After my inner voice was eavesdropped, I became the favorite of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 84

At this time, the eunuchs from Kunning Palace came hurriedly and invited Emperor Qianlong to taste the lychees. When he heard that there were lychees, a hint of surprise flashed in Qianlong's eyes, and his pace unconsciously quickened, as if he was really on a hot wheel. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of the lychees.

Three boxes full of lychees came into view. Qianlong was so surprised that his mouth could not close. He opened his eyes wide and asked in disbelief: "This... this is too much!" His voice was full of surprise and doubt, as if he was confirming whether this sudden happiness was real.

Litchi is indeed difficult to keep fresh. Their color will gradually fade over time, and their fragrance will gradually dissipate and eventually become tasteless. Li Qingge knows this very well, so she cherishes this gift from the south even more. She recalled the hardships that people had to endure in order to transport lychees in history, and the scenes of galloping horses and working day and night seemed to be right in front of her. She was deeply moved, and a surge of admiration for the ancient working people surged in her heart.

However, by the Qing Dynasty, the method of transporting lychees had made great progress. In order to keep the lychees fresh, people would even cut down the entire tree, wrap the roots with thick yellow mud, and rush to the capital day and night. Despite this, Emperor Qianlong could only eat 40 to 50 fresh lychees every year. This preciousness made Li Qingge cherish every lychee in his hand even more.

The Draft History of Qing Dynasty records in detail the rules of Emperor Qianlong's distribution of lychees, and Li Qingge has heard a little about it. She knows that these lychees are not just a kind of fruit, but also a symbol of status and a manifestation of nobility. However, in her opinion, these lychees are more like an emotional bond between her and her family and Emperor Qianlong.

Since Li Qingge's incident, the war in the south has continued, and the supply of lychees has been seriously affected. If you count carefully, Emperor Qianlong has not eaten lychees for four years. This regret has always been hidden in his heart and has become a complex that is difficult to let go.

When he heard that the empress had lychees, Qianlong felt an indescribable expectation. He thought there were only a few, but he didn't expect that they were sold by the box. A flash of surprise flashed in his eyes, and then full of joy. The empress smiled and said to him, "Your Majesty, these lychees are very fresh, please try them." Her voice was gentle and kind, as if it could soothe all the irritability in his heart.

Although Qianlong was the emperor, at this moment, he was like an ordinary child, full of desire for the sweetness from the south. Seeing so many big red lychees, he quickly asked the eunuch to peel them for him to eat. With the first bite, the sweet taste exploded in his mouth, with a hint of osmanthus fragrance. The sweetness seemed to penetrate every cell of his body, making him exclaim: "It's wonderful! I have lived for fifty years and have never eaten such sweet lychees!" As he said that, he didn't wait for the eunuch to peel them, but ate them himself, one by one, as if he wanted to keep this sweetness in his heart forever.

The queen watched Qianlong eat with gusto, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart. She knew that the sweetness came not only from the lychees themselves, but also from the deep affection between her and Qianlong. She gently asked Rong Mama to cut a plate of watermelon, wanting Qianlong to taste the coolness of summer.

Qianlong took a bite of the watermelon and was surprised by its deliciousness. The sweetness of the watermelon was completely different from the sweetness of the lychee, but they complemented each other. His eyes were wide open, just like when he ate the lychee just now, as if he was confirming whether this delicious taste was real. He praised it and said repeatedly: "Good! Good! This watermelon is really delicious!"

At that moment, Kunning Palace was filled with laughter and joy, and Li Qingge and Emperor Qianlong enjoyed the sweetness and coolness of summer together. They knew that although this happiness was short-lived, it was enough for them to remember it for a lifetime.

On that hot summer day, in the afternoon of the Forbidden City, the sun shone through the clouds, dappled on the magnificent palace, adding a lazy and warm color to this ancient imperial city. Li Qingge, the queen of Da Yan, was sitting in the pavilion of Kunning Palace at this moment. In front of her was an exquisite porcelain plate, on which lay a piece of freshly cut watermelon. The watermelon had a paper-thin skin, red flesh and black seeds (note: the original text mentioned that it was seedless, but it will be adjusted back to seedless description later to increase the richness of the description). It was juicy, as if it would overflow with sweet juice if touched lightly, and its color was as pure as the first ray of sunlight in the morning light, illuminating everything around, and also illuminating Li Qingge's smiling eyes.

