With her deceased husband as her dowry, would Your Highness dare to marry her?

The study was so quiet that you could hear the soft popping of the candle flame.

Pei Jinxuan stared at Lin Ci for a long time. His peach blossom eyes were as deep as an ancient well, so dark that they could not reflect any light.

"I know."

He picked up the half-bowl of porridge again and slowly ate it all, spoonful by spoonful.

"You know?"

Clearly, Lin Ci was more surprised than he was.

"I had already investigated your affairs before I found you." Pei Jinxuan said, putting the empty bowl back on the table and casually taking out a handkerchief to wipe the corner of his mouth. "Yesterday, judging from that person's accent and your reaction, I knew that you were the one who started the fire."

He remained calm, as if he were discussing something extremely ordinary.

"I..." Lin Ci took a hasty half-step forward, her knee slamming against the corner of the table with a dull thud. Ignoring the pain, she only wanted to explain, "I didn't kill innocent people indiscriminately, I just..."

"You don't need to tell me."

Pei Jinxuan interrupted her. He picked up his brush again, lowered his head, rolled up some ink on the inkstone, and gently brushed the tip of the brush against the edge of the inkstone twice before putting it back on the paper.

"We are in the same boat." He bowed his head to write, his hand holding the pen as steady as a mountain. "For Your Majesty's health, and for the sake of the art of bringing the dead back to life, I will protect you no matter what."

After he finished speaking, he looked up and smiled at her.

Looking at his nonchalant demeanor, Lin Ci felt a mix of emotions. She had thought he would at least ask "why," but he had simply turned the page so easily.

However, since Pei Jinxuan has already said such things, there's no point in chasing after him anymore.

Lin Ci was very sensible. She said no more, bowed deeply, and left the study.

**

At dusk, in Yiyue Palace.

The eunuchs on duty had just changed shifts and were warming themselves by stamping their feet in the corridor, their sleeves tucked in. At the end of the passageway, a palace maid carrying a food box hurried by, her head down, her steps quick and hurried, as if she had something urgent to attend to.

The palace eunuch recognized him and called out, "You, stop right there."

The palace maid shuddered, stopped in her tracks, her back stiffened, and her head was almost buried in her collar.

The eunuch became increasingly suspicious and strolled over to examine him closely.

"Which palace are you from? What's in the box? Lift your head up."

The palace maid remained motionless for a long time, but her shoulders were trembling slightly.

The eunuch grew impatient, rolled up his sleeves, and cursed, "Are you deaf? I'm asking you a question." As he spoke, he reached out to lift her chin.

"Eunuch Liu." A soft voice rang out from the shadows.

The eunuch turned his head and immediately beamed with a smile, "Oh, isn't this Sister Pearl?"

Pearl walked up to him with light, quick steps, affectionately took the palace maid's hand, and said with a smile, "Your Highness is hungry. She's been waiting for this midnight snack." As she spoke, she glared at the palace maid and scolded, "I've taught you before, you need to know your manners and not upset the eunuch."

"Hmm," the palace maid responded softly, her voice choked with apprehension, without raising her head.

"New here, huh? No wonder you look unfamiliar." Eunuch Liu chuckled twice.

Pearl slipped a silver ingot into his hand, lowered her voice, and said with a smile, "Eunuch Liu, you've worked so hard, worrying about me all day long. Her Majesty said that it's freezing cold, please take good care of yourself."

Eunuch Liu secretly weighed the amount of silver in his hand, then smiled even more broadly, waving his hand and saying, "Sister Pearl is so kind. Quickly take the food in to Her Highness, so she won't go hungry."

"Yes." Pearl bowed and led the palace maid by the hand into Yiyue Palace.

The palace doors closed behind him.

The palace maid removed her hood, revealing a gentle and beautiful face.

Pearl let out a long sigh of relief and said very carefully in a soft voice, "Your Majesty, you're finally back."

As she spoke, she removed Consort Chang's outer cloak, and a faint scent of soap wafted from the fabric. Upon closer inspection, a few tiny water droplets clung to Consort Chang's alabaster neck, as if she had just taken a bath in a hurry and hadn't had time to dry herself off.

"Has His Majesty come here?" Consort Chang asked softly.

"no."

