The empress is both charming and seductive, rising through the ranks of palace intrigue.

After the three children came out, Ning Shuyan composed herself and forced a smile. She carried the brewed tea slowly into the inner hall.

When Xiao Yu saw her enter, his gaze softened and he looked at her. How he wished he could look at her like this for the rest of his life...

Ning Shuyan didn't dare to look him in the eye, afraid that she would burst into tears in front of him. Only when she faced this moment did she realize how afraid she was of losing him.

With a smile, she presented the teacup to him and said softly, "My lord, please taste it. Has my tea-brewing skill deteriorated?"

Xiao Yu's throat was parched, but he drank it from Ning Shuyan's hand, a smile playing on his lips: "Very good, still the same taste..."

This might have been his last cup of tea before he died.

Ning Shuyan's fingertips trembled as she placed the tea on the wooden table, a feeling of suffocation rising within her.

"Yan Yan... come here and let me take a good look at you again." Xiao Yu reached out to her, a glimmer of light appearing in his dull and lifeless eyes.

Ning Shuyan walked over with a heavy heart and firmly grasped his hand. "Your Majesty, I have always been here. Now and forever, as long as you wish to see me, I will always be here."

Xiao Yu raised his hand and stroked her delicate, jade-like cheek. Five years had passed, but in his heart, she remained unchanged, just as before.

Only my love for her grows stronger with each passing day...

He gently stroked her hand, his voice trembling, and said softly, "I still remember the first time I saw Yan Yan, it was among the crabapple blossoms. You were wearing a pale yellow dress, and the moment you stood among the red flowers and green leaves, I couldn't take my eyes off you."

He was breathing heavily: "At the time, I was wondering which concubine was so beautiful. I never imagined that one glance would last a lifetime, and you would become the only person in this world I could not bear to part with."

Ning Shuyan forced back her tears, a surge of intense grief and sorrow welling up inside her, leaving her speechless.

"Yan Yan, at first I was only attracted to your beauty, but later, I truly fell in love with you as a person. It's just a pity that I'm born into the royal family and don't understand the feelings between men and women..."

He paused for a moment, then said, "If I had known my own heart sooner, I... I would have cherished every moment we spent together."

As he lay dying, he realized how much reluctance and regret he had felt. He regretted not meeting her sooner and even more so, not cherishing her properly.

Ning Shuyan said with a somber tone, "My lord, we have a long future ahead of us. I will stay by your side and cherish every moment of the future."

Xiao Yu shook his head weakly; he knew very well that he was about to die.

He grasped Ning Shuyan's hand, his chest tightness making it seem like he couldn't breathe.

"I... saw the book you liked to read. I also know that what you... want is a lifelong, monogamous relationship. Originally, I planned to announce to the world after deposing the empress that I would no longer hold any imperial concubine selections, and spend the rest of my life with you."

"But...but I can't give you anything now. I can't stay with you for a lifetime, and I can't protect you anymore. After I'm gone, you must take good care of yourself and watch Yi'er ascend the throne, watch him marry and have children, and watch this beautiful land."

"This road... I can only accompany you this far." His voice was very soft, as weak and desolate as the autumn wind, and tears gradually welled up in his eyes.

You won't know how to cherish something if you haven't experienced loss.

Looking at the man who had doted on her for nearly five years, Ning Shuyan felt as if her heart was being torn apart.

In recent years, even a stone should have been warmed up, let alone people's hearts.

She wasn't heartless; she just didn't dare to let go and love freely, constantly suppressing her feelings.

At this moment, she could no longer hold back her tears, which she had been holding back for so long, and large tears rolled down her cheeks.

Xiao Yu laboriously raised his hand to wipe away her warm tears, and smiled faintly: "Yan Yan, you have shed tears in front of me many times, but only this time, I... I feel very happy and lucky."

This time, however, her tears were genuine.

This was the only time she shed tears for herself.

Ning Shuyan felt even more heartbroken upon hearing this, and tears streamed down her face like a burst dam. She shook her head sadly, "Yulang, please don't do this! I am not worthy of your feelings."

She sobbed, "I've lied to you about so many things! I'm a selfish and vicious woman! I..."

Before she could finish speaking, Xiao Yu covered her lips with his fingertips.

He shook his head with a smile, his gaze as gentle as ever: "Yan Yan! Some things don't need to be said in a lifetime, I understand..."

"In my heart, no matter what... you will always be the best."

Ning Shuyan completely broke down at this moment, her thin chest heaving violently, her heart aching in waves.

He knew... he always knew.

Even knowing this, he still treated himself the same way.

He would rather deceive himself than tell the truth.

He knew he didn't love him...

Xiao Yu felt breathless and coughed violently before feeling much better. He reached out and wiped the tears from her face: "Don't cry! Promise me you won't cry anymore, otherwise I won't be at peace."

Ning Shuyan looked at the man in front of her with teary eyes, suppressing the bitterness in her heart, and nodded gently.

At this moment, Xiao Yu felt extremely tired and had difficulty breathing.

He weakly opened his arms and slowly said, "Let me hug you one more time."

Ning Shuyan leaned against him with tears in her eyes, reaching out to hug him tightly.

This embrace felt both warm and frightening for the first time, so warm that I didn't want to let go. I was afraid that once I let go, it would be gone forever.

Large tears slid down her cheeks and onto her clothes, silently staining them with mottled tear tracks, like cold frost in winter. So beautiful, yet about to vanish.

Xiao Yu pressed his cheek tightly against her forehead, closed his eyes wearily, and savored this last bit of beauty and warmth.

"Yan Yan, do you know that I am not happy to have obtained the throne I have always dreamed of? I even resent being born into the royal family."

He paused for a moment, then slowly said, "But... but if I hadn't been born into the royal family, I wouldn't have been able to meet you, and I would have been very regretful."

Ning Shuyan tightened her grip: "Your Majesty, I am also very fortunate to have met you in this life."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yu's brows relaxed in satisfaction and pleasure.

His breathing became increasingly labored and heavy; he knew he was about to give up.

Then, he took out a token and amulet from under his pillow and handed them to Ning Shuyan: "I'm entrusting these two items to you for safekeeping. If... if something changes in the court after my death, you can use these two items to command the world and ensure your safety."

Even at the very last moment, he couldn't let her go.

Even knowing that she was capable of protecting herself, he was still worried.

Ning Shuyan nodded, her voice choked with emotion, "Your Majesty, I understand. Rest assured, I will protect myself and Yi'er, and I will also teach him well so that he may become an outstanding monarch."

Xiao Yu held her in his arms again, enduring the discomfort and pain throughout his body, and said with trembling lips, "I just want to know one last time... if you were given another chance to choose, would you be my empress, would you be my wife?"

At that moment, she did not hesitate; her tearful eyes were filled with determination and sincerity: "I will! I definitely will!"

Xiao Yu's bloodless lips curved slightly upward. His life had been worthwhile...

He wearily closed his eyes, when suddenly an inexplicable force pressed down on his chest, instantly contorting his face into a grimace.

The intense pain and suffocation caused him to cough violently, and the next second he spat out a mouthful of black blood.

Ning Shuyan's eyes widened, and she cried out in terror, "Imperial Physician! Imperial Physician!"