In the deep night, Shen Xihe awoke startled from her dream. Xiao Huayong suddenly opened his eyes and quickly sat up, grasping her shoulders: “A nightmare?”

He pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the cold sweat from Shen Xihe’s forehead, then carefully tucked the blanket around her.

Shen Xihe pressed her hand against her inexplicably racing heart: “I suddenly feel a tightness in my chest.”

Though there was no nightmare, she had mysteriously awakened, anxious and confused, the feeling coming without reason.

“Zhenzhu!” Xiao Huayong immediately called out.

Before Shen Xihe could stop him, the Eastern Palace was thrown into chaos. Zhenzhu quickly checked Shen Xihe’s pulse but found nothing amiss.

She could only say: “Crown Princess, it may be due to your pregnancy.”

Shen Xihe was three months pregnant and hadn’t yet experienced morning sickness, though emotional fluctuations were common for pregnant women.

“I’m fine, don’t worry…” Shen Xihe held Xiao Huayong’s hand.

Xiao Huayong could only embrace her shoulders, letting her lean against his chest as he lowered his head to kiss her forehead: “You’ve worked hard.”

Shen Xihe said nothing, only smiling faintly as she nestled in his embrace, soon overcome by drowsiness again.

When she next awoke, it was a bright sunny day. Not seeing Xiao Huayong, she knew he had gone to court. After she finished her morning meal, Xiao Huayong returned, his expression somewhat grave.

“What’s wrong?” Shen Xihe asked solemnly.

Xiao Huayong stepped forward to embrace her. Though he didn’t want to tell her, he knew concealing it would shake her trust in him. Squeezing her delicate hand, Xiao Huayong said: “Last night during the storm on the Min River, Elder Brother chose to move against Eighth Brother. This morning, fishermen reported finding many bodies washed up along the riverbank…”

The official urgent report hadn’t yet reached the capital, but Xiao Huayong had received news from Falcon messenger.

“What about Elder Brother?” Shen Xihe grabbed Xiao Huayong’s hand.

“Elder Brother was injured but has been found. Eighth Brother and Prince Xun are missing,” Xiao Huayong said.

Shen Xihe sighed in relief: “It’s good if they’re alright.”

“His Majesty’s Divine Warriors and the court’s forces suffered heavy losses,” Xiao Huayong hadn’t imagined Shen Yun’an would use the weather and terrain to his advantage, destroying all of the Emperor’s men on the Min River at once.

“I specifically told him to choose his moment,” Shen Xihe said softly.

She had calculated how to achieve victory against overwhelming odds and deal a heavy blow to both the Emperor and Xiao Changyan.

Their forces were limited, with few ways to achieve victory while outnumbered. They could only rely on timing and terrain. Fortunately, the Qu family had such experienced people to employ, and Heaven helped them by providing the right opportunity. Otherwise, if it dragged on too long, though Shen Yun’an could endure, Xiao Changyan wouldn’t wait.

“Youyou, I’m truly grateful we were never enemies,” Xiao Huayong sincerely sighed.

Even now, he couldn’t say for certain who would win between himself and Shen Xihe if they met as enemies without any emotional ties between them.

“That’s only your current gratitude,” Shen Xihe smiled faintly. “If you hadn’t fallen for me, you might have found having such an enemy to be one of life’s great pleasures.”

The loneliness of being unmatched was difficult to express. Meeting a worthy opponent might be an exhilarating battle to the death – living would be fortunate, but dying would still bring joy.

“Hahaha…” Xiao Huayong laughed softly, finding it hard to disagree with Shen Xihe’s words.

Seeing his good mood, Shen Xihe said: “Beichen, do you remember our bet?”

“Of course, Youyou, you won,” Xiao Huayong nodded readily. “Just tell me what you want me to do.”

Shen Xihe smiled, taking Xiao Huayong’s hand to her fragrant chamber. Zhenzhu immediately brought out a tray with brushes, fine needles of varying lengths, and golden pigment…

“Youyou, this is…”

“Paint me an unfading flower mark.”

Like a tattoo, deeply pierced into the skin, unwashable, carved between her brows, just as he was carved into her heart, never to be erased or replaced.

Almost instantly, Xiao Huayong understood Shen Xihe’s intention. His throat tightened, his voice becoming somewhat hoarse: “Youyou, you shouldn’t be bound.”

If one day he could no longer stay by her side, he would rather she gradually forget him, let him go, break free like a butterfly from its cocoon, and find a new life.

“A bet is a bet,” Shen Xihe’s gaze was calm yet determined. “Beichen, you should know, if the heart is like stone, it won’t move with or without restraints; if the heart is like willow fluff, it will float away even without wind.”

So this wasn’t any kind of restraint or promise, it was simply her way of expressing her heart and his place within it.

Looking down at Shen Xihe’s hand in his for a long while, Xiao Huayong finally raised his head and smiled at her: “Alright.”

Did it hurt to have the pigment pierced into the skin with needles?

Of course, it did, but Shen Xihe never once frowned from beginning to end. It was two intertwined lotus leaves, the pattern she had drawn on paper.

The bright golden color looked like a golden butterfly from afar, spreading its wings between her brows, adding an indescribable nobility and grace to her incomparably beautiful face.

While the couple shared tender moments in the Eastern Palace, news from the Min River reached the palace at noon, and Emperor Youning was so angry he truly fainted!

“His Majesty fainted?” Shen Xihe asked in surprise when she received the news.

This incident had indeed dealt the Emperor a serious blow, but how could he be so unable to handle the shock?

“We used your ink on His Majesty,” Xiao Huayong whispered in her ear as he adjusted her clothes.

When the Emperor fainted, they had to visit him no matter what.

The ink Shen Xihe had created would slowly erode the body through its dispersing fragrance with long-term use.

Since his days were numbered, he wanted to clear all obstacles for Shen Xihe with his remaining strength.

Before the Emperor fell, they needed to bring down those with ambitious hearts. Xiao Changyan would surely fall from the Emperor’s favor this time, but the forces behind him couldn’t be underestimated. Xiao Huayong hadn’t let Xiao Changmin die at Cui Jinbai’s hands, letting him return alive so the Emperor wouldn’t suspect Xiao Changgeng who went with him.

Xiao Changyan would also push forward Xiao Changgeng. To balance power between the princes, Xiao Changgeng’s rise would be most appropriate now, and he could take over the forces behind Xiao Changyan.

As for letting Xiao Changmin live, there was another use.

“Young Master Bu has successfully reached Shu. The urgent matter now is to send his wife to reunite with him,” Xiao Huayong suddenly said.

“His Majesty won’t easily give up,” Shen Xihe worried about Xiao Wenxi.

Though Xiao Wenxi’s pregnancy was false, she was delicate and completely different from Bu Shulin.

“That’s why we need to create an opportunity for her, to keep His Majesty too busy to pay attention to her,” Xiao Huayong’s lips slowly curved upward. “Not just His Majesty, we need to make everyone afraid to act rashly.”

“What are you planning to do?” From the sound of it, Xiao Huayong was planning something big.

“It’s time to settle accounts with Second Brother and give Young Master Bu and Zhihe an answer.”

Under the summer sun, this imposing man who was as dazzling as the sun spoke words that chilled to the bone as if plunging one into winter!