On the vast sea of clouds, there is a beam of light, warm and bright.
It bravely and fearlessly pierced through the thick clouds, like a sword of hope cutting through the shackles of endless darkness.
It illuminates the path people take forward, and even more so, it illuminates every corner of their hearts.
As dawn breaks, all things in the world slowly awaken from a deep slumber.
Like a slowly unfolding ink painting, every outline and every color seems to be awakened in an instant, gradually spreading out.
The path meanders, the bamboo droops gently, and a small bridge spans a flowing stream.
Pavilions and towers are scattered in a well-organized manner, and ancient trees reach for the sky.
The figure wielding the sword, arriving like thunder and departing like a vast ocean, is a captivating picture, like a fairyland.
Sunlight shone on the water, making it sparkle.
A gentle breeze carries the fragrance of flowers.
The water rippled gently, and fish frolicked among the lotus leaves, creating a harmonious and peaceful scene.
Birds sang merrily in the branches, adding boundless vitality to this peaceful and beautiful morning.
In the sleeping hall.
After a night of pleasure, Yi Shangyun finally fell into a deep sleep.
Only when a beam of light shone through the delicate window frame and into her eyes did her eyelids twitch slightly.
Just then, the always self-disciplined Xuanyuan Han returned from his sword practice.
Upon seeing it, she stopped changing her clothes halfway through, and without even tying the belt, she hurried over and used her hand to block the light for him, but Yun still suddenly opened his eyes.
Xuanyuan Han then asked, "Awake?"
Yi Shangyun nodded.
But in an instant, when she saw the fine sweat covering his still half-naked, firm chest, she was stunned, recalling the profuse sweat he had endured countless times last night after his frenzied efforts.
She snapped out of her daze, her face flushed with embarrassment and helplessness.
After Xuanyuan Han realized this, he said, "What's there to be ashamed of when you look at your husband?"
Upon hearing this, in a panic, he tried to sit up, but as soon as he moved slightly, he felt pain all over his body and couldn't help but let out a cry of pain: "Hiss..."
Upon seeing this, Xuan Yuanhan immediately placed his hands on either side of her, leaned down in a powerful motion to force her body back, and examined the dense, rather satisfying marks he had left on her body the previous night.
He was almost touching her nose, his face full of tenderness, and asked with extreme apology, "Did I hurt you last night?"
A blush suddenly appeared on Yi Shangyun's face.
Xuanyuan Han seemed to really like the red: "Yun'er, I'm sorry. Last night, I missed you so much and was so happy! Thank you, Yun'er."
No sooner had he finished speaking than a pair of affectionate eyes, mixed with an unknown desire, peered down at the person beneath him once more.
Completely at a loss, feeling as if her heart was about to jump out of her chest, Yi Shangyun could only nervously clutch the brocade quilt tightly with both hands and close her eyes.
Unexpectedly, Xuanyuan Han smiled and placed a deep kiss on his forehead.
Yi Shangyun was somewhat puzzled.
Xuanyuan Han took her hand and said, "I'll spare you for today. There will be plenty of time in the future. What you owe me, I will definitely get back with interest."
Upon hearing this, a sense of melancholy welled up in her heart. Yi Shangyun silently thought, "I also long for many, many days to come with Your Highness, but I fear it's..."
Seeing the slight change in Yi Shangyun's expression, Xuan Yuanhan changed the subject and asked, "Are you hungry?"
Yi Shangyun snapped out of her daze and nodded.
Xuanyuan Han then got up and went to get her new clothes, saying, "Then get up. I will personally help you change and give you a thorough check-up!"
Upon hearing this, Yi Shangyun immediately refused, saying, "No!"
I've finished washing and grooming.
Upon exiting, Yi Shangyun saw that the table was already laden with exquisite side dishes, snacks, hot porridge, soup, noodles, and other abundant food, which immediately whetted her appetite.
So he said impatiently, "These are all my favorite foods. I'll go and invite my mother to dine with me right now."
Upon hearing this, Xuan Yuanhan stopped ladling a bowl of hot porridge, his face darkening. He stopped him, saying, "No need, this is all for you. Come and eat!"
Yi Shangyun thought about it and realized that it made sense. It was already high in the sky, so how could Consort Chun be getting up at this hour like herself?
So he sat down and said reproachfully, "I really overslept today, it's all your fault! After we finish eating, I'll go and apologize to Mother Consort in person!"
As he spoke, he picked up his chopsticks and reached for a plate of rather tempting-looking cold beef salad.
But Xuan Yuanhan stopped him: "How many times have I told you? The order of eating is to drink this hot porridge first, and then eat other things. In particular, you should not eat cold dishes at the beginning, as it is easy to upset your stomach!"
Yi Shangyun, momentarily forgetting himself, exclaimed, "What's so special about this? In my world, everyone is busy every day; who would be so particular about a meal!"
