Chapter 69

Chapter 69

A young child with a rat-tail braid hanging from the back shouted, and immediately an old woman dressed in coarse cloth entered the door, holding a bowl of steaming medicinal soup.

Geng Shuning looked down and saw that she was also wearing the same kind of coarse cloth.

The child cheerfully called out, "Grandma, mother has woken up!"

The dialect spoken here was similar to the dialect from her previous life; "Grandma" meant "grandmother."

She hesitated for a moment and asked hesitantly in a soft voice, "Are you my grandmother?"

In the dialect of her past, the terms for "elderly man" and "elderly woman" were "grandfather" and "grandmother."

The old woman gave Geng Shuning a disdainful look. "I can't afford to keep a pampered daughter-in-law like you. Once you recover, drink the medicine and leave as soon as possible. Don't think about relying on our family!"

Geng Shuning: "..." Alright, she was certain that she hadn't traveled through time again.

She could feel that she had a fever and took the medicine bowl, but it was too hot to drink immediately, so she gently blew on it, cautiously trying to inquire more from the woman through the steam.

"Why does the child call me mother?"

"When we saved you, someone saw it. I, an old woman, live here with my grandson and didn't want any trouble, so I said you were my son's wife from his travels, and you came back to serve us." The old woman dragged a small stool to the center of the room and began to explain while working with a basket, taking out two yellow sticks and starting to rub them.

Geng Shuning's eyes instinctively fell on the sticks, and her eyes widened.

These were... corn?!

Corn was brought back from overseas, how could it be here?

The old woman continued, "This year, there was a lot of rain, and more people were washed down the river. Yesterday, a woman was washed ashore and was taken back by Li Er's family."

"That old woman is good at tormenting people; her daughter-in-law was tormented to death. When the woman was brought to her house, instead of doing it herself, she made her son go in to change the Miss's clothes."

The old woman gave money to the doctors who came to treat her, and the gambling doctor spread the news about how Li Er's son had 'good intentions' and 'had no choice' but to see the Miss without clothes, which attracted many people.

"That Miss was clearly from a wealthy family and didn't know how she fell into the river. She hadn't woken up yet, but Li Er's family had already prepared the wedding preparations. As soon as the Miss woke up, they would marry, or else the Miss would be thrown into the river to drown."

"If Dun'er hadn't gone out early to check the river trap and found you unconscious by the riverbank, bringing me to carry you back, you would have been taken as a wife, with your clothes undressed."

The place where Geng Shuning was washed ashore was next to an old bachelor who couldn't afford a wife.

If she hadn't been rescued, her fate could have been worse than that Miss's.

Geng Shuning drew her attention back from the corn and felt a tightness in her heart, guessing that the person taken in by Li Er's family might be Qingfang.

She had been distracted when she discovered the assassin's identity and didn't stay close to Qingfang.

The assassin found the opportunity to kill her, but Qingfang blocked her and was kicked until her mouth bled, falling unconscious, which caused her to fall into the river.

After a few heavy rains, the river was swift, and she hadn't had time to pull Qingfang before being washed away by the waves, losing her senses.

If not for her good swimming skills, she might have been thrown into the river to drown.

Geng Shuning, knowing when to be humble, softly thanked the woman for saving her life. "When I find my family, I will definitely repay you for saving my life."

The old woman, working swiftly with her hands, was blunt with her words. "No need. Recently, the emperor is on a southern tour, and the village is wary of strangers. If encountered, they’ll face a lot of questions."

"Hurry up and get better, then leave as soon as you can. That would be thanks enough for us. We're just an ordinary family and can't afford to get involved in any trouble."

Geng Shuning instinctively reached for her head, only to realize she hadn’t brought any hairpins or accessories with her when she went out.

She then checked her neck and wrists, only to find that the jade bracelet and jade Buddha she had been wearing were missing, probably swept away by the water.

Even if she wanted to repay them with money, she couldn’t do so without those items, nor could she gather any information.

