The Yuezhi Prince stared at the jade plate in front of him, remaining silent for a long time.

The inn room was filled with the soft fragrance of incense, and the spring scenery outside the window was beautiful, inadvertently adding a touch of charm. The precious and exquisite jade carving had a slight shimmering luster, like the delicate and tender skin on a beauty's fingertips, making every man's heart itch uncontrollably.

On the jade plate lay a piece of clothing hem.

It was a piece of torn white satin hem, embroidered with delicate patterns and adorned with faint silver threads at the edges. However, it had been cruelly and brutally torn apart by some force, ripping it open.

This was sent by Ding Zhaorong in the name of the Virtuous Consort. The piece of clothing hem originally came from a white satin inner robe worn by Mingde inside his snow coat on the night of the grand hall.

All kinds of sinister intentions were wrapped in a pitiful sugar coating, but the coating was not intact, allowing one to see through the conspiracy within at a glance.

Qiu Duo was not a fool. He angrily said, "We, as subjects, are only here to pay our respects. The infighting in the harem of the Celestial Dynasty has nothing to do with us!"

The servant sent by Ding Zhaorong came in the name of the Virtuous Consort, but was actually brought in from the Ding family's maternal home. Having served by Ding Huang's side for a long time, he had seen all kinds of grand occasions.

Upon hearing this, he just laughed, "Your Highness is overthinking. Whether Mingde is favored or not has nothing to do with my lady. My lady just doesn't want to see Your Highness regret it in the future. Mingde was imprisoned because the Empress was killed and the rebellion was destroyed. The Emperor may favor him for a time, but not for a lifetime. Sooner or later, he will have to follow the Empress with a cup of poisoned wine. There's no need to go into details. Your Highness is a wise man. Just think about it and you'll understand!"

After all, this was not something that could be openly discussed. After saying this, the servant took his leave. Before leaving, he glanced back at the jade plate, his eyes filled with an exceptionally confident smile.

Qiu Duo hated this kind of confidence, but he had to admit that the cunning people of the Central Plains were really good at figuring out other people's thoughts. That beauty wrapped in a luxurious snow coat amidst the dazzling lights and flowers of the palace banquet, that delicate and soft child, would not leave any man with ambition and power unmoved, let alone the always warlike Yuezhi tribe, who had always harbored the intention of conquering the Central Plains and getting what they wanted!

After all, he was royalty and had seen countless beauties. He had always believed that the heroic and beautiful Yuezhi women were beautiful. But although they were delicate, they were not noble.

They would not give people the urge to completely possess them, to place them on a high pedestal and worship them.

Qiu Duo took a deep breath. Just then, the attendant outside gently knocked on the door, "Your Highness, we have been summoned to the Emperor of the Celestial Dynasty's hunting ground. The timing is just right. It's time to set off."

Qiu Duo put away the jade plate and stood up, saying in a clear voice, "Coming!"

The imperial hunt was a grand affair with fluttering banners, neighing war horses, and an extremely magnificent scene.

The Qianwan Emperor had a military background. After returning to the capital and ascending the throne, he missed the desert dust of the frontier and spent a huge sum of money to simulate this hunting ground. From a distance, it was so vast that it obscured the sky, truly giving a sense of the battlefield in the northern frontier.

The Qianwan Emperor sat on the high main seat. The concubines had all retreated behind the curtains and tents, and only a richly dressed young lord sat on a soft couch beside the dragon throne.

At this time, the Empress Dowager had already been imprisoned, and the Empress had been killed. Although the Virtuous Consort was about to be conferred the title of Empress, she could not sit in the front according to the Empress's etiquette and could only stay resentfully in the tent.

It was a pity that the position she had always wanted to sit on was occupied by Mingde, who didn't even want to stay there properly. Since Mingde became foolish, he disliked the wind. Now, the hunting ground was very windy and sandy, and he was sitting on top of it, feeling very unhappy and constantly complaining in a mumbling voice.

The Qianwan Emperor knew that if he wasn't by his side, Mingde would cry and make a fuss, refusing to take his medicine properly. So, he had no choice but to bring him along and keep him by his side to take care of him. For the time being, he could only coax him well, "It will be over soon and we'll go back together, alright?"

Mingde stared at him blankly for a while, then lowered his head and complained in a low voice, thinking that others couldn't hear him, "Who wants to go back with you... I really want to go back... I really want to sleep..."

