I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 268 A King's Confession

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You're right about this, aren't you? You didn't say a word to me, even when we were talking to each other.

Before reconciling the accounts, Yuan Qingcheng thought that the five of them had done a lot for Zhao Yu and made great sacrifices for him. She felt that Zhao Yu had gone too far by hiding his identity as a time traveler and pretending to be a native to get along with them, and that they had suffered a great injustice.

After checking the accounts, Yuan Qingcheng was shocked to realize that if Zhao Yu hadn't traveled with the five of them, they wouldn't have survived even one episode. The reason they had been able to enjoy wealth and honor, and achieve fame and fortune in this feudal era where men were superior to women, was all because Zhao Yu had protected, cared for, and tolerated them. Yet, they were ungrateful and had tried to scheme against Zhao Yu, even plotting to kill him. Fortunately, Zhao Yu was magnanimous and didn't hold it against them.

After careful consideration, Yuan Qingcheng realized that for a woman to transmigrate to this patriarchal feudal era was an incredibly difficult task, especially to become a palace maid. Without Zhao Yu, they wouldn't be enjoying wealth and status, showcasing their talents and reaping fame and fortune. Instead, they would be confined within the high walls of the palace, performing the most menial and trivial tasks day after day, enduring endless hardship and humiliation, struggling to survive, facing endless drudgery and harsh treatment, their lives as precarious as a candle flickering in the wind.

Perhaps on some bitterly cold winter night, we will be mercilessly punished for a small mistake, until we exhaust our last ounce of strength and silently vanish in some corner of this deep palace.

'Or perhaps we might inadvertently offend a powerful figure or be drawn into the vortex of court intrigue, becoming a victim of others' schemes, toiling day and night in the dark and dreary laundry department, washing clothes day after day, until our youth is exhausted, our bones turn to dust, unknown and uncared for.'

Yuan Qingcheng couldn't help but shudder. Recalling how out of place they were with this era, she felt a surge of fear, as well as deep gratitude and guilt towards Zhao Yu.

Zhao Yu helped Yuan Qingcheng up and said, "Although it was you guys who killed me, we were all strangers in a foreign land and lived together for twelve years. You all bore me several children. I don't know what you were thinking, but I have long regarded you as my women."

If this were in the past, when Yuan Qingcheng heard Zhao Yu say that they were his women, she would have thought it was normal. After all, an emperor should have three thousand beauties in his harem. Although they were time travelers, it was not shameful for them to become the emperor's favorite concubines. In novels and TV dramas, one of the best ways for female protagonists to travel to ancient times was to become the emperor's favorite concubine.

Okay, one person became the emperor's favorite concubine, while five people became the emperor's favorite concubines, so it's not the same.

But what can be done? No one from the previous life knows about this, and who in this life would care about such a thing?

But now it's different.

Zhao Yu was also a time traveler, and he thoroughly messed with all five of them.

Even if Yuan Qingcheng didn't think about it, in his previous life, Zhao Yu was just a food delivery guy, while the five of them were all quite famous online celebrities. In his previous life, Zhao Yu wouldn't even be worthy of one of them, let alone five.

Not to mention that Zhao Yu will still be the man of the five of them, and will continue to play with them in the future. They will most likely still have sex with Zhao Yu together, and it's not just them who will participate in such things. Just like the last time Zhang Chun organized the Uncensored Party, they and their maids Li Shishi, Zhao Yuannu, Cui Nianyue, Xiduo, Xu Poxi, and Wang Zhongduan accompanied Zhao Yu to go crazy.

Just the fact that Zhao Yu was also from the previous life gave Yuan Qingcheng a sense of knowing the third party and acting as a third party herself.

The crucial point is that Yuan Qingcheng is no longer just the third party; she doesn't even know where she stands anymore.

The crucial point is that, because they believed there were no people from their previous life in this world, no one would judge them by their moral standards from that life. They truly indulged Zhao Yu's nonsense without any bottom line. Now that she thinks about it, the things they did with Zhao Yu are enough to make hundreds of Japanese adult films. Moreover, the scale and scope of the content are so vast that Yuan Qingcheng wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

'How could I have done such a ridiculous thing?'

What does Zhao Yu think of me?

'Zhang Chun, you've really done me a disservice!'

Honestly, no one knows what Yuan Qingcheng was involved in. No, to be precise, no one understands just how lewd Yuan Qingcheng was. Yuan Qingcheng was quite at ease with it, after all, everyone did it, and most of the women in the harem didn't even have the chance to join in.

