The sky was like ink, scattered with countless silver stars.

Even though Ning Yin no longer lived in Prince Jing’s residence, the mansion was still swept and cleaned day and night, its terraces and pavilions quiet and majestic, not much different from when he left.

The silk curtains of Xiu Yun Pavilion swayed gently, wine was arranged on the table, and fruits were fragrant in the air.

Under the octagonal palace lanterns, Yu Ling Xi knelt to one side warming the wine, her every movement skilled and elegant.

Ning Yin watched quietly as some hazy image flashed by, overlapping with the scene before him.

In the yellowish candlelight, it seemed there was also someone warming wine and brewing tea for him like this. But that slender figure knelt very low, the body bent forward, forming an alluring curve at the waist.

She presented the teacup with both hands, eyes lowered, her long eyelashes trembling nervously, making one unable to resist touching the softness and fragility at the corners of her eyes.

Ning Yin did exactly that.

When her eye corner was touched by cool fingertips, Yu Ling Xi blinked instinctively, asking curiously: “What’s wrong?”

The words stirred ripples, the mottled yellowish images faded away, and his vision became bright and clear again. The crimson-dressed beauty before him was graceful and radiant, without any trace of cautious timidity.

Ning Yin casually took the plum wine she had warmed and placed it near his nose to smell, his half-lowered dark eyes showing a pleased, leisurely demeanor.

“Sui Sui understands me very well, and knows many of my secrets,” he said slowly. “It’s as if we were already old acquaintances many years ago.”

Hearing this, Yu Ling Xi’s wine-pouring motion slowed momentarily.

It was only a few months ago that she learned the medicine with the Nine Netherworld Fragrance was what Ning Yin’s imperial concubine mother had made him drink, and no one else knew about it. The irony was that after her rebirth when she bumped into Ning Yin in the capital, she was holding that newly purchased Nine Netherworld Fragrance in her hand…

However, after a long silence, Ning Yin continued to sip attentively, without pursuing the question.

Instead, it was Yu Ling Xi who could not contain herself, holding the warm wine cup and asking: “Since I know many of your secrets, have you ever been suspicious?”

Suspicious? Of course, he had been.

He was never a defenseless fool; when they first met, he lived in suspicion every moment.

Looking back now, he couldn’t remember how those doubts had been dismantled step by step.

“Is there any part of me that Sui Sui doesn’t know?” Ning Yin glanced at Yu Ling Xi, pleased to see embarrassment flush her cheeks. “Let alone a few secrets, even if you asked me to die, I would.”

“There you go again with such frightening talk,” Yu Ling Xi took a sip of wine, smiling at him. “They say troublemakers live for a thousand years; you must live long and well.”

“What’s the use of living so long?” Ning Yin snorted dismissively. “As long as I live one day longer than Sui Sui, it’s enough.”

At first, Yu Ling Xi thought he was competing with her.

After a moment of silence, she realized that when he said “one day longer,” he wasn’t comparing lifespans, but allowing himself one day to arrange affairs before going to accompany her.

Using death as a promise—full of mad words and life-and-death power—but this was Ning Yin’s unique way of expressing himself.

The plum wine in the cup reflected a pale golden light, shining in Yu Ling Xi’s clear, beautiful autumn-water eyes.

She put down her cup and, as if making up her mind, smiled gently and asked: “Ning Yin, perhaps we did meet in our previous life?”

As soon as the words left her mouth, even she found them absurd.

Ning Yin supported his head with one hand, looking at her silently for a moment.

Yu Ling Xi felt self-conscious under the gaze of those upturned black eyes and quickly said: “I’m joking, you…”

“In our previous life, did we stay together until the end?” Ning Yin asked with curved eyes, swirling the wine in his cup.

Surprised that he had continued this absurd topic, Yu Ling Xi let out an unexpected “Ah.”

“Perhaps not,” she emerged from her memories, sighing softly. “Because there were regrets in the previous life, we were given a chance to make amends in this one.”

Ning Yin seemed to think of something and smiled with pleasure: “Then the Ning Yin of the previous life must want to kill the current me.”

The lighthearted, teasing remark struck an infinite melancholy in Yu Ling Xi’s heart.

She thought that if the Ning Yin of her previous life knew how perfectly happy the current Ning Yin was, he would probably be jealous enough to kill.

But that was impossible—everything had started anew, and the world of her previous life no longer existed.

On this anniversary of their first meeting, Yu Ling Xi didn’t want to make things so sad.

“The stars are very bright today,” she cast her gaze to the sky beyond the high pavilion, stretching out her slender white fingers. “Look, the sky seems within reach.”

Ning Yin loved to see her smile.

For some reason, he just wanted to make her smile more.

