After being thoroughly violated, he ran away with the enemy emperor's child.

Mo Yan left, he left in anger.

Before leaving, he ordered that Qiyue Palace be completely sealed off, and that no one be allowed to enter or leave except for some daily food.

The emperor, high above all others, suffered such a huge setback on his first attempt to express his love. He sat in the imperial study, his face full of dissatisfaction.

"Wu Xu".

He asked Wu Xu, who was standing beside him, "What do you think of my appearance?"

Before Wu Xu could answer, he said first, "Bring the bronze mirror."

"……yes."

Holding the bronze mirror, Mo Yan looked around. The man in the mirror had a pair of phoenix eyes that exuded nobility, a smooth face, a high nose bridge, and slightly pursed thin lips. He was a handsome man no matter how you looked at him.

"Is it because I'm too short?"

He stood up and was a full head taller than Wu Xu.

"Your Majesty is over eight feet tall and handsome; it is only because the Prince of Chen is blind that..."

Wu Xu tried to defend him, but before he could finish speaking, Mo Yan glared at him and said, "How dare you speak ill of my Aci?"

"...This servant dares not."

He lowered his head and remained silent.

"Then why doesn't Aci like me? And..."

Thinking of something, he slammed the bronze mirror down and snorted coldly, "You still want me to go and find someone else?"

After pondering for a long time, he finally blamed Chu Ling: "It must be that Chu Ling who plotted to seduce Aci and make her unable to forget him."

"Damn it."

His gaze darkened slightly: "Summon General Fu. I wish to discuss matters concerning the Yong Kingdom with him."

General Fu arrived quickly. He was nearly forty years old, and his features were full of heroic spirit: "Greetings, Your Majesty."

No need for formalities.

"I have summoned you here today to discuss important matters."

"Is His Majesty going to attack Yong Kingdom?" General Fu asked excitedly.

Since the death of the Grand General of Yong Kingdom last year, he has been urging Mo Yan to attack Yong Kingdom, but Mo Yan has been hesitant and has delayed until now.

Mo Yan nodded. "Chu Ling of Yong Kingdom is seriously injured, and morale is low at this time. I want you to train the army diligently in preparation for any eventuality."

"The provisions must also be properly prepared."

"I obey your decree."

"Hmm, how's the blueprint for the modified crossbow coming along?"

"The Ministry of Works is working on it, and we expect to have results in a few days."

"Tell them to hurry up."

The two then discussed some details, and half an hour passed quietly. Mo Yan waved his hand and said, "Go down."

After General Fu left, Mo Yan reviewed the memorials alone, and went to Qiyue Palace after dark.

Qiyue Palace was very quiet, so quiet that Mo Yan thought no one lived there.

Stepping into the hall, Mo Yan saw Chu Junci by the window. He was still playing chess alone, his expression calm.

Neither of them spoke, and Mo Yan silently sat down opposite Chu Junci.

He quickly surveyed the chessboard, and after Chu Junci placed a black piece, he picked up a white piece and placed it on the board: "I'll keep you company."

Chu Junci didn't even look at him, picked up his white chess piece and threw it back into the chess box.

With a "thud," it collided with another piece.

"Mo Ci."

Mo Yan's voice was deep: "What exactly do you want from me?"

Chu Junci responded with a long silence; he neither answered him nor even glanced at him.

Mo Yan remained silent, gazing at the opposite side. After an unknown amount of time, Wu Xu appeared: "Your Majesty, we have captured several assassins."

"Kill him."

Wu Xu hesitated, and even glanced at Chu Junci.

Realizing something was wrong, Mo Yan immediately got up and followed Wu Xu out of the courtyard.

In the courtyard, several black-clad assassins were tied up, their eyes filled with hatred as if they wanted to tear him apart.

His gaze swept across the faces of the group, and he immediately understood Wu Xu's concerns—

The assassin before them was from the state of Yong.

The reason for appearing at Qiyue Palace is most likely because of Aci.

Thinking of this, he squatted down. "Were you sent by Chu Ling?"

They didn't answer, but said only, "Kill me or torture me, it's up to you."

The attitude of the others convinced Mo Yan of his guess. After a moment of contemplation, he instructed Wu Xu, "Bring the person inside."

As the assassin was led into the hall bound, Chu Junci glanced at him, his fingers suddenly loosening, and the chess piece fell to the ground.

The five assassins stared intently at him, their eyes filled with tears, their lips moving.

The word "Your Majesty" flashed through their minds, but no one dared to utter it at this moment.

Mo Yan watched from the side, his fingertips supporting his forehead: "That's really touching."

"Does Aci still remember who they are?"

"..."

Chu Junci's lips trembled as well. He didn't remember, but a voice inside him told him that he didn't want them to die.

"What do you want?"

The fact that Mo Yan didn't kill them directly but brought them to him can only mean that Mo Yan wanted to use them to threaten him.

As expected, Mo Yan chuckled softly, "Don't you know what I want, Aci?"

"come over."

He sat in the chair, his gaze slightly lower than Chu Junci's, but his imposing presence remained undiminished.

Chu Junci walked step by step to him, her head slightly lowered, when suddenly someone put their arm around her waist and she sat on Mo Yan's lap.

They were very close, so close that Chu Junci could feel Mo Yan's warm breath.

"Mo Yan, you scoundrel! Let go...Young Master!"

This scene was witnessed by the assassins kneeling on the ground, and they could no longer contain their anger and began to curse.

After their plan failed on New Year's Eve, they endured for a long time before finally sneaking into the Zhao Kingdom's palace today. However, they were discovered by Mo Yan's men as soon as they stepped into the palace.

Mo Yan ignored their insults and said only, "Aci, they were captured by me because of you."

Mo Yan gently touched Chu Junci's cheek with the back of his finger, then leaned close to his neck and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Their lives now rest on your shoulders."

"As long as Aci says to release them, I will listen to you."

"condition."

Chu Junci knew that Mo Yan was not so kind. He clenched his robes, preparing himself to be humiliated by Mo Yan.

"The condition is—"

His lips brushed against his cheek, and Mo Yan whispered in his ear, "My dear Aci, please don't ignore me anymore, okay?"

Almost ten days have passed since the last conflict, and Chu Junci has been treating him like he doesn't exist every day, driving Mo Yan crazy with worry!

"..."

Chu Junci pursed his lips, as if he could hear his own heartbeat: "...Okay."

Mo Yan chuckled softly after receiving a satisfactory reply, "Aci, you'd better keep your word."

"Um."

"Wu Xu".

"exist."

Mo Yan sniffed the fragrance on Chu Junci: "Throw them all out."

Wu Xu was stunned for a moment, then seemed to sigh as if he had come to his senses: "Yes."

Turning around, he ordered the Imperial Guards, "Throw them all out of the palace."

The five assassins looked at each other, completely bewildered by this turn of events.

After being thrown out of the palace with bewildered expressions, they stood at the gate, looking at each other: "Mo Yan..."

They pointed to their brain: "Is there something wrong here?"

"Very likely."

Another person wholeheartedly agreed: "I've never seen an emperor from an enemy country like this before."

As they walked back, they said, "Seeing His Majesty safe and sound is the greatest fortune we can have."

"But have you noticed that Mo Yan seems to listen to His Majesty quite a bit?"

"Yes, yes, I noticed that too. Mo Yan seems like... a dog in front of His Majesty!"

Upon hearing this, the group burst into laughter. Back at the inn, Xie Yunzhou coldly stared at them: "Where did you all go?"

The men immediately knelt down and begged for forgiveness: "Young General, we have entered the palace and even met His Majesty."