But now, Yuan Qingcheng can no longer be as composed as before.

Looking at Zhao Yu's familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar face, Yuan Qingcheng's heart was like a turbulent sea, difficult to calm down.

Recalling those nights spent with Zhao Yu, the laughter, the joy, even the indulgence and passion, Yuan Qingcheng suddenly realized that those romantic escapades she had once thought were merely palace secrets and the emperor's private life had become incredibly awkward and difficult to talk about after learning that Zhao Yu was also a time traveler. Their past laughter, their late-night whispers, their once absurd and joyous moments now surged forth like a tidal wave, enveloping her completely.

Yuan Qingcheng's heart was filled with complex emotions, including regret for her past recklessness and shock and unease at Zhao Yu's sudden change in identity. She began to re-examine her relationship with Zhao Yu and the roles they played in this strange world.

In other words, Zhao Yu was not only the emperor of this era, but also a time traveler from the same world as them. This sudden truth was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples and filling Yuan Qingcheng's heart with complex emotions—shame for her past ignorance, resentment towards Zhao Yu for his deep concealment, and a re-examination of this cross-time relationship.

Although Zhao Yu's smile remained as warm as ever, did it also conceal a sense of helplessness and tolerance towards the five women's past outrageous behavior? Yuan Qingcheng dared not delve into it, fearing that the answer would make her even more ashamed.

Yuan Qingcheng felt that the emotional entanglement between Zhao Yu and the five of them had transcended the limitations of time and space and become exceptionally complex.

Therefore, Zhao Yu's words, "I treat you all as my women," no longer sounded like mere imperial tenderness to Yuan Qingcheng; they were tinged with a complex mix of emotions. She began to question whether everything had gone wrong from the start. Was their relationship with Zhao Yu a clever arrangement of fate, or a farcical and absurd drama?

Yuan Qingcheng secretly observed him and discovered that Zhao Yu no longer possessed the ordinariness and inferiority of a deliveryman; instead, he exuded the majesty and confidence of an emperor. His eyes were deep, as if they could see into people's hearts, yet they also carried an indescribable tenderness, which made Yuan Qingcheng even more confused.

Yuan Qingcheng thought to herself, 'Power really is the best cosmetic surgery for men. The same person, with a different status, can undergo such a dramatic change in temperament.' Yuan Qingcheng sighed inwardly. The Zhao Yu in front of her was no longer the deliveryman who was struggling to make a living on the city streets, but the emperor of the Zhao Song Dynasty in this world, who held the life, death, honor, and disgrace of countless people in his hands.

Zhao Yu gently stroked Yuan Qingcheng's hair, his voice deep and magnetic: "With me here, I will ensure you have no worries for the rest of your life."

As they spoke, Zhao Yu naturally pulled Yuan Qingcheng into his arms.

To be honest, at first Yuan Qingcheng was a little unaccustomed to it, even a little tired of it. But when she smelled Zhao Yu's familiar scent and felt his embrace, which still captivated her as before, she felt at ease. 'The past life is gone. We have come to this life. In this life, he is the emperor, and I am his empress. We are happy, and that is enough.'

Thinking of this, Yuan Qingcheng wrapped her arms around Zhao Yu's waist.

After making peace with herself, Yuan Qingcheng suddenly realized that all her previous anxieties—the difference in social status, the issue of being a mistress, and whether she was too promiscuous—seemed insignificant. In this new world, the five of them, together with Zhao Yu, wove a love story that transcended time and space. Although the beginning was full of absurdity and unexpected events, it had now become an indispensable part of their lives. Those constraints of morality and status were merely illusory shadows from a past life; why let them trouble their happiness in this one?

Yuan Qingcheng buried her head in Zhao Yu's chest, listening to his strong heartbeat, feeling the warmth and stability that flowed from her fingertips to her heart, the peace that came from the depths of her soul. She suddenly understood that no matter their identities in their past life, no matter how many women she shared Zhao Yu with in this life, their being able to embrace each other was the best arrangement of fate. Those past absurdities and unruliness were merely a small episode in their emotional journey, adding a touch of romance to their love that transcended time.

Yuan Qingcheng closed her eyes, letting her thoughts drift in the tranquil and warm atmosphere.

Zhao Yu did not interrupt Yuan Qingcheng as she promoted herself, giving her ample time to accept her other identity.

It took Yuan Qingcheng a long time to realize that, in order to protect herself, she had completely betrayed Zhang Chun.

