The God of War Who Protects the Nation: Starting with Saving a Mother and Daughter in Distress

Xiao Mei's sudden question left Qin An completely at a loss for words.

Seeing that the other person was staring intently at him, as if they wouldn't give up until they got an answer, Qin An hesitated for a moment before bracing himself for a reply.

"Your Majesty is of unparalleled beauty, a woman of unparalleled grace and virtue, a mother to the nation. How can you say she's old?"

His words were both flattering and heartfelt.

In Qin An's opinion, Empress Xiao Mei was impeccable in both appearance and figure.

She also possesses a mature and elegant demeanor.

More importantly, he vaguely sensed that this woman, true to her name, seemed to possess a certain inner charm.

Even at her most dignified, she exudes a captivating charm, truly deserving the title of a rare beauty.

But Qin An could only keep these words to himself.

"You've got a good tongue," Xiao Mei smiled, but there was little joy in her smile.

She picked up her glass and took another sip, the blush spreading from her cheeks to her neck. "Since you're not old yet, tell me, why do some people not know how to cherish what they have?"

Upon hearing this, Qin An nearly dropped his chopsticks.

Anyone could tell that the so-called "some people" referred to Emperor Yang Ming.

He lowered his head, pretending to be engrossed in the delicious food in front of him, not daring to utter a single word.

He didn't respond, but Xiao Mei insisted on continuing.

She twirled the wine glass between her fingers twice, then suddenly looked up at him, staring straight at him, and posed an even more fatal question.

"General Qin, tell me, are all men in the world the same? Do they only like young men?"

Qin An felt sweat starting to bead up on his back.

Is this woman a little crazy?

His private affairs with the emperor were not something he could say much about.

He wanted to pretend he was deaf and dumb, but he had previously sworn to Xiao Mei that he liked mature women.

If I don't answer now, wouldn't it seem like I'm deliberately avoiding the question?

He gritted his teeth and forced himself to say, "Your Majesty, you know that I am not like that. I prefer mature and elegant women, like my wife."

Xiao Mei looked at him, and a complex emotion surged in her eyes for a moment before gradually returning to calm.

She smiled gently, a smile that seemed more genuine than before.

In fact, she deliberately forced Qin An to say those words, because such an answer would at least give her some satisfaction.

After being satisfied, Xiao Mei realized that it was a bit dangerous for her to discuss these issues with Qin An, a man, so she didn't make things difficult for him anymore.

He simply put down his wine glass, picked up his chopsticks again, took a piece of the nourishing food specially prepared for the emperor, put it in his mouth and chewed it slowly, without saying another word.

Qin An wisely lowered his head and continued eating, not daring to look at her again.

Fortunately, footsteps were heard outside the hall not long afterward.

However, it was someone sent by the emperor who arrived at the Qin residence and brought Yang Yuyan into the palace.

The moment the maid led Yang Yuyan through the palace gate, Qin An breathed a huge sigh of relief.

He put down his chopsticks, stood up, and his gaze met Yang Yuyan's. His eyes clearly conveyed five words: "You've finally arrived!"

Yang Yuyan, dressed in a simple dress, knelt down to pay her respects upon entering the hall: "This humble woman, Yang Yuyan, greets Your Majesty the Empress!"

Xiao Mei had already gotten up from her seat, walked a few steps to her, and reached out to help her up.

Her cheeks were still flushed with intoxication, and her outer garment had been removed at some point.

She wore only a close-fitting brocade dress, which clearly outlined her mature and voluptuous figure.

This is also why Qin An felt somewhat uneasy here.

She held onto Yang Yuyan's arm, looked her up and down, and her eyes even reddened slightly.

"We're not young anymore!" Xiao Mei's voice was choked with emotion, yet filled with genuine laughter. "However, you've become quite plump compared to before. It seems Qin An has taken good care of you."

Yang Yuyan was taken aback at first, then her eyes reddened, and she lowered her head, whispering, "He was very good to me."

Xiao Mei nodded in satisfaction, took Yang Yuyan's hand, and walked to the table, asking someone to add more bowls and chopsticks.

Yang Yuyan was noticeably reserved when facing Xiao Mei.

I didn't know where to put my hands and feet, and when I sat down, my body unconsciously veered slightly to one side.

"Why are you sitting so far away? Come here." Xiao Mei patted the cushion next to her.

She poured another glass of wine and pushed it in front of Yang Yuyan, smiling as she said, "This is wine from the Western Regions. Try it, how does it compare to that jar of Daughter's Red we stole and drank back then?"

Yang Yuyan took the wine cup with both hands, her fingertips trembling slightly as they touched the rim of the cup, her voice so soft it was as if she were afraid of startling someone: "Your Majesty..."

"You drink first and then we'll talk." Xiao Mei picked up her own glass, touched the rim of her glass to hers, and tilted her head back to drink first as a sign of respect.

Yang Yuyan had no choice but to drink it down as well, and she choked slightly as the liquor entered her throat.

Xiao Mei reached out and patted her back, the gesture as natural as if she had done it a thousand times.

"You're still the same as before, you choke when you drink too fast."

Xiao Mei rested her chin on her hand as she looked at her, then suddenly laughed, "Do you remember that time you knocked over my rouge box? It stained my skirt red, like a chicken that had been killed, and when I got home your mother chased you all over the yard beating you."

