Chapter 1132 - 1075. Last Meeting Between Two Rival & Old Friend Pt.1
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(A/N: Don’t forget to give those power stones to Skyrim everyone!)
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Ying Yue looked at him, her dark eyes reflecting the brutal, pragmatic pressure of the imperial court. "And they knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that the civil officials in your own court, the traditionalists who believe a dynasty is secured through blood pacts, would relentlessly beg and pressure you to take these women into the Harem Palace."
"They would argue that it is your absolute, imperial duty to accept them to ensure the long term stability of the frontier provinces you will conquer. It is a terrifying prospect to imagine our home filled with strangers who view their marriage not as love, but as a political battlefield."
Lie Fan listened to his Empress, his heart aching slightly at the thought of the anxiety his grand ambitions had inadvertently caused the women he loved most. But hearing Ying Yue articulate it so perfectly only reinforced the absolute, unshakeable correctness of his decision.
A warm, deeply reassuring smile spread across Lie Fan’s face. He pulled Ying Yue slightly closer, kissing her tenderly on the cheek.
"Their fears were entirely justified by history, but entirely unfounded under my reign," Lie Fan promised, his voice a low, comforting rumble. "Let the court ministers beg. Let the foreign kings offer their daughters. The Dragon Throne is mine, and the Harem Palace belongs to you, Diao Chan, Wenji, Lingqi, and Zhen Ji. I will marry their princesses off to my generals, I will secure the frontiers with iron and law, but I will never, ever compromise the sanctity of this family."
Ying Yue leaned her head against his broad shoulder, letting out a soft, happy sigh. The last lingering shadows of dynastic anxiety melted away in the warmth of his absolute vow.
The two of them continued to enjoy their quiet time together as the afternoon slowly bled into evening. They ate the delicate pastries, drank the soothing tea, and simply basked in the profound, unparalleled comfort of each other’s presence. For those few precious hours, the Emperor of Hengyuan was allowed to simply be a husband, resting in the safest sanctuary in the world.
Time, however, waits for no man, not even an Emperor.