously, "Mother, whose letter is this?"

“It’s from your Uncle Qiao Lie.” Wu Qing remained calm and handed the letter to her daughter: “It’s just some congratulatory words; it’s a thoughtful gesture.”

Lu Wen, who was already literate, reached out and took the letter, read it through, and then put it aside: "Looking at this reminds me that Jin Danzi and Huyan Yu also said they supported Mother becoming Empress."

"Yeah……"

Wu Qing was silent for a moment, then looked at her daughter with a strange expression, and reached out to touch her hair: "When you see them again when you leave the palace, remember to thank them for your mother."

"Oh."

Lu Wen nodded blankly. Wu Qing smiled and withdrew her hand from her hair, then put it behind her and picked up a wooden ruler: "Alright, that's all. You came back too late today. Hold out your palms and I'll give you three slaps as punishment."

"Mother! You can't do this!"

A childish voice came from Lü Wen's room, followed by a crisp sound and a girl's scream.

Before long, Wu Qing walked out of her daughter's room with the letter in her hand. A palace maid came forward and lit a lantern to guide her. After walking through a long corridor, she pushed open the door and entered her own bedroom. A magnificent figure was sitting at the table, holding a book and reading by the lamplight.

The woman, who was not yet empress, smiled and walked over to sit down: "My lord, you have kept me waiting."

"The little one is back?" Lu Bu put the book aside, looked up at her and smiled.

Wu Qing handed the letter to Lü Bu and sat down: "You've been playing around all day, you're a real worry."

"Haha, you take after me in that respect." Lu Bu puffed out his chest with some pride, put down the book in his hand, and picked up the letter.

"What's there to be proud of?" Wu Qing reached out and slapped him. "Don't run into any danger, or you'll be crying too late."

"How could that be? She's always protected by the elite guards of the Wandering Warriors' Mansion. Otherwise, why would I let her play outside?" Lu Bu glanced at the letter, casually put it aside, and chuckled, "It seems the matchmakers back then were quite dedicated."

Wu Qing rolled her eyes at him: "My lord, you've really put me on the hot seat this time. Didn't you think about what would happen if I couldn't control the harem?"

"With me here," Lu Bu waved his hand first, then thought for a moment, "I won't let you suffer any losses."

Wu Qing was somewhat helpless. There was a slight noise at the door, and then a maid brought in two basins of hot soup, helped the two of them take off their boots and socks, and massaged their feet in the basins.

Wu Qing looked at the Warring States Policy on the table, then turned to her husband: "My lord, Wen'er is all grown up now. Shouldn't we also make her be careful about her contact with the children of foreign officials?"

Lu Bu pondered for a moment, then shook his head: "No need to worry, I will talk to her later." He then smiled and said: "Speaking of which, it's fortunate that Qiong Ying has a good relationship with those boys, which has also led to Wen'er and the others getting in touch with them. Otherwise, I don't know how stifled they would be in this palace."

"Just spoil her then." Wu Qing rolled her eyes again in exasperation.

The sound of splashing water gradually subsided. The palace maids lifted and dried the two women's feet, then found indoor shoes for them to wear. Lu Bu looked at Wu Qing's much larger breasts, his eyes narrowed, his eyebrows raised, and he suddenly smiled, then picked Wu Qing up in his arms.

"Ah ah--"

The woman cried out and quickly wrapped her arms around the man's neck.

Lü Bu laughed and said, "It is only natural for the empress to serve the emperor. Let's go to sleep together."

Wu Qing nestled against the man's chest and gently nudged him with her head: "Yes, Your Majesty."

The maid lowered her head and listened to the footsteps as she walked behind the screen. They smiled at each other, blew out the lamp on the table, picked up the basin of water, and went out, leaving the battlefield to the Emperor and Empress.

On the battlefield, a large army was attacked from both sides. The cavalry at the front fought under the city gate in the rain, but eventually they were too exhausted to continue knocking on the gate and abandoned their troops and armor to leave.

Late summer.

The imperial court conferred the title of Empress upon Consort Wu Qing. The emperor and empress then jointly offered sacrifices to Heaven and burned memorial tablets, followed by a ceremony at the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

Officials and clerks of all ranks, dressed in auspicious robes, went about the streets to announce the news. Along with it came the news of a general amnesty. The most heinous criminals were eliminated, and those with minor offenses were released, injecting fresh labor into the war-torn north.

……

south.

Dust billowed across the land of Zhao Song as knights in black armor, escorted by a group of figures in scarlet uniforms, headed towards the capital region. (End of Chapter)