The woman thought she was looking for her clothes and put down the stick, bringing over a basket with a thud, placing it next to the bed.

"I undressed you because your clothes were soaked. This is good material, and I didn’t dare touch it. You can wash it yourself and change out of my clothes."

Geng Shuning looked at the messy wet clothes with some worry.

She had been dressed in the attire of someone from the imperial carriage team, and even during this private visit, the patterns on her clothes were not suitable for pawning.

Luckily, she hadn’t worn the bright yellow undergarment; otherwise, the woman might have taken her to the authorities.

Her mind clouded by fever, Geng Shuning’s gaze fell on the corn kernels in the basket.

The woman, thinking Geng Shuning had never seen such a thing, lifted her chin proudly. "Haven't seen this before, have you? My son brought it back from the coast while he was on an escort mission. You just plant the seeds, and it grows easily, even better than rice. I doubt you've ever seen anything like this before."

She swallowed the part about the corn being more productive than rice, as she had been growing it in her backyard without letting the villagers find out.

Otherwise, if the village leaders knew how valuable it was, they would surely ask her to hand it over, and she, an old woman, wouldn’t be able to protect it.

Geng Shuning’s expression was subtle; she actually knew quite a bit about it, having eaten it many times in her previous life.

Corn was a drought-resistant crop, only slightly more difficult to care for than sweet potatoes, and certainly easier than rice.

She complimented the woman’s story. "Your son is a bodyguard? He’s really amazing. Is he on an escort mission now? When will he be back?"

If he could return soon, she might ask him to help rescue Qingfang and escort them back to the capital.

That way, she could repay the kindness of this woman and the life-saving grace of young Dun'er.

The woman’s face suddenly darkened, and she sat down with her back turned, continuing her work in silence.

Her daughter-in-law had died in childbirth, and her son had not remarried.

He managed to come home once every one or two months, bringing back enough supplies for her and her grandson, and had also bribed the village leaders so they could live well in the village.

But it had been six months since her son last returned, and without the bribes to the village leaders, the villagers had become less courteous to them.

If not to scare off those who bullied her and her orphaned grandson, she wouldn’t have lied and said that Geng Shuning was her son’s new wife, brought back from one of his escort missions.

At least with the possibility of her son returning, the village leaders would keep an eye on things, and life could be more peaceful.

But lies always have a way of unraveling, and if something had happened to her son, she didn’t know how they would manage.

Geng Shuning, sensitive to the emotions of others, felt the sadness emanating from the woman. Despite her own anxiety, she remained quiet and finished her medicine.

When the old woman went out to cook, Geng Shuning called young Dun'er over and, speaking gently, managed to learn some details.

His father hadn’t been home for six months, and the village children often bullied him... The pretty young woman from the Li family hadn’t woken up.

The hateful old woman from the Li family had grown impatient and was shouting that if the girl didn’t wake up soon, they would strip her naked and throw her into the mountains for the wolves.

Geng Shuning checked the date and realized she had been missing for two days and a night, which weighed heavily on her heart.

There's still no movement—is no one coming to look for her, or is it that Yinzhen hasn't returned, so no one dares to search for her?

Geng Shuning recognized the leader of the assassination attempt on Zhang Penghe and the imperial carriage.

It was the Liao family shopkeeper who had prepared clothes for her and the emperor in Tai Zhuang. He has a disconnected eyebrow in the center of his forehead and a mole at the corner of his eye.

If I’m right, the group targeting the imperial court is the Tiandihui, and they have someone who can access the imperial carriage to tip them off.

Because of this, I can't send a message to the imperial court, and I can't let anyone discover my identity or that the emperor isn't on the dragon boat.

There are no shops with the Sui character banner in the Huaihe area... The route I need to take to reach the imperial court isn't safe.

Geng Shuning felt particularly sorrowful when she thought of the nine secret guards who had been killed or wounded.

Although she hadn't been with them for long, these secret guards treated her as their master and were truly willing to die for her.

