the chosen one

Chapter 1

Langya Kingdom, Beiling City, Imperial Palace inner garden

‘Princess Jing, Princess Jing! Where are you going?’

A group of palace maids anxiously asked after a young girl in the Langya Imperial Palace, following her like a shadow on the cloister.

Annoyed by the questions, Langya Jing glared at the palace maids behind her. Her small, delicate face was carved from jade, her crystal red lips pursed stubbornly, and her large, intelligent eyes held a certain displeased anger.

“So annoying! Stop following me!’

Can’t you let her have some peace and quiet?

The nanny, Fu Ma’am, hurriedly said, ‘How can we not follow you? You are the only daughter of the empress, and you will inherit the throne in the future! If anything goes wrong, we can’t afford it!’

Langya is a country ruled by an empress, and the princess is naturally the heir apparent. The rich people who are responsible for serving the princess are all trembling with fear and paying close attention, not daring to be careless.

Langya Jing snorted, exasperated, ‘What mistake could I possibly make in the palace? Are you trying to curse me?’

A group of palace maids dropped to their knees in a panic, ‘We wouldn’t dare!’

Langya Jing was bored by the sight of the palace maids dropping to their knees at every turn.

‘I don’t think you dare. Get up, all of you! Don’t follow me anymore!‘

’But, Princess, this is our duty… Princess, Princess!‘ Just as the rich matron had finished speaking, Langya Jing took the opportunity to run off. The rich matron called out in a flustered voice, “Hurry! Follow the Princess! Don’t lose her!”

’Yes!’

Langya Jing skillfully circled the winding corridors, leaving the palace maids flustered. She then found a place to hide and watched with a smile as they whizzed past like locusts.

Looking at the departing group, Langya Jing smirked, ‘If you can find me, I’ll write my name backwards!’

 

So, a game of hide-and-seek between the princess and her ladies-in-waiting began, which was played out in the afternoon in the lively Langya Palace.

It wasn’t until the group had gone far away that Langya Jing realised she was hiding in the ‘Hall of Diligence’.

The ‘Hall of Diligent Governance’ is where the Empress reviews the petitions, and it can be considered a secret and important place in the government. Generally, no one is allowed in, not even the future Empress. However, because her mother has been bedridden recently and the petitions have been sent elsewhere, the Hall of Diligent Governance has been unguarded recently, so Langya Jing was able to sneak in.

‘I’d like to see what’s so special about this place that even I’m not allowed in!’ Langya Jing muttered to herself as she strode in.

After looking around a bit, she noticed that this “Hall of Diligent Governance” was not much different from the imperial study, except that it was a bit bigger and more imposing, and there was an additional library at the back. In addition to the books on the shelves, there were also wooden boxes stacked up.

‘Hey, what’s this? They’ve even packed it in boxes.’ Out of curiosity, Langya Jing naturally refused to obediently follow the “hands off” rule and started to open the box.

When Langya Jing laboriously opened the heavy and dusty box, a cloud of dust rose in the air, choking Langya Jing and making her cough frequently.

‘Cough…cough…‘ She covered her nose and mouth, waving her small hands around until the dust dispersed. Only then did she look into the box with wide eyes –

’What? This is what they were hiding? Is this why my mother didn’t want me to come in?’

It turned out that the wooden boxes contained the history of the Langya Kingdom and the records of the decisions made by every monarch since the founding of the kingdom.

They were just a few boxes of books, and she really didn’t understand why they were so precious that she was repeatedly forbidden to enter.

Hmph! She would have been tired of carrying these useless books!

Although she wanted to take a look, Langya Jing’s inquisitive nature did not diminish at all. She picked up a book at random and flipped through it, curious to discover what extraordinary secrets it held that her mother valued it so highly.

After flipping through it a couple of times, Langya Jing got bored and threw the book aside. She then pulled another one out of the wooden box and flipped through it a few times. This book had the same fate as the previous one and was also abandoned.

Just as she had been unable to find anything new after flipping through a number of books, Langya Jing suddenly saw a few lines of text –

In the tenth year of the Dazheng reign, the Empress died, and was given the posthumous title Emperor Daxing. In the same year, the courtiers crowned Princess Langya Yun, the third princess, and changed the era name to Shengde…

Langya Jing frowned slightly.

Strange, she had no idea that after the Empress Dowager, there was another Empress with the era name Shengde. What? Could it be that even the historical records got it wrong?

Langya Jing continued reading with confusion.

Empress Shengde disappeared on the day of her coronation. Three days later, Princess Ningzhen, the daughter of the Prince of Jin, took her place, and the Prince of Xuanze became the regent and changed the era name to Tianqing. According to secret reports, the missing Empress Shengde is most likely to have eloped with Tang Shaoyi, the court’s first musician.

Elope? What do you mean by elope? Does it mean to run away secretly?

Although the court musician Tang Shaoyi died in the palace of Princess Si in mysterious circumstances, it was verified that there was only one corpse with a changed appearance in the tomb on the outskirts of Beiling City. It is speculated that Tang Shaoyi is not dead. Due to the lack of further detailed human and material evidence, it is impossible to determine the whereabouts of the two.

In that case, there is a high possibility that Tang Shaoyi and Empress Shengde eloped, right?

Langya Jing rested her chin in her hands and thought, ‘What reason could there be for a humble court musician to escape from the palace with the empress?’ Could it be that there was really something so interesting outside the palace?

Langya Jing was about to continue reading when she suddenly heard the sound of eunuchs reporting for duty outside the Qinzheng Hall.

“Oh no, someone’s coming!’

Recalling the rule that she had been repeatedly warned about, Langya Jing panicked and, with the book in her hands, she hid in the wooden box, slamming the lid shut.

A moment later, footsteps could be heard entering the room, accompanied by a pleasant voice.

It was the voice of a young man, clear and melodious like the murmur of a spring, vast and limitless like the starry sky, and full of warmth, kindness, tolerance and clarity.

 

It was a very cultivated voice. She loved the pleasant tone of his voice and the beautiful, refined Beijing accent.

‘Leave!’

“Yes.’

Langya Jing, who was hiding in the wooden box, desperately raised her ears and almost pressed her whole body against the box just to hear the man’s voice one more time.

Unfortunately, this young man obviously did not have the habit of talking to himself like her. After waiting for a long time, he did not say another word. Coupled with the fact that she was hiding in the dark box and could not see the other person’s face, she could only hear the sound of her own heartbeat as she held her breath.

Haitang Xuan stared at the suspicious wooden box, and the smile on her lips slowly deepened.

Staring at the pink lotus-coloured muslin tucked between the cracks of the box, coupled with the messy books discarded on one side, there was no need to guess that he also knew that a little girl was hiding in the box.

He didn’t want to personally apprehend the person, he had a way to make the little girl throw herself into the net.

Haitang Xuan closed the lid of the wooden box with great efficiency, then backed away without saying a word.

Huh? Why did it make a ‘click’ sound? Langya Jing couldn’t think of what the sound was, and before she could finish her thought, the man outside suddenly spoke.

‘Guards! Follow me to the Imperial Palace to visit the Empress.’

“Yes!’

Huh? He’s leaving? He’s just leaving?

How can he do that? She still doesn’t know what he looks like!

Langya Jing got up in a hurry, but accidentally bumped her forehead, making a loud noise.

‘Ouch…’ She rubbed her forehead in pain, but still refused to give up. Langya Jing pushed the top of the suitcase to try to get out, but she couldn’t open it.

A chill ran through her heart –

No, it can’t be! Could the lid have locked accidentally?

Oh no! Then she won’t be able to get out!

Recalling the description of the guards of what it was like to be buried alive, as dark as it was inside the box, and eventually either starving to death or suffocating, Langya Jing couldn’t help shivering.

No! I don’t want to starve to death or suffocate!

Langya Jing fearfully knocked on the box and shouted in a trembling voice that was close to crying from fear, ‘Nanny! Qingqing! Gui’er! I’m here, let me out quickly! Let me out quickly…’

She screamed with all her might, but there was no response. Langya Jing became more and more frightened.

“Mother! Mother! Come and save me! Jing vows never to misbehave again, never to be naughty again… ’

Langya Jing, who had always been stubborn and never shed a tear, still sobbed like a child her age in the face of life and death.

 

Hearing her crying, Haitang Xuan turned back, but Langya Jing was so focused on crying that she didn’t hear his footsteps.

‘Is there someone in the box?’ he asked, trying to hold back his laughter.

Someone’s here! That’s great! We’re saved!

Langya Jing had a taste of being rescued from a desperate situation and couldn’t help but break into a smile. ‘Yes! Someone’s here! Let me out!’

Haitang Xuan gently opened the lid of the box and sure enough, saw a little tearful person sitting among the books.

Langya Jing had been locked in the dark box for a while, and it was difficult for her to adapt to the strong light for a while. She just felt her eyes blur, and then she was lifted high into the air by a pair of strong arms.

Oh my! It’s so high! Wow! His…his shoulders are wider than my father’s!

 

‘Little thing, what were you doing hiding in the box? Don’t you know that the Hall of Diligent Administration is no place to play?‘

Hearing this familiar voice, Langya Jing immediately lifted her tear-stained face.

’Ah—it’s you!’ It was him! The man with the pleasant voice!

Haitang Xuan smiled at her, ‘You know me?’

This young man had deep eyes, flying sword-like eyebrows, a nose like a mountain, and a smile on his lips that looked like the spring sun.

 

He was really good-looking!

Langya Jing couldn’t help but stare, she had never known that a man could be so good-looking. He was elegant and handsome, gentle and modest, and at the same time had a dignified and solemn temperament.

 

‘Do you know me?’ he asked again, letting her down at the same time.

 

Langya Jing shook her head, “I know your voice! You were just in the Hall of Diligent Governance!”

Wen Mao and Haitang Xuan couldn’t help raising their eyebrows.

‘Your words are tantamount to a confession. Do you know that anyone who trespasses in the Hall of Diligence is liable to severe punishment?’ His gaze slipped down to the book she was clutching in her bosom. “And you also peeked at the secret history of the Langya court, didn’t you?”

The secret history of the Langya court records the secrets of the imperial family that no one wants to know. No one has read it except the empress.

Secret history? After a moment’s thought, Langya Jing finally understood. He was referring to the history book she had just secretly flipped through.

Seeing his stern expression, Langya Jing actually felt a little guilty.

‘It’s just… just a broken book! What’s the big deal?’ She pretended to be strong and refused to admit her mistake.

‘This is no ordinary book.’ Haitang Xuan forced her to put the book she was holding in her arms into the box and lock it at the same time.

Hearing a “click” sound, Langya Jing suddenly pointed at him and angrily shouted, “I just heard this sound too! So you discovered that I was in there a long time ago and locked me in on purpose!”

The box would never lock itself, so he must have done it! She should have thought of that earlier!

I never thought she was so clever!

Although Haitang Xuan didn’t show it on the surface, he couldn’t help but be impressed.

‘So what? Trespassing in the Hall of Diligence is a capital offence. I’m just giving you a little warning.’

Capital offence? He actually wants to sentence her to death?

Langya Jing was so angry that her face turned red, and her black and white watery eyes flashed with anger.

Since she was young, who had dared to be so rude to her? He was the first in history!

She glared at him, ‘Do you know who I am?’

‘I don’t need to know who you are, I only know that you have made a mistake and you should be punished.’

His righteous words made Langya Jing scared.

‘You…dare to punish me?’ She couldn’t help but take a few steps back.

It seemed that he really had no intention of sparing her, and she believed that the man in front of her was determined to do what he said.

‘Reward for good deeds, punishment for bad deeds, no leniency.’ He wagged his finger at her, ‘Come here!’

She was no fool! Who wanted to go over there?

Lang Ya Jing straightened her back and tried to put on her princess airs.

 

‘You…if you dare to touch me, my mother will never forgive you!’ She didn’t believe he would dare to do anything to her!

The Haitang clan was completely unmoved by her intimidation. “Come here.”

Langya Jing was a little panicked. ’My…my mother is terrifying when she is angry! You’d better believe me…’

‘Do you want to come yourself, or should I come over there?’ His handsome face still had a smile on it, but the sharp eyes concealed a warning glare.

Langya Jing realised for the first time that a person’s appearance and inner self could be so different.

Miscalculation! She had thought he was a gentleman, but he had hidden sharp fangs. It looked like she had messed with a very difficult person!

Before Langya Jing could think, she subconsciously wanted to escape on the run. However, her feet were not as fast as his movements. Before Langya Jing could run out of the library, Haitang Xuan reached out his big hand and picked her up in his arms.

In her life, Langya Jing had never been treated so rudely by anyone, and she let out a scream, wriggling her body as she angrily shouted, ‘How dare you! Let go of me!’

She was so small, her waist as thin as a willow tree, and it was about to snap. This made Haitang Xuan feel pity for her, and he involuntarily softened his tone.

“If you admit your mistake, I won’t punish you.’

Admit your fault? She had never admitted her faults.

Even if she really had made a mistake, who would dare to do anything to her? The servants would naturally take the blame for themselves, shouting, ‘Your servant has failed in his duty and deserves to die!’ She was the princess, the crown prince, and the future king.

 

She held her head high defiantly, staring him straight in the eye and defiantly saying, ‘I’m not in the wrong!’

As soon as Langya Jing finished speaking, the next moment she felt the world spinning and was slammed hard onto her knees and given a good spanking on her bottom!

“You…you dare to hit me! You actually dare to hit me!’

Her angry shouting changed in the middle, unable to bear such rebuke to her pride. Moreover, he really hit her hard! He did not show any mercy at all. Langya Jing couldn’t help crying out of grievance, her eyes red.

 

‘Uuu… I won’t let you off! Uuu… I’ll tell my mother that you bullied me! Uuu…’

Seeing her crying with tears streaming down her face, Haitang Xuan originally wanted to hit her a few more times, but he couldn’t help but relent and stopped.

‘You must admit your fault when you have done something wrong. Everyone should obey the palace rules.‘

As Haitang Xuan helped Langya Jing to her feet, she shrank away from him, rubbing her bottom with one hand while sobbing.

’Does it hurt?‘ he asked.

’It hurts like hell!’ Of course it does!

 

‘Then you must always remember this pain and never make the same mistake again.’ He dried her tears and said, “Go to your mother!”

Langya Jing ran away. She never wanted to spend another quarter of an hour with this kind-looking but evil man!

She must tell her mother to punish him severely!

 

Seeing Langya Jing run out crying, Haitang Xuan’s escort, Sa Lang, walked in.

‘My lord, is this wise? You should know that she is…‘

Haitang Xuan raised a smile.

’Yes, I know she is the only daughter of the Empress, Princess Jing.‘

’If that is the case, why are you still—‘

’She is too willful and reckless. Since no one in the entire palace can control her, then let me.‘

’Aren’t you afraid that the Princess will complain to the Empress?’ Salang asked gravely.

‘If I were afraid, I would be just like everyone else who can’t do anything about her. No, I will not let her get away with it, even if she is a princess!’ He looked out of the window at the willow branches swaying in the wind and said with determination, ’Precisely because she is a princess, the future ruler of the people, she should behave herself even more. If no one else will discipline her, then I will.’

That year, she met him for the first time. She was nine years old, and he was twenty-one.

 

In the empress’s bedroom, the ‘grand official’, the empress was lying on the dragon bed, being served by her personal maid to drink medicine.

While drinking the medicine, the empress asked with concern, ‘Have all the ministers’ memorials been delivered today?’

As the Empress had been ill in bed for a long time and had not attended court for some time, the courtiers had no choice but to report matters by sending in memorials. However, all memorials would first be partially decided by the head of the government, and only the more important memorials would be forwarded to the Empress for her instructions.

‘Your Majesty, they have been delivered,’

the Empress nodded, ‘bring them to me.’

‘Yes.’

The palace maid on the side then handed over the petition.

The empress was about to open the first petition when Langya Jing ran into the bedroom crying.

The empress, who doted on her daughter, stopped what she was doing and asked with concern, “Jing’er, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?” The empress put down the petition and beckoned to her daughter, ’Come, come over to me.’

 

‘Mother, someone is bullying me!‘ Langya Jing complained.

 

The empress laughed in surprise, “Who would dare to bully you?”

’It’s…it’s…‘ Langya Jing stammered embarrassedly, and then remembered that she didn’t even know his name!

’Who is it?’ the empress asked again.

Langya Jing reluctantly admitted, ‘I don’t know his name. I met him in the Hall of Diligent Governance.’

‘Hall of Diligent Governance?’ The empress pondered for a moment. ‘I think I know who it is.’

No one was allowed in except her and the regent, Haitang Xuan. Since it wasn’t her, it must be Haitang Xuan.

Langya Jing’s eyes lit up, ‘You know?’

‘It should be the regent, Haitang Xuan.‘ However, she did not think that Haitang Xuan would bully Langya Jing. “Jing’er, tell me, how did he bully you?”

’He…he spanked me! How outrageous!’ Langya Jing said angrily.

The empress was even more curious. “Why did he hit you?”

Langya Jing pouted. Why didn’t she pursue who did it, but instead asked her why?

‘Are you not angry at all? Don’t you love me anymore?’

The Empress smiled slightly and stroked her hair. ‘Jing’er, I must always know the whole story before I can make a decision for you!’

Although she doted on Langya Jing as a mother, she did not forget that she was also the ruler of a country, and could not act or make decisions based solely on her own selfish desires.

‘It is enough for you to punish Haitang Xuan for me,‘ she said willfully.

’Jing’er, I am the ruler of a country, how can I be partial and self-serving? Tell me, why did Haitang Xuan beat you?’

Although the empress’s tone was gentle, there was already a dignified air of authority in her expression that belied her anger.

Langya Jing bit her lower lip, knowing that her mother was determined to pursue this matter to the end. After a long while, she had to tell the truth.

‘Because he said I trespassed in the Hall of Diligent Governance and tampered with the secret history of the Langya court…’ Langya Jing pulled her mother and said anxiously, ‘But… I didn’t mean to. I read the history books out of curiosity. You won’t blame me, will you?’

Looking at her daughter’s timid little face, the empress knew that she had already realised her mistake, and her expression softened considerably.

“The Hall of Diligence is a secret and important place in the palace. No one can enter without permission, except me and the head of the government. This time you were in the wrong, and since you have already been punished, I will not punish you. However, Jing’er, in the future, you must remember that you are in the royal family and have grown up in the royal family, so you must abide by the royal family’s rules and regulations and not act according to your own likes and dislikes. Understand?’

Langya Jingwei frowned slightly. To be honest, she seemed to understand a little, but not really.

‘How long do I have to do it?’ she asked innocently.

 

‘Every hour, every moment, as long as you are a member of the imperial family, you must continue to observe it.‘

The Empress’s serious expression made the young Langya Jing feel a chill in her heart.

’Even the Empress is no exception?‘ she asked softly.

’Yes, you will gradually understand these principles,’ the Empress said with a slight smile. ’Jing’er, you have never liked studying, so how did you end up reading the secret history in the Hall of Diligent Governance?’

She answered with some embarrassment, ‘At first I was curious, but then I found it interesting.’

The empress was a little surprised.

 

‘Interesting? Which part did you read?’

‘I read about Empress Shengde eloping.’ Seeing her mother’s surprised expression, Langya Jing couldn’t help but ask, ‘Mother, what does “eloping” mean?’

 

The empress was taken aback by Langya Jing’s straightforward question. Faced with her daughter’s frank and clear-eyed gaze, she didn’t know how to answer for a moment.

‘Mother?’

‘Jing’er, my head is starting to hurt again. You go back to the palace. I need to rest for a while.’

The empress knew this was a very poor evasive tactic, but it really wasn’t the right time to explain to her.

‘Yes, Jing’er will take her leave.‘

The young Langya Jing bowed and was about to leave, but the Empress suddenly called out to her.

’Jing’er!’ The Empress said with great caution, “Eloping is an act of escape, and no matter who it is, no one can escape their responsibilities!”

Although I didn’t know why my mother suddenly became so serious, and although Langya Jing didn’t really understand what she was saying, she nodded her head anyway.

At first, I didn’t know what my mother’s intention was in saying these things to me. It wasn’t until long after I ascended the throne as empress that I realised she was trying to teach me about the responsibilities of being the ruler of a country. Even today, the expression on my mother’s face as she said these words is still deeply etched in my mind and will not go away…

Chapter 2

The empress’s illness did not last until the following spring.

The ten-year-old new empress Langya Jing changed the era name to ‘Mingde’, and Haitang Xuan was appointed to the critical situation and was made the ‘regent regent’ to assist the young master.

When Langya Jing learned that the regent who assisted her was actually her first enemy in life, her sadness was quickly replaced by anger.

Langya Jing, dressed in a magnificent palace outfit, pointed angrily at Haitang Xuan’s handsome face, ‘You! I don’t want you to be my regent!’

She hadn’t forgotten how painful it had been when he had spanked her! How dare he take on the future empress! She must avenge this little mouse!

‘You don’t have any other choice.’

Haitang Xuan’s voice was plain, but it was still pleasant to the ear. Whenever he spoke, Langya Jing would uncontrollably cock her ears.

She might just be the first monarch in Langya history to grow fox ears!

Langya Jing snorted, ‘Who says so? Now that I’m the empress, I’m going to banish you to the border, and let Yan Shi be the regent!’

Nayan Shi was the fourth-ranking Imperial Secretary, and had been an official in the court for many years. He knew the ways of the court and flattery very well. When Langya Jing was still a princess, he was always thinking of new ways to please her, so naturally Langya Jing treated Nayan Shi as a trusted confidant.

‘Nayan Shi is alright for the position of Imperial Secretary, but he is not suitable for a more important role,’ Haitang Xuan said lightly.

‘Why?’ she asked defiantly.

That’s strange! Why does Haitang Xuan always like to argue with her?

Haitang Xuan calmly analysed, ’He is not a person of integrity, of poor character, fawning on his superiors and bullying his subordinates. He is not a person of worth.’

Upon hearing this, Langya Jing couldn’t help but laugh mockingly, ‘Ha! So you’re saying that you are a person of high integrity, of high moral character, not fawning and flattering, and kind to your subordinates, right?’

Haitang Xuan endured and said, ‘That’s not what I meant.’

“Really? Okay, let me ask you again, how well do you know Yan Shi?’

Facing the arrogant Langya Jing, Haitang Xuan did not get angry at all.

‘I know everything about his way of being an official.’

‘You only know how he became an official, but you don’t know how he behaves as a person. Before I ascended the throne, his attitude towards me was very respectful, unlike someone…’ She deliberately glanced at Haitang Xuan, ‘not only did he speak insolently, he also got a beating from me!’

‘Your Majesty, no matter how much you dislike me, I am the regent appointed by the late emperor, and I must put the interests of the country and you first.‘ Haitang Xuan’s attitude was always firm and unyielding. “I will never agree to the proposal to promote Na Yan!”

His arbitrary behaviour greatly displeased Langya Jing.

’Do I need your consent to use someone?’

‘Before Your Majesty comes of age, yes,’ he replied calmly.

Damn it! Langya Jing was practically grinding her teeth. She angrily slammed her hand on the small table; “I think, why don’t I just give up my position and let you be the emperor!”

He knew he had angered her, but he would never back down from what he believed to be right.

‘I have no intention of overstepping my bounds, but I cannot compromise the duties entrusted to me by the late emperor.‘

’Are you really that indifferent? Fine! I will grant your wish! I will remove your title of ‘regent’ and banish you to the border!’ Langya Jing angrily ran up to the throne and raised the pen to write the edict abolishing the regent.

‘It’s useless,‘ Haitang Xuan suddenly said.

’What?‘ Langya Jing looked up, and was surprised to find that he wasn’t angry at all, but was smiling instead! His smile made Langya Jing even more angry, as if she really was a child who knew nothing and only made trouble.

