Yi Xiao sat by the bed, wearing simple peasant clothes, her gaze complex as she looked at the sleeping man before her. He had always loved her with a pure heart, yet she had never given him much in return.

Near the stone beach were a few farmhouses. The kind-hearted farmers had taken in the bedraggled pair, giving up their bedroom for the semi-unconscious Feng Suige. His wounds had been simply bandaged, and with the help of the male host, his wet clothes had been changed for soft cotton garments.

Feng Suige frowned and moved slightly, unconsciously pushing off the thin blanket. Yi Xiao rose to tuck him in again. They couldn’t return to the royal city now, and before Feng Suige regained consciousness, she had no idea who to turn to for help.

As evening fell, Feng Suige’s body gradually became burning hot, yet he didn’t sweat at all. Yi Xiao repeatedly covered him with the blanket, but he kept throwing it off.

After some hesitation, Yi Xiao got up to bolt the door securely. She kicked off her shoes and climbed onto the bed, wrapping herself and Feng Suige tightly in the thin blanket.

The temperature under the covers gradually rose, becoming so hot that even Yi Xiao felt uncomfortable. Feng Suige began to struggle weakly, but Yi Xiao held him firmly, forcefully pinning down his hands and feet, enduring the stifling heat with him.

Yi Xiao’s clothes were soon soaked with her sweat, but Feng Suige had only just begun to show signs of perspiration. He started to moan softly in discomfort, breathing rapidly. Seeing him in such distress, Yi Xiao’s heart ached, and she held him even tighter, not daring to relax for a moment.

By the deep of the night, Feng Suige’s fever finally began to subside.

Seeing him sleeping peacefully, Yi Xiao gently embraced him, resting her head on his chest. Listening to his strong heartbeat and even breathing, she felt a sense of security she had never known before.

Pulling up the blanket, her nose filled with the warm scent of his skin, Yi Xiao’s tense nerves finally began to relax. Before long, she too fell into a deep sleep, holding him contentedly.

When the red candle had burned halfway down and a faint light showed through the window paper, Yi Xiao awoke from her dream, her heart full of peace and tranquility, her body comfortably warm.

Turning to look at Feng Suige, Yi Xiao was slightly startled, then broke into a joyful smile – his deep black eyes were open, staring intently at her.

“Do you feel better?” Yi Xiao asked softly. “Are you hungry?” Feng Suige’s body tensed, he blinked, but remained silent for a while before coldly saying, “Why haven’t you left yet?”

Yi Xiao’s smile immediately faded. After returning his gaze impassively for a moment, she slowly lifted the thin blanket and sat up.

A beast is always a beast, its injury is merely a small sacrifice. She had been blinded by it all, overlooking his cruel nature. Now she could only let him bite her hard, taking back everything with interest.

She deserved it! How foolish! How humiliating!

Why did she think he would care about her? Why did she think he was as lonely as she was?

The moment Yi Xiao’s toes touched the ground, Feng Suige suddenly held her tightly, burying his face in her shoulder. He cried out, almost shamelessly, “Don’t go… I don’t want you to go…” Yi Xiao struggled angrily a couple of times but couldn’t break free. She rebuked him lightly, “Let go, you’re hurting me!”

“I won’t let go. I said the wrong thing, but you angered me first,” Feng Suige accused with a serious face. “Your heart is full of that person, you never care about what I think.” “My only thought is to throw you back into the river,” Yi Xiao retorted defiantly. “Is this all the trust you have in me? I open my heart to accept you, and this is what I get in return. You want me to leave? Where do you want me to go?”

Feng Suige looked at her with slight surprise. In his memory, Yi Xiao had never been so frank before. He had thought he was satisfied, but there had always been something missing in his heart. Now, the most important piece had finally fallen into place.

Yi Xiao finished speaking in one breath. Turning her head to see him staring blankly, she angrily broke free from his embrace. Not even bothering to put on her shoes, she walked barefoot towards the door.

