He then saw a pair of clear eyes.

  They were a pair of beautiful almond-shaped eyes, like the clear and cold moonlight in the night sky, with a lively and elegant demeanor.

  But now, the girl with such beautiful eyes looks somewhat haggard and dispirited.

  A white gauze covers her ears, veiling the girl's face, revealing a smooth forehead, with a red pimple on the left eyebrow three inches away.

  "Ah Yan," Empress Lü asked anxiously, "are you feeling better now?"

  Zhang Yan leaned against Empress Lü and sat down, weakly saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern. I just took my medicine, but I still feel weak all over and the rash won't go away." She coughed several times, her voice hoarse.

  The silk gauze was thin and light, separated by several layers of seats, and the girl's cheeks could be vaguely seen with red rashes scattered on them.

  The Huns were shocked and uncertain, and couldn't help but ask, "Is this really Zhang's wife?"

  "What are you talking about?" Lü Hou said with a scowl, "I only have one granddaughter from outside the family, can I fake it?"

  "Heh heh." The Xiongnu envoy chuckled twice and forced himself to say, "Lady Zhang's beauty is indeed renowned, only..."

  "What's going on?"

  Zhang Yan asked coldly.

  Even if a beautiful woman has a red rash on her face, she can't be beautiful anymore.

  For the Xiongnu, what they truly valued in their marriage alliance with the Han Dynasty was not the woman who was married off to them, but rather the silk, felt, and other treasures that the Han court gave as dowry.

  Whether it was Modu Chanyu or someone else, he insisted that the Han Dynasty marry off the emperor's niece. Firstly, because the Xiongnu people valued loyalty, when the Han Dynasty had previously promised to marry Zhang Yan to them, they would not allow the Han to go back on their word. Secondly, this time, as an envoy to the Han, he was keenly aware that the two nominal highest rulers of the Han Dynasty at present, the young and weak emperor and the wise and strong empress dowager, were both exceptionally fond of the girl. In a situation where circumstances were stronger than people, forcing the Han emperor and empress dowager to give in was his rare pleasure.

  However, Shan Yu took the woman back with him. After all, she wasn't just left lying around in the king's tent.

  Modu Chanyu seemed to like the gentle and weak temperament of Han women, and that year Jingzhao was quite favored among the many wives in the king's tent.

  The Xiongnu people lived in the grasslands, their diet and living habits were very different from those of the Han Dynasty. Few of them had contracted smallpox, so he was not clear what kind of disease this girl had contracted, but it was a fact that her face was covered with red rashes. If these rashes did not disappear for a long time, or even if they disappeared, they would leave scars on her face. When Modu Chanyu discovered that the "Han princess" he had brought back was a girl with a face full of red rashes, the envoy couldn't help but shudder.

  "It's just that Zhang's wife has a weak body and probably can't withstand the harsh winds and rains of the Xiongnu land."

  "Yes." Lü's face was filled with worry, "Originally, the engagement had been settled, and Great Han shouldn't have backed out. It's just that my granddaughter is frail and has suddenly contracted a strange illness. The imperial physicians are diagnosing her, but they can't agree on what it is, so I don't know when she'll recover. You might as well return and report to Chanyu Modun, anyway, Ah Yan is still young, why not let Chanyu wait another few years until Ah Yan's illness has healed, then we can proceed with the engagement?"

  "It's not necessary. It's not necessary." The envoy hastily shook his head. In fact, it was not only the Great Han that needed this marriage alliance, but also the Xiongnu. Last year, a severe drought hit the Xiongnu grasslands, and many wild beasts died of starvation. Without the gifts from the Han Dynasty, by winter, the entire Xiongnu tribe would face the situation of having no game to hunt and no grain to eat. They could only resort to raiding the Han Dynasty again.

  He burst out laughing, "Although Zhang's daughter can wait, the alliance between our two countries cannot. I've heard that the Han Dynasty has many beauties, and it wouldn't be a problem for the Emperor to choose another. After we Xiongnu form an alliance with the Great Han through marriage, we will become brotherly nations and live in peace."

  Liu Ying swallowed the humiliation in her heart and nodded lightly, saying, "If that's the case, then let's do it this way."

