His arm around her waist stiffened.

Looking down at her, he saw her head buried against his chest, the visible half of her face pale, her breathing faint and light, as if she had truly fainted.

He called to her: “Meng Tinghui.” His tone remained cold and angry, with an implicit threat.

She neither spoke nor moved, simply leaning against him.

Even through the thickness of their winter clothes, he could feel the soft curves of her body, gradually igniting sparks within him on this cold, quiet night.

Uncontrollably, his mind returned to that night.

He took a deep breath of cold air, raising his eyes to look at the yellow-robed attendant and carriage waiting in the shadows at the street corner, then looked at her again and called her name once more in a low voice: “Meng Tinghui.”

Still, she gave no response.

His chest felt warm where she pressed against it, and he grew slightly irritated. Though he suspected she was feigning again, he absolutely could not leave her in this frigid, snow-covered place.

So he tightened his hold on her, bent down slightly to pick up the book case she had dropped, then scooped her up in his arms and slowly walked toward the waiting carriage.

Her neck was gently curved, her face half-lowered and tilted to one side, looking exceptionally fair and delicate in the snowy moonlight, her eyelashes trembling with each of his steps.

He lowered his gaze to look at her like this, and the fire in his heart somehow gradually extinguished.

Her completely composed appearance made it seem as if being carried by him was the most natural thing in the world. From that night ten years ago to this very moment, she truly seemed to entrust herself entirely to him without reservation.

She was shameless, yet he found himself unable to resist her shamelessness.

As they approached the carriage, the attendant relit the lantern, knowingly directing the light away from her, then quietly asked, “What is Your Highness’s wish?”

He frowned. It was impossible to take her back to the Eastern Palace like this, but sending her back to the female officials’ quarters would be too conspicuous and disadvantageous for both of them. Yet the cold wind was biting, and they could not linger here. Weighing the lesser of two evils, he coldly said, “The female officials’ quarters.”

The attendant lifted the curtain, and he carried her inside.

The carriage maintained its usual warmth. He placed her on the soft cushions to one side, then she heard him giving instructions in a low voice. The curtain fell, wheels began to turn, and the carriage slowly moved forward.

The light dimmed, and everything was quiet.

She remained motionless, curled up, not daring to open her eyes to peek, fearing that the first thing she would see would be his angry, threatening face.

He must be furious with her.

But she didn’t know what other method could have dispelled his blazing anger regarding the matter of the Hanlin Academy.

Under the crimson-lacquered palace gates, his face had been as dark as charcoal, greatly angered by her memorial mentioning Minister Gu, rebuking her with one sentence, fixing her with a cold gaze for a long time, silent for ages, but the fierce light in that pair of eyes had suddenly frightened her.

When submitting that memorial, she hadn’t expected him to be so angered by the matter of Gu Qin.

She knew she had overstepped her bounds and spoken out of turn, but she had never seen him look so severe. In that instant, she truly became afraid, and as he stared at her for a long time without speaking, she couldn’t fathom what he was thinking or what he intended to do… Her only thought was to make him not pursue this matter tonight.

So she did this…

She thought that, after all, he wouldn’t do anything to a woman who had fainted. Even if he immediately abandoned her on the ground and left, it would be better than him thoroughly investigating this matter of the memorial.

But she hadn’t expected him to carry her into the carriage and take her back.

Each time he carried her, she grew more addicted to the strength of his arms and the warm heat from his chest.

She truly wanted him, wanted him desperately, wanted him so much that…

The carriage suddenly jerked and came to a halt.

Palace lanterns clustered outside, their bright light piercing through the gaps in the curtains, abruptly tearing apart the dimness inside.

She heard voices speaking outside, whispering so softly she couldn’t make out the words.

She frowned, not knowing what had happened, but unable to open her eyes to look.

The cushion beside her suddenly moved as he rose.

The curtain was lifted, and the palace lanterns grew brighter. Then she heard a childish voice saying, “…Prince Ping is fine, but the Emperor is looking for Your Highness. He sent more than ten people to search throughout the palace but couldn’t find you, so he dispatched me to check the outer departments and courts.”

It seemed to be a young eunuch who served the Emperor.

Her heart tightened. She wondered what urgent matter in the middle of the night would cause the Emperor to remain sleepless and send several people to search for him.

He didn’t ask, merely saying softly, “I’ll go at once.” After getting out, he dropped the curtain and told the yellow-robed attendant, “I’ll go with them. Take Madam Meng back to the quarters.”

The attendant hesitated slightly but still bowed in agreement.

She heard clearly. When she opened her eyes and sat up, the carriage was moving again. She quickly reached out to push aside the thick carriage curtain and saw his dark-robed figure behind them, walking away toward the west with his back to her.

Through the deep snow and cold heart, he never looked back, but she never took her eyes off him.

When the carriage suddenly tilted, turning a corner, and she could no longer see him, she silently lowered her hand and cast down her eyes.

The curtain swayed, shattering her hopeful heart. The warm atmosphere rippled, stirring the light water in her eyes.

The night was truly cold.

The next day, she only awoke after the sun had risen high.

It was customary at the Hanlin Academy that those who stayed overnight to draft imperial edicts need not enter the academy before dawn the next day. So she combed her hair leisurely, then briefly looked through the volumes she had brought back the night before but hadn’t had time to read, before finally packing her bookcase and leaving.

On the way, she recalled what Fang Huai had instructed her before parting the previous night, so upon entering the vermilion courtyard and passing the front hall, she went directly to the Editing Department.

Everyone in the Hanlin Academy was exceptionally friendly toward her, smiling with curved eyes, leaving her momentarily at a loss for how to react.

On one side, several Editors with seventh-rank insignia gathered and whispered among themselves; on the other side, several Scholar Attendants were also laughing and discussing something. The academy’s atmosphere was noticeably more lively and bustling than usual.

Fang Huai sat inside at his desk. She entered, placed her bookcase to one side, and softly said, “Master Fang.” Seeing him raise his head and beckon, she smiled and walked over.

“Sit,” said Fang Huai, pointing to one side and speaking slowly. “There is a matter that Grand Scholar Zhang and I have been discussing for a long time but haven’t had the opportunity to tell you. Recently, there’s a vacancy for a Left Remonstrator in the Chancellery…”

She nodded without much concern, her curiosity piqued. She pricked up her ears slightly to listen to the whispers from the other side, and soon a few sentences drifted to her ears.

One of the Editors said, “…the diplomatic letter just arrived last night with the envoy. When the Chancellery officials saw it, they didn’t dare delay at all and immediately presented it to the Emperor with a detailed report… Hey, isn’t this what we heard from the Palace Administration? As soon as today’s morning court ended, the Emperor summoned the Central Secretariat ministers into the Imperial Study for detailed discussions—the Crown Prince’s consort selection is a major affair, and with a princess from North Jian, who would dare be careless?…”

She heard clearly, and her face suddenly changed.