The bright spring sunlight of noon streamed in through the half-open window casements. The room was utterly quiet, without a single sound.

She remembered that when she had left, the wild stone orchids she had transplanted by the window were still sprouting and putting forth leaves. When she returned yesterday, half the garden of orchids had already bloomed—white ones, purple ones, their fragrance rich and intoxicating. In this tranquil afternoon, the gentle breeze carrying the orchid fragrance drifted soundlessly through the window gaps, lightly caressing the soft rain-washed sky-blue bed curtains hanging before the bed.

The curtains hung half-concealing, half-revealing, dropping low, stirred by the wind at one corner, rippling like gentle waves, shielding the person within from the light while enveloping them in a faint, heart-refreshing fragrance.

She was still deep in slumber, not yet awakened. Her head tilted slightly, her face pillowed on a jade-white arm as smooth as fresh lotus root, her body lying sideways on the pillow. A thin water-colored quilt had somehow become tangled with one bare leg that had stretched outside the covers, hanging messily from her shoulder, only covering down to her waist, revealing her entire snow-white back scattered with dark hair.

Li Mu returned from the front hall, his clothes neat and proper, and sat beside the bed, silently watching her sleeping form.

Thinking of her naked state beneath the quilt at this moment, his eyes darkened with desire. Unable to restrain himself, he leaned forward. His hand slowly explored beneath the covers while his lips fell upon her smooth, delicate shoulder, kissing lightly, lingering for a moment, then slowly moving along her beautiful butterfly bones, the graceful valley of her back, trailing downward…

Her long lashes trembled several times.

Luoshen was stirred awake.

Those familiar, slightly rough large hands were touching her silk-smooth skin beneath the covering quilt.

Knowing he had returned, the corners of her lips curved slightly upward, yet she remained immersed in the lazy drowsiness of deep sleep. Feeling her whole body still ached, she kept her eyes closed, unwilling to open them, only languidly drawing up her legs and curling her body to express her dissatisfaction with this man who had prevented her from sleeping peacefully since last night.

Not only did the man not stop his movements, he embraced her entire form from behind.

Luoshen truly hadn’t slept enough yet. She hummed vaguely several times, softly raising her arm to push him away, but her hand was caught.

His lips moved to kiss the back of her hand, traveling up along her slender snow-white arm, kissing all the way to her face.

The man continued his intimate caresses with her for a while.

“Are you still very tired?”

Luoshen heard a gentle questioning voice by her ear.

She was still somewhat dazed. Instinctively she shook her head. But suddenly, as if remembering something, she became completely awake, opened her sleepy eyes, and nodded.

Li Mu looked at her wide-open eyes gazing warily at him and couldn’t help but laugh aloud.

Last night, faced with his extraordinarily passionate little wife, he had been filled with ardor, indulging himself almost to the point of wild abandon. Through sleeping and waking, they had made love repeatedly. When he awoke this morning, still unsatisfied, he had held the little beauty in his arms who was still terribly drowsy and forcefully taken her once more before embracing her to sleep until noon, only rising when Jiang Tao came seeking him. At that time she had still been very sleepy, as if she couldn’t even open her eyes. Learning that Jiang Tao was looking for him, she had closed her eyes and fallen back asleep.

Having napped all morning, he was now refreshed and energetic, yet knowing she had been exhausted by him and likely hadn’t recovered, seeing her finally awake, he asked if she was hungry.

“It’s already past noon. I’m afraid you might be starving. Why don’t you eat something first? If you’re still sleepy, you can sleep again after eating. Is that alright?”

Reminded by him, Luoshen realized she was indeed famished, her stomach practically touching her back, and obediently nodded.

Li Mu stroked her head, got out of bed, hung up the curtains, and without calling for servants, personally helped her dress. After putting on each garment piece by piece, he opened the door again and called for attendants to come in and assist with washing and grooming.

The two ate together, then returned to the room together.

Having been married to him for over a year, it seemed only today that his daytime hours also belonged to her. Luoshen was in an excellent mood and didn’t want to go anywhere.

As soon as they entered the room, she clung to him, wanting him to hold her.

“My whole body is so sore, I can’t walk properly, it’s all your fault…” she complained in a delicate, whining voice that was soft as water.

Li Mu crouched slightly, his hands supporting her bottom, and lifted her up high in one motion.

Suddenly finding herself three feet off the ground, higher than him, Luoshen was startled and cried out, raising her hands to hit him, demanding he put her down immediately, no longer wanting to be carried.

Li Mu laughed heartily. The shadows that had clouded his heart from the news received earlier vanished completely in an instant.

He carried her to the bed, had her lie down, then sat on the bedside, placing her legs across his knees and began massaging her legs and feet.