He drained his wine, smiling with the corners of his eyes lifted: “If Sui Sui likes it, I’ll have a Star-Plucking Tower built in the palace someday, so you can admire them every night.”

Yu Ling Xi somehow felt that Ning Yin’s words had quite a tyrannical air.

She was amused, blinking her soft eyelashes: “I don’t want that. A tower too high would break my back climbing up.”

For someone like Ning Yin, if others said that spending manpower and resources to build high towers was the act of a foolish ruler, he would certainly dismiss it with contempt.

But when Yu Ling Xi said climbing towers was too tiring, he became somewhat reluctant.

“Ning Yin,” Yu Ling Xi called to him softly, her eyes full of excitement. “Come sit closer.”

Ning Yin put down his cup, moved over, and casually wrapped his arm around Yu Ling Xi’s waist, massaging it.

If the civil and military officials saw the decisive and ruthless new Emperor being so obedient and attentive, they would probably drop their jaws in shock.

The two faced the carved railings of the pavilion, gazing at the boundless moonlight.

“It’s because there’s a beloved person by my side that the stars seem beautiful,” Yu Ling Xi turned her head, tracing Ning Yin’s cold, sharp eyebrows with her finger, smiling as she told him. “Having you beside me makes me happy even without a Star-Plucking Tower. Because Wei Qi’s eyes are more beautiful than the stars.”

Ning Yin liked how her red lips parted, pronouncing “Wei Qi” with gentle syllables.

Ning Yin’s past was filled with endless blood feuds and darkness, while Wei Qi was the youth who belonged wholeheartedly and exclusively to the “Young Lady.”

A gust of wind swept by, and the silk curtains of Xiu Yun Pavilion fell, blocking the moonlight from all sides.

After a crisp sound of tearing fabric, the lamp shadows swayed and soon returned to calm.

Ning Yin’s eyes held deep affection and passion as he tilted the cup, pouring a warm line of wine into the small concave hollow of her collarbone, then bent down, devoutly licking the small pool of wine clean.

…

After the Mid-Autumn Festival, more good news arrived.

The two hundred thousand troops led by the Yu father and son advanced with unstoppable momentum, driving the Yan people back north of Wulan Mountain, forcing their new king to submit a letter of surrender, offering three thousand cattle and sheep for peace.

The grains and fodder that had been plundered by the Yan people over the years were all reclaimed in the form of livestock.

Once the military report was transmitted back to the court, all officials offered their congratulations.

After twenty years, after the battle of the Northern Desert, the Wei Dynasty had finally achieved another complete victory under Yu Yuan’s leadership.

When the Yu family army returned triumphantly to the capital, it was the clear, high-skied season of early winter.

The sunlight struck their armor, reflecting a golden-scaled luster, majestic and imposing. Almost the entire city’s populace poured out to line the streets and cheer.

At the welcoming banquet, Yu Ling Xi sat high on the phoenix throne in a gold-embroidered dress, watching her father and brother return that blood-stained, weathered battle flag, her eyes filled with proud smiles.

This war had ended half a year earlier than she had anticipated. Now the court’s morale was greatly boosted, border unrest was settled, and once trade resumed and foreign nations came to pay tribute, perhaps a peaceful and prosperous era could truly be realized.

The Yu father and son had merit in securing the borders, and Ning Yin immediately announced that Yu Yuan would be enfeoffed as a Duke of the First Rank, heading the ranks of the nobility, with the title extending to his descendants.

For this reason, a few old ministers in the court had some objections.

Although the Yu family had established glorious military merit, they were, after all, the Empress’s family, which could easily lead to suspicions of their power overshadowing the throne.

Yu Ling Xi had anticipated that some would be dissatisfied, but they dared not speak due to Ning Yin’s temperament. Rather than hiding it, it was better to bring it into the open.

“May father and brother support the state and never forget the Emperor’s grace,” Yu Ling Xi smiled toward the two Yu men, old and young, saying word by word. “If there is any betrayal, they must be stripped of rank and office, and I shall bear the same guilt, willingly accepting punishment.”

She made her position clear, her clear voice echoing in the great hall, and no one in the court dared speak against it.

Yu Huan Chen stepped forward and declared loudly: “I will respectfully follow the Empress’s esteemed decree!”

Ning Yin leaned against the back of the dragon throne, looking at Yu Ling Xi beside him, feeling that she was truly radiant.

Halfway through the banquet, Yu Huan Chen hurried back to his residence to see his wife and daughter.

Travel-worn and separated for more than half a year, as soon as he entered the door, he embraced his wife who had come out upon hearing the news, held her waist, and spun her around once before setting her down.

