Ying Yuan smiled and said, "In the future, I will teach you more powerful swordsmanship."

Liu Ruyan raised her head, looked into Ying Yuan's eyes, and said seriously: "Sir, I want to fight side by side with you to defend Daqin!"

Ying Yuan felt warm in his heart and hugged Liu Ruyan tightly, "Okay! Let's go together!"

In the following days, Ying Yuan tracked down the remnants of Zhao Ping while actively preparing for war to deal with the invasion of the Huns.

However, at this moment, a piece of news came, which put Ying Yuan in a dilemma... News came from the palace that the Queen Mother was seriously ill and urgently summoned Ying Yuan to the palace.

The Queen Mother is seriously ill? Ying Yuan sneered in his heart. This old witch might be trying to play some tricks again. Ever since he put down the rebellion of Zhao Ping, the Queen Mother has been dissatisfied with him, thinking that he was more powerful than her and threatened her position.

"Young Master, has the Queen Mother made things difficult for you again?" Liu Ruyan noticed that Ying Yuan looked strange and asked with concern.

Ying Yuan ruffled her hair and said, "It's okay. If an enemy comes, we will stop him. If a flood comes, we will block it with earth."

After saying that, he changed into court clothes and went straight into the palace.

The atmosphere in the Queen Mother's bedroom was solemn. The imperial doctors were all silent, not daring to utter a word. The Queen Mother leaned on the bed, her face pale, but she could not hide the fierceness between her brows.

"Yuan'er is here." The Queen Mother spoke weakly, but her voice had a barely perceptible sharpness.

"Youth pays homage to the Queen Mother." Ying Yuan bowed, his tone neither humble nor arrogant.

"I am not feeling well. Yuan'er, do you know the reason?" The Queen Mother stared at Ying Yuan with eyes as sharp as knives.

Ying Yuan sneered in his heart. This old witch asked knowingly and deliberately, clearly trying to put a accusation on him. "Your son is stupid, please explain clearly, mother."

The Queen Mother coughed twice. "I heard that Yuan'er has been in close contact with the Xiongnu envoys recently. Is that true?"

Ying Yuan was shocked. This old witch was well-informed. He had indeed secretly contacted the Xiongnu envoys in order to alienate the Xiongnu and disintegrate their power. Unexpectedly, the Queen Mother discovered it so quickly.

"Mother, this matter is completely false. I am loyal to the Qin Dynasty and will never do anything to collaborate with the enemy!" Ying Yuan said righteously.

The Queen Mother sneered, "Whether he is collaborating with the enemy or not, I will investigate it myself. Come, arrest Ying Yuan!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a group of guards rushed in from outside the palace and surrounded Ying Yuan.

Ying Yuan cursed in his heart, this old witch was so cunning and treacherous that she actually set a trap for him. He glanced at the guards around him coldly, "Let's see who dares to move!"

"Rebellion! Rebellion! Ying Yuan, how dare you disobey my order!" the Queen Mother shouted angrily.

"Mother, I have a clear conscience. What do I have to be afraid of?" Ying Yuan looked at the Queen Mother without fear.

At this moment, a shrill voice sounded, "Empress Dowager, I have something to say!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw a palace maid walking out from the crowd. It was none other than Ying Yuan's spy planted beside the Queen Mother, named Xiao Tao.

"Xiao Tao, do you have anything to say?" asked the Queen Mother with a frown.

Xiao Tao knelt on the ground, trembling, "Empress Dowager, I saw it with my own eyes...saw it..."

"What did you see? Tell me quickly!" the Queen Mother urged.

Xiao Tao took a deep breath, "I saw that it was Miss Liu... Miss Liu poisoned the Queen Mother's medicine!"

As soon as this statement came out, the whole place was in an uproar.

Ying Yuan was secretly delighted. Xiao Tao did not disappoint him. He had expected that the Queen Mother would attack him, so he arranged for Xiao Tao to stay by her side in advance, just in case.