To them, she might not have been the only master, but she was the one they protected with all their heart. Knowing the danger, she still watched them go to their deaths.

According to the records she remembered, Zhang Penghe was a good official, the most capable and incorruptible river control governor of the Yongzheng era.

She couldn't judge whether the lives of a dozen secret guards were worth more than Zhang Penghe's, so she had to make the most beneficial decision as calmly as possible.

Now, thinking of so many lives, guilt threatened to overwhelm her.

But she couldn't panic. Qingfang was still waiting for her to rescue her. If she lost her way to the imperial court and the emperor returned, it might implicate others' lives.

And at least she had found the corn; she needed to bring it back and give the people another affordable food source.

Geng Shuning patted her cheeks hard, trying to calm down and not think about the overwhelming bloodshed.

*

Zhang Penghe was ambushed in the afternoon of the sixteenth, and Yinzhen arrived at the dragon boat in the evening of the seventeenth.

He didn't receive the memorial Zhang Penghe submitted until late at night.

The fact that Geng Shuning had been missing for two days and one night made Yinzhen take longer than usual to focus on the memorial.

The assassination attempt wasn't a surprise to him. During his southern tour, Yinzhen had discovered that the poles used to divert the river weren't placed according to the river control map Zhang Penghe had submitted.

Some poles were even planted in relatively high ground, completely unsuitable locations like the foot of a mountain, and even in the people's fields and graveyards.

He ordered Zhang Penghe to oversee the Huaihe area and find out which officials were taking advantage of the river project to enrich themselves and harm the people.

Zhang Penghe uncovered evidence against some river control officials. Most importantly, he discovered that this matter involved the servant of Gali, the governor of Shanxi.

Not only that, but some of these river control officials had protectors in the court. The symbols on the letters and hidden silver involved the Prince Lian's mansion, the Ninth Prince's mansion, and the mansion of the Dun prince.

He hadn't had the chance to report to the dragon boat yet, mainly because these days the 'emperor' was feigning illness and had not summoned anyone.

However, Zhang Penghe had left some of his men along the riverbank. When they learned that the 'imperial carriage' was traveling incognito to inspect the riverbank, they immediately informed him, and he rushed to meet the emperor with the evidence.

Before he could reach the emperor, he was intercepted, and an attempt was made on his life.

It was Geng Shuning who heard the commotion and came to rescue him.

Yinzhen asked Zhang Penghe with a cold expression, "From yesterday until now, how many people have you sent to look for her? How did you search?"

Zhang Penghe, a notoriously rigid old man, furrowed his brow and replied resolutely—

"Reply to Your Majesty, this servant sent a few servants from my household to search the area, but the disguised imperial carriage shouldn't be made public. I humbly request Your Majesty to recall the guards searching the Huaihe area and depart at once."

Only by returning to the capital with the evidence of corruption he uncovered and punishing those corrupt officials can we restore justice to the river management.

Yinzhen's face darkened, and his demeanor turned icy. He asked coolly, "Is it your place to teach me what to do? Do you know who the person who saved you is?"

Zhang Penghe raised his head. "This servant knows that the woman is one of Your Majesty's trusted guards. I will always remember her life-saving grace and will send people to continue searching for her."

"Your Majesty should not linger here for a woman. The assassins have not been identified yet, and the imperial carriage could be in danger at any time. This servant urges Your Majesty to prioritize the empire and not be burdened by personal feelings!"

If not for her saving him, Zhang Penghe would have risked everything to impeach Geng Shuning for impersonating the Emperor and brought her entire family to justice.

From Zhao Song's panic and warnings, Zhang Penghe realized how important this woman was to the Emperor, even going so far as to dispatch secret guards to protect her, which was utterly inappropriate.

If she were a disaster, Zhang Penghe would use his entire fortune to honor her with a monument if she died, but it would be better if she were dead.

Yinzhen was amused to the point of laughter. If the little fox knew that the person she saved wished her dead, would she still act so recklessly?