His technique was excellent, making Luoshen completely relaxed and comfortable, squinting her eyes in enjoyment of her husband’s service. Suddenly remembering that Jiang Tao had come looking for him at noon, she casually asked about it. After asking, hearing no response from him, she suddenly understood, thinking it might be some inconvenient military matter, and quickly opened her eyes.

“If it’s something inconvenient to tell me, it’s perfectly fine not to say.”

Li Mu stopped his hands, looked up, gazed at her for a moment, and smiled slightly: “Nothing else. Only that last night, an imperial edict arrived from Jiankang Palace, summoning me back to receive honors and rewards.”

Luoshen hadn’t expected such a thing. At first she was somewhat surprised, sitting up, but upon further thought, she became delighted.

“This is wonderful news! Langjun, you captured Chang’an—such merit, who could match it? That you should receive rewards according to your achievements is only natural and right.”

“When does Langjun plan to depart?”

He didn’t answer her immediately. After looking at her for a while, he said: “A’Mi, do you think I should return to receive this imperial favor?”

Luoshen couldn’t help but be startled, meeting his gaze fixed upon her.

When she first heard this news, she had been initially surprised, then immediately felt joy and pride. Proud that she had married a husband who was now a great hero, sharing in his glory.

But she hadn’t expected that he seemed unwilling to return to receive the imperial favor.

She immediately recalled that enormous disagreement between him and her father from before.

He held no regard whatsoever for the court that her father had painstakingly maintained. Moreover, he had been greatly disrespectful.

It was precisely because of this that she had initially been forcibly taken away by her father from his home in Jingkou. Later, if she hadn’t stubbornly pursued him to this place, how things between them would have turned out was still unknown.

These past six months, being here with him, experiencing so much together, she had almost forgotten about this matter.

Now, suddenly, she remembered again.

Her heart sank abruptly.

After hesitating for a long time, she finally said: “Langjun, the current emperor is no longer my former Imperial Uncle. You saw A’Jie’s letter from before as well. His Majesty and A’Jie are both earnestly committed to good governance; the new dynasty should have aspirations for restoration.”

“But if you truly don’t wish to return to receive the court’s favor, I will never force you. Then you could send back a memorial stating that you’re not showing contempt for the court or defying orders by not returning, but rather that Yi Cheng and Chang’an are not yet fully stable, you’re busy with military affairs and cannot spare yourself to return to the capital.”

“Their sending you this edict now should also be out of good intentions. Please don’t let this cause displeasure with my father and His Majesty, or even arouse their suspicions. Please?”

After speaking, she looked at him carefully with pleading eyes.

Li Mu gazed at her, remaining silent at first, then after a moment said: “Once matters here are properly arranged, I’ll take you back. I imagine you must also want to see your father and mother-in-law.”

Luoshen finally breathed a sigh of relief.

What she feared most was Li Mu stubbornly holding to his views and openly disrespecting the court at this critical moment, giving others grounds for criticism.

As long as he was willing to return, perhaps he could feel the new dynasty’s atmosphere and gradually change his thinking.

More optimistically, she hoped that someday he and her father could work together harmoniously, joining forces in their endeavors.

Moreover, she did indeed miss A’Niang and A’Ye.

She crawled up and knelt beside him, with what seemed like several parts gratitude and pleasing, murmuring softly: “Langjun, you’re so good to me.”

Her face flushed slightly as she quietly grasped one of his hands, guiding it toward herself and pressing it against her beautiful bosom that he so favored.

“I’ve slept enough now… whatever Langjun desires, A’Mi will accompany you…”

Li Mu closed his eyes, withdrew his hand, and instead embraced her body, bringing her to lie down beside him with their heads together.

He kissed her warm forehead and said gently: “I’m also somewhat tired. Just accompany me and sleep a while longer.”

Luoshen had indeed been thoroughly exhausted by him last night and truly hadn’t slept enough. She obediently curled up in Li Mu’s embrace, held by him, closed her eyes, and soon fell deeply asleep again.

Li Mu gazed at his wife’s peaceful face sleeping trustingly beside him. The shadows that had initially dispersed because of her slowly enveloped his heart once again.

The current new emperor was even inferior to Emperor Xingping.

At least Emperor Xingping still had some fighting spirit.

But this emperor’s only impression left on Li Mu previously was his indulgence in comfort and pleasure.

Li Mu remembered that when Gao Qiao was still alive, he had been somewhat restrained. In the year after his enthronement, after Gao Qiao’s death, he completely transformed into a literary gentleman, knowing only romantic pursuits. State affairs were controlled by Gao Yongrong and Prince Xin’an Xiao Daocheng, who engaged in open and covert struggles with Xu Mi, Lu Guang and other aristocratic families. Until several years later, when Xu Mi rebelled, he had saved the emperor and quelled the rebellion, thereafter rising steadily in power until he dominated the court, becoming Grand Marshal. Because of his insistence on the Northern Expedition, he had aroused the wariness of Gao Yongrong and Xiao Daocheng. He himself had also been careless for a moment and died in a carefully designed honey trap.