  He drained his cup in one gulp and let out a mouthful of turbid air from his heart, laughing and asking, "A Yan, are you okay?"

  "Uh, no good." Zhang Yan said dazedly, relying on a determination that absolutely could not fall to hold on. After the messenger left, she could no longer hold on and fell with a thud.

  "Ah Yan." Liu Ying was startled and hurried to support her. The high temperature of the skin she touched was frightening, and she hastily called out, "Quickly summon the imperial physician."

  "When you have acne, it's best to rest quietly and avoid drafts. But Zhang's daughter is worried and depressed, which makes the acne worse." The old doctor couldn't help but feel a bit resentful, but he didn't dare say anything. "For now, we can only use 1 gram each of honeysuckle, weeping forsythia, plantain seed, and six-one powder, along with 15 grams of purple flower earthworm, to make a decoction to drink and apply to the affected area. Absolutely do not move the patient again."

  "Alright." Empress Lü nodded and ordered, "Let Ayao choose a quiet room in the Weiyang Palace to rest. The Imperial Medical Office will take good care of her, there mustn't be any more accidents."

  At the time of leaving, Liu Ying looked back at the girl on the couch. She was lying sideways under the quilt, her body small and delicate. Because she had been resting, she had just taken off the white gauze that covered her face. Her long eyelashes were slightly curled up, and her face was flushed with a faint red glow, with a few sparse red spots scattered on it. Perhaps because he had always loved her, he didn't think this Ah Yan looked dull at all, but rather found her quite lovely.

  When night began to fall, the palace staff lit forty-eight lamps in two rows in the Xuan Shi Hall.

  "Your Majesty," the eunuch reported from outside, "Su Mo, a palace maid from the Chang Le Palace, requests an audience."

  "Let her in."

  Su Mo held a wooden box and entered the palace, saying, "I pay homage to Your Majesty. I am here on the orders of the Empress Dowager to deliver this box to you."

  Liu Ying curiously took it from the eunuch's hand and unfolded it to see a neatly folded silk book inside, "What is this?"

  Su Mo bowed again and said faintly, "I heard that it was a handwritten letter by Lü Jiuniang before she left home."

  Liu Ying was taken aback.

  "Now that things have been delivered," Su Mo knelt down and said, "I will take my leave first."

  "Three years of spring light, fleeting in an instant. You didn't deceive others, but rather they deceived themselves... Let you cherish the memory, for we may never meet again!"

  Liu Ying looked for a long time and finally let out a soft sigh.

  "Cháng jiàn." He asked, "You say, did I do wrong?"

  "What does Your Majesty mean?" Chang Ji was momentarily at a loss, not daring to speak casually, and could only ask cautiously.

  "I have always only thought about what I should do. What can be done, but never thought about Jiuniang's grievances and difficulties. This is..."

  "Your Majesty is always right," said Sun Fengchang. Zhang Jiuling quickly picked up, "Even if this matter is wrong, it's not on Your Majesty."

  "Is it?" Liu Ying asked in a daze, and then asked again, "Has Jiuniang been found underground?"

  "That's not the case." Zhang Ji shook his head. "The Lü family didn't dare to openly search for them in the past, and now they've long since disappeared without a trace."

  "I hope she will be well in the future." Liu Ying said, "Chang Ji, I'll write a letter, you give it to Zhou Taiwei, and order him to secretly search for Jiu Niang's whereabouts in all counties across the country. If he finds out..."

  What can you do about it?

  Liu Ying could only say lightly, "Let local officials secretly provide some relief. Be careful not to let them know."

  "Agreed."

  Chang Yu had an idea to make the Emperor relax a bit, so he smiled and bowed, saying, "I haven't told Your Majesty yet, but earlier someone came from Hualan Pavilion to report that Ah Yan has woken up."

  "Oh." Liu Ying was stunned for a moment before responding.

  "Your Majesty doesn't plan on going to see her?" Chang Ji asked. He had always known that the Emperor was extremely fond of Zhang Yan, and couldn't help but feel a little surprised.

  "It's all right," Liu Ying said with a bitter smile.