"Oh, this melon is so good. The color is so pure that it makes people's eyes light up. The taste is wonderful and incomparable. It is much better than any sweet thing I have eaten before." Li Qingge praised softly. Her voice was soft and crisp, like a mountain stream, with a hint of imperceptible joy. She carefully scooped a small piece of watermelon with a silver spoon and put it into her mouth. The sweetness instantly bloomed on the tip of her tongue, as if all the summer irritability was dissolved by this mouthful of coolness.

Back then, watermelons in the Qing Dynasty were all grown naturally, without artificial selection. The skin was thick and tough, like an ancient city wall, and the flesh was light pink with a little white. There were many seeds, and the taste was rough and the sweetness was thin, as if you were just chewing tasteless rind. But now, this watermelon is like a gift from heaven, with red flesh and sweet taste. More importantly, it is seedless, which was extremely rare at the time. Emperor Qianlong, the emperor of the Qing Dynasty, was sitting next to Li Qingge at this moment, enjoying this sweetness from an exotic place with big mouthfuls. After swallowing a few pieces of watermelon, he couldn't help but exclaimed loudly: "This is not a melon from the mortal world, it is simply a melon from the gods!"

Qianlong's words were full of surprise and satisfaction. He ate and praised the watermelon, with a childlike smile on his face, as if he had returned to his carefree childhood. In his joy, he also improvised two poems, each of which revealed his infinite praise and gratitude for the watermelon and the lychees from Dayan.

Not yet satisfied with the meal, Qianlong asked curiously, "Where did you get such a good melon?" His eyes were shining with curiosity and anticipation, as if he wanted to explore the source of this delicacy.

Li Qingge smiled slightly. Her smile was gentle and mysterious, like the brightest star in the night sky. She replied softly, "It was sent by the Queen of Dayan. It was specially packed in an insulated box with thick ice inside. It was sent here at full speed. When I opened the box, the ice hadn't melted yet."

"Oh? Was it sent by her?" Qianlong raised his eyebrows and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. He knew that the Queen of Dayan was good friends with his own Queen, but he didn't expect that she would be so considerate to send such a delicacy.

"Yes." Li Qingge nodded slightly, with a cunning light flashing in his eyes.

"Then why do you only give it to you and not give me some?" There was a hint of emotion in Qianlong's words, and he even forgot to call himself "I", which made him seem particularly real and cute.

Li Qingge smiled even more brightly and explained, "I'm wondering too. It might be fate. Watermelons are okay, but lychees are too difficult to preserve. I've given away most of them, and only this little is left." Her voice was soft and sincere, as if she was really sorry for Qianlong's regret.

After hearing this, Qianlong felt even worse. He thought that although the lychees were divided, how many were there in the three boxes before? How could he not feel bitter when the mother gave so many good things to her daughter, but the father got nothing? He muttered secretly, it's not fair! It's so unfair!

Qianlong felt sour in his heart that he simply took away most of the remaining watermelons. He also specially picked out two of the best ones and sent them to Mount Wutai for Empress Dowager Cixi to taste. He also sent another one to Shufangzhai and enjoyed the rest himself. After all, the watermelons were not cut open and would not spoil easily after being stored for a long time. The sweetness was just enough to relieve his bitterness.

In fact, Li Qingge's mind was as clear as a mirror. She had long seen through Emperor Qianlong's narrow-mindedness. This time, she deliberately used this watermelon to test him, just to see how he would react. She laughed secretly in her heart, as if saying, "Is it sour? I'll make you sour to the bone!" Although she gave a lot of lychees and watermelons, she expected that Qianlong would take most of them as soon as he heard them. But she didn't mind, because the Queen, Rong Mama, and Yongji had enough.

In the blink of an eye, it was July. The summer heat was still raging, but the Forbidden City was filled with joy because of a victory. The Royal Navy won the battle and returned home covered in dust. General Shi Shuyu led the army to annihilate millions of Japanese warriors and win over tens of millions of civilians. This achievement was enough to be recorded in history.