“You’ve worked hard, A-Wan,” he smiled, raising his eyebrows, and kissed Su Wan’s forehead.

Yu Huan Chen never showed affection in front of others, so this spontaneous display of intimacy made Su Wan’s cheeks flush.

“I’m fine; you, campaigning away from home, are the one who truly suffered hardship,” Su Wan said in a soft voice, her large eyes moistening with joy.

After a while, she seemed to remember something and hurriedly wiped her eyes: “Oh yes, come see your daughter.”

Su Wan led Yu Huan Chen to the inner chamber where, in a cradle, a delicately beautiful baby girl lay wide-eyed, babbling and kicking her little legs.

“Her eyes are so big, like yours,” the tall Yu Huan Chen crouched beside the cradle, carefully extending a finger toward his daughter, who immediately grasped his somewhat rough finger joint.

Yu Huan Chen smiled, his heart full of love.

As the couple huddled together accompanying their daughter, a small figure appeared staggering at the door.

Yu Jin was now one year and five months old, at the age of practicing walking independently. The wet nurse would occasionally let him walk by himself in the corridor.

Seeing this quiet, handsome child, Yu Huan Chen quickly understood and asked: “Is this… that child?”

“Yes,” Su Wan, who was quite fond of this child, explained, “He’s very obedient, just a bit weak, probably because he lost his mother at a young age.”

Saying this, she covered her mouth in dismay: “I misspoke; I am his mother now.”

Yu Huan Chen gave an “Mm” of acknowledgment, softened his expression, and beckoned to the somewhat timid child at the door: “Yu Jin, come here.”

Yu Jin didn’t recognize him and remained shrinking behind the doorpost without moving.

So Yu Huan Chen stood up, walked over in large strides, and crouched in front of him at eye level: “Yu Jin, do you know who I am?”

Yu Jin took two steps back.

“This little one, could he be mute?” Yu Huan Chen, somewhat hurt, asked his wife.

“Don’t talk nonsense, he can say many words now,” Su Wan said. “It must be that you look too frightening and have scared him.”

Yu Huan Chen touched his face, young and handsome—not frightening at all.

But children are indeed sensitive, especially this child who had been caught in a vortex from the moment of his birth, never knowing a moment of peace.

Or perhaps, since he had just returned from the battlefield, the killing aura around him was affecting Yu Jin.

Yu Huan Chen nodded, preparing to step back, to build a relationship slowly.

Just as he rose, he felt a barely perceptible resistance on his sleeve. Looking down along his sleeve, he saw Yu Jin had summoned the courage to grab him.

The child’s hand was so small, so soft, looking up at him with eager eyes.

Yu Huan Chen’s heart suddenly softened. He raised his hand to stroke Yu Jin’s head, saying softly: “Don’t be afraid, from now on, I am your father.”

Before they knew it, the year’s end had arrived. Yu Ling Xi, carrying a small hand warmer, went to the Floating Light Palace to find Ning Yin.

Just as she reached the hall entrance, she saw an inner attendant approach with a miserable expression: “Your Majesty, you’ve finally come!”

“What’s wrong?” Yu Ling Xi glanced inside and indeed saw three or four civil officials kneeling, the atmosphere quiet to the point of being eerie.

In this eerie silence, the leading man, with white hair and beard, was trembling as he prostrated himself: “The late Emperor has been gone for nearly a year, I boldly risk death to admonish…”

Ning Yin looked up from behind the memorial, languidly saying: “Very well, then please go die, Minister Sun.”

Minister Sun: “…”

Yu Ling Xi: “…”

“What’s wrong, all talk and no action?” Ning Yin sneered lightly.

This tone…

No need to ask, these remonstrating officials must have been idle and irritated Ning Yin.

In the depths of winter, Minister Sun was already drenched in sweat, trembling, and not daring to speak.

Yu Ling Xi stepped in at the right moment, first giving Ning Yin a slight smile, then turning back to say: “Minister Sun, His Majesty is joking with you, quickly withdraw.”

Minister Sun and the others felt as if granted a great pardon, hastily kowtowing and retreating.

The hall doors closed firmly behind them, shutting out the Empress’s few hushed pleas.

Minister Sun’s legs went weak, and he nearly fell to the ground.

The two junior officials beside him hurriedly supported him, saying with lingering fear: “Minister Sun, you can remonstrate, but you should never threaten with death. With His Majesty’s temperament… sigh, fortunately, the Empress arrived.”

“Yes, although His Majesty has the methods of a fierce hero, his temperament is wilful and unrestrained,” another person looked around in all directions, lowering his voice to sigh, “both righteous and evil, only the Empress can restrain him.”

The group looked at each other, finally letting out a long sigh: “A female Bodhisattva indeed.”