Chapter 475 Where to place her

After listening, Qin Wan was stunned for a moment, then asked Ning Xizhao: "If you say so, where should Zhi Miaomiao be placed?"
Ning Xizhao said: "She is the empress, who possesses the world and does not lack me. But I have nothing, and all I ask for is you."
Qin Wan's lips curled into a smile. "I've heard several men say something similar to that, including Ning Yi. They lost their country, their lives, and their happiness for that sentence. Do you want to follow in their footsteps?"
"I am jealous of them," said Ning Xizhao in a low and gentle voice.
"Even if it means sacrificing my life, I am willing to do it."
"What an honor it would be."
Hearing Ning Xizhao say this, Qin Wan lowered her eyelashes.
As they were traveling, the endless sound came out from outside the carriage: "Your Highness Zhao, there's news to report that His Majesty and Your Highness Rui are on their way here."
"Miao Miao and Qing Chi are coming to take me away," Qin Wan coughed and laughed, "since we already have an agreement, I will help you. Find a maid to help me dress up. My sickly appearance will worry those two children."
Ning Xizhao nodded and had the accompanying maidservant dress and comb Qin Wan's hair.
When Ning Miao and Qingchi arrived, Qin Wan was already dressed and groomed in a warm orange dress, looking like she was ready for autumn.
Ning Miao and Qing Chi dismounted in front of Qin Wan's carriage. They thought they would be blocked by Ning Xizhao, but the journey went smoothly and Ning Xizhao's men all knelt down in respectful gestures without any disrespect.
Ning Xizhao saw Ning Miao and bowed respectfully, "I pay my respects to Your Majesty."
Qingchi stepped forward and asked, "Ning Xizhao, where is my mother?!"
Ning Xizhao stepped aside and Ning Miao and Qingchi looked towards the carriage.
Qin Wan lifted the carriage curtain and got off the carriage with the help of her attendant.
“Mother!” Qing Chi hurried forward and looked at Qin Wan with concern, asking anxiously, “Are you alright?”
Qin Wan shook her head, feeling a little aggrieved as she said: "It's not very good. Since you left last time, I've been having a fever and coughing, and I haven't recovered yet."
When Qing Chi heard this, he immediately became anxious: "How could mother get sick?!"
Qin Wan smiled bitterly: "On the day of the 15th, I went hiking with my peers, but we got caught in a heavy rain in the evening and couldn't come down from the mountain. Fortunately, Xi Zhao received the news and came back to Zoucheng with people to rescue me. As a result, I got seriously ill because of catching a cold from the rain."
During the conversation, Qin Wan still occasionally coughed.
Qingchi frowned: "Has the mother taken medicine or seen a doctor? Has there been any improvement."
Qin Wan snorted: "Xizhao even invited various so-called famous doctors from Zoucheng to treat me with bitter medicine, but the illness just won't go away. Now he insists on taking me back to the palace to have the imperial physician take a look at me."
Qin Wan explained in a few words and justified all the behavior of Ning Xizhao, who disobeyed the imperial edict.
Hearing Qin Wan's explanation, Qingchi felt relieved. He thought Qin Wan was seized by Ning Xizhao, but seeing her explain things this way, he temporarily put aside his doubts.
After finishing their conversation, Qin Wan and Qing Chi turned to look at Ning Miao standing in the distance.
Upon seeing Qin Wan's gaze, Ning Miao instinctively performed the royal salute of the Kingdom of Rong: "Your Majesty, bowing to the Queen Mother."
She performed a bow and everyone present dared not stand, including Ning Xizhao and Qingchi, who all knelt down.
Qin Wan saw everyone kneeling in front of her and intended to say "please rise," but a sudden cough interrupted her speech.
Qing Chi rushed forward and helped Qin Wan up in the first time.
Qin Wan tightly held onto Qing Chi's hand, while Ning Xizhao took the water brought by the maid and swiftly handed it over to Qin Wan.
However, Ning Miao stood there feeling a bit at a loss.
Qin Wan drank some water, slowly caught her breath, and supported herself on Qingchi's arm before slowly standing up.
In Ning Miao's memory, Qin Wan had always been a legendary figure. She was mysterious and strict, briefly appearing in her life but changing the happy and carefree childhood that Ning Miao had always expected.
Compared with Qingchi, she felt more distant from Qin Wan and was not accustomed to being intimate with her.