As an emperor, Yinzhen knew how to be cutting in a way that would leave such an ingrained minister utterly humiliated.

"Zhang Penghe, I once thought you were excellent at managing the rivers, but now I see that you're not even good at being an official. Otherwise, why would the Yellow River, Huai River, and Hongze Lake regions suffer frequent floods?"

"If you could manage the people under you, how could there be so many corrupt officials under your jurisdiction, even daring to conspire with assassins who seek to overthrow the Qing and restore the Ming?"

"You're not even competent as an official, yet you have the audacity to lecture me about how to govern the empire. Where do you get the audacity to act so superior?"

"Do you think I would let a woman from the inner court manipulate me and become a tyrant? Stop flaunting your limited knowledge, and don't make me doubt my choice of using you!"

"I only keep those who are useful to the empire by my side. In terms of contributions to the court, she is worth more than ten of you. She saw that you were useful to the people and decisively protected your life, yet all you see is that she is a woman."

Yinzhen's gaze cut through Zhang Penghe's flushed face like a blade. "I can tell you that if anything happens to her, even without me acting, the retired emperor will take your life!"

Zhang Penghe was shocked. Even the retired emperor knew of this woman's existence?

Flushed and embarrassed, he still defended himself. "This servant did not turn a blind eye to someone in need of rescue. It's just that recently, there has been a lot of rain, and the water currents are swift. One wrong move could lead to death."

"The servants in my household are old retainers who are good swimmers. If I had used soldiers, it would not only delay the river management but also expose that woman's identity..."

Yinzhen pinched his nose bridge, cutting off the excuses. "Enough, I have no use for you here. Go back and reflect behind closed doors!"

"This woman is related to the empire. You are not allowed to leak even half a word about her. If you dare to disrupt my and the retired emperor's plans, your entire clan's lives will be forfeit!"

"Instead of wasting time with idle thoughts, focus on developing practical solutions for the current river management crisis and how to handle the corrupt officials."

"I'll give you three days. If you can't handle it, you can forget about being the governor and go home to farm!"

Zhang Penghe's mouth opened, but he couldn't bring himself to ask further or provoke the Emperor's anger again.

He was upright, but not a fool. He could sense the suppressed anger and seriousness of the Emperor and could only retreat with dissatisfaction and concern for the imperial carriage's safety.

Two more days passed, and Zhang Penghe, along with the princes and officials confined to the ship, grew increasingly restless. They repeatedly sent requests to ask for an audience with the Emperor.

Those who could reach the imperial presence, including the suspicious Yunxiang and others, secretly organized a group of officials to kneel and beg the Emperor to return to the capital immediately.

It was known that several waves of assassins had risked their lives to attempt assassinations since the imperial carriage had been delayed here.

If they delayed any longer, it would not only disrupt court affairs but also cause them to miss the Empress Dowager's Thousand Autumns Festival.

On the third day, Yinzhen issued an edict that the imperial carriage would return to the capital. All ships remained under strict lockdown, and no one was permitted to board or approach the imperial carriage without an official summons.

Yunxiang and Yun'e already knew that Zhang Penghe had delivered the evidence to the emperor. Though they despised the secret guard who had foiled their plans, they couldn't afford to dwell on it and focused on covering their tracks.

Yinzhen strategically leaked word of the evidence reaching the emperor to stir up trouble for them, but he held back all the memorials from being processed.

The next evening, when the boats in front of and behind the dragon boat were particularly anxious, no one noticed as a small boat silently slipped away from the side of the dragon boat.

Dressed in plain guard attire, Yinzhen, with Su Peisheng looking close to tears, set off southward again toward the Huai River bend.

By the time he met Lin Fu, five days had passed since Geng Shuning was attacked. Yinzhen's expression grew colder by the moment.

Seeing Lin Fu's troubled face, Yinzhen's expression darkened like the night.

"Still no news?"