’What are you smiling at?’ She was even more angry.

‘Your Majesty, my position as regent was decreed by the late emperor, and you cannot go against the late emperor’s will.‘ He looked at her eyes, which were shining with anger, and said slowly, “It seems that Your Majesty is obviously very unfamiliar with our legal system. I will invite Master Wei to give you a lesson tomorrow.”

A lesson? She hated lessons!

’I don’t want to!’ She refused flatly.

‘No means no. You don’t have a choice.‘ Haitang Xuan’s voice was unyielding and firm.

Not this again!

’You…‘ She was exasperated.

’You must be tired after a long day of coronation preparations, Your Majesty.’ Haitang Xuan didn’t wait for an answer and gave a crisp clap of her hands. ’Come here, servants. Take His Majesty to bed.’

‘Wait, I don’t…‘ Before she could protest, the palace maids immediately obeyed and carried Langya Jing to bed, leaving her with nowhere to vent her anger.

If he thinks this will keep her in check, he’s got another thing coming!

’Damn Haitang Xuan, I’m not going to let you have your way!’ she said angrily as she lay on the bed.

Just wait and see! She’s going to make things difficult for him!

Coo

The next day, in the Hall of Tai Chi –

‘Feng Naiyi is appointed Left Chancellor, with a fief of 1,000 households!’

When the eunuch read out Langya Jing’s edict in an official manner, Haitang Xuan’s face fell.

Langya Jing naturally saw Haitang Xuan’s expression, and for a moment, she felt a sense of triumph!

Nayan Shih stepped forward from the crowd, beaming with joy like an excited dog wagging its tail, and said aloud, ‘Nayan Shih thanks Your Majesty!’

‘Rise, Minister.’

‘Wait!’ Haitang Xuan looked at Langya Jing with a cold face and said, ‘Whose idea was this?’

‘It was my idea,’ Langya Jing looked at him defiantly, looking triumphant, “I am the Empress, who dares not disobey my decree? Do you want to disobey the decree? Regent.”

Once the edict is issued, it is difficult to change! Even if Haitang Xuan is the Regent, he does not have the right to reject the edict.

Haitang Xuan stared at her, never expecting her to issue the edict without authorization.

Langya Jing, on the other hand, looked flippant, as if she were saying, ‘See what you can do about it.’ The air of discord between the two was palpable, and even the courtiers could sense it.

After staring at her for a long time, Haitang Xuan suddenly slammed his hand down on the dragon throne.

‘Court dismissed!’ he said, and then swept away.

As she watched him leave, Langya Jing couldn’t help but break into a smile. A sense of superiority made her very pleased.

Haha! Haitang Xuan, let’s see if you’re better or if I’m better!

Coo

Langya Jing didn’t get to enjoy her victory for long.

Just when Langya Jing thought Haitang Xuan would silently accept her decision, an imperial decree came like a slap in the face, knocking her smile off.

‘By order of the Regent, the Left Chancellor Nayanshik is dismissed!’

Langya Jing jumped up from the throne and angrily asked the chief eunuch, Eunuch Fu, who was standing nearby, “Can the edict of the Regent override the edict of the Empress?”

He dismissed him just like that? What about her as Empress?

Eunuch Fu said cautiously, ‘Your Majesty, according to our laws, before you reach adulthood, the edict of the regent has the same effect as your edict.’

Eunuch Fu’s answer angered Langya Jing. ‘To the Regent’s Palace! I want to ask Haitang Xuan personally what he really wants!’

QQ

It was no surprise to Haitang Xuan that Langya Jing had come looking for him in a rage. He had long expected that it would be next to impossible for Langya Jing to accept the removal of Yan Shiyi with his dignity intact.

Haitang Xuan put down his pen, submitted a petition to the emperor, and slowly got up from behind his desk, while asking, ‘Why isn’t Your Majesty in the Imperial College for classes?’

Langya Jing rudely retorted, ‘Who wants to go to any damn class? I have something to ask you!’

Haitang Xuan raised his eyebrows, ‘I’m all ears.’

His calmness made Langya Jing even more infuriated. She placed the regency decree on his desk and slammed it down, ‘Why did you remove the Left Chancellor, whom I just appointed this morning? Are you deliberately picking on me?’

Haitang Xuan looked at her angry little face with indifference, ‘I don’t have any intention of picking a fight with you, and I already explained the reason yesterday.’

‘Yes! You said that he is not a righteous official, has no integrity, flatters the emperor, and oppresses his subordinates, and that he is not a capable person. However, I think that is simply your personal prejudice!’ Langya Jing accused unhappily.

He must have ulterior motives, that’s why he doesn’t allow her to re-employ any ministers other than him!

Haitang Xuan sighed, ‘Your Majesty, state affairs are not to be trifled with. You are still young and do not understand the dangers of human nature.’

She was unconvinced, ‘You talk as if you know everything. Dare you say you will not be wrong?’

‘I will not,’ he said, looking at her with deep eyes, ‘because I cannot be wrong.’

He cannot be wrong for the sake of the country; he cannot be wrong for her even more.

Langya Jing was dumbfounded.

She never expected him to answer so decisively, and his calm and penetrating eyes shone with the most resolute and wise thoughts.

No! No! He is her enemy. How can she encourage others and destroy her own prestige? He wants to seize power! She can’t take it lightly.

‘Although I am still young, I am the ruler of a country. You cannot abuse the power bestowed upon you by the late emperor to decide everything for me! I will never back down on the appointment of Feng Nanyan as prime minister. If you must interfere, then you might as well remove me from the throne and make yourself emperor!’

This concerns her prestige as a monarch. Even if he is the regent, she doesn’t want to take orders from him in everything. She wants him to understand that she has her own ideas and is not at his mercy!

‘Jing’er!’ he shouted her name, ‘stop messing around!’

Messing around? He actually said she was messing around! Langya Jing was furious!

‘In your eyes, whatever I do is just nonsense. Fine, I’ll just keep on doing it!‘ Langya Jing angrily told the eunuch by her side, “Go back to the palace!”

The Haitang clan sighed again as they watched her leave in anger.

’Jing’er, what am I going to do with you?’

In the past, she was a princess, and he was the prime minister and the prince, so he could lecture her as an elder. But today, she is the ruler of a country, so can he, as a subject, still hit her with a wooden paddle?

He can’t, and he can’t bring himself to do it.

The next day, Haitang Xuan’s worries came true.

Once again, she decreed in front of him and the ministers that Na Yan Shi be appointed prime minister for the second time.

He did not stop her, nor did he order her removal, because he understood that she had made up her mind and would go her own way, no matter how much he advised against it.

c o o

‘Eunuch Fu, is there any movement at the Prince Regent’s palace?‘

Three days had passed since he had made Na Yanshi prime minister for the second time, but this time he did not issue an order to remove her from office. He did not say much about what she had done either. If he had not been there at the time of the announcement, Langya Jing would have thought he knew nothing about it.

’Your Majesty, there has been no movement.’

That was strange! Did he just give in like that?

Langya Jing asked again, ‘Regent, there has been no unusual activity in the past three days?’

‘His Royal Highness has been reviewing documents as usual, sometimes going out of the palace for inspections. Every night, he often summons several ministers to discuss state affairs in the deliberation hall.’

It sounded as if there really had been no difference, but Langya Jing just felt that something was wrong.

This is not how it should be. He is definitely not a man who would condone her reckless behaviour. Could it be that… he has something up his sleeve?

‘Your Majesty, I believe that the Prince must have come to realise his own status, and so dares not meddle in the affairs of state.’ The new Prime Minister, Na Yanshi, who had been waiting nearby, spoke flattering words.

Langya Jing raised an eyebrow, ‘Is that so?’

‘Of course!‘ Nayanshi said decisively, “Since the empress ascended the throne, the regent has been too contemptuous of the monarch, often acting arbitrarily and ignoring the empress. I believe… I believe…”

’What do you believe?’ Langya Jing’s curiosity was completely piqued.

He stammered, ’Well… I dare not say.’

Langya Jing gave him a look, ‘I pardon you, speak!’

‘Thank you, Your Majesty,’ Na Yanshi approached Langya Jing carefully and whispered in her ear, ‘Many people say that the prince is so autocratic and obviously…has selfish motives.’

‘What selfish motives?’ Langya Jing asked suspiciously.

Nayan Shi deliberately dropped a stone into Langya Jing’s ear, ‘Naturally…he wants to usurp Langya and make himself emperor.’

Although Langya Jing had also thought about this, for some reason, when these words came out of Nayan Shi’s mouth, she didn’t want to believe them.

Langya Jing turned her face away, looking disapproving. ‘He wouldn’t do that!’

Haitang Xuan is not that kind of person! A voice sounded in her heart, gradually getting louder.

‘My Empress, you can’t judge a person by their appearance! If not, why would he oppose you at every turn? Take the appointment of me as Prime Minister as an example! If it weren’t for the fear that if I were to be reused by you, it would be detrimental to the Prince, the Prince would not have to go to such lengths as to order the removal of the Prime Minister.’ Nayanshi added fuel to the fire by slandering Haitang Xuan.

Langya Jing muttered, ‘You are not without reason, but…’

But…for some reason, she just didn’t want to believe it.

Haitang Xuan’s eyes were as unfathomable as an ancient well, and no one could ever fathom his thoughts. However, all his rebellious actions were for the Langya Kingdom, and she could not sense any hidden malice in him.

‘Then, Your Excellency,’

‘Your servant is here,’ Na Yanshi replied.

Langya Jing looked straight at him and asked word for word, ‘Have you ever had any problems with the Prince Regent?’

Na Yanshi froze for a moment and suddenly broke out in a cold sweat.

Did she sense something?

‘No, no! There is no such thing,’ Na Yanshi hastily denied.

“Really?’

‘Your servant would never dare deceive Your Majesty.’ After saying this, he carefully tested the waters, “Why does Your Majesty ask?”

Langya Jing analysed without ambiguity, “If you have a grudge against him, then the situation between you is like fire and water, which is understandable.”

Na Yanshi hurriedly said, ’The main reason is the difference in political positions. Your servant is on the Empress’s side. Anyone who threatens Your Majesty’s position is regarded as an enemy by Your servant!’

This impassioned speech made Langya Jing’s heart melt.

‘I really did not misjudge you, Na Qingshi.’

Na Yanshi immediately knelt down to express his gratitude. ‘Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kind words!’

But no one noticed the cunning gleam in Na Yanshi’s lowered eyes…

QQ

Beiling City, Changfu Restaurant

The restaurant was full of distinguished guests.

Everyone in Beiling City knows that the Changfu Restaurant is the premier large restaurant in Beiling City. It is three stories high, and the guests who frequent the Changfu Restaurant are usually wealthy merchants or nobles. In addition to the food, which is delicious no matter how many times you eat it, the restaurant also has private rooms and elegant seating areas, which are convenient for guests to meet and talk in private.

In the Tian Zi Yihao room of the restaurant, courtesans played the famous song ‘Longing for Each Other’ composed by Tang Shaoyi, the top court musician during the Da Zheng dynasty. Inside, there were several high-ranking court officials, all tipsy and laughing heartily, with voluptuous women in their arms.

‘Prime Minister, you are truly a lucky star! In just two days, you have experienced both promotion and demotion, which is an unprecedented record!‘ Lord Cheng laughed.

’Lord Cheng is right,’ Lord Zhi agreed, ’being so favoured by the Empress, the future of Prime Minister will surely be limitless!’

Na Yanxi laughed heartily, ‘Thanks to all of you, if my future unfolds as I hope, I will not forget your kindness!’

The ministers present all felt extremely flattered!

Everyone is in the officialdom, and who doesn’t hope to be promoted by a noble person and rise to the top?

Minister Sun beamed with a smile and said, ‘Sir, I have a question to ask.’

“Please go ahead, Minister Sun,’

‘I would like to know how the prime minister won the empress’s trust and went on to have such a smooth time at court.’

Na Yanshi frowned slightly and didn’t want to answer this question.

This was the secret to his promotion, how could he share it with everyone? Although he had said that the benefits would be shared, that was just a casual remark, only a fool would take it seriously!

‘Actually… it was all the Empress’s doing. She can bestow titles on whoever she pleases. What’s the secret?‘ Na Yanxi evaded the main point and answered.

’But the Chancellor is really something, too. He even got the Empress and the Regent to go head-to-head over your promotion. I really admire him!’

Turning Langya Jing and Haitang Xuan against each other was indeed something Na Yanxi was most proud of.

‘That’s nothing,’ Na Yanshi lifted his wine glass, drained it in one go, and looked already tipsy. ’The empress is just an inexperienced child emperor, how could she possibly tell right from wrong? The power in the court now rests in the hands of the regent Haitang Xuan. If we want to gain a foothold in the court and rise rapidly, we have to find a way to drive a wedge between the empress and the regent, so that we can take advantage of the situation.’

The officials nodded in agreement, ‘Yes, yes! Haitang Xuan hates us ministers the most. With him in charge of the government, there are strict political rules and clear rewards and punishments. We can only watch as all the benefits disappear, which is really frustrating.’

“Fortunately, that official has the trust of the empress. With your escort, our lives should be much more enjoyable in the future!’

Nayan Shi first smiled, then gave a crisp high-five. After sending the courtesan and the woman in his arms out of the room, he shook his head and said, ‘How could things be that simple? That Haitang Xuan can be very tricky! Not only is he from the royal family, but the high position of regent was also bestowed upon him by the late emperor. He will hold all the power until the empress reaches the age of fifteen and becomes empress, and he cannot be deposed. If you want to live a peaceful life, unless…’

“Unless what?’

‘Unless the empress stops trusting him, or…’ He made a gesture of beheading, “assassinate him!”

OOO

The empress’s chambers, the Dazheng Gong

With the sweet fragrance of her bath still on her, the nanny Fu Ma’am and her personal maid Qingqing are dressing her and combing her hair.

‘Do you want to go to bed now? But I don’t want to go to sleep yet!‘ Langya Jingwei pouted, bargaining with her nanny.

’Your Majesty, if you don’t sleep, you won’t be able to get up for the morning assembly tomorrow.‘

’Then let’s cancel the morning assembly.‘ Langya Jingwei said half-seriously.

’Your Majesty really loves to joke.’ Although it’s not funny at all.

At this moment, eunuch Fu walked in and respectfully announced, ‘Your Majesty, the Prince Regent is here to see you!’

Haitang Xuan? What is that persistent fellow doing here?

Langya Jing waved her hand impatiently and said, ‘Tell him I’m tired and want to sleep. Anything else can wait until tomorrow.’

The person who had just been complaining about not wanting to sleep immediately changed his tune. Qingqing snickered on the side and was given a stern glare by Langya Jing.

‘But… His Majesty says it’s important and he must see you.‘

Important! As long as it’s about him, it’s important! She has no choice but to listen.

’Send him in,‘ she said unhappily.

’Yes!’ Eunuch Fu left to carry out his orders, and in a moment, Haitang Xuan walked into the palace. He was dressed in his travelling clothes and wearing a black cloak, looking handsome and outstanding.

‘Your Majesty, please come with me out of the palace.‘ Haitang Xuan turned to Qingqing and said, “Prepare a body warmer and get the Empress a warm outer garment.”

’Wait!’ His arbitrary and domineering behaviour made Langya Jing angry. “I didn’t say I was going with you.”

Haitang Xuan was simply presumptuous! He didn’t take her, the Empress, seriously at all.

‘You must go,‘ he said firmly and without question. “I want you to witness for yourself what your trusted and favoured ministers are doing!”

This remark aroused Langya Jing’s sense of crisis. “What does this mean?”

’You’ll find out soon enough.’

COO

When Nayanchi revealed his murderous intent, the ministers drew in a collective gasp.

‘Sir, if these words get out, it could be a capital offence!‘ The timid Minister Cheng was pale, and the others’ faces were no better.

Na Yanzuo, on the other hand, looked calm.

‘If we don’t kill him, are we just waiting for him to kill us?’

Everyone looked at each other. ‘No… it can’t be that serious, can it?’

‘That’s hard to say! Right now he’s the regent with all the power, and it’s easy for him to take anyone’s life! Do you think he doesn’t know what the courtiers are doing behind his back?‘

When he said that, everyone became even more uneasy.

’What… what should we do?’ Lord Zhi touched his neck, looking scared, as if his head would disappear at any moment.

‘Don’t worry, we have a king’s piece in our hands,‘ Na Yanshi said confidently.

’What the prime minister means is Her Majesty the Empress?’ Wu asked.

‘Exactly! As long as we control this king’s piece, Haitang Xuan will be useless even if he has all the power in his hands! After all, he is only a prince.‘ Na Yanshi said complacently, “We can do whatever we want then, and the empress will definitely obey. We can then use her to kill Haitang Xuan, so that we can rest assured.”

’What a good plan to kill two birds with one stone!’ A cold female voice sounded outside the door.

‘Isn’t it?‘

’Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!’

Everyone nodded in agreement, but then suddenly there was dead silence.

Why is there a girl’s voice?

Everyone’s gaze glanced towards the door at the same time, and they saw Langya Jing’s rosy lips smiling faintly, her pair of black and white watery eyes writing extraordinary anger, and beside her stood the tall and graceful Haitang Xuan, with a solemn chill on his absolutely handsome face, so chilling that it made people shudder.

Suddenly, everyone was dumbfounded, their mouths wide open but unable to make a sound. Their hearts cried out in unison, ‘Oh my God! Disaster is upon us!’

000

That was the first time I had exercised my right to execute since ascending the throne.

Yes, I executed a group of traitorous ministers led by Yana.

Only now do I fully understand my naivety, and finally understand the importance of Haitang Xuan to me. In the past, his arbitrary actions always made me, the titular empress, angry, but when I understood his good intentions, I became very dependent on him and regarded him as the most important person in my life.

Haitang Xuan, a man with a handsome face like a celestial being, an elegant temperament like a poem, piercing eyes like a blade, a pleasant voice like music, a warm smile like the spring sun, and a proud heart like a mountain. He is not only an outstanding man, but also an outstanding regent. Without his assistance, I would not be where I am today.

Chapter 3

In the winter of the third year of Mingde, it was snowing heavily.

Thirteen-year-old Langya Jing was wearing a warm white rabbit-fur collar over her red court dress, and she was crouching at the window, playing in the snow, with a fluffy little ferret in her arms. The little ferret was licking the cold snowflakes in her hand, which tickled her and made her giggle.

‘Your Majesty, the ministers are all here. They respectfully request that you attend the imperial court,’ said Lord Fu.

Langya Jing asked without turning her head: ‘Where is Haitang Xuan?’

‘His Royal Highness is waiting for you in the throne room.’

‘Sigh! Just let him handle it. What does it matter if I go to the throne room or not?’ She pouted.

Yan Shi’s betrayal had dealt her a severe blow and made her reflect on herself. This was originally a good thing, but after recognising the palace’s intrigues, Langya Jing became disinterested in politics.

‘Your Majesty is already thirteen years old, why do you still speak so childishly?’

‘Xuan!’ She happily ran into his arms and rubbed against him intimately. ‘Why are you here?’

The clever little ferret, fearing that she would be squashed like a pancake, had already leapt lightly over Langya Jing’s shoulders and escaped.

‘I came to see why you haven’t gone to the palace yet,’ he said, brushing the snowflakes from the ends of her hair and glancing once more at the open window. He understood everything already.

‘I don’t feel well, I’m dizzy, so I’m taking the day off from the palace,’ she pretended to be weak.

Haitang Xuan smiled, not being fooled by this sly person.

He tapped her nose and exposed her little trick. ‘I think you just don’t want to go to court because you’ve had fun playing in the snow, right?’

When her lie was exposed, Langya Jing couldn’t help but pout and complain, ‘You know, so why did you have to expose me?’

Damn it, can’t he turn a blind eye when the Empress skips work for once?

‘Because you are the ruler of a country, and a ruler must not joke, even if it is just an inoffensive lie,‘ Haitangzu said sternly.

Facing his admonition, she was always at his mercy.

’Ai, ai—you’re doing it again,’ Langya Jing said, afraid that he was going to lecture her again, and hastily agreed, “I’ll go to the morning assembly. I didn’t say I wouldn’t go.”

Like hell she didn’t! She had just been planning to pretend to be sick and not go to the morning assembly.

He looked at her with deep concern in his eyes. ‘Is attending the morning court really such a pain for you?’

Langya Jing wrinkled her nose. ‘Of course! Not to mention the misery of being dragged out of bed early. At court, there’s always this and that to be submitted, so boring! Anyway, it doesn’t matter if I go or not, you, the regent, can always get things done properly. Everything is fine as long as you’re there.’

‘Your Majesty!‘ Her irresponsibility almost made Haitang Xuan want to sigh. “You are the ruler of a country, and I am only the assistant prime minister. I cannot decide everything for you, and you cannot rely on me so much.”

Langya Jing smiled without being offended, and put all the blame on him.

’The late emperor entrusted me to you before he died. Who else can I rely on if not you? In this court, I can only trust you!’

And it was complete trust, a complete surrender.

‘You…’

Langya Jing picked up the little ferret and gave a charming smile.

‘Let’s go! It’s time for the court.’

Haitang Xuan frowned slightly. ‘You’re taking it to the court?’

‘The court is so boring. What if I accidentally doze off? Snowball can keep me company!‘ Seeing his face fall slightly, she pouted, “Let me take it! I’ll hide it in my sleeve, okay?”

Although Haitang Xuan knew he shouldn’t indulge her like this, when he saw her pleading, watery eyes, he couldn’t bear to refuse.

’This will never happen again!’ he warned.

Langya Jing broke into a smile and said to the ferret, ‘That’s great! Snowball, did you hear that? You can go to court with me!’

Her happy smile was as pretty as a red plum, and her slender figure was as graceful as a green willow. He couldn’t help but feel his heart stir, and his burning gaze followed her slender figure, never moving for a long time…

Coo

‘If there is anything to report, report it; if there is nothing to report, the meeting is adjourned.’ Langya Jingzhao recited the words of the book without any creativity, while praying in her heart that the ministers would have nothing to report.

Unfortunately, God did not hear her prayers, and one of the ministers stepped forward and said aloud, “Your servant, Zhou Ziwei, has something to report!”

Sigh… ’Speak!’

‘Recently, there have been heavy snowfalls and an avalanche on Hengbing Mountain, besieging 500 households on the mountain. I have already dispatched 1,000 soldiers to the rescue and temporarily settled the displaced people in the government guesthouse. Please, Your Majesty, make a decision.’

Langya Jing nodded, ‘Send more people to rescue all the people as soon as possible, give compensation to the casualties, settle the survivors, and at the same time open the granary to provide relief, and assist in reconstruction after the snow season.’ She turned to Haitang Xuan, who was sitting on the right side of the dragon throne, ‘What do you think, Your Highness?’

‘Please order the Ministry of Works to dig a canal at the foot of Hengbing Mountain, 20 li from north to south, so that after the snow melts, the snowmelt can be used to irrigate the fields.’ In this way, the problem of insufficient water in the Beiling Canal in the summer can be solved.

Haitang Xuan is always so far-sighted and really has the bearing of a natural ruler. Langya Jing can’t think of why she was so disgusted with him at first and regarded him as an enemy.

Langya Jing stroked the little ferret in his arms and readily agreed, ‘As you wish, Prince Regent.’

‘Your servant obeys.’

After Zhou Ziwei had left, another minister approached.

“Your Majesty, you are already thirteen years old and in the prime of youth. Our royal family has always had the custom of marrying young, so should we not choose a husband for Your Majesty?’

Upon hearing this, Langya Jing could not help but stop in his tracks, and looked at Haitang Xuan almost mischievously. ‘Your Highness, what do you think?’

If it weren’t for the minister’s reminder, he would have simply ignored Langya Jing’s marriage.

