Huang Rang entered the study and casually closed the door.

Then the pitiful tears in her eyes disappeared. She walked to the corner beside them and said, “Back when I couldn’t move, you loved putting me here most.”

Di Yiqiu was slightly stunned and turned to look. Huang Rang stood in that corner and said, “I often stared at you from here, then listened to the charcoal fire burning and the wind and snow howling. You reviewed official documents, occasionally turning pages, the brush tip rustling…”

When she mentioned the past, Di Yiqiu gently opened his arms to her.

Huang Rang slowly moved toward him, light as a ray of sunshine.

A beauty entered his embrace, warm and soft with a delicate fragrance. Di Yiqiu tried his utmost to maintain proper composure. He gently stroked Huang Rang’s long hair, feeling the smoothness beneath his fingertips. “Back then, what were you thinking?” he asked softly.

Huang Rang pressed her face against the hollow of his neck, her voice muffled as she said, “Because I couldn’t move, I thought about many, many things. I wondered whether the furnishings in your study were so simple because you were pretending to be upright and incorruptible? I wondered why that pot of flowers in the corner of your study grew so large? I thought…”

She lifted her head, her lips brushing past his earlobe as she said softly, “I thought your fingers holding the brush were truly long… and the profile of your face was so beautiful to look at…”

Di Yiqiu’s entire body stiffened. He lowered his head and saw his hand stroking her long hair. On that hand, serpent scales were gradually rising, inch by inch of jade-green, hard and smooth—where was there even half a trace of human form?

He could already imagine his body beneath these brocade robes.

Ah Rang… how dare I approach you with such a body?

He slowly pushed Huang Rang away, his voice calm: “If you’re tired, go rest inside the painting first.”

Huang Rang had no choice but to release him. Such a wonderful atmosphere and still unmoved… was there some unspeakable difficulty? This… was it no longer working?

Huang Rang expressed understanding. She lightly pressed her lips against the Jianzheng’s face and asked, “You… when you were injured last time by Xie Lingbi’s Spirit Demon Ghost Book, was your body severely damaged?”

“What?” The Jianzheng was baffled.

Huang Rang gently cupped his chin and consoled him considerately: “It’s all right, it doesn’t matter.”

What doesn’t matter… The Jianzheng raised his eyebrows.

At this moment, someone outside said, “Jianzheng, His Majesty heard that you’ve returned from your travels and is very delighted. He specially sent someone to invite you.”

Di Yiqiu didn’t have time to ask more and could only say, “I’ll make a trip to the palace first.”

Having said this, he stood up. About to leave, he saw Huang Rang hesitating to speak and had to ask, “What is it?”

After hesitating for a long while, Huang Rang suddenly asked, “Your current… constitution and cultivation level—won’t they make the palace wary?” The more she thought about it, the worse it seemed. She immediately became very worried. “They won’t poison you, will they?”

Di Yiqiu froze. After a long time, he couldn’t help but smile and said, “Come with me to the palace.”

Huang Rang readily agreed. She was anxious and worried. Even if she stayed at the Si Tianjian, she would definitely be overthinking things, her spirit unsettled. Better to go along.

Di Yiqiu took her out of the Si Tianjian. She didn’t forget her identity as a little maidservant and followed behind Di Yiqiu the entire way. It was already evening now, the sun slanting west, the evening glow about to ignite.

Huang Rang followed behind him. Seeing him bathed in the glow of sunset, warm and radiant, she felt joyful.

Zhu Xiang and the others saw her obediently following behind their Jianzheng, her appearance jubilant and excited, and couldn’t help but sigh.

Doubles and such—truly too bitter a fate.

Back in the day, wherever Huang Rang went, didn’t the Jianzheng push her, dressed in brocade and finery, afraid of her getting even a speck of dust? When had she ever walked a single step?

In the imperial palace, as soon as Di Yiqiu entered, palace attendants came to greet him.

“Jianzheng.” The palace attendants were all respectful. “His Majesty has been waiting for quite some time. Jianzheng, please come this way.”

Di Yiqiu nodded and followed the palace servants through the palace corridors. Huang Rang looked at the seemingly familiar roads and couldn’t help but sigh with emotion. This imperial palace—in dreams and out of dreams, coming and going—she truly had passed through it many times.