"Nonsense!" The Queen Mother's face changed drastically. "I have treated her well, why would she want to harm me?"

Xiao Tao cried, "I dare not lie to the Queen Mother. I saw with my own eyes that Miss Liu poured a packet of powder into the Queen Mother's medicine. I was afraid, so I didn't dare to say it..." "What nonsense!" The Queen Mother shouted angrily, "Come here, drag this bitch out and beat her to death!"

"Wait!" Ying Yuan stepped forward, "Mother, this matter is of great importance and needs to be investigated carefully. It would be too hasty to convict Miss Liu based on the one-sided words of a palace maid."

The Queen Mother snorted coldly, "Yuan'er, are you questioning me?"

"I dare not. But Miss Liu is loyal to me, and I believe she would never do such a thing." Ying Yuan said in a firm tone.

A hint of viciousness flashed across the Queen Mother's eyes. "If that's the case, then bring Liu Ruyan here for a face-to-face confrontation!"

Ying Yuan's heart tightened. He didn't know if Liu Ruyan could withstand the Queen Mother's interrogation. But now that things had come to this, he could only take it one step at a time.

The guards quickly brought Liu Ruyan to the Queen Mother's bedroom. Liu Ruyan was dressed in white, pure and elegant, but she couldn't hide the worry between her brows.

"Ruyan, tell the Queen Mother, did you poison the medicine?" Ying Yuan asked in a deep voice.

Liu Ruyan's face was pale and her lips trembled slightly, but she never spoke.

Seeing this, the Queen Mother sneered, "What? You don't dare to say it? Are you guilty?"

Ying Yuan was anxious. He didn't know why Liu Ruyan didn't say anything. Could it be that she really...

At this moment, Liu Ruyan suddenly raised her head with a firm look in her eyes, "I didn't!"

"Then why don't you speak?" the Queen Mother demanded.

Liu Ruyan took a deep breath, "Because... because..." She suddenly covered her stomach and bent over with a look of pain, "My stomach... hurts so much..."

Ying Yuan was startled and quickly stepped forward to support her, "Ruyan, what's wrong with you?"

Liu Ruyan's face was pale, with beads of sweat oozing out of her forehead. "I... I think... I'm about to give birth..."

Ying Yuan's heart suddenly sank. Liu Ruyan's face was paler than paper, and beads of sweat rolled down her forehead. He didn't have time to think about it, so he picked up Liu Ruyan and ran towards the direction of the Imperial Hospital.

"How dare you! Ying Yuan, how dare you kidnap the prisoner in front of me!" The Queen Mother was so angry that she trembled all over and screamed sharply.

Ying Yuan didn't even turn his head, and just said coldly, "Mother, I will go save them first, and explain to you later!"

There was chaos in the bedroom. The Queen Mother's face was terribly gloomy, and her eyes were flashing with vicious light.

"Someone, chase them for me! Make sure to capture Ying Yuan and Liu Ruyan!"

……

In the Imperial Hospital, Liu Ruyan was lying on the bed, groaning in pain. Ying Yuan paced anxiously outside the door, like an ant on a hot pot.

"Your Highness, don't worry too much. Miss Liu just gave birth prematurely. Both the child and the adults are safe." The imperial physician wiped the sweat from his forehead and comforted.

Ying Yuan finally breathed a sigh of relief. He pushed open the door and walked to Liu Ruyan's bed. Liu Ruyan opened her eyes weakly and saw Ying Yuan. A smile appeared on her pale face.

"Yuan...child..."

Ying Yuan held her hand and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Ruyan."

The baby in the cradle kept crying. Ying Yuan picked him up carefully and looked at this little life with an indescribable tenderness in his heart.

"It's a boy." Ying Yuan's voice was a little choked.

Liu Ruyan looked at the child in Ying Yuan's arms, her eyes full of maternal radiance. (End of this chapter)