As dusk fell, the sounds of hunting in the hunting grounds subsided.

Lamps were lit in the camp, and the imperial chefs’ knives and cleavers flew, cutting and chopping the game, transforming it into delicacies through frying and roasting.

Only two people were enjoying these delicacies, but they were no longer the Empress and Emperor, but rather Xie Yanfang and the Emperor.

Xie Yanfang used a knife to cut a piece of roasted meat and placed it on Xiao Yu’s plate: “Your Majesty, try the game I hunted.”

Xiao Yu’s expression was somewhat wooden as he looked at the roasted meat before him. “Do you want Sister to die?” he asked.

Xie Yanfang replied: “If I wanted her to die, she wouldn’t be here today.” He looked at Xiao Yu. “After she saved you, she could have died then. Whether she lives or not has nothing to do with whether you live or not.”

Xiao Yu understood what this meant.

He had survived and ascended to the throne. He had officials and troops and courtiers and his maternal Xie clan. No matter how much strife there was at court, no matter how turbulent the Great Xia became, he as Emperor would not actually be affected.

He was himself, yet not himself. He represented many people’s lives and fortunes. Therefore, many people wanted to kill him, and many people wanted to protect him – Empress Chu Zhao was one of them.

With her present, she did many things; without her, others would immediately fill her position and do the same things.

Others? Xiao Yu gripped his knife. This thought flashed through his mind, leaving him mentally adrift. He couldn’t imagine who these others might be, nor did he want to think about it.

It wouldn’t be the same.

No one could be like Sister Chu.

Even if others could do what Sister Chu did, they wouldn’t treat him the way she did.

He was especially afraid of losing Sister Chu, but now, in the blink of an eye, he had lost her.

He didn’t even know what had happened…

He had only wanted to persuade her through Xie Yanfang, or even, at worst, forcibly keep her by his side, but he had never intended to move troops against her.

How could those troops point swords, bows, and crossbows at his sister?

“You won’t persuade her this way,” he murmured. “Sister Chu has never feared threats.”

Xie Yanfang said: “I know.”

He wasn’t threatening her; he was simply keeping her.

“Persuasion, A-Yu, remember this – first, the other person must be able to persuade themselves in their heart, otherwise no matter how much you say, it’s useless.”

“So at this moment, what you need to do is just keep her here, that’s all.”

Having said this, he picked up the plate in front of him and stood up.

“Now, Your Majesty, just quietly wait for this matter to pass. Don’t think too much about other things; it’s useless to think about them anyway.”

He glanced at the rigidly seated young boy and smiled slightly.

“Eat more food. Don’t try to threaten me by not eating, though of course, eating more won’t please me either.”

With that, he turned and left.

Xie Yanfang had always behaved as a subject in his presence, respectful yet friendly, but at this moment, he was lofty and aloof in his attitude.

Xiao Yu looked at Xie Yanfang’s retreating figure and didn’t find it at all unfamiliar; in fact, it felt familiar.

This was the Third Uncle he had known as a small child, the one who existed only in his mother’s words – clever, formidable, capable of anything, and who loved him dearly.

But in reality, this uncle had never met him and had no interest in meeting him.

In this uncle’s eyes, there was no Xiao Yu, only an imperial grandson.

Xiao Yu lowered his head and slowly cut the meat. Tears dropped onto it, mixing as he put it in his mouth and chewed in large bites.

No one was like Sister Chu. Only Sister Chu treated him as Xiao Yu.

…

…

Outside the tent, layer upon layer of guards, some visible, some hidden, encircled it, just as before – only the person confined within had changed.

Xie Yanfang passed through the guards and lifted the curtain to enter the tent.

Chu Zhao sat at the desk, one hand holding a brush, the other a document, her brows furrowed in concentration. She didn’t acknowledge anyone’s entrance.

“Your Highness, please eat something,” Xie Yanfang said, walking over and setting down the plate.

Only then did Chu Zhao glance over, but she didn’t put down her brush.

“It’s not poisoned,” Xie Yanfang said.

Chu Zhao smiled slightly: “Third Young Master jests. Although it’s said that even father and son, husband and wife must be wary of each other, that applies to situations of equal strength. In my current position, I’m not worried about being poisoned by you.”

She waved the document in her hand.

“I’ll eat after I finish reviewing this.”

Xie Yanfang sat down and casually picked up a document from the desk, looking at the responses written on it. “Lady A-Zhao can still fulfill her duties even at a time like this.”

Chu Zhao continued writing with her head down, saying coolly: “Although I benefited from Third Young Master’s support in securing my position as Empress, the Great Xia court’s present state is also the result of my painstaking efforts. No matter how much I may hate Third Young Master, there’s no need to waste my hard work.”

Xie Yanfang smiled slightly: “That’s why Lady A-Zhao should be Empress.”

Chu Zhao didn’t respond.

Xie Yanfang didn’t say anything more about her silence, withdrawing his gaze and lowering his eyes to look at the memorial.

They sat quietly facing each other. Inside the tent, only the occasional soft popping of the lamp could be heard. At some point, perhaps when she had finished reviewing a memorial, Xie Yanfang felt the girl’s gaze fixed on him.

Looking, looking.

