Chapter 531: Chapter 435: My Husband Is the One Thing Siyao Cannot Yield

"Husband... It’s... it’s time to blow out the candles..."

Qin Siyao lowered her head shyly.

Looking at Qin Siyao, Xiao Mo couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt.

’If this were an ordinary wedding, if I weren’t the Emperor... even if I were only marrying one woman tonight, things would be much better than this.’

But at this moment, Xiao Mo felt like he was truly a beast.

Meanwhile, Qin Siyao saw Xiao Mo’s guilty expression. As if she understood something, she blinked softly and said with a smile:

"Could it be that Brother Your Majesty doesn’t plan on spending the night with me, but with Sister Ruxue instead?"

His thoughts exposed, Xiao Mo looked up at Qin Siyao. He stopped trying to hide it and said frankly:

"According to custom, Mujiu, both your and Ruxue’s red veils must be lifted tonight.

But you and Ruxue are both ’Imperial Consorts,’ equal in status.

If I lift your veil first, then Ruxue’s, I must stay at Ningxue Hall tonight.

Mujiu, I’m sorry. I’m afraid I won’t be able to accompany you until tomorrow."

Xiao Mo stood up, bowed his apologies, and spoke with a sincere tone.

"Brother Your Majesty, there is no need for that."

Qin Siyao quickly rose as well and helped Xiao Mo up, her eyes seemingly filled with sincere consideration for him.

"Truly, it’s not that I cannot understand, Brother Your Majesty.

The Yan Clan currently controls the court of the Zhou Kingdom.

If Brother Your Majesty were to spend the night here with me, I fear the Yan Clan would hold a grudge.

The situation then would surely be disadvantageous for you.

Given that, how could I be so thoughtless?"

"Mujiu..."

Hearing Qin Mujiu’s understanding words, Xiao Mo was at a loss for what to say.

In truth, even if Qin Mujiu had been angry, Xiao Mo would have understood.

But he hadn’t expected Mujiu to be so sensible.

This, in turn, made Xiao Mo feel even more guilty and made him want to make it up to her properly in the future.

Outside the room, Si Li, who had been eavesdropping, was also somewhat stunned.

She, too, had thought that the Eldest Princess of Qin would be furious.

After all, she wasn’t some nobody.

This Eldest Princess had been pampered and coddled since childhood.

And yet on her wedding night, her husband was leaving right after lifting her veil...

Si Li felt that if it were her, even she would have gotten a little angry with her master.

But not only was the Eldest Princess not angry, she was even being considerate of the master in every way...

"But, Brother Your Majesty, could you tell me... is it because of the Yan Clan, or is it because you truly want to go to Sister Ruxue’s that you’ve decided to spend the night there?"

Qin Siyao asked in a soft voice.

"I don’t mean anything else by it, I just want to know what Your Majesty is thinking. No matter how you answer, I won’t throw a tantrum."

Xiao Mo shook his head. "It’s not because of the Yan Clan’s power. It was a decision I made by flipping a Jade Pendant. The method may not have been proper, but it was the fairest."

"So Sister Ruxue was just luckier than I was." Qin Siyao’s eyes curved into crescents, as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. "In that case, there’s nothing more to say. As long as I know that I have a place in Brother Your Majesty’s heart, that’s all that matters."

Xiao Mo sighed softly, looking directly into her eyes. "Mujiu, in the future, I will make it up to you."

"Mm," Qin Mujiu hummed softly and smiled. "You said it yourself, Your Majesty. I will be waiting..."

"Don’t worry. I am a man of my word."

Xiao Mo gave her his solemn promise.

After exchanging a few more words with Qin Siyao and telling her to get some rest, Xiao Mo left her chambers.

Qin Siyao stood at the door, watching as Xiao Mo walked further and further away, until he had left her Hanjiu Hall and vanished into the night.

"Husband..."

Qin Siyao gazed in the direction Xiao Mo had gone, her hands clasped before her, the corners of her lips curling into a slight smile.

’I’m not as magnanimous as you think, Husband...’

’I can give up anything. But the one thing I won’t give up... is you.’

...

Not long after leaving Qin Siyao’s palace, Xiao Mo arrived at Ningxue Hall.

Compared to when he went to Hanjiu Hall just now, Xiao Mo felt much more nervous.

The reason was simple.

He was more familiar with Qin Mujiu. They had met several times before and had a certain understanding of each other.

But as for this most talented woman of the Zhou Kingdom, Xiao Mo had never met her. At most, he had only heard of her reputation, knowing she was well-versed in zither, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and prose.

Most importantly, because of Empress Dowager Yan and Yan Shanao, Xiao Mo’s impression of the entire Yan Clan was not very good.

And by extension, his impression of Yan Ruxue wasn’t very good either.

Even though Xiao Mo knew that Yan Ruxue was also a pitiful person.

He knew she was nothing more than a sacrificial pawn for her clan.

But her identity as a member of the Yan Clan truly made it impossible for Xiao Mo to let his guard down.

Arriving at the entrance to the main room of Ningxue Hall, Xiao Mo gathered his thoughts. After telling Si Li to stand guard at the door, he pushed the door open and stepped into the bedchamber.

Like Qin Siyao, Yan Ruxue was sitting on the red wedding bed, her legs together, the hem of her dress clinging to her well-proportioned, slender legs.

Even in the relatively loose red robes, the dramatic rise and fall of her chest was striking.

In Xiao Mo’s opinion, even Si Li would probably have to concede defeat in that department.

Xiao Mo walked forward, picked up the jade weighing rod, and gently lifted the woman’s red veil.

When Yan Ruxue’s world-toppling beauty was revealed before Xiao Mo’s eyes.

When the red candlelight reflected her myriad charms.

When her eyes lifted softly and looked gently at Xiao Mo.

Xiao Mo stood frozen, staring blankly at her.

Compared to Qin Siyao’s somewhat playful and innocent appearance, the lady of the Yan Family possessed more maturity, poise, and graceful elegance.

It was as if you could entrust her with anything.

As if she could take care of everything for you, leaving you with no worries.

Of course.

What left Xiao Mo stunned was not just Yan Ruxue’s beauty.

It was because he had met this woman before!

"Miss?"

Xiao Mo stared at her in astonishment.

He never would have imagined.

That this talented lady of the Yan Family was the same woman for whom he had retrieved a kite in the palace.

The same well-bred lady with whom he had shared tea and conversation while boating on the lake.

And even the same woman who had accompanied him to Baideng Temple during the New Year to hang a wish for the year to come.

Yan Ruxue’s thin lips held a smile. Her beautiful, peach-blossom eyes curved slightly, the cat-like outer corners tilting up. Though alluring, she was not in the least bit garish. Instead, she gave off a sense of subtle grace, like a spring breeze brushing across a lake, stirring faint ripples:

"Young Master, we meet again."

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