On the night before she left, Lin Yuqiao repeatedly asked, "Really can't you take me with you?"

Liu Heng helplessly put his arm around her waist. "Mengmeng is still so young. Are you willing to leave him alone in the palace?"

Thinking of her son, Lin Yuqiao was indeed worried, but she really wanted to go out and see the world.

Although I had lived in this world for eighteen years, enjoying a life of luxury and comfort, it was truly stifling. From one courtyard to another, all I ever saw was the sky in the four corners of the room. After entering the palace, I had even less opportunity to go out and see the world.

When she was a concubine in the Prince's mansion, she had gone out before, but the situation was bad, and she had no mood to leisurely enjoy the scenery. Moreover, she almost died in the deep mountains and forests and never came back. That trip was not a pleasant memory.

"But you've been gone for so long, I really miss you!"

Lin Yuqiao snuggled against Liu Heng, acting coquettishly. Although she said this, she was actually still unwilling to be unable to go with him.

Unable to resist her nagging, and knowing what she was thinking, Liu Heng considered for a moment and made up his mind.

"I'll take you out to Qiudi when I have the chance later, is that alright?"

When are you going?

Sure enough, as soon as he relented and made a promise, the person in his arms immediately raised their head, their eyes shining.

"In a few years!"

Hearing that there was still so much time left, Lin Yuqiao's spirits sank again.

"You! I'm not going out for fun. I'm in a rush to get there and back. I'll be traveling the whole way. You'll get bored just as much if you go."

Liu Heng gently stroked her long hair with his fingers and offered her words of advice.

"Then you are not allowed to bring any other members of the harem!"

Holding Liu Heng's waist and burying her face in his chest, Lin Yuqiao remembered something important and continued to ask.

"I'm not bringing anyone, not a single one."

The thought that if she couldn't go along, neither could the others, calmed Lin Yuqiao down, though she was still a little sullen, clinging to Liu Heng and asking him to continue stroking her hair.

Even she herself was somewhat surprised. She didn't know when it started, but Liu Heng's patience and tolerance for her seemed to have no limits, which made her personality become more and more casual.

Furthermore, since ascending the throne, Liu Heng has never used the imperial pronoun "朕" (zhen, meaning "I, the emperor") in front of her when they are together; their conversations are always back-and-forth. Logically, someone as particular about etiquette as him should have paid attention to this, but Liu Heng always indulged her, maintaining a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere.

She remembered that although Liu Heng had feelings for her before, he still had many concerns and always kept a distance from her for the sake of maintaining the balance of the household.

But now, she has been the sole favorite in the harem for a long time, while Liu Heng has become increasingly intimate with her, rarely even setting foot in the Empress's Kunning Palace.

Belatedly, Lin Yuqiao suddenly realized the problem: Had Liu Heng really come to his senses, or had the Empress done something that disgusted him?

Or is the power of true love really that great?

Lin Yuqiao couldn't understand it, but she felt that everything she had now was already an extra gift from God. If the two of them could continue to love each other for a long time, she would ask for nothing more.

"You've been traveling so far, you have to bring me a gift!"

Due to the inconvenience of travel by carriage and horse, Liu Heng would need to be away for at least two months to make a round trip to Mount Tai for the Fengshan ceremony. Thinking of her beloved, Lin Yuqiao couldn't help but feel a surge of tender feelings.

"what would you like?"

Liu Heng was puzzled. What good things didn't the palace have? What could she possibly want? Perhaps local products from Tai'an?

Liu Heng began to ponder what was worth bringing back from there from so far away.

"Pick the first branch that brushes against your shoulder on the road and bring it back as a gift!"

"Huh? Why do you need a branch?"

"That way, if you carry this branch, you'll remember me the whole way!"

Lin Yuqiao first encountered this line while reading a fairy tale years ago, and found it particularly touching. Unfortunately, she was single back then and couldn't use it, but now she can finally use it as a love confession to Liu Heng.

Hearing her words, Liu Heng subconsciously replied, "I've been sitting in the carriage the whole way, how could I pick branches for you?"

Moreover, he had memorials to review, so how could he possibly keep a tree branch by his side all the time?

Lin Yuqiao had been gazing at Liu Heng with affection, waiting for his touching reply, but unexpectedly, she received his rebuttal based on reality.

One sentence can ruin a whole new, fresh and innocent look!