But seeing Qin Wan now, Ning Miao realized that the Qin Wan she had looked up to in childhood was actually so petite, and now even thinner due to illness. She stood beside Qingchi, not even reaching his chest, appearing fragile.
It's hard to imagine that she was the Empress Dowager Qin who made such a big impact on the Six Realms, and the one who attracted countless kings and caused her husband Ning Xizhao to admire her for over 20 years.
Qin Wan saw Ning Miao's stupefaction and smiled gently, "Miao Miao, long time no see."
Back in the carriage, Qin Wan leaned on the cushion and Ning Miao sat with her.
Qing Chi and Ning Xizhao rode their horses in front of the team.
The carriage moved slowly forward and Qin Wan drank a large bowl of medicine before slowly closing her eyes.
Ning Miao sat beside her, unsure of what to say and feeling somewhat awkward. She and Qin Wan were alone in such a small space, and she could still feel the intimidating power emanating from Qin Wan despite having been an empress for over a decade.
"Miao Miao," Qin Wan suddenly spoke, her voice gentle and warm, but also a bit tired and hoarse. "If I were to kill Ning Xizhao, would you agree?"
Ning Miao widened her eyes and looked at Qin Wan. She spoke so casually and lightly, as if she were talking about a small matter, and not about killing her once chosen son-in-law, the prince of the country, and Ning Miao's husband.
And just like that, a seemingly casual sentence made Ning Miao feel unease in her heart.
"Mother, why do you want to kill him?" Ning Miao asked.
"He doesn't love you, so he deserves to die," Qin Wan replied.
"..." Ning Miaomu's eyes dimmed. "I didn't make him fall in love with me. I'm sorry to disappoint you."
Qin Wan smiled. "I'm proud of you. You're even more beautiful than I imagined, tall and elegant, just like your father."
With Qin Wan's affirmation, Ning Miao seemed to have put down a big stone in her heart. Not only Ning Xizhao, but she was also waiting for Qin Wan's approval.
Ning Miao: "Thank you for the Empress Dowager's praise."
Qin Wan: "You haven't answered my question, Miao Miao."
At this moment, if she nodded her head, it would be sentencing Ning Xizhao to death.
"No, Empress Mother," Ning Miao shook her head, "I love him and I want him to live."
Qin Wan smiled and joked lightly, "You really have no backbone."
Ning Miao clenched her fists silently and summoned up the courage to say, "Xizhao has always admired you, Your Majesty. How could I possibly compare to you?"
"You inherited your father's appearance, talent, and abilities. If you feel like you have any flaws, it's because of me. Your father is so great, there's no way you could be worse than me," Qin Wan said with a smile. "As for Xizhao, I always saw him as a child and didn't realize he had such heavy thoughts. When the Jin family fell, I shouldn't have kept him."
"Your Majesty, Ning Xizhao has acted recklessly and with great boldness. Please spare his life," pleaded Ning Miao, sensing the anger in Qin Wan's tone.
Qin Wan sighed softly. "Miao Miao, you're in the depths of the abyss, and if you don't try to escape, no one can help you."
Ning Miao lowered his head and said, "I know."
Qin Wan said, "Without him, you can have a new happiness."
Ning Miao asked back, "Without my father, have you found a new happiness?"
Qin Wan smiled lightly: "Happiness is something I have never deserved, but you are different."
Ning Miao was silent for a moment and changed the topic: "Xun Zheng, the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Rites, has accepted a transfer order and will officially be transferred to Danzhou. His whole family will move together."
Qin Wan said satisfactorily, "Thank you."
Ning Miao said, "Qingchi said that you were wary of the excessive influence of the Xun and Lüqiu families in Dongyi, but I know you must have other reasons."
"It's nothing else, really. I've just received some help from the Xun and Luqiu families recently, and I don't like owing people favors. Speaking of which, the Xun family has two sons who are outstanding in both character and learning. They are both good boys, and if they participate in the spring exam next year, please ask the examiner to pay more attention to them."
"If the mother considers them outstanding, they can be exempted from the normal selection process and admitted to the court, or become a student at the Imperial Academy."
"But it's not to the extent of favoritism." Qin Wan said.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
“别的朝堂任免我不干涉，但荀家和闾丘家因为你父皇的关系，多多少少还是要关心一些。”
"I understand, Your Majesty."
秦晚和宁缈交待完心里最记挂的一件事，因为药力的作用，她渐渐睡了过去。
In her dream, she saw a sea cliff covered in fields of golden dance grass.