Ruyan approached Ying Yuan step by step, and her clothes fell off one by one, revealing her snow-white skin. She stretched out her slender fingers, gently stroked Ying Yuan's cheek, and said in an ambiguous tone: "Your Majesty, I can tell you where Gai Nie is, but I have one condition..."

Ying Yuan looked at the beauty in front of him, his mind already clouded by desire. He hugged Ruyan into his arms and asked anxiously, "What are the conditions? Tell me!"

Ruyan's eyes were as charming as silk, and her breath was as sweet as orchid. "I want Your Majesty to...make me the queen!"

Ruyan's action was like a thunderclap, exploding in Ying Yuan's mind. Gai Nie's life or death was uncertain, and the country was in danger, but the beauty in front of him offered herself and made such a bold request. Ying Yuan's heart was like a raging sea, with desire and sense of responsibility in fierce conflict.

He pushed Ruyan away and looked at her with complicated eyes, "What do you mean?"

Ruyan smiled coquettishly, not minding Ying Yuan's rudeness at all, but getting closer to him, the remaining fragrance on her body lingering on Ying Yuan's nose, teasing his nerves. "Your Majesty, I know that you care about General Gai Nie and the Great Qin. I am willing to share your worries, but..." She paused, drawing circles on Ying Yuan's chest with her fingers, "I also need some... protection."

Ying Yuan took a deep breath and tried to keep himself awake. "I can promise you, as long as you can tell me where Gai Nie is, I can consider your request."

Ruyan's eyes flashed with pride, and she knew that Ying Yuan could not escape her grasp. "Your Majesty, General Gai Nie is now... in the Xiongnu royal court."

"What?!" Ying Yuan was horrified, "He...he surrendered to the enemy?!"

Ruyan shook her head and gently stroked Ying Yuan's cheek, "Your Majesty, don't worry. General Gai Nie did not surrender to the enemy. Instead, he was bewitched by Hu Yanduoer, the daughter of the Xiongnu Chanyu."

Ying Yuan felt a surge of anger rushing to his head. He grabbed Ruyan's shoulders and roared, "Ridiculous! How is this possible!"

Ruyan frowned in pain, but still forced a smile, "Your Majesty, everything I said is true. Huyan Duoer is proficient in seductive techniques, and it is understandable that General Gai Nie was deceived for a while."

Ying Yuan let go of Ruyan and sat down on the dragon throne dejectedly, his mind in turmoil. Gai Nie, the general he trusted the most, was actually bewitched by the princess of the Xiongnu? How could he accept this?

"Your Majesty," Ruyan took the opportunity to approach Ying Yuan again and said softly, "General Gai Nie was confused for a moment, but he is still a general of the Qin Dynasty after all. As long as Your Majesty agrees to my conditions, I will find a way to make General Gai Nie change his mind and return to the Qin Dynasty."

Ying Yuan looked at Ruyan, his eyes full of struggle. He knew that Ruyan's words might not be credible, but she did have information about Gai Nie. If Gai Nie was really deceived by the Xiongnu princess, then Ruyan might be his only hope.

"Okay," Ying Yuan finally made up his mind, "I promise you, as long as you can get Gai Nie back, I will make you my queen!"

Ruyan was overjoyed and immediately knelt down to thank him, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace!"

However, Ying Yuan did not know that the decision he made at this moment would push himself and the entire Qin Dynasty into an abyss of no return.

After Ruyan left, Ying Yuan immediately summoned all the ministers and announced the decision to make Ruyan the queen. There was an uproar in the court. The ministers advised against it, saying that Ruyan was of humble origin and unworthy of being the queen.

Ying Yuan, however, was determined to make Ruyan his queen despite opposition from his ministers. He even threatened the throne to force the ministers to agree.

"I have made up my mind. Anyone who dares to speak out against it will be killed without mercy!" Ying Yuan roared.

Seeing this, all the ministers had to remain silent.

At this moment, a figure slowly walked to the front of the hall. It was Prime Minister Li Si.

"Your Majesty," Li Si said, bowing, "I have something to say, but I don't know whether I should say it or not."

Ying Yuan suppressed his anger and said, "Speak!"

"Your Majesty," Li Si said in a heavy tone, "Ruyan is a woman of unknown origin and with ulterior motives. Your Majesty, if you make her your queen, it will be a disaster for the Qin Dynasty!"

