If, after three months, you still wish to leave, I will let you go.

Palace, Hall of Reserved Elegance

After watching Hui Yue’er and Zhao Chengxian’s performance, everyone present was stunned. The Empress Dowager smiled with satisfaction and said, “Indeed, the Emperor’s judgment is impeccable.” Hui Yue’er, who had intended to keep a low profile, suddenly found herself in the spotlight. Hearing the Empress Dowager’s praise did not delight her; on the contrary, it made her even more anxious.

Du Haiju smiled and said, “Of course, how could a girl who captures His Majesty’s heart be anything less?” Hui Yue’er and Zhao Chengxian exchanged awkward glances—both cherished their feelings for one another, yet it seemed as if they were being pushed toward someone else. Zhao Chengxian felt a surge of impulse to reveal the truth, but Hui Yue’er shook her head, signaling him to endure. For the sake of their families, for the hundreds of lives depending on them, they had no choice but to bear it. After all, nothing was final yet; they still held hope that Xuanyuan Ren would eventually realize that Yue’er was truly unsuited for life in the palace, and allow Hui Yue’er to soar toward her own destiny.

Hui Yue’er looked helplessly at Zhao Chengxian. She could not fathom the depth of jealousy harbored by the other concubines and court maidens—so many longed for the Emperor’s tender gaze and the Empress Dowager’s heartfelt praise, yet had never received it. Hui Yue’er possessed both, and even enjoyed the Empress’s full support. The likes of Consort Shu recognized they could never surpass the Empress. Although Du Haiju remained childless, Xuanyuan Ren’s favor toward her only seemed to grow, as if warning those who coveted the throne that Du Haiju would always be his Empress. This left the concubines, who hoped to secure their status through bearing a son, deeply frustrated. Xuanyuan Ren already had five sons, yet showed no intention of naming a Crown Prince; perhaps he wished to wait a few more years, hoping Du Haiju might bear him a son. In truth, it was Du Haiju, who had accompanied him for so many years, that he truly cherished. Xuanyuan Ren, for all his imperial burdens, was a man of feeling and loyalty, though fate had cast him into the role of an emperor.

Hui Yue’er wished she could speak plainly and be done with it, but she feared wounding Xuanyuan Ren’s pride—especially with so many people present. After the performance, she slipped away. Noticing her departure, Xuanyuan Ren announced, “There are matters I must attend to; I will leave the remaining performances to my mother and the Empress to enjoy.” He saluted the Empress Dowager and left, casting a glance at Zhao Chengxian—a silent plea for him to help maintain order. Zhao Chengxian, however, failed to respond, whether out of genuine confusion or feigned ignorance. After all, how could any man assist another in pursuing the woman he himself loved?

Yet Du Haiju understood Xuanyuan Ren’s intent. She rose and assured him, “Your Majesty, rest easy, I will see to the presentation of the initial courtesies.” With the crowd’s chorus of “Respectfully seeing off the Emperor!” Xuanyuan Ren departed. Zhao Chengxian felt a wave of discomfort, but could not express it to Xuanyuan Ren—after all, Xuanyuan Ren was his brother. Yet he found it equally impossible to relinquish Hui Yue’er. The situation was painfully complex.

Imperial Garden

Hui Yue’er sat alone in a pavilion within the Imperial Garden, gazing at the breathtaking scenery with a heavy heart. She could neither love as she wished nor hate as she pleased—a torment for someone as clear-cut in her affections and resentments as Hui Yue’er. She could not comprehend why these two men, who should never have entered her life, had crossed her path. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined she would become a maid in the Prince Jun’s household, let alone find herself in the harem. Everything had happened so unexpectedly that she had no time to reflect.

Just then, Xuanyuan Ren, who had been searching for her, finally caught sight of Hui Yue’er’s figure in the lakeside pavilion. He approached alone and, upon entering, asked, “Are you still angry with me for deceiving you?” Hui Yue’er had sensed someone approaching but did not care to see who it was. Xuanyuan Ren assumed she was angry about his deception, but in truth, Hui Yue’er’s anger stemmed from something else: knowing full well she wished not to enter the palace, he had nonetheless issued a decree compelling her to do so. This infuriated her.

Without glancing at Xuanyuan Ren, she stared at the lake and replied, “Your Majesty flatters me; how could a humble woman dare to be angry with the Emperor?” Then she added, “In Your Majesty’s eyes, I am nothing more than an object, to be placed wherever you please. Have you ever seen an object show anger?” Her tone made it clear to anyone that she was upset. She had genuinely considered the ‘former guard’ a friend, never expecting that he would see her as someone without thoughts of her own. She did not understand that Xuanyuan Ren had been raised to arrange everything from a young age.

Xuanyuan Ren wanted to explain but did not know how. In his world, the notion of ‘explaining’ scarcely existed. He stepped before Hui Yue’er and said, “Yue’er, perhaps you cannot listen to anything I say now, but give me three months—see for yourself the sincerity of my love.” Xuanyuan Ren’s view was that if he liked something, he must possess it; he had never known failure. It was this certainty that gave him the resolve to win Hui Yue’er’s heart.

Hui Yue’er looked at Xuanyuan Ren and asked, “And after three months, will Your Majesty let me go?” She was certain she would never fall in love with him; her heart already belonged to someone else, and she could not accept Xuanyuan Ren’s affection.

Xuanyuan Ren nodded, “Very well. If, after three months, you still do not wish to stay with me, I will let you go.” Perhaps he was simply enjoying the thrill of pursuit—having been born with everything, he had never before needed to strive for anything.

Indeed, Xuanyuan Ren was bolder than Zhao Chengxian in pursuing the one he loved—but was this love truly genuine?

Ladies and gentlemen, young and old, those neither young nor old—quick, shower me with gold medals, red envelopes, and gifts! Do not hold back; let the storm grow ever more fierce!