"Your Majesty, congratulations, Concubine Li has given birth to a prince!" The palace maid reported happily.

Ying Yuan looked at the baby in his arms, feeling mixed emotions. Li Ji... the child... Donghuang Taiyi... the Moon Goddess... these fragments intertwined in his mind, giving him a splitting headache.

He waved away the palace maid and returned to his bedroom alone. He sat beside the bed, looking at the sleeping baby, and an inexplicable irritation surged in his heart.

"My child? Haha..." Ying Yuan sneered, his eyes full of indifference.

He stretched out his hand to touch the baby, but suddenly pulled his hand back. This child was Li Ji's, and also his, but it was more like the product of a conspiracy between Donghuang Taiyi and Yueshen.

Ying Yuan stood up, walked to the window, looked at the night outside, and felt lost. He didn't know what to do, nor what would happen in the future.

He only knew that he had to protect himself, protect Daqin, and resist all conspiracies and intrigues!
……

A month later, Ying Yuan issued an order to enthrone Li Ji as queen and the prince as crown prince.

In the court, all the ministers discussed and were puzzled by Ying Yuan's decision. Li Ji was born in a humble family and had an ambiguous relationship with Donghuang Taiyi and Yueshen. How could she become the queen?

Ying Yuan sat on the dragon throne, listening to the discussion of the ministers, with no expression on his face. He knew in his heart that the purpose of enthroning Li Ji as the queen was to stabilize Donghuang Taiyi and Yueshen, and also to protect himself.

"I have made up my mind, there is no need to discuss it further!" Ying Yuan said in a cold voice, his tone full of unquestionable majesty.

Seeing this, the ministers dared not say anything else. They could only kneel down and kowtow, shouting in unison: "Long live the emperor!"

Ying Yuan looked at the ministers kneeling and sneered in his heart. These ministers were respectful and obedient to him on the surface, but they all had their own calculations behind the scenes.

He must be careful to survive in this court full of intrigue.

……

After becoming the queen, Li Ji began to gradually reveal her ambitions. She used her status as queen to win over court officials, build up her own power, and even began to interfere in government affairs.

Ying Yuan saw this and sneered in his heart. In his opinion, these little tricks of Li Ji were just trifles.

He deliberately indulged Li Ji, making her think that she had already taken control of the power. In fact, he had been observing secretly, waiting for the opportunity to capture Li Ji and the forces behind her in one fell swoop.

……

One night, Ying Yuan came to Li Ji's bedroom.

When Li Ji saw Ying Yuan, a charming smile appeared on her face and she went forward to greet him.

"Your Majesty, how come you have time to come to my place tonight?" Li Ji asked in a tender voice, her tone full of temptation.

Ying Yuan looked at Li Ji with eyes full of indifference.

"Li Ji, let me ask you, what is your relationship with Donghuang Taiyi?" Ying Yuan asked coldly, with a hint of murderous intent in his tone.

When Li Ji heard Ying Yuan's words, her expression changed slightly, but she quickly regained her composure.

"Your Majesty, I don't understand what you are talking about." Li Ji said innocently.

"Don't understand?" Ying Yuan sneered, "Do you think I don't know anything? You and Donghuang Taiyi secretly colluded with each other and intended to rebel. The evidence is irrefutable. What else do you have to say?"

When Li Ji heard Ying Yuan's words, her face changed drastically. She fell to her knees, kowtowed and begged for mercy.

"Your Majesty, spare my life! I was just confused for a moment and was bewitched by Donghuang Taiyi! I am loyal to Your Majesty and have no intention of rebelling!"

Ying Yuan looked at Li Ji kneeling on the ground without a trace of pity in his heart.

"Someone, send Li Ji to the cold palace!" Ying Yuan ordered in a cold voice.

……

After Li Ji was banished to the cold palace, Ying Yuan began to eliminate Li Ji's influence.

He arrested Li Ji's followers one by one, tortured them severely, and forced them to reveal their conspiracy. In the court, there was a bloody storm, and countless officials were beheaded.

Ying Yuan's iron-blooded strategy shocked the whole government and the public, and also made Donghuang Taiyi and Yueshen feel a little apprehensive.

……

One night, the Moon Goddess appeared again in Ying Yuan's bedroom.

"Your Majesty, you will only make things worse by doing this," said the Moon Goddess, her tone filled with worry.

Ying Yuan looked at the Moon Goddess with eyes full of indifference.

"Moon Goddess, you don't need to interfere in my affairs." Ying Yuan said coldly.

"Your Majesty, do you really want to fight against the Yin-Yang Family?" asked the Moon Goddess.

"Yin Yang Family?" Ying Yuan sneered, "I am not even afraid of Donghuang Taiyi, so why would I be afraid of Yin Yang Family?"

The Moon Goddess looked at Ying Yuan, her eyes full of helplessness.

"Your Majesty, you are too stubborn." said the Moon Goddess.

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"Stubborn?" Ying Yuan sneered, "I am protecting the Qin Empire and my kingdom!"

"Your Majesty, do you really think you can protect it?" asked the Moon Goddess with a hint of sarcasm in her tone.

"Whether I can protect it or not, I will prove it with my actions!" Ying Yuan said, his tone full of determination.

The Moon Goddess looked at Ying Yuan and suddenly smiled.

"Your Majesty, I like you more and more." The Moon Goddess said, her tone full of charm.

She walked up to Ying Yuan and gently stroked his cheek, her eyes full of temptation.

"Your Majesty, I can help you protect your kingdom."

Ying Yuan looked at the Moon Goddess, a complex look flashing in his eyes.

He grabbed the Moon Goddess's hand and pulled her into his arms...

Inside the bedroom, red candles flickered and curtains hung low.

A night of love...

In the bedroom, red candles flickered and curtains hung low. After a night of lovemaking, Yue Shen lazily nestled in Ying Yuan's arms, her fingers drawing circles on his chest.

"Your Majesty, I have said that I can help you." The Moon Goddess' voice was charming and a little proud.

Ying Yuan looked at the Moon Goddess in his arms, his eyes were deep and unpredictable. He gently stroked the Moon Goddess's long hair, and a cold smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. "I don't need anyone's help."

The Moon Goddess raised her head, her eyes seductive. "Your Majesty, do you really think you can fight against Donghuang Taiyi? He is the leader of the Yin-Yang family, and his strength is unfathomable."

"So what?" Ying Yuan said in a cold tone, with a hint of disdain, "I am the Emperor of the Great Qin. All under heaven belongs to me! No matter how powerful Donghuang Taiyi is, he is nothing more than my subject!"

The Moon Goddess chuckled, sat up, put on a veil, walked to the window, and looked at the dark night sky outside. "Your Majesty, you are too confident. You think you are in control of everything, but in fact, you are just a pawn in the hands of Donghuang Taiyi."

Ying Yuan's eyes flashed with a cold light, and he sat up suddenly, grabbed Yue Shen's wrist, and pulled her in front of him. "What do you mean?"

The Moon Goddess met Ying Yuan's gaze without fear, with a hint of provocation in her eyes. "Your Majesty, haven't you noticed? Everyone around you is Donghuang Taiyi's spy. Your every move is under his control."

Ying Yuan's grip became tighter and tighter, Yue Shen's wrist was hurt by his pinch, but she didn't even frown.

"Your Majesty, even if you kill me, nothing can change anything. You are destined to become Donghuang Taiyi's puppet." The Moon Goddess's voice was cold, as if she was stating an established fact. (End of this chapter)