Volume One, Chapter Four: Sharing a Room

Liu Ruyi’s bedchamber was the closest place in the entire harem to Shen Ran’s Weiyang Palace, so he soon returned there together with Xue Wu. The palace attendants immediately brought in two bowls of steaming hot ginger soup and then respectfully withdrew.

Only Shen Ran and Xue Wu remained in the hall. The atmosphere suddenly grew tense.

In both past and present lives, the occasions they spent alone together were exceedingly rare, countable on one’s fingers.

Shen Ran pushed one bowl of ginger soup toward Xue Wu. “It’s cold; have some.”

Perhaps still unaccustomed to Shen Ran’s sudden kindness, Xue Wu was silent for a moment before softly nodding and murmuring, “Thank you, Your Majesty.” She then picked up the spoon and took small sips of the soup.

When the bowl was nearly empty, a warm sweat broke out on her skin, and she felt noticeably relieved.

Xue Wu exhaled deeply.

Shen Ran idly toyed with a tube of mutton-fat jade flute and smiled, “If you’re tired, go lie down for a while.”

“I am not tired,” Xue Wu shook her head and said, “Your Majesty, regarding General Zhao’s young son—”

Though they were rarely alone, she still clung to official matters. In the past, Shen Ran would no doubt have been displeased, but now he bore twelve thousand times more patience.

“Tomorrow I will send someone to handle it. For now, keep him nearby as a guard. When the opportunity arises, we will arrange otherwise. How does that sound?”

Though Shen Ran’s attitude was unusually different this time, Xue Wu never expected him to agree so readily. Gratitude shone in her eyes as she rose and knelt, “Thank you very much, Your Majesty.”

Her “thank you” sounded more sincere than any other spoken that day.

Shen Ran bent down to help her up. “There’s no need for such formality in private. If you really want to thank me—”

He paused, his gaze falling on her moist lips, and suddenly leaned forward.

Xue Wu did not shy away but her face instantly betrayed nervousness. Her hands clenched into fists so tightly that the knuckles turned pale.

Shen Ran frowned.

Born with a naturally handsome face, even with the reputation of a tyrant, he could make the women of the harem swoon. Yet Xue Wu appeared as if facing execution, starkly contrasting with others’ fiery enthusiasm.

Outside, the wind was bitterly cold, but inside the hall was as warm as spring. Still, Shen Ran felt as if doused with a bucket of cold water. He stepped back several paces, subtly putting distance between them.

Xue Wu bit her lip, seeming somewhat at a loss.

Shen Ran rubbed his forehead.

By his nature, if he did not understand Xue Wu’s thoughts, he would have already departed in a huff at such behavior, never to summon her again.

But now, guilt outweighed anger.

His roughness at their wedding made it no wonder Xue Wu feared him.

Shen Ran smiled gently, taking her hand as they sat by the bed. “If you want to thank me, then stay and talk with me.”

Not only was he not angry, he even changed the way he addressed her. Xue Wu was utterly astonished.

She said nothing.

Yet at this moment, she seemed to have temporarily shed the mask of an empress, revealing a hint of the innocent charm a woman ought to have.

In truth, she was only nineteen years old.

Shen Ran smiled and ruffled her hair before saying, “Do you have any wishes, Wu? Why not tell me?”

Xue Wu propped her chin on her hand, pondering for a while before saying, “I—”

She had only spoken two words when Shen Ran suddenly placed a finger lightly over her lips. “Don’t call yourself ‘I, your servant’ in private.”

He vaguely remembered that when she first married him, she was very uncomfortable with such formal self-address.

The daughter of a National Guard General did not like restraint.

In the past life, she was imprisoned within the red walls; this life would be no different. Shen Ran was selfish—once he had entangled her, she could only remain by his side.

But he could grant her the greatest freedom possible.

The flickering candlelight cast a warm glow on Shen Ran’s face, revealing his slightly smiling, handsome features.

His eyes were particularly striking.

He was born with a pair of tender, affectionate eyes that seemed to smile even when he did not. Unless he deliberately put on a fierce or cruel expression, his gaze blossomed like three thousand radiant peach blossoms.

Xue Wu’s cheeks flushed slightly, and she instinctively changed her form of address. “I have no wishes.”

“How can a person have no wishes?”

Shen Ran stared into her eyes.

Suppressing the emotions welling inside, he smiled tenderly. “Wu, just tell me. As long as you speak, I will do my best to fulfill them.”

Xue Wu’s heart skipped a beat.

Though she longed for freedom and did not wish to be confined within palace walls, at nineteen and newly married, she naturally dreamed of harmonious conjugal love and unity of hearts. After all, which woman in this world would not?

Unfortunately, Shen Ran’s actions had deeply wounded her. Though he had three palaces, six courts, and seventy-two concubines, all his tenderness was lavished on Liu Ruyi, and others were treated like ants or grass.

This man was a contradiction. He seemed especially cold, yet deeply and long devoted.

His deep and lasting affection was reserved solely for Liu Ruyi, unwavering through the years; his coldness extended to all others.

Anyone who crossed Liu Ruyi, whether right or wrong, when it reached Shen Ran, was always wrong in the end.

If one could not find Shen Ran, searching in Noble Consort Liu’s palace was sure to be correct.

Over the years, Xue Wu had long grown accustomed to this.

But she did not understand why this man suddenly changed. When she had already given up on him and only wished to quietly fulfill her duties as empress, he showed an unprecedented tenderness and warmth.

Could this be a fleeting fancy of Shen Ran’s?

Or was it but a dream?

Could she really trust him once more?

Looking into the eyes that almost drowned one in their depths, Xue Wu could not help but speak her true heart—

“Only wishing for a world of peace and prosperity.”

There was one more wish she did not voice: she hoped Shen Ran would be a wise and just ruler.

It was indeed the expected answer.

In both past and present lives, Xue Wu had not changed one bit.

Shen Ran was momentarily stunned, then chuckled.

There had been a brief moment when he had hoped she might say things like “A lifetime, a generation, one pair of souls,” or “Mutual love without doubt,”

So he could simply reply “Very well,” and everything would fall into place smoothly.

But it did not matter.

Words easily spoken were not always true—had he not heard enough sweet nothings in his past life?

And for those he cared about, he never lacked patience.

Shen Ran’s lips curled slightly.

He turned his head and chuckled softly, yet he did not withhold that quiet “Very well.”

After a brief pause, he spoke solemnly, “Wu, rest assured, I shall fulfill your wishes.”