After a moment's hesitation, Lin Fu knelt and reported, "Your Majesty, your servant found traces of the Heaven and Earth Society, a secret society, downstream of the Huai River and, following the clues, captured several of their strongholds."

"As for the lay nun and Qingfang, we did locate them, but..."

Before Lin Fu could finish, Yinzhen immediately stood up and moved forward, "Lead the way!"

No matter what happened, no matter how many "buts" there were, as long as the little fox was alive, he didn't care about anything else.

After being missing for so long, she might have lost her innocence, or her appearance might have been damaged. In the past, Yinzhen wouldn't have hesitated to order her to spend the rest of her life in a family temple with the company of ancient Buddhist scriptures.

In everyone's eyes, Yinzhen was a man of rules, and a woman losing her virtue was no small matter in this world.

But after Geng Shuning went missing, during countless restless nights, he realized with a hollow heart that he didn't care so much about rules or appearance.

The thought of losing Geng Shuning felt like someone had carved half of his heart and soul away with a knife.

Along the way, Lin Fu took the opportunity to report Geng Shuning's situation.

"The lay nun, perhaps fearing the assassins, didn't try to contact the imperial court, which is why she survived."

"The lay nun was also clever; she had children singing a song about 'peace and tranquility' as they walked through the streets. My secret guards heard the song and found the lay nun and Qingfang."

"However... Qingfang's innocence was taken. If not for the lay nun rushing into the house with a knife to fight, she might have already been married off."

"To protect herself, the lay nun claimed to be the newlywed wife of her rescuer, served tea to her mother-in-law, and it seems... they have already consummated their marriage."

Lin Fu struggled with the last part.

He and Su Peisheng, who knew best how much their master valued Geng Shuning, had never had a chance. Now, someone else had taken the lead, which was why he didn't dare to call her 'Sui Ning Zhu Ren' and still referred to her as the lay nun.

From a man's perspective, Lin Fu thought the emperor would be furious, and neither Geng Shuning nor the family she had become a real couple with would survive.

Even if Geng Shuning were spared, she might be forced to spend the rest of her life in a nunnery.

Lin Fu continued, "The Heaven and Earth Society has been very active here. My men and I didn't dare to act rashly and reveal our identities, so we secretly stayed nearby to protect the lay nun and Qingfang."

Yinzhen remained silent the entire time and spurred his horse on toward the village Lin Fu mentioned.

Two hours later, Yinzhen stopped in front of the house where Geng Shuning... had newly married.

Su Peisheng, with a heavy heart, knocked on the door.

A child's clear voice called from inside, "Who’s there?"

"Mom! Granny! Someone is knocking!"

Both Su Peisheng and Lin Fu turned pale. They're calling her "mom"—does this mean the earlier talk about consummating the marriage and serving tea was real?

Neither of them dared to breathe too loudly, secretly glancing at their master's expression.

To their surprise, though their master's expression wasn't exactly friendly, he remained eerily calm.

The familiar soft voice of Geng Shuning came from afar: "Dun'er has such good hearing. Do you remember what your mom taught you?"

Dun'er cheerfully replied, "I remember! You told me not to open the door to strangers, or bad people might come and hurt us!"

Geng Shuning, who had just finished cleaning the severely injured Qingfang's body, smiled as she wiped her wet hands on her clothes. As she opened the door, she praised Dun'er in a sweet voice.

"Dun'er is great. You remembered what your mom said after just one time—"

Her words abruptly stopped when she saw the two rows of guards standing outside, and the towering figure in the center who was staring fixedly at her.

Oh, they found me—and fast.

Geng Shuning's eyes flickered for a moment. This must be the third part of her test.

Losing her had made him realize her true value. If he gave up on her, with her abilities, making a name for herself in the southern regions was only a matter of time.

Now, there was an added twist—she had been missing for so long, and her purity was likely destroyed. This would test whether he still wanted to be with her.

If he hesitated or gave up on her because she lost her purity, she would leave him forever, even if it meant her own death.

