The emperor returned earlier than Lin Daiyu had expected.

  The emperor walked in while Lin Daiyu was still drying her hair.

  "How can you wash your hair at this time? Aren't you afraid of catching a cold?" said the Emperor.

  "Your Majesty?" Lin Xiao was surprised, and she hastily got up from the recliner.

  The emperor walked over, casually picked up the hair on her chest and tried it out. The hair was not dry yet, so he pressed her back onto the chaise longue and said: "Let the palace maid wipe your hair dry first, at this time of winter and spring changeover, it's easiest to catch a chill."

  Mu Qing used a hot towel to continue wiping Lin Xiang's hair.

  Lin Daiyu was reclining on a chaise longue, talking with the Emperor who sat on a couch.

  "How did Your Majesty return so quickly?" Lin Xiao asked.

  The emperor sat on the couch, with eunuchs serving him to take off his boots and change into casual shoes. Upon hearing her words, he raised his head and replied: "Nothing big, I'll naturally return. It's a grand wedding night, but I can't keep you waiting all the time, lest outsiders spread rumors."

  Lin Xiao nodded slightly and smiled slyly, saying: "So the emperor is also afraid of rumors spreading, the emperor has the wealth of four seas, I thought you wouldn't be afraid of anything."

  The emperor also smiled slyly at her and said, "Although I am the emperor, I also cherish my reputation. Moreover, rumors can't be underestimated." He then said, "It's actually you, why don't you ask about the fourth prince?"

  Women also love fame, even the legitimate wife of an ordinary family will ask about the illness of a concubine's child to show her kindness. How can she not be concerned when she is now the empress? Since ancient times, there has never been an empress who does not love a good reputation, and even the imperial consorts in the harem would want to carve the word "virtuous" on their own faces, let alone the empress.

  Lin Yan said: "When the emperor returned, his expression was relaxed, and it seemed that the fourth prince was not seriously injured." She smiled again: "Is the emperor disappointed? I'm afraid I can't be a virtuous empress."

  The Emperor said: "Hypocritical concern is worse than no concern at all." He paused, then continued: "You're doing well. I hope you remain as frank and don't change."

  Lin was silent for a moment, unsure of how to respond.

  Fortunately, her hair had also dried at this time. Mu Qing quickly tied up her hair into a bun and secured it with a hairpin.

  Lin He walked over and asked the emperor: "Your Majesty wants to take a bath now?"

  The emperor nodded.

  Lin Dai had someone prepare hot water, towels and bath beans, etc., and when she turned back, the emperor had already entered the bathroom.

  Lin Dai stood at the door, hesitating, unsure whether she should go in or not.

  Wan Gonggong held the emperor's clothes and walked in front of her, bowed his head and called out "Niangniang", then handed over the clothes in his hands to her, obviously wanting her to go in and serve.

  But Mu Qing had already taken over the clothes with both hands and looked at Lin Xiao.

  Lin Xiao could only grit her teeth and take Mu Qing in with her.

  The emperor was being undressed by the imperial concubines and palace maids, Lin Yu looked at the robust male body that had entered her line of sight, still slightly startled, then turned around.

  The emperor looked at her and then shouted out: "Wan Chun."

  Eunuch Wan rushed in from outside the bathroom, bowing his waist and responding: "Your Majesty, I'm here."

  The emperor frowned and looked at him, saying: "You are now serving more and more lazy, if you don't want to serve in front of the emperor, I will let you retire."

  Wan Gonggong hastily knelt down and said: "I dare not!" As he spoke, sweat had already broken out on his forehead.

  The emperor glared at him and said, "Don't you hurry over to attend to me?"

  "Your Highness." Mu Qing called out in a low voice, then used his eyes to persuade her to go before the Emperor.

  Lin Yi bit her lip, after all, she couldn't get over the hurdle in her heart, and said: "Your Majesty, I'll wait for you outside." Then she hastily left the bathroom, leaving only a back view to the emperor.

  When the emperor came out of the bathroom, he saw Lin Daiyu sitting on the edge of the bed, looking somewhat listless and staring at her toes.

  She was wearing a pair of very beautiful cotton shoes on her feet, with a pattern of phoenix birds embroidered on the shoe surface.

  Lin Xiao looked at the shadow printed on the floor and then raised her head.

  The emperor wore only his undergarments, all in bright yellow.

  This made her think of that sturdy body again, and she lowered her head with a faint blush on her face.

  The emperor walked over to her side and sat down, gently grasping the hand she was clutching on the bedside, instructing those beside him: "Retire for the night."

  The bed curtains were lowered layer by layer, the scarlet dragon and phoenix candles printed on the large red canopy, even the floor seemed to be red, finally the door of the bedroom was slowly closed.

  The whole world was quiet, with only the sound of spring breeze rustling through the branches.

  The moonlight is bright and clean.

  Mu Qing turned his head and took a glance at the large gate of the bedroom, exchanging a look with Old Man Wan. Both of them hoped that nothing else would happen tonight.

  Inside the bedroom, Lin Xiao lay on the bed, but her entire body was as tense as a fully drawn bow.

  His body was pressed against hers, hot and scorching, with warm breath spraying on the skin of her neck, making her feel numb and tingly.

  Lin Yan's toes were tense, all ten of them curled inward, her hands grasped the bed sheet tightly beneath her, and she seemed to have even stopped breathing, her face red with either suffocation or shyness.

  Lin Yan couldn't help but let out a soft "hng" as she reached out from under the covers and grabbed onto the small hand that was resting on her chest, her voice trembling with a hint of pleading as she called out: "Uncle."

  The emperor glanced at her, his cheeks flushing red, and he was so frightened that his whole body trembled violently, his eyes closed tightly, and his eyelashes quivered pitifully like a little cat that had just been rescued from drowning.

  The emperor sighed, after all, he was still young.

  He pulled his hand out from inside her clothes, turned her body over, leaned her against his chest, and gently patted her back, soothingly saying: "Sleep."

  After a while, the emperor felt a warm and humid air in front of his chest.

  The emperor picked up Lin Daiyu's face and only then discovered that she was secretly dropping golden beans, her face wearing a guilty expression.

  The emperor wiped away her tears and asked softly: "What's wrong, Yuanyuan, don't cry."

  Lin Yin's voice trembled as she said: "I don't know what's wrong with me either, but I just can't help it, I'm scared, Your Majesty."

  This reminded the Emperor of the girl who had saved Tai'er seven or eight years ago, and had hugged his neck, trembling with fear, saying "I'm scared, so scared".

  That was really a heart-wrenching girl, just like the one in his arms at this moment.

  The emperor held her in his arms again, patting her back and said softly: "I didn't blame you, if you don't like it, then forget about it. Go to sleep, good child."

  Lin Yan buried her face in his chest and nodded gently.

  The emperor looked down at her, only to see a patch of snow-white skin exposed on her shoulders outside her clothes. The skin was delicate and lustrous, like the finest sheep fat jade, with a warm glow that seemed to emanate from it.

  The emperor pulled her clothes up and covered that patch of sparkling snow white.