Chapter 121

Chapter 121

From a young age, Yinzhen was used to thinking deeply, acting decisively, and speaking sparingly. Though often misunderstood by the world, he never bothered to explain himself, focusing solely on his duties.

He was well aware of the rules of survival in the palace. Before being a father, the old man was, first and foremost, an emperor.

For the sake of imperial power, even his most trusted second brother was someone to be wary of.

His other brothers, even the least favored Yin Shi, had mothers who were entirely devoted to them, cautious and unobtrusive, always wary of causing trouble for their sons.

Yinzhen was different. Beneath his seemingly dignified exterior lay a tangled mess.

His adoptive mother showed little affection for him, evident in Tong Siya's indifferent attitude.

His birth mother... it's better not to speak of her.

As for the wives and concubines in the inner court, the ruthlessness and paranoia of the Ula Nara clan were well-known, and the concubines were no better.

He had always relied solely on himself. His suspicion and thoughtfulness ensured he made few mistakes, securing the power and status he deserved.

Since meeting Geng Shuning, he initially saw the little fox as an amusing diversion, less significant than the favor and Bai Fu he had personally nurtured.

Geng Shuning repeatedly used her wits to humiliate him, pierce his heart, and, as if unafraid of death, seize every opportunity.

Often, he felt manipulated by a woman and even contemplated killing her, but her endless dreams were too valuable to him, so for the sake of the empire, he repeatedly tolerated her.

Even when he took Geng Shuning south, he noticed her repeated attempts to test him and her intention to leave, yet he still considered killing her.

As the ruler of the Qing Dynasty, he couldn't afford to lose a useful person, and it was even harder to accept how much he valued a woman, fretting over her life and death.

But... the heart is flesh and blood.

Such a vibrant, radiant woman, who laughed and scolded freely, had truly taken root in his heart. To uproot her... would not just wound him deeply, but might even shorten his life.

Born and raised in the palace, Yinzhen was exceptionally clear-headed. Any weakness would be a lever for others to topple him from his pedestal.

This little fox brought the luck she claimed, helping him secure the throne and avoid defeat in battle. It was truly heaven's blessing.

But every advantage has its drawbacks. Forging an imperial decree was just the start. He could cover for her now, but what if she grew even bolder because of that Zhuang Zhou dream?

If the empire and her life were weighed on the same scale, how could he protect her...

*

Geng Shuning, accompanied by Qiao He and Qiao Jing, confirmed that Fu'erdan was indeed a Yunqiwei under Sabusu.

Because of his high status, Emperor Kangxi personally appointed him as the commander of the Mongolian Plain White Banner.

Anyone could see he was the heir to the General of Heilongjiang, a true military leader with real authority, capable of leading over ten thousand men to chase the fleeing soldiers led by Tseling, only to fall into an ambush.

Now that Yun Ti had forged an imperial decree and entered Tibet, there was no need to venture deep into Lhasa. Simply reaching the border where Tsewang Rabtan's troops were stationed would confirm that only the old, weak, sick, and disabled remained, with few capable soldiers.

Once this news reached Ulan Butong, even a fool would realize the Dzungars' conspiracy and avoid falling for Tseling's schemes again.

With Fu'erdan here, once it was confirmed that Tibet had no troops, Yinzhen would surely order Yanxin and Tseling to stay vigilant.

Fu'erdan was being held back by Sabusu and had no chance to break free again.

At most, before the battle began, she would remind Yinzhen once more to have someone watch Fu'erdan closely.

This would also ease his mind.

Geng Shuning had been out in the cold wind during the day, so she took a hot bath when she got back and slept very soundly, not even waking when Yinzhen got out of bed.

But because it was so cold when she returned, she drank a lot of hot water and had plenty of hot soup at dinner to dispel the chill from her body. As she slept... naturally, she had to get up in the middle of the night.

Awakened by the need to relieve herself, she groggily sat up, half-opening her eyes, and reached out to grab the short night cloak placed on the kang partition.

As soon as she reached out, she noticed the kang partition was still warm and seemed somewhat springy.

She instinctively felt upward, yawning as she raised her head to look, only to suddenly meet a pair of amber phoenix eyes reflecting the candlelight, staring intently at her.

Geng Shuning was so startled she almost jumped. "You... why aren't you sleeping in the middle of the night? What are you doing sitting by the pillow?"

She was scared to death!

Yinzhen's voice was faint: "I couldn't find my pillow, so I couldn't sleep. I could only watch you sleep."

Geng Shuning was speechless.

Glancing at the bulge she had pushed into the quilt, she felt a bit embarrassed.

Well... she was used to holding something while sleeping, but her human pillow was always busy with late-night meetings, so she had rekindled her old habit.

"Tomorrow, I'll have Su Peisheng prepare an extra pillow," Geng Shuning muttered as she got out of bed, still curious.

"Wasn't the curtain closed? Why is it open? No wonder it's a bit cold."