  If it were in the past, with his doting love for this niece, he would naturally not hesitate to go through all this. However,

  It has been ten days since Empress Dowager spoke to me in the Xuan Shi Hall, saying she wanted to make Ah Yan an empress for me. Everything is different now.

  He still can't describe it today, but at that time he heard his mother's words and was shocked in his heart.

  "Empress Dowager, Ah Yan, she is my niece. And yet, still so young."

  "What's the big deal? She's twelve. Not young anymore. Or do you want to watch her being forced into a marriage with a Xiongnu man? Duke Wen of Jin married Wen Ying back then too. Uncle and niece, not within the five cardinal relationships anyway."

  So what?

  If this is not good, then what else is good?

  A Yan, in his heart, is the girl who first appeared at Chang Le Palace crying with a runny nose and tears. She is the girl who sang Zhao Ge on the plains under Shang Mountain. She always looked up at him with her head raised, calling him "Shu Shu" (uncle) in a soft voice. Sometimes she was very fragile, sometimes strong, and many times he thought that as a child, A Yan was too intelligent, although she seemed to be trying hard to hide it.

  For this reason, he always bears one more worry for her.

  A Yan is very beautiful, she has a head of soft green silk, apricot kernel-like eyes, when smiling, will become a curved crescent moon, sweet and lovely.

  She is not arrogant and takes care of others, she's a very good girl. He has always liked her as an uncle.

  But he never thought that one day she might become his wife.

  Niece and wife, these are two completely different life roles. Like jasmine and peony, one is pleasant to look at, the other is beautiful in its own way. They cannot be equated.

  He could never have imagined that he would have an urge to passionately kiss and caress A Yan.

  This awkward marriage, Ah Yan knew whether he was informed, he didn't know; whether he understood, he also didn't know. But he knew that from now on, when facing her, he would be very embarrassed, and there would no longer be the intimacy and naturalness of the past.

  "Chang Ji," Liu Ying sighed and ordered, "I won't go myself, you go on my behalf to take a look at her. Hmm, she is resting in Weiyang Palace, instruct the palace staff to serve her wholeheartedly."

  "Indeed." Chang Quan also let out a sigh.

  Huai Lan Ge

  The beaded curtain blocked out a dimly lit space inside the pavilion, Zhang Yan sat with her quilt wrapped around her, and asked in an eerie tone, "Isn't Emperor's uncle coming over?"

  "Your Majesty is busy with state affairs and won't be coming over." Chang Ji let out a sigh and said, his expression unchanged.

  He has always had a good impression of Zhang Yan, if this girl were not the emperor's own niece, then becoming the empress would also be very good.

  What a pity!

  "However, Your Majesty has been thinking of Ayao's daughter," Chang Ji smiled and said, "Before the New Year, the guardian of Longxi County presented two snow lotus flowers. The imperial physician said that this thing is very beneficial to the young lady at this time. His Majesty ordered one snow lotus flower to be given to the young lady. At this time, it should have been taken away by the medical child to decoct medicine."

  Zhang Yan bowed her head and said, "Thank you on my behalf, Your Majesty."

  The matter of making peace with the Xiongnu was finally settled, and Zhang Yan was rescued from it, which put both Empress Lü and Liu Ying at ease. However, the matter of making peace had to continue, and selecting a candidate for the marriage as soon as possible became the top priority.

  On this day, Empress Lü handed over the silk books of the three imperial clan ladies she had chosen to Liu Ying and asked him to make a final choice among them.

  Liu Ying gazed at the silk book and sneered, "So even if I save Ah Yan, there will still be a second sacrifice."

  And the three names written on this silk book are not like Liu Danru of the past, but strangers to him. Their blood ties are all connected to him in the same way.

  When the Han Dynasty was first established, there were not many members of the imperial family. Girls of marriageable age were even fewer.

  "Chang Yu, you say, will this chosen one hate Us?"

  He picked up the brush and circled a name on the silk book. Tian Lingchen stole four snow lotus from Kaixin.com last night, so he decided to give one to my sister Ayan.

  Modern people are not superstitious about snow lotus, which is said to be a divine thing that transmits the power of the earth god in ancient times. In fact, it has real effects, but only benefits women's health.

  Cough up the pink slip. Hand it over.