—If I am moved to deep emotion, heaven, and earth can bear witness, and this empire stands as proof.

These words were like a sharp blade, suddenly cleaving down along the tip of her heart, instantly splitting the hard shell of self-presumption outside her heart chamber.

A bitter and sour fluid spread from her heart, making it difficult for her to breathe.

She had always known he was not one for many words, yet tonight, this statement of his was so resounding, each word like a hammer blow, even using the empire and realm as his oath.

How could she have imagined that he would say such things to her?

She could not escape his gaze, her face held in his palms. She felt waves surging in her heart, her eyes growing moist. His features were just inches away, yet somewhat blurred by her tears. After a long while, she finally lowered her eyelashes slightly, suppressing the surging in her heart, and said: “…This subject did not hear clearly.”

His grip tightened slightly as his thin lips parted to say two words lightly: “Deceiving your sovereign.”

Her body went numb, yet she still did not raise her eyes, only saying: “How could this subject dare to hear clearly when Your Majesty wishes to swear by the empire and realm? This subject is but one person, one life—how could she dare to weigh equally with Your Majesty’s empire? If Your Majesty insists on this, it is like wishing for this subject’s death.”

He extended a finger to stroke her slightly trembling red lips, his eyes darkening as his voice deepened somewhat: “If I do not swear by the empire and realm, how would you believe my sincerity?”

She had thought he had said all he would say, not expecting him to persist so relentlessly. The words “sincerity” again made her heart crumble with fragility, unable to resist becoming somewhat choked up: “This subject does not ask for Your Majesty’s sincerity. Your Majesty truly need not do this.”

“But I do ask for it.” His slanted eyebrows suddenly raised as he pressed her into his embrace, lowering his head to whisper in her ear: “In my childhood, my father once said if one truly loves someone, the most painful thing is not being believed by that person. For an emperor, any claim of sincerity must seem laughable. But I do not wish for you to repeatedly think little of yourself, and repeatedly refuse to believe me.”

Her eyelashes trembled as tears fell.

It had never been that she didn’t believe him. It was only that she dared not believe him.

Between sovereign and subject, intentions had always been difficult to discern. Even though he had said his kindness toward her was because he wanted to, she had thought it merely a tactic to make her willingly serve him. She never dared hope to receive his true heart. Even like a moth to a flame, she would not regret it. But tonight, he had shed all coldness, using even the empire and realm just to seek her belief. How could she not believe in his sincerity?

Stroking her hair, he continued: “You think these past two years I have repeatedly promoted you merely as a pawn to deal with the old ministers of the Eastern Faction. But you do not consider that without this ‘treacherous minister,’ how could you have survived until today? With your single-minded desire to serve me loyally, you have offended numerous court officials. Were it not for the old ministers fearing and detesting your reputation as a favored official who bewilders the sovereign, what difficulty would they have in dealing harshly with you?”

Her eyes were wet with tears, and she buried her head against his chest, speechless.

The corners of his mouth curved slightly as he reached out to wipe away the teardrops on her face, his voice deep: “Meng Tinghui, I cannot bear to see others bully or insult you, nor do I wish for your aspirations to have no place to be realized. As long as you can stand securely within the court, what is there to fear from the criticisms of the purists?”

She raised her head slightly, increasingly moved as she met his gaze. Yet when she opened her mouth, she did not know what to say, only softly calling out to him: “Your Majesty.”

Emotions suddenly welled in the depths of his eyes, his Adam’s apple rolling slightly. After a pause, he continued: “Meng Tinghui, seeing you smile satisfies my heart as well. If you are willing to believe me, then smile for me, will you?”

Her face immediately flushed red. After a moment, she curved her lips slightly and said: “This subject has always thought Your Majesty was not one for many words, yet did not know Your Majesty would have such moments of smooth talk and expressive emotions.”

He kept his gaze fixed on her. “Since you know I am not one for many words, then remember well what I just said. If you wish to hear me say it a second time in the future, I’m afraid that will not be possible.”

She nodded: “Yes, this subject will remember.”

The thick snow at the pool’s edge gradually melted, with ice water dripping down along the edge, pearl-like drops falling into the water and creating small splashes. The night sky grew darker, the sparse stars not as brilliant as his eyes.

Only then did she realize they had been soaking in the spring water for too long?

Heat gathered from her toes to her heart, making her restless again. The parts of her body touching his skin became increasingly sensitive as if even the slightest movement would be a great torment. After enduring for a long time, she finally couldn’t hold back any longer and said softly: “…The night is deep. Your Majesty should rest early.”

Since she could not get him to ease her restlessness, she wanted to leave his embrace early to avoid such discomfort.

He leaned against the pool wall, his expression lazy, refusing to let go. His gaze lingered on her skin exposed above the water, flashing with a slight fire.

His gaze made her even more unbearably restless, feeling her face burning red, even her hands clinging to him tingling with numbness.

So she averted her eyes, no longer looking at him, but unconsciously twisted her body slightly.

The next moment, his palm covered her chest, his two fingers pinching her red bud, his warm palm gently kneading the fullness of her breast.

She hadn’t expected this move from him. A trembling sound escaped her lips as she reached out to pinch his shoulder.

He slowly massaged her, the hand around her waist tightening slightly as he lowered his head to take her earlobe in his mouth, intermittently asking: “You want this… hmm?”

Waves rippled up and down, shallow spring ripples gently patting against her body, creating a fine tickle that made her feel as if she were falling into cotton. She could only cling to his neck, allowing him to tease her sensitive places at will.

Every movement of his hand made her bite her lip and sigh with pleasure.

She felt as if she would melt like the snow, bit by bit in his embrace, becoming one with the hot spring.

His fingers moved down inch by inch as he asked by her ear: “Does it feel good?” Seeing her nod, he changed to another spot to knead, his voice slightly hoarse: “How about this? Does it feel even better?”

She moaned continuously, her fingertips sinking into the firm muscles of his shoulder blade. Her eyes were half-open, half-closed, filled with moisture, so tender that she could barely stand.

He carefully observed her expression, his fingers moving lower and lower, finally kneading her most delicate place, gently pressing and rubbing, still asking her: “Does it feel good?”

Her face flushed so red it seemed blood might overflow, her voice like silk: “…It… feels good…” Looking at him through the swirling mist, she saw restraint in his brow, yet his gaze fixed on her was extremely gentle.

The corners of his mouth curved into a smile, his fingers moving quickly below as he lowered his head to kiss her eyes delicately, saying softly: “Good, as long as it feels good.”

When had she ever seen him so gentle? At that moment, she came somewhat to her senses. Her hand slid down from his shoulder to caress his chest as she opened her eyes and said: “Your Majesty tonight… seems somewhat different…”

His brow furrowed slightly. “Did I hurt you the last time?”

She bit her lip and shook her head.

In her heart, she began to vaguely understand. His gentleness and restraint tonight was because he feared hurting her like the previous time. But that time, she had also been extremely rough, biting and pinching him in response to his anger, only after several releases of fury did they begin to embrace tenderly.

Thinking of this, her heart softened again.

She had thought he merely desired her body, but from tonight onward, she would no longer belittle herself. He was displeased with her thinking so little of herself, so she would no longer allow herself to have such wild thoughts as before.

She raised one leg to hook around his waist, reaching up to gently caress the side of his face. Leaning forward, she whispered in his ear: “This subject can only truly feel good when she sees Your Majesty is pleased…”