Haitang Xuan only frowned slightly and responded coldly, ‘The empress is still young, there is no rush.’

Haitang Xuan’s refusal made the minister a little taken aback. ‘Although the empress is young, she should be betrothed first, and the marriage should be held after the empress’s coming-of-age ceremony when she turns fifteen.’

Seeing that Haitang Xuan’s brows had furrowed even deeper, Langya Jing couldn’t help but smile inwardly, and the little ferret in her arms also seemed to understand, as it gave a slight grin.

Good boy, Snowball! I’ve not petted you for nothing!

‘So, what about the subject?‘ Haitang Xuan asked. “Does Lord Zhao have a roster of suitable candidates in his hands?”

’The roster is here.’

Lord Zhao held up the book and a eunuch handed it to Haitang Xuan.

Haitang Xuan flipped through the book, scanning the names listed one by one; Langya Jing, however, was not even interested in taking a look. She was more interested in how Haitang Xuan would handle this matter.

‘The Prince of Wuwei, although he is a member of the imperial family, is fond of fighting and is not a suitable match for the Empress. The Marquis of Zhengyi is a drunkard and womaniser, and has no respect for anyone! The Marquis of Huaixi is well-read but weak and sickly, and the rest are even worse!’

Haitang Xuan narrowed her eyes in dissatisfaction and, extremely displeased, flung the list down from the throne. ’Zhao Fu, are these the suitable candidates you think they are?!’

Zhao Fu, who had never seen Haitang Xuan angry before, was so scared that he went pale, his knees weak and he fell to the ground, trembling and begging for forgiveness.

‘Your servant deserves to die! Your Highness, spare my life! Spare my life…’

“The empress’s marriage is not to be taken lightly. If there is a suitable candidate in the future, the ministers can submit another report.’

Seeing the rarely angry Haitang Xuan lose his temper for the first time was no easy feat! Haitang Xuan’s out-of-control appearance was so interesting that it was not in vain for his marriage to be brought to the court and discussed openly in her disregard.

Langya Jing suppressed his laughter and said with composure, ‘Let’s do as the Prince Regent wishes and adjourn the court!’

000

Since the end of the court, Haitang’s furrowed brows have never eased, as if there were some eternal problem troubling him. But she loves his expression, especially when he is torn between two sides and worried about something related to her.

She admits that sometimes her naughtiness and coquetry are all about seeing the look of worry on his face. She has to do it to prove that he cares about her.

‘The Marquis of Wuwei, the Marquis of Zhengyi, and the Marquis of Huaixi are not suitable as my husband, so who is?’ Hugging her beloved pet, Langya Jing playfully raised her eyes and peeked at Haitang Xuan.

Haitang Xuan answered without hesitation, ‘A man who is worthy of you must be wise and brave, sharp and perceptive, and possess the qualities of a husband, a king’s consort and a teacher. He must be able to shoulder the heavy burden that ordinary people cannot bear and protect your future with the princes…’

In other words, he must be able to go to the palace and enter the palace, and he must also be able to lead troops in battle and govern the country!

Langya Jing impatiently interrupted him and exclaimed, ‘Oh dear! I want a husband, not a prime minister or a general!’

And ‘skilled in both peace and war, wise and courageous’ too! Does he think she’s taking the imperial examinations? He really doesn’t understand women!

“You are the ruler of a country, so your husband naturally cannot be an ordinary person.’

‘Even if I am the ruler of a country, deep down I am no different from an ordinary girl, and I long for happiness just like everyone else!’

As a woman, the happiest thing is of course to marry a husband who treats her with all his heart, and she firmly believes this.

Hearing her slightly exasperated tone, Haitang Xuan suddenly stopped in his tracks, grabbed her slender shoulders, and asked incredulously, “You want to get married?”

The fact that she would say something like this means that she already knows what love is!

She knows what love is!

His straightforward question and penetrating gaze made Langya Jing blush suddenly; but despite her embarrassment, she did not give up provoking him.

Langya Jing shrugged, ‘Why not? The royal family has always married young, hasn’t it?’

‘Do you have someone in mind?’ he pressed again.

A tangle of extremely complex feelings twisted in his heart and chest, unable to tell if they were urgent or not.

Of course there is! He is right in front of her, even though he is far away.

Who in the world could understand her so well? Who could she entrust everything to with confidence? As early as three years ago, after she understood his good intentions, she quietly let his figure enter her heart.

However, it is better not to say anything for now! She doesn’t want to scare him away.

‘Jing’er!‘ he shouted.

Oh, wow! He called her name. Unfortunately, the tone wasn’t quite right; it should have been softer, but… well, one should be content with what one has and not expect too much.

’I just won’t tell, so what are you going to do about it?’ she said, smiling and provoking him recklessly.

Haitang Xuan knew Langya Jing’s character well. If she insisted on not telling him, she would be like a clam, and would rather die than spit out a grain of sand.

He grabbed her slender shoulders and insisted, ‘Are you sure your feelings for him are love, not childish infatuation?’

Langya Jing thought about it. She had been infatuated for a long time, but it seemed that it had really turned into love.

His worried expression made her heart melt. She blinked her big, black-and-white eyes and looked at him innocently.

‘What’s the difference? Aren’t they both feelings of affection?’

Her answer obviously didn’t satisfy Haitang Xuan.

He narrowed his eyes, and although his tone was still the elegant Beijing accent she liked, it revealed a barely perceptible warning.

‘I’ll find out who that person is.’

“What are you going to do?’

She pretended to look surprised and uneasy, but in fact she was full of anticipation. Would he find out that the man she loved was actually him?

The usually warm and gentle gaze of the Haitang clan grew a little cold.

“Expel him.’

‘Haha! Do you know what he said?‘ Langya Jing laughed unrestrainedly, then his expression became serious as he imitated Haitang Xuan’s tone and expression, “He said, ”Expel him’! Hahaha!‘

His reaction proved that he cared about her, so why wouldn’t she be happy?

’Your Majesty, be careful not to laugh too hard and slip your tongue,’ Feng Yunshao leisurely turned the pages of a book, warning without looking up.

Feng Yunshao, the Grand Secretary of the Wenyuange Academy and the ‘imperial tutor’, is the last remaining one after Langya Jingyi has successively dismissed seven imperial tutors.

Although Feng Yunshao was appointed by Haitang Xuan to teach the empress the classics, history, philosophy, and imperial studies, and the history of imperial systems, he never expected that after a period of time, good would no longer prevail over evil. Feng Yunshao, who was supposed to set a good example for others, had been completely corrupted by his students, and had since fallen into the abyss. He reads his books, and she talks about her gossip. The two of them ramble about all kinds of things, forming a subtle and peculiar balance.

‘No way, don’t curse me,‘ she glared at Feng Yunshao, feeling that he was really not being nice. “Master, are you actually listening to me?”

She was here talking enthusiastically and excitedly, but was he actually listening?

Feeling her resentful gaze, Feng Yunshao put down his book and looked at her helplessly.

’Of course I am, but I don’t see what’s so funny,’

She was puzzled. ‘Why not? If he didn’t care about me, he wouldn’t have said that. Isn’t that worth being happy about?’

Feng Yunshao poured herself a cup of fragrant tea, took a sip, and then asked slowly, ‘Your Majesty, are you sure that he cares?’

She crossed her arms and asked in return, ‘Isn’t that so?’

‘Not necessarily.’ You shouldn’t be so sure about something you’re not sure about.

Langya Jing was surprised. ‘What do you mean?’

Feng Yunshao gazed around at the white smoke of the tea, her expression carefree.

‘Your Majesty’s deduction is too arbitrary. First, you are the monarch and he is the subject. It is out of the relationship between monarch and subject that a subject would care about the monarch’s marriage. Second, you are young and he is old. When your definition of love fails to convince him and he is eager to protect you, he will most likely take action to isolate you. That is why he had the idea of ‘expelling’ you.’

Feng Yunshao easily refuted her thoughts, which made her a little annoyed. A good romantic thing turned into ‘the righteousness of the monarch and the minister’ after he analysed it, which was really the ultimate killjoy!

She angrily said, ‘You don’t know anything at all, he—’

Feng Yunshao raised the corner of his lips and pointed out the obvious. ‘You’re angry, which means I’ve hit the nail on the head.’

Langya Jing was at a loss for words when she was in a false state of calm!

Looking at his knowing eyes, she reluctantly pouted and complained, ‘Can’t you just say something nice? You always have to probe my innermost thoughts.’

Feng Yunshao did not change his character as the imperial tutor. Whenever he spoke, it was either a sincere admonition or a quote from the classics.

‘Your Majesty, as the saying goes, ‘Only protect the sore foot if it hurts’. It means that if there is no injury on the foot, then there is no need to protect that area in particular. Extrapolating to the current situation, it can be interpreted as meaning that if you have no doubts in your heart, then you will not be afraid of people probing you.‘

Langya Jing could not help but laugh and cry at the same time.

’You really can’t get away from your profession in three sentences.’

Feng Yunshao laughed, ‘Your Majesty is wrong again. “Love” is not my profession, but everyone’s.’

Langya Jing’s agile eyes rolled around, and she gave a wicked smile. ‘Master, so you have someone in your heart?’

Feng Yunshao saw the way she was smiling with ulterior motives, and she knew what she was up to in her heart.

‘What? You want to pry into my affairs?‘

’I don’t know who just said, ‘If you have no doubts in your heart, you won’t be afraid of others prying,’ but you won’t be quick to throw a stone at your own feet, will you?’ She triumphantly turned the tables on him.

Feng Yunshao gave a small bitter smile.

This girl is really a sly one!

Feng Yunshao had no choice but to reply, ’Yes, I have someone I care about.’

Langya Jing’s eyes lit up. What kind of woman could make Feng Yunshao, known as the ‘phoenix-like genius’, fall in love?

Her curiosity was piqued, ‘Who is she? Tell me!’

Feng Yunshao smiled, ‘What do you know about this?’

“Curious… No, marriage proposal! By the way, I can decree that you marry her!’

Feng Yunshao couldn’t help but laugh at the little empress, who was so keen on his marriage.

‘Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty, but I cannot tell you.’ That was a secret he kept deep in his heart.

Langya Jing’s little face fell, and she looked very disappointed.

‘Why?’ she pursued.

‘It is impossible for us to be together.’ There were many difficulties between them, and simply loving each other would not be enough to solve everything.

‘I am the Empress, and I can make the impossible possible.’ No matter the disparity in status, the distance between them, or the many differences between him and the one he loved, she would find a way to bridge those gaps!

He shook his head, “The problems between us are not something even the Empress can solve.”

So, is it a case of life and death? Langya Jing didn’t have the courage to pry into his wounds any further.

After a moment of silence, she asked in a small voice, ‘What is she like?’

Feng Yunshuo tilted his head slightly and thought for a moment. ‘She is a lonely and isolated person. Her back always makes people afraid of losing her and want to hold her tightly. One must never take one’s eyes off her, or she will disappear in the blink of an eye.’

She understood that feeling. Like Feng Yunshuo, she kept the person she loved close to her heart and never forgot for a moment.

‘Love is beautiful, but also barbaric. It can change a person, making them jealous, irritable, caring, unreasonable, aggressive, and even taste the sweetest pain of their lives. But one must experience this once to know that it was not a wasted life.’ Feng Yunshao lowered her eyes and looked at the teacup in her hands. ’Ah, the tea is cold.’

Is it the tea that has cooled, or is it my heart? A sudden doubt crossed Langya Jing’s mind.

‘Master,’ she suddenly called out to him.

Feng Yunshuo raised his eyebrows, ‘Hm?’

‘I will have the imperial kitchen warm your favourite Chrysanthemum Dew Tea every day!’ In that way, his heart will never grow cold!

Feng Yunshuo’s lips curved into a smile, and the gloom on his face dispersed.

‘Thank you, Your Majesty.’

My imperial tutor, Feng Yunshao, has always given me the impression of being detached and indifferent. He is always leisurely studying his knowledge, composing poems and sipping tea. Perhaps because he is so carefree, he is like an extremely hidden presence in the imperial court.

Such a seemingly unambitious person actually hides a very passionate love in his heart, and I am deeply interested in the object of his affection. Later, I finally met his lover…to be honest, it took me by surprise.

He didn’t force me to study much, but in the course of our conversations, he would correct my views. I was quite fond of him, and I felt that he would talk about anything, including love.

His views on love had a profound influence on me. From his words, I seemed to glimpse his extremely concealed emotional pain, that other side that he didn’t want anyone to know about. I’m grateful to him for telling me those words, so that in the future, when I face the bitterness of love, I will have something to hold on to.

After Haitang Xuan, he is the second person I trust most.

Chapter 4

February 15th is the Ice Lantern Festival of Langya Kingdom. At this time, the entire territory of Langya Kingdom is in the snow season, and the view is magnificent and vast.

Langya Jing, who loved festivals, had long ago ordered the preparation of ice lanterns, intending to hang them along the corridors of the palace to form a dragon of light.

Langya Jing admired the ten ice lanterns in his bedroom and couldn’t put them down. His maid, Gui’er, ran excitedly in and said, ‘Your Majesty, the two ice lanterns you specially ordered have arrived!’

Langya Jing smiled happily, ‘Really? Where are they?’

Gui’er waved her hand at the two little eunuchs outside, ‘Bring them in quickly.’

The two ice lanterns were brought in, one with a carved begonia and the other with a carved phoenix. Anyone with a discerning eye could easily guess that the ice lantern with the carved begonia was made for someone in particular.

‘This was carved by Master Quan of the Qionglin Hall, wasn’t it?’ Langya Jing confidently guessed.

‘Your Majesty has a good eye!‘

’It’s beautifully carved!‘ Staring at the crystal-clear ice lantern, Langya Jing couldn’t stop praising it. He asked Qingqing next to him, “Qingqing, do you think the Princess will like it?”

’Your Majesty is giving the gift, the Prince will definitely like it.’ Qingqing looked at the other lantern and said, ’Your Majesty, is the other lantern with the phoenix your lantern?’

Langya Jing smiled slightly, ‘This one? This is for my master Feng Yunshao.’

She picked up the exquisite phoenix ice lantern and handed it to the young eunuch, ‘Deliver it to Scholar Feng’s residence for me. Remember, be careful with it! If you break a corner, you will be punished with a month of hard labour, understood?’

‘Yes! Your servant will be careful!’

The young eunuch took it with trepidation, walking carefully as if he were walking on thin ice.

‘Your Majesty, would you like me to take the other Begonia Lantern to the Prince Regent’s Palace?‘ Jia Er asked smartly.

’No,’ she said, smiling as she caressed the finely carved Begonia Ice Lantern, “I want to give it to him with my own hands.”

Gui Er and Qing Qing smiled at each other.

It turned out that Her Majesty the Empress had fallen for the Prince Regent!

Before she could finish thinking, the eunuch Fu announced, ‘The Prince Regent requests an audience!’

Langya Jing smiled. ‘Perfect timing, announce it quickly.’

He came just as she was thinking about him.

When Haitang Xuan saw the ice palace lanterns filling the room, he frowned slightly.

“Your Majesty, what are you doing?’

‘I’m admiring the lanterns,‘ she said, taking his hand and showing him. “Look! These ice lanterns will be used in the Ice Lantern Festival in three days” time. Aren’t they beautiful?’

Haitang Xuan’s brows furrowed even deeper.

Langya Jing picked up one of the lanterns and held it in front of him, grinning, ‘Here! This is an ice lantern I had specially made and I’m giving it to you.’

Haitang Xuan did not take it. He stared at the lamp, expressionless.

It was an ice lamp with a pattern of begonias carved into it, obviously specially made for him.

Seeing that he did not say anything for a long time, Langya Jing’s face fell slightly.

‘Xuan, don’t you like it?’ Why did he not look happy at all?

Hai Tang Xuan did not reply, but made a gesture, saying to Gui’er and Qingqing, ‘You may leave us. I have something to discuss with His Majesty.’

‘Yes.’

After they had left, Langya Jing asked in puzzlement, ‘What’s wrong? Has something happened? You don’t look well! Are you ill? I’ll have the imperial doctor come and see you…’

“Your Majesty, I’m not ill. I have something to tell you.’

His expression was almost serious, and Langya Jing looked at him with some unease.

‘What is it?’

Haitang Xuan threw the entire stack of official business on the desk with a wave of his hand.

It was only now that Langya Jing noticed that he was holding some submissions in his hand.

Langya Jing raised an eyebrow, ‘Is there a problem with these documents?’

‘Of course there is,’ he said, looking at her with a hint of reproach in his eyes, “why is there no instruction from you on these documents?”

Langya Jing let out a sigh of relief and smiled. So that’s what it was about!

She said nonchalantly, ’Oh, well…just leave it to you to handle. You always handle it very well, so I don’t have anything to worry about.’

After all, as long as it was Haitang Xuan’s instructions, she would follow them to the letter and decree, ‘Do as the Prince Regent wishes.’ She had no interest in politics, and since she had Haitang Xuan backing her, she could rest assured.

Her irresponsible attitude angered Haitang Xuan, who was always calm.

‘Your Majesty, I am only your advisor, and I do not have the right to make decisions on my own.’ Haitang Xuan was slightly angered.

Had he spoiled her? In order to make Langya Jing’s throne more secure, he had taken on almost all the major and minor affairs, but unexpectedly, the opposite had happened. Instead, she had become overly dependent on him, pushing political affairs onto him and then ignoring them.

Langya Jing was a little surprised by Haitang Xuan’s answer.

‘But didn’t you used to handle everything?’

He said with deep concern, ’That was because you were young. Now you’re thirteen, it’s time for you to start learning to take charge. In two years, when you become an adult, I, as the regent, will have to step down. Who will be there to help you then?’

Langya Jing’s eyes twinkled as she quickly made a decision. ‘Then I decree that you are not allowed to relinquish your position as regent.’

‘Jing!’ He couldn’t believe she was being so reckless!

She said with absolute certainty, ‘Xuan, if you stop being regent, then I will abdicate!’

She actually threatened him like that!

‘You can’t do that! The acting regent must relinquish the regency when the empress comes of age. That’s the rule!‘

Langya Jing was not going to be swayed.

’Rules are made by people. If worst comes to worst, we can change them.‘ She was the empress. Who could do anything to her?

Is this the monarch he was determined to protect? How could she be so unreasonable! Haitang Xuan said with deep sorrow, “What you’re doing is no different from that of a ”foolish king’.’

‘I am not a foolish king, I am a puppet king. I am a puppet like a marionette, and you are the puppeteer manipulating me, controlling everything about me,’ including her heart. ’If you let go of the strings controlling me, the puppet will fall. Xuan, do you understand?’

She gazed at his handsome but pained face and whispered, ‘You are the most important person to me. I rely on you. I don’t want to be alone in this position.’

He turned away and said coldly, ‘Since you are the empress, you cannot say such things.’

She said defiantly, ‘Then I’ll just be Langya Jing, not the empress, okay?’

She didn’t want to be the empress at all, she just wanted to be his wife!

‘Jing’er!’ How could she be so willful?

She rushed recklessly into his arms and buried her little face in his chest, ‘I don’t want you to abdicate, I won’t allow it!’

Haitang Xuan’s body suddenly stiffened. Her overdependence made him feel a trace of sweet bitterness in his heart.

He was a failed regent. His desperate desire to take control of the regime had instead led Langya Jing to become addicted to power and enjoy his leisure!

This couldn’t continue! He had taken on the task of acting regent, not so that Langya Jing could indulge in self-destruction and become an emperor!

If he didn’t find a solution, then Jing would never pull herself together!

He pushed her away, performed a formal bow with a lack of familiarity, and his usually warm eyes became cold.

‘Please Your Majesty, please give your prompt instructions on the petition. I take my leave.’

‘Xuan! Xuan! Xuan…’ She chased after him, calling out to him, but he did not turn back.

Stunned, she watched his resolute figure as he left, and the ice lantern in her hand fell to the ground without her noticing, shattering into a thousand pieces.

Langya Jing felt a chill run through her body for the first time in her life. She had a vague feeling that with Haitang Xuan leaving like this, he might very well leave her life…

QQ

From that day on, the Prince Regent stopped reviewing the petitions. He even made up an excuse to stay away from the palace.

Langya Jing visited personally more than once, and also sent envoys to the palace to offer condolences, but Haitang Xuan always refused to see them, simply saying, ‘The minister is bedridden and cannot receive visitors.’

Not being able to see Haitang Xuan made Langya Jing feel unsupported. Annoying matters, big and small, came one after the other, and the petitions sent from the provinces were like a mountain of paper. Langya Jing, who lacked experience in governing, was very headache, so he simply threw it all aside.

The Langya Empire, which had lost Haitangxuan, was now in the most chaotic period of its internal affairs since its establishment. Within less than a month, news of a border incursion by the neighbouring country of Yueyuan spread.

At this point, Langya Jing could no longer ignore it. She looked at the ministers and asked, ‘Is there anyone who is willing to lead the troops to the border to quell the chaos?’

In the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the officials looked at each other, none daring to agree rashly and go to their deaths for nothing.

‘Speak up! Usually you make long-winded speeches, full of sound arguments, but now that there is a matter of life and death, has everyone gone mute?’

One military commander stepped forward, stammering, ‘Your Majesty…’

“Jinwu Wuhou, do you want to lead the troops out?’

The military governor hurriedly shook his head, ‘No… I only think that the matter of sending troops out should be discussed thoroughly and we must not rush headlong…’

Langya Jing said coldly, ‘If we don’t send troops out now, do we have to wait until the Yuyuan army is at the gates of the city and I have to go surrender in mourning clothes?’

Langya Jing’s words made all the military officers lower their heads in shame.

Seeing this, Langya Jing became even more angry. She slammed her hand on the dragon-shaped desk and said, full of emotion, ‘Since no one wants to lead the troops into battle, then I will lead by example and personally lead the troops into battle!

The courtiers were terrified when Langya Jing said this.

’Your Majesty, calm down! Your Majesty, calm down!‘

’Your Majesty, this is absolutely not acceptable…’

‘Your Majesty, please reconsider!‘

The voices of the officials and scholars could not change Langya Jing’s decision, until a slender figure walked into the Taiji Hall, and a calm and pleasant voice silenced the noise of the officials…

’Your Majesty, I volunteer to lead the army into battle!‘

Langya Jing drew a breath, looking at the man incredulously.

’…Xuan?!’

Yes, he is Haitang Xuan, the man who educated and assisted her and in whom she had placed her trust.

Seeing him again, Langya Jing almost wanted to rush into his arms regardless of the consequences, but when she saw his distant gaze, a deep pain seemed to pierce her heart.

Everyone fell silent and looked at Haitang Xuan with joy.

Excellent! If the Prince Regent leads the troops, we will definitely win a resounding victory!

The Minister of War, Lord Mei, said happily, ‘Your Majesty, the Prince Regent is both wise and brave. He is a strategist who can plan and win battles from thousands of miles away. If the Prince Regent personally leads the troops, our morale will be boosted and we will return in triumph!’

Langya Jing cast a fierce glance at him and mocked, ‘Minister Mei, as long as it’s not you, you will agree wholeheartedly, no matter who it is.’

Minister Mei was so humiliated that he sheepishly shut up.

‘Your Majesty,’ Haitang Xuan said calmly, ‘please allow me to lead an army to the border to quell the rebellion.’

Her heart ached as she heard his request.

Was this his revenge? If so, it was the cruellest possible.

Without hesitation, she refused, ‘You are not a military commander, you are not allowed!’

‘Your Majesty, I may not be a military commander, but I am well-versed in the art of war, and I know how to plan and lay out strategies.

‘Stop talking!’

How could she let him go to war? If anything happened, how could she bear it?

