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

Upon seeing Empress Xiao Mei appear, Qin An immediately suspected that she was there for him, and this was not an overthinking on Qin An's part.

In fact, ever since he received Xiao Mei's original undergarment, he had already lost all interest in the empress.

If this woman is capable of doing such things, what else wouldn't she dare to do?

Her sudden appearance really made Qin An nervous.

Xiao Mei, however, did not focus her gaze on Qin An.

After offering a toast and drinking, she handed the empty cup to a palace maid, turned to Yang Ming, and said softly, "Your Majesty is in a good mood today, and I shouldn't say much, but Your Majesty has already drunk quite a bit. If this continues, you'll probably have a headache tomorrow."

Yang Ming smacked his lips, seemingly still wanting more.

Xiao Mei didn't urge him, but looked at him gently.

Yang Ming, after being looked at like that, finally softened and waved his hand, "Alright, alright, the Empress has spoken, let's disperse for today!"

The generals all rose and bowed.

Qin An was about to leave with the crowd when Xiao Mei suddenly spoke up after he had only taken two steps: "Qin An, please wait."

The shout wasn't loud, but several generals nearby heard it and turned around, their eyes filled with confusion.

"This Qin An actually has a connection with the Empress. Could it be that he obtained his position as General of Anxi in this way?"

This thought immediately came to many people's minds, giving them a sense of sudden realization.

When Qin An heard Xiao Mei call his name, his scalp tingled with fear. He was now completely certain that his previous guess was correct.

This woman's sudden appearance was aimed at him.

His mind was in turmoil, but he calmly stopped, turned around, and clasped his hands in a fist salute: "What are your orders, Your Majesty?"

Xiao Mei calmly took a step toward the throne and said to Yang Ming, who had already stood up, "Your Majesty is drunk. Let General Qin lend a hand and help Your Majesty back to the palace."

"Perfect timing. I've also invited Lady Qin to the palace to keep me company today. She's waiting for me there. Once you've finished your business, General, you can take her back with you."

Yang Ming said "Oh".

He had become accustomed to Yang Yuyan's frequent visits to the palace, and even hoped for them to happen.

Hearing Xiao Mei say this, he had no doubts and laughed, "That's perfect, Qin An, come and help me!"

Qin An responded and stepped forward to support Yang Ming's arm.

Yang Ming leaned half his body against Qin An, who used a little force to support him steadily.

Yuwen Rong followed without saying a word.

Yang Ming asked with concern, "Minister Yuwen, shouldn't you go back and rest first? Don't worry, I'm not so weak that I can't walk. I'm just dizzy, but Qin An can help me!"

Yuwen Rong glanced at Qin An and said solemnly, "With Qin An here, there is indeed no problem, but I am still more accustomed to being by Your Majesty's side!"

His answer undoubtedly satisfied Yang Ming, and he said no more.

Qin An helped Yang Ming up and followed behind Xiao Mei as they walked towards the inner palace.

Yang Ming's steps were unsteady, and he would sway to the side after taking a few steps. Qin An had to repeatedly adjust his strength to pull him back.

Xiao Mei walked ahead without ever looking back, only occasionally stopping to wait.

However, as Yang Ming saw that he was becoming more and more familiar with the route and that Xiao Mei was clearly trying to lead him to her side, his eyes suddenly became clearer.

He instinctively shivered and felt his legs go weak.

He then struggled, pulled his hand out of Qin An's arm, and shook his head vigorously.

"Hoo..." He exhaled heavily, his eyes clearing. "Um... I just remembered, I still have a few military matters to ask Yuwen Rong. Qin An, you don't need to worry about me, take the Empress back to her palace!"

Qin An was taken aback and was about to speak when Yang Ming had already pulled Yuwen Rong along and headed to the other side.

"Your Majesty..." Xiao Mei turned around, her face filled with undisguised resentment.

Yang Ming waved his hand without turning his head: "I'm not drunk! You all go back first!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the two eunuchs following behind Yang Ming hurriedly jogged after him, the lantern light flickering in the distance along the palace road.

Xiao Mei stood there, watching Yang Ming disappear around the corner, before slowly turning her gaze away.

She looked at Qin An, her lips twitched as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she only said softly, "Let's go, General Qin."

Qin An looked at her.

Their eyes met, and the traces of alcohol in Xiao Mei's eyes had long since faded, replaced by a bottomless calm.

Qin An nodded slightly and said in a low voice, "Yes, Your Majesty."

The two walked side by side on the palace path, the palace lanterns casting long shadows of them.

Once they reached a secluded spot, Xiao Mei lowered her voice and said, "You seem more manly now than before."

Upon hearing this, Qin An subconsciously glanced to his left and right.

Seeing that the palace maids were following at a distance, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Qin An didn't respond to Xiao Mei's question, but instead asked, "How is Yu Yan?"

Xiao Mei smiled gently: "You'll know when we get there."

Her tone was somewhat teasing, but Qin An could detect a hint of suppressed exhaustion.

