Chu Chang Le glared at him, pursing her lips and remaining silent.
Seeing her like this, Shen Yan tightened his grip and said no more.
After the two bathed and washed themselves, Shen Yan went to the Imperial Study to review memorials, while Chu Chang Le dressed, put on a snow-white cloak, and walked into the palace garden.
Snowflakes flew under the eaves. She looked up at the moonlight above her head with her delicate face, lost in thought. Suddenly, she remembered the night the Southern Dynasty was destroyed.
Dressed in her wedding gown and holding a fan, she eagerly awaited her husband's arrival.
But instead of her husband, she received news that the rebel army had entered the city and slaughtered her entire family.
The emperor's father was beheaded by his own hands. In despair, the empress dowager committed suicide. On the Nine Nether Platform, the emperor's elder and younger brothers were executed by slow slicing, and the emperor's elder sister fell into the moat.
It was her, it was she who ruined the Southern Dynasty royal family.
"Princess, it's cold. His Majesty wants you to go back."
Snowflakes fell softly and gently onto her gold and silver tassels, creating a hazy, indistinct effect.
Chu Chang Le, supported by Hong Zhu, came back to her senses.
"Go and make a bowl of soup that His Majesty likes to drink."
The musician paused, bowed, and left.
The servants outside Guangyang Palace withdrew.
Inside the hall, the pearls shone brightly. Chu Changle glanced at the man bent over his desk reviewing documents through the beaded curtain, then looked away.
She took out a porcelain bottle from her bosom and opened the soup bowl that the palace maid had brought.
Adenophora soup?!
Chu Chang Le was slightly taken aback, and couldn't help but recall the scenes from the temple back then.
It was March, and the peach blossoms were in full bloom. The then-powerful chief minister of the Southern Dynasty was praying for his mother at a temple. She excitedly accompanied him for several days and even cooked him a soup made with sand ginseng.
Before this, no matter how much she threatened, bribed, or schemed to pursue him, he remained aloof and unmoved.
But that day, he spoke to her for the first time ever, his words so sharp that she was terrified.
He even poured the soup she had personally cooked into the lotus pond, so much so that she didn't dare to appear in front of him for several days.
Knowing that he loathed her, she slowly began to back down.
But later, they ended up getting entangled again.
After her father ascended the throne, he was constantly restrained by powerful families. The prime minister was very powerful and had the potential to rebel and usurp the throne. She didn't understand the intricacies of the situation, nor did she know who was behind the incident at the hunting grounds.
All she remembered was that when Shen Yan was being chased by assassins, he fell off a cliff. She rushed down to save him without hesitation, but in the end, he saved her instead, and she fell into the water.
Even now, she still doesn't understand what he meant by the look in his eyes when she fainted.
Actually, looking back now, Shen Yan had been avoiding her all along, but she hadn't understood why.
The two spent several days alone at the foot of the mountain. Shen Yan's attitude towards her improved, but after the hunting ground incident, the emperor wanted to marry his elder sister to Shen Yan, which Shen Yan refused.
A few days later, the Emperor used the power of 100,000 troops to arrange a marriage between his elder sister and the eldest son of the Lanling Yan clan, allowing her to marry Shen Yan.
Shen Yan agreed to the marriage arranged by her father, the emperor.
She went from worry to joyful anticipation of her marriage, only to receive news of the fall of her kingdom.
Yes, born in a chaotic era, Shen Yan came from a poor family and climbed to the position of Grand Secretary step by step through his own abilities. He was hardly a person with a pure and kind heart.
He wanted the throne, so he agreed to his father's arranged marriage. On their wedding night, he easily stormed the capital and slaughtered her entire family. If only he had killed her too, he wouldn't be suffering like this now.
She blinked, and tears streamed down her face, falling into the soup bowl along with the odorless poison powder.
Inside the hall, the fragrance of ambergris wafted gently, like wisps of smoke.
She carried the soup bowl to the outer hall and walked to the imperial table.