In fact, this war could have been finished by the end of the year. But the Japanese, they know a little bit of etiquette but don't care about the overall situation, they care about little things but lack great virtue, they are shameless and cruel. Even when they were pressed by the army, they still refused to surrender and carried out suicide attacks. Although Shi Shuyu had experienced many bloody battles, he also felt that this group of people was difficult to deal with. After half a year of hard fighting, he finally pacified Japan. This victory was hard-won.

Before leaving, in order to prevent any further incidents, General Shi Shuyu specifically instructed the Koreans to monitor the situation in Japan, and left a part of the army and weapons on the island to ensure the peace of this land.

Li Qingge was very happy after hearing the victory news, and her face was filled with a smile of pride and satisfaction. She immediately rewarded the soldiers according to their merits, not only giving them generous rewards, but also holding a banquet in the palace to reward the three armies. General Shi Shuyu raised his glass to thank them and said, "The victory of the campaign against Japan is all due to the wise leadership of Her Majesty the Queen. We are just following her orders, how dare we take credit for it." His voice was firm and sincere, full of respect and gratitude for Li Qingge.

At the banquet, there was constant laughter and joy. The soldiers drank fine wine and tasted various delicacies to celebrate this hard-won victory. Li Qingge sat quietly aside, her eyes flashing with a deep light, as if she was thinking about a more far-reaching future. She knew that this victory was not only a conquest of Japan, but also a display of the national strength of Da Yan and a consolidation of her position as queen. All of this was inseparable from those brave and skilled soldiers, as well as Emperor Qianlong and the people of Da Yan who silently supported her behind the scenes.

Li Qingge sat in the magnificent palace, wearing a dress embroidered with intricate patterns, a head of pearls and jade, a face as rosy as a peach, and a gentle smile on the corner of her mouth. She waved her hand gently, with an unquestionable majesty in that action, but also with friendliness: "You are too modest. Merits and faults have their own destiny in this world. I know the tenacity of Japan better than anyone else. You must have had a hard time wandering and fighting on the islands!" Her voice was soft and firm, as if it could penetrate the haze in people's hearts and bring a touch of warmth.

After saying that, she also raised the crystal clear wine glass in her hand. The glass was filled with amber wine, reflecting the firmness and determination in her eyes. She drank it all in one gulp, her movements were free and unrestrained, without the slightest hesitation. At that moment, she seemed no longer the high and mighty queen, but a comrade who shared the joys and sorrows with the soldiers.

Not long after, the news of Shi Shuyu's victory was like a spring breeze, echoing in Jinling City, bringing a breath of excitement to this ancient city. At this time, Goryeo sent envoys to pay homage, express submission and present gifts. Goryeo, this weak country, always showed a kind of ridiculous flattery in front of the strong. They seemed like puppies following their masters, wagging their tails to beg for love and protection.

Although Japan is also good at flattery, they have a certain strength after all, and can rely on powerful countries as a backer, unlike Goryeo, which completely lost its position and dignity. Goryeo is weak and has no one to rely on, so it can only be a pet dog. Although it will bark a few times occasionally, it can't hurt anyone after all, but it will make people annoyed.

The arrival of the Goryeo envoys, in addition to the routine tribute, also brought a lot of precious things. Ginseng, topaz, rainbow satin... These are rare treasures in Goryeo, but now they are all presented to Li Qingge without hesitation. What's even more strange is that they also brought two people, intending to present them to Li Qingge as playthings.

Liu Yong, Li Qingge's most capable assistant, immediately became alert when he heard the news. He was afraid that there was a trick, so he secretly checked the origins of the two people. After checking, he found out that the two were the twin sons of the Goryeo prince. This result surprised Liu Yong.

When Liu Yong told Li Qingge the news, she was sitting in front of the window, looking at the sea of ​​flowers in full bloom. The sunlight shone through the gaps in the leaves and sprinkled on her face, adding a bit of soft radiance to her. Hearing Liu Yong's words, she turned around abruptly, with a flash of surprise in her eyes: "What did you say? The sons of the Goryeo prince? How could they be sent as gifts?"

Seeing Li Qingge's puzzled expression, Liu Yong explained, "I also think this is very strange. After careful investigation, I found out that these two children were born to the drunk prince and the geisha. There is a rule in Goryeo that illegitimate children are not allowed to stay in the country, so they were brought here." After saying this, he showed a meaningful expression on his face, "I think these two children will stay in Dayan."