‘Your Majesty…’

Haitang Xuan was about to speak again, but Langya Jing refused to listen, and abruptly got up from his seat, ‘The court is adjourned!’

co o

How could he treat her like that? How could he?

After the court session, Langya Jing locked herself in her chambers and cried bitterly on her bed.

After a while, Gui’er brought lunch and timidly said to her master, who was crying his heart out, ‘Your Majesty, it’s time to eat.’

She shouted angrily and sadly, ‘No, no! Take it away!’

Let her starve to death, no one will miss her anyway!

‘But…how can you bear it if you don’t eat? If you get sick from hunger…‘

Langya Jing yelled childishly, “Sick from hunger? It would be better to just starve to death! Then the whole country of Langya would be happy and celebrate!”

A wisp of melancholy sigh suddenly sounded, accompanied by a voice that seemed like music from heaven.

’Jing’er, is that really what you think?’

Hearing Haitang Xuan’s voice, Langya Jing’s temper flared.

She grabbed the pillow on the dragon bed and threw it over, choking and shouting, ‘Get out! I don’t want to see you!’

If it weren’t for him, she wouldn’t be so angry!

Haitang Xuan grabbed her slender wrist and pulled her into his arms. ‘Listen to me, Jing’er!’

‘What’s there to say? You’re the Prince Regent, you can do whatever you like, what do I care?’ She was fuming like a cat with its tail stepped on. ‘If you hate me so much that you’re willing to go to war and die, then go! I swear I won’t shed a tear when you’re dead—ah!’

Haitang Xuan kissed her forehead, then held her close in his arms, careful and precious, as if she were the most important woman in his life.

Langya Jing opened her tearful eyes in his arms, completely losing her ability to speak.

He sighed and stroked her black, silky hair. ‘When did I ever say I hated you? You can even come up with such a contrived argument!’

Ah—it was her most familiar gentle voice! Langya Jing couldn’t help but have tears welling up in her eyes again.

‘Isn’t it true? You avoided seeing me for an entire month, and as soon as we met, you volunteered to go to the battlefield… What else could I think?’ she accused sadly.

Closing his eyes, he said gently, ‘It’s not what you think. I admit that I’ve been avoiding you, but that’s because I blame myself for being so indulgent with you, spoiling you rotten. I’m afraid to see you because I’m afraid that if I do, I’ll waver in my determination not to get involved.’

After a period of reflection, he deeply understood how far-reaching her influence over him was.

Langya Jing’s heart was warm, but she still had to be reasonable.

‘What a touching excuse. Do you think I’ll believe you?’

He gazed deeply into her eyes. ‘I never lie, Jing’er. You know that.’

Looking into his deep eyes, Langya Jing almost forgot that she was angry.

She turned her face away and pouted her red lips. ‘Then, how do you explain volunteering to lead the army into battle?’

‘There are no generals in Shu, so naturally I am duty-bound. After all, I am the regent! I must not only support the country, but also protect it. I cannot allow Langya to be invaded in the slightest, do you understand?’

His reasons were impeccable and impossible to refuse.

‘I don’t care, I just don’t want you to go to war!‘ She clung to him, like a child afraid of being left behind, “Send whoever you want, I just don’t want you to go, I forbid you to go.”

He laughed softly, “Are you afraid I won’t come back?”

She felt her body stiffen, and Haitang Xuan knew she had hit the mark.

’I will definitely come back, Jing’er.’ Because he was worried about her, he would never allow himself to die. ’I promise you, okay?’

She sobbed helplessly and shook her head repeatedly.

‘No… I don’t want to…’

The Haitang clan sighed again.

He couldn’t wipe away the increasing tears, so he had to press her against his chest and let her tears flow on his clothes.

‘Jing’er, Jing’er…’

He whispered her name again and again, over and over, like an eternal curse, destined to be unable to escape.

She knew that no matter how hard she tried to stop him, he would go. She knew that his tenderness was probably just a trap, but she was willing to be lured step by step. ‘You’re so cunning… Only at times like this do you treat me especially gently.’

Haitang Xuan smiled, knowing that she had accepted the fact that he would be going to war.

He cupped her tear-stained little face in his hands and stroked her delicate, petal-like cheeks. Strong emotions surged in his chest, but every time they reached his throat, he was unable to speak frankly.

He was about to go to war, and he didn’t know when he would return to the capital, let alone if he would ever return. And… she was still so young, and he was afraid that his promise would be the sharpest blade that would wound her the most!

‘Take good care of yourself, and don’t forget your responsibilities as the monarch. If there’s anything you can’t decide, you can ask the prime ministers and Feng Yunshao.‘

What a non-romantic man! With their separation imminent, he didn’t even say a kind word. How could she have fallen in love with such a man?

’Xuan,’ she suddenly called out to him, her tone suspiciously calm.

Before Haitang Xuan could respond, she snuggled up to him and kissed him repeatedly on the lips.

‘Jing’er?!’ He was extremely surprised, not expecting her to kiss him so forcefully.

‘Okay, we’ve kissed and cuddled, so you can’t back out now!’ She was blushing, but still tried her best to remain calm, ‘If you don’t come back, I’ll never marry!’

Haitang Xuan was at a loss for words, but in his heart, he was even more moved.

‘Promise me that you will come back safely!’ Langya Jing forced him to promise, holding back her tears.

‘I promise.’

‘Promise! Promise!’ She choked, her eyes filled with tears.

Her vulnerable appearance tore at his heart, and he wrapped his strong arms around her.

‘I promise, Jing’er. I promise.’

And so, I experienced my first parting.

During the three months before Haitangxuan left the capital, I endured the torment of longing alone. Even I, who was so proud, would occasionally sneak into bed and cry under the covers.

But gradually, the surging thoughts slowly subsided, and I gradually stopped crying. However, this kind of longing was even more profound, as if it had been branded into my heart and was destined to follow me for the rest of my life.

I tried to be an emperor who could ‘stand on his own’, and although I was very frustrated at first, with the help of the prime ministers and Feng Yunshao, I began to be able to calmly review the petitions—except when Haitang Xuan suddenly popped up in my head to distract me.

Haitang Xuan is an unfathomable man. You would never guess that his expedition was not only for Langya, but also to get rid of me.

Eagles often push their young out of the nest without mercy so that they can learn to fly, and this was his test for me.

I realised this only a year after he left.

Six months later, I turned fifteen. In Langya, turning fifteen meant saying goodbye to childhood and becoming an adult. My coming-of-age ceremony was a grand affair, but Haitangxuan still hadn’t returned. It was said that Haitangxuan had retreated Yueyuanjun to Fengjiang, and at that time, it was a critical moment, just one step away from recovering lost territory.

However, my longing reached saturation at this time. So, I ignored the objections of the courtiers and decided to go to the border in a state of war with just a small entourage.

I think this must be the most daring, craziest and most reckless thing I have ever done, right?

Chapter 5

The mountains are far away, the roads are long, and the sky and water merge into one.

However, the three young people who were hurrying along had no mood to appreciate the beautiful scenery of the sky and water merging into one.

‘Alas… Ouch, I… I really can’t do it anymore, Your Majesty,’ Gui’er couldn’t help but groan.

She really didn’t understand why it felt like the horse was riding her when she was clearly the one on it. Her back ached, she was exhausted!

Leading the horse, the handsome young man, about fifteen or sixteen years old, turned his head and corrected her, ‘When we’re out and about, you should call me “my lord”.’

Gui’er looked at her ‘my lord’ with a long face, and said listlessly, ‘There’s no one else here anyway, so there’s no need to be so careful, is there?’

‘Guier, it’s best to be careful no matter what. After all, the safety of the ‘Master’ is more important than anything else,’ said Fuying, the imperial guard who had been forced to become an accomplice, with a long face.

In order to protect the safety of the Empress, he had to leave Kyoto with them and go to the border, but this kind of behaviour was very inconsistent with his principle of acting with integrity, so it was no wonder that Fuying’s face could not look good.

Ying smiled, ‘I really did make the right choice in asking Fu Ying to protect the Empress! After we return to the capital, I will definitely appoint you as the Commander of the Imperial Guards.’

Fu Ying frowned slightly, ‘Fu Ying would rather make a promise to the “Young Master” that I will never leave the capital again.’

Ying couldn’t help but laugh at Fu Ying’s little dig.

Seeing this, Gui’er pouted unhappily. ‘Bodyguard Fu has done meritorious service protecting you, but doesn’t Gui’er have done the same? Why doesn’t the young master think of giving me a position of some kind?’

‘Okay!’ Langya Jing said half-jokingly, ‘then I’ll make you the head of the imperial household!’

Gui’er was terrified. ‘Then everyone will call me “Eunuch Gui” from now on? I don’t want that! I’m a young lady!’

Langya Jing laughed amusedly, ‘Eunuch Gui! That doesn’t sound so bad! That’s what you’ll be called from now on.’

‘No…no! No way! Who would want me like that? I want to get married!’ Jia’er said with a pained face, ‘My lord, I don’t want to be an official anymore! Just give me something else!’

“Ha…’

A silvery bell-like laugh drifted away.

In the distance, a flustered young scholar could be seen arguing with his master about something, while the young master kept laughing and ignoring him. Behind them, a lone figure silently guarded their safety.

Pleasure makes people lax, and none of them noticed the approaching crisis.

QQ

The further they went west, the more desolate the landscape became. A few days ago, they could still see the mountains and water, but now there was nothing but a desert of sand and gravel, with an empty, bright blue sky.

Fuying pointed ahead and said to Langya Jing, ‘My lord, after we pass through this wasteland is where our army is stationed.’

Langya Jing looked in the direction he was pointing, but all she could see was a vast expanse of land.

‘Fu Ying, are you sure?‘ She could see nothing.

’Yes, I can already see the smoke signal from the camp.‘

’How far is it?’

Fu Ying estimated in his heart, “Not far, if we hurry, we can arrive by evening.”

Great! She couldn’t wait to see Haitang Xuan’s surprised expression!

‘Fuying, if you were to ride alone to our camp and back here, how long would it take?’

Although he didn’t understand why Langya Jing was asking, he answered honestly, “It would take about an hour each way.”

Gui’er rolled her tongue on the side. She didn’t expect the difference between the group’s pace and that of an individual to be so great!

Langya Jing nodded with satisfaction and sat down on a large stone.

‘Guier and I will wait here for you. You can ride to the barracks and give Haitang Xuan the news, and ask him to send a vehicle here to pick me up.’

After riding for several days in a row, Langya Jing also felt a bit overwhelmed. If it weren’t for the fact that she wanted to see Haitang Xuan, she would not have insisted until now.

Fu Ying Leng answered coldly, “I cannot do as you ask.”

Langya Jing thought she had heard wrong. ’What did you say?’

‘My duty is to protect you, Your Highness. I’m sorry, but I cannot obey.‘

’It’s only a short while. It won’t be a problem.‘ It’s been a few days since they left the palace, and they haven’t encountered any danger!

’Even if it’s only a short while, I cannot leave you, Your Highness,’ Fu Ying insisted.

What a stubborn man!

Langya Jing raised her pretty little face and, with the majesty of an empress, said sternly, ‘Fuying, how dare you disobey me? Don’t you even listen to me?’

‘My lord…’ he hesitated.

‘Go!’

Fuying gritted his teeth, ‘I will be quick and return quickly!’

After saying this, he gave his horse a nudge and galloped off like an arrow.

Langya Jing finally broke into a smile, dismounted, and slowly straightened out her long gown, which had been wrinkled from sitting.

‘Gui’er, let’s wait here!’

Gui’er, whose bones were about to fall apart from all the riding, raised a smile and replied with great energy, ‘Yes!’

‘Get the cakes and pastries out, I’m hungry.’ You have to have snacks when you go out to sightsee!

‘Coming!‘

Gui’er was excited and was about to take out the snacks from the saddle bag when she suddenly caught sight of the dust in the distance.

’My lord, look, is that the smoke signal Fu the guard was talking about?‘ Strange? Why was it that just now she couldn’t see anything, but now it seemed to be right in front of her?

Langya Jing’s face changed.

’Gui’er, get on the horse!’

Gui’er looked at her master in puzzlement, ‘Why? Didn’t you say we were going to wait here for the prince to send someone to fetch us?’

‘We must hide first, because—’ she said calmly, ‘the Yueyuan army is here.’

Gui’er’s cakes and pastries fell to the ground with a crash, and she let out a startled cry, ‘What?!’

coo

Langya Jing’s guess was correct, it was a small detachment of the Yueyuan army!

Because they had entered the desert in the no-man’s-land, they had been targeted by the Yueyuan army.

‘Gui’er, hurry!’ She pulled up the weak-kneed Gui’er and ducked behind a stone. ‘Shh! Be quiet!’

The pale-faced Jia’er could only nod.

When the smoke and dust had dispersed, the small army had stopped in the open wasteland.

At the head of the group was a fierce-looking man, clearly the leader of the Moon Garden army.

‘Where are they?’ he asked his subordinate.

‘I’m afraid they’ve fled.’

‘But the horses are still here, so they can’t have gone far. Search! I want them found!’

‘Yes!’ the soldiers responded in unison, the empty wasteland echoing with the sound.

Guier, who was hiding behind a rock, trembled with fear. Looking at Langya Jing’s composed expression, she couldn’t help but ask, ‘Sir… Sir, aren’t you afraid?’

‘

I am the ruler of a country, how can I be afraid of a mere barbarian general?’ Her natural aristocratic bearing was evident in her stunning beauty.

‘Sir…’ Guier was moved to tears.

This is the bearing of the ruler of Langya!

‘Shh!‘ Langya Jing quickly covered Gui’er’s mouth, but it was too late!

’Who’s there?‘ the general from Yueyuan shouted.

The two people hiding behind the stone face turned white with fear and dared not make a sound.

’Get the people out!’ With an order, several burly, fierce-looking soldiers rushed over and surrounded the stone face. Of course—Langya Jing and Gui’er were immediately dragged out.

Gui’er screamed, ‘No! Don’t kill me!’ It hurts…

Unlike Gui’er’s panic, Langya Jing was calm. Perhaps it was her innate kingly bearing! She wasn’t afraid at all.

‘Who are you?’ the leader asked.

‘Just travellers passing through,’ Langya Jing replied.

The general of the Moon Garden army raised his bushy eyebrows in horror. ‘Nonsense! What are travellers doing in a war zone? You can’t possibly be unaware that the Moon Garden and Langya have been at war for a year?’

‘Ah—is that so?’ She pretended to be enlightened. ‘I’m really sorry, but I live in a remote village with my little bookworm, and I had no idea about this.’

‘You’re not from Langya?’ He looked at her suspiciously.

‘I don’t even know who my parents are!‘ She widened her innocent eyes and tried her best to play dumb.

’My lord, I think these two are very suspicious. It’s best not to fall into his trap!‘ The deputy reminded him from the side.

’Well, you’re right!‘ The general of Yueyuan nodded, waved his hand, and said, “Guards! Tie them up and take them back to the barracks!”

’Oh my god!’ Gui’er rolled her eyes and fainted.

c o o

‘Your Highness! Lord Fuying, the royal bodyguard, requests an audience!‘

’Fuying?‘ Haitang Xuan frowned slightly. Could it be that something had happened to Langya Jing in the palace? “Quickly let him in!”

’Yes!’ The soldier hurriedly left to carry out his orders, and in a moment, the tall figure of Fuying appeared.

He bowed with clasped fists, ‘Fuying greets Your Highness.’

‘No need for formality, Fuying,’ Haitang Xuan looked at him with a slightly worried expression, ‘Did His Majesty ask you to come? What’s going on in the palace?’

‘Your Highness, please don’t worry. His Majesty is fine, it’s just that…’

Haitang Xuan vaguely sensed that Fuying’s hesitant tone seemed to be wrapped in an alarming truth, and…it had something to do with Jing’er!

‘What do you mean?‘

’The Empress disguised herself as a scholar and secretly left the capital for the border…‘ He looked at Haitang Xuan’s shocked eyes and continued, “To see you.”

’This is ridiculous!‘ Haitang Xuan shouted angrily. He never imagined that Jing’er would be so headstrong! “What are the officials doing? Is no one going to dissuade her?”

’The ministers’ advice could not stop the Empress’s determination.’

He should have known better! How could no one have stopped her? If she hadn’t been so stubborn, things wouldn’t have come to this. Fortunately, she made it safely. If anything had happened to her, the Langya Kingdom would have been thrown into chaos.

‘Where is the Empress?’

“Her Majesty is tired from the journey and is waiting half an hour from here. She has ordered me to ask the Prince to send a carriage to pick her up.’

‘There are only chariots on the battlefield, where do you get a carriage from? ! And this is a war zone, where you need to be on constant alert, who has the time to go and meet the empress?’ Haitang Xuan paced restlessly.

This little girl really knows how to cause trouble!

After considering for a long time, Haitang Xuan said sternly, ’Send an order for the deputy commander to go and meet the empress.’

‘My lord, I’m afraid the person the Empress wants to see is not the deputy general.‘ Fu Ying is a man of few words, but he sees clearly and thinks deeply.

He understands what Fu Ying means, but he can’t do that.

’I’m the commander-in-chief, I can’t leave the barracks.‘

’Fu Ying doesn’t want to make things difficult for you, but the Empress risked her life to come here just to see you…’

Haitang Xuan let out a heavy sigh.

How could he not want to see her?

For nearly two years, he had never been able to forget the sweet smile on the back of her head, the deep comfort that flowed between her eyes—even though she was so hateful! And this time, she was so willful again, and he could not forgive her for taking her own safety for granted!

‘Prepare the horses,’ he finally gave up his insistence, and his determined, thin lips uttered, ‘I’ll go see her.’

‘I’ll take you there.’

In less than half an hour, Fu Ying and Haitang Xuan arrived at the stone by the stream where Langya Jing had rested briefly. But apart from the two horses, there was no sign of the two men.

For a moment, Haitang Xuan hoped that this was just Langya Jing’s mischievous prank, but he knew very well that this was not the case.

Fu Ying’s expression became heavy and solemn, even with self-reproach and chagrin. He turned over and dismounted the horse to look for some clues, and finally found on the ground court pastries that had been trampled by iron hooves and almost turned into mud crumbs. This evidence showed how hasty the situation was.

‘This is the plum cake the Empress asked Gui’er to bring,’ Fuying whispered, “It happened shortly after I left.” He slammed his fist on the stone, blaming himself, “I really shouldn’t have left Your Majesty!”

The Haitang clan examined the chaotic hoofprints on the ground, and his eyes suddenly became cold. He knew that the hoofprints of these dozens of horses could never have been those of passing merchants, because—merchants would never pass through a battlefield!

‘The people who took the Empress went west.‘

’West?‘ Fuying’s heart sank. He and Haitang Xuan both knew full well what country’s territory was not far to the west.

’Yes, that’s where the Yueyuan army is stationed.’ Haitang Xuan clenched his fists and said, word by word, “The people who took the Empress are the Yueyuan army!”

o

‘Young master…will we die here?‘ Gui’er sobbed, unable to wipe her tears as her hands were tied behind her back. Her face was ashen, and she looked as if she had just lost a loved one. No, it was even worse than that.

’No,‘ said Langya Jing, who was much calmer than Gui’er despite having her hands tied behind her back. “It’s not as bad as it seems.”

’What do you mean?’

She whispered, ‘Yueyuan Jun doesn’t know that we are girls, and he doesn’t know my identity. That’s a blessing in disguise.’

After her master’s reminder, Gui’er was shocked again. If they found out, what would happen to them… Oh my god! It’s almost unimaginable!

‘Don’t worry, Haitang Xuan and Fuping will come to save us,’ she reassured Gui’er.

Jia’er sobbed. ‘My lord, you…you are just trying to comfort me, aren’t you?’

Langya Jing glared at Gui’er impatiently, ‘Of course I’m trying to comfort you, you idiot!’

Who knew if Langya’s army would be able to find them? This was a real battlefield, not a game of hide-and-seek!

On hearing this, Gui’er cried even louder.

The soldier, who was annoyed by Gui’er’s crying, cursed under his breath, walked over angrily, and said menacingly, ‘You little brat! Cry once more and I’ll beat the hell out of you!’

Gui’er was scared and started to cough.

The soldier nodded with satisfaction, ‘That’s more like it!’

It was late at night, and the temperature at the border suddenly dropped during the night, making Langya Jing and Gui’er shiver with cold.

Since taking them to the camp, the generals of the Moon Garden have apparently not taken them seriously, and have left them under the watchful eyes of soldiers. The two soldiers guarding them were drinking wine around the fire, paying no attention to the two poor scholars who were tied to tree trunks and had no strength.

It’s so cold! Langya Jing was shivering all over, and even her lips had lost their rosy colour. Since she was young, when had she ever gone hungry or not been warmly clothed? This delicate Langya empress might just freeze to death tonight in the Yuyuan military camp…

As she thought about this, Langya Jing’s heart felt a little sour. She almost wanted to cry.

Where are you? Come and save me! She called out for help, when suddenly she saw a silver flash in the jagged stone forest. In the dark night, the silver light disappeared as quickly as a star.

Someone is coming!

Langya Jing nudged Gui’er with her elbow, who had fallen asleep from crying too much.

“Gui’er, wake up.’

Guier woke up startled, her eyes wide with fear. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘Guier, someone’s coming,’ she whispered. ‘It’s probably someone who’s come to rescue us. Don’t make a sound and don’t scare them off, okay?’

Guier gritted her teeth and nodded vigorously, having learned from her previous mistake.

Langya Jing watched the shadow moving nimbly between the rocks, holding her breath. When she saw the fleeting, ghostly shadow of Haitang Xuan, she almost couldn’t help cheering with excitement!

He’s here! He really is here!

Hehe! He’s still the same as she remembers him!

He was wearing black armour with gold accents and a black cloak. His long hair was tied casually, but it flew wildly with his movements, adding to his striking and heroic appearance.

She gazed in a daze at the figure that quickly disappeared into the stone forest, and her eyes welled up with tears.

All the action began when the Yueyuan army was caught off guard.

At the sound of Haitang Xuan’s order, the Langya army, which had been lying in ambush on all sides, surged up silently, and the Yueyuan army, which was still asleep, was unable to defend itself.

“It’s a night attack! The Langya army is attacking at night!’

The sentry beat the drum to announce the news, but unfortunately, the advantage had already been lost. The Moon Garden army, which had not had time to set up its defences, was routed.

This was the first time Langya Jing had seen Haitang Xuan’s iron-fisted style. Not only was it ruthless and accurate, it was also lightning fast! His solemn and cold aura was completely different from his usual dignified and elegant demeanour, and it was full of a chilling and awe-inspiring temperament.

‘Jing!‘ Haitang Xuan dashed over, cut the ropes binding them, and took her into his arms.

When he held her, she knew she was safe.

Langya Jing wiped away a tear and smiled, “You’re here!”

’Are you hurt?’ He urgently checked her over, unwilling to rest easy until he was sure she was unharmed.

She shook her head and wrapped her arms around him, ‘I’ll be fine once I see you.’

Feeling her cold body temperature, he took off his warm cloak and wrapped it around her, then picked her up in his arms and carried her horizontally. ‘I’ll take you back to camp first.’

‘But…what about them…’

What about Langya’s army? The tension between the two armies has not yet been relieved!

‘The outcome is already a foregone conclusion. Fuying is leading a small group to meet the retreating troops, and the lieutenant colonel will take care of the aftermath. You don’t need to worry.‘ He had already made all the arrangements.

’That’s good.’ She buried her head deeply in his arms and murmured wearily, “Xuan, I’m tired!”

She was hungry, cold, and tired, and she looked very dishevelled. Right now, she was a helpless empress in distress.

‘Sleep. I’ll be here.’ He pulled up his cloak and carried her onto his horse.

Langya Jing couldn’t help but smile sweetly.

I’ll be here.

