The bright moon hangs high, beckoning him down from his pedestal.

The next morning, Shen Qingruo sat in front of her dressing table. Just as Granny Yan was about to tie up her long hair, Shen Wangxi came over.

He sat down beside her, took the comb, and even picked up her black hair with his own hands, saying, "I won't put my hair up in a bun today."

"I will braid your hair, just like the other day."

Shen Qingruo was slightly taken aback and looked at him through the bronze mirror.

He was focused, his long, slender fingers clumsily combing her hair, trying to braid it into a side braid.

Shen Wangxi wove for a while, but she wasn't satisfied with what she saw, so she simply took it apart and handed it to Granny Yan, who was standing next to her, saying, "You do it."

Granny Yan suppressed a laugh, respectfully accepted the braid, and quickly braided a neat and beautiful plait that hung down her shoulder.

Shen Wangxi looked at it, then picked out a few small butterfly hair ornaments from the makeup box and pinned them to her braids by hand.

The exquisite butterfly jewelry made her appear even more graceful and lively.

Shen Qingruo looked at herself in the mirror. Her braid hung down to one side, and the butterfly swayed gently. She did look younger and was incredibly pretty.

Shen Wangxi stood behind her, looking at her in the mirror, and was also very satisfied with the Aruo she had dressed up herself.

Wearing a simple light-colored dress and with the hairstyle of an unmarried young woman, her clear eyes and brows made her look like a young girl who had just come of age.

But this sight made him feel as if he wasn't the ruthless emperor, but rather an ordinary man, spending time with his young sweetheart.

Shen Qingruo suddenly blinked, turned her head to look up at him, and asked in a soft voice:

"Last night, His Majesty called out to Aruo for a while, and then to the Imperial Concubine for a while."

"Then what exactly is Aruo in Your Majesty's heart?"

She asked innocently, as if she were genuinely just curious.

Shen Wangxi sat down beside her, pulling her into his arms, looking down into her eyes, his voice domineering:

"In name only, you are naturally my imperial concubine, my woman."

His fingertips gently touched the butterfly at the end of her braid, and his tone softened:

"But in my heart, you were once the little princess I owed something to, and now you are my beloved little girl."

Shen Wangxi's gaze lingered on her small face.

The seemingly innocent girl before him overlapped with the seductive concubine beneath him last night. The stark contrast made his heart skip a beat, and he felt a strange sense of guilt.

As Shen Qingruo listened to his words and saw the dark turmoil in his eyes, a blush crept onto her face.

She lowered her head slightly, her slender white fingers twisting the sash of her dress; her shy and timid appearance only made people more eager to see her.

Shen Wangxi pinched her chin, stared at the blushing girl, and finally couldn't resist tasting her sweet little mouth.

After a long while, he finally raised his head, took a deep breath, suppressed the stirrings in his heart, straightened up, and took her hand:

"Let's go, I'll take you to have breakfast."

-

The capital city, the Xiaoyao Prince's Mansion.

Shen Yinian sat behind his desk, with a list of several important officials in the court spread out in front of him: the six ministers and two dukes.

Duke Zhenguo Xiao Wen and Duke Suguo Qi Rui were both trusted confidants promoted by the Emperor, and the six ministers were also extremely loyal.

The Emperor is now in his prime, and his power is growing daily. These old ministers may not be willing to take sides too early and get involved in the conflict between the Empress's son and the potential son of the Imperial Concubine.

Shen Yinian tapped lightly on the three characters "Duke of Zhenguo" with his fingers.

Xiao Yu, the heir of the Duke of Zhenguo, is engaged to Ayan.

This might be a potential breakthrough point to explore.