After waiting two days, Gu Chaobei still hadn’t received any news.

The commanders behind him all wanted to persuade him to return. Standing by the Li River like this wasn’t accomplishing anything, but the Emperor didn’t move. No matter what anyone said, he showed no reaction.

A clever commander ran back to Ye City to fetch the First Prince. Ming Sigu sat in his wheelchair, looking at his father’s weathered back, and asked curiously, “Why won’t Father return?”

Gu Chaobei stiffly turned his head to look at him, his eyes slightly reddened. Opening his mouth, his voice sounded like an extremely aggrieved child’s. “Father hasn’t received word from the person he was waiting for. Father doesn’t want to return to see an empty bed.”

Ming Sigu didn’t understand. The people behind him pushed him next to Gu Chaobei’s horse.

“I owe your mother too much,” Gu Chaobei said in a low voice. “I’ve always made her wait, always rushed about for this empire, never able to properly accompany her for long.”

Ming Sigu nodded. “Father and Mother are rarely together.”

Gu Chaobei smiled bitterly. “Your mother must be angry, so this time when I can finally properly accompany her, she’s no longer waiting for me.”

This one final time, she refused to wait for him any longer.

This must surely be her punishment for him—punishing him for making her wait half a lifetime. For the remaining time, he would have to live alone, thinking of her, yearning for her, unable to obtain her, unlikely to meet her again.

Every single day he would live in the torment of longing. Seeing a sachet would remind him of her, seeing the palace would remind him of her, even seeing swallows flying past would remind him of her.

In the swallows’ cries, longing for another year.

Gu Chaobei was about to cry out without regard for his image when the First Prince belatedly said, “But Mother didn’t stop waiting for Father. Isn’t she still waiting in the Governor’s Manor?”

Slightly stunned, the Emperor turned his head to look at his son. “What did you say?”

Ming Sigu obediently repeated, “Mother is waiting for you in the Governor’s Manor.”

Starlight ignited in his deathly eyes, instantly brightening his entire gaze. Gu Chaobei’s voice trembled as he dismounted and crouched before the First Prince’s wheelchair. “Your mother is all right? She survived?”

The First Prince looked at him with a puzzled expression. “When was Mother ever in trouble? It’s just that when your son came out today, she was still sleeping.”

A child’s words—should he believe them or not? The thing in Gu Chaobei’s chest pounded rapidly. If he believed and it turned out to be disappointment, he might not be able to bear it. But if he didn’t believe…

He just needed to go back and see!

The Emperor hastily mounted his horse. Without time to say another word, he spurred his horse and quickly disappeared down the road.

The group of commanders behind him took a long while to recover, then hurriedly chased after him with the First Prince.

When he’d left, he’d told Imperial Physician Liu that no matter when, if the Empress was all right, someone should come tell him. Why had no one come? Could it be they feared the Prince would be heartbroken, so no one told him the news, and thus the Prince thought Yan’er was still there?

The horse’s hooves slowed somewhat. The Emperor panted, looking at Ye City ahead. Vice General Zhang saluted at the city gate. “Welcome, Your Majesty.”

A child might not know the truth, but Vice General Zhang surely did, right? Gu Chaobei quickly dismounted, ran before him, and grabbed him. “How is Her Majesty the Empress?”

Vice General Zhang’s face stiffened. He looked away. “…Your Majesty should go to the Governor’s Manor and see for yourself.”

If he dared go directly to see, would he need to go through all this trouble? The Emperor raged, “Tell me directly!”

His body trembling, Vice General Zhang shook his head. Tears slowly welled up in his eyes. He opened his mouth as if to speak but instead knelt down.

His heart sinking, Gu Chaobei glared at him. All the strength in his body seemed to drain away. He stumbled into the city.

The hope the Prince had given him had ultimately shattered. He knew he shouldn’t have listened to a child’s words. He’d known all along.

“Your Majesty, mount your horse,” Vice General Zhang called from behind.

Gu Chaobei laughed lightly and shook his head. “I’ll walk. You have enough time to let the Empress go traveling. When I return, I want to hear news that the Empress has gone traveling. Understand?”

Vice General Zhang’s eyes reddened. “Your Majesty wants to send Her Majesty away?”

What else could he do? Make him go back and look at her lifeless appearance, confirming she was gone? Gu Chaobei shook his head. He would never do that. He would pretend Yan’er had gone traveling, living peacefully in some corner of the world for the rest of his life.

“Go arrange it.”

“But…” Vice General Zhang said with difficulty. “Her Majesty hung between life and death and has barely recovered. She shouldn’t be moved now.”

Oh, recovered… The Emperor’s expression was sorrowful. He raised his head forty-five degrees, preparing to gaze at the sky and express his grief.

Hmm? Recovered? With a start, Gu Chaobei turned and grabbed Vice General Zhang’s collar. “Her Majesty has recovered?”

“Yes…” Vice General Zhang said with a sorrowful expression. “Her Majesty suffered so much. These past two days she nearly stopped breathing. Imperial Physician Liu forcibly pulled her back from death’s door.”

Gu Chaobei took a deep breath and punched his chest. “Since she’s recovered, why didn’t you tell me directly and instead put on that expression?”

Vice General Zhang looked extremely innocent, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe his face. “Because Her Majesty the Empress was truly too pitiful…”

Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, the Emperor pushed him aside, mounted his horse without another word, and continued galloping.