Yes, he’s here, and he’ll always be here, by her side.

In his warm, wide embrace, she slowly closed her eyes and fell into a peaceful sleep.

My adventure ended in a thrilling climax.

The Yueyuan army that captured me also tasted the bitter fruit of heartbreak.

Haitang Xuan’s military strategy has always been based on the belief of opening the net and treating people with leniency, which is why the confrontation between the two armies has been prolonged. However, since the Yueyuan army mistakenly captured me, it seriously angered Haitang Xuan. For my sake, he broke from his beliefs for the first time and used almost decisive and powerful measures to annihilate the entire Yueyuan army.

It was only when the generals of Yueyuan led their demoralised soldiers back to Yueyuan that they fully understood the terrifying power of Wenya’s Haitang Xuan! After that, the border between Langya and Yueyuan remained peaceful for a long time, but that was already a later story.

Chapter 6

Langya Jing woke up in the early morning.

The regular wake-up times over the past few years had trained her to be more accurate than the sunrise and sunset.

She got up and looked around, realising that she was in a huge tent. The rough-hewn robe she had worn last night, which was covered in dust, had been replaced by a black silk robe. The collar, cuffs and belt were embroidered with gold thread bearing the royal emblem of the Prince Regent. The hem of the robe showed signs of having been cut extensively, apparently to be altered to fit her overnight.

This is the garment of the Prince Regent, isn’t it?

She smiled softly, biting her pink lips.

Wearing his clothes gave her a special feeling, as if she were surrounded by his unique masculine aura.

Thinking about this, her pretty face flushed red, as if painted with rouge.

“Your Majesty, you’re awake?’

The curtain of the tent was lifted, and the morning light of spring dawn crept in. Gui’er smiled and entered with a bowl of water and a towel, ready to serve her master.

‘Gui’er, how was the battle yesterday?’ Although she was confident of victory, she still needed to hear the good news of victory herself before she could rest assured.

‘Of course it was a complete victory! Early this morning, the Moon Court ambassador brought a letter of surrender, and from now on, every year, they will pay tribute to Langya!’ Gui’er chattered on, completely forgetting the horror of falling into the hands of the enemy last night.

With her heart set on the man she loved, Langya Jing couldn’t help but ask, ’Where is Haitang Xuan?’

‘His Highness is in the tent of Lieutenant Colonel Wei. He spent the night there too.’ Gui’er reported the gossip her master might want to know.

So, he left her here alone yesterday? Langya Jing felt a little uncomfortable.

She had come to the war zone recklessly just to see him. Wasn’t her heart’s desire obvious enough? And yet he was unwilling to spend even one night with her. How could he not hurt her heart?

‘I’m going to see him!‘ She must ask him face to face if he really understands her heart!

Gui’er called after her, “Your Majesty, you haven’t combed your hair yet!”

’No need!‘

Coo

’Li Shouwei, after lunch, break camp, gather provisions, and prepare to depart for the capital,‘

’Yes!’

‘Wu Guantong, count the number of people and check the roster. The book of merits and demerits must be thorough and detailed. Also, compile a list of the Moon Garden’s peace offering, without omission.‘

’Yes.‘

’Lieutenant General, order the Ministry of War to build a carriage before the sound of the bell. It doesn’t need to be big, but it should be light to avoid bumps.’

‘Yes, I will give the order immediately.‘

Haitang Xuan was about to continue giving instructions for the return journey when a shadowy figure blew in like the wind. She looked at the commander-in-chief, who was seated in the first place—the elegant man she both loved and hated.

Haitang Xuan raised her eyebrows slightly and looked back at Langya Jing, who had barged in.

’Greet Your Majesty!’ Everyone knelt down and shouted in unison.

‘Stand up. My dear ministers, you have worked hard. You may go now!‘

As soon as she arrived, she dismissed the idle people because she wanted to be alone with Haitang Xuan.

’Yes, Your Majesty. I take my leave!’

Everyone left, and in the large tent, only the two of them were left in silence.

He stood up from his seat and slowly paced to her, ‘Did you sleep well?’

Seeing her again, he still felt as if it were a lifetime ago. Once upon a time, she was a little empress who had become a woman at the age of ten.

In the two years since they last saw each other, she had blossomed into a more beautiful and charming woman. She had also grown taller and was now a full-fledged woman. However, her personality had not changed much. She was still as willful and honest as ever, but she also had a touch of coquettish charm that made him even more unable to resist and unable to defend himself.

‘No,’ she thought, still angry at his lack of understanding. She pursed her red lips slightly, “The bed is so hard, it made my back hurt.”

In fact, she slept well from last night until dawn, but the real reason for her words was that he was not by her side.

Haitang Xuan sighed helplessly, ’You have been spoiled since you were young, with the best of everything, so it is no wonder that you are not used to sleeping on a military bed. Do you want the military doctor to give you a massage?’

She lay down on the bed and said haughtily, “I want you to massage me.”

She was sixteen years old, but why was she still so willful? ’

His tone contained a faint rebuke, but he still sat down on the edge of the bed and placed his large hands on her waist, which was as soft as bone and no wider than the palm of a hand.

The moment he touched her, Haitang Xuan immediately realised that this was a chore that tested her reason. In order to distract herself, she had to look away.

‘Why didn’t you stay with me last night?’ she complained in a soft voice.

‘I still had to discuss with the deputy general about the surrender of Yueyuan Kingdom in the morning.’ Besides…he couldn’t guarantee that he could stay with her peacefully all night.

His indifferent reply made her unconsciously bite her lower lip again, and her aggrieved tears were suspended on her long eyelashes, teetering.

Her silence made Haitang Xuan feel strange, and upon closer inspection, he realised that she was in tears.

‘Jing’er,’ he turned her over and faced her tearful face.

My god! Her tears were just as deadly as they were two years ago!

‘Why are you crying?‘ he asked, concerned.

She waved his hand away and felt so helpless.

’Leave me alone!‘ she shouted childishly.

Haitang Xuan simply took her whole body in his arms and held her as if she were a precious child.

’How can I leave you alone? I care about you!’ He wiped her tears and sighed lightly.

‘You don’t care about me, you’re the only person in the world who doesn’t care about me!‘ she choked, “Yesterday we finally met, but you didn’t even want to spend more time with me, you preferred to sleep in the camp of the vice general, rather than looking at me even once…”

’You are the king, I am the subject, how can I spend the night with you?’ His reply was as standard as a dutiful subject.

Langya Jing was furious.

Even now, he was still using the ‘master-servant relationship’ to distance himself from her!

She pushed him hard, trying to get out of his embrace, but he refused to let go.

She was so angry that her eyes were red. ‘Let go of me! If you still don’t understand why I came to the war zone to find you with just the bare necessities, then don’t come near me!’

Haitang Xuan’s self-control wavered.

“Jing’er!’

‘Don’t call me!’ She turned her face away in anger.

But the next moment he turned back to her face and a scorching, lingering kiss was quickly imprinted on her.

This kiss was extraordinarily lingering and passionate, as if he wanted to convey all the love and affection in his life through this kiss.

Langya Jing’s heart beat like a drum, and her reason was completely burned to the ground.

She had never known a kiss like this before! So passionate and fiery, yet so gentle and tender. Their lips and teeth met, their tongues intertwined, as they held each other close and took in the sweet scent of each other.

For a long time, he left her lips and gazed into her dreamy, soft eyes.

‘How could I not understand your intention to come here to see me? Although I was angry that you would risk your own safety, when I knew that you did it just to see me, how could I remain indifferent?‘ Although he was the regent and acting emperor, he was just an ordinary man with seven emotions and six desires!

’I thought…you didn’t want to seriously face my feelings…’ She had chased after him so hard, so hard!

‘It’s not that I don’t want to, but I can’t,‘ he said, caressing her dark hair lovingly as he whispered, “You are the Empress, so young and beautiful, you deserve the most outstanding man in the world, I’m too old, I’m not suitable.”

He was almost thirty, almost twice her age, if they were to be together forever, how long could he stay by her side? He couldn’t help but think of her.

’I have already found the most outstanding man in the world,’

She spread her long legs, straddled him, and wrapped her arms around his neck. The innocent-looking evil in her almond-shaped eyes was enough to seduce all the men in the world.

‘It’s you! Xuan, you’re the one I’ve been waiting for. I don’t want anyone but you.’ She gazed at his handsome face with passion, and spoke the love she had buried in her heart for nearly six years.

Haitang Xuan was shaken. Her naked confession pierced through his mask of calm self-possession at that moment, and he could no longer maintain his sanity.

‘Jing’er…’ He called out her name in a hoarse voice, and the defensive armour he had built up with such difficulty was on the verge of crumbling at that moment.

Langya Jing could see his wavering, and knew that his defences were now close to the breaking point. If she didn’t take advantage of the situation while she could, when would she get the chance?

She shifted in her seat as a provocation, and her small hands delved deeper into his clothing. Curiously exploring…

His chest felt like hot iron, and his heartbeat was as rapid as hers, showing that he was not as indifferent as his expression suggested… This made her feel very satisfied.

‘Jing’er, stop! You’re playing with fire,’ he said, gripping her snow-white wrists and growling with clenched teeth. His breathing grew heavier and faster.

‘I don’t want to.’ She broke free of his grip and refused without hesitation. No one—including him—could take her away from him, that was non-negotiable.

Langya Jing looked up at Haitang Xuan’s eyes, which had always been calm and wise, but now seemed to have turned into a cluster of leaping black flames, bewitching this beautiful moth to plunge into them.

With a resolute heart, she tilted her slender neck and kissed him back in the same way he had kissed her just now.

She felt the tremor in his body, the tension of his desperate resistance to desire. Langya Jing smiled mischievously, sticking out her fragrant little tongue to tease his already weak self-control, determined to get a response from him…

That’s all a man can bear.

Haitang Xuan let out a low growl, taking control of the situation, and taking full control of the two of them, their hearts and their breathing.

Yes, he wanted her. No matter how he tried to deceive himself, even running away to the wild frontier to forget her, it was impossible to stop the deepest yearning from the bottom of his heart.

She let out a languid moan under his caresses and kisses, which also triggered his buried desires.

Haitang Xuan knew that his last line of defence had completely collapsed. He had been bewitched by her, and had forgotten her wilfulness and detestability. He had lost the battle between his mind and emotions.

His large hand slowly slid to her waist, unfastening the black belt. The silk robe embroidered with his royal emblem slipped down with a gentle touch, revealing her plump, snow-white breasts and two shy, pink buds.

The contrast between the black robe and the snow-white skin was so shocking that the haughty girl let out a sigh. At that moment, he became completely her subordinate.

‘Jing’er…’ he murmured, taking hold of her fullness, and the rough calluses on his fingers caressed the sensitive tip, bringing a tingling pleasure.

She gasped, feeling his erection pressing against her most intimate place. The pounding of his heart made her blush.

He rubbed her warmth, arousing her untouched desire.

‘Are you afraid?’ he asked.

If she didn’t want to, she could still withdraw at this moment.

Langya Jing shook her head. ‘No.’

She knew that he would be the only love of her life.

He leaned down and kissed her lips again, cupped her bottom and entered her with a powerful thrust.

‘It hurts…’ she cried out in pain, tears in her eyes.

‘I’m sorry,’ Haitang Xuan kissed her tenderly. He could not take her pain for her, so he could only try his best to distract her and make her feel less pain.

Gradually, the feeling of pain gradually faded, replaced by an almost dizzying sweetness.

He drove deep inside her, into the deepest recesses of her soul, and in that ecstasy of intoxicating pleasure, they completely owned each other.

Langya Jing could think of nothing, and could only cling to him, completely intoxicated in his breath, allowing him to lead her on a gallop across the vast sky…

000

Langya Jing leaned lazily against Haitang Xuan’s chest, bathing together in the steaming tub.

Haitang Xuan wrapped his arms around her, pressing his face against her delicate, slightly damp face.

She lifted the corner of her lips and said, ‘What’s wrong?’

‘I’ve committed a crime,’ he murmured.

“What crime?’

‘Taking the empress.’ He kissed her soft hair, “In Langya, anyone who touches the empress is to be killed.”

Langya Jing laughed softly. “Does the Langya law say what happens if the empress takes the regent’s innocence?”

He frowned slightly, ’No, it doesn’t.’

She looked at him wittily, ‘Then if anyone asks, let me take the blame!’

‘Naughty!’ He hugged her tightly, unable to help loving this willful little woman.

Langya Jing turned around with a light smile and snuggled into his broad bosom, wrapping her snow-white arms around his neck and mischievously beginning to nibble and kiss his chin.

Her eyes, which had been twinkling with amusement, gradually grew deeper in colour as she continued to tease him.

‘Don’t tempt me, Jing’er,’

she said, looking at him with her big, innocent eyes and knowing full well what she was doing. ‘Have I?’

‘No?’ He snorted, and then, as if in punishment, gave her a little pinch on the tip of her nose.

She was still refusing to admit the obvious.

She pursed her red lips slightly, a little unwilling to admit defeat.

‘The queen seducing the regent is not a crime!’ she protested.

He caressed her rosy cheeks, which were as soft as petals, tenderly. ‘This is your first time, and I don’t want you to suffer the consequences of your lust.’

His care warmed her heart. She buried her face in his chest and sighed with contentment, ‘Spin, how happy I am! How fortunate I am to be your woman! I want to be with you forever, never to part again.’

‘Jing’er…’ His smile turned to a faint bitterness, but Langya Jing, who was immersed in her happiness, did not notice his strange expression.

She stroked his skin, which combined strength and beauty, and inadvertently touched the new scar on his arm.

‘What is this?’ she asked in shock.

He glanced at it and said, ‘A knife wound.’

‘When was this injury?’

‘A few months ago, I was ambushed by the enemy in the Desperate Stone Valley and this scar is the knife wound from that time.’

Haitang Xuan spoke in a carefree manner, but Langya Jing was shocked.

‘How did this happen? How did you let yourself get hurt like this?‘ Her eyes were filled with tears as she carefully touched the scar, “Does it still hurt?”

’Don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt anymore.‘

’Why didn’t you tell me you were hurt?‘ She had always thought that he was safe and sound, but she never imagined that his life had once hung in the balance.

’It was just a small wound, why would I let you worry?’

‘Is there more? Is there anywhere else on your body that I don’t know about?‘ Langya Jing anxiously looked around and sure enough found another shocking wound on his shoulder.

’Oh my god…‘ She covered her trembling red lips and tears immediately fell uncontrollably.

’Don’t cry,’ he said, putting his arms around her trembling body and coaxing her softly, ’Jing’er, it’s okay, it’s all in the past.’

‘This is an arrow wound, isn’t it? When did it happen?‘ she asked, trembling.

’More than a year ago, a few days before your fifteenth birthday.‘ At the time, he had been suffering from a high fever, and had been unable to write her a congratulatory letter.

’So that’s why you couldn’t come back?’

My God! Why hadn’t she noticed anything was wrong? On the night of her fifteenth birthday, she had cried under the covers because he hadn’t come back.

‘I lost consciousness. When I came to, it was already two days after your coming-of-age ceremony.‘ He had missed her once-in-a-lifetime coming-of-age ceremony, and that regret still haunted him to this day.

She threw herself into his arms and cried like a child.

’Next time, you’re not allowed to go off to war! Never!‘ She wrapped her arms around him, as if she was afraid of losing him again.

’Jing’er…’ He sighed.

‘I can’t even imagine what I would do if your body became cold, if your eyes could never open again, or if… you could never come back to me. I don’t want to leave you, Xuan, I don’t…‘

’It won’t happen again. I won’t go to war again.‘ Langya and Yueyuan had signed a peace treaty, and the uneasy situation was bound to continue for decades.

’Really? You swear?’ She insisted on hearing his promise.

He kissed her on the lips and wrapped his arms around her, ‘I swear.’

In his strong and powerful embrace, Langya Jing finally felt at peace.

‘Xuan,’ she whispered.

‘Hm?’ he answered softly.

‘Let’s go back to the palace together!’ The battlefield made her instinctively feel scared, and only the safe fortress of the palace was her safe haven.

Staring at her tearful face, he promised, ‘Okay, let’s go back to the palace.’

At the age of sixteen, I became a woman, the woman of Haitang Xuan.

Since the age of ten, I have been in love with Haitang Xuan. Unknowingly, he has become a part of me. Without him, my heart is no longer complete. The moment I have him, I feel a kind of lasting and peaceful happiness.

For many people, power, status, and even wealth are the goals to pursue for a lifetime. However, for me, what I need is ‘love’. I believe in true love, and I believe in it very religiously. However, I have neglected the teachings of my mentor.

Feng Yunshao once told me, ‘Love is beautiful, but also barbaric. It can change a person’s appearance, making them jealous, irritable, caring, unreasonable, aggressive, and even taste the sweetest clarity in this life.’

Yes, I have tasted the sweetness, and the pain that comes with it. But I didn’t know that the pain would be so intense, so intense that it almost made me faint.

No matter how important I am to Haitang Xuan, in his heart, I can only come in second place. The first place is taken by something called ‘responsibility’. In order to fulfil his obsession with responsibility, he can even hurt my heart mercilessly.

This is the kind of man I love.

 

 

Chapter 7

Haitang Xuan’s army returned in triumph, welcomed by the people of Beiling City.

Langya Jing was also infected with the joy of the people and ordered a banquet for ten thousand people to celebrate the occasion. The lively atmosphere lasted for three days and nights before it finally ended.

In the palace, Langya Jing set up a hundred tables and invited the civil and military officials to welcome Haitang Xuan and all the generals who had gone to war. At the same time, he personally played the piece ‘Fu Gui’ as a reward.

After the song ended, Langya Jing raised the steel jar and said loudly, ‘The first toast is to all the brave souls who have defended my Langya Kingdom and sacrificed their lives for their country!’

After taking a long drink, the second cup was immediately filled.

‘The second toast is to all the soldiers who have returned home in triumph, regardless of their personal safety!’

‘To the Empress!’ the soldiers responded in unison.

‘For the third toast,‘ she looked at Haitang Xuan, who was sitting on the throne to her right. Her eyes were slightly drunk with a hazy intoxication, but she was charming. “I want to toast my wise and intelligent regent! If he hadn’t volunteered to go to war, the war between our country and Yueyuan would not have ended so easily!”

’This is what a subject should do,’ he said lightly, taking a drink.

‘Fourth cup of wine…’

Langya Jingcai lifted the wine jar, but Haitang Xuan immediately got up to stop her. His sword eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and he worriedly said, “Your Majesty has drunk too much, you should stop drinking.”

She was drunk, her eyes were dazed, with red and seductive rosy cheeks. Even her smile was full of intoxication, as if she were an attractive drunk peony.

Langya Jing pushed his hand away unceremoniously and laughed, ‘No! Let me drink! I’m so happy, I must drink heartily today and get drunk!’

‘Your Majesty…’

“For the fourth cup, I want to toast all my people, because of this unprecedented great victory, everyone can live in peace and security!’

After finishing the fourth cup, Langya Jing could hardly stand up straight. Haitang Xuan took away her wine flask and forbade her from drinking any more.

At this moment, the music started, and the dancing girls on both sides danced into the banquet hall one after the other, spinning with colourful ribbons. Their graceful movements swayed with the rhythm, which was very charming.

Haitang didn’t care about the dance. He ordered someone to bring a wet towel and wiped her rosy face himself, asking anxiously, ‘Jing’er, how do you feel? Are you uncomfortable?’

‘How could I be uncomfortable? I…couldn’t be happier! To quote a common saying of yours, I am…overjoyed!’ She shook her head and giggled, ‘I haven’t been this happy in a long time, so happy that I want to shout and dance with these dancing girls! Oh yes, I can even do somersaults! I secretly learned how to do that, and you never knew, did you?‘

She was really drunk!

He was at a loss for words, “Jing’er…”

’Xuan…’ She softly rested her head on his shoulder and sighed, ’I’ve missed you so much! Every day, every moment… I’ve been counting the days waiting for you to come back. You don’t know how happy I am that you’re finally back by my side!’

Her unreserved and profound thoughts about him moved him!

For the sake of the country, and to escape his own feelings, he volunteered for battle, hoping to use it to dilute the love that was almost overflowing. However, the distance only made the longing even stronger! Wasn’t he also suffering from the torment of longing in a different place?

Yes, he has returned, and he has finally returned to her as he wished.

The melodious dance music ended with lingering echoes, and Langya Jing praised, ‘Good,’ and then clapped her hands. The military and civilian officials under the throne and the generals and soldiers of the three armies also enthusiastically applauded. For a while, the sound of clapping echoed through the grand banquet, deafening.

Langya Jing stood up with a drunken air and laughed, saying, ‘Soldiers, the book of merit and demerit has been submitted. I will order the Ministry of Rites to award a first-class title according to the merits, and those with no merits can also receive a reward of ten gold pieces!’

The soldiers all said in unison, ‘Thank you, Your Majesty!’

Langya Jing continued, ‘In this battle, the Regent Wang has achieved dazzling military exploits and should be rewarded according to his merits. Shi Aiqing!’

Lord Shi, the Minister of Rites, then stood up from his seat, ‘Yes, Your Majesty!’

‘Tell me, according to the laws of our kingdom, how should he be rewarded?’

‘Your Majesty, according to the law, Dingyuanhou should be given 1,000 households.’

Langya Jing frowned slightly, obviously not very satisfied.

Lord Shi quickly changed his words, ‘Well…then, how does Your Majesty feel about making him the Duke of the Nation and giving him 3,000 households and a mansion?

Langya Jing was still not satisfied. ‘Is that all?’

No one could understand her wishes, which was so disappointing!

The ministers could not help but look surprised. The Lord of the National Prefecture was second only to the Empress and the Regent, and she still felt that it was not enough.

Lord Shi was dumbfounded. At this point, even he didn’t know what to do. A reward could not usurp the emperor’s position, could it?

Haitang Xuan spoke up, ‘Your Majesty, I am already in the highest position, and if I am also made Lord of the Nation, it will seem as if I have too much power and will shake the emperor’s position. I believe that rewards must not be excessive.’

The Haitang clan knew that his position was comparable to Langya Jing’s, and in the eyes of the well-wishers, it was extremely offensive.

The Right Prime Minister also spoke up, ‘Your Majesty, this is a violation of the ancestral system. I also think it is inappropriate. I hope Your Majesty will think twice!’

Langya Jing turned his drunken, piercing eyes and smiled; ‘So, what do you all think of giving the Prince Regent a beautiful woman to keep him company for the rest of his life?’

‘Your Majesty is wise!‘

’Your Highness is approaching his thirties, and after building up your achievements, it is only natural that you should start a family and establish a career. It would be even better if Your Majesty could preside over the wedding ceremony yourself!’

The ministers chimed in, all agreeing.

Haitang Xuan was first taken aback, but then quickly understood what she was thinking.

Is this little girl trying to marry the ‘regent regent’ as the ‘empress’? His heart sank, and he was about to put this matter aside and discuss it privately, but before he could speak, Langya Jing asked the ministers, ‘For the regent’s wife…do you have anyone suitable in mind?’

Langya Jing fully expected the ministers to scramble to put forward a long list of names, and she could just sit back and relax—she could veto them all, eliminating her rivals without a trace. After all, she had already made up her mind that she should be the one to take on the title of Princess Regent.

But unexpectedly, not only did the entire court not scramble to speak, they looked towards the Lord Hui, the Assistant Minister of Justice. Lord Hui lowered his face, making it impossible to read his expression.

The situation was a bit strange, but it was hard to know where to start. Langya Jing couldn’t help but be curious and said, ‘What’s going on? I’m waiting for your answer!’

Haitang Xuan broke the silence, ‘Let me tell you, Your Majesty.’