When they entered the hall, Huang Rang immediately saw the new Emperor.

Shi Zhenlang came forward to greet them. He didn’t even put on imperial airs and said, “Where exactly has Imperial Uncle been all these years? You’ve truly made me search high and low.”

His words were earnest. Di Yiqiu entered with him arm in arm and said, “Just wandering about everywhere. Everything in the court is well, which fully demonstrates Your Majesty’s sagacity.”

The two exchanged mutual flattery as they took their seats. Shi Zhenlang of course also saw Huang Rang.

When Huang Rang died back then, he had been young and hadn’t seen her. But he had seen the statue of Lady Xirang at the Goddess Temple many times.

“This is…” Shi Zhenlang asked.

Di Yiqiu said, “A maidservant.”

Huang Rang quickly gave him a courtesy: “Ah Ran pays respects to Your Majesty.”

“Ah Ran…” Shi Zhenlang was slightly stunned and said, “Miss Ah Ran’s features look extremely like…”

A palace attendant behind him reminded, “Your Majesty, famous tea like One Petal Heart should still be drunk while hot.”

Only then did Shi Zhenlang react—ah, Imperial Uncle’s admiration for Lady Xirang had long been legendary among the common people. Now this woman’s bearing and features were strikingly similar to the goddess. Did the implications need to be spelled out?

A double…

Imperial Uncle certainly knew how to play.

Shi Zhenlang understood the key point and inevitably felt a few more traces of sympathy for Huang Rang.

He said, “Knowing Imperial Uncle doesn’t drink alcohol, I specially prepared fragrant tea. Imperial Uncle, please drink a cup.”

Di Yiqiu tasted tea with him. Huang Rang stood beside him, smelling the tea’s fragrance. But her thoughts weren’t on the tea at all. Now that Di Yiqiu’s cultivation and combat power far surpassed Shi Zhenlang’s, could there be poison in this tea?

She had always liked to think the worst of people. Her eyes immediately filled with worry.

Shi Zhenlang noticed—alas, the life of a double must be quite miserable. He became even more sympathetic toward Huang Rang and said, “Miss Ah Ran takes care of Imperial Uncle, which must also be hard work. If you have any needs, feel free to request them from the palace.”

Huang Rang gave him a slight courtesy and respectfully acknowledged with a yes.

However, she refused to lower her guard in her heart. Seeing that Di Yiqiu truly intended to drink this tea, she said, “Didn’t the Jianzheng say… you weren’t drinking tea recently? It was because you disdained Ah Ran’s skill in preparing tea.”

—Alas, doubles truly have bitter fates. Even tea preparation would be disdained.

Shi Zhenlang said, “So Miss Ah Ran is also skilled in preparing tea. Then I’ll have all the One Petal Heart in the palace given to Miss Ah Ran to take with her.” He didn’t know what Huang Rang was thinking and spoke in a gentle tone. The palace attendants beside him also quickly acknowledged.

Huang Rang was anxious inside. Although Di Yiqiu’s constitution was special, how many secret poisons existed in the immortal sects?

If someone truly wanted to use some vicious method to harm him in secret, it would be impossible to guard against.

Di Yiqiu set down his cup. Shi Zhenlang said, “During the years Imperial Uncle was away, there were quite a few rumors among the common people. The people always worried that the Spirit Demon Ghost Book would wreak havoc on the world again. Now that you’ve returned, I intend to hold a grand sacrificial ceremony to ease the people’s hearts. What does Imperial Uncle think?”

Di Yiqiu said, “That’s fine. In recent years, the weather has been favorable and the harvests abundant. Your Majesty can pray for blessings at the Goddess Temple to wish for a bountiful harvest in the coming year.”

Indeed, his heart and mind still cannot forget his old love.

Shi Zhenlang glanced at Huang Rang and couldn’t help but feel even more pity. He said, “Excellent.”

Next came matters concerning the grand sacrificial ceremony.

Court sacrificial ceremonies had complex and tedious protocols. Di Yiqiu didn’t want Huang Rang to wait idly, so he turned his head and said, “Wait outside the hall.”

