like

This is a bit awkward...

However, thanks to the supervisor's guidance, I am even more confused about whether this dynasty should be destroyed or saved...

But as the supervisor said, if I push Ah Shi up, the dynasty may appear to be without any problems, but in reality it will be dead, won't it?

In that case, whether the dynasty is saved or not, whether the crown prince is deposed or not, seems to be unimportant...

So what's important? I'm even more confused now...

What should we do? Should we still send Ah Shi to learn the ways of being a ruler tomorrow?

In this situation, if the crown prince is not deposed, the dynasty will perish.

Even if the deposed crown prince put Ah Shi on the throne, the dynasty would still perish...

Ugh...headache...

I really want to ask someone, to discuss this with someone, but when I look around, there's no one there...

I suddenly thought of the broken porcelain shards that Mu Li had cleaned up. Yes, if he hadn't picked up those shards one by one, I would feel like I was the only person left in the world whenever I think of that scene...

My desire to see Muli has reached its peak at this moment...

I went straight out to find a horse, mounted it, and rode out of the palace to chase after Muli.

Mu Li was riding his horse slowly along the road when, perhaps because the sound of my horse galloping away was too loud, he couldn't help but turn around. When he saw it was me, his eyes lit up, and he spurred his horse to turn around and approach me.

I immediately dismounted, and he followed suit, walking to my side with a worried look: "What's wrong, Xu Yi?"

I hugged him tightly, buried my face in his chest, and listened to the thump-thump-thump of his heart. My breathing seemed to slowly synchronize with his heartbeat...

He paused for a moment, then hugged me tightly and asked again, "What's wrong, Xu Yi?"

“No, it’s nothing,” I shook my head in his arms. “I just wanted to see you.”

"Huh? Xu Yi..." He nuzzled my neck: "When you left the palace, you said you didn't agree to see me, but now you want to see me?"

"Yes, it was so sudden, I didn't expect it myself."

"Okay," a soft laugh came from beside my ear, "Then, shall we be together?"

"Yes, that's it."

After a long while, seeing that I still hadn't let go of him, he leaned closer and asked, "Should I take you back to the palace, or come back to my residence with me?"

I pulled away and punched her: "Go back to the manor? What are you talking about?"

He smiled and shook my hand: "The Mu Mansion is very large, with many guest rooms."

I said firmly, "Return to the palace."

“Okay,” he said, taking my hand and leading me back into the palace.

The sky was dark, dotted with stars, and the moonlight spilled across the earth, like a silvery-white road...

He took my hand and hooked my fingers around it: "What's wrong, Xu Yi? You're not the kind of person who would suddenly change your mind."

“It’s nothing,” I shook my head, “I just suddenly remembered how you cleaned up the broken tiles for me during the day, and I suddenly realized that since there’s someone I don’t mind who’s willing to do good for me, why should I refuse?”

"Xu Yi, what you said is really scummy... It's like you don't intend to take responsibility for me at all."

"What do you, a grown man, need me to take responsibility for?"

"What?" He raised an eyebrow: "Is a man's love not love? Doesn't it require taking responsibility?"

"You're right, so how do you expect me to take responsibility for you? We definitely can't get married!"

“Hmm,” he nodded slowly, “I don’t ask for those things. The future is too far away, and I may not even live to see it. So, I’ll just focus on the present.”

"That's a really scummy thing to say... It only cares about the present and gives off a feeling of not wanting to take responsibility."

Muli smiled helplessly: "It seems so..."

We then smiled at each other, forgetting about tomorrow's troubles...

When we arrived at the palace gate, it was already closed. Mu Li looked helplessly at the closed gate and smiled at me: "Now, it's really impossible to go back."

"Yes, it's a pity I'm not a ghost, I can't just walk through walls..."

"Then... let's go back to the Mu residence?" He looked at me tentatively.

"No, I don't want to see your grandfather."

He smiled brightly: "Then I'll take you to an inn for the night." After saying that, he lifted me up and easily placed me on the horse, then flipped over and sat behind me, kissed the back of my ear, and said, "Let's go." Only then did he spur the horse forward.

The innkeeper asked us three times if we were only opening one room.

I impatiently slammed my hand on the table: "What? Can't you open it?"

"Yes, yes, it's open." The innkeeper quickly completed the registration and then led Muli and me upstairs.

When the door to the guest room was opened, the owner stammered that if water was needed, the waiter could boil it in advance.

"I'm not taking a bath, why would I need water?"

"Alright, alright," the innkeeper nodded, "Then I won't disturb you any longer."

I waved for the boss to leave, then turned to Muli and said, "You can go back now. I can go back to the palace by myself tomorrow."

"I'll stay by your side!"

"No need. There are few in this world who can kill me, so there's no need to worry."

"But I'm really worried about you being alone at the inn..."