Langya Jing looked at Haitang Xuan. The seriousness in his eyes caused a cloud of gloom to drift into her clear and cloudless heart; it was so deep and so thick, sweeping in from all directions, almost taking her breath away.

For a moment, she was afraid of what he was about to say to her, because she understood that it would never be something that made her feel happy, but she still held her breath and waited—

‘Lady Hui is my mother’s sworn sister, and Hui Qiushui, the eldest daughter of Lord Hui…’ He took a deep breath and said, word by word, “is my betrothed from before birth!”

Coo

Langya Jing’s drunken stupor had completely worn off.

She stared at her beloved man with wide eyes, unable to believe what she was hearing. She was so shocked that even her delicate shoulders trembled slightly.

‘Jing’er…’ he whispered, worried by her expression.

Before he could say anything else, she swept away in full view of everyone.

She heard it very clearly, and was sure she hadn’t heard it wrong. Langya Jing couldn’t force herself to laugh it off as a joke, as Haitang Xuan’s expression was so serious!

The sudden departure of the empress caused the entire banquet hall to fall silent. Then the regent also stood up from the throne and followed the empress out.

Leaving the celebration banquet was extremely unbecoming of a king, but at the moment Langya Jing was completely unable to think. Her mind kept replaying Haitang Xuan’s words—

Lord Hui’s eldest daughter, Hui Qiushui… is my betrothed!
Fiancee? He has a fiancee? And she didn’t even know!

She stormed into the imperial garden. In the pale moonlight, the peach trees became overlapping silhouettes.

“What the hell! What fiancee? ! This kind of third-rate script wouldn’t even be worth the storytellers in the neighborhood taverns talking about! It happened to me!‘ She completely disregarded her status, and with tears in her eyes, she lifted up her skirt and kicked the peach tree trunk furiously to vent her anger. In an instant, the flowers fell in all directions, as if it had rained peach blossoms.

’Jing’er!‘ This was the scene that Haitang Xuan saw when he came out in pursuit. He hugged her from behind and whispered, “What are you doing? What if you hurt yourself?”

’I’m taking out my anger, is that not allowed?’

Unable to bear to hit him, she had to kick the tree to vent her anger. What else could she do?

Seeing that she was both angry and sad, Haitang Xuan couldn’t help but sigh.

‘Are you angry with me?’

‘Of course,’ she answered without hesitation.

Which woman in the world wouldn’t be angry when she heard that her beloved man had a fiancee? A lover’s eyes cannot contain a single grain of sand!

‘Do you regret it?‘ He turned her around, cupped her little face in his hands, and looked at her with great solemnity, “Do you regret giving yourself to me?”

Idiot! How could she possibly regret it? But Dushan Jing didn’t want to tell him the truth, and just pursed her red lips without saying a word.

’Jing…’ he called again.

‘It doesn’t matter whether I regret it or not, and I don’t want to know why you’re hiding it from me! I just want you to tell me what you want to do.’ She looked him straight in the eye and asked aggressively, ’Answer me, do you choose her or me? I’ll make it clear from the start, my love is complete and indivisible, I will never allow another woman to share a husband with me!’

This was the first time Langya Jing had spoken to him so sternly. By expressing her emotions so strongly, she made him understand just how deeply she loved him.

‘Let me tell you some stories, okay?’ His voice was so soft, with a hint of pleading and some inexplicable emotion.

Langya Jing could not refuse, so she subconsciously nodded.

He looked up at the moonlight and began to tell her the story. ‘Our marriage was decided before we were even born. Ever since we were old enough to understand, we have known that we are bound by the marriage covenant. Qiushui…is a gentle and kind girl. When she learned that I was appointed to the position of regent, she understood that our marriage would be postponed again and again, because she knows that I am determined to take responsibility for everything.’

Langya Jing listened quietly, and a pang of pain shot through her heart. That was the past she did not know about Haitang Xuan, and it was also a memory he shared with another woman.

“Because of her tolerance and understanding, I was able to focus all my energy on assisting you in the government. In the blink of an eye, several years had passed, and she had waited for me without complaint, allowing her youth to pass in vain. However, in the year she turned 26, she discovered that she had contracted tuberculosis, and the root of the disease had taken hold in her body, unable to be eradicated…’ He closed his eyes as he spoke, “So, she did not want to delay me, and sent someone to regret the marriage.”

Langya Jingxin’s mouth tightened, and she felt his sorrow.

‘But I refused. I cannot agree to dissolve the marriage under such circumstances. At this time, Yueyuan invaded the border, and I volunteered to go to war. It has been two years, and I have not seen her again. I only know that the letters from the front line always say that her condition is getting worse every day, and I am afraid that she…will not survive the winter.’

Having heard this, Langya Jing could already guess the decision he was about to make.

She whispered, trembling, ‘You…have decided to marry her, haven’t you?’

‘Yes,’ he said, his eyes filled with deep pain. ‘She loves me deeply, and although I cannot return her love in the same way, at least…I must fulfil the marriage vow we made to each other.’

He had given his heart to Lang Ya Jing, but his body had belonged to Qiu Shui long ago, twenty-eight years ago.

Lang Ya Jing turned away, her heart aching so much she could hardly speak.

He hugged her tightly and whispered, ‘Jing’er, I love you!’

‘I know you love me, but you selflessly chose to give up your love to fulfil your damned sense of responsibility!’ She raised her head and forced herself to suppress the tears that were about to well up in her eyes. She gave a bitter smile, ‘But it is precisely because of this that I love you, and I love you without any reservations.’

Yes, she had filled her heart with his image without reservation, leaving no room for herself. Apart from loving him, there was nothing else.

Her every word tore at his heart, and in that moment, he saw the sadness in her eyes.

He had broken her heart, and it was broken very, very deeply…

‘Jing’er…’ He opened his mouth to speak, but Langya Jing no longer wished to hear.
She pushed him away, her head held high, like an empress, and she walked away from him step by step.

Not even once did she look back.

Coo

A child who has suffered injustice can throw himself into the arms of his parents. But where is the safe haven for a child without parents?

Langya Jing came to Wenyuange with a wounded heart.

This is Feng Yunshao’s residence, and she can find no other place to take refuge.

When Feng Yunshao came to the door and saw the dejected Langya Jing, he could not hide his surprise. ‘What’s wrong? Did you come here alone? Why do you look like an abandoned kitten?’

He tried to cheer her up with a light tone, but instead it triggered her tears, which could not be stopped.

‘Wo wo…‘ she sobbed sadly, burying her face in Feng Yunshao’s arms.

’Don’t cry, tell me, what happened?‘ He led her into the house while closing the door behind them, and poured her a cup of tea.

’You have a guest?’ She saw two cups of still-steaming hot tea on the table, and obviously a visitor had just left not long ago.

‘Just an old friend,‘ he said lightly.

Langya Jing nodded, and after taking a sip of tea, she felt much more at ease. Feng Yunshao’s worried gaze made her feel like a helpless child, and her cheeks flushed uncontrollably.

’Master, I…‘ She wanted to explain something, but didn’t know how to start.

’This incident is inextricably linked to Prince Zheng, isn’t it?’ He spoke for her.

She stared at him in surprise, her eyes welling up with tears. ‘How did you know?’

‘The only person in the world who could make you so sad is Haitang Xuan,’ Feng Yunshao said with a faint smile, a smile that betrayed a deep understanding. ‘He’s just returned to the capital, and you’re crying like this. Could it be that he’s decided to leave Beiling City and stay at the border for a long time?’

‘That’s not it!’ she thought sullenly. If that were the case, it would be much better than the current situation!

“What is it, then?’

Facing Feng Yunshao’s questioning, Langya Jing first pursed her red lips, and soon her tears were again dangling precariously on her eyelashes.

‘I never knew… that he actually had a betrothed fiancée, and he chose to marry her!’ She choked, ‘This is such a cliche! I never thought that this would happen to me.’

‘His fiancee is the frail and sickly eldest daughter of Lord Hui, isn’t she?‘

’You know?!‘ she asked in shock.

’I’ve heard about it, but I’ve never been able to confirm it.’ Feng Yunshao let out a heavy sigh. ’Given his personality, I’m not surprised that he would do this. Haitang Xuan’s sense of responsibility makes him unwilling to let anyone down, and his choices often become a weapon to hurt you.’

Langya Jing was completely unable to accept Feng Yunshao’s explanation.

‘He doesn’t want to let anyone down, so he chooses to let me down? I don’t understand! What kind of reasoning is this?!’

Facing an agitated Langya Jing, Feng Yunshao paused for a moment, and then said, ‘Don’t be so quick to condemn him. I think the person he is most unwilling to let down is you.’

She turned her face away, ‘I don’t believe it.’

“Haitang Xuan had many opportunities to marry Lady Hui, but why didn’t he do it? One reason was to assist you, but the bigger reason was because he loved you, to the point where he couldn’t accept any other woman except you. I think—falling in love with you must have been the last thing he expected, so he could only do nothing about it and let this marriage continue to drag on.’

He paused for a moment and continued, ‘Now that Miss Hui’s time is running out, Haitang Xuan—the man who was supposed to bring her happiness—feels an irreparable sense of guilt towards her. Faced with a woman who is waiting for her without complaint or regret, what else can he do but promise her his hand? To let you down is the last thing he wants to do, but in the end, he still chose a sense of responsibility over his love for you. This is his nature, so how can you blame him?’

Langya Jing’s eyes welled with tears, and she bowed her head in silence.

Seeing that she was not speaking, Feng Yunshao sighed, ‘Can you still forgive him?’

‘Of course I won’t forgive him!’ She wiped away her tears and shouted, ‘If he thinks I’ll let this go so easily, he’s wrong!’

Upon hearing this, Feng Yunshao felt a little worried. ‘So…what do you want to do?’

‘I will fulfil his sense of responsibility towards Hui Qiushui by allowing him to marry another woman before marrying me. However, he had better be fully prepared mentally, because—’ she said with conviction, ‘I will use the means at my disposal to demand payment for this heartbreak!

Perhaps it is because I lost my family when I was young that I have set a very high requirement for the “purity” of love.

I always thought that Haitang Xuan would belong to me, but I was wrong.

Haitang Xuan is not an ordinary man, and even I, the queen on the throne, cannot control him; I cannot even order him to abandon his sense of responsibility and accommodate my love.

He decided to marry Huichoushui and play the role of a good husband.

I can understand his thoughts, so I acquiesced to the wedding, even though I cried the whole night on my dragon bed that day.

Of course, he is still my regent, and in the palace, he belongs entirely to me, and nothing has changed from the past. But when he leaves the palace, he is the husband of Hui Qiushui and no longer belongs to me alone.

In a way, I share a man with another woman; but in another way, I have not only lost my lover, but also my family.

Chapter 8

It was the season of osmanthus fragrance again. Langya Jing stroked the ferret in her arms absentmindedly, a little distracted by the morning court. The reason for her distraction was the regent sitting next to her, the man she had just become someone else’s husband, Haitang Xuan.

“Your Majesty, regarding the plague in Xiangcheng, I have ordered the evacuation of the people…’

After calculating the time, Haitang Xuan had been married for more than half a year.

The newlywed Haitang Xuan did not have the slightest hint of the joy of being a bridegroom. He carried out his duties in an orderly and appropriate manner, but with a more introverted and composed temperament. Occasionally, there was an inextricable gloom between his brows, as if some eternal problem was troubling him.

‘Forty-seven people have died in Xiangcheng. One hundred and eighty-six people have fallen ill, most of them elderly people, women and children…’

Haitang Xuan, it is still Haitang Xuan; however, this name will always be accompanied by another name that is as light as water, which slightly stings her, reminding her through this pain that Haitang Xuan is no longer the same as she was at the beginning.

‘Your servant requests that Your Majesty send a group of doctors to provide assistance and transport a large quantity of medicinal herbs to the infected area to prevent the spread of the epidemic. Your Majesty, please make a decision.’

She always looked forward to being alone with him, but every time they were alone together, she felt panicked, a panic born of fear of losing him.

She was the Empress, everyone should obey her, but she could not command his heart, which was free of desire and selfishness.

But she will not give up. Haitang Xuan is worth fighting for, and she has a trump card in her hand. He loves her, doesn’t he? For this reason alone, she has an 80% chance of winning!

“Please, Your Majesty, make a decision.’

In order to fulfil his damned sense of responsibility, she acquiesced to his marriage, but she would also begin to execute her ‘conspiracy’ step by step. After he had fulfilled his ‘responsibility,’ she would definitely not let him slip away from her hands again, and she would definitely make him her husband for life!

Alas! Although she is not very good at palace struggles, she can be described as employing every possible means when it comes to scheming against the man she loves!

Her silence made Haitang Xuan feel strange. He turned and whispered, ‘Your Majesty?’

Langya Jing came back to her senses. ‘What?’

‘What do you think of the plague in Xiangcheng?’ Haitang Clan asked.

Langya Jing froze. What plague in Xiangcheng? She hadn’t heard a word!

In a moment of desperation, Langya Jing asked in return, ‘What does Your Highness think? I would like to hear your opinion.’

Haitang Xuan replied, ‘Your Majesty, I think this method is feasible.’

Langya Jing nodded. ‘Then do as the Prince Regent wishes. I’m tired, let’s adjourn the court!’

After the court had adjourned, Haitang Xuan stopped her.

‘Jing’er, what were you thinking about just now?’

Haitang Xuan sensitively noticed that she was distracted after all.

Langya Jing sighed inwardly. Although he was already someone else’s husband, his concern for him had not diminished in the slightest. Perhaps it was because of this that she was so devoted to him?

Deliberately putting on a face of indifference, Langya Jing said without even turning her head, ’I wasn’t thinking about anything.’

Her reply made Haitang Xuan frown. He knew her better than he knew himself, so he absolutely did not believe her when she said, ‘I wasn’t thinking about anything.’

‘Is there anything you can’t tell me?’ He didn’t like the feeling of being shut out of her heart!

Langya Jing looked at him mockingly, ‘I’m not a child anymore, so why do I have to report everything to you?’

“Jing’er!’

‘Please don’t call me by my name, Your Highness.’ After letting the little ferret in her arms go to the official maid to find food, she slowly walked over to a pot of chrysanthemum bonsai, bent down, plucked a chrysanthemum, held it up to her nose, and sniffed, while casually saying, ’After all, I am the monarch and you are the minister, there is a difference between monarch and minister.’

Her cold but provocative words successfully angered Haitang Xuan. He walked up to her in two or three steps, grabbed her delicate wrist and pulled her into his arms. The chrysanthemum also fell to the ground between the pull and the pull, spreading across the ground in a yellowish hue.

Langya Jing, who was pulled into his arms, let out a low sigh, not because of the withered flower, but because of his broad and long-lost embrace.

Ever since he got married, he had never touched her; now that he was embracing her again, she almost buried herself contentedly in his arms.

After indulging herself in his breath for a while, she forced herself to put on a cold and frosty face.

‘Don’t touch me,’ she pushed him away and kept a distance of more than three steps from him, ‘don’t forget, you already have a virtuous and gentle wife, I don’t want others to misunderstand.’

She didn’t think these words were enough to make Haitang Xuan’s anger soar several zhang high, but she underestimated her! But it’s okay, this failure can be used as a reference for the next time. She is tireless and diligent in learning.

‘Why do you deliberately want to draw a line between us?‘ Even in the midst of her anger, Haitang Xuan’s reasoning still functioned as usual, and she was not carried away by Langya Jing’s provocation.

’Because you are no longer my Haitang Xuan.’

Yes, he was no longer “her” Haitang Xuan, but this painful truth was of his own choosing.

‘If it’s possible, I don’t want to see you again.’ She broke free from his grasp and walked away, lest her expression betray her. ’Haven’t you always wanted to be relieved of the burden of being the regent? Now I’ve granted your wish. I’ve changed your title to Lord of the City. From now on, you can stay at your residence with your wife and spend your days in leisure. I’m sure your wife will be very happy with this arrangement.’

Her indifference and distance drew an insurmountable chasm between them, making him realise that he would never be able to regain the old days.

After a long time, she did not hear his response, so Langya Jing could not help but turn around to face him.

The pain in Haitang Xuan’s eyes was skillfully concealed, but it still leaked out a little.

“You’re right, I should retire with my achievements, and it’s time for you to take the lead.’

Langya Jing did not expect him to concede so readily. The position of regent, second only to the emperor and above everyone else, was so attractive. It was the position that many people dreamed of, but looking around the world, perhaps only Haitang Xuan would not miss it.

He smiled lightly as he met her slightly surprised eyes.

‘In the two short years since I left for battle, you have been able to handle the tedious political affairs with clarity and ease, even without my assistance. I can truly rest assured in relinquishing the throne of regent.’

He removed the crown that represented his status and handed it to her face-to-face, letting his long hair fall over his shoulders.

Langya Jing forced herself to remain indifferent as she accepted his crown, saying, ‘You are being removed from your position as regent and ordered to leave the palace. You…don’t hate me.’

Haitang Xuan shook her head gently.

“Success, fame, wealth, and power are like floating clouds, transient and fleeting. My only regret is that I hurt you and betrayed our love.’

Oh, so touching! It can be seen that he is still very much bothered by this matter! In that case, her chances of winning are much higher.

‘It’s too late to say this,’ she said deliberately coldly.

He smiled bitterly, ‘I understand.’

The damage has already been done, and no matter what is said, it will not help.

She turned her face away, hardened her heart, and said, ‘You can go!’

Haitang Xuan looked at her deeply, many emotions flashing across her eyes. She didn’t know where to start, and all she could say was, ‘Take care.’

Langya Jing had wanted to respond with a carefree ‘Take care,’ but she couldn’t bring herself to say it.

He gave a small smile, as if he wanted to remember her, and carefully scanned her pretty face with his eyes until he had had enough.

‘I’m leaving,’ he said, and turned to leave the Hall of Diligence.

The moment he stepped out the door, Langya Jing could only see a hazy blur in front of her, unable to see anything clearly.

God knows how reluctant she was, how unwilling she was to part with him in the slightest!

She knew it was only a brief parting, but it still made her feel so sad that it was as if her heart was being torn in two.

Alas, she began to doubt whether she could hold on.

And this was only the beginning!

o

‘The Prince is back in the palace…’

With the announcement of the servant, Haitang Xuan walked through the courtyard and along the corridor to the bedroom, asking the head servant, ‘Is the Madam well today?
’
The head servant did not dare hide it, ‘Your Highness, the Madam… coughed up blood again today.’

‘Coughing up blood?!‘ Haitang Xuan asked anxiously, “Has the imperial doctor been called to see her? What did he say?”

’The imperial doctor said…that the illness in her lungs has already reached the point of blindness, and taking medicine will only…extend the time for a little while.’

Could it be that Qiushui really wouldn’t survive the year? Haitang Xuan couldn’t help but look grave. ‘…I know, you can go now!’

Walking into the bedroom, Haitang Xuan stood at the edge of the bed, gazing at his weak and pale wife on the bed, his eyes full of pain and pity.

As if sensing Haitang Xuan’s gaze, Qiushui slowly opened her eyes. She weakly smiled at him, feeling a little unsteady.

‘My lord, you’re back?‘

’Qiushui, I heard that you coughed up blood again today.‘ His brows were locked in deep concern. “Have you taken your medicine? How do you feel?”

Qiushui extended his bony hand and shook Haitang Xuan’s. “Life and death are in the hands of the gods. I know my own body. This illness will not get better, and I’m the one who’s sorry for burdening you…”

’Don’t talk nonsense, you haven’t burdened me.’

Qiu Shui shook his head, ‘I have burdened you with my worries, and even the throne of regent…’

She eventually learned about being removed from the position of regent.

Haitang Xuan gave a faint smile and didn’t take it to heart.

“The empress is already capable of governing, and I should have stepped down from the position of regent long ago. Besides, not having to attend court gives me more time to take care of you, isn’t that great?’

Qiushui’s condition was deteriorating, and the eighteen buckets in his heart were also getting higher and higher, for fear that one day they would suddenly fall.

‘My time is running out, but you are still willing to marry me, and this life has not been in vain,’ she said with infinite contentment in her quiet smile. ‘But, Your Highness, once I am gone, time will not stop. You still have to live your life…’

‘Qiushui…’ He didn’t like hearing her say this.

‘My lord, listen to me,‘ she interrupted him, determined to make him understand her thoughts, “Langya needs you, the empress needs you… And you, you need the empress. You are destined to love and belong to each other.”

Qiu Shui smiled slightly in response to Langya Xuan’s shocked gaze.

’Are you surprised? I have managed to read your unspoken thoughts.”

Yes, he was surprised.

He is a very self-controlled person, so he always hides his likes and dislikes deep in his heart. Even though he is so in love with Langya Jing and has never shown it on the outside, how can he not be surprised that Qiu Shui can read his mind?

“How do you know?’

‘Because I know you better than I know myself.’ Qiu Shui lifted the quilt and, with the help of Haitang Xuan, sat up, looking him in the eye as he sat on the edge of the bed. ’From the moment I knew I was your fiancee, I spent a lot of time observing you, and the more I observed, the more attracted I became. I once vowed secretly that in this life, apart from you, I would not want a second husband.’

He looked at her with emotion. In his deep, dark eyes, there was reluctance, sadness, and also profound nostalgia.

‘I have fulfilled my dream. Sometimes I even feel that if I were to pass away at this moment, I would also go without any attachments.’

‘Qiushui!’

His slightly annoyed look made her laugh. ‘Alas! I was just talking, look at you!’

‘Don’t even joke about it, you can’t joke about death.‘

’Okay, let’s not joke. I want you to promise me something.‘ Qiu Shui said solemnly, “You must promise me that you will do it!”

Haitang Xuan raised her eyebrows, “What is it?”

’After I’m gone, you must remarry, and the person…‘ she said word by word, “is Langya Jing.”

’Qiu Shui…this is impossible!’

‘Why not? You still love her, don’t you?‘

’Yes, I love her, but I also hurt her.‘ Haitang Xuan whispered in a hoarse voice, “I betrayed her love for me, and she will never forgive me.”

Because you are no longer my Haitang Xuan.

These words summed up the position of the two, and they would never be involved again.

’No, she has already forgiven you.’

Haitang Xuan shook her head, ‘If she had forgiven me, she would not have asked me to leave the palace and become a “Lord of the Kingdom” with a mere title.’

‘It is precisely because she did this that I am certain she has forgiven you. Not only that, she has also fulfilled your wish.’ Qiu Shui smiled and said, ’The Empress has appointed you to a position with no responsibilities, precisely so that you can accompany me through this period of time that is left to me, because she knows that if she does not do this, you will definitely blame yourself in the future. She loves you and cannot bear to see you regret it, so she has tacitly approved of my marriage to you and has given me the man she loves most.’

Is this really what Jing’er meant? Haitang Xuan smiled bitterly and said, ‘Thank you for telling me this…but it is impossible for her and I to return to the way things were.’

‘No, it will be fine…’

He interrupted her with a gesture and helped her lie down. ‘Qiushui, you should get some rest! If you don’t rest, how can you get better?’

Understanding that he didn’t want to talk about it anymore, Qiushui had to give in.

‘Your Highness, go rest too! You’ve been working too hard lately, and you look pale and much thinner. It worries me.‘

’I can take care of myself.’

They chatted for a while longer, but Qiu Shui gradually grew tired, and with Begonia by his side, he drifted off to sleep.

Begonia quietly left the bedroom and walked alone in the desolate courtyard of the autumn night.

No one knows what he is thinking, no one understands why he is sighing. The bright moonlight stretches his solitary figure for a long, long time, like a lone goose, so unattainable.

oo

Although Haitang Xuan has faded from the imperial court, his influence is still not to be underestimated. There are hundreds of ministers in the imperial court who were personally promoted by him. Even though Haitang Xuan is no longer acting as regent, the courtiers still visit him from time to time to seek his advice. In Langya Kingdom, he still has a pivotal position that no one can replace.

