He had no women’s clothing in his residence!

The man above fixated on the beautiful sight before him, paying no heed to what she was saying, and pounced directly. Having just tasted the pleasures of love, even if a knife were placed at his throat now, he couldn’t stop.

She had deliberately taken so long eating those dumplings, and now it was his turn to feast.

Fortunately, the table was sturdy enough.

She softly cursed a couple of times and pushed against him, but her usual strength that could rend tigers and panthers had somehow vanished, and her pushes grew increasingly feeble…

The air was cool, yet beads of hot sweat rolled down Chen Dachang’s temples, dripping one by one onto the intertwined snow-white delicate body below. He felt as if he had returned to the horse farm where he lived as a child. His father was a horse tamer, and the first animal he taught him to tame was a white wild horse caught from the plains. He still remembered how that horse struggled and bucked beneath him, trying every possible way to bite him, full of wildness.

But he had persevered, even as his heart pounded like a drum, almost bursting from his chest. The horse he restrained finally ceased its resistance, gradually becoming docile and submissive, beginning to match his rhythm, yielding to his will, obediently advancing toward his destination.

He galloped freely across his plains, uninhibited and exhilarated, vaguely hearing the woman’s soft, delicate whimpers that sounded like pleading or crying, accompanied by a faint wisp of fragrance, enchantingly melodious.

Soon, the moon had already shifted westward.

Yu Haizhen curled up in the man’s embrace, her breathing still rapid, without the strength to move even slightly. Yet Chen Dachang still nibbled at her ear and asked, “Was it good?”

She rolled her eyes.

This fellow was truly gifted. During their first few days, he had been no match for her and was teased by her in various ways, but in these past two days, he had somehow found his rhythm, leaving her unable to cope.

To borrow the Queen’s words, he was deceptively passionate.

She snorted, avoiding an answer: “Your great-aunt has returned and is now resting in her room.”

“Hmm.” His voice carried a hint of dissatisfaction. “You were distracted.”

She hadn’t been distracted; rather, her senses had become even more acute than usual. But Yu Haizhen wouldn’t tell him that, and only said, “The Queen knows.”

His mind was far less nimble than usual at this moment: “Knows what?”

“About you and me, like this.” She hinted, “She must have detected the Ruilong fragrance I use from your person.”

Yu Haizhen could feel his muscles suddenly tense throughout his body, then relax again: “Oh.”

“Just ‘oh’?” She bit his neck in displeasure, expecting this man to panic. She had prepared to tease him thoroughly, not expecting him to remain so calm.

“Nothing, great or small, escapes her notice.” He hadn’t thought that his intimacy with Yu Haizhen could be kept from the Queen for long. He turned Yu Haizhen to face him and said earnestly, “Tomorrow I’ll go to your residence to propose marriage.”

“What?” Yu Haizhen was stunned for several breaths, seeing his serious expression, her lips curled upward involuntarily. “I am the State Preceptor and you are an official, it seems we cannot marry. This is the rule you have reminded me of countless times, Imperial Censor Chen!”

She spoke the last three words poking his chest, enunciating each syllable with gritted teeth. This man was like a thousand-year-old submerged wood from the ocean bottom—both stubborn and rigid, adhering strictly to official regulations. Even four years ago when she had swallowed her pride and actively sought his affection, he had refused!

Thinking of this, her heart filled with resentment, and she couldn’t help but grab his arm and bite it several times, leaving a neat row of teeth marks.

“What’s your opinion?” Chen Dachang also knew how to deal with her, throwing the difficult question back to her.

“Since the Queen already knows,” Yu Haizhen shrugged, “why not just maintain the current situation, to avoid troubling your beloved Queen.”

Chen Dachang’s face darkened. Was she planning to maintain a relationship that was outwardly cordial but secretly intimate at night? “Unacceptable!” Regardless of the past, now that they had this kind of relationship, he had to take responsibility.

Yu Haizhen glanced at him askance: “You dare to break the rules?” She didn’t believe him.

After pondering for two breaths, Chen Dachang solemnly said: “Give me some time. Once the war between Yan and Wei subsides, I will publicly ask for your hand.”

“You dare?” Yu Haizhen’s heart began to race, yet she bit her red lips. “Even if the Queen is willing to make an exception, it would still be inappropriate for you to openly marry me.” A State Preceptor involved with a high official was taboo in any country, let alone marriage. Even if Feng Miaojun trusted Chen Dachang implicitly, she couldn’t violate such societal norms.

“It’s possible,” Chen Dachang said gently. “As long as I no longer serve as an official, all contradictions will be resolved.”

Yu Haizhen widened her eyes in disbelief: “You—you want to resign from office?”

“Yes, but the northern territories are unstable, and the Queen still needs my assistance.” Chen Dachang stated firmly. “Once the war situation stabilizes, I will request to resign from office, then take you as my bride.”

Isn’t every man’s dream to possess land and power? Yet he was willing to become an ordinary citizen. Yu Haizhen gazed at him unblinkingly, with joy spontaneously welling up from the depths of her heart.

Finally, a man was willing to forsake all glory for her sake.

Having grown up in an imperial family, she knew how difficult this was.

Her throat tightened, but the words she managed to speak became: “Can you bear to leave your Queen?”

There was a hint of jealousy in her tone.

“I would find it even harder to part with you.” Chen Dachang gazed deeply into her eyes. “As long as you won’t despise my humble status then, without power or position.” He sighed. “Over these years, I haven’t saved much money either.” Who would believe that as an official, he had remained honest, with his limited funds all spent on cultivation?

Had this blockhead learned to tell jokes? Yu Haizhen giggled, tilting her head to look at him as the faint light from the window outlined his features, making them appear even more resolute.

“Don’t worry.” She gently caressed his face, saying softly, “I’ll support you.”

Chen Dachang couldn’t help but frown. These three words were quite jarring, but she leaned over and planted kiss after kiss on his face.

Her lips were light, soft, and fragrant. Just as Chen Dachang was about to take the initiative, Yu Haizhen lifted her head and asked seriously: “Let me ask you one more thing, and answer me truthfully—was it you who killed Prince Xi?”

This question had been on her mind for a long time, but she had never been able to ask it. Associated with that name was the first half of her entangled life.

It was the past she had always wanted to escape.

Chen Dachang’s hands holding her involuntarily tightened, and after a few breaths, he nodded.

“It was me.”

So it was him after all! Yu Haizhen stared at him without blinking: “Why?”

“I went to the Red Cauldron auction and happened to meet him as a VIP guest. I couldn’t suppress my murderous intent.” Chen Dachang’s face grew so dark it seemed water could drip from it. “When I killed him, he was amid pleasure, with two beautiful concubines by his side.”

He gritted his teeth: “He harmed you before. I couldn’t let him continue living in such carefree happiness.”

Yu Haizhen’s gaze was complex, her voice low and husky: “So you already knew what he did to me… to me…”

This was a secret, known to very few.