All these thoughts raced through her mind in a heartbeat. Geng Shuning adopted a timid demeanor, pulling Dun'er closer as she took a step back and lowered her head.

Her voice became meek when she spoke again, "My lord, why have you come here personally... ah!"

Before she could finish, the usually composed Yinzhen strode forward and hoisted her over his shoulder, turning to leave.

His voice, strained and low, issued a command, "Lin Fu, handle this place!"

"Take them all away and deal with them as you see fit. If even a single word about what happened here leaks out, I'll take your life!"

Lin Fu instinctively knelt and agreed, his eyes wide open as he watched his master walk away.

Su Peisheng was also stunned for a moment, but it was Geng Shuning's low-voiced struggle that snapped him back to his senses, prompting him to hurriedly follow.

Geng Shuning was almost shaken to the point of vomiting by Yinzhen's rough handling. "Put me down!"

"Don't scare the child. That's my savior's son... ouch!"

She was thrown directly onto the horse, lying face down.

Yinzhen then mounted the horse and galloped away, the coldness in his voice slightly dissipated by the wind.

"I know he's your savior's son, and I'll repay him on your behalf!"

"You should worry about how you're going to explain yourself to me!"

Geng Shuning was nearly driven to madness by the horse's bouncing. She didn't catch his last words.

The horse was moving so fast that she couldn't even lift her head, and every bone in her body felt like it was being jolted out of place.

She couldn't help but shout, "Even if I'm being executed, there's still a last meal! Can't you let me sit properly... ah!"

Yinzhen slapped her on the back with a forceful hand, his voice colder and angrier than ever. "If you don't know how to speak, then shut up!"

What nonsense about "taking the right path" or not? This reckless woman dared to say and do anything. If he didn’t teach her a lesson, she might really overturn the heavens and even ruin herself!

Originally, he had planned to help Geng Shuning stand up, but now he was so angry that he wanted to beat her to death. He hardened his heart and decided to let her suffer a bit.

Su Peisheng had listened to Geng Shuning's cursing all the way until her voice faded to a murmur. Along with the secret guards who were protecting the emperor's safety, he felt anxious on Geng Shuning's behalf.

How could this woman dare to do anything?

When they reached the shore where the small boat was docked, Su Peisheng and the others were about to step forward to assist, but they heard Yinzhen's cold roar—

"All of you, get far away from me!"

With a dark expression, he stormed onto the boat, Geng Shuning clamped under his arm.

Su Peisheng insisted on following in case something happened and someone needed to row the boat.

The secret guards could only wait on the shore, their eyes filled with pity. No one had ever seen their master so furious.

This woman’s life might not even be safe.

*

In fact, Geng Shuning was indeed furious to the point of despair.

As soon as she landed in the cabin, regardless of what Yinzhen was doing, she clawed, kicked, and even used her teeth, just to get away from him.

"Are you insane!" Geng Shuning cried, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably. "I endured so much for you, handling your affairs and protecting your people, and now you're yelling at me!"

Yinzhen's chest heaved several times. His usually calm amber phoenix eyes suddenly flashed with confusion.

For some reason, the raging fire he had felt on the road just moments ago couldn't ignite anymore the moment her first slap hit his chest.

Even the pain on his body brought a strange sense of pleasure.

She was alive, still as bold and defiant as ever, challenging his authority.

But he hesitated, unable to use any of his imperial power and strength that had always surrounded her imperceptibly. This time, he couldn't bring himself to use even a single bit on her.

When Geng Shuning kicked and lost her balance, he quickly wrapped his arm, still marked by her teeth, around her and pulled her back into his embrace.

An inexplicable sting filled his hollow heart, causing veins to appear faintly from his neck to the corner of his forehead.

He exerted all his strength to resist squeezing her into him, his voice so soft that it was completely drowned out by her sobbing.

"Sui Ning, just being alive is enough."