Yang Yuyan was stunned for a moment, then lowered her head, an uncontrollable smile spreading across her face.

"I remember that day, it was clearly the Empress who took my eyebrow pencil first and drew a turtle on my face, which is why I retaliated."

"You're mistaken. You drew me first, and then I drew you." Xiao Mei pointed at her nose, her tone slightly drunk and insistent.

The two looked at each other and laughed at the same time.

After the laughter subsided, the tension on Yang Yuyan's shoulder eased slightly.

Seeing that the two were getting into a good conversation, Qin An stood up and said, "Your Majesty, I have official business to attend to, so I will take my leave now!"

Given Xiao Mei's current state, he felt it was inappropriate for her to stay there, so he decided to take this opportunity to escape.

"Forget about official business, carrying out my orders is your most important duty!" Xiao Mei suddenly became assertive. "You can wait outside the palace first. You still have to escort Yu Yan back later."

Qin An was helpless.

He glanced at Yang Yuyan with a hint of worry.

The latter nodded slightly at him.

The couple had long understood each other perfectly; a single glance or gesture was enough for them to comprehend each other's meaning.

Once Qin An was certain that Yang Yuyan believed he could handle the situation, he said no more and bowed as he withdrew.

He found a suitable spot under the eaves and stood upright, looking every bit the loyal guard.

With no one else in the hall, Xiao Mei shifted her position to sit closer.

She took Yang Yuyan's hand, turned her palm over to look at it, and squeezed her fingers. Her tone suddenly became lower.

"Is it cold in the border regions during winter? Your hands used to be so tender when you played the piano, but now they're calloused. How have you been these past few years?"

Yang Yuyan instinctively tried to pull her hand back, but Xiao Mei gripped it even tighter.

She could only smile and begin to recount her experiences in the border region.

Yang Yuyan became especially animated when talking about her two daughters.

"Both daughters have grown taller now. The older one can read and write, while the younger one is lively and energetic, like a wild horse..."

Although Yang Yuyan spoke lightly, Xiao Mei could tell that she had indeed suffered a lot.

If it weren't for Qin An's timely intervention, who pulled the mother and daughter out of the mire step by step, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Realizing this, Xiao Mei's eyes instantly reddened. She gripped Yang Yuyan's hand tightly, her voice carrying a hint of suppressed apology.

"Yu Yan, by the time I received the news about what happened back then, it was too late..."

If Xiao Mei never sees Yang Yuyan again, she naturally won't feel any psychological burden.

But now, this former best friend has reappeared in front of him, making him feel that he needs to explain himself.

Upon hearing Xiao Mei's apologetic words, Yang Yuyan's tears fell.

She tried to wipe herself with her sleeve, and Xiao Mei stuffed her own handkerchief into her hand.

Yang Yuyan clutched the handkerchief, her voice trembling, "No...it's not Your Highness's fault. Actually, it's just that I'm too ashamed to face you."

"How can you say you're ashamed to see me?" Xiao Mei frowned. "You're my sworn sister. I already feel guilty for not being able to help you when you were in trouble. How can you say you're ashamed to see me?"

Yang Yuyan shook her head, took a deep breath, and finally spoke the words that had been weighing on her heart for many years.

"Back then, because my husband's family considered themselves to be of noble character and didn't want to be accused of climbing the social ladder, I deliberately distanced myself from Your Majesty. When the matter came to light, you were the Empress, and I was the wife of a disgraced official. There was more than just a palace wall between us. How could I dare to hope that you would still remember me..."

"You're being foolish." Xiao Mei's voice held no reproach, only heartache.

She reached out and tucked Yang Yuyan's stray hairs behind her ear, her tone as if she were coaxing a younger sister who was stuck in a rut.

"That's all your husband's family's fault, what does it have to do with you? You just married the wrong person. Your husband's family prides themselves on being upright, but that's because they have a narrow vision and high aspirations. They've dragged you down with them. You've carried their mistakes on your shoulders for so many years, aren't you tired?"

Yang Yuyan bit her lower lip, and tears fell again. Xiao Mei didn't try to comfort her, but instead poured her another glass of wine, touched it to her own lips, and then put it back in her hand.

"Don't say things like that again. We're sisters, we always have been, and we always will be. Understand?"

Yang Yuyan nodded vigorously, picked up her wine glass and drank it all in one gulp. She then took the wine pot and poured a glass for Xiao Mei, raising it with both hands to toast her.

"Your Majesty, I toast you with this cup. I was just being petty and judging you by my own standards."

Xiao Mei took the cup and downed it in one gulp. When she put the cup down, the drunkenness on her face was even more obvious, but there was a smile in the corner of her eyes.

Perhaps it was the effect of the alcohol, or perhaps it was because she really didn't want to put on airs like an empress when facing this close friend she had lost and then found again.

She leaned closer to Yang Yuyan, then suddenly sighed, "You're so lucky."

Yang Yuyan helped her up and asked softly, "Your Majesty is the Empress, the mother of the nation, so why do you say I have a good life?"

She hesitated for a moment, then finally mustered her courage and asked, "Is something bothering you, Your Highness?"