Tang Dynasty: After living together with Chang Le, Li and his companion were dumbfounded.

Li Shimin stared at her for a long time.

"To pave the way?"

"To pave the way."

There was a few more seconds of silence.

Li Shimin suddenly smiled.

As he laughed, his voice grew louder and louder, until finally he threw his head back and burst into laughter.

He laughed so hard that even the imperial throne trembled.

"What a brilliant move to pave the way!"

He grasped Empress Zhangsun's hand, his grip tightening slightly.

"Guanyinbi, I have fought countless battles in my life, and I have used countless vanguard officers."

"You are the best vanguard I have ever seen."

Empress Zhangsun's lips curved into a smile.

"So, Your Majesty, do you intend to punish me? Or...?"

"What crime are you punishing?"

Li Shimin waved his hand.

"I'm not stupid. Why would I stop a profitable business?"

He released Empress Zhangsun's hand and leaned back.

"I have only one request."

"Your Majesty, please speak."

"Into 10%."

Empress Zhangsun was taken aback.

"What?"

"I want to take a 10% stake in the sugar business."

The Emperor, a man of great stature.

He asked his own queen for shares.

Empress Zhangsun couldn't help but laugh.

She laughed so hard that fine lines appeared at the corners of her eyes.

"Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, the entire world belongs to you, why would you need to pay any 'one percent'..."

"That's different," Li Shimin said seriously. "The world is the world, and business is business. What I want is a legitimate way to distribute the silver."

"Every penny of money in the national treasury has to pass through three hands: the Ministry of Revenue, the Censorate, and the Grand Counselor. Even if I add an extra dish, someone will report that 'Your Majesty should be frugal.'"

His tone suddenly became somewhat resentful.

"Even I, the emperor, find it difficult to spend some of my private funds."

Empress Zhangsun looked at her husband in this state.

He was an emperor, a general, and a sage, but the way he was haggling with her at this moment was no different from the merchants haggling in the West Market of Chang'an.

"it is good."

Empress Zhangsun nodded, suppressing a laugh.

"One-tenth belongs to His Majesty."

"But there's a condition."

"What are the conditions?"

"This matter cannot be known to the court officials for the time being. Once the business reaches a certain scale, I will make the arrangements myself. Until then, Your Majesty should keep Zhang Anan's mouth shut."

Li Shimin, unusually, readily agreed.

"become."

He stood up.

He took two steps and then turned back.

"Oh, right—"

"Is there anything else?"

"That bowl of sugar water."

Li Shimin's expression suddenly became somewhat unnatural.

Like someone who's too shy to speak up but can't help it.

"Could we... have someone send a bowl of sweet dew to the Ganlu Palace every day as well?"

Empress Zhangsun almost burst out laughing.

"Your Majesty, I have the embroiderer prepare it every day."

"Um."

Li Shimin cleared his throat and strode out of the Lizheng Hall.

His steps were steady and powerful, displaying the imperial bearing without the slightest diminishment.

But when the embroiderer saw her off at the palace gate—

I could clearly see that His Majesty's lips were turned up when he left.

It's sticking up really high.

…………

That evening.

Autumn has fallen in Chang'an.

The north wind is getting colder every day.

It's fine during the day, but as soon as the sun sets in the evening, the temperature drops sharply, like a cliff falling.

When Li Lizhi returned from Lizheng Hall, the tip of her nose was already red from the cold.

She strode into the bedchamber, dismissed Yu Shu, and went straight to the dividing line.

The curtains were half-lifted.

These days she's too lazy to even pretend anymore.

Across the dividing line, Lu Chen was sitting at his computer desk typing on his keyboard.

A shopping website was open on the screen, with the search bar showing "large silicone sugar cube mold".

Seeing her approach, Lu Chen turned his head.

"I'm back—"

He stopped halfway through his sentence.

Because he saw that Li Lizhi was curled up in a ball.

His shoulders were hunched.

Arms crossed.

The air coming from the Tang Dynasty was chilly.

The rental apartment has heating, so the temperature difference between the two sides of the dividing line is extremely large.

Li Lizhi stood on the Tang Dynasty side of the dividing line, which was like standing at the boundary between the cold wind and the warm wind.

The warm air from the heater just didn't reach her.

"cold?"

"It's not cold."

Li Lizhi was stubborn.

That's what they say.

But her lips were already a little white from the cold.

He crossed his arms, his fingertips turning blue.

The moon-white ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) she was wearing was beautiful.

But it can't block the wind.

It couldn't stop the chill of late autumn.

Lu Chen didn't say much.

He looked down at the clothes he was wearing.

A dark gray fleece-lined sweatshirt.

I bought it last winter.

I've washed it countless times, and it's already starting to pill.

But its advantage lies in being thick and warm enough.

He stood up.

He ripped the hoodie off his head.

Walk to the dividing line.

The arm passed through that invisible barrier—

Then he draped the hoodie over Li Lizhi's shoulders.

The movements were very natural.

It's as casual as draping a coat over a family member.

No hesitation.

No further words were needed.

Li Lizhi was stunned.

A garment she had never seen before suddenly fell onto her shoulder.

It's very thick.

It's very soft.

The moment the inner downy hairs touched the skin of my neck, a wave of warmth burst forth from the back of my neck, spreading down my spine and throughout my entire body.

It's warm.

It still carried the warmth of a person's body.

Li Lizhi's body stiffened involuntarily.

She instinctively tried to pull her clothes off.

His hand was already halfway up.

But nothing happened.

Because it's so warm.

That temperature wasn't just due to the thickness of the clothes themselves.

There is also something that cannot be explained or described.

It seeped into the bone from the shoulder.

It made her feel completely relaxed.

Li Lizhi lowered her hands.

I didn't tear off the hoodie.

She lowered her head.

The hoodie is too big.

Lu Chen, who is 1.8 meters tall, wore clothes that fit him well, and the clothes draped over her looked like a small cloak.

The hem of her dress almost reached her knees.

The sleeves were way too long, covering her hands.

But she didn't feel it was inappropriate.

Instead, he tucked both hands into his overly long sleeves.

His fingers gripped the fluffy fabric inside the cuff.

Soft.

It's warm.

It has a very faint smell.

It doesn't taste like spices.

It's the fresh scent of residual laundry detergent mixed with a hint of human body heat.

Clean.

warmth.

Safety.

Li Lizhi buried her chin in the neckline of her sweatshirt.

She huddled inside the clothes that were two sizes too big.

Like a cat that has crawled into its den.

Lu Chen looked at her.

A gray sweatshirt was worn over a moon-white ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress).

Modern times and the Tang Dynasty overlap.

It's strangely beautiful.

"How are you feeling? Warm?"

Li Lizhi did not look up.

A muffled sound came from inside the collar.

"……improvise."

Lu Chen smiled.

He turned around and walked back to his computer desk to sit down.

They didn't say anything more.

The heating was blasting inside.

The cold wind was still seeping in from the other side of the dividing line.

But it doesn't seem that cold anymore.

……

From that day onwards.

Every evening when Li Lizhi returned from the palace, the first thing she did changed.

Previously, I would walk to the dividing line, clear my throat, and wait for the milk.

Now we've reached the dividing line.

Take a look at the clothes rack over Lu Chen's side.

Then she reached out, but her hand couldn't cross the dividing line. However, Lu Chen would drape the sweatshirt over the back of the chair next to the dividing line every day, just within her reach.

Li Lizhi pulled the sweatshirt over.

Wear it on.

Then I cleared my throat and waited for the milk.

The order has changed.

Get dressed first, then drink the milk.

The clothes were placed in front of the milk.