After being choked back, Lin Yuqiao covered her face and pounded the bed, all the atmosphere and feelings of parting gone.

"Don't be sad, I'll try to find it for you."

He couldn't understand her obsession with the tree branch, but seeing how disappointed she seemed, Liu Heng felt a pang of pity and changed his words.

With a sigh, Lin Yuqiao realized that she shouldn't play games with Liu Heng. Playing with romance would only make her suffer in the end. It was more direct to pounce on him and express herself through actions.

Of course, this was a method that Liu Heng was happy to see. Seeing Lin Yuqiao regain her spirits and start pressing down on him, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Meanwhile, as Liu Heng responded to her enthusiasm, he found it somewhat amusing; her emotions really did change quickly, one moment stormy, the next sunny.

But what he liked was her simplicity and straightforwardness; she expressed her happiness and unhappiness directly, revealing all her emotions to him without reservation.

After the passion subsided, Lin Yuqiao lay exhausted in Liu Heng's arms, feeling drowsy, when she suddenly heard him whisper in her ear.

I will remember to miss you.

His voice was still slightly hoarse, like the exquisite sound of a cello, deeply penetrating her ears and leaving a lingering echo. A smile curved her lips, and she closed her eyes, falling peacefully asleep.

Falling in love with an emperor is always a stressful thing, with countless precedents of beautiful women losing their favor before their time, but Liu Heng still gave her a great sense of security.

When two people are together, aside from the initial surge of attraction, the actual years spent together are a process of mutual acceptance and accommodation.

Liu Heng is not a sentimental person, and his personality is rather indifferent. He is incapable of doing anything beyond reason. His affection is the kind that flows gently and slowly, and it takes time to appreciate its merits and feel its mellow and enduring nature.

The next day, when Lin Yuqiao got up, Liu Heng had already left.

When she arrived at the appointed time to pay her respects to the Empress, she was surprised to find that the Empress was in a very good mood.

However, it's understandable upon reflection. Liu Heng took Liu Kang to perform the Fengshan ceremony, partly to solidify his own status, and partly to formally announce Liu Kang's identity to the world, thus securing Liu Kang's position as crown prince.

"The Third Prince is growing up now. Whenever the Consort has time, she brings the Third Prince over so that the Eldest Princess can meet her younger brother."

Since that's what they said, Lin Yuqiao could only nod in agreement, even though she actually didn't like Liu Ling very much.

A few days later, Lin Yuqiao took Mengmeng to Kunning Palace.

"This is the eldest sister."

In the height of summer, Lin Yuqiao, holding Mengmeng, was slightly sweaty. She pointed at Liu Ling and told him to call for help.

Since she learned to say "Dad" and "Mom," Mengmeng's pronunciation has gradually become clearer. Although she can still only utter single words, she is basically able to learn to speak and communicate.

"sister."

Mengmeng was very obliging and greeted her with a smile.

Liu Ling was nearly eight years old. She wore a light purple brocade dress with wide sleeves and a begonia-shaped hairpin on her forehead. She still looked very imposing.

"This is your third brother, Liu Yang. You didn't have a chance to get close to him at his first birthday party last time. From now on, Ling'er should be a good older sister and play with her brother more often."

The Empress put her arm around Liu Ling and introduced Mengmeng to her affectionately. Lin Yuqiao, however, became secretly wary as she listened to her words.

She thought the Empress was just having a whim and wanted her to bring her son along to show off and boost her reputation for kindness, but it turns out she's planning a long-term relationship with her.

"The eldest princess has the demeanor of an elder sister."

Although Liu Ling didn't get close to Mengmeng, Lin Yuqiao was still a little worried about letting them interact. After praising Liu Ling, she wanted to pick up her son.

"Let the two sisters play by themselves."

Dissatisfied with Liu Ling standing so far away, the Empress gestured for Liu Ling to hold Mengmeng's hand and get closer to her.

Mengmeng doesn't like being around strangers, so she broke free from Liu Ling's hand and stumbled towards Lin Yuqiao.

Seeing that Mengmeng was not giving her any face, Liu Ling was also a little angry, so she went over to pull him again and bent down to coax him.

"Come on, Third Prince, let's go play with your sister."

In her opinion, she had already been very accommodating, but Mengmeng was still unwilling and kept trying to struggle. In the process, she even stepped on Liu Ling's skirt.

