Host! I told you to do a task! I didn't tell you to bbb.

Kangxi stepped forward and pulled her into his arms, gently resting his chin on the top of her head and slowly stroking her cool shoulder with his palm.

"Yunshu, I have done it. I have made you stand by my side openly and proudly as the Empress of the Great Qing Dynasty."

Liu Yunshu gently rested her head on his shoulder. "Your Majesty, what virtue or ability do I possess to deserve such concern from you?"

Kangxi looked down at the black hair on the head of the person in his arms, his fingertips gently brushing the rose petals on her shoulder, his voice full of tenderness.

"Yun Shu, you are exceptionally beautiful, virtuous and talented, deeply affectionate and loyal, and most importantly..."

Kangxi held her shoulders and said to her earnestly, "The most important thing is that you deserve it! Yunshu, don't underestimate yourself. In my heart, you have always been unique."

Liu Yunshu's eyes were already brimming with tears. She looked at Kangxi through her teary eyes and choked out, "You...you still remember? You still remember that day..."

"Yes, I not only remember, but I remember it vividly." Kangxi chuckled and tapped her nose.

"That day, she looked at me with teary eyes, constantly questioning herself, and even forcing herself..."

"Your Majesty~"

Liu Yunshu blushed and covered Kangxi's mouth with her hand. Her fingertips touched his warm lips, and her ears turned red first.

"It's been so long, why are you bringing this up again?"

Kangxi took her fingertip into his mouth, and the warm touch made Liu Yunshu tremble all over.

She tried to pull her hand back, but he grabbed her wrist and gently pressed it against the pool wall.

He leaned closer, his nose brushing against her temple, his voice full of laughter: "Why can't I mention it? Speaking of which, I'm still feeling wronged. Who forcibly kissed me and mistook me for Longkodo!"

Liu Yunshu's cheeks flushed from his words, and even her ears turned a light red. She struggled to pull her hand away, but he held it even tighter.

The warm water in the pool rippled gently with their movements. Rose petals clung to her arm, only to be swept away by the ripples, leaving a slightly cool sensation.

"Well, I was just confused for a moment!" She turned her face away, not daring to look at the smile in his eyes, her voice barely audible. "Besides, I apologized to you afterwards..."

"An apology isn't enough." Kangxi leaned down, his warm breath brushing against her neck, causing her body to tremble slightly.

"Where is that not enough? Back when I was living in the palace, you still..."

At this point, Liu Yunshu seemed unable to speak, turning her head away and not daring to look at him.

Kangxi chuckled softly, leaned close to her ear, and teased, "What?"

"You've taken advantage of me, don't you realize that?"

Liu Yunshu's voice grew softer and softer as she spoke, the last few words almost disappearing into the steam rising from the poolside.

Kangxi recalled the beautiful scenery and delicious food of that night, his eyes darkening as he said in a low, husky voice, "I've almost forgotten about the cheap price Yunshu mentioned. How about we do it again today..."

Before Kangxi could finish speaking, his warm lips gently covered Liu Yunshu's, causing her to tremble.

He kissed her so hard she could barely breathe. The water in the pool swayed gently with their breaths, creating a lingering fragrance of sandalwood and steam.

For a long time, the lips are divided.

Kangxi looked at the exceptionally bright red rose petals floating on the water.

The water rippled, the petals trembled, and the scattered red blossoms flew across the swing, a truly beautiful sight.

"emperor……"

"Good girl." Kangxi looked at Liu Yunshu with burning eyes and coaxed, "Call me Sanlang."

Liu Yunshu's raven-feather-like eyelashes trembled, and she called out softly, "San...Sanlang~"

The moment the word "Sanlang" was uttered, it seemed to hook a finger, gently scratching at Kangxi's heart.

At this moment, the dream finally became reality, and he finally possessed this cold and stubborn moonlight completely.

He suddenly felt a surge of emotion and thought of tears. Oh, Yun Shu!

He tightened his arms around Liu Yunshu, burying his nose in her hair, his breath filled with her faint fragrance and the warmth of the hot spring.

"That's wonderful," he murmured, his fingertips gently tracing the curve of her back, his tone full of satisfaction.

"Yun Shu, do you know? After I first met you, I dreamed that you called me San Lang. Now my wish has finally come true."

"First time meeting? At Yuquan Villa?" Liu Yunshu looked up at him.

Kangxi lowered his head and kissed her forehead. "It was by the river near Yuquan Villa."

"By the river?" Liu Yunshu was slightly taken aback, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes. "Your Majesty, I don't remember seeing you there."

Emperor Kangxi gently brushed the water droplets off her shoulder with his fingertips, his gaze so tender it seemed to drip with water, and slowly said, "The day I returned from a victorious campaign, I was strolling in the woods with my horse when I unexpectedly saw the fairy brewing tea and playing in the water by the river."

