Duan Changchuan took Xiuxiu and ran for a few rounds, and he was already sweating. Seeing that it was getting late, he gradually stopped.

Gently touching Xiuxiu’s mane with his fingertips, the horse happily shook its tail, emitting a soft snort.

Duan Qinxue brought her horse over and said, “I’ve heard some rumors about Your Majesty in the army. It’s truly an honor to witness it in person. When I return to the army, I must boast about it to them.”

The young man blinked, then raised his eyebrows and smiled, saying, “I haven’t even left the palace, and there are rumors about me in the army? Don’t deceive me.”

The girl put her hands on her hips, “I, Duan Qinxue, am not a flatterer. I’ll say whatever I’ve heard or seen. If Your Majesty doesn’t believe me, when my uncle returns to the capital, you can pretend he’s my friend and inquire!”

Accustomed to the flattery in the palace, this was the first time Duan Changchuan saw a straightforward person.

Especially this person was the daughter of Regent Duan Jing’an…

Looking at the fifteen-year-old girl, he was momentarily lost in thought.

After a while, he said slowly, “No need, I trust you.”

A quarter to Chen^[1]7 to 9 AM hour, Duan Changchuan bid farewell to Duan Qinxue, ordered the subordinates to bring Xiuxiu back, and returned to the Ming Sheng Hall to have his breakfast.

As he approached the door, the sun was already high. He turned to ask Chang Le, “Is the Empress awake?”

The little eunuch immediately bowed respectfully, “According to Shi Chun, the Empress Consort woke up half past the Yin^[2]3 to 5 AM hour and went to the horse field. But she returned shortly after, it seems she had some disagreement with Miss Mu Ge.”

Duan Changchuan’s steps faltered, “Mu Ge…? What disagreement could she have with Mu Ge?”

He actually wanted to ask, if Mu Ge was alright, or did anything happen to her? After all, she confronted the person who overturned the chessboard of the royal game on the second day after entering the palace.

Chang Le said, “Answering Your Majesty, as for the specifics, this servant wasn’t too clear. This servant only found out because when I saw Miss Mu Ge wiping her tears.”

Duan Changchuan:…

He knew it.

With a headache, he pinched his forehead, “I understand. Let’s go in first.”

“Alright.”

The door creaked open, and the hall was quiet. The fire in the stove burned brightly, and the warm air enveloped them.

The maids and eunuchs all bowed, saying, “Your Majesty.”

Duan Changchuan casually responded and then turned to walk towards the bedroom.

“As the Empress Consort, not only lacks any etiquette and decorum. Even if a commoner’s husband returns, she was expected to serve him. Going out and just…”

He stopped halfway through his words and swallowed it back because he saw Bai Su sitting on the couch in martial attire, looking out of the window.

It was exactly Mao hour, and the sun had just risen. The sunlight was beautiful, and she, with one leg bent, sat in the light.

It was just an ordinary movement, but Duan Changchuan felt that she was unhappy…

“Was she wronged outside when I wasn’t around?”

Even though he knew how ruthless she could be and knew that Mu Ge returned in tears, he couldn’t help but think this way.

In the next moment, the woman turned her head and looked at him, “You’re back from playing with the little sister? It seemed quite enjoyable, huh. You were having an affair outside ^[3]外面彩旗飘飘, from the term 家里红旗不倒 外面彩旗飘飘, which mean to keep “the red flag” standing in the house, with “colorful flags” fluttering outside; … Continue reading, then come back asking your husband to serve you.”

She said as she stepped on her wooden clogs, approaching step by step.

Duan Changchuan, who had witnessed the execution and forced confession of Yun Xie at the age of ten, had seen too much darkness and cunning in the world. Yet, he couldn’t help but be overwhelmed at this moment.

“Alright, I’ll serve you.” As she spoke, she began to undress him.

Beautiful fingers delicately untied the collar, skillfully undoing it. The fragrance of peonies wafted through the air, assaulting his nose. The usually gentle and sweet scent, combined with the other party’s deep gaze, seemed to carry a certain aggression.

His legs feel weak, and even his breathing became a bit viscous. It was only undressing the thick fur cloak, Duan Changchuan had a strange illusion as if this person was about to strip him bare.

“You…” He unconsciously spoke, only to realize that his voice was trembling.

His sense of danger suddenly returned at this moment, and he abruptly pushed her away.

“It’s time to eat, I’m hungry…” Then, he fled in panic.

—

Due to the little incident before breakfast, the atmosphere in the Ming Sheng Hall froze for the entire morning.

Bai Su felt very awkward. She had been feeling off since she returned from the archery field, and when she heard the young man return, the fire inside her suddenly ignited.

She scolded herself in her mind, “Bai Su, This is not your Omega. You have no right to interfere with what Duan Changchuan does.”

While admonishing herself, she couldn’t control herself as she walked toward him. She wanted to touch the back of his neck, wanted to bite him to assert her Alpha dominance.

Her glands that wasn’t fully recovered, emitted pheromones in threads, stating one by one: You, are my Omega.

Until the young man suddenly pushed her away, she stumbled back to her senses…

Bai Su touched the glands on her neck that were still restlessly secreting hormones, looking at the young man writing at the desk. She didn’t know how to speak.

Had she scared the kid…

Sigh.

While Bai Su was entangled with herself, Duan Changchuan’s mind was in chaos.