When Li Qingge heard this, she immediately understood. She sighed, and a complex emotion flashed in her eyes: "So that's how it is, no wonder!" She stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the sky outside the window, as if she was looking at the distant country of Goryeo.

In Goryeo, a country deeply influenced by Chinese culture, men could marry multiple wives and concubines, but the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children was very strict. This system was called "confinement of illegitimate and illegitimate children". In Li Qingge's country, although there was a distinction between wives and concubines, wives and concubines could be called sisters. After the death of the wife, if the parents' clan allowed, the concubine could be promoted to the legitimate wife, and her children would also become legitimate. However, in Goryeo, once a concubine became a concubine, she would be inferior to others for the rest of her life, with almost no chance of turning over.

What shocked Li Qingge even more was that Goryeo also implemented the "mother-following law", and the status of children was completely determined by their biological mothers. If the biological mother was a lowly concubine, then the children would also be lowly. In Goryeo, concubines were slaves of the wife, and the children they gave birth to would always be slaves of the legitimate children. This system was so cruel and simply a perversion. Children of the same father could be so different because of their different biological mothers, and even led to fratricide.

When Li Qingge thought of this, she could not help but feel an indescribable anger and sadness in her heart. She turned her head, looked at Liu Yong, and said in a heavy tone: "This system is simply a tragedy in the world. Children of the same father have completely different destinies because of their different biological mothers. This is not only a bad custom in Goryeo, but also a great sorrow in the world!"

Liu Yong also fell silent after hearing this. He knew very well that Li Qingge hated and loathed this unfair system. He sighed softly and said, "Yes, this system is indeed too cruel. However, now that these two children have come to our Great Yan, we should treat them well and let them feel the warmth and love of the world."

Li Qingge nodded, with a firm light in her eyes: "You are right. No matter what their background is, they are innocent children. We should give them a fair chance so that they can grow up happily here." So, Li Qingge decided to take in the two children and give them the best education and care. She hoped that through her own efforts, she could help them escape that cruel fate and have a bright future. The arrival of these two children also brought a touch of new color and expectation to Li Qingge's life. She believed that as long as there was love in her heart, she could overcome all difficulties and challenges.

Li Qingge sat in her magnificently decorated palace, wearing a brocade robe embroidered with intricate patterns and a phoenix crown inlaid with pearls and gemstones. She exuded a kind of majesty that should not be underestimated. However, beneath that majesty, her eyes flickered with a bit of agility and curiosity, as if she was full of desire to explore everything in the world.

She kept thinking about how complicated the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate sons in those costume dramas was. Whenever she saw the screenwriters portraying the ancient family system as a maze, she couldn't help but wonder if the screenwriters were poisoned by some foreign ideas and their brains were a little dull. In fact, the difference between legitimate sons and illegitimate sons in ancient times was not as exaggerated as portrayed in the dramas. The main purpose of legitimate sons was to inherit the family business and hold power, which was natural. But there could be a huge difference between legitimate sons and illegitimate sons. When it comes to daughters, because they have no inheritance rights, the difference between legitimate daughters and illegitimate daughters can basically be ignored.

Thinking of this, Li Qingge couldn't help but smile slightly, and that smile revealed a kind of indifference and wisdom. She had heard of such a thing, there was a legitimate daughter, who originally married the son of a small seventh-rank official, and lived an ordinary life. Coincidentally, her concubine sister married into the family of a third-rank official of the dynasty, became the daughter-in-law of the eldest son, and enjoyed all the glory and wealth. This matter sounds very mysterious, but it is really not that the father favors the concubine and suppresses the first wife, it is purely fate. When the legitimate daughter got married, the father had a low official position, and the family was well matched. Although he doted on her, he had to follow the rules. Later, the father's official career was prosperous, and he was promoted all the way to the third rank. When the concubine's daughter got married, it was natural that her status rose with the tide.

So, the nobility of a person first depends on who his father is, and then whether his mother is the principal wife. If the father is the emperor, then the concubine's daughter can also become a princess, a royal daughter, enjoying all the wealth and honor in the world; on the contrary, if the father is a commoner, no matter how good the legitimate daughter is, she can't escape the status of a commoner, and can only silently accept the arrangement of fate. Those who say that concubines are stepping stones for legitimate daughters are pure nonsense, and are all made up by people who don't understand the truth of history.