"A fairy? Your praise is too high, Sanlang."

A smile appeared in Liu Yunshu's eyes as she gently brushed her fingertips across the water droplets on his arm.

"I thought it was just an ordinary day, brewing tea and cooling off by the river. I never knew that Your Majesty had seen me."

Kangxi lowered his head, his nose brushing against her brow, his tone full of tenderness: "Isn't she a fairy? The woman by the wine shop is like the moon, her fair wrists like frost and snow. One glance is enough to capture one's heart."

Liu Yunshu's cheeks flushed from his words. She raised her hand and gently pushed against his chest, but he grabbed her wrist and pressed it against the pool wall.

The hot spring water washed over their clasped hands, the warm touch mingling with the temperature of his palm, making her heart beat even faster.

"Sanlang's mouth is sweeter than honey in the palace." She lowered her eyelashes, her voice carrying a hint of reproach, but her eyes were full of laughter.

"If the court officials heard the Emperor in this state, they would be utterly astonished."

Kangxi chuckled softly, the vibrations of his chest transmitted through their skin, carrying a reassuring power.

He leaned down, his lips lightly brushing against the corner of her lips, his tone languidly earnest.

"My tenderness is reserved only for you. If my courtiers want to see it, they'll have to see if I'm willing to give it to them."

Before he could finish speaking, he kissed her.

"Sanlang, can I trust you?"

Kangxi's kiss abruptly stopped, and the burning passion in his eyes was instantly replaced by a deeper seriousness.

He released his arms from her waist and gently cupped her face in his hands.

"Yun Shu," his voice was hoarse, yet carried an undeniable firmness.

"I am a king, and I have said countless things in my life, some against my will, some perfunctory, but only with you, every word I have spoken is true."

"In life and death, in separation and reunion, we made a vow. Holding your hand, we will grow old together."

Looking at the undisguised seriousness in his eyes, Liu Yunshu's tears fell unexpectedly, dripping into the warm pool water and creating a small ripple.

She reached out and gently stroked Kangxi's eyebrows and eyes with her fingertips, as if she wanted to etch this face into her heart.

"Sanlang," her voice choked with emotion, yet unusually clear, "I believe you."

Kangxi's Adam's apple bobbed as he leaned down and embraced her tightly, as if he wanted to meld her into his very bones.

The steam from the hot spring mingled with their breaths, weaving a warm and cozy atmosphere within the hall.

He lowered his head and gently kissed her hair, his voice hoarse but firm: "I will never betray you."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

A light red dress with mandarin ducks playing in the water was thrown out from the bright red bed curtains embroidered with phoenixes and luan birds singing.

Then she stretched out a fair, pinkish hand, glistening with sweat, and gripped the bed curtains tightly.

The bed curtains swayed slightly as the hand gripped them tightly, and fine beads of sweat slid down the fingertips, dripping onto the bright red brocade quilt and leaving a small damp patch.

Then she reached out a hand with distinct knuckles and gently covered the hand that was gripping the bed curtains.

He gently pried open her pale knuckles with his fingertips and intertwined his fingers with hers.

***

Emperor Kangxi specially planted a large area of ​​crabapple trees outside Kunning Palace for Liu Yunshu.

The delicate crabapple blossoms trembled slightly in the wind, and the morning dew clung to the petals, making them appear even more tender and vibrant.

Inside the Kunning Palace, more than half of the dragon and phoenix candles had already burned.

Liu Yunshu's slender, fair hands braced against the bedpost. Her usually cool eyes were now misty, and even her voice had become soft and husky: "Sanlang~"

"I am here."

Kangxi knelt on the bed, reaching out to stroke her flushed cheeks, his fingertips gently brushing away the lingering tears at the corners of her eyes, his voice full of tenderness and affection: "Are you tired?"

Before Liu Yunshu could answer, he covered her lips with his, "When it's light, shall I take you to see the crabapple blossoms outside the courtyard?"

***

Bored, Baba squatted on the artificial rock, picking at a fallen begonia petal with its paws, turning it over and over, muttering to itself.

"Tsk, these two are so clingy. They've been inseparable since the bath, and now it's almost dawn and they still haven't rested enough. This system is practically a lookout!"

It looked up at the tightly closed window of Kunning Palace, where two overlapping figures were reflected on the window paper.

Occasionally, a few low whispers could be heard, and Xiao Ba quickly looked at the crabapple blossoms; even the tips of its tails were turning red.

"Oh dear, when it gets light, His Majesty will surely be happy to see those crabapple blossoms, won't he? That old rascal Kangxi really knows a thing or two about romance; he knows His Majesty likes these flowers and plants."