Ying Yuan was furious, "Li Si, you dare to question my decision?!"

Li Si was not afraid, "I dare not. But I am worried that Your Majesty will be deceived by beauty and make a wrong judgment."

Ying Yuan sneered, "I know my limits, I don't need you to teach me how to do things!"

Li Si sighed and said no more. He knew that Ying Yuan had been completely bewitched by Ruyan and would not listen to anything she said.

At this moment, there was a sudden commotion outside the hall. A soldier ran into the hall in a panic and knelt down in front of Ying Yuan, "Report... Your Majesty! The Huns... The Huns' army... is approaching the city!" Inside the hall, there was a tense silence.

Ying Yuan stood on a high pedestal, looking at the situation in front of him with a complicated expression.

Just as Li Si's words of advice were still lingering in the air, noisy footsteps outside the palace quickly approached. A soldier hurried into the hall and reported breathlessly: "Your Majesty, General Gai Nie is back!"

As soon as the words fell, a figure appeared in front of everyone.

Gai Nie's clothes were tattered and his face was weather-beaten, but this did not conceal his determination at all.

He walked to the hall in a neither humble nor arrogant manner and saluted to Ying Yuan: "Your Majesty."

Ying Yuan frowned slightly, and a wave of emotion stirred in his heart: "Gai Nie, you are finally back! I heard that you have suffered a lot."

Gai Nie nodded and said calmly but firmly: "Fortunately, I have fulfilled my mission. Your Majesty, I have important intelligence to report."

He glanced at the ministers and then at Ying Yuan again, adding in a steady tone, "About the true intentions of the Xiongnu princess."

When everyone heard this, they all held their breath and concentrated.

At this time, Ruyan also appeared beside Ying Yuan, with a calm smile on her face, "General Gai Nie has come from afar, and he is eager to speak without even taking a rest. Could it be that he has been bewitched by the Xiongnu?"

Gai Nie looked directly at Ruyan, not backing down. "Miss Ruyan, I am only reporting what I have seen and heard to your majesty, so that the Great Qin will be safe."

Ying Yuan looked at the two of them, and his heart began to waver. "Okay, Gai Nie, go ahead."

Gai Nie bowed and began to report his experience in detail: "Your Majesty, the Xiongnu princess tried to provoke my Qin to fight against the Xiongnu under the guise of marriage. I collected her secret communications with forces from other countries, intending to split my Great Qin to facilitate her actions."

After hearing this, Ying Yuan looked solemn.

Ying Yuan turned to look at Ruyan. Ruyan lowered her eyes slightly and pretended to be aggrieved. "Your Majesty, I never thought it would be like this. There must be some misunderstanding."

The ministers in the hall also began to whisper to each other. Although they did not speak out, they all had doubts.

Li Si coughed heavily and took a step forward. "Your Majesty, what Gai Nie said is of great significance. I think we should conduct a detailed investigation into Miss Ruyan's background and motives to prevent future troubles."

Ying Yuan pondered for a moment, and finally sighed, "That makes sense. Li Si, Gai Nie, I'll let the two of you investigate this matter together. As for the matter of establishing a queen, let's put it aside for now."

Upon hearing this decision, Ruyan's face turned pale instantly, and a trace of panic flashed in her eyes, but she still forced a smile, leaned to the side, and thought about her next move in her heart.

The air in the hall seemed to condense, and the silence was filled with undercurrents.

In Ying Yuan's bedroom, the lights were flickering and the evening breeze was blowing gently outside the window. Ruyan was sitting in front of the bronze mirror with a worried look in her eyes.

After retreating from the hall, she kept thinking about how to deal with the current predicament.

Suddenly, she called a maid beside her softly, "Qing'er, come here."

Qing'er leaned over quietly and whispered to Ruyan, "I need you to pass a secret letter to a friend outside the city. Please be careful."

Qing'er nodded and agreed. She felt uneasy about being involved in this matter, but she had no choice but to do as she was told.

Seeing the maid leave, Ruyan thought to herself that she must ensure the safe delivery of the letter, otherwise everything she had done would be in vain.

At the same time, Li Si and Gai Nie started investigating in a secret room. (End of this chapter)