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

"Your hand..."

The Emperor of Yan gently stroked Consort Chang's wrist with his thumb. On that fair, smooth wrist, there was a very thin red mark, like a red thread.

"This..." Consort Chang hurriedly withdrew her hand, lowered her head, and hastily covered herself with her sleeve.

"Today, I saw a chubby cat in the garden, so I went up and petted it a couple of times. But the cat actually scratched me. Luckily, the injury was minor and nothing serious."

"I see." The Emperor Yan's brows relaxed, and he smiled very gently. "Tomorrow I will instruct Eunuch Gao to catch that troublesome cat and send it out of the palace."

"No." Consort Chang gently pressed his hand, her eyebrows curving slightly as she smiled and said, "The cat is adorable; it can keep me company in the garden."

As she spoke, her smile faded, and a faint sorrow returned to her brow. "Your Majesty is the Emperor of all the people; how could I dare to claim him for myself?"

She spoke very softly, as if talking to herself.

The Emperor of Yan heard it clearly and couldn't help but pull her into his arms and kiss her forehead.

"Listen to this, you're complaining about me again."

"Your Majesty, I dare not."

Emperor Yan sighed helplessly, his hand slowly stroking Consort Chang's silky black hair, and said softly, "Yun Yao is obedient and very much to my liking. When I have some free time, I will definitely spend more time with you."

"To win Your Majesty's heart is a blessing I have accumulated over many lifetimes, but Your Majesty should extend your favor to all."

Consort Chang's eyes flickered slightly, then she raised her head to look at him, hesitating as if she wanted to say something.

"What's wrong?" Emperor Yan asked softly.

Consort Chang sighed, "Just a few days ago, Her Majesty the Empress instructed me to be more considerate of His Majesty's health."

"Was it taught in the corridor?" The Yan Emperor's voice deepened.

So he knew all along.

Consort Chang hid her grievances, lowered her eyes, and said, "As the head of the six palaces, it is only right that the Empress instructs me. I have benefited greatly from it."

The Emperor of Yan looked at her and gently stroked the tip of her nose with his finger. "The Empress is the daughter of a military family. She has a strong personality and is sometimes a bit domineering."

Consort Chang turned her head slightly as she listened, her eyes reddening.

The Emperor of Yan pinched her chin with two fingers and turned her face back. "In my heart, she will never be as good as you, but the world cannot do without this Queen Mother. She has the power of three states behind her. With her there, the borders are more secure; without her, I will have to worry more. I know you are very intelligent and understand me."

Consort Chang pursed her lips and smiled faintly.

Compared to the Empress, her family was nothing more than drifting duckweed, dependent on the Emperor's favor, without any foundation, military power, or influence to command. The Emperor of Yan could favor her, but he would never depose the Empress for her sake. As long as the Empress remained, she would have to bow her head in this harem.

She understood all of this perfectly well.

"Your Majesty, please don't worry." Consort Chang raised her eyes, concealing all her emotions. "For Your Majesty, I can endure anything."

Emperor Yan nodded and smiled. He reached out and stroked Consort Chang's face, his eyes filled with deep affection. He gazed at her like that, his eyes revealing a great deal of helplessness.

After a moment of silence, he said with remorse, "Yun Yao, I've really wronged you. I can give you anything you want, except for the Phoenix Throne."

For some reason, Consort Chang's heart was clenched by his gentle whispers. She lowered her head, not daring to look into his eyes, and two tears silently slid down from the corners of her eyes.

"I don't want anything. I just want Your Majesty to be safe."

Consort Chang buried her face deeply in Emperor Yan's palm, as if trying to hide herself.

The Yan Emperor's hands were thin and cold, with distinct knuckles, unlike the Liang King's broad and strong hands.

The thorn in Consort Chang's heart was pierced even deeper, and guilt almost overwhelmed her.

She closed her eyes and bit her lip, trying to forget the shameful thing that had just happened, but another tall figure just happened to appear at this moment, and she couldn't shake it off no matter what she did.

That night, Consort Chang stayed overnight in the Qianyuan Palace.

To win a smile from his beloved, the Emperor of Yan specially drank two bowls of deer blood wine.

The alcohol took effect, and his cheeks flushed, his breathing quickened. But the heat faded in an instant, as quickly as if it had never happened.