Shen Yan looked up at the soup in her hand, his eyes darkening slightly.
Why aren't you going to sleep?
Chu Chang Le leaned forward slightly and handed him the soup bowl.
"It's so late, have some soup to perk yourself up."
Shen Yan took it, first swallowed a dark pill, and then picked up the glass to drink. After a few sips, he stopped drinking.
Chu Changle glanced at it, picked up the soup spoon to drink, but he grabbed her waist and pulled her onto his lap.
"Your body is so cold?"
She trembled slightly, nestled obediently in his arms, and mumbled something.
"It's snowing."
"Anning, after the Empress Dowager's investiture ceremony, I'll take you to Jiangnan, shall we?"
He lowered his head and kissed her long hair, his voice tender and affectionate.
Chu Chang Le paused slightly, recalling the time when she had pestered him to go to Jiangnan.
Shen Yan was born in Suzhou and disliked snowy days. She once went to Jiangnan for him.
But later, he personally went and brought her back, and inexplicably asked her a bunch of questions. Seeing that she was confused, he finally let her go.
"His Majesty--"
Call me Huailing.
Chu Chang Le called him by his courtesy name in a sweet and soft voice, her delicate hand reaching out to stroke his outline, and she whispered inquiring about his past.
Shen Yan's expression remained calm as he held her tightly. "They're all dead."
Chu Chang Le was slightly taken aback, then couldn't help but sneer, remaining silent.
After Shen Yan finished reviewing the memorials, the person in his arms had already fallen asleep from exhaustion.
He picked the person up horizontally and carried them to the inner hall.
The Great Jin regime disintegrated, with the north and south divided into different regions. After the chaos in the east, powerful families sent troops to suppress the rebellion.
Shen Yan faces powerful enemies outside the court and constant pressure from powerful families within the court, who ostracize those from humble backgrounds, repeatedly petition the emperor to abolish the recommendation system, and monopolize official positions.
The establishment of the Great Jin Dynasty in Jiangzuo was supported by the aristocratic families led by the Langya Wang clan, and there were rumors circulating among the people that the Wang clan and the Jin Dynasty would share the world.
However, Shen Yan defied public opinion and promoted the recommendation system, which angered the Langya Wang clan and led to fierce internal struggles.
Now, at the very moment of choosing an empress, the previous dynasty is in an uproar.
When Chu Changle brought the soup, she heard the sounds of furious slamming and smashing coming from the Imperial Study.
She paused, standing outside the hall.
When Xiao Lezi came out, he saw a beautiful woman rubbing her waist, standing in the snow, wearing a lotus-colored skirt, slender and graceful.
He hurried over and took the food box, saying, "It's so cold, why is the princess dressed so lightly? Come in quickly, His Majesty is waiting for you."
Chu Changle snapped out of her daze and followed him inside.
The ministers standing on either side of the hall bowed when they saw her.
When Shen Yan saw her enter, he composed himself, dismissed everyone, and took his seat.
"You came out dressed like this?"
Chu Changle placed the ginseng soup aside and chuckled, "It's not cold."
Shen Yan squeezed her hand but didn't say anything.
"It's freshly cooked, would Your Majesty like some?"
Chen Yan paused slightly, took the drink indifferently, drank a few sips as usual, and then stopped drinking.
Chu Changle didn't say anything, but when she tried to leave, he hugged her.
He sat on the dragon throne, reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist, buried his head in her chest, and remained silent.
She looked down at him, a slight pang of sadness in her heart.
"peaceful."
"Um."
He stopped talking and tightened his grip on her waist.
Chu Changle felt the pain in his waist and patted him gently.
"pain."
The main hall was silent.
Shen Yan looked up, grabbed her waist, and pulled her onto his lap.
Chu Changle was stunned by his handling for a moment, then snuggled obediently into his arms.
“Raise your head.”
She obediently raised her head, and the light and shadow in front of her suddenly dimmed.
He lowered his head and kissed her lips, dominating her wantonly, his kisses tight and deep.
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