Chapter 22 She developed feelings over time, and he fell in love at first sight.
After Pei Xuan left with the weighty secret decree, the Sizheng Hall returned to silence. Yuwen Che did not rest. He walked to the huge map of the Great Zhou territory, his gaze sweeping across the vast land before finally settling on the darker-colored borders in the northwest and northeast that bordered foreign tribes.
An emperor's heart is as deep as the sea. He cannot place all his hopes and burdens on Pei Xuan alone. Trust is necessary, but checks and balances and contingency plans are the essence of imperial strategy.
"Li Dehai," he called out in a deep voice.
Li Dehai, who had been standing guard in the corner like a shadow, immediately stepped forward: "This servant is here."
"Send someone to investigate thoroughly what Su Wenyuan's reputation and capabilities are over the years, especially regarding channels involving essential supplies like grain, cloth, salt, and iron," Yuwen Che instructed, his tone calm yet clearly targeted.
Li Dehai understood immediately; His Majesty was about to conduct a more in-depth assessment and make arrangements for the Su family. He bowed and replied, "Yes, Your Majesty. This servant will do it immediately and will thoroughly investigate Master Su's background."
Yuwen Che nodded, his gaze still fixed on the map of the territory, as if talking to himself, or perhaps explaining to Li Dehai: "Su Wenyuan is getting old and his temperament is too soft. He is not suitable to enter the court as an official directly. He would probably find it difficult to gain a foothold in the treacherous court. But... doing business may be his strength."
He turned around, his eyes gleaming with shrewd calculation: "I am considering whether to elevate the Su family to the status of imperial merchants."
Li Dehai was somewhat shocked. Imperial merchants, though without official positions, directly procured goods for the palace, holding a special status, reaping substantial profits, and enabling them to build vast networks of connections and businesses. His Majesty's move was clearly deliberate.
Yuwen Che continued, his voice tinged with barely perceptible worry: "To hold a high position, besides power, one also needs sufficient wealth. Currently, I have used swift and decisive measures to intimidate both internal and external forces, the people live prosperous lives, the national treasury is full, and the country seems peaceful and prosperous. But I cannot guarantee that the next emperor will have my methods and luck. Moreover, the borders... have they ever truly been peaceful?"
The bloodshed and carnage of the battlefields over the years seemed to flash before his eyes, and his tone turned cold and hard: "Since I ascended the throne, I have lost count of how many people I have killed in the countless battles, large and small. In the future, if war breaks out on the borders again, money and provisions will be the key to victory or defeat, and neither can be lacking!"
He looked at Li Dehai: "I have already made arrangements for Su Jingxing. In any case, I will ensure that he passes the imperial examination smoothly, is promoted step by step, establishes a firm foothold in the court, and becomes the Crown Prince's civil official assistant in the future. However, we cannot put all our eggs in one basket."
His ultimate goal was crystal clear: "Only a maternal family that possesses both real power—the civil service represented by Su Jingxing—and substantial financial resources, allowing the Su family, as imperial merchants, to accumulate wealth, can truly provide solid support when my princes and princesses need it. With power, the court can be governed; with money, the army and the people can be stabilized. Only in this way can we ensure that they will not be controlled by others in the future, and that even after I am gone, they will have enough confidence to deal with any unforeseen events."
Li Dehai was deeply moved, yet also felt a chill run down his spine. His Majesty's strategy was far too ambitious and far-reaching. He was not only paving the way for Consort Chen, but also building an impregnable protective net for the unborn princes and princesses. This profound foresight and deep affection were both moving and awe-inspiring.
"Your Majesty is wise! This servant understands and will certainly report the details of the Su family's trade route to Your Majesty as soon as possible," Li Dehai said respectfully.
"Go." Yuwen Che waved his hand, turning his gaze back to the deep night outside the window. He knew the road ahead was still fraught with thorns; the Empress Dowager's resentment, the discontent of the remaining forces in the court, the potential threats on the border… none of these had disappeared. But he had to plan ahead, clearing all obstacles and paving the smoothest possible path for his beloved Xue'er and their future child. This was both the duty of an emperor and a man's ultimate protection of his beloved. And the Su family was a crucial piece in this grand scheme. He would use power and money to forge the strongest wings for his heir.