If the curtain hadn't been opened, the candlelight wouldn't have shone in, and she wouldn't have been startled by Yinzhen's glowing eyes.

Yinzhen didn't answer, waiting until Geng Shuning returned from the bathroom and washed up, still staring at her without blinking.

In the middle of the night, Yinzhen's gaze had completely dispelled Geng Shuning's drowsiness.

She sat beside Yinzhen, hugging the quilt, feeling annoyed.

"Master, what's wrong? Didn't you already discuss the war plans for the coming year with the generals during the day?"

Since there was still no news from Yun Ti, it wasn't the time for major actions, or else it would be hard to explain.

But Yinzhen's paranoia and overthinking were well-known among his subordinates.

Hearing that he had ordered increased vigilance and sent out some secret guards and scouts to investigate the Dzungars' movements, everyone thought it was just their master being cautious.

The war wouldn't start until after the New Year, so the main focus now was training soldiers and figuring out how to set traps for the Dzungars. There was no rush.

What's wrong with this dog now?

Yinzhen stroked her shoulder for a while before changing the subject: "Ning'er, you know you can't let anyone know you're involved in politics, right?"

Geng Shuning raised an eyebrow and sat up to look at him. "Why are you suddenly asking this?"

"You organized the selection of concubines not just for me, but to elevate the status of women in the empire and enlighten the people," Yinzhen said calmly, looking at her.

"What else do you plan to do? Have women become officials, encourage them to step out of their homes, and meddle in all aspects of society? Blur the distinctions between Manchu and Han?"

Geng Shuning neither confirmed nor denied. "Before I do anything, I'll discuss it with you. What I want to do is to make the Qing Dynasty's empire more stable..."

"Ning'er, if I don't agree with something, will you give it up?" Yinzhen interrupted her wearily, his expression particularly complex.

Geng Shuning hesitated for a moment, not saying anything. Well... does feigning compliance count as giving up?

She wanted to prepare for when the maritime hegemony invaded, so that the country and its people would have the strength to resist. There were some things she had to do.

Yinzhen seemed to know what she was thinking, his face growing even more weary as he held Geng Shuning's hand.

"You must know, if I stop you, it's because some things can be done, and some things cannot. That's just how the world works. If you want to be an enemy of the empire, I cannot protect you."

This seemed like Yinzhen's carefully considered response to her earlier probing, or perhaps the boundaries he had set for her after her previous testing?

She tilted her head, biting her lip as she looked at Yinzhen thoughtfully.

She vaguely sensed that this man was struggling, torn between her and the empire.

What did she expect, dating an emperor? She wasn't even surprised.

She didn't want to argue with Yinzhen over this, so after a moment of thought, she nodded decisively.

"I'll listen to you. If you think something is inappropriate, I won't do it. No matter what happens, we'll discuss it together."

Even in their past lives, couples had to live like this. She was prepared to adjust and compromise.

Before Yinzhen could smile, she grasped his hand in return, "But Yinzhen, you need to understand, I won't stand by and watch someone else's son ascend the throne. How my son is raised must be decided by both of us."

Yinzhen: "...What if you can't have a son?"

Geng Shuning laughed, the sparkle in her eyes made Yinzhen's heart race, but also filled him with dread.

"Then I'll adopt a few sons! In any case, the one who ascends the throne must be my son. There's no room for negotiation on this matter, unless you kill me or let me leave, never to see each other again."

Yinzhen frowned, displeased, and squeezed Geng Shuning's hand tightly.

"Don't speak in anger."

Geng Shuning poked his chest with her slender finger, "You know whether it's anger or not. I've laid all my cards on the table, Yinzhen. I have no way out, and neither can you."

Their eyes met, sharpness and scrutiny hidden beneath the calm.

They both knew that after Zhuang Zhou's dream had escalated, it was finally time to completely determine their path forward—a pact of love, and also an alliance.

The cold winter wind howled outside the tent, faintly carrying the sound of the night watch from the military camp, making the tent feel even more desolate.

Yinzhen's heart was torn between ice and fire—the weight of the empire, the delicate flower that had grown in his heart, the tragic future in Zhuang Zhou's dream... countless entanglements and hesitations swirled in his mind, leaving him speechless for a long time.

After what felt like an eternity, Yinzhen finally took a deep breath in silence. No matter what, he couldn't let go of her, could he?

He held Geng Shuning's cold little hand tightly in his palm, pressing it to his chest, his voice hoarse—

"You must never again say one thing and do another. In this life, through thick and thin, I will stand by you, unshaken by mountains or seas."

"Agreed. As long as you stay, I won't leave you..." Geng Shuning stared at Yinzhen, her heart and nose ached so much that she couldn't think of anything elegant to say.

Sniffling, she added, "And let's keep the tomb just for the two of us, no need to crowd it."

Yinzhen: "...Let's sleep a little longer."

Yinzhen put the pillow back, hugged this infuriating little fox, and fell asleep peacefully.

Outside the tent, the first light of dawn broke on the horizon.