But he ultimately did nothing, keeping his hands folded on his knees, quietly watching her.

She would never know that the stillness of these hands had exhausted all his strength.

Neither of them spoke, but he still thought this was good—at least they were together.

Sounds came from outside the door, and he signaled for the people outside to enter.

Behind Liang Song, numerous female officials and inner attendants filed in carrying dishes.

After the meal was arranged, Liang Song again tactfully led the people away quickly.

“Prepare some change of clothes for the young lady,” he called out to stop them.

“Yes.” Liang Song immediately turned back, then asked with some hesitation: “Your Majesty, where should the clothes be sent?”

“Here,” he said.

Liang Song smiled and agreed, his eyes carrying some knowing meaning as he withdrew.

Li Zhaoting glanced at Suzhen. She still sat obediently, her gaze lowered, and hadn’t objected to him forcing her to stay in the imperial hall overnight. He couldn’t gauge what she was thinking and grew increasingly irritated.

He took a breath and picked up his chopsticks to serve her food. She didn’t refuse and ate quietly. But the more she acted this way, the more distant she seemed.

The restless energy in his heart grew worse, and he nearly wanted to rush over and grab her face to see what she was really thinking.

Li Zhaoting couldn’t read Suzhen’s thoughts, and Suzhen was equally not as calm as she appeared on the surface. She was calculating many things in her heart while also guessing what Li Zhaoting was thinking, considering how to negotiate with him.

Although Wei Wulei’s encounter earlier was unintentional, it was ultimately caused by him boldly bringing her into the palace without avoiding others’ eyes and ears. He was a clever man—how could he not see that she wouldn’t easily seek death now? His purpose was obvious. By not avoiding suspicion, he wanted the people in the palace to see her, half-exposing her to danger. He wanted her to depend on him. Though she was unwilling to have him keep her in the imperial hall, even if he arranged a separate palace for her with strict protection, it couldn’t compare to the safety of the emperor’s sleeping quarters.

She could sense that he cared for her greatly, but she didn’t know the extent of this care—whether it was enough for her to propose certain things.

This meal had a very subtle atmosphere, and both ate quite quickly.

When Suzhen put down her bowl, her gaze swept around the great hall, and she nodded her chin toward a certain spot: “Do I sleep there?”

That was a small couch in the hall.

Li Zhaoting sometimes rested and read there.

“No.” Li Zhaoting pointed toward the bed curtains. “You sleep there, I’ll sleep on the couch.”

Suzhen was momentarily stunned. She hadn’t expected him to do this, but she was never one to be coy. She nodded: “Fine.”

“I’d like to wash and rest now,” she added.

Li Zhaoting went to the side hall.

The side hall was right next door.

He didn’t enter the room but stood in the courtyard under the moonlight with his hands behind his back.

“Your Majesty, do you still need to flip the tablets tonight?”

Liang Song approached. The old eunuch was naturally shrewd and could see what was happening, but he still asked as a matter of routine.

Li Zhaoting didn’t answer. Liang Song understood, then thought of something and asked in a low voice: “Your Majesty, tonight, do you and the young lady need… to make a record?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted them. Li Zhaoting’s face turned iron-blue—his expression changed instantly!

“You old dog,” the emperor cursed.

“Your Majesty, forgive this old slave. This old slave spoke out of turn and deserves death…”

He immediately knelt down. Seeing the situation, the person in the next room was indeed that person, not just a similar performing artist! If so, she probably wouldn’t accept this master at all, yet he had mentioned keeping records! His heart was filled with shock, fearing Li Zhaoting’s punishment, but he heard Li Zhaoting suddenly speak: “Besides gold, silver, pearls, and these worldly treasures, what do you think could make a woman’s heart stay again?”

“Favor? Status?” He seemed to be asking him, yet also seemed to be questioning himself.

Whether he was asking rhetorically or not, Liang Song still had to respond. The old eunuch thought for a moment and carefully said: “Since ancient times, in the harem, mothers have risen through their sons’ nobility, and sons through their mothers’. Nothing else to say—a child can always tie down a mother’s heart.”

After he finished speaking with his head bowed, he didn’t hear Li Zhaoting respond for a long while. His heart skipped a beat, and cold sweat ran down his back. Stealing a glance from the corner of his eye, he saw Li Zhaoting’s face was surprisingly gentle, his eyes even carrying a shallow smile, clear and refined.

This kind of smile—this master seemed to have worn something similar on the day of his enthronement, but since then, it had been nowhere to be found. Not even when Empress Gu and Noble Consort Miao were pregnant.