When Yuwen Che returned to Guanju Palace under the moonlight after dealing with the trivial matters of the previous dynasty, only a few dim palace lanterns remained, emitting a warm and tranquil glow. Su Luoxue had already removed her hairpins and was wearing a soft, skin-hugging jade-pink nightgown, about to lie down. Hearing footsteps, she turned her head and saw him. A gentle smile naturally spread across her face. She did not get up to greet him, but simply asked softly, "You're back? Have you finished everything?"
This ordinary conversation and gesture between husband and wife instantly softened Yuwen Che's heart, which had been hardened all night. He walked to the bedside and sat down, naturally taking her hand that was exposed outside the quilt. Her hand was slightly cool to the touch, and he couldn't help but frown: "Why are your hands so cold?"
Su Luoxue let him hold her hand, pulled it closer, and rubbed it against her cheek like a cat dependent on its owner. She smiled softly and said, "Perhaps... your period is coming soon, and you feel a little cold."
They smiled at each other, their eyes brimming with unspoken understanding and an overwhelming love. The court intrigues and the bloodshed outside the palace seemed to be kept at bay in this warm and cozy bedchamber.
Yuwen Che leaned down and pulled her, quilt and all, into his arms, his embrace tight. This was an uncontrollable surge of love within him, a complete dependence and possessiveness that only surfaced when he was with her. He gently kissed her smooth forehead, his voice low and solemn, carrying a barely perceptible hint of anticipation:
"Xue'er... wait for me a little longer. Once I have completely pacified the court and eliminated all obstacles, I will make you my empress, my rightful and only legal wife. After we pass away, we will sleep together in the same bed... is that alright?"
This is the second time he has mentioned "same vows," a promise heavier than any oath of eternal love.
Su Luoxue looked up at her reflection in his deep eyes, her heart filled with immense happiness and bittersweetness. She gently raised her arms to embrace his strong waist, burying her face in his firm chest, listening to his powerful heartbeat, her voice soft yet resolute:
“Ah Che, I don’t care about titles… really. In my heart, you’ve been my husband for a long time, my only husband.”
She paused, as if lost in memories, her voice tinged with emotion: "I remember when I first entered the palace, I was so afraid of you... People inside and outside the palace said that although you were a rare wise ruler who governed the country and brought peace to the world, your methods were ruthless and cruel. I was trembling with fear back then, as if walking on thin ice."
Her arms tightened slightly, and her tone softened with trust: "But later, I slowly realized that it wasn't like that at all. You may be ruthless to your enemies, but you are a benevolent ruler to your people. If it weren't for your years of hard work, strengthening of the military, and pacification of all directions, the people of the Great Zhou would probably have been displaced and living in the open long ago. It is you who have protected the millions of people under heaven, allowing them to live and work in peace."
She looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears, filled with unreserved affection: "And...you've been so, so good to me. So good that I forgot my fear, forgot the rules of this palace, and just wanted to stay by your side. A-Che, I love you so much now, I really love you so much. So much..."
Her tears finally fell, but they were accompanied by a happy smile: "It's not because you are the Emperor of the Great Zhou, not because you are the Son of Heaven who controls life and death, not even because you are Yuwen Che of the Yuwen family... The only reason I love you is... you are my A-Che. You are the A-Che who caught me on the long street when we first met, the A-Che who shielded me from the teacup, the A-Che who frowned because my hands were cold... Even if you weren't surnamed Yuwen, weren't the Emperor, and were just an ordinary person, I would still love you the same way. I would follow you through life and death, never to be separated from you."
Su Luoxue spoke these words with heartfelt sincerity, each word dripping with emotion. She had truly fallen deeply in love with this man through his daily care, his unconditional affection, and the trials they had shared. This love transcended power and status, stripped away any external allure, and concerned only with him as a person. Her love was profound and unwavering.
As Yuwen Che listened to her confession and felt her hot tears soaking his clothes, the hardest part of his heart melted completely. How fortunate he was to receive such pure and sincere love. He lowered his head, kissed away the tears at the corners of her eyes, and then held her tightly in his arms, as if embracing the whole world.
