Hearing these words, Xiao Rongyan’s fingers gently brushed over the injury on Bai Qingyan’s hand. He looked up at her with deep, quiet eyes, taking out the shark oil he had originally prepared for Bai Qingyan from his chest, scraping out a small piece to warm in his hands before applying it to the red mark on Bai Qingyan’s hand: “A’Bao was hoping for me to come. Does A’Bao miss me too?”

Hearing this, Bai Qingyan wanted to withdraw her hand, but Xiao Rongyan held it tightly and pressed it against his heart: “A’Bao, here… I miss you very much!”

Xiao Rongyan spoke earnestly, not like he was teasing Bai Qingyan with sweet words, but as if he was seriously confessing his longing feelings to her. This made Bai Qingyan’s ears burn. She said in a low voice: “Since you went to see the Empress of Dongyi, you should know what you needed to know…”

Xiao Rongyan held Bai Qingyan’s hand without letting go, nodding with a smile: “This Empress of Dongyi says she has mother-child poison in her body, doesn’t dare disobey Great Zhou, yet wants to curry favor with Yan, and also wants Yan to help her find a method to resolve the poison. I fear… if this poison-resolving method is truly found and given to her, she will break free from Great Zhou’s control, kill this counterfeit Seventh Prince, and seize power herself.”

Bai Qingyan’s black and white eyes looked at Xiao Rongyan. She lowered her gaze thoughtfully, then smiled: “Is this what the Empress of Dongyi told you?”

“Hmm?” Xiao Rongyan caught the meaning in Bai Qingyan’s words. “Isn’t it?”

“This mother-child poison, I told Great Zhou’s Empress, it was used on the fake Seventh Prince and the real Seventh Prince.” Bai Qingyan brought the teacup in front of her to Xiao Rongyan. “First, let go of my hand…”

With the chessboard between them, this position was truly uncomfortable.

Xiao Rongyan casually pushed the chess board along with the teacup aside, gently pulling her into his arms, letting Bai Qingyan rest in an extremely comfortable position in his embrace.

The familiar deep, clear scent from the man’s body, carrying his unique aura, forcefully invaded Bai Qingyan’s heart and lungs, making her cheeks burn. The longing she had been restraining and suppressing in her heart seemed to be infinitely magnified. She looked up at the man’s profound features, resting her head in his embrace.

“Using this mother-child poison on the Seventh Prince and fake Seventh Prince, isn’t it too risky…” Xiao Rongyan frowned tightly. “Such a thing should be used on the Empress of Dongyi and this fake emperor instead. This Empress of Dongyi is deeply scheming and appears to be someone who can be ruthless. I know… in the Bai family, mothers are willing to sacrifice their lives for their children, considering their children more important than their own lives. But there are also parents in this world who value power and status more than their children! What if this Empress of Dongyi abandons her child and chooses power? For her son’s sake, she might not bear to kill this fake Seventh Prince… but imprisonment is still possible! Not reliable!”

Bai Qingyan knew Xiao Rongyan was thinking of his father.

She lowered her gaze, grasping Xiao Rongyan’s hand and playing with his fingers. After a moment of contemplation, she looked up at him and said, “Mother made you several sets of clothes for all four seasons. I should have brought them to you, but this time I secretly left without telling Mother, so I couldn’t bring them out for you.”

Although Bai Qingyan said nothing else, Xiao Rongyan knew she was comforting him. He lowered his head and kissed Bai Qingyan’s forehead: “Mmm, after the matter of the two nations’ gamble is settled, I’ll personally go pay my respects to Mother! But you need to think carefully about what I told you. It’s best to hold both the Seventh Prince and this Empress of Dongyi in your palm.”

“You are Yan’s Regent…” Bai Qingyan looked at Xiao Rongyan and couldn’t help but smile lightly. “Yet here you are giving guidance to Great Zhou?”

“In the future, whether Yan or Great Zhou, we will be one family. Even if Yan wins in the end, we don’t want an additional hidden threat like Dongyi.” Xiao Rongyan looked at his thin and slender beloved wife in his arms, his gaze falling on her lips, his fingers gently caressing the corner of her mouth. His mellow voice was particularly enchanting on this night: “However, precisely because I am Great Yan’s Regent, there are some plans I cannot be frank about with A’Bao. I feel guilty. A’Bao… don’t blame me.”

“We finally get to meet once. Let’s not discuss state affairs. We agreed beforehand to keep public and private matters separate. Not being able to speak openly about what shouldn’t or can’t be said is perfectly reasonable.” Bai Qingyan smiled as she spoke to Xiao Rongyan. After all, she was also hiding many things from Xiao Rongyan, such as… Xiao Rongyan’s five thousand soldiers had already become fish in Bai Qingyan’s trap. With just one command from Bai Qingyan, they could all be captured.

“Kangle’s health is getting better and better. He seems very interested in writing brushes and ink. When I hold him while reviewing memorials, he always likes to grab the brush handle. He has a particularly good temperament and smiles when anyone plays with him.” Speaking of her and Xiao Rongyan’s twin children, Bai Qingyan’s features were filled with tender affection. “Xile is mischievous. He broke the nine-ring puzzle that Xiao Ba was taking apart.”

Perhaps because Bai Qingyan was busy with court affairs every day and spent less time with the children, she always felt they grew particularly fast. In the blink of an eye, they had grown from tiny newborns like little kittens into their current adorable, chubby appearance.

Deep in her heart, Bai Qingyan hoped the two children would grow up slowly and not rush.

“Once the gambling matter is settled, I’ll stay by your and the children’s side. In the future, A’Bao… I’ll be part of all the trivial details of life with Kangle and Xile.” Xiao Rongyan gazed quietly at Bai Qingyan, his dark eyes hiding deep affection that could drown someone, making anyone who met his gaze fall deeply into it. He gently tucked the loose hair behind Bai Qingyan’s temples, behind her ear, slowly lowering his head to kiss her.

Bai Qingyan grasped Xiao Rongyan’s hands that were cupping her face, her breath filled with the faint fragrance of shark oil from his palms. She restrained the slight shyness in her heart, wanting to ease this gradually heating atmosphere, and said in a low voice: “It smells so good…”

“Shark oil, used on nearly healed wounds, won’t leave scars.” As Xiao Rongyan spoke, his nose had already touched Bai Qingyan’s nose bridge.

She instinctively held her breath, lowering her extremely long eyelashes, saying softly: “Shark oil is precious, mmm…”

Before she could finish speaking, her lips were pressed, and she tightened her grip on Xiao Rongyan’s hands. Xiao Rongyan’s lips were burning hot, that fiery sensation spreading through her entire body. Invaded by Xiao Rongyan’s forceful presence, her body gradually softened, her mind became dizzy, as if bewitched. She couldn’t help but wrap her arms around Xiao Rongyan’s neck, tilting her head up to respond to his aggressive kiss.

Feeling sorry that Bai Qingyan had been tired from campaigning recently, Xiao Rongyan restrained himself. That night, he only held Bai Qingyan as they slept, doing nothing else. For Xiao Rongyan, this night passed like a year, sweet yet torturous.