"The Third Prince is still young and a little shy around strangers. He'll be fine when he's older."

Lin Yuqiao rushed over and hugged her son, who was on the verge of crying. Feeling heartbroken, she turned around and explained.

Mengmeng returned to her mother's arms, tears of grievance streaming down her face. This broke Lin Yuqiao's heart. She gently wiped away her tears and held her in her arms, patting her gently.

"The Third Prince is also sleepy. I'll bring him over to play another day."

Really not wanting to stay any longer, she made up an excuse and left with her son. On the way back, seeing that Mengmeng's arm was red from Liu Ling's scratches, Lin Yuqiao felt a surge of dissatisfaction and made up her mind never to take Mengmeng to the Empress's place again.

As soon as Lin Yuqiao left, Liu Heng frowned, "How annoying!"

Seeing the footprints on the hem of her skirt, she could no longer bear it and told the Empress that she wanted to take her clothes back.

Originally intending to take this opportunity to get closer to the Third Prince, the Empress was somewhat angry at her daughter's lack of cooperation and prepared to scold her.

"The Third Prince is still young. Seeing how much the Consort dotes on him, he doesn't seem like he'll amount to anything. Your Highness doesn't need to worry. It's just making the Eldest Princess unhappy."

Knowing the Empress's worries, Granny Zhou comforted her.

"Yes! She cries so easily, just like a girl."

Although Mengmeng's appearance resembles Liu Heng more, her big, dark eyes are like Lin Yuqiao's, making her look both cute and handsome. But in Liu Ling's eyes, she's particularly an eyesore.

She had always harbored hostility towards Lin Yuqiao, and ever since Lin Yuqiao saw her disheveled state after she knocked out a front tooth, her resentment towards her had only intensified. Because she disliked Lin Yuqiao, she couldn't bring herself to like the Third Prince either.

"Shut up! He's still your brother, how can you talk to him like that?"

The Empress sternly reprimanded Liu Ling, and seeing her still unruly gaze, she felt a headache coming on.

"If you keep doing this, I'll lock you up until you figure things out and understand the meaning of etiquette, then I'll release you."

The Empress's threat sounded like it could be effective, so Liu Ling didn't dare to argue with her anymore and obediently lowered her head to admit her mistake.

"None of them can give me any peace of mind."

The Empress waved for Liu Ling to return and sighed as she sat on the couch.

Then he thought of Liu Kang, who had gone to Mount Tai with Liu Heng, and wondered if he could seize the opportunity to win Liu Heng's favor.

It was rare that Liu Yan wasn't with them, so the journey was purely a father-son time for Liu Kang and Liu Heng. The Empress was somewhat worried, knowing that Liu Kang wasn't particularly clever, and hoped that he could perform better.

The Empress regretted that she should have summoned Liu Kang to the palace a few days earlier to give him a few more instructions.

In addition, the Empress was also concerned about Liu Kang's marriage.

Liu Kang is already seventeen this year, but the choice of his crown princess is still undecided.

The emperor observed mourning for twenty-seven days, using days instead of years. However, princes, heirs, princesses, noblewomen, palace maids, and palace servants all wore the lowest mourning garment for three years. By the time Liu Kang finished his mourning period, he would be nineteen, considered an older unmarried man.

Therefore, the person must be chosen first, and the wedding date can be discussed once Liu Kang is out of mourning.

The Empress knew that none of her family members were particularly capable and that they might not be able to help Liu Kang in the future. Therefore, she was determined to find a wealthy and capable in-law family for Liu Kang and had been secretly searching for one for a long time.

Currently, the Empress is hesitating between three girls: the granddaughter of Li Bingzhi, the second Grand Secretary of the Cabinet; the youngest daughter of Zhang Chong, a Grand Academician of the Wenhua Hall; and the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Anyang. In addition, she is also considering several candidates for concubines, all of whom have excellent family backgrounds and character, and whose fathers and brothers are capable. However, the Empress is unsure whether Liu Heng will agree to her choices.

The Empress was in a dilemma regarding arranging a marriage for Liu Kang. If she chose a practical wife, she feared it would make Liu Kang seem too ambitious and displease Liu Heng. However, if she didn't choose a powerful in-law family, Liu Kang's position as crown prince would become even more unstable as his younger brothers grew up.