The candlelight flickered gently within the curtained room, illuminating two figures embracing, but revealing no further movement.

Emperor Yan lay flat on his back, his chest rising and falling slightly. After a while, he took Consort Chang's hand and said, "Tomorrow I will talk to Prince Jing'an and ask him to ask Lady Lin to adjust the prescription for me."

The tired voice carried a hint of guilt.

Consort Chang blushed upon hearing this. She turned to the side and gently massaged his lower abdomen with her hand.

"Your Majesty should focus on recovering your health first. It would be best to leave the prescription to Imperial Physician Xu."

Why?

"Cheng'an Hall has many miraculous medicines. This morning I heard the eunuch say that a couple who took Cheng'an Hall's medicine were rejuvenated, and now there's a long line of people waiting for free medical consultations. Your Majesty may not know, but the people praise Cheng'an Hall's free medical consultations and are all complimenting Your Majesty."

Emperor Yan turned to look at her, somewhat puzzled. "What does Cheng'an Hall's free clinic have to do with me?"

"Wasn't it His Majesty who entrusted Prince Jing'an to provide free medical care to the people?" Consort Chang smiled slightly, as if mentioning it casually. "His Majesty cares deeply for the world and even keeps the suffering of the common people in mind."

Emperor Yan was slightly taken aback, then smiled and said, "I don't remember this matter clearly. Prince Jing'an won the hearts of the people for me and should be rewarded."

Consort Chang pursed her lips, smiling but saying nothing.

She turned her head to the side and gently lay back in the Emperor Yan's arms, her beautiful eyes suddenly darkening.

Before long, the Yan Emperor fell into a deep sleep. Even in his sleep, he still held her fingers loosely, as if afraid she would leave.

Consort Chang lay beside him, gazing at the palace lantern outside the tent that burned all night.

The lamplight cast a hazy glow on the gauze curtains, in concentric circles, just like in the Liang Prince's mansion.

She closed her eyes, then opened them again.

The lamp is still the same lamp.

It was still dark.

**

At cockcrow, the sky was just beginning to brighten.

As dawn broke through the window, a few pale golden rays fell on the blue brick floor.

A dark shadow squeezed in through the crack in the window, jumped onto the table, and then silently leaped to the edge of the bed.

Lin Ci was in a daze, feeling a tightness in her chest, as if a large rock was pressing down on her, making it hard to breathe.

She groaned in discomfort and twisted her body a couple of times, but the stone pressed down harder and harder, accompanied by a rumbling sound, one after another, without end.

Lin Ci opened her eyes with difficulty and happened to meet a pair of large, round, emerald green cat eyes.

Princess Yongle's leopard cat crouched on her chest, its two front paws rhythmically patting her heart, the purring sound coming from its throat.

"Sister Aci, are you awake?"

Princess Yongle's clear laughter rang out from outside the window.

Upon hearing its owner's voice, the leopard cat kicked off with its hind legs and jumped off Lin Ci's chest without hesitation.

Lin Ci groaned and rubbed her aching chest repeatedly.

The door was kicked open.

Princess Yongle barged in, shivering with cold, and casually lifted the bed curtains.

"I knew Abao could wake you up." She smiled and pulled the blanket covering Lin Ci's head down, revealing her pretty face to Lin Ci. "Get up, get up."

Lin Ci looked at her helplessly. Her riding outfit was as red as a ball of fire, and even the morning light that peeked in through the window was not as intense as her.

"Princess, what time is it?" Lin Ci glanced out the window, then yawned. "I'm still not awake."

She turned to the side, wanting to linger a little longer, but Princess Yongle forcefully turned her shoulder back.

"Wake up! The West Market is open today, come with me for a stroll."

"I still need to take His Majesty's pulse..." Lin Ci turned back again.

Princess Yongle turned her around, placed her hands on either side of her shoulders, and looked down at her, saying slowly and deliberately, "I asked my brother, and he said you don't need to go to the palace today. That's why I came to find you."

As she spoke, she twisted her body into a pretzel shape. "You'll have to come with me, or it'll be too late."

Princess Yongle spoke in a coquettish tone, her voice soft and sticky.

Lin Ci asked, puzzled, "What's too late?"

"Amo is leaving, and I want to buy him something as a gift."