Therefore, no matter what happens in the palace, someone will immediately report it to Haitang Xuan. Haitang Xuan knows every decision and every move Langya Jing makes.

Doesn’t Langya Jing know?

No! Not only does she know, she even welcomes it. This is exactly the result she wants!

She wants him to know exactly what she is doing, but not to say anything. Only in this way will he never feel at ease and never stop worrying!

After the next court session, Langya Jing went to the Wenyuange as usual. Feng Yunshao, who always valued his personal space, had already given up the idea of complaining about his freedom due to Langya Jing’s frequent interruptions.

“Master!’

Her voice preceded her, and the Empress was here. Feng Yunshao let out a sigh, put down the poetry anthology he was reading halfway through, and got up to greet her.

‘Your servant greets Your Majesty,’ Feng Yunshao could not help but bow in salute.

Langya Jing waved her hand, seemingly impatient with all the formalities. ‘Come now, there’s no one else here, so what’s the point of the salute?’

Feng Yunshao couldn’t help but laugh, ‘Your servant is bowing to you, and you find it distasteful!’

Langya Jing mischievously wrinkled her nose, ‘You know I’ve always been rebellious, so don’t mock me.’ Unexpectedly, she saw the poetry collection on his desk and curiously picked it up and flipped through it, ‘This was printed by my brother Yuan’s group of literary men! Hey…Wu Yongxi, what a familiar name!’

‘She is this year’s new top scholar,’ Feng Yunshao reminded her.

She suddenly realised, ’Oh, yes! I remember now. A talented woman with quick thinking and a good memory. Brother Yuan mentioned her to me several times, but I kept forgetting.’

In the egalitarian state of Langya, the civil and military examinations were open to both men and women. Therefore, over the years, there have been not only female governors and generals, but also countless female top exam candidates and imperial examiners.

Feng Yunshao asked her with a sidelong glance: ‘You made a special trip to see me today, so you haven’t suddenly had an epiphany and decided to study hard, have you?’

‘If you want me to study hard, forget it!’ He knew that she didn’t like studying.

Alas! He knew.

Feng Yunshao’s eyes flashed with understanding. “So, you came here to ask me to be your advisor?”

Feng Yunshao was worthy of being the imperial tutor, and he had a clear understanding of Langya Jing’s character.

Langya Jing smiled lightly, covering her lips. ‘Master, you really can predict the future.’

Apart from Haitang Xuan, perhaps Feng Yunshao understands her the best?

Feng Yunshao snorted lightly, took a sip of the fragrant, hot tea, and then asked, ‘Don’t try to butter me up, just get to the point! What kind of trick are you trying to play on Haitang Xuan?’

‘What tricks! At most, I’m just playing a little game!’ She protested, “In order to get the man you love, it’s forgivable to do a little harmless scheming.”

She just wants to completely own the man she truly loves, that’s all.

Feng Yunshao of course understood her thoughts, but still sighed, ‘If you could devote some of the scheming you do to handling state affairs, the Prime Minister and Vice-Prime Minister wouldn’t be working like oxen.’

‘My goal is not to be a hardworking emperor, and I’m content with the people I have. I’d rather have a good man to accompany me for the rest of my life, that is Haitang Xuan.’ She knew she wasn’t a good emperor, but she really did her best.

Feng Yunshao shook his head helplessly, ‘Tell me, what scheme have you come up with this time?’

At this, Langya Jing’s eyes lit up, and she said with excitement, ‘Do you think there is anything that can make the calm Haitang Xuan lose control of her emotions and come running to me?’

Her question made Feng Yunshao suddenly wary.

“What do you want?’

‘Ai… don’t be so nervous, okay? After all, he is the person I love the most, and I won’t go too far.’ She rested her fragrant cheek and sighed, “I just miss him so much.”

The distance in time and space not only did not erode her love for Haitang Xuan, but instead, it was like a raging fire that burned her heart every moment. She missed him so much that she could only keep suppressing it. No one could understand this kind of torment.

‘If you miss him, you can ask him to be reinstated, and then you can see him every day.’

Langya Jing shook her green fingers, “I can’t do that yet, it’s not the right time!”

Feng Yunshao raised his slender eyebrows in inquiry, as if he didn’t understand her riddle.

Langya Jing thought for a moment, ’Let me put it this way: his removal from the position of regent was premeditated.’

‘It’s to be expected,’ Feng Yunshao was not at all surprised.

Langya Jing continued, ’He made Hui Qiushui dedicate his youth waiting for him for my sake. In a certain sense, I am to blame for Hui Qiushui’s wasted youth, and the internal torment of Haitang Xuan, who has a strong sense of responsibility, is even more imaginable.

‘I deliberately let Haitang Xuan believe that my removal was because of his betrayal, but the truth is just the opposite; I want him to feel guilty towards me and think about how to make amends for me day and night. Only by making him feel guilty will he always put me in the most important position in his heart.‘

’So you didn’t stop Haitang Xuan from marrying Hui Qiushui?’

Langya Jing nodded, ‘She deserves Haitang Xuan. A woman who can wait for so long without complaint or regret, and who can give so much of her youth, is a woman after my own heart. I told myself that as long as she was alive, no matter how long, I would never take Haitang Xuan away from her. “And she was willing to let Haitang Xuan make up for his wrongs to Hui Qiushui.

”You actually…can be so calm and rational as to give up the one you love to someone else.’ Even he himself could not have done it.

‘No! You’re wrong, I’m not calm at all.’ Langya Jing sighed, ‘You don’t know, just for the fact that his wife is not me, I don’t know how many tears I’ve cried. Even though I had long expected everything to happen, I still couldn’t remain indifferent. I love him, but I’m also angry with him for breaking my heart. So, I had to play some tricks to distract myself from my boredom.’

‘By tricks, you mean the rash decisions that have been popping up one after the other lately?‘ Feng Yunshao may not have been involved in politics, but that doesn’t mean he’s unaware of everything that’s going on in the court.

Langya Jing never expected Feng Yunshao to be able to guess what she was thinking.

’Oops, you noticed?’ She stuck out her tongue. ’Haitang Xuan is a man with a strong sense of responsibility, and occasionally making a small mistake is exactly what he needs to keep him on his toes.’

Langya Jing really does stop at nothing to achieve her goals!

‘You really…’ Feng Yunshuo sighed repeatedly, not knowing what to say. ‘If Haitang Xuan knew that he had forced you to act so recklessly, he would definitely be worried and unable to sleep at night.’

She tilted her little face up and pouted her red lips slightly, ‘I want him to be worried! He has made me so sad, how can I just let it go? I want him to always miss me in the Prince’s residence, he owes me that!’

She said, her beautiful face falling. ’But this method obviously has its pros and cons. I have successfully achieved my goal, but if I don’t find a way for him to come to the palace to see me, I, this flower, will wither and die.’

Alas, love is a tormenting thing that makes one grow old!

Feng Yunshao was puzzled, ‘You must have a plan in mind, so why ask me?’

‘Of course I have my reasons!’ She looked at Feng Yunshao and smiled like a mischievous little devil, ‘If I want Haitang Xuan to come to the palace to see me without hesitation, there must be a very powerful trigger. I just want to hear your opinion.’

She just wants to drag him down, period!

Feng Yunshao let out another sigh, ‘Go ahead!’

She lowered her voice and said seriously, ‘Do you think… if I were to keep a bunch of male lovers in the harem, would he be furious?’

If a good monarch is one who considers the welfare of his people and is constantly concerned about their well-being, then I admit that I am inferior to Haitang Xuan in terms of ‘the way of being a monarch.’

Although I am an empress, I am essentially still the same mischievous Princess Jing from back then: headstrong, impulsive, and deeply in love with Haitang Xuan.

Feng Yunshao described me at the time as if I had been under a love spell. I was so desperate for love that I didn’t care about my identity, and I was willing to do anything, which was truly terrifying.

Perhaps no one else understood what I was doing, but I knew for sure that I was doing everything in my power to find the happiness of my life, and that was the only path for me in the future.

Chapter 9

Langya Jing vowed that she never thought her trick would be so effective! Correction, she never thought the trick would make Haitang Xuan come knocking on her door so soon.

Without reporting in or asking for her well-being, Haitang Xuan swept into Chaoyang Hall like a gust of wind.

His sudden arrival caught Langya Jing off guard for a moment.

Haitang Xuan’s slightly angry, fierce eyes stared straight at her, his thin lips tightly pursed. His dark black robe, which symbolised his status as the ‘Lord of the Kingdom’, was a little dishevelled from the horse ride, and he didn’t look his usual meticulous self. Instead, he looked more unrestrained and even more attractive.

Oh! He is still her beloved Haitang Xuan, the Haitang Xuan she has longed for!

Suppressing her ecstasy and excitement, she slowly got up from the throne, her big innocent and watery eyes meeting his introverted dark eyes, and she walked closer to him step by step.

‘Lord Zhenjiang, what a rare guest you are, visiting so late at night!’

He suppressed his anger and gritted his teeth, saying, ‘I must see you!’

‘Why?‘ Why not “I miss you”? That’s so sad.

’Because of them!‘ Haitang Xuan pointed at the young men lined up on both sides, and a storm gradually gathered in her eyes, “What on earth were you thinking? You actually planned to start keeping male lovers!”

Langya Jing was astonished, “It’s only ”planned to start’, it hasn’t ‘officially started’ yet. Are you going to interrogate me for something that doesn’t exist?’

Haitang Xuan’s rhetorical question was unequivocal: ‘The men you handpicked have already entered the Chaoyang Hall, can you say that this is a baseless matter?’

The obvious truth was undeniable.

“I am the Empress, even if I really intend to keep one or two male concubines, or even want to keep them all to enrich the harem, what’s the big deal? Don’t stop me, I want to pick out a few who are good at serving, and wait for me to serve in bed later.’

Servant-sleeping!

She was deliberately trying to provoke him! Haitang Xuan suppressed her anger and turned to the young men standing nearby, shouting, ‘Leave!’

At Haitang Xuan’s sharp rebuke, the group of good-looking men actually jumped in surprise and hurriedly pushed towards the door without Langya Jing’s permission.

Langya Jing was at a loss for words, shouting, ‘Come back! Who gave you permission to go?’

The group of men then came back to their senses and hurriedly came back one after the other.

Seeing this, Haitang Xuan could not help but growl, ‘Your Majesty!’

‘You still know that I am your emperor?’ She looked at Haitang Xuan’s cold and fierce eyes provocatively, and lightly stroked his beard without knowing death. “Here, my words are imperial edicts. You are no longer the regent. Your words no longer have the same effect as mine… Ah! What are you doing?!”

Haitang Xuan pulled her into his arms and held her tightly.

His fierce and majestic gaze locked onto her frightened eyes, and in an extremely dangerous tone, he said word by word, ‘Then, Your Majesty, please give the order for them to all leave, and I have something to report.’

This…this is not called reporting! It’s more like using the emperor to order the princes!

However, she didn’t dare say this to his face.

Langya Jing of course knew that this was a precursor to his anger. If she dared to provoke him again, it was doubtful that the enraged Haitang Xuan would not crush her to death in a fit of anger.

Langya Jing could only wave her hand and say, ‘Retreat…retreat.’

He who knows the times is a hero, and it is wiser to do as you are told obediently. She didn’t want to get into trouble; besides, she also preferred to be alone with him.

‘Your servant takes his leave.‘

After waiting for the men to be summoned to leave in a hurry, Haitang Xuan let go of her and walked over to close the door.

’Bang!’ A loud noise startled Langya Jing. Obviously, her anger had pushed him to the breaking point, and Haitang Xuan, who was usually calm, had used the door to vent his anger for the first time ever.

He glared down at her, ‘Jing’er, you’d better have a good reason to convince me!’

She turned her little face away, ‘I’m under no obligation to explain anything to you.’

‘Just because I was the minister entrusted with the care of the late emperor’s orphaned children, I’m qualified to question what you’ve done!’ He pulled back her pretty little face and forced her to look him in the eye, ‘Say it! Why did you do it?’

‘There is no reason, just loneliness and the need for company!’ she reproached, “You have no idea what it’s like for me to be all alone in the palace, either attending court or reviewing memorials every day! I just want a few men who know how to please me and cater to my needs to keep me company and make me feel better, is that not allowed?”

Her hurt eyes made the entire heart of the Begonia clan ache.

He had never considered her feelings… No! Perhaps he vaguely knew, but subconsciously refused to face it. Selfishly thinking that if he didn’t face the problem, he could keep her forever within his reach, without having to worry about the possible separation.

However, this was just self-deception.

How could he expect her not to fall for other men after betraying her love?

Haitang Xuan took a deep breath and said, ‘When you reach marriageable age, I will keep an eye out for a promising young man from a good family to be your husband…’

Langya Jing interrupted him sharply, ‘I don’t want to get married!’

He actually wanted to give her away to someone else? How outrageous!

‘Why?’

‘I don’t want a marriage of false sentiment!’ She had to take a deep breath to calm herself down, ‘One false sentiment is enough for a lifetime!’

He could not accept her unjust accusation!

‘Jing’er, I am serious about my feelings for you!’ He gritted his teeth and growled.

She deliberately twisted the meaning of his words, ‘Haha—you are serious about coaxing me. You are deceiving me and playing a game of love with me!’

Jing’er’s heart ached as she could not believe that she had denied everything in the past. ‘My love for you is not a game, you should know that!’

She shook her head desperately, ‘I don’t know, how would I know?’ She squeezed out two tears, her voice choking as she feigned a pitiful little victim, ‘Whether it’s true or not, you’ve already made your choice, and that’s the plainest fact of all!’

‘So you’re getting back at me?’ His calm self-control was completely out of control, ‘You’ve got this group of fawning male servants to serve you, so that you’ll feel better?’

Langya Jing shouted back with tears in her eyes, ‘Of course I will feel better! Because I can use their love to soothe my wounds, and I can also take this opportunity to forget about you!’

Haitang Xuan was shocked!

He never imagined that he was the reason that she was playing the field!

‘Each of those men is the best of the best, not only are they much younger than you, they also know how to please me. More importantly, they will never betray me,‘ she avoided his gaze and took a deep breath, saying, “Even if I don’t love them, they love me just the same, and that’s what sets them apart from you.”

’But that’s not the ‘love’ you believe in! I know you, and you don’t want this kind of empty, false sincerity. What you want, those male lovers can’t give.’

His deep understanding moved her. Looking into his deep, affectionate black eyes, she asked bluntly, ‘So, who can afford it?’

Who can afford it? Who can afford it?

Looking into her clear eyes, he saw his own reflection and also his unwavering true heart. However, it was so difficult to give a definite answer.

His silence disappointed Langya Jing.

He did not reply, ‘I can afford it.’

‘No one can afford it, including you…’ Langya Jing suppressed her sadness and put on a show of a heartbroken romantic loser, murmuring brokenly, ‘I should have known, I shouldn’t have expected “sincerity”. after all, that was just my naïve way of thinking. But I will grow up, I will forget this childish and simple delusion. True love may never be mine again, but at least I can settle for second best and be content with the false comfort of male lovers… Ah!’

Haitang Xuan suddenly pulled her into his arms and ferociously kissed her.

Langya Jing was shocked to meet his furious gaze, and she forgot all the lines she had prepared beforehand.

‘Xuan…’

‘Listen, I’ll only say this once!’ His gaze was burning, as if it were burning with a strange flame, and his low, hoarse voice seemed to come from the deepest part of his heart, ‘I love you!’

He loves her? He loves her? She didn’t hear it wrong, did she? He finally admitted it himself!

Langya Jing suddenly let out a low cry, rushed into his arms, and wrapped her arms around his nape like a child, refusing to let go. Haitang Xuan tightly embraced her, and the longing and passion that had always been suppressed by his extraordinary self-control overwhelmed his reason in an instant, like a sudden flash flood, unstoppable.

They couldn’t tell who started it first. Their lips and tongues entwined fiercely, as if they were trying to possess each other completely.

In the frenzy of passion, their long hair fell loose, their clothes fell to the ground. Haitang Xuan picked her naked body up in his arms and carried her to the inner chamber, laying her on the soft bed.

As he looked at her dark eyes, shimmering with moisture, and her blushing, exquisite face, the love in his heart spread infinitely beyond his control.

‘Jing’er…’ he whispered her name, and leaned down again to kiss her crystal-bright red lips.

The person in front of him was a young girl whom he had raised with his own hands, and also the supreme ruler of Langya. She was noble but mischievous, intelligent but headstrong. She was both an innocent young girl and a charming woman. He could not resist her seduction, and even less could he resist the deepest love in his heart.

Yes, he loved her.

As early as her childish years, when she was still the mischievous Princess Jing, he had fallen in love with her.

So, he accepted the late emperor’s dying request and personally became her right-hand man in the administration of the country—the regent…until he suddenly realised that his love had spoiled her, that everything had gotten out of control, that he was no longer the one in the advantageous position, and that he could no longer dictate the course of the relationship. For the first time in his life, he was driven by some kind of intense, irrational emotion, unable to resist, and had no choice but to step by step, into the abyss of desire.

Their hearts were entwined, and they were entangled several times.

Haitang Xuan’s large hands caressed her snow-white skin, bringing a fiery heat. Langya Jing moaned softly in his arms, gradually becoming aroused in his embrace. In the candlelight, her pale skin slowly flushed with a thin layer of red under the teasing of his lips and tongue, like a bud about to bloom.

‘Jing’er, Jing’er…’ He whispered the name of the only person he loved, engraved on his heart, over and over again, never tiring of it. Haitang Xuan knew that even if he exhausted his entire life, he would never be able to let her leave his side.

‘Do you know that I miss you so much?’ She closed her eyes as she took his kiss and asked softly, “I’ve been waiting for you. Whenever I hear footsteps, I get lost in thought, thinking that you’re here, but I’ve been disappointed again and again. Every day, my heart cries out for you, why don’t you come?”

While torturing him with distance and space, she had also become a victim herself.

‘I’ve thought about it many times, but I never found an excuse.‘ Besides, he was no longer the regent, so what reason did he have to come and go freely in the palace?

’I just want to know, have you ever thought about me? Have you?’ Langya Jing looked at him, her thoughts etched in her eyes, a little tearful, ’I bet after we got married, you never thought about me.’

‘Jing’er…’ He sighed, and his deep kiss traced a path down her neck and chest, imprinting his exclusive mark on her. ’How could I not think of you? I can’t count the number of times I’ve dreamed of you, but after waking up, I have to face the cruel truth. Because of you, I and Qiushui have become a couple with different dreams, living day and night under the harsh criticism of infidelity… At this moment, do you still doubt me?’

His pain was hidden between the lines, wrapped in a light-hearted narrative, but it was accompanied by such intense self-blame.

She hugged him trembling, feeling her heart cry out in pain. ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to stab you…’

‘Don’t apologise, Jing’er,’ he cupped her little face in his hands and kissed her lips again, ‘I’m the one who should be saying sorry. I owe you so much, I’ve let you down.’

No! He has not failed her.

Deep down inside, there is always a corner where he stores his most treasured love. Even if there are many obstacles, she is still the most anticipated dream in his heart.

‘Then, I want you to repay me with yourself, without any reservations.’

She longs for him, and her attachment to him and her love for him are inextricably woven into every thought of hers, flowing deeply in her blood. It is all a desire of scarlet red.

He searched her soft and enchanting body, indulged in the reckless fire of lust, thrusting fiercely into the deepest part of her, merging with her intimate soul.

Was it willing, or was it atonement? In the chaos of passion, no one could think.

Coo

It had been a long time since she had spent time in his arms.

When Langya Jing was still a little empress, Haitang Xuan was the wall behind her. He used every ounce of his strength to establish her authority, and with his decisive and resolute decisions, he paved the way for her to move forward. At the same time, when she was tired and weary, he became a fortress to protect her, afraid that she would fall and get hurt, and always open his arms to shelter her from the wind and rain.

Now, Langya Jing is already a sovereign who can stand on her own, but she has not been able to change her habit of relying on him.

Haitang Xuan keenly senses that she deliberately keeps her distance from him, sometimes relying on him for fear of losing him, and sometimes being indifferent to him as if he were a stranger. However, no one can sever the endless ties between them.

Perhaps she has long been a part of him, and vice versa; neither will be complete without the other.

As dawn approached, the sky in the east was unusually dark.

The heavy black clouds were so heavy that they almost crushed the sky, giving the illusion that the world was tilting. In the moments before dawn, it seemed as if the sky and earth had fallen into an endless night, and even the air was still.

Haitang Xuan lit a lamp, creating a ray of light in the dark night.

Even such a weak source of light still woke Langya Jing, who was still sensitive even in her sleep.

She sat bolt upright in bed, her frightened expression like that of a lost child.

‘……Xuan! Where are you?’ she called anxiously.

‘I’m here.’

Haitang Xuan walked quickly back to the bed and reached out to take her in his arms.

Langya Jing clung to him tightly, feeling his warmth and sensing his heartbeat and breathing, before she settled her mind.

The moment she opened her eyes, the room was dark, making her think that he had already left. She was afraid of that feeling of not being able to hold onto him, of her heart always being in the air and unable to settle.

He patted her and whispered tenderly, ‘Why didn’t you sleep longer? There’s still half an hour until dawn.’

‘I’m afraid I’ll oversleep and wake up after you’ve left,‘ she said childishly.

He would have to leave after all, to return to his wife, but she just couldn’t bear to let go.

’Jing’er, you…‘ He couldn’t help but laugh.

’Don’t laugh at me and call me childish,’ she said preemptively.

He was at a loss for words, and said, ‘Okay, okay, I won’t say it.’

Looking at his smiling, curved, handsome eyes, Langya Jing felt a sweet and happy feeling well up in her heart.

‘Your smile has never changed!’ she said with emotion.

He raised his eyebrows, ‘Really?’

‘Your voice has also not changed,’ she said with a smile, ‘Do you still remember the first time we met?’

‘How could I forget?‘ He fondly ran his hands through her long hair. “That time you broke into the Hall of Diligence and hid in a chest containing the secret histories of the Langya Kingdom over the generations, and I gave you a spanking.”

She glared at him. “Don’t even mention it! If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have been spanked.”

’For me?’

‘Yes! If it weren’t for my love of your voice, my whereabouts would never have been discovered. It’s all your voice’s fault.‘ As she spoke, she even began to blame him.

’My voice?’

‘Yes! God knows, whenever I hear you speak, I’m like possessed, I have to listen with bated breath. I now understand why Empress Shengde gave up the throne and eloped with Tang Shaoyi, the court musician.‘ She concluded all by herself.

’Jing’er, that’s completely different.’ God, he really admired her!

‘It’s the same! I did it for your voice, and Empress Shengde did it for the sound of the piano! Come to think of it, the empresses of our Langya family are really passionate and sentimental people! Don’t you agree?‘

Hai Tang Xuan smiled, shook her head, and pointed her long finger at her smooth forehead. “Naughty!”

’You’re hitting me again!’ She pouted, rubbed her reddened forehead, and exclaimed exaggeratedly, ’It hurts! No matter, give me a kiss!’

The Haiwo tribe was so angry and amused that they could only bow their heads and blow away the pain on her forehead.

Hey hey! Fooled, right?

Langya Jing seized the opportunity to lift her little face and kiss him hard on the lips!

Haitang Xuan did not expect her to do this, and she actually managed to kiss him forcefully.

Langya Jing’s little tongue played between his lips, and there was a wicked smile on the side of his lips, but her little trick quickly went wrong. How could Haitang Xuan allow her to behave so wildly? He picked her up and made her straddle his lap, slightly punishing her with his desire.

The sheer silk robe was as if it didn’t exist, and the place where the two were locked in combat seemed to be burning with a raging fire, burning away all reason.