And this emperor had already died on the road while fleeing, frightened to death during Xu Mi’s rebellion.

Li Mu could be certain that last night’s delivered edict, issued in the emperor’s name, was definitely orchestrated by Gao Yongrong behind the scenes.

He could also guess that Gao Yongrong now probably only wanted to win him over. Urging him to return to Jiankang to receive honors was likely just to clarify Chang’an’s ownership, and more importantly, to use this opportunity to proclaim to the world that ministers abroad, no matter how great their achievements, were still subject to the court and remained merely subjects of the Xiao imperial house.

If not for the woman in his arms at this moment, today he would never have obeyed the edict to return.

Having come out, in these chaotic times he could be independent, pacify the Central Plains, and what did it matter if he was branded a rebel and traitor by the Southern Dynasty?

Even this Xiao-surnamed Southern Dynasty could be replaced by him.

But because he had her, he also had countless complex ties to this dynasty.

Besides himself as her husband, she had parents, relatives, and all the status and glory this imperial dynasty brought her.

Those were all part of who she was.

He couldn’t completely disregard her wishes and forcibly make her sever all these connections for his sake. He had known this from the very first day he couldn’t let go of his obsession and forcibly married her.

Just now, when he heard her speaking to him in pleading tones, saying he was so good to her, and pressing his hand to her delicate body, for that brief moment, he seemed to see again the her from their previous life on their wedding night.

Only then, she had needed favors from him as Grand Marshal.

While now, she feared he would break with the family members she cared about.

How proud she had once been—he remembered clearly.

He also wished she could maintain forever that kind of proud innocence she had when first marrying him.

However, he ultimately couldn’t achieve this.

Having married her, yet causing her to be so careful around him now, even wanting to please him.

Her obedience made his heart ache.

To gain something, one must lose something. Having gained her, he had to make concessions to this imperial dynasty for her sake.

In this lifetime, he thought he would never repeat the same mistakes.

But when this familiar scene began to unfold gradually before him again from today onward, when the moment of final revelation came,

He only hoped that she who now slept peacefully beside him could still maintain this same complete trust in him.

Her remaining life was entirely in his hands.

He was her lifelong husband.

Li Mu slowly held his little wife in his arms even tighter, pressing his face against hers, deeply breathing in the fragrance from her hair and skin, and closed his eyes.

…

Luoshen deeply loved Yi Cheng city and also liked where she currently lived.

She had personally witnessed how this city had slowly transformed from the desolation she saw when first arriving into the vibrant, inhabited place it was now. Not to mention that every plant and tree, every brick and stone in this prefectural residence had been personally tended by her, making it full of sentimental attachment.

But Jiankang was also where she was born and raised. Having been away for so long, she inevitably missed it.

Moreover, her A’Niang and A’Ye were still there.

From the second day after Li Mu agreed to return to Jiankang, Luoshen began secretly anticipating.

What surprised her somewhat was that a few days after that edict, Yi Cheng actually received another imperial envoy from the emperor.

The special envoy was their old acquaintance, Chamberlain Feng Wei, who had once presided over the Double Ninth competition between Li Mu and Lu Jianzhi.

Feng Wei brought numerous gifts from the emperor.

Besides the usual gold cakes, precious vessels, silk and satin, there were also craftsmen skilled in construction and various techniques, as well as imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Academy.

The other gifts aside, he had even sent Yi Cheng the much-needed craftsmen and imperial physicians—it couldn’t be called anything but thoroughly considerate.

Luoshen was very pleased.

Li Mu brought her to express gratitude for the imperial favor and thanked Feng Wei for his arduous journey.

Feng Wei said with a smile: “Prefect Li need not be so courteous. You recovered the Western Capital for the court—who in all of Dayu doesn’t respect you? That I can be ordered to come here and accompany the Prefect and his wife back to the capital to receive honors is my good fortune, Feng Wei’s. If the Prefect can arrange it, could we depart somewhat early?”

“All the citizens of Jiankang know that Prefect Li will return to the capital to receive honors, and they’re waiting day after day.”

Luoshen looked toward Li Mu.

He gazed at Feng Wei and said: “Everything here has been properly arranged. Let the imperial commissioner decide everything.”

Feng Wei was delighted and immediately said: “Rather than choosing an auspicious day, why not today—shall we return to the capital tomorrow? What does the Prefect think?”

…

Li Mu left the army he had brought back in Yi Cheng, entrusting affairs to Jiang Tao. The next day, he set out on the southward journey with Luoshen.

A month later, in the fifth month of that year, when the streets and alleys of Jiankang city were filled with white willow catkins, Luoshen, who had left Jiankang nearly a year ago, stepped onto this familiar land beside her husband.