Feng Suige suddenly awoke and jumped up to try and stop her, but stumbled weakly. Yi Xiao hurriedly supported him, putting him back on the bed, gently scolding, “Lie down, what are you doing!”

With his worries resolved, Feng Suige felt much lighter. He deliberately leaned most of his weight on Yi Xiao, smiling as he said, “I can’t believe… you would say such words to me. I’ve been trying so hard, not caring if I offend my father, just hoping that one day, standing by my side would bring you happiness rather than torment.”

Yi Xiao, as if she hadn’t heard, ungratefully pushed at him, “Don’t you have any bones? You’re so heavy. Get up, I’ll go find you something to eat…” Feng Suige’s gaze remained fixed on Yi Xiao’s moving lips. Finally, unable to resist, he leaned in to stop the source of the sound.

The kiss was so light it was almost imperceptible. Feng Suige treated it as carefully as a dewdrop on a lute string.

Perhaps this was truly their first kiss, the real beginning.

Xi Yang sat dazed in a pavilion by the Ning Bi Pool. A cool breeze suddenly rose from the flat ground, making her loose hair dance wildly. She instinctively raised her hand to gather it, and a fine strand of black hair caught between her fingers and her lips. As it moved, it brought a tingling sensation, causing Xi Yang to gently cover her lips.

That day, halfway through their conversation, the Emperor suddenly reached out and pulled her close. She tried to push him away as if burned, but his strength was too great. He forcefully held her against his chest and kissed her lips.

In that brief moment, Xi Yang felt as if she had died and come back to life. She felt like she was being dragged down into a bottomless abyss. Just before being submerged, she caught a glimpse of moonlight. In desperation, she reached out a weak hand towards that light but grasped nothing.

His exhaled breath, the fresh scent between his lips and teeth, his cool thin lips, the deep black pupils so close – it was just like Xia Jingshi…

Xia Jingshi!!

Xi Yang found strength from somewhere unknown and suddenly pushed him away. While he was stunned, she stumbled backward, her back hitting a tree. Tears rolled down her face as she said, “How could you… you are the Emperor.” The Emperor narrowed his eyes, “So what?”

Xi Yang caught her breath for a moment, gradually calming down. With a solemn expression, she said, “Xi Yang is already the wife of the Marquis of Zhen Nan. Please show some respect, Your Majesty.” The Emperor stared at her for a moment, then suddenly smiled, “If I offer you the position of Empress and let you choose again, would you still choose him?”

“I would,” Xi Yang answered firmly. “Very well,” the Emperor clapped and laughed, “For that one word, I’ve decided to lend you a hand.” Seeing Xi Yang’s wary look, he said with a smile, “I was merely testing you just now. Let me ask you, what is the biggest obstacle between you and him?”

Xi Yang’s heart skipped a beat. “I don’t understand what Your Majesty is saying,” she said. “You do understand,” the Emperor raised his head leisurely to look at the quickly passing clouds in the sky, enunciating each word clearly, “Fu. Yi. Xiao.”

Seeing Xi Yang staring at him blankly, the Emperor curled one corner of his mouth, “Xia Jingshi asked me to bestow a title on her. Once my imperial edict is issued, she will be a princess of a country, just like you. Did you know that?” Xi Yang unconsciously shook her head.

The Emperor continued, “Since the princess is so clever, I’ll speak plainly. As long as you help me reclaim the military power from Xia Jingshi’s hands, I will help you completely eradicate his feelings for Yi Xiao. I promise you that after everything is done, Xia Jingshi will still be the Marquis of Zhen Nan, and you will still be his wife. Everything will be the same as now, except for the military power. Without Fu Yi Xiao, with your intelligence, won’t he be yours for the taking?”

“How will you eradicate it? Are you going to kill her?” Xi Yang asked instinctively. The Emperor smiled mysteriously but didn’t answer. “The princess only needs to answer me, yes or no,” he said. “I want to know why,” Xi Yang persisted, “I need to know the reason.” The Emperor was silent for a moment, then chuckled, “Whatever he likes, I want it all. If I can’t have it, I’d rather destroy it.”