To have someone undress him, then push her away when she approached.

Warning her not to climb his dragon bed while at the same time… towards the other people…Uh, undescribable…

Duan Changchuan, what have you done…

“Your Majesty, is Your book upside down?” Chang Le came over cautiously to remind him.

Duan Changchuan then realized that he had been reading the book upside down for a long time… He even flipped the pages to disguise his distraction.

“…..”

He raised his eyelids and gave Chang Le a disdainful look.

“Cough… I was just contemplating. Serve the brush and ink, and deliver a letter for me.”

“Yes, this servant will do that.”

The young man bent over the desk, writing elegant characters on the paper. The incense on the table burned quietly, and there was the faint sound of the little eunuch grinding ink.

‘Rumors are spreading in the Western Army; investigate the details.’

After some thought, he added a sentence: ‘Check if anyone carries…’

Would anyone carry aphrodisiacs? The kind specifically used for him.

Yes, Duan Changchuan thought it was suspicious.

If not, why did he feel his heart racing and experience some strange… urges every time he smelled the peony scent of Bai Su?

He wanted to ask Yun Xie.

But upon further thought, he found it unreasonable, how could there be a scent specifically designed for one person? That would be too strange. If such a thing existed and was made into poison, wouldn’t it be a secretive way to cause someone’s death?

So, he stopped writing halfway.

He decided to burn the letter, then wrote a new one and handed it to Chang Le. “Go deliver a letter to Yi Man.”

The little eunuch took the order and hurriedly left.

The room fell silent again. Without attendants around, the awkwardness in the atmosphere increased several degrees.

“This morning…”

“Your Majesty…”

Both spoke almost simultaneously.

Bai Su immediately closed her mouth, waiting for him to speak.

However, Duan Changchuan, who had just started, had already exhausted his energy. The courage he had just mustered was “whooshed” away when he was interrupted.

“… I’m not in a hurry; you say it first.”

Bai Su stood up, arranged her clothes, and climbed the steps. “This morning, I lost my temper with Your Majesty, was my fault, and I apologize. I… this concubine couldn’t control my temper and won’t do it again in the future.”

Having said that, she poured a cup of hot tea and handed it to him with both hands. “Your Majesty, please forgive me.”

With one kneeling and one sitting, Bai Su, who was originally tall, this time her back stood upright, towering over the young man by a head.

Duan Changchuan’s chin lifted slightly, he could see the beautiful long eyelashes of the other party.

It was said that Bai Su’s mother was a famous beauty before her death, but because she came from the lowest class of merchants, she became a concubine in the Bai family.

Now, seeing the delicate features and the attractive jawline, Duan Changchuan thoroughly believed the rumors.

She truly emitted an indescribable radiance.

Duan Changchuan subtly averted his gaze and took the cup from her hands to take a sip before saying, “I heard that you had a dispute with Mu Ge. I’ve learned the details from Yi Man and issued an order for her disposal. You are My Empress, even if your background was humble before entering the palace, once inside, you are the mother of the country. A chicken that flew to the tree is not a phoenix, but a carp that leaps into the dragon gate is no longer the same. My palace is not any tree; it’s a dragon gate.”

Bai Su suddenly burst into laughter.

The young man was puzzled, “What’s so funny?”

Bai Su smiled, “This concubine feels happy when Your Majesty immediately vented for me after I was wronged outside.”

“Cough, it was because they slandered the royal family and damaged the dignity of me and the royal family.”

“Yes, yes.”

Duan Changchuan, “…”

She believed that so perfunctorily.

Bai Su, who had been restless all morning because of the incident, sat next to the young man. While smelling his scent, unknowingly, she felt relieved a lot, so she simply stayed beside Duan Changchuan.

It was boring in the hall. The young man quietly reading a book, while she had nothing to do.

She was thinking of reading a book as well, but the original owner of this body had never had a teacher to teach her since childhood. She didn’t know which dynasty the characters here belonged to, and couldn’t read them.

Bai Su was so bored that she played with the long ribbon on her arm, wrapping and unwrapping it.

Not knowing how much time had passed, unable to stand the boredom, she asked, “Is there anything to relieve boredom in this hall?”

The young man put down the ‘Strategies for Ruling the Country’ book he was holding, turned around, and handed her two books and a nine-link puzzle, saying, “Ming Sheng Hall only has these. You can play with them for now. After I finish reading this policy, I’ll play chess with you.”

Bai Su lazily flipped through the pages of the book and then tossed it aside. “I can’t read.”

Then, she picked up the nine-link puzzle. “This looks interesting, how to play it?”

She had just untied the ribbon on her sleeve. Now, lifting her hand, the sleeve slid down, revealing two fierce scars on her wrist.

This was the first time Duan Changchuan had seen Bai Su’s wrist. She had been wearing extremely loose robes these days, or martial clothes with ribbons tied, couldn’t see it at all.

Today, he finally saw it and was shocked.

So, what Yun Xie mentioned earlier, that before entering the palace, she resisted it to death, was not an exaggeration, but did Bai Su really attempt suicide for this?

On her fair and clean wrists, there were two long scars

Duan Changchuan didn’t know. If he were forced to abdicate the throne and lose the power one day, would he have such courage?

Afraid that one was not enough, she cut both her wrists at the same time.

How great was her determination to die at that time?

How great was her determination… showed how much she loved her lover who was privately promised a lifetime.