Although their friendship was superficial, and Zhang Chun had bullied her before, they had been through so much together and were arguably the closest people in the world to each other. Therefore, Yuan Qingcheng still tried to lend Zhang Chun a hand:
"Your Majesty, Zhang Chun was just a bit arrogant and overconfident at the beginning because she was a time traveler and knew history. That's why she came up with such an unrealistic plan. Moreover, she never really intended to harm Your Majesty. She was just talking big. In reality, she did nothing and couldn't do anything."

"Later, seeing how well the Emperor treated her, she abandoned her original absurd plans. She didn't even dare to challenge the Empress, so how could she possibly plot against the Emperor?"

“She loves Your Majesty just as much as I do, and she would never do anything treasonous. I am willing to vouch for her.”

Zhao Yu said, “I know that a scholar’s ​​rebellion will not succeed in ten years, but a pure Empress Dowager’s rebellion will not succeed in a hundred years. Moreover, she stopped coveting my imperial power a long time ago.”

'? '

Hearing Zhao Yu say this, Yuan Qingcheng left Zhao Yu's embrace and looked at him with confusion.

Zhao Yu asked Yuan Qingcheng, "Are you trying to ask me why, since I already know what kind of person the Empress Dowager Chun is, I'm still pretending to be a native in front of you and not telling you that I'm also a time traveler?"

Yuan Qingcheng cared a lot about this matter, so she had to get to the bottom of it: "I beg Your Majesty to enlighten me."

Zhao Yu knew that Yuan Qingcheng had a bit of obsessive-compulsive disorder, and that she wouldn't get over it if he didn't explain things clearly to her.

So Zhao Yu explained to Yuan Qingcheng, "If I had told you earlier that I was also a time traveler, given Empress Dowager Chun's domineering and oppressive nature, if she knew I used to be a deliveryman, she would have forced me to depose the Empress and install her as Empress, and depose the Crown Prince and install her son as Crown Prince. At that time, do you think I should have killed her? If I had, I really couldn't bear to. If I hadn't, she would have challenged my dignity as an emperor. In order to avoid this trouble, and to avoid making a choice I didn't want to make, I could only conceal my identity from my previous life, so that she would love me while also respecting me."

At this point, Zhao Yu looked at Yuan Qingcheng and said, "The reason I didn't reveal my original identity is actually to protect you. Empress Dowager Chun isn't very capable, but she loves to cause trouble. The key is that I've given you a lot of power over the years. Empress Dowager Chun has access to politics, Han Lin has access to the military, and Wang Yun has access to money. You and Da Lei Jiao have high prestige now. The key is that you both have sons, and your sons are growing up soon. Women are inherently weak, but mothers are strong. If I were to be your support, for the sake of your sons, you might be persuaded by Empress Dowager Chun to do some irrational things."

After a pause, Zhao Yu continued, "I have so many sons, many of whom have intricate relationships and political experts behind them. If you really fight with them, the consequences will be unimaginable. I don't want anything to happen to you, nor do I want anything to happen to them, and I certainly don't want to see internal strife and brothers killing each other."

Yuan Qingcheng understood. Zhao Yu was afraid that they, especially Zhang Chun, would think that with Zhao Yu, who had traveled with them, protecting them, they would do some foolish things, thus triggering a series of pointless battles that would drag them and even the entire royal family into a catastrophe.

Moreover, although Zhao Yu did not say it directly, he had already expressed it in his words: You five are my women, Zheng Xiansu and the others are also my women, the sons you gave me are my sons, and the sons they gave me are also my sons. I have to treat them all equally. I cannot show too much favoritism to you and the sons you gave me just because you came from another time with me. Therefore, I cannot tell you my original identity, so as not to make you think too much.

Having understood Zhao Yu's meaning, Yuan Qingcheng wanted to say, 'How can they compare to us? We…'

But after thinking about it carefully, Yuan Qingcheng realized that apart from being from the same hometown as Zhao Yu, they didn't seem to have much more than Zhao Yu's other women, especially since they no longer had much use to him.

Even now, Zhao Yu treats them as well as before, simply because he cherishes the emotional bond with them that transcends time and space, and the warmth and companionship they have given him in this other world.

However, Zhao Yu was, after all, an emperor, and a wise one at that. He would never do something like favoring a concubine over his wife, much less allow his women and sons to fight amongst themselves.

Yuan Qingcheng's heart skipped a beat! At that moment, she realized that Zhao Yu was no longer the delivery boy from her previous life, but a wise, meticulous, and thoughtful emperor, someone they simply couldn't control...

……

(End of this chapter)