On a cool summer night, Li Huaiyu sat cross-legged on the soft couch, arms akimbo, fuming. Jiang Xuanjin, having changed his clothes, sat properly beside her. His dark eyes glanced her way, only to see her quickly avert her gaze and huff loudly, making sure he knew she was angry.

Amused, Jiang Xuanjin hooked her little finger with his and asked softly, “You didn’t eat dinner. Are you hungry?”

“Not hungry!”

“Then, would you like some tea?”

“No tea!”

Her tone was fierce, and her expression was equally fierce. Li Huaiyu stood up, looking down at him angrily, “You better explain to me why you haven’t written me a single letter all this time!”

By the end of her sentence, she was so angry she stomped her foot.

Jiang Xuanjin chuckled, his usually cold face softening like a blooming flower.

Huaiyu paused, gritting her teeth, “Using your looks to seduce me won’t work!”

“It’s not seduction,” he shook his head, his gaze resting on her face, “I just feel… I haven’t seen you like this in a long time.”

In his deep eyes, a brilliant light flowed, reflecting her face, puffed up like a bun, round and adorable.

Li Huaiyu felt defeated, her shoulders slumping as she lay on his lap, asking softly, “Do you miss me?”

Jiang Xuanjin didn’t answer, but he reached out and removed the wooden hairpin from her hair.

Feeling her head lighten as her long hair cascaded down her back, Huaiyu puffed her cheeks and glared at him, “Outside, you called me ‘my lady.’ Say some sweet words, but now you’re silent again. Don’t you know women like to hear nice things?”

“Hmm.”

“Hmm, what!” Huaiyu ground her teeth, “I’m teaching you! To make your wife happy, coming back early isn’t enough. When you return, you should hold her and say: ‘Three months apart felt like three years, my lady, I missed you dearly’—that’s what you should say! … Wait, what are you doing?”

Noticing a looseness at her waist, her peony-patterned robe suddenly came undone. Li Huaiyu was stunned, instinctively placing her hand on his chest.

The man before her leaned in, wrapping his arm around her waist and pressing her onto the neatly folded brocade quilt, capturing her lips with his.

Words of longing were better expressed through actions.

Huaiyu’s eyes widened, feeling his breath envelop her, and she couldn’t help but gulp.

She had seen many sides of Jiang Xuanjin, but never this one. He was careful not to hurt her, yet his actions betrayed an impatience, as if only by holding her tightly could he find peace, his breath carrying a hint of urgency.

Huaiyu’s heart softened a bit, and she whimpered, wrapping her arms around his neck, intending to turn the tables. However, Jiang Xuanjin didn’t give her the chance, pinning her with a leg and gently caressing her waist with his calloused fingers, his eyes dark and intense.

Feeling inexplicably flustered under his gaze, Li Huaiyu turned her head, “Can you turn off the light?”

“Shy?”

“…Who’s shy! It’s just a bit dazzling.”

“Then close your eyes.”

“……”

Li Huaiyu thought, as the little tyrant of Chang’an Street, with years of thick-skinned experience in the martial world, how could she lose face in front of Jiang Xuanjin? Determined to maintain her composure, she kept her expression neutral, staring him down.

As the night unfolded, with heavy breaths and tangled sheets, Huaiyu still felt she hadn’t lost.

However, the person behind her wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her back, and whispered hoarsely in her ear, “Three months apart felt like three years; the iron spear cannot sever the longing.”

I miss you, very much.

Choking slightly, Li Huaiyu stiffened. She felt something in her heart dissolve.

“You…” Her nose tingled, and she stubbornly said, “Why are you suddenly saying this?”

Jiang Xuanjin held her, closing his eyes, “My lady taught me, how could I not learn?”

To make his wife happy, actions alone weren’t enough. Sweet words were necessary too.

Her face, just losing its flush, turned red again. Li Huaiyu was speechless, both angry and amused, turning to look at him before hugging him tightly and rubbing against him.

How could someone be so adorable…

After a long journey, Jiang Xuanjin was quite tired, and he fell asleep holding her. Huaiyu blinked, looking from his brows to his lips, over and over, feeling she couldn’t get enough. She reached out to touch him, feeling the slight stubble on his chin, and leaned up to kiss him.

