That Imperial Concubine is both wicked and cunning! Your Majesty, wake up!

The snowflakes, like shattered jade, were swept up by the north wind, swirling and crashing against the vermilion palace walls, leaving a thin layer of frost-like white flakes.

The Hall of Diligent Governance was quiet, with only the rustling sound of the Emperor reviewing memorials.

Li Fuquan stood to the side, wanting to speak several times, but he swallowed his words back.

Xiao Yan took in that hesitant look of wanting to say something.

He put down his vermilion pen, looked up at him, and said, "Speak your mind."

Li Fuquan chuckled obsequiously: "Nothing escapes the Emperor's eyes."

"Today, Consort Yuan had an argument with Consort Ye and slapped her. Her Majesty the Empress has just issued an edict punishing Consort Yuan by confining her to her quarters for three days to reflect on her actions."

Xiao Yan's brows furrowed suddenly.

Ningning is gentle and self-controlled, and is by no means someone who easily takes her anger out on others.

Xiao Yan looked up at Li Fuquan, his voice deepening, "What was the cause?"

Li Fuquan's forehead was covered in cold sweat, and his voice trembled: "Your Majesty, it was Consort Ye who gossiped in the Imperial Garden, saying... saying that Consort Jieyu was Consort Rong's 'substitute'... a soulless shadow."

"A stand-in?" Xiao Yan repeated in a low voice.

That day, Ningning suddenly asked him if she resembled Consort Rong in some way. Ningning said that Consort Rong had brought it up first.

At the time, I thought it was just ordinary comparison and rivalry among the women in the harem and didn't take it to heart.

But now that I think about it, did Ningning already feel uncomfortable and develop a sense of inferiority from that moment on?

Xiao Yan regretted it, blaming himself for not noticing at the time and not taking those words to heart.

Li Fuquan lowered his body and whispered, "There have been rumors in the palace lately that Consort Yuan's features and figure are very similar to Consort Rong's... They also say..."

"They were chosen to enter the palace based on Consort Rong's appearance."

Xiao Yan let out a sneer.

This is not the usual banter and comparison among concubines. Consort Rong deliberately spread these rumors to break Ningning's spirit and crush her backbone.

A layer of cold mist instantly filled Xiao Yan's eyes.

After a long while, he suddenly slammed the pen on the table, splashing a few drops of ink onto the bright yellow memorial.

"You stay here and guard the Hall of Diligent Governance," he said in a deep voice, then got up and walked out of the hall.

Li Fuquan's heart tightened, and he hurriedly knelt down with a thud, blocking Xiao Yan's path. His voice was filled with panic: "Your Majesty! It's freezing cold, where are you going? You should at least take this servant with you, so we can look after each other!"

Xiao Yan glanced at him indifferently, and Li Fuquan dared not speak again, so he could only step aside in grievance.

The night was deep and still, and all was quiet.

Xiao Yan had already arrived at the Hidden Winter Pavilion. He had practiced martial arts since childhood, and the palace wall was easily leaped over by him with a light touch of his toes.

The closer they got to the bedchamber, the clearer the faint sobbing became.

Xiao Yan pushed open the door and entered.

In the dim candlelight, Song Shuangning was curled up on the couch, tears streaming down her face, her shoulders trembling slightly.

Xiao Yan's heart clenched suddenly, a sharp pain gripping him.

Song Shuangning looked up when she heard the voice, and was stunned when she saw that it was him.

Unlike usual, her eyes were filled with panic.

Before Xiao Yan could speak, she sat up, her voice trembling uncontrollably: "Your Majesty..."

Song Shuangning struggled to get up and bow, but nearly fell over in her panic.

Xiao Yan stepped forward and helped her up.

"Your Majesty... have you come to reprimand me? I admit my mistake, Your Majesty, please don't be angry with me anymore, okay? I will never dare to do it again."

Her fearful and uneasy appearance suggested that she was convinced he had come to interrogate her.

Xiao Yan reassured her in a deep voice, "I am not here to interrogate you, nor am I angry. Ningning, there is no need for this."

Song Shuangning acted as if she hadn't heard, and continued to make a choked-up promise:

"I will never act impulsively again, never again... Your Majesty, please don't be angry, and please... please don't abandon me. You are all I have left..."

Looking at her incoherent speech, Xiao Yan suddenly realized what was going on.