The Qianwan Emperor smiled and pinched his face. This little one could already talk, and he wasn't as sleepy as before. He could eat and play by himself, and even climb trees. Hu Zhicheng said this was a sign of improvement, and maybe one day he would be able to think and act like a normal person.

Perhaps by that time, he would remember everything? Perhaps he would remember the killing of his mother, the death of the Empress, and all the hatred and disgust that could be felt in his bones?

Perhaps that would be the time for him to flee far away. Perhaps by that day, one of them would have to say goodbye forever.

"I don't even know if it's better that way, or if it's better for you to be in a daze for the rest of your life." The Qianwan Emperor stroked Mingde's hair and held him close to his side, silently thinking to himself.

Suddenly, the sound of a gong rang out and the gates of the hunting ground opened with a bang. The carefully selected generals and soldiers of the Celestial Dynasty, all in golden armor and riding black horses, came rolling in with billowing smoke and dust. The squad of generals and soldiers were all skilled in mounted archery.

In the sunlight, they shone with a dazzling light and an imposing momentum. The sound of arrows piercing through the air could be heard, and the row of targets in front had already fallen one by one.

The Qianwan Emperor stepped forward and waved his hand. In the target range, a hundred soldiers joined forces to push out a huge iron cage. As the iron bolt was opened, dozens of giant deer rushed out and scattered across the sandy field.

"The men of my Celestial Dynasty!"

The people of the Yuezhi envoy didn't know what was happening at first. They only saw rows of people kneeling down one after another, like layers of rolling waves in the sea. The iron armor shimmered with a cold light under the scorching sun, and the neighing of the war horses seemed to shake the heavens and the earth. The scene was probably enough to make the faint-hearted tremble with fear.

"My Celestial Dynasty has been established for one hundred and thirty-five years. We opened up the world on horseback and fought for the country on horseback! Now that the world is at peace and the four seas are calm, we must not forget the bows, arrows, and curved swords left by our ancestors!"

The Qianwan Emperor stood on the hunting ground and waved his hand, pointing to the field, "Today's hunt, the one who hunts the most will be heavily rewarded with a hundred catties of gold and a thousand acres of fertile land!"

For a moment, the sound of "Long live the emperor!" was deafening, and arrows stood up in the sunlight, like a forest glittering with iron light.

The Qianwan Emperor returned to his seat and leaned over to ask Qiu Duo, who was standing on the lower side: "What does the prince think?"

Mingde was lying on the soft couch, drowsy from the sun, just yawning slightly into the pillow, curled up into a small ball. It was unclear whether it was the Qianwan Emperor's return that startled him, or the bloody smell from the hunting ground that stimulated his nerves. Mingde raised his head, glanced at the field, and then curiously looked at Qiu Duo following the Qianwan Emperor's gaze.

Qiu Duo opened his mouth as if to say something, but seemed unable to say anything. After a while, he just smiled and said, "Come, bring me a horse."

The attendant brought him a precious Yuezhi horse. Qiu Duo walked down from his seat, mounted the horse, and casually took out an iron arrow from the quiver behind him. The iron weapons they used all had triangular arrowheads, which could maintain stability, increase shooting speed, and enhance lethality.

Qiu Duo spurred his horse forward, gradually accelerating, until later it was as if the horse's hooves were not touching the ground. Amidst the stormy hoof beats, arrows whistled out, so fast that it was almost impossible to see his movements of drawing and shooting arrows. After he abruptly pulled the reins to stop, the remaining targets in the forest had fallen, and two giant deer that failed to dodge were shot through the chest and lungs!

The generals, who revered blood, cheered loudly. Prince Qiu Duo slowly rode his horse back and stood at the edge of the hunting ground, respectfully bowing towards the Qianwan Emperor's dragon throne.

The Qianwan Emperor also smiled. He walked down and said loudly, "Reward him!"

Immediately, people brought gold, silk, diamonds, pearls and other items, while others presented the emperor's bestowed fine wine. Qiu Duo didn't even glance at those gold and silver treasures, but just took the imperial wine and drank it all in one gulp, then smashed the wine cup.

He knelt down: "Respected Emperor, your subject boldly wishes to ask the Emperor for a reward, is that possible?"

The Qianwan Emperor was in a good mood and asked with a smile, "What reward? Our two countries are on friendly terms. As long as it's within my permission, feel free to speak!"