Disturbed by her, he was half-awake, groggily pulling the quilt over her shoulders, wrapping her up before holding her again, and falling back into a deep sleep.

Huaiyu grinned, unable to stop the smile spreading across her face.

Even in his sleep, she was his treasure. This feeling was indescribably comforting.

The next morning, Huaiyu was still drowsy when someone picked her up, wiped her face with a damp cloth, dressed her, and put on her shoes. Once everything was in order, he whispered, “There’s someone you need to see.”

Yawning, Huaiyu lazily hooked her arms around his neck, murmuring in response.

Jiang Xuanjin smiled, carrying her to the main hall and placing her in a rosewood chair.

Chengxu and Yufeng entered and bowed, “Master, Madam.”

Huaiyu propped her chin, asking, “Who do I need to see?”

Chengxu and Yufeng exchanged a glance, one stepping left, the other right, revealing the person standing behind them.

In a slightly worn dragon robe, with a pale face, Li Hualin frowned at her, his expression complex.

Huaiyu was startled, slowly sitting up straight. Gripping the armrest, she pursed her lips, “How… is it you?”

“Lord Ziyang is a master of warfare, defeated Liu Yunlie, and captured me. I am powerless to turn the tide and willingly admit defeat.” His tone was hard, with a hint of guilt. He turned his head, speaking in a low voice, “Do as you please, whether to kill or flay.”

Huaiyu was silent.

How could she be pleased? The person before her was the brother she had cherished for years, yet also the enemy who had tried to kill her multiple times. Watching him continue to wreak havoc on the kingdom, she was unhappy, but seeing him so downcast, she was even more unhappy.

“Have you ever thought about why you’ve ended up in this situation?” she asked.

Li Hualin sneered, “At this point, do you still want to lecture me?”

Her heart sank, and Li Huaiyu wanted to hold back, but she couldn’t. She slammed the table and stood up, grabbing his collar, her eyes red as she shouted, “As an emperor, you should know how to use people wisely and trust loyal ministers. Distance yourself from sycophants! How many times must Lord Ziyang teach you the emperor’s strategy before you understand? Didn’t you learn anything from my downfall?”

Hualin flinched, instinctively stepping back.

Li Huaiyu yanked him back by his collar, “I was accused of murdering Prime Minister Sima and died bleeding from all seven orifices. How dare you plot against the loyal and virtuous Jiang family? How could you trust people like Liu Yunlie and Qi Han? How could you disregard the importance of Bai Dezhong and Xu Xian? I’ve paved the way for you for so many years, was it all to watch you destroy yourself today?!”

“…I.”

“How dare you call yourself ‘I’!” Huaiyu shouted angrily, “As emperor, have you ever considered the world, the people? How did a son of the Li family become such a selfish, narrow-minded person!”

Stunned by her scolding, Li Hualin’s eyes were dazed, and he called out softly, “Royal Sister…”

Her throat moved, and Li Huaiyu’s nose turned red, “You still recognize me as your royal sister? Didn’t you want to kill me? Wasn’t one death not enough, and you wanted me to die a second time? When you struck, did you remember I was your royal sister? Did you forget you once said, ‘The world is vast, but my royal sister is the greatest’?”

Li Hualin frowned, his eyes filled with inner turmoil. Huaiyu gritted her teeth, wanting to punch him.

Seeing her growing agitation, Jiang Xuanjin stepped forward, holding her hand and pulling her back.

“Calm down.”

“How can I be calm?” Huaiyu choked, pointing at Li Hualin, “If he had told me earlier that Li Shan was his biological father, I would never have acted against Li Shan! He said nothing, stabbing me from behind. Do you know how much that hurts!”

Gently patting her back, Jiang Xuanjin glanced at Li Hualin, who stood rigidly in the center of the hall, his hands clenched tightly around his sleeves.

“I wanted you to see him hear your thoughts,” Jiang Xuanjin said softly, “He once held your life in his hands, and now you can decide his fate.”

Li Huaiyu was taken aback.

Li Hualin stared at him, sneering, “Do you also intend to commit regicide?”