Although Li Qingge was unhappy about the foreigners stealing our culture in later generations and felt that they were always trying to discredit and distort China's history, in order to show the magnanimity of a great country, she decided to make an exception and receive the envoys from Goryeo, and arranged a banquet that was not the best but quite decent to entertain them.

Goryeo was a small place with few people and scarce supplies. Apart from seafood and kimchi, it was hard to get some meat. So for them, this banquet was already the most luxurious. The banquet hall was shining with gold and cool. Delicious food was served one after another. The fruit and ice trays made people feel cool just by looking at them, as if they could instantly dispel the summer heat. And the music was floating, like the sound of nature, which was a portrayal of the prosperity of Da Yan.

After three rounds of wine and five dishes, Li Qingge said to the envoy with a smile: "It's not easy for you to come here from far away. You should take a good look at the scenery of Dayan. Please stay a few more days before leaving." Her voice was gentle and kind, as if she was inviting a long-lost friend.

When the envoy heard this, he was so excited that he quickly stood up to express his gratitude: "Oh, how dare I accept this! Your Majesty is so kind, I will definitely obey your orders. Nanjing, the ancient capital of the Six Dynasties, has scenery as beautiful as a painting, it is so spectacular! I have been looking around all the way here, my eyes are so busy, it is simply a paradise on earth!" His words were full of admiration and yearning for Dayan.

After saying this, he smiled as if presenting a treasure and said, "This time, in addition to the usual gifts presented on behalf of our monarch, I also have a special treasure. I hope Your Majesty will like it." His eyes flashed with mystery and expectation.

When Li Qingge heard this, she raised her eyebrows and a hint of curiosity flashed in her eyes: "Oh? What treasure? Bring it up for me to see." Her voice revealed a complex emotion of majesty and expectation.

The envoy clapped his hands, and a group of young men dressed in imitation Ming Dynasty costumes slowly walked in. They were dressed in gorgeous brocade robes, wearing jade crowns on their heads, and each of them had a handsome face and a tall figure, just like those modern foreign boy bands. However, their beauty was purely natural, without any artificial modification, as if they were handsome young men walking out of a painting.

Before the mission, these young men had heard that the queen of Da Yan was scary, had a hot temper, liked to drink human blood, and kept male lovers to replenish her body, so they were scared to death. But when they saw Li Qingge in person, they found that the rumors were all nonsense. Not only was she beautiful, noble and elegant, but her words and deeds also revealed a gentle and kind atmosphere. They couldn't help but secretly feel lucky that they had the opportunity to meet such a legendary queen, and decided to perform well and win glory for the Great Goryeo Kingdom.

Today, the palace of Dayan was brightly lit, and the golden and magnificent light was reflected in every corner, as if even the air was filled with a noble and mysterious atmosphere. In the hall, a huge dragon throne stretched across the high platform. The dragon throne was covered with soft brocade and embroidered with complicated totems, showing the majesty of the royal family. And right in front of this dragon throne, the queen of Dayan, Li Qingge, was sitting there in a luxurious phoenix robe and wearing pearls and jade on her head, like the goddess of the nine heavens descending to the earth, making people dare not look directly at her.

As soon as they saw the true face of Li Qingge, the queen of the Great Yan Dynasty, all the rumors seemed to disappear in an instant. Her skin was as tender as freshly solidified lard, with a faint pink in the whiteness, as if it would break if touched lightly. Her face was bright, as bright as the bright moon, and as gorgeous as the morning glow. Her figure was as light as a fairy floating in the air, and every step seemed to be on the clouds, which made people yearn for it. Her eyes were deep and bright, as if they could see into people's hearts, and they were gentle and tenacious. That kind of heroic spirit that was not inferior to men was fully displayed in her every move, which really showed the king's style perfectly.

Those young men from Goryeo were worried about being favored by the queen at first, and they were afraid of being wronged. They had heard some rumors about the Queen of Dayan, saying that she had a violent personality and was moody, and some even said that she liked to drink human blood and keep male lovers to replenish her body. These rumors made them fearful, fearing that they would become the queen's playthings. However, when they actually met the queen, they found that those rumors were nonsense. The queen was not only beautiful, noble and elegant, but also revealed a gentle and kind atmosphere in her words and deeds. This instantly dissipated the fear in their hearts, and was replaced by respect and admiration for the queen.