Geng Shuning didn't hear what he said, feeling the pain in her abdomen from the jolts, and angrily pushed him away.

"Let me go! I'd rather die than—"

Yinzhen roughly lowered his head and, like a ravenous predator that hadn't fed in days, blocked her harsh words with his mouth, gnawing, sucking, stirring up a storm, never wanting to hear that word from her again.

The anger that Geng Shuning had held for many days, the guilt from recalling the dead secret guards, the tension from retrieving Qingfang, and the growing hostility from the villagers all dissipated in the midst of her cries and this violent kiss.

She tilted her neck, struggling to breathe, tears slipping from the corners of her eyes.

Her body went limp, and she could barely stand. The man helped her sit on the small bed in the cabin, where he seemed to drain all the air from her, making her vision blur.

But Geng Shuning didn't want to struggle. No matter how strong her bones were, she was afraid—afraid of being abandoned, afraid of being hurt.

Fortunately, this man had come. The kiss was still wild, and his large, hot hand was still not quite well-behaved, forcing her throat to become hoarse from moaning.

*

It was unknown how much time had passed before the two of them stopped.

Geng Shuning, like a docile rabbit, softly leaned against his chest, unable to stop sobbing, while he gently patted her back as if comforting a child.

Geng Shuning, her nose tingling, asked in a hoarse voice, "I've been missing for many days, and if people find out..."

Yinzhen gently kissed her brow, understanding what she was asking.

"It's fine. If you marry, so be it. It will also fulfill your wish to be a widow; entering the palace as a widow is not impossible."

Geng Shuning: "..." Was he trying to kill Dun'er's father? Was this how he repaid kindness?

When it came to jealousy between men and women, she wasn't very knowledgeable, nor would she stir up trouble for men.

She gently caressed Yinzhen's chin, "I was another man's wife before. Doesn't that bother you at all?"

Yinzhen was about to nod when he saw her apricot eyes slightly squinting. He paused, following his instinct to pinch her slim waist.

"I want to strangle you, but I can't bear to let you go."

Geng Shuning hummed softly, deliberately wriggling in his arms, "Then let me go. My innocence is already gone. It wouldn't be bad to be a lay nun for the rest of my life."

"Don't be silly." Yinzhen lightly patted her head, originally only willing to act without saying empty words, but now he could say it.

"The Imperial Physician said the queen's body will last at most another two years. These few years I'll let you be free. When the time comes, you'd better enter the palace. The harem awaits your management."

Geng Shuning was stunned, propping herself up by pushing against his shoulders, her swollen red eyes wide open as she looked at him.

"You want me to be the empress?"

Yinzhen hummed softly with his eyes closed, "Don't you want your mother's dowry, to not be a concubine, to not share a man with others?"

Being the empress, arranging who would attend the emperor's bedchamber, having more power than the Shangqin Mama—she could have everything she wanted.

Geng Shuning: "..."

She found it hard to believe these words, wanting only to avoid them, muttering dryly, "The empress is in good health; how can you wish for her death... so inauspicious..."

She couldn't get up, as Yinzhen had been tightly holding her waist, his long legs wrapping around her entire body, his chin resting on her loosely tied hair.

"Everyone has their fate. I won't harm her, but what you deserve will be yours."

"Be a good girl and let me rest well. I haven't had a full night's sleep in almost twenty days."

If this were anyone else, with such a big promise and seeing their beloved so haggard, their heart would ache to pieces.

But... Geng Shuning wasn't like others. She wasn't one to be swayed easily.

Before he finished speaking, already thinking about sleeping, being so dismissive—absolutely not.

She wriggled, twisted, and squirmed in Yinzhen's arms, keeping him from falling asleep.

Yinzhen patted her butt, giving her a faint glance, "What is it again?"

Geng Shuning, not minding the pain, cupped his face fiercely, "Can you swear by the fate of the Qing Empire regarding everything you just said?"

Yinzhen's amber phoenix eyes narrowed slightly. "Geng Shuning, are you asking for a spanking?"