Rumors are like blades.

Ultimately, it left a mark on her heart.

She not only felt inferior, but also became more cautious and fearful when facing him.

"Song Shuangning," Xiao Yan called her full name in a deep voice.

He then cupped her face, forcing her to look up, "Do you remember what I told you?"

Song Shuangning had tears in her eyes, seemingly unaware of which sentence she was referring to.

Xiao Yan repeated, word by word, exactly as he had on that day: "I don't think so."

He sighed softly, reached out and pulled her into his arms, and explained in a low voice, "I have never thought that you resemble Consort Rong in the slightest, and I have never regarded you as her substitute or her shadow. Never, never, Song Shuangning, you are you, the person I cherish in my heart, not anyone's appendage."

His Adam's apple bobbed slightly. He looked away, avoiding her gaze, his voice lower and hoarse, carrying a hint of nervousness he himself was unaware of:

"I love you."

Song Shuangning was so shocked that her eyes widened and her eyelashes trembled violently. She had clearly not expected Xiao Yan to say these things to her.

As for confessions of love, countless people confessed to her during her high school and college years, and she was already used to it.

But Xiao Yan's words made her feel... nervous.

She scoffed inwardly. What was there to be nervous about?

The emperor's affections have always been like a mirage, how much is real and how much is fake, who can say for sure?

He can tell you he likes you today, but tomorrow he can turn around and speak sweetly to someone else.

Love and romance in the inner palace are not to be taken seriously.

"Really? If Your Majesty truly favors me..." Song Shuangning's voice trembled, her tone laced with barely concealed laughter.

"But...but..." Her eyes darted around, as if she didn't believe it.

"No buts." Xiao Yan said decisively.

"They all say that everyone in the palace is saying that the concubines are only favored by the Emperor because of Consort Rong."

Xiao Yan's tone became more forceful: "They're talking nonsense."

"Song Shuangning. You don't trust me? Instead, you believe those baseless rumors?"

Song Shuangning's tears fell in a stream, her voice as soft as a wisp of smoke:

"Your Majesty, please don't be angry."

"Has Your Majesty ever heard this saying?"

"Coward, she's even afraid of happiness. She'll get hurt even by cotton. She can even be hurt by happiness."

(*Dazai Osamu's "Disqualification in the World")

"Your Majesty, I am such a coward now. It is only because I love Your Majesty so much that I am so anxious and insecure."

Love, this word is both too heavy and too light.

Xiao Yan pulled her into his arms, his voice gentle and almost hoarse, "I know, but you must believe me, I have never lied to you."

Song Shuangning snuggled closer to Xiao Yan and hummed in agreement. "Your Majesty, I trust you. I only trust Your Majesty."

The ground was too cold, and her body was too weak.

Xiao Yan immediately picked her up and gently placed her on the bed.

Song Shuangning trembled in shock, then came to her senses and hurriedly reached out to push his arm away, "Your Majesty, I am still under house arrest, you cannot..."

Xiao Yan chuckled softly, "What are you thinking, Ningning?"

"Don't worry, no one else knows I'm here."

Song Shuangning grabbed his sleeve, looked up at him, and asked, "How did the Emperor get in?"

Xiao Yan coughed lightly.

He couldn't very well tell the truth that he had climbed over the wall to get in; that would be too unbecoming of an emperor.

Song Shuangning tried hard to suppress her laughter as she watched his reaction.

Even if he didn't say it, I knew how he got in.

The two snuggled together in the warm quilt, Xiao Yan's palm gently stroking her long hair.

"I will definitely give an explanation for this matter. Tomorrow morning, I will send Li Fuquan to Fengyi Palace to deliver an imperial edict to deal with Consort Ye and those who instigated the trouble."

Song Shuangning propped herself up. "Leave this matter to me, okay? I don't want to be a parasitic vine hiding behind Your Majesty, nor do I want to live my whole life in someone else's shadow. I also want to learn to stand on my own."

Xiao Yan said worriedly, "But you must agree and not let yourself be wronged."

"Your Majesty, this concubine agrees." Song Shuangning nodded.

After Song Shuangning fell asleep, Xiao Yan stared at her face and finally sighed.

She is learning to grow up and stand on her own, which is a good thing.

But why couldn't he feel happy at all?

I just felt a heavy weight on my chest.