However, in such a public setting, Qin An dared not get too involved with this woman and said nothing more.

Fortunately, Xiao Mei was a woman who knew her limits and chose to stop when she could.

As you walk deeper into the palace path, the lanterns gradually thin out, and the red walls on both sides appear exceptionally tall in the night.

Xiao Mei walked slowly, her skirt trailing on the white marble floor, making a soft rustling sound.

Qin An lagged behind her by half a step, his eyes fixed straight ahead, not glancing to the side.

Xiao Mei stopped in front of the Empress's palace and waved to the palace maids behind her, saying, "You may all leave." The maids bowed and silently retreated to the outer courtyard.

Xiao Mei pushed open the door, not even looking at Qin An, and simply said, "Come in."

Qin An stepped across the threshold. The hall was filled with a warm, fragrant aroma, and seven or eight candles were lit, casting a soft light. His gaze swept around the room and landed on the soft couch in the innermost room.

Yang Yuyan lay there, turned to the side, her cheeks flushed, her breathing slightly rapid, covered with a thin brocade quilt.

Half of his arm was dangling off the edge of the bed, indicating that he was clearly unconscious.

Qin An's face darkened. He walked a few steps to the bedside, reached out to feel her forehead, and took her pulse. After confirming that she was alright, he turned to look at Xiao Mei.

"What's wrong with her?!"

Xiao Mei stood beside the dressing table, her fingers gently twirling the tassel of a hairpin on the table, her tone calm.

"Knowing you were returning victorious today, she was overjoyed and drank a few too many drinks, and got completely drunk!"

"Did you pour it on?"

"Yes," Xiao Mei readily admitted. "Judging from her excitement, she must be thinking about having a good time with you when you get back. I can't stand her smug and wanton look, so I'm going to make sure she doesn't get her way."

Once she was alone with Qin An, Xiao Mei completely shed her dignified and noble facade, speaking very frankly.

In the end, she even laughed at herself, seemingly pleased that she had managed to ruin Yang Yuyan's plans.

This behavior also shows that she was particularly relaxed when facing Yang Yuyan and Qin An.

Qin An couldn't help but roll his eyes when he heard her words.

This woman has such a wicked sense of humor.

Not only do they not get their own happiness, but they also can't stand seeing others do well.

"Could it be that he's become a little twisted from repressing his feelings?" Qin An couldn't help but think to himself.

Despite her complaints, Xiao Mei could act recklessly in front of him, but he dared not be too presumptuous.

"Your Majesty is too kind. I will not disturb Your Majesty's rest any longer. I will take my leave with my wife." As he spoke, he reached out to pick up Yang Yuyan and carry her away.

"Stop." Just as Qin An was about to bend down, Xiao Mei's voice suddenly rang out, her tone filled with resentment: "You're all like this, unwilling to even stay a moment longer. Is there something that cannibalizes me in this palace?"

The almost palpable resentment in her voice sent chills down Qin An's spine.

He became increasingly certain that this woman had been suppressing her feelings for far too long.

The emperor's hasty avoidance had clearly provoked her, and she had obviously become his punching bag.

Qin An was silent for a moment, then said, "Your Majesty has misunderstood. She is so drunk that she needs to go back and be settled as soon as possible."

"What could possibly happen to her with me?"

Xiao Mei walked slowly over, circled around to Qin An, and looked up at him.

The only thing separating the two was the unconscious Yang Yuyan, so close that Qin An could smell the faint fragrance of alcohol emanating from her.

She stared at Qin An, a half-smile playing on her lips: "Don't be in such a hurry to leave! By the way, I'd like to ask, are you satisfied with the things I gave you?"

Qin An instantly felt his scalp tingle.

Is this woman really crazy?

How am I supposed to answer such a question?

Qin An had no choice but to play dumb: "What do you mean by 'satisfied' or 'not satisfied'? Your Majesty would be better off making things clear."

"Don't you understand?" Xiao Mei chuckled. "That's the one I wore when I sent you off to war. I've kept it ever since, without even washing it!"

Her words were full of hooks, each one seemingly imbued with warmth, trying to penetrate Qin An's ears.

Qin An felt a stiffness in the back of his neck.

He was not a saint; the woman before him was, after all, the Empress, the most honored woman in Daxing.

More importantly, as mentioned before, Xiao Mei is an inherently alluring woman, full of charm, and a stunning beauty with a fatal attraction for any man.

Now that such an ambiguous topic has been brought up again, Qin An's mind immediately started wandering.

The things Xiao Mei did when he went to war involuntarily surfaced in his mind.

Her hand, which had been hanging limply, unconsciously rose up, as if she wanted to relive that feeling from the past.

Xiao Mei clearly noticed his reaction. Instead of being afraid or backing down, she stood tall and puffed out her chest, adopting a defiant posture.

This stirred a strong impulse within Qin An.

At this moment, he really wanted to disregard everything and let this woman know the consequences of playing with fire!