Xie Yanfang raised his head to meet her gaze and asked: “What is Lady A-Zhao looking at?” He raised his hand to stroke his face. “I went hunting today and got some blood spatter, but I’ve washed it clean.”

The girl’s gaze was strange, and what she said was equally strange.

She said: “I’ve long heard your name, and today I finally meet you.”

Xie Yanfang smiled slightly and said: “So the current me seems very unfamiliar to you, as if meeting for the first time.” At this point, he sighed softly. “People inevitably have times when they become like strangers to each other, so feeling unfamiliar at such times is normal. But don’t worry, all paths under heaven ultimately lead to the same destination. You and I will become familiar again.”

Chu Zhao smiled and nodded. Yes, that’s right, that’s exactly what Xie Yanfang would say.

Xie Yanfang wasn’t wrong either; she was indeed viewing him as a stranger. Only, clever as he was, he could never guess that she was reflecting on the Xie Yanfang from another life.

Yan Wolf.

In that life, the Yan Wolf of the Xie clan was mentioned in her ears almost daily, but unfortunately, she never saw him until her death.

In this life, she had met Xie Yanfang early on, and together they had protected Xiao Yu and defeated Xiao Xun’s imperial destiny.

In this life, the Third Young Master Xie she knew was refined and affable, arrogant yet witty. Of course, he was clever and formidable, but these were qualities she observed while being on the same side.

This cleverness and formidability held no threat; rather, they brought pleasure.

Until now, when she saw Xie Yanfang standing as an opponent.

His expression was still gentle, his manner still refined, but whether in his gaze or his words, there was a cold jade-like quality, indifferent and frosty.

He sat before you, smiling at you, yet remained lofty and aloof, gazing down coldly.

The Xie Yanfang of that other life must have been like this. In this life, she had finally met him in person.

Chu Zhao felt somewhat melancholy. In this life, she had protected Xiao Yu, retained Deng Yi, and changed the fate where Xiao Xun becoming Emperor would provoke the Xie clan to rebel.

Deng Yi still served as Imperial Tutor, and the Xie clan no longer needed to rebel – they had their glory and honor.

But she also knew that starting together didn’t necessarily mean they wouldn’t turn against each other. She had grown distant from Deng Yi because of power struggles, and she would inevitably have conflicts with Xie Yanfang, but she never imagined that Xie Yanfang’s turn against her would not be because she wanted to be Empress, to seize power, to suppress powerful ministers and imperial relatives, to act arbitrarily – but because she didn’t do these things—

Chu Zhao tilted her head back and let out a long sigh.

Even immortals couldn’t have predicted this.

It was incomprehensible no matter how one thought about it.

Chu Zhao had wanted to ask him if it was because she was hiding her mother and private troops that he didn’t believe she would truly give up her position as Empress.

But looking at Xie Yanfang’s eyes, she couldn’t voice these questions. She could see that Xie Yanfang’s reasons weren’t because of this.

He was simply angry because she didn’t want to be Empress.

“Third Young Master,” Chu Zhao looked at him, “what benefit is there to you in having an Empress who hates you placed at court? You don’t think time will heal all wounds, do you? Or perhaps you have enough ability to make me a puppet, but I must tell you, unless I’m dead, even if you turn me into human livestock, I will still crash my jar into you.”

As she spoke, Xie Yanfang listened attentively. After she finished, he smiled slightly.

“As a subject, and an imperial relative, I never expected to coexist harmoniously with the Empress at court.”

“When the ruler is strong, the subjects are weak; when the subjects are strong, the ruler is weak – conflict between ruler and subject is inevitable.”

“So, Empress need not worry. Feel free to be your Empress self, and I will protect myself.”

The lamplight flickered throughout the room. The smile on Xie Yanfang’s face was as faint as moonlight. Chu Zhao opened her mouth to say something, but found she had nothing to say.

“Third Young Master seems fearless, almost gracious,” she said with a mocking smile. “But in reality, this is nothing more than your punishment and revenge against me.”

The corner of Xie Yanfang’s mouth curled in a slight smile, but he said nothing.

“A piece that defies your will and refuses to fall on your chessboard is imprisoned and bound, full of resentment – nothing more than a trapped beast struggling.”

“Is there anything more pleasing than watching a trapped beast struggle?”

Xie Yanfang seemed to think for a moment, then said: “Most of the time, that’s true, but—” He placed his hand over his heart and shook his head. “With Lady A-Zhao, it’s not like that. I truly feel it’s a pity.”

A pity? A pity about what? Chu Zhao wanted to laugh. She was about to speak when footsteps sounded outside the tent, and someone called out, “Young Master.”

Xie Yanfang turned his head slightly and made a sound of acknowledgment.

Only then did the person outside dare to continue speaking: “There’s a matter outside.”

What matters?

Xie Yanfang glanced at Chu Zhao, stood up, and walked out. As the curtain lifted, Chu Zhao heard commotion from a distance, as if many people were in an uproar.

“Court officials are demanding to see the Empress—”

At this moment, Xie Yanfang walked out. The curtain fell, cutting off his figure and the sound of conversation.

Court officials? Chu Zhao gripped the brush in her hand tightly. Ink dripped from the tip, glinting with a slight cold light.