Now, all these young men are looking forward to being in the queen's eyes, even if it's just to spend a wonderful night with her, even if it means going through fire and water, fighting for hundreds of rounds and then dying, they are willing to do so. They all showed their best skills, wanting to show their talents in front of the queen. Some sang, with melodious voices, like the sound of nature; some danced, with graceful movements, like butterflies fluttering; and some played rap, with a brisk rhythm and sharp lyrics, which made people's eyes light up. These are the results of their years of hard training, just for this moment of brilliance.

Although Goryeo is a small place, they have a way to entertain people. These young men and women are carefully selected, talented and talented, and their performances are so wonderful that people clap their thighs and applaud. The ministers who accompanied the banquet were dazzled and nodded in praise. They had never seen such a wonderful performance, as if they were in a dreamlike feast.

The Goryeo envoy saw this and was overjoyed. He thought that the rulers and ministers of Da Yan were also fascinated by their performance, and he couldn't help but feel proud in his heart. However, he didn't know that Da Yan had so many talented beauties, how could Goryeo compare? But then again, Goryeo chose a good time to perform this time. Because Queen Li Qingge ordered a crackdown on gangs and evil a while ago, all those brothels and elephant houses were banned, and it was difficult to find some fun in Da Yan. So seeing the performance of the Goryeo boy group was like finally looking forward to the rain after a long drought, which made people happy.

At this moment, two young men in white, holding the swords of the Goryeo Guards in their hands, walked in on the rainbow-like carpet. They seemed to be fairies walking out of a painting, and every step they took was light, like floating clouds. The two looked exactly the same, like two mirrors of the same person. They were as tall as a jade tree, their eyebrows were curved like willow leaves, their eyes were as clear as colorless jade, and when they smiled, the corners of their mouths were raised, so charming that it was hard to tell whether they were men or women. This kind of strange beauty is really rare in the world and makes people unforgettable at first sight.

As soon as the two twins appeared, the other young men were eclipsed. Their beauty and temperament seemed to instantly attract everyone's attention, making it impossible to look away. Logically, as the princes of Goryeo, they should be extremely noble. However, because of their biological mother's low status, they were also demoted to a lowly status. What's worse is that twins are regarded as a bad omen in the royal family. If one of them becomes king, the other can easily be used by others to shake the foundation of the country. Therefore, the twins in the royal family often have a miserable life. Not only have they lost their noble status, but they are also often excluded and bullied by others.

In addition, they were born too feminine and beautiful, which was not a good thing for men. In a country like Goryeo, men should value masculinity, but their beauty made them the target of public criticism. These three misfortunes combined were simply a great regret for the royal family. However, they did not complain about it. On the contrary, they used their talents and hard work to win the respect and recognition of others.

The King of Goryeo was also afraid of the power of Da Yan, so he sent these two children as tribute. He hoped that in this way, he could please the Queen of Da Yan and thus keep his throne and the peace of the country. However, he did not know that although these two children were of low status, they possessed extraordinary talents and tenacious will. They would not succumb to fate because of their status, but would use their own efforts and talents to create their own future.

When the two twins stood in the center of the hall, their eyes shone with determination. They knew that although they were of low caste, they also had their own dignity and dreams. They would not change themselves because of other people's opinions, but would stick to their beliefs and move forward courageously. Their appearance seemed to add a touch of bright color to the hall, making people feel awe and admiration.

In the past, those who were sent to the Central Plains as tribute were all daughters of the royal family or ministers who were carefully nurtured. They wore gorgeous clothes and pearls on their heads. Even when they were far away, they still maintained their noble temperament. However, this time, Goryeo made an unprecedented move - they actually sent a male member of the royal family as a tribute. This matter was as fresh as a strange flower that suddenly bloomed in spring, and people talked about it a lot. There had never been such a precedent before.

In the palace of Goryeo, the experience of the two brothers became a hot topic of conversation. They were the blood of the royal family, but they were neglected because of their mother's low status. Now, they were sent to Da Yan as tribute, which was even more embarrassing than the marriage. As soon as the decree came down, the two brothers became the laughing stock of the royal family, and their faces seemed to be ruthlessly torn off and exposed to everyone.