Consort Chang sighed and slowly sat down on the chaise longue. Her eyelashes were lowered, her long and thick eyelashes trembled slightly, and her hands were placed in front of her chest, as if she wanted to say something, but after gesturing for a moment, she let them fall limply.

Seeing this, Pearl quickly advised, "His Majesty has been unwell these past few days, and there are many matters to attend to in the court. Your Highness need not worry."

"Pearl," Consort Chang suddenly spoke, "bring the mirror."

Pearl noticed something was amiss, but didn't ask any further questions. She quickly went to the dressing case, picked up the gilded bronze mirror with lotus pattern, and held it up properly in front of Consort Chang.

The mirror reflected a face as beautiful as a lotus, with long eyebrows, cherry lips, and skin as white as snow; she was indeed a rare beauty in the world.

Consort Chang raised her delicate hand, her slender fingers slowly tracing the contours of her face in the mirror, from her eyebrows to her temples, from the bridge of her nose to the corners of her lips, finally stopping at her slender collarbone. Her fingers paused there, and somehow, tears silently streamed down her face, as if sighing for their owner.

"Your Highness, what's wrong?" Pearl panicked and quickly put the bronze mirror aside, handing over a clean handkerchief.

Consort Chang took the handkerchief and covered her face. Her thin shoulders trembled violently. She slumped onto the couch, like a flower whose branch had been broken by the wind.

"Your Majesty, please don't cry." Pearl knelt by the bed, helplessly trying to comfort her. "His Majesty does have Your Majesty in his heart."

Just then, footsteps suddenly came from outside the hall.

Pearl hurriedly got up, wiped her eyes, and went to the door. It was Eunuch Gao who came. He flicked his whisk, and his high-pitched voice pierced through the palace gate: "His Majesty has decreed that Consort Chang will serve him tonight. Your Highness, please make the necessary preparations."

Pearl paused for a moment, then burst into laughter.

She turned and hurried back to the bedside, her eyes sparkling. "Your Majesty, I wasn't wrong, was I? His Majesty is thinking of you."

Consort Chang slowly raised her head, her red eyes empty and lifeless, her soul seemingly adrift, leaving only a beautiful shell.

After a long while, she turned her eyes and looked at Pearl's happy face, the corners of her lips slowly curving upwards.

"Do my makeup."

Pearl responded crisply and quickly helped Consort Chang sit down in front of the dressing table. She moved nimbly, tying up Consort Chang's hair into a simple bun and then applying a thin layer of rouge to Consort Chang's lips.

The person in the mirror became radiant, all the sorrow and grief covered by a thin layer of red, as if nothing had happened.

Consort Chang rode in her phoenix palanquin, surrounded by stars like the moon, passing by the gate of another palace, attracting envious glances from the palace servants on duty. Everyone in the harem knew that Consort Chang was unparalleled in her favor, and those who couldn't compete could only watch helplessly.

The imperial carriage stopped in front of the Qian Yuan Hall. Before Consort Chang even entered, she heard Emperor Yan coughing. The sound was muffled, one cough after another, leaking out intermittently.

Consort Chang stood in front of the door for a while, blinking her eyes repeatedly, then took a deep breath, lifted her skirt, and stepped over the threshold.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects."

She knelt down, her voice melodious.

Emperor Yan turned his head and smiled when he saw her, his weariness fading slightly.

He put down the folding book in his hand and beckoned to her. Consort Chang obediently got up and sat down beside him.

She raised her face, smiled faintly, and her eyes, like autumn water, were full of deep affection even without words.

The Emperor of Yan covered her hand, enveloping her slightly cool fingertips in his palm. "I'm sorry you've suffered these past few days. It's my fault; I've been so focused on recovering that I've neglected you."

In front of her, he always addressed her as "you" and "me," just like an ordinary couple. But the closer he got, the more Consort Chang's heart ached. A thorn was deeply embedded in her heart, and every throbbed with pain made her want to die.

She couldn't let him see, so she had to swallow her pain and put on a bright smile.

"Your Majesty's well-being is all I care about; I have no other thoughts."

The Yan Emperor lowered his head and smiled, like a naive young man, completely charmed by his beloved.

He casually rolled up her sleeve a few inches, his fingertips brushing against her wrist, when he suddenly saw something and his gaze froze.