"I know," he replied in a hoarse voice. "Neither do I."
"I fell in love with you at first sight, and I love you as much as you love me."
The storms and turmoil of the outside world are irrelevant to them at this moment. Here, there is only each other, only a love that runs deep in their bones, and a firm commitment about the future and about life and death.
Where my heart finds its home is my home. For Yuwen Che, Su Luoxue was the only warmth and refuge in his cold imperial life; for Su Luoxue, Yuwen Che was the towering tree she willingly nestled against and relied on after breaking free from her cage. Their story is far from over, but the warmth and deep love they share now are enough to illuminate all the obstacles ahead.
Su Luoxue's words, like the gentlest warm current, washed away the weariness in Yuwen Che's heart caused by power struggles and killings. He held her in his arms, feeling the warmth and complete trust of the person in his embrace, and felt as if he possessed the whole world.
However, Su Luoxue seemed to see through his calm exterior to the precarious, even pessimistic, plans deep within his heart. She slightly lifted her head from his embrace, her tear-streaked face displaying an unusually serious and resolute expression. She reached out her fingertips and gently smoothed his slightly furrowed brow, her voice soft yet carrying an undeniable determination:
“Ache, I know what you’re thinking… I know that many of the things you’ve been doing lately—deposing the empress, purging the court, and even… even planning for my father and brothers—are all paving the way for me, for… for the children we might have.”
Yuwen Che's body stiffened slightly, not expecting that she could see through his thoughts so clearly.
Su Luoxue did not avoid his probing gaze and continued, her voice tinged with heartache and a sob: "You are worried, worried about the future, worried that if you are gone, my child and I will be bullied and left helpless... So you want to arrange everything, to leave us with the strongest shield, right?"
Yuwen Che remained silent, tacitly acknowledging her guess. He couldn't deny that an emperor's love was always deep and calculating.
Su Luoxue shook her head vigorously, cupped his face in her hands, and forced him to look directly into her eyes, which were filled with tears but were incredibly clear and firm: "But A-Che, I want to tell you, don't... don't plan so far ahead for us, so... tragically."
Her tears fell again, but her voice was exceptionally clear, each word striking Yuwen Che's heart: "If... if that day really comes, and Heaven is blind, letting you leave before me... I will never live on alone."
"Xue'er!" Yuwen Che's heart trembled, and he tried to interrupt her "inauspicious" words with a sharp voice.
Su Luoxue gently pressed her finger against his lips and continued, her tone terrifyingly calm and resolute: "You are born, I am born; you fall... I will follow you."
She looked into his eyes as if trying to imprint her soul into them: "This palace, this world, without you, is nothing but a golden cage to me, a meaningless vast empire. You have protected me for so long, loved me for so long, how can I bear to let you walk alone on the road to the underworld? I will accompany you, through life and death, never to leave you."
“So,” she concluded, with a sense of relief and resolve, “don’t worry about what will happen after we’re gone. As long as we’re together, truly love each other, and have no regrets, that’s enough. Your path is my path. Whether in this prosperous world or in the deepest hell, wherever you are, I will be there.”
These words were not impulsive vows made in the throes of first love, but a life-or-death decision made after weathering storms and reaching the depths of her being. She loved him to the point that she could disregard life and death, and give up all the worldly pleasures.
Yuwen Che stared intently at her, at the undeniable affection and resolve in her eyes, and a tidal wave of emotions surged within him. There was shock, heartache, and an indescribable sense of gratitude. He had thought he was planning for her future, but he hadn't realized that she had already bound her future completely to his life.
He suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace, so tight it almost suffocated her. His voice was hoarse and trembling slightly: "Fool... don't talk nonsense! I won't let that day come! I want you to live a long and healthy life!"
Yet, deep in his heart, he felt an unprecedented sense of peace and fulfillment from her vow to "follow her through thick and thin." With such a wife, what more could a husband ask for? All his schemes, all his killings, all his protection seemed to find their ultimate meaning at this moment.
He lowered his head and kissed her deeply. The kiss carried the relief of surviving a disaster, the love that ran deep in his bones, and a solemn promise to grow old together and share life and death.
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