The two brothers, one named Huannu and the other named Yingnu, were born from the same roots, but they were forced to embark on this humiliating road by fate. When they learned that they would be sent to Dayan, they wanted to die to clear their name and get relief. However, their father, the prince, threatened them with their mother's life, saying that if they died, their mother would not live. This sentence was like a heavy shackle, tightly locking their hearts and making them unable to breathe.

There was no other way, the two could only endure the humiliation and follow the Goryeo envoys on the long journey to Da Yan. Their hearts were filled with fear and anxiety about the future, but more of helplessness and anger towards fate. However, when they saw the beautiful demeanor of Li Qingge, the queen of Da Yan, their thoughts quietly changed.

Li Qingge, the queen of Da Yan, was dressed in a luxurious phoenix robe, with pearls and jade on her head, and her brows revealed an inviolable majesty. But her eyes were so gentle, as if she could see through every corner of people's hearts. When her eyes fell on the two brothers, they seemed to feel unprecedented warmth and care.

Although being a tribute man was quite pathetic, staying in Goryeo would not bring them any good results. Thinking that his mother had to suffer because of her low status, even if his father was the crown prince, this fate could not be changed. Unless the crown prince's family died out and no one inherited the throne, they would never be able to hold their heads up in this life. Thinking of this, the two brothers looked at each other and a new hope ignited in their hearts - perhaps, staying with the queen and fighting for wealth and fame was their only way out.

So, they made up their minds to win the Queen's favor, use her power to bring glory to their mother, and trample on those who once looked down on them. The two of them had a tacit understanding in their hearts, as if they were connected and could understand each other's thoughts with just a glance. They smiled at each other, and the will to win favor burned in each other's hearts.

In order to attract the queen's attention, they decided to show off their unique skill - sword dance. In the palace, they had secretly learned swordsmanship and dance, and skillfully combined the two to form a unique sword dance. Now, they want to show this talent in front of the queen and let her see their strength and charm.

When the brothers took up their swords and began to dance, the whole place seemed to be enveloped by their aura. Their bodies were as light as feathers floating in the air, and the swords shone like silver. It was as if the man and the sword were one, dazzling the eyes. They spun as fast as lightning, and the swords flashed, illuminating the whole place. The audience was stunned and cheered for their superb skills.

Li Qingge sat on the high dragon throne, staring closely at the brothers. She had never seen such a wonderful sword dance, and seemed to be attracted and shocked by their dancing. When she saw the brothers cooperating tacitly, as if they were one person, an inexplicable emotion surged in her heart.

After the dance, applause broke out like thunder. Li Qingge clapped her hands and cheered. Her voice was clear and pleasant, like the sound of nature: "In the past, Gongsun Da Niang's sword dance was famous all over the world, and there were as many people watching as mountains. Could this dance of yours be passed down from Gongsun Da Niang's lineage?"

The two brothers quickly knelt down and answered: "It was the sword dance. We dare not deceive Your Majesty." There was a tremor in their voices, but more of it was awe and admiration for the queen.

Li Qingge smiled, her smile was as warm as the spring sunshine: "Gongsun Da Niang's sword dance is extremely mysterious, but unfortunately it has been lost for a long time. It's not easy for you to learn some of its charm." Her words were full of praise and affirmation, which made the brothers feel warm.

The Goryeo envoy also interrupted with a smile: "Your Majesty, you are too kind. These two brothers accidentally got the Tang Dynasty sword dance illustrations in the palace, and they studied hard and practiced diligently to learn just a little bit." There was a hint of pride and satisfaction in his words, as if he was showing the cultural heritage of Goryeo to the queen.

However, Li Qingge did not ignore the brothers' feelings. She said with emotion: "The art of sword dance is indeed profound. Those who can grasp its essence are rare. I am so lucky to see the ancient dance reappear with my own eyes today." Her words were full of sincerity and emotion, making the brothers feel unprecedented respect and care.

Then, Li Qingge set her eyes on the two brothers and asked softly, "What are your names?" Her voice was gentle and kind, as if she was asking her friends.

One person answered, "I am the elder brother. I dare not use the royal surname, so my name is Huannu." There was a hint of bitterness and helplessness in his voice, but more of it was resistance and dissatisfaction with fate.

Another person immediately said: "I am the younger brother, my name is Yingnu." Although his voice was low, it revealed a firmness and determination.