Langya Jing gasped in a trembling voice. Her previous advantage had been completely reversed by Haitang Xuan, and she had tasted what it was like to be on the receiving end of a counterattack.

‘This is a little lesson for you,’ he said as he nibbled on her fair, supple neck and caressed her rounded fullness. “Never provoke a man’s desire again, because you will never be the winner.”

Langya Jing clung to him weakly, barely maintaining her remaining lucidity with the little sense she had left. She giggled, ’So what? I don’t want to be the winner, I just want to have you. Look, I’ve achieved my goal, haven’t I?’

She had spent so much effort and played so many tricks, but she didn’t care whether she won or lost. From beginning to end, she only wanted him.

‘Jing…’ he sighed.

She kissed him, ‘I love you. No matter how I play dirty, it’s all for you.’

‘Then, I’m yours.’ He picked her up and buried his ardent desire inside her, penetrating her in one fell swoop.

Langya Jing drew a breath, unable to think of anything, and swayed her slender waist to meet his aggression.

‘Don’t leave me, Xuan, don’t leave me, don’t leave me…’ she shouted out the deepest fear hidden in her heart.

She can lose everything except him.

She can give up everything as long as she has his true heart.

‘Jing’er, I will never leave you, I swear…‘ He kissed her, as if to kiss away her unease.

The only person he has ever been in love with has always been her.

’Really? What about Hui Qiushui?’

All the rhythm suddenly froze.

All the wounds and pain that had been deliberately ignored and forgotten slowly spread.

The safety barrier that separated reality from dreams was broken, and all the facts came tumbling out through the hole.

Qiushui. Qiushui, how could he forget that he had become engaged and was Hui Qiushui’s husband.

He had indulged himself in a night of passion, which was actually an act of betrayal against his wife!

He withdrew, stood up with his back to her, and his back hurt her heart.

As she watched him put his clothes back on, Langya Jing felt as if a part of her heart had also become empty and void, losing his warmth. She felt cold.

He was leaving, she thought with some sadness.

‘Jing’er,’ he said, calling to her, ‘I love you, even if this is the sin I am destined to bear in marriage, I will never regret it.’

Is that so?

He walked closer to her, gazing into her eyes, which shone like stars, as if sensing her thoughts. ‘Yes, I have no regrets. But my love cannot erase the fact that marriage exists. I cannot give up the autumn water that I wasted my youth for. She needs me now.’

In this life, he has let down two women who loved him dearly. Such regret will only be with him until the end of his life, and he will carry it with him.

‘Have you ever embraced her with the same hands that held me?‘ she asked calmly.

Haitang Xuan welcomed her gaze, not blinking or avoiding it.

’Yes.

She forced back her sadness and asked again, ‘So…did you also make love to her?’

‘Never,’ he gazed deeply into her eyes, ‘because my feelings for her were not love.’

He had never done anything to hurt Langya Jing, and this was the least he could do to repay her.

‘I understand,’ she accepted the fact that there was no turning back, and also accepted his promise, “I believe you, so please spend the little time you have left with her. Don’t let yourself regret it.”

His tolerance and concession moved her.

She was the empress, and could have ordered him to divorce Qiushui, but she didn’t. And all of this was to enable him to make amends to Qiushui.

He embraced her and solemnly promised, ‘If there is a next life, I will not let you down.’

He placed a kiss on her lips, let her go, and resolutely walked out of the Chaoyang Hall.

What an illusory next life! She thought with some dissatisfaction, I don’t have the patience to wait for the next life! I want to seize happiness in this life, whether he wants to or not.

A month later, Hui Qiushui completed her life.

Twenty-eight years old, how fleeting youth is! For this reason, Haitang Xuan did not eat or drink for three days and nights.

The night she passed away, I had a dream. In the dream, there was a woman with a thin face and a pair of extremely gentle eyes. She was standing on one side of the water, smiling slightly at me. In that smile, there was a deep understanding and ardent blessings.

I could see her mouth move, and I knew she was speaking to me, but I couldn’t hear a thing. Then she took a short note out of her sleeve and tried to hand it to me. It only said one short sentence: ‘Please ask the Empress to grant the Prince happiness.’ I was about to reach out to take it when I woke up.

This matter has always been on my mind. Later, when I described the appearance of the woman in my dream to the palace attendants, I realised that the person I had dreamed about was probably the Princess Consort Hui Qiushui of the Prince of Zhenjiang, and I was convinced of this.

Perhaps this was the only time, and the last time, that she and I met.

Chapter 10

The funeral of the Princess of the King of Zhenjiang was extremely grand, but it did not ease Haitang Xuan’s grief.

Seventy-seven days and forty-nine days passed, and Haitang Xuan always sat alone on the sickbed where Qiushui had lain before, silent and without a smile.

His disciples were all kept out of the door, and all visitors were denied entry.

The courtiers were full of talk, everyone saying that the Lord of the Town King and the Princess had an unbreakable bond, and that losing their beloved wife was therefore equivalent to losing the will to live. Only Langya Jing understood that his grief stemmed from his self-blame. He blamed himself for being unable to save Hui Qiushui, and could only watch as her vitality gradually drained away, something he could not undo.

Langya Jing felt heartbroken and could no longer bear to watch. She could not just let it happen and watch her beloved man grow thin and emaciated. She almost could not bear to eat.

If things continued like this, she was afraid that she would starve to death instead of him!

At that moment, Langya Jing immediately decided to put aside all political matters and went to the King’s Manor.

The King’s Manor was originally a noble residence second only to the Prince Regent’s Mansion. The gloomy front yard was now deserted due to the owner’s carelessness. The fallen leaves were not cleaned up, and the autumn wind blew up countless yellow leaves. Even though winter had not yet arrived, the King’s Manor was already exceptionally desolate.

Langya Jing dismissed her attendants and did not allow anyone to follow her. Without informing the head of the household, she pushed open the door and entered Haitang Xuan’s bedroom alone.

The golden autumn light streamed through the window in the afternoon. Gold is supposed to be a dazzling and noble colour, but for some reason, the golden light that fell on him made him look so lonely and desolate.

Langya Jing almost couldn’t resist the urge to hold him tightly in her arms.

‘…Spin,’ she whispered softly to his broad back.

For a moment, she thought he hadn’t heard. But Haitang Xuan heard her, and he slowly turned around, meeting Langya Jing’s worried dark eyes.

When he saw her, he was not very surprised, as if he had expected her to come.

‘Jing’er,’

he reached out to her, inviting her without saying a word.

Langya Jing walked over and sat down next to him.

Leaning on his shoulder, she asked, ‘Xuan, what are you thinking about when you lock yourself in here?’

‘I’ve thought about a lot of things, about me, about Qiushui, and about you… about the past of the three of us. Sometimes, I don’t think about anything at all.‘

Thinking is a very torturous thing. Just a single thought can weigh heavily on the heart, making it impossible to breathe.

’In this life, you’ve already thought too much, which is why your brow is always furrowed.’ She reached out her slender finger and lightly tapped his forehead. ’Xuan, I don’t like seeing you like this.’

‘How can I not think?‘ He gave a faint bitter smile. “Open my eyes, and I’m reminded of sad things; close my eyes, and my mind fills with thousands of voices. Images and sounds push my thoughts around, making them spin endlessly.”

Langya Jing wrapped her arms around his thin waist and whispered, “Tell me, what have you been thinking about?”

’You want to know?’

‘Yes!’ She nodded.

Yes, she wanted to hear, to know everything that was weighing on his mind.

‘I… was born into a noble family. I am the ninth son of the Haitang family, and as the youngest son, I was doted on. Five of my eight older brothers joined the army, while the other three were fascinated by music, chess, calligraphy and painting, and had no interest in politics. However, my father’s title could not go to no one, so from a young age, I was systematically cultivated by my parents to pave the way for my future political career. Strictly speaking, I did not experience a real childhood.’

His eyes became a little hazy from reminiscing.

“From the time I knew what was going on, I already knew that Qiushui would be my future wife. I like her quiet and gentle nature. She always knows when to talk to me and when to be a good wife and serve me a bowl of soup. She understands me and stays by my side at all times. At one point, I thought this kind of peace was happiness, until I met you.’

Haitang Xuan reached out and stroked her delicate, petal-like cheeks, gazing into her eyes with an unspoken depth of affection.

Langya Jing smiled slightly and asked, ‘Met me…then what?’

‘You are the only daughter of the Empress, the undisputed successor to the throne, the treasure of the Langya Kingdom held in the palm of everyone’s hands. Who wouldn’t treasure and spoil you? But you are willful and mischievous, a devil child who deliberately makes everyone at your mercy. When I first saw you, I knew you would never be a well-behaved child…’

Langya Jing wrinkled her nose and muttered, ‘Are you praising me or criticising me?’

Haitang Xuan smiled and didn’t answer her, continuing, ‘Your appearance painted a dazzling splash of colour on my heart, which was transparent and indifferent. You have a kind of honest charm that makes me want to get close to you. So, when the late emperor entrusted you to me, I took it without saying a word.’

Langya Jing’s face broke into a smile, ‘So, what happened next? You fell in love with me?’

‘Perhaps, as early as the first time I saw you, this feeling was vaguely planted in my heart, slowly sprouting day by day, like an evergreen vine, curling and winding, entangling the lingering gloom in my heart…’ He tilted his head and sighed, ‘I admit that I was running away at the time. I couldn’t marry Qiushui while loving you, and my selfishness harmed Qiushui. I even caused her to waste her youth in order to keep this marriage contract, and in the end, she even paid with her life…’

‘No! It’s not true! It’s not your fault!’ She hugged Haitang Xuan, holding him so tightly, so afraid of losing him.

That dream…yes! She suddenly remembered that dream.

‘Xuan, I believe she never blamed you. When she left, she was happy and contented!‘

He gave her a faint smile, but the smile did not reach his eyes.

’Don’t try to comfort me, Jing’er.‘

’I’m not…‘ How could she tell him that this was not comfort?

’You…go back to the palace!’ He gently pushed her away. “I need to sit here for a while.”

She looked at his lonely back, as if he was gradually drifting away from her.

‘I’m not leaving!‘

’Jing’er!’

she said vehemently; “I hope you can be happy! I can’t bear to see you bury yourself in memories and self-blame. That’s a quagmire that will only drag you down to the bottomless pit…”

He looked at her with eyes full of pain, a look that was completely unfamiliar to Langya Jing. ’You’re not me, so how can you understand how I feel?’

She is not him, so can’t they share the same feelings?

She doesn’t believe it, but he is closing the door to their once intimate understanding.

‘Go back, Jing’er, leave me alone,’ he said wearily.

Langya Jing silently exited the bedroom.

When she turned around, he saw the glimmer of tears in her eyes, which flashed and disappeared.

OO

‘His Majesty is gravely ill!’

The news shook the entire Beiling.

In the Langya Imperial Palace, imperial physicians came and went, and palace maids carrying soup and medicine came and went. The courtiers took turns keeping watch outside the emperor’s bedchamber, their worried eyes locked in mutual concern.

The Prince Regent has been deposed, the Empress has not yet married and has no children. With the Empress falling ill, the affairs of state have come to a complete standstill.

Langya Jing is a difficult patient who refuses to cooperate. She has knocked over cup after cup of bitter medicine and driven away imperial doctor after imperial doctor. However, Feng Yunshao is the only minister allowed to stay by Langya Jing’s side.

Feng Yunshao could not heal her illness, but he could understand her heart.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he looked at her pale, bloodless face and said, ‘I’ll go and ask Lord Zhenwu to come!’

Hearing Haitangxuan’s name, she turned her cold back to him.

‘No,’ she refused without hesitation.

‘But you want to see him, don’t you?’ Feng Yunshao calmly revealed her longing.

‘What’s the point of wanting it? He no longer has any place in his heart for me.‘ She said angrily, “Maybe it would be better if I died of illness, so that I would have the same status in his heart as his queen. Maybe he would even miss me often!”

Feng Yunshao couldn’t help but sigh. “Your Majesty, you must not think like that…”

’Your Majesty, Lord Zhenjiang is here to see you!’

Langya Jing suddenly sat up from the bed.

He’s here?

Feng Yunshao let out a sigh of relief, ‘That’s great, quickly show him in!’

‘Who said to let him in?’ Langya Jing pulled the quilt up over his head, wrapping himself in a cocoon. ‘Master, go out and tell Haitang Xuan that I have passed away, and tell him to wear mourning clothes for me!’

If it weren’t for the unlucky nature of the topic, Feng Yunshao would really be unable to stop himself from laughing!

He got up and decided to go and explain to Haitang Xuan himself.

The closed palace door opened and Feng Yunshao walked slowly out, bowing to Haitang Xuan.

‘Your Majesty, Her Majesty…does not wish to see anyone.’

Not even him…would she see?

Haitang Xuan felt a pang in his chest. ‘Is that what she said?’

‘No! The Empress wants me to relay to you that she has passed away and asks you to wear mourning clothes.‘ Feng Yunshao dutifully and tactfully conveyed her words.

’Nonsense! How can she say such a thing?’ Haitang Xuan was angry, anxious and distressed. “Let me see her!”

He was about to rush in, but Feng Yunshao, who was usually gentle, reached out to stop him.

Haitang Xuan was slightly angered. ‘Are you insisting on carrying out the emperor’s orders?’

At this moment, he was worried. Even though Feng Yunshao was his close friend, at this moment, he could no longer care about their friendship.

Feng Yunshao shook his head and smiled slightly, ‘It is easy to find priceless treasures, but it is difficult to find a lover. I just want to tell you, this time, don’t let happiness slip through your hands so easily. What is meant for you, you should hold on to it tightly.’

‘Yunshao…’ He supported him.

Feng Yunshao stepped aside and made a gesture, ‘Please come in, Your Highness.’

‘Thank you, Yunshao.’

Haitang Xuan ran inside, so fast that there seemed to be no reason to stop.

Feng Yunshao smiled softly as he watched his dark figure.

Perhaps soon, the Empress and the Prince will be married at the same time.

000

He’s here!

Langya Jing quickly jumped onto the dragon bed with ‘nimble’ movements, covered herself with the quilt, and began to pretend to be terminally ill and about to depart this mortal coil.

‘Ouch…ouch…it hurts…ouch…’ Upon hearing the footsteps of Haitang Xuan approaching, Langya Jing on the bed wailed even louder.

‘Jing’er!‘ Haitang Xuan’s worried voice sounded by the bedside. He lifted the quilt and brushed away the slightly damp messy hair on her face, “Tell me, where does it hurt?”

Since long ago, everything about her has been too closely linked to him, and every trace of her emotions can stir the innermost corners of his heart.

’Leave me alone!’ Langya Jing whimpered in pain, ’Ouch… I’m going to die…’

‘His Majesty has always been in good health, so why has he suddenly become so ill?’ Haitang Xuan looked over at the palace maid who was attending to her, and asked, “Has the imperial doctor come to see him? What did he say?”

The palace maid hurriedly knelt down, and said with trepidation, “Your Highness, the Empress forbids… anyone to summon the imperial doctor, so…”

Haitang Xuan’s brows furrowed, and she immediately ordered, ’Someone, summon the imperial…’

‘Xuan…‘ she called weakly, extending her snow-white, delicate hand from under the covers.

Haitang Xuan took her hand, her deep eyes filled with worry.

’Jing’er, I’m here.’

She smiled weakly, ’I… I’m so happy that I can finally… see you again before I die…’

‘Don’t talk nonsense, you’re not going to die.‘ His heart ached fiercely, a pain that bordered on trembling, a fear that bordered on death.

He couldn’t lose her!

’Xuan…you haven’t visited me for a long time…’ Her tone was sentimental, like a small animal about to be abandoned, frightened and helpless, and pitiful.

At that moment, Haitang Xuan’s heart was about to melt. He said self-deprecatingly, ’I’m sorry…’

‘Don’t apologise, I know all about it.‘ She coughed twice and asked in a hoarse voice, “Are you still… immersed in the grief of Hui Qiushui’s death?”

’Jing’er, don’t say anymore, you need to get better.‘ He pulled the quilt up for her, but Langya Jing reached out to stop him.

’Are you leaving?’ she asked, her eyes brimming with tears.

How could he leave? He couldn’t let go! ‘I’m not leaving. I’ll stay here with you.’

Just staying here with her wasn’t enough. She missed his broad shoulders.

Langya Jing racked her brains. She wanted to throw herself into the arms of that magnificent body.

She shivered, ‘It’s…cold, I’m so cold.’

He immediately wrapped her in his arms, quilt and all, and his pleasant voice was full of deep anxiety, ‘Is that better? Jing’er.’

It worked!

She smiled with restraint and nodded, burying herself deeply in his arms. Her small hands clung to him tightly as she continued to play the part of the pitiful little girl, ‘Xuan, if I died, would you be sad for me? Would you miss me as much as you miss Hui Qiushui?’

His question sent a jolt through him.

He could not imagine how he would survive if he lost her.

‘You will be fine,’ he said, before turning his head and ordering the maid again, ‘Hurry and summon the imperial doctor.’

‘Yes!’ The maid responded smartly and left to carry out her orders.

Crap! I’m dead! Langya Jingxin felt a pang of guilt.

“No! Don’t summon the imperial doctor…’

‘No! You must let the imperial doctor examine your pulse, otherwise I won’t feel at ease,’ he insisted.

It’s over! If the imperial doctor diagnoses that she’s not sick at all, she’ll definitely be strangled to death on the spot by the Haitang clan! Who taught her to do whatever it takes to see him, without thinking about the consequences, and she has no idea how to make this right.

Her lips pouted, and tears fell like rain.

She took out her anger on him, ‘Why call the imperial doctor? This is a heart disease! It’s all your fault! You abandoned me and didn’t care, clearly not taking me seriously! Since no one cares whether I live or die, it’s better to just die! There’s no need to call the imperial doctor, just cremate me!’

‘What are you talking about?’ He put his arms around her, angry and distressed, ‘Just let the imperial doctor take your pulse, be good, don’t be naughty.’

‘I don’t want to!‘

’Be good and listen to me,‘ he coaxed her with infinite patience, leaving her flailing completely useless.

The Empress’s condition was the focus of concern for everyone in the palace, and the imperial doctors had long been ordered to wait outside the bedchamber, waiting for a signal from inside to rush in and examine the Empress.

’Greetings, Empress and Prince,’

Haitang Xuan waved his hand and said, ‘No need for formalities. First, let’s take the Empress’s pulse.’

‘Yes!’ The imperial doctor stepped forward and took Langya Jing’s white wrists in his hands.

Sigh… all is lost.

Leaning in Haitang Xuan’s arms, Langya Jing felt a sense of guilt as she fought an internal battle within herself. For the first time in her life, she experienced what it was like to be ‘seated on a needle cushion’.

Langya Jing resignedly lowered her head, waiting for the verdict of the imperial doctor and then to face Haitang Xuan’s anger…

The old imperial doctor intently took the pulse for a moment, and then a look of great surprise suddenly appeared on his face. He took the pulse again, not believing the result, but it was the same.

Langya Jing began to feel a little uneasy. Could it be that—she really had been diagnosed with a terminal illness?

No! She hadn’t married Haitang Xuan yet, as she had wished, and she would die with a guilty conscience!

‘What is it?’ Haitang Xuan’s face was not much better.

The imperial doctor was at a loss for words. ‘Your Highness… Your Majesty has… a happy pulse! The Empress is pregnant! According to the calculations, she is about a month pregnant.’

What? !

Pregnant? !

Langya was so stunned that she could not speak.

‘I… I’m pregnant?’

000

That’s his child! Haitang Xuan hugged her excitedly, ‘That’s great…’

Huh? That’s great?

The old imperial doctor scratched his ear, thinking he must have heard wrong.

‘I’m sorry, I should have been by your side,’ he said, stroking her small, thin face. “Let’s get married! I won’t let you be alone anymore. I’ll be with you, and together we’ll welcome the birth of our child.”

The old imperial doctor’s jaw dropped.

My God! The child the Empress is carrying is the Prince’s?

He hadn’t yet recovered from the shock when the Empress’s next words left him even more stunned.

‘I don’t want to give birth!‘ she said angrily, her eyes red with tears.

’Jing’er!‘

’You only want to marry me for the sake of the child! I don’t need you to take responsibility. Even if the child doesn’t have a father, it can still live a good life!’

Yes! Yes! That’s it! You must adopt a high profile towards him, you must play hard to get, and it would be best if Haitang Xuan were to beg her on her knees to marry him!

‘Yes, I admit it’s for the child,‘ seeing her even more heartbroken, he leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead, “but that’s because he’s your child. I love you, and as long as you’re mine, I will cherish you with all my heart.”

Langya Jing blinked her tearful eyes, “Really?”

’Yes, I swear,’ he solemnly promised as he held her soft hands.

‘But…if it weren’t for this child, you definitely wouldn’t want to marry me, would you?‘ She was deliberately suspicious, “In the end, you’re still doing this for the child in my belly!”

Haitang Xuan sighed.

’You don’t believe in my true heart towards you?‘

Langya Jing hurriedly shook his head. “No…it’s not that…”

Haitang Xuan asked again, “Then, do you doubt my character?”

’It’s also…not that…’

‘Jing’er, if you doubt my sincerity, then we can not get married, and everything will be up to you.‘ He didn’t want to make her feel uncomfortable, and he would never threaten her with the child.

Hearing Haitang Xuan say this, Langya Jing panicked.

Not marry her? How could that be?

’I don’t doubt you…‘ she quickly denied.

’You do,‘ he said decisively.

’I don’t!‘

’You do.

‘No!‘

’Yes.’

The back-and-forth exchanges made Langya Jing furious. “I said no, and that means no! No matter what, I will marry you!”

Upon hearing this, Haitang Xuan couldn’t help but laugh.

Langya Jing was so embarrassed that her cheeks were like fire, and she didn’t dare look into his eyes.

He embraced her and couldn’t help smiling. ‘You will belong to me after all, I knew it a long time ago.’

Langya Jing also smiled. Alas! Although I didn’t get to see him beg her, the ending has developed as she expected, which is acceptable!

Coo

I finally got to spend the rest of my life with the man I love, and this is the story between me and Haitang Xuan.

Eight months later, Haitang Xuan and I had our first child.

She was a beautiful baby girl with features that looked like mine, but her quiet and unruffled nature was a hundred percent inherited from her wise and calm father.

Xuan named her ‘Langya Xuan’.

I was filled with joy at the birth of Xuan’er. It meant that if I worked hard for another ten years, I could justifiably throw the throne to my daughter and become the emperor emeritus! But I had to think carefully about who to appoint as Xuan’er’s regent…

Secret History of the Langya Court: ‘Mingde Volume’? Langya Jing

Ps: For the story of Langya Yun, the ‘Holy Empress’, and the court musician Tang Shaoyi, please see ‘The Jester’.

Note: As the country of Langya is a fictional country created by the author, it is necessary to report to you a few of the more special laws of the country.

1. The ruler of the country of Langya is called the Empress.

2. The rule of the Langya royal family is that the princess is the main heir. Usually the eldest daughter will be the heir apparent, but there are exceptions.

3. In order to prevent the royal family tragedy of brothers and sisters killing each other, once a princess who has reached adulthood has been chosen as the heir apparent, the other sisters no longer have the right to inherit. If the princess unfortunately dies before ascending the throne, the next generation of princesses will be selected.

4. If the empress has no daughters, the succession will go to the daughter of a royal relative or noble, but a man must be appointed as regent to assist the next empress. Although the regent can never become emperor, his daughter will inherit the title of princess and be eligible to succeed to the throne.

5. In the middle and upper Datang dynasties, women were married off, while men married. However, the Langya kingdom referred to all marriages between men and women as ‘unions’, and the descendants of the Langya royal family all took their mother’s surname.