Xue Liulan arrived back at the residence as midnight approached. He looked at the moon and walked toward the back courtyard. As he expected, there she was—a silhouette leaning against a pillar in the pavilion.
It was late autumn, a chill in the night wind. Murong Jin had her arms wrapped around herself, staring into the dark. The small, secluded space had once been his alone. Now, she was the only one here.
He softened his steps. He thought she would have sensed him, but she was completely lost in thought.
A smile touched his lips. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her.
The moment he touched her, she reacted on instinct. She grabbed his wrist, spun, and in the blink of an eye, had him pinned against the pillar.
"Trying to murder your husband again?" he asked, his voice laced with resignation.
She froze, then quickly released him, turning away. "It's not even midnight yet. What are you doing back so early?"
Xue Liulan rubbed his sore arm. "I wanted to see you. Didn't realize this was the welcome I'd get."
At his complaint, she turned back. "Who told you to sneak up on me?"
"I wasn't sneaking. Someone was just too lost in thought to hear." He stepped closer.
In the moonlight, her face had a rosy tint, but her cheeks were thinner. Her eyes, though bright, couldn't hide a deep exhaustion.
He reached out and caressed her cheek. "You've lost weight."
The sudden tenderness caught her off guard. She blushed and pulled away. "I'm fine."
He smiled gently. "Have you been pining for me?"
"Don't be ridiculous," she shot back, stepping to the edge of the pavilion. She had taken down her formal hairstyle, and her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, making her look for a moment like the young girl she once was.
He rubbed his nose. "Alright, my mistake. So, if you didn't summon me here because you missed me, what was it for?"
"I have questions." Her playful mood vanished. "You don't have to answer."
"Oh? Then why ask?"
She looked down. "We don't completely trust each other. There are things we don't need to know."
His heart stirred. He smiled. "And if I were completely honest, would that earn your honesty in return?"
"Yes," she answered without a thought.
He nodded. "A fair trade." He sat on a stone stool. "Then ask."
"Your move with Guo Ren was to win over Guo Shangzhong." It was a statement, not a question.
"Yes."
"And you knew about his leverage over Yu Weide."
He paused, then smiled. "You figured it out. I underestimated you, Murong Jin."
She just curved her lips, then hesitated. "The person who followed me to Yumen Jiao… was it you?"
He slowly shook his head.
"No?" She was stunned. Was I wrong? Or is he lying?
"She's not an assassin. Her name is Guyu. A shadow guard, assigned to protect you," he said calmly. "If I called her an assassin, wouldn't you accuse me of plotting to kill you?"
She looked away, hiding the smile in her eyes.
"Then it goes without saying… you were the one who had Yu Weide killed."
He took a deep breath, then rose and met her gaze. "Yes. The poison was rare."
She bit her lip and walked right up to him. "Will you… get rid of your allies once you've won?"
He hadn't expected that. He looked at her anxious eyes, her tightly pressed lips, and the answer he had prepared caught in his throat. He wanted to be honest. But not about this. Not yet.
He hesitated, then pulled her into his arms. "No," he said, his voice a low growl. "If I succeed, you will be my Empress. How could I bear to leave you without a family to support you?"
Her hands clenched into fists. "You… for me?"
"Yes. For you." He held her at arm's length, his gaze serious. "I don't want you to get hurt. Because when you're hurt, it cuts me here." He tapped his chest lightly.
She stared at him, stunned, as if her soul had left her body.
He watched her, his brow furrowing. What kind of reaction is this?
"W-why?" she finally managed.
"Do I need a reason?"
"But… don't you love Die Man? Didn't you marry me for my family's power?"
"No." He rested his forehead against hers. He could feel her breath, see the shock and uncertainty in her wide eyes.
"You…"
"Murong Jin, do you know what it means to be a proper princess consort?" he asked, a wicked smile on his lips.
"To stay out of your affairs," she said, her eyes dimming.
"Wrong." He gently bumped his forehead against hers. "A princess consort… is a prince's wife."
"And?"
"So, for a husband, what makes a wife a proper one?"
She sighed. "Are you angry I wasn't honest with you?"
"Clever." He straightened up, but his arms remained loosely around her.
She tried to pull away. "You weren't honest with me either. How can you demand it?"
"But I have been now. Is that not enough to earn your trust?" He tightened his grip. The more she struggled, the tighter he held.
"Then what do you want to know?" She gave up. "About Liu? Yi? Yumen Jiao?"
"Your heart," he said quietly. "Murong Jin, I want to know your heart."
"My heart?"
"Yes. To know if it's the same as mine is for you." He needed to know if she was worth defying his brother's dying wish.
"The same as yours?" she repeated, dazed. The image of Yi's sword, of him throwing himself in front of her, flashed through her mind. He had only known the blade was meant for her.
Her hesitation made him waver. He slowly let his hands fall.
Just as they dropped, she grabbed his hand. Her own was cold, her palm warm.
"Xue Liulan, if that sword had been aimed at you, I would have done the same thing." Her voice was tentative. "I don't know… if that means my heart is the same as yours."
"It does." The mask on his face broke, like a frozen river thawing.
He pulled her into his arms, burying his face in her shoulder. "Murong Jin," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "I won't fail you. I swear it."
Her arms slowly circled his waist. "After you succeed, many things will be out of your hands. You don't need to promise me that. This is enough."
He held her tighter. He knew the future would be full of impossible choices. But an emperor without feelings, once he fell in love, fell for life.
After a moment, she looked up. "Then what about Die Man?"
"Ahem. Am I to take that as jealousy?"
She shot him a glare and buried her face in his chest.
He shook his head, resting his chin on her hair. "Die Man is from the martial world. The assassin who killed Yu Weide… he is one of her subordinates."