Huang Rang saw that Shi Zhenlang had no intent to harm, so she relaxed slightly. She gave a light courtesy and respectfully withdrew outside the hall.

Only after she left did Shi Zhenlang sigh and say, “Miss Ah Ran is truly beautiful.”

As he spoke, he observed Di Yiqiu’s reaction. Di Yiqiu looked through the almanac for auspicious dates, his face showing neither sorrow nor joy.

Tsk, truly not showing emotions on his face. Shi Zhenlang sighed inwardly.

When Huang Rang withdrew outside the hall, she saw someone waiting in the middle of the hall.

This person wore a plumed helmet and was clad in battle armor, waiting for an audience. He was staring at the hall, waiting for Shi Zhenlang to summon him. Now suddenly seeing someone emerge from inside the hall, he couldn’t help but focus his gaze intently.

Just at this moment, Huang Rang suddenly turned her head. In the gentle slanting rays of sunset, the beauty was lovely as a rainbow.

The watery gleam in those eyes instantly pierced through his armor and struck heavily against his chest.

And with that one glance back, Huang Rang also felt this young general had an upright bearing and transcendent manner, handsome and elegant like a jade tree in the wind. He actually looked a bit like the young Xie Hongchen.

Huang Rang smiled brilliantly, then left.

At this moment, inside the hall.

Shi Zhenlang said, “During the years Imperial Uncle was away from court, talented individuals have emerged in abundance. A few days ago, there was a fierce general who, at only nineteen years of age, repelled the barbarian tribes and pacified the Northern Border.”

“Oh?” Di Yiqiu said, “I should indeed meet him if there’s an opportunity.”

Shi Zhenlang smiled and said, “How could that be difficult? This person is right outside the hall now.” He called out loudly, “Summon General An inside!”

The palace attendant outside immediately announced the summons. General An walked a few steps but couldn’t help turning his head back. Then General An nearly tripped and fell flat on the ground!

The palace servants held back their laughter and came to help him up. General An quickly shook them off—a dignified military general being supported by palace servants, what kind of decorum was that?

As he walked, he asked quietly, “That one just now… is she some lady from the palace?”

The palace servant also knew that young men admired beauty and didn’t think much of it. He replied casually, “Ladies don’t enter the main hall. That was the Jianzheng’s maidservant.”

“Maid… maidservant?” General An was dazed and dizzy, allowing the palace servant to lead him inside. But it seemed his body had entered while his soul hadn’t.

He stood dumbly in the hall. The Jianzheng couldn’t help but frown—this person looked handsome, but why did he seem not very bright?

Shi Zhenlang cleared his throat lightly. The palace attendant beside him quickly tugged at his sleeve.

“Uh… ah.” Only then did General An react. He quickly bowed and said, “Your Majesty.” He glanced at Di Yiqiu and bowed again: “Jianzheng.”

Only then did Shi Zhenlang say, “What does the Jianzheng think of this person’s physique?”

Di Yiqiu glanced at him and said, “He’s good material.”

Shi Zhenlang nodded and said, “General An has merit in suppressing the bandits. Now that he’s returned to court, what reward does he wish to request?” He looked at Di Yiqiu with a smile and even reminded him, “The Jianzheng happens to be here. Even if I cannot do it, the Jianzheng will naturally assist.”

He spoke these words in a pleasant, amiable manner. The sovereign and subjects in the hall were harmonious, which could be considered quite joyful.

General An glanced at Di Yiqiu, his eyes full of hope as he asked, “Jian… can the Jianzheng truly help this humble general?”

This boy wants to join the Si Tianjian, doesn’t he?

Both Shi Zhenlang and Di Yiqiu thought this.

After all, joining an immortal sect was the dream of how many worldly people?

But this person’s physique was indeed superior. Di Yiqiu also said, “His Majesty has already spoken. Could I possibly have any objections?”

Speak up, boy.

Sure enough, General An was overjoyed beyond expectation. He gave Di Yiqiu a deep bow, his forehead touching the ground, and said, “This humble general humbly requests the Jianzheng to bestow upon me as wife the maidservant who just left!”

…

The sovereign in the hall changed color in alarm!

The Jianzheng also changed color, except this color was a bit green…