Yan’er had pulled through! She was still alive now! Gu Chaobei’s handsome face had already contorted—he wanted to cry and laugh at the same time. Even his horse must think this Emperor was insane.

He swept into the Governor’s Manor like the wind. Imperial Physician Liu had just emerged from Her Majesty the Empress’s room when Gu Chaobei knocked him against the wall. “How is she?”

After asking this question, Gu Chaobei felt it would be better to see for himself and immediately rushed into the room, leaving Imperial Physician Liu alone against the wall, very confused.

The person on the bed was still pale, but much better than before. The room was thick with medicinal smell, yet it somehow made one feel at ease.

Touching her warm skin, Gu Chaobei collapsed beside the bed. All his strength exhausted, he immediately fell asleep there.

Having stood by the Li River for two days, he still hadn’t slept.

Vice General Zhang and Imperial Physician Liu glanced into the room from the doorway, exchanged helpless looks, and closed the door.

“How are Her Majesty the Empress’s injuries?” Vice General Zhang asked.

Imperial Physician Liu said, “Life and death rest with Heaven, but Heaven has always been good to Her Majesty the Empress. Her life should be secure.”

Excellent. Vice General Zhang breathed a great sigh of relief. Looking at the azure sky, he said, “Once Her Majesty the Empress’s injuries improve, we can return to the capital.”

Imperial Physician Liu stroked his beard with a smile. He guessed that upon returning to the capital, the Emperor would surely reward him. Ah well, following that unruly and domineering Fourth Young Master home back then had truly been the right choice.

Shen Guiyan slept for a very, very long time. When she opened her eyes, she didn’t know which morning it was outside. Sunlight poured through the window, extremely warm.

“Awake?” someone beside her asked with a stern face.

Shen Guiyan turned her head to look. This person was truly handsome—elegant brows, eyes containing stars, thin lips pressed tightly together, his features bathed in a warm halo in the morning light.

What household’s young man, who had now become a grown man.

Shen Guiyan smiled. “Your Majesty.”

Gu Chaobei’s face showed not a ripple of emotion—extremely composed. He reached out to help her sit up against something, then brought over medicine. “Drink this first.”

The area around her waist and abdomen hurt with a tearing pain. Even sitting up made Shen Guiyan break out in cold sweat. Glancing at Gu Chaobei’s calm appearance, she felt somewhat angry inside.

She had at least made a trip to death’s door and back—couldn’t this person show a bit more enthusiasm?

Indignantly drinking all the medicine, she said quietly, “I’m dizzy.”

“Then sleep some more,” Gu Chaobei said indifferently.

Bastard, couldn’t he be a bit gentler, show he felt sorry for her? Shen Guiyan lay down, her heart in turmoil, and simply closed her eyes without looking at him.

While unconscious, she’d had some awareness of her surroundings. She’d heard Gu Chaobei’s voice and knew he’d returned, and that Ye City no longer needed to worry—it would surely hold. As she sank into darkness, she’d thought she would surely frighten him.

Who knew that upon waking, there would be no joy at all.

Infuriating! Shen Guiyan’s body was still weak. As soon as she closed her eyes, she fell asleep again.

When she opened her eyes again, it was already noon outside. The Emperor still sat beside her, repeating the same words with a stern face. “Awake?”

Shen Guiyan was slightly stunned. Looking at his tense face, somehow her anger suddenly dissipated.

“Why are you sitting here all this time?” she asked in a hoarse, weak voice.

Gu Chaobei tightened his jaw. “Everything outside has concluded. There’s nowhere I need to go.”

When there’s nowhere else I need to go, I only want to stay by your side.

Imperial Physician Liu had said her body still needed careful care for half a month before showing improvement. While she slept, Gu Chaobei had already thought of many ways to help her recover.

Yesterday he’d slept all night by her bedside. When he woke, he discovered the sheets where he’d been leaning were soaked through.

This was truly too embarrassing. He was after all a dignified Emperor. If Yan’er found out, she’d probably think him weak.

So today, watching over her as she woke, Gu Chaobei maintained a face like cured meat, determined that even if Mount Tai collapsed before him, his expression absolutely wouldn’t change.

Shen Guiyan looked at him for a long while, then suddenly her expression changed and she cried out, “Ow!”

“What’s wrong?!” Gu Chaobei was so frightened he nearly jumped up. He urgently grasped her hand and turned to shout outside, “Imperial Physician Liu!”

So much for not changing expression—his face had already flushed red with anxiety.

Imperial Physician Liu hurried in to examine her. Weak as Shen Guiyan was, she covered her face laughing.

“Your Majesty, Her Majesty’s injuries appear to have improved somewhat, thanks to your constant vigilance these days,” Imperial Physician Liu said, seeing through Her Majesty the Empress. He coughed lightly and spoke accordingly.

Gu Chaobei looked at Shen Guiyan with lingering fear. “The injuries on your body are all right?”

Shen Guiyan lowered her hand, the smile still lingering in her eyes. “It’s fine. Everything’s been properly bandaged.”

A great weight lifted from the Emperor’s heart. He returned to his cured-meat face. “Good that you’re all right.”

Looking at him teasingly, Shen Guiyan pulled over his hand and gently squeezed it.