The palace had over a thousand guards with cyan-blue Essence Power or higher. Even if each extended just a single pinky finger, this fire could be extinguished instantly.
But they couldn't. Not only were they forbidden from using Essence Power, they had to imitate ordinary people by running and shouting: "Fire! Fire!"
What good is shouting at a fire!
Luo Jiaoyang, holding the position of guard captain, watched with twitching lips as His Majesty smeared ashes from the beast-drawn carriage onto his own face.
"I must remind you," he said, "that fire in the palace was just Granny Xun roasting sweet potatoes. Mingyi will know with just a little inquiry."
"She won't ask." Ji Bozhai measured the ashes, applying them under his eyes—just enough for the right amount of dishevelment while maintaining his handsome, delicate appearance. "She'd prefer to have nothing to do with my palace."
"If you know that, why are you rushing over?" Luo Jiaoyang muttered.
His muttering was too loud, and Ji Bozhai heard. Luo Jiaoyang, embarrassed, quickly added, "Ordinary women are easy to come by, but Ming Guniang isn't one to bow her head so readily. Your Majesty is doing the right thing."
Ji Bozhai gazed at the black ash on his fingertips and said quietly, "I used to think that too—that she was different from ordinary women, hard to humble, which was why I went to such lengths to keep her."
"But then I realized I was wrong."
"I wanted to keep her because, from start to finish, she was in my heart. It was my methods that were wrong, pushing her further away."
This time, he wouldn't use any tricks. If she wanted sincerity, he would give her sincerity.
Luo Jiaoyang stared at him, stunned.
The two had fought side by side for years, yet he had never seen Ji Bozhai wear such an expression—as if he had reached a dead end but still clung to a sliver of hope.
Even taking Moonchase City hadn't been this difficult.
Chu He once said that Ji Bozhai harbored deep resentment in his heart; he lived by hatred. Upon ascending the throne, he executed countless enemies, including the Minister Superior of Star Yearn City, sparing no one—truly a demon king among men.
But now, Luo Jiaoyang saw only a helpless young man.
"Truthfully, you already possess the entire realm. Finding someone similar to Ming Guniang shouldn't be too hard," he couldn't help offering bad advice.
"I thought so too."
Right after his coronation, someone painstakingly found him a woman who resembled Mingyi by eighty percent, even mimicking her personality.
But it wasn't the same.
She wasn't Mingyi. Whatever he wanted to do, Mingyi would know—a single glance or gesture, and she'd grasp his thoughts. Others would only wait for his orders.
He had once resented how little he could hide from Mingyi—something an emperor should never allow. But when she truly lost interest in him, he found the throne meaningless, unbearably lonely.
In Star Yearn City, they had worked seamlessly together. On Moonchase City's battlefield, they had watched each other's backs. Amidst endless attacks, they had held up the same Shield together. When injured, they had been each other's crutches.
They had gazed at Star Yearn City's starry river, marveled at Flying Blossom City's sky full of blossoms, witnessed Azure Snow City's summer snowfall, admired Moonchase City's silver disk of a sun, and watched Sunspire City's golden crow pierce the clouds.
Ji Bozhai had always believed his life was interesting. But upon closer reflection, the interesting parts were all the times she was there.Once, he thought sweet words were love. Later, he believed giving gold and jewels was love. But now he realized, any emotion that could be reduced to a single object or action wasn’t truly love.
Love was something far too vast, vast enough to envelop a person’s entire life. Only when the coffin lid closed could it truly be defined.
The beast-drawn carriage rumbled into the inner courtyard of the city lord’s residence. Luo Jiaoyang still seemed somewhat perplexed. He gazed deeply at Ji Bozhai and asked, “When will Your Majesty return?”
“Soon.” Bo Zhai lifted the carriage curtain, squinting at the buildings outside. “By the time I can return, you’ll have a queen.”
Luo Jiaoyang blinked, looking at the confident man before him, feeling as though the undefeated Ji Bozhai from the battlefield had returned.
Yet, in the next moment, he saw their mighty Majesty weakly collapse to the side, clutching Buxiu’s hand, coughing violently as Mingyi hurried toward them.
Luo Jiaoyang: “…”
“Your Majesty?” Mingyi, clearly just roused from sleep with her outer robe still draped over her, frowned at the sight. “What’s happened in the middle of the night?”
Ji Bozhai wiped the dust from his face, exhaustion evident. “An assassination attempt. There’s a traitor in my palace. The halls were set ablaze— cough cough —”
Mingyi tensed, immediately signaling for someone to support him. “An assassination so soon after the laws were established? It seems there are still many in the Six Cities dissatisfied with unification.”
“I’ve already ordered Chu He and Fan Yao to investigate further. But for now, I’m afraid I must impose on the city lord.”
“Impose? Hardly. Many of these halls were built with Your Majesty’s gold. However…” Mingyi hesitated. “The newly constructed halls are all in the rear courtyard. For Your Majesty to reside there might be…?”
“It’s fine.” Ji Bozhai glanced at her. “The city lord’s rear courtyard is lively with many people.”
Mingyi felt he might be mocking her, but his gaze was oddly sincere.
Pursing her lips, she escorted him to the newly completed Qingming Hall.
Of all the newly built palaces, this one was the largest and most comfortable—originally intended for Mingyi herself. But since he had arrived, she let him stay there for the time being.
The advantage of this palace was its proximity to Zhou Zihong’s Yiqi Pavilion. The disadvantage was also its proximity to Zhou Zihong’s Yiqi Pavilion.
Mingyi whispered to Buxiu, “I’ll be at Yiqi Pavilion nearby. If anything happens, you can find me there.”
Buxiu glanced toward Yiqi Pavilion and sighed. “Won’t you stay with His Majesty for a while? He did suffer a fright tonight.”
Mingyi’s lips twitched as she stared at Buxiu. “Your master? Frightened?”
How could he say that with a straight face? This was no delicate flower.
Buxiu shook his head. “Since ancient times, the strongest are the least pitied. But this servant believes the most sensible children deserve the most candy. Shouldn’t you relate to that, my lady?”
…It sounded reasonable at first, but upon reflection, Mingyi still saw no need.
“Zhou Zihong is afraid of the dark,” she said. “I must return.”
Without waiting for Buxiu to respond, she turned and walked away.
Buxiu watched her retreating figure, scratched his head helplessly, and turned back—only to startle at the sight of Ji Bozhai standing behind him.
“Y-Your Majesty? Why have you come out?”
“Perhaps because I’m not afraid of the dark,” he said coolly, watching Mingyi’s retreating back. “Did I ever treat her like this before?”
Buxiu grinned sheepishly. “This servant has a poor memory.”The hall was lit with lamps. Ji Bozhai flicked his sleeves and sat down on the threshold, gently wiping the dust from his face. His features were shadowed against the light as he muttered, "Her memory is sharp indeed. Why doesn't she remember I can't sleep in unfamiliar places?"
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