"No nonsense! Do you dare?" Geng Shuning resisted the urge to back down, lifting her chin to meet his gaze.

Yinzhen stared at her for a moment, sighed helplessly, and leaned down to gently press his lips to hers.

"I swear by the fate of the Qing Dynasty..."

Geng Shuning pushed him hard, sending him to the ground, and then her cherry lips, rougher than his had been moments ago, brutally seized his.

Though she couldn't match his strength, Geng Shuning's fragrant and soft tongue acted like a delicate yet brave warrior, fearlessly charging into a battle not her own, exuding a fierce determination.

She reached for his clothes, grabbed his hand, and placed it on the coarse cloth button of his jacket, pressing down firmly.

Yinzhen sighed, exasperated. "Sui Ning, you've just fallen into the water. Wait until you've recovered your strength..."

He did want this little fox—wanted her so much his body was nearly bursting. But he was well aware that being swept by rapid currents could leave hidden injuries.

And... his gaze darkened, growing more complex.

If she had just been through something like this, she might not be able to handle another rough encounter. A mix of bitterness and anger restrained his desire to tear into his prey.

Geng Shuning didn't care what he thought; all her efforts had been to be with him.

This man had been celibate for almost a year and a half, proving his determination not to philander, which satisfied her.

After achieving the three milestones, she felt reassured—she wasn't leaving him.

Since that was the case, with her own man, why overthink? Convince him now and deal with the consequences later!

In this moment, as he held her tightly and spoke the words of his oath, his eyes seeing only her disheveled figure, the source of temptation, yet reverently kissing her brow.

The heat inside her burned more intensely than the floodwaters that had once engulfed her.

She wanted this man, wanted his body marked with her imprint.

She kissed his nose, lips, earlobe, and neck, biting at his coat buttons as their hearts pressed together, the stifling heat soaking the entire cabin.

Yinzhen could no longer control his throbbing desire.

It wasn't that his self-control was poor; it was just as he had imagined—this rascal had learned too much from her dreams!

He discreetly helped her lie down on their disheveled clothes, his voice hoarse as he confirmed one last time.

"You're not afraid of the pain anymore?"

Geng Shuning lay comfortably, holding him, forcing his head down. "I’ve already been through so much today; might as well get it all over with."

"Let me tell you, if you miss this chance, you might not get another one. When I'm better, if you want me to suffer again, I won’t..."

Yinzhen fiercely sealed her lips with his, the emperor who had battled on real fields now revealing the fierce and ruthless side honed in blood and gore.

Their fingers interlocked above their heads, their movements a mix of pleasure and pain, like the first harvest after a long drought, red-hot and intense, giving back to the farmers countless surprises, more diligently tended, clearly showing the joy and busyness of their first shared yield.

They moved together, lost in the rhythm of their shared desire, savoring the moment.

Amidst the stormy weather, with the sky as their quilt, the earth as their bed, and water as their medium, the farmers remained steadfast, bending over to transform the cherished produce of the mountains and rivers into their own harvest.

*

The secret guards, fearing for safety, spread out as much as possible, patrolling around to eliminate all dangers, fully focused on protecting the small boat.

Due to the slight distance, also to avoid overhearing anything they shouldn't, they only saw the small boat sway with faint curses before settling down.

But at some point, the small boat began to tremble again, swaying even more violently.

With the keen hearing of the secret guards, they caught the sound of a woman's sobs, which were muffled by the sudden rain, barely audible yet persistent like the rain itself.

The secret guards shook their heads in silent lament, no matter how powerful Master Suining might be, he truly wouldn't make it back to the capital this time.

Su Peisheng, forgotten by the two people in the cabin, stood at the bow of the small boat, his head bowed and eyes downcast, looking like a stone statue as he gazed at the turbulent river surface, revealing no emotion.

Only during the brief moments when the waves subsided slightly, one could see through the water his mouth stretched wide, almost reaching the back of his head, unable to close.