During the honeymoon phase, a day apart feels like three autumns.

Inside the largest warm pavilion of the Princess's residence, General Xiao was unexpectedly bold today, displaying a somewhat wolfish and predatory demeanor.

An overly high and prominent nose bridge, giving it a somewhat harsh and unfeeling appearance, lingered and brushed against Shang Changge's beautiful collarbone.

The intensely hot breath sparked the imagination, yet there was no further indication of it.

Shang Changge is a normal woman, and one who, even before she had any feelings for Xiao Ji, was attracted to his male beauty.

The hand that had been inside Xiao Ji's clothes earlier was now purposefully stroking the muscle lines on the man's body.

Finally, his gaze lingered on General Xiao's perfect pectoral muscles, reaching a peak of purpose.

She kept making mischievous little moves, and before the man's large hand could reach out to stop her as before, she whispered sweetly in his ear:

"How can my husband be so rude? I've already taken the initiative, how come you don't know to reciprocate?"

The sunset on the first day of the new year was beautiful.

Shang Changge had dinner with Xiao Ji. After dinner, Xiao Ji returned to the General's Mansion.

They brought a lot of New Year's gifts when they arrived, and they also brought a lot of gifts when they left.

Xiao Zhen is staying in the capital for the New Year this year. Since the engagement has been dissolved, it's not appropriate for Shang Changge and Xiao Ji to go back and pay a visit.

He then had the head butler select some valuable yet thoughtful gifts for Xiao Ji to take back.

As darkness fell, Xiao Ji was about to leave.

The gift was so tempting that Xiao Ji came over and embraced Shang Changge's waist, planting a soft, feather-like kiss on her forehead:

"wait for me."

The two simple words were only audible to the two of them.

Shang Changge understood, yet not quite; General Xiao's gaze towards her was incredibly affectionate.

She was unsure whether General Xiao wanted her to wait for him to come over at night so she could be his human heater to cuddle with while sleeping, or whether she should wait for him to marry her.

But it doesn't matter, she's happy to accept either the former or the latter. She reached out and seemingly unintentionally touched Xiao Ji's neck.

She would actually smear the powder from her fingertips onto the man's neck to cover up the red marks she had left behind.

Xiao Ji noticed and asked, "Why are you covering it up?"

Shang Changge: "?"

General Xiao, a tall and imposing man, at this moment wore an expression that was not cold and stern, but rather one of grievance, which expressed it bluntly:

"I like it."

He liked the princess who left her mark on him, which he considered her recognition of his feelings.

Shang Changge was taken aback for a moment, then couldn't help but chuckle, and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear:

"It wouldn't be good if the old general saw this."

"Aren't there other places? One more won't make a difference."

Xiao Ji didn't buy it. Ever since the cold-hearted and aloof general's true nature was revealed, he has been pulling off all sorts of sly and overtly flirtatious antics.

Not only is she a master of the thirty-six strategies of love—using coquetry and yielding—she's also adept at being unreasonable.

"Not one can be missing. My wife, please remember to give me one tonight."

Addendum: "Anywhere is fine."

Since the two of them further expanded their intimate territory in the warm pavilion at dusk, General Xiao has become even more blatant in his flirting.

Shang Changge couldn't help but utter that classic line, thinking that no one else could hear it except the two of them:

"Xiao Ji, you're so flirtatious."

Her long, narrow, beautiful phoenix eyes had a deep, mysterious look, and her voice was also deep and melancholic.

Xiao Ji: ...

Xiao Ji was stunned for a moment, but after that brief pause, he responded naturally:

"I will take this as a compliment from the princess."

Shang Changge: ...If you understand it that way, it's not entirely wrong.

From the first to the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, ordinary people would visit each other to exchange New Year's greetings, and even members of the royal family would do so.

On the day that her stepmother left the palace to visit her maternal family, the Murong family, for the New Year, Shang Changge also went with her.