But the smile in Li Zhaoting’s eyes quickly faded, returning to his usual solemn and indifferent appearance. He summoned Si Lanfeng from outside the hall to discuss military matters.

But he had formed a plan in his heart, smiling as he withdrew.

When the female officials reported that the young lady had finished bathing, Li Zhaoting had reviewed four memorials in the side hall. Calling it reviewing was generous—his mind wasn’t on them at all.

He didn’t claim to be a wise ruler, but he worked diligently every day and was already preparing for the decisive battle with Lian Yu. Even a slight neglect at this time wouldn’t affect anything, but this distraction was ultimately not a good thing.

He forcefully pinched his philtrum, abruptly threw the memorials onto the table, and walked out.

The imperial hall was very quiet.

He didn’t think she could sleep soundly in this environment, and his heart couldn’t help but stir.

The lights in the hall were dimmer than before, the bed curtains hung low, and beside the couch, a bronze incense burner emitted a floating fragrance.

His pupils contracted, and he strode over, suddenly pulling open the bed curtains.

On the bed, the woman wore inner garments, covered with a brocade quilt, eyes tightly closed—she was indeed asleep.

He was momentarily stunned, a trace of bitter smile blooming on his lips. He didn’t know whether to be happy that she trusted him or disappointed that she could be so indifferent to him.

But in no time, he noticed something wrong.

Sweat continuously seeped from her forehead, her face was flushed red, her brow was deeply furrowed, and she murmured something under her breath, beginning to writhe.

He wasn’t a man inexperienced in intimate matters. Thinking of what Liang Song had said earlier, his heart immediately understood. His brow furrowed as he got up and walked to the hall entrance, calling sternly: “Liang Song.”

“Your Majesty.”

The old eunuch’s panicked voice came from outside.

He kicked the door open with one foot. The night guards and inner attendants immediately knelt all over the ground. Si Lanfeng poked his head over with surprise and doubt: “Your Majesty—”

“It’s none of your business!” Li Zhaoting’s cold gaze swept over. “Liang Song, get in here.”

Si Lanfeng fell silent. The old eunuch was terrified, tremblingly walking in: “Your Majesty, this…”

Li Zhaoting kicked him in the chest again: “What did you use on her!”

“Your Majesty, Your Majesty,” Liang Song secretly cursed his luck, afraid this flattery had landed on the wrong end. He quickly got up, hastily gauging Li Zhaoting’s expression. His eyes were deep, but not entirely angry, vaguely carrying an indescribable peculiarity.

After thinking briefly, he put on an obsequious smile: “Your Majesty, this old slave only had the female officials burn sleeping incense. This incense has a benefit—it can make one think of their beloved, as if experiencing it personally. That’s all.”

The words were quite cleverly phrased, but that thing was obviously an aphrodisiac that would make people hallucinate.

After hearing this, Li Zhaoting’s brow bone twitched slightly. He only said quietly, “Get out.” The old eunuch’s lips curved in a smile as he crawled up, walked out, and turned back to close the door.

Li Zhaoting slowly walked back. On the bed, Suzhen seemed to hear the sounds and opened her eyes slightly, her expression turbid: “Lian Yu? Lian Yu…”

She called out softly.

Li Zhaoting clenched his fists, veins bulging, sweat quickly forming on his back and head.

When he realized what he was doing, his hand had already fallen to her cheek, doing what he had wanted to do earlier.

His fingertips brushed across her tender face, feeling her, then he gently tucked her hair behind her ear.

He heard the thunderous sound of his own heartbeat, like an inexperienced youth.

His palms were all damp, his mind filled with scenes of that stormy night with dim curtains and red candles.

That night, she had resisted body and soul. At first, he hadn’t been comfortable either, but later, galloping deep within her body, being deeply enveloped by that wet warmth—that strange, trembling sensation… It wasn’t Miaoyin, not that night of deception and confusion, not even A Luo. It was her. He didn’t know if it was lust or something else, but that night remained unforgettable for his entire life.

His temples throbbed tightly. She was calling another man’s name, and it wasn’t that he didn’t feel this enormous humiliation. If he went forward, even he would despise himself.

But if they had a child together, wouldn’t there be… room for reconciliation?

Besides, he missed her too.

So very much.

He knew how despicable this was, but…

For a moment, jealousy and lust intertwined darkly. Her hair was wound around five slender, pale fingers, tightening bit by bit. He saw her pained, wronged expression, and every pore in his heart seemed to expand. Yet somewhere on his body, along with his heart, suddenly ached and swelled.

Finally, he slowly leaned down.