"No need..." I shook my head, feeling sleepy. I lay down on the bed and pulled the blanket over myself. "I need to sleep. You should go back and get some rest too!"

I fell asleep quickly. In my dream, I was in a place where wildflowers were in full bloom. I saw a man in white walking among the wildflowers. He stretched out his hand and gently brushed it over the flowers on both sides, causing the flowers to sway forward twice...

"Bai Er?" I called out to him. The person in front of me stopped, and just as he was about to turn around, I was blown back...

What the hell is this, Bai Er? It's always about whether we'll meet or not?

I stretched and opened the door, and saw Mu Li, who was resting against the door, had woken up. His eyes were a little blurry, but he still smiled at me: "Xu Yi, you're awake?"

"Yes, I'm going back to the palace. You..."

"I'm with you."

"You didn't get any rest last night, and now you're going straight to the palace to be on duty. Aren't you tired?"

"It's alright. I used to stay up all night during the war, so it's nothing."

"Really nothing?"

"It's nothing."

“Okay,” I nodded, took his hand and walked outside: “I’ll take you to have breakfast.”

He moved closer and walked alongside me. "Okay, I like to eat steamed buns in the morning."

"Okay, it's on you."

As we sat down at a street vendor's stall, steaming hot buns were served. The rising steam enveloped Muli and me, filling our lives with the warmth of everyday life.

His gaze gently swept over from beyond the rising mist, the tiny starlight twinkling in his eyes like a freehand landscape painting…

"Eat! Why are you staring at me like that?"

“Okay,” he nodded, picked up his chopsticks, and then looked up at me one last time: “Can you feed me?”

"Huh? What?"

"Never mind, I'll eat it myself." He quickly finished the steamer of xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) and looked at me with a smile: "I want to eat another steamer."

"Okay, as long as you're full." I called to the vendor, "Bring another steamer of buns."

After we had eaten three baskets of steamed buns, he reluctantly took my hand and we walked towards the palace.

When I entered the palace, I ran into A-Shi, who was leaving. Today, A-Shi wasn't wearing his monk's robes, but rather a moon-white scholar's gown. He looked at us in surprise: "You... how did you get in from outside the palace? And at this hour?" Then he looked at me as if he had just realized something: "Aunt, you've only known this person for a short time, and you've already stayed out all night?"

"What are you talking about?" I rolled my eyes at Ah Shiyi: "I left the palace too late last night, so I just spent the night at an inn outside the palace."

"Oh... alone?"

I felt that Ah Shi was acting like a parent checking up on their child, so I rolled my eyes again: "One person! Besides, even if there really were two people, so what?"

"What? Auntie, you two are really together? Oh my god..."

Before he could finish his sighs, I slapped him on the shoulder and urged, "Hurry up and leave the palace, and remember to study hard!"

"Aaaaaah... Auntie, I don't want to live anymore..."

"Learn first, then die..."

"This is outrageous, outrageous..." Ah Shi clutched his head and ran away in a few steps.

When we arrived at the Imperial Observatory, Mu Li held my hand tightly, stroking it repeatedly...

I pulled my hand back: "What are you doing? We see each other every day!"

"Okay, then Xu Yi, remember to come see me every day."

"Huh?" Meeting his serious gaze, I nodded in defeat: "Okay, every day, alright?"

Then he leaned in and kissed my cheek before letting me in.

I sat back down on the recliner next to the supervisor, who smiled and nodded at me: "Little Xu Yi, you're in love!"

"Yes, yes!" I admitted helplessly.

"Didn't you dislike him?"

"But I did develop feelings for him..."

"Heh, it's a good thing to be able to face yourself! There's nothing wrong with you, no need to worry too much."

"Supervisor, after listening to what you said yesterday, I simply don't know what to do anymore. I'm on the verge of a breakdown..."

"Oh? But you seem to be fine today?"

"Yes, we should thank that sincere Muli!"

"Did love help you escape the predicament of being single?"

"Yes, love gave me courage. Although I can't consult him or make decisions for him, his presence is the greatest benefit this love has given me..."

"Great job, Xu Yi, you've improved again."

"Really?" I turned to look at the supervisor. "Why do I feel like I've regressed?"

Love makes people weak.

"Yes! It's a double-edged sword!" I looked up at the sky again: "I dreamt about Bai Er yesterday."

"Oh?" A mocking voice asked, "Haha, what's wrong?"

I still haven't seen him.

"You still want to see him."

“Yes,” I nodded, “I still want to see him.”

"Will you still feel resentful because you can't see them?"

"It seems like it still happens, but it also seems like it doesn't... I don't know how to describe this feeling..."

"You'll only understand when you're still confused. You'll know later."

"How mysterious, Supervisor! Can't you just put it more plainly?"

The supervisor did not answer me, but simply picked up his teacup again and took a sip of tea.