If we include Shang Changze, the newly enthroned emperor, then Murong Yu, this little old man, can be considered a veteran of three reigns.

It is easy to imagine the status and power of the Murong family in Qingyan.

The main hall of the Murong family residence.

The entire Murong family sat in their proper places, chatting happily.

The conversation mainly revolved around Shang Changze, the emperor's grandson, and his daughter who had returned home to pay New Year's visits.

When Shang Changge wants to socialize, he's a social butterfly with a social anxiety disorder, able to chat with anyone.

When I don't want to socialize, I'm like a half-mute. Apart from the initial polite greetings, I just sit and drink tea with a smile the rest of the time.

"A Long Song".

Suddenly called out, Shang Changge looked in the direction of the voice and saw his uncle, Murong Huai.

Shang Changge nodded and smiled politely, then formally greeted the customer and asked a question:

"Uncle, what's wrong?"

Murong Huai and Murong Yu have very similar eyebrows and eyes, but their temperaments are completely different.

Murong Yu's first impression is that of a cunning and shrewd old fox who has been navigating the treacherous waters of officialdom for decades.

Murong Huai, on the other hand, possessed the refined character of a scholar, making it immediately apparent that he was a man of profound learning.

That is indeed the case, though this is only one aspect.

How could someone become the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy based solely on their exceptional talent?

Murong Huai: "Changge has changed a lot. I remember that Changge didn't know martial arts before, and her temperament was more impetuous than it is now."

Shang Changge thought her uncle was going to say something to her, but this was all?

"People change. As they get older and experience more things, their temperament naturally becomes more mature and stable."

As for martial arts, I've lived alone in the Princess's residence since I was sixteen. How would my uncle know whether I've learned martial arts or not?

Shang Changge remained calm and composed, answering Murong Huai's questions with clarity and composure.

Murong Huai: "Changge is right. When did you learn martial arts, Changge? Could you tell your uncle about it?"

Shang Changge thought people who didn't know when to stop were really annoying, and she said it aloud as well:

Everyone has their own little secrets, and getting to the bottom of things might be a good habit on the path of studying.

But prying into things others don't want to talk about is not a good habit, it's impolite, don't you think? Uncle.

Murong Huai was stunned, perhaps not expecting his niece, who had been in a very stable mood recently, to suddenly reveal her true colors.

Shang Changge pressed on, retaliating in kind, just as rudely as he was, showing no restraint:

"I know that you, Uncle, are highly accomplished in your studies, but you should not neglect the matters of interpersonal relationships as well."

Otherwise, he'll end up with no friends. Uncle should learn a thing or two from Grandfather in this regard.

...

The bright hall had fallen silent at some point, and all eyes were now on the two of them.

Shang Changge sat calmly and composedly, casting a polite, elegant, and dignified smile at everyone in the presence of all.

"Hahahaha, good!" It was Murong Yu.

The old man wasn't angry at all when his son was teased by his granddaughter; in fact, he was quite amused, happily disciplining his son.

“Ge’er is right, Huai’er, you really should learn some social skills from your father, so you don’t get caught up in those things all the time…”

Faced with his father's public lecture, Murong Huai listened patiently and humbly agreed, and spontaneously apologized to Shang Changge.

Shang Changge pretended not to see the wink her mother gave her and accepted her uncle's apology without any guilt.

The distinction between superiors and inferiors comes before the order of seniority. Besides, her uncle was impolite first, so why shouldn't she accept his apology?

Don't talk to her about court politics or anything like that. Why is she doing everything she can to help her brother ascend the throne?

It wasn't to help the beauty's younger brother, nor to prolong the life of the Qingyan Dynasty, nor to elevate the Murong family to a higher level.

It's for myself, to make my life more comfortable and to allow me to move more freely and unrestrained.

Otherwise, what does it matter to her who becomes emperor? And what does it matter to her whether the dynasty falls or rises?

Selfish? Egocentric?

Yes, that's exactly who she is.

It has always been like this, without the slightest change and with no intention of changing.