Xuanyuan Han ordered her: "Put it down!"
Hearing that the voice wasn't very stern, Yi Shangyun had no choice but to watch longingly as the piece of meat, which was almost in her mouth, was put down timidly.
Instead, she took the bowl of hot porridge handed to her by Xuanyuan Han and obediently ate it spoonful by spoonful, chewing slowly and carefully.
Seeing that although she was somewhat reluctant, she ultimately finished the meal according to all his requests, Xuan Yuanhan didn't say anything more.
Finally, Yi Shangyun was completely stuffed, and she patted her belly with great satisfaction, saying, "I feel like I haven't eaten this full in a very, very long time!"
Although Xuanyuan Han felt somewhat helpless towards her, he could only take her out for a walk in the courtyard to digest their food.
As they walked, Xuanyuan Han suddenly told her...
"actually……"
"Mother..."
She's not here!
Upon hearing this, Yi Shangyun stopped in her tracks, looked at his back, and asked in confusion, "Your Highness, your mother is not in Guanghua Palace. What do you mean by this?"
Xuanyuan Han continued walking ahead, his expression becoming serious, and slowly opened his mouth.
"I was just about to move my mother from Yanfu Temple to live with the people of the Yi family, but I was too late."
"When I first learned that my mother had been brought to the palace, I also thought that she had really been imprisoned here, but that is not the case."
“Last night, I arrived here shortly before you climbed over the wall.”
"When I arrived here, I found that Guanghua Palace had been abandoned for many years, but now it has suddenly been completely renovated. I knew then that my mother was not here."
“This place must have been specially prepared for me.”
Hearing his words, Yi Shangyun carefully looked around and suddenly realized, "No wonder from last night until now, apart from Your Highness and me, I haven't seen anyone else in this palace. I thought Emperor Jing had once again..."
But she was even more puzzled, so she took two quick steps forward and asked, "Since Your Highness already knows that this place is not safe, why don't you leave quickly and instead stay here?"
Xuanyuan Han stopped, looked deeply into her eyes, and said, "I originally intended to leave, but you came!"
Yi Shangyun was already extremely worried and frightened. In an instant, her eyes filled with tears, and she said in a trembling voice, "So, in the end, it was I who implicated Your Highness!"
Xuanyuan Han, however, did not think so.
"Why should it be said that you're the one who dragged me down? Shouldn't it be that I'm the one who dragged you down?"
"Yun'er, you are already the Empress of Dongning, and you could have stayed out of this completely, but you came back to Xiqin because of me, didn't you?"
"I……"
Even now, Yi Shangyun still wanted to lie, unaware that Xuan Yuanhan had already seen through her.
"Because of the rumors circulating about me, you were worried about me, so you dropped everything and came back to find me, right?"
Yes, even without last night, she couldn't bear to see him in such a dangerous situation.
At this moment, she felt even more heartache and reluctance towards him.
So she went up and hugged Xuan Yuanhan tightly around the waist, resting her head against his heart, and tears streamed down her face.
"I'm sorry, it's all my fault. If I had understood all this sooner, perhaps things wouldn't have turned out this way!"
"Now, not only have we failed to save the Dowager Consort, but Your Highness is also trapped in this inescapable net."
Xuanyuan Han stroked her soft hair, thoughtfully comforting her, "This was bound to happen sooner or later. Don't be afraid, Yun'er, everything will be alright, we will definitely be alright!"
After a while, Yi Shangyun asked with some doubt, "But we've been in Guanghua Palace for so long since last night, why hasn't anyone come yet?"
Xuanyuan Han said, "If I'm not mistaken, the person who's going to close the net is already on his way."
Then I thought about it again and felt a little regretful.
"It's just a bit of a pity that, to this day, I still haven't found out who the Empress Dowager wants to support."
Yi Shangyun thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps I know who he is?"
Xuanyuan Han looked at her in surprise and said, "You know?"
Yi Shangyun prompted, "Your Highness, do you still remember Long En when we were dismantling the Xiaolong Society? Why would he suddenly appear in the Empress Dowager's palace now? Back then at the Xiaolong Society, we heard people say that Long En had the support of a noble person in the palace. It seems that he is undoubtedly that person!"
Xuan Yuanhan had already suspected this person, and after hearing Yi Shangyun's words, he became even more certain: "So it really is him!"
At this moment, Yi Shangyun seemed to have already made up her mind, and said, "Your Highness, don't worry too much. Everything will pass. I believe we will all be fine."
Xuanyuan Han looked at the person in his arms with a face full of doting affection, and felt that he was extremely lucky.
"Yun'er, I am so happy that you have come back. With you by my side in this life, even if I die, I will be content!"
Yi Shangyun replied, "No, Your Highness must also be a good emperor, so you will surely live to be a hundred years old!"
Just then, a flurry of footsteps sounded beside me.
The gates of Guanghua Palace were finally opened from the outside.
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