Subaru Natsuki, who returned from the new Three Kingdoms

Inside the bridal chamber, red candles had already been lit.

Even though it was still daytime, the candlelight shining through the lampshade cast an ambiguous warm glow on the bed.

Qinghe was already sitting on the edge of the bed.

She wore a long robe interwoven with black and crimson, her long, black hair cascading down her shoulders, adorned only with a simple gold hairpin. The candlelight fell upon her brows and eyes, softening the usual capriciousness and sharpness of a princess into a gentle glow.

Kiyokawa, who had been waiting with her head down for a long time but still hadn't felt Subaru approaching, shyly raised her head and found Subaru standing by the bed, his fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of his clothes.

Her even shyer reaction successfully amused Qinghe.

This man really can't live without me.

Qinghe's lips curled slightly as he opened his mouth and began to coax her gently:

"My lord, I'm a little nervous. How about you tell me a joke?"

Subaru raised his head.

"Now?"

"of course."

"it is good."

Natsuki Subaru nodded. Doing what he was good at made him feel a little more at ease.

“You know…”

As soon as he finished speaking, Qinghe raised his hand and patted the edge of the bed beside him.

“Husband, let’s talk here.”

The invitation made Subaru's breathing quicken slightly.

Qinghe looked at him, her voice soft, but the last syllable carried a hint of deliberate provocation:

"Now that things have come to this, does my husband still intend to back down?"

As she spoke, she deliberately peeked her fair ankles out from under her skirt so that Subaru Natsuki could see them.

Subaru swallowed hard...

Qinghe has gone to such lengths for him.

Knowing he was a dying man, she was still willing to give herself to him. If she were to back down now, she would truly cease to be a man.

"it is good!"

Natsuki Subaru made up his mind, sat on the edge of the bed, and cleared his throat.

"Do you know which is better, hands or feet...?"

Qinghe didn't urge him any further, but just looked at him with a smile.

Subaru was able to continue telling that joke that he had already told many times.

He spoke slowly but with great concentration, a tactic that effectively helped him relieve a lot of stress.

But it was precisely this immersion that made him unaware of Qinghe's subtle actions beside him.

At first, Qinghe, who was listening to the jokes, kept a short distance away from him, but as she listened, she gradually moved closer to him.

When Subaru was halfway through his speech, her shoulder was already pressed against his arm, her chin rested on his shoulder, and her affectionate eyes were looking intently into his eyes.

There was no joke or playfulness in those eyes.

There is only one clear and sincere heart.

Subaru stopped speaking and focused his gaze on Kiyokawa's eyes.

The distance between their cheeks was so close that they could feel each other's breaths.

But no one was the first to cross this last boundary.

Qinghe raised his hand, gently touched Subaru's ear, and then slowly slid it down his cheek.

"My husband, do you know? Actually, I was already captivated by you the moment Father brought you back to the Prime Minister's residence and you refused to eat or drink."

Subaru was stunned.

"really?"

"You probably didn't notice the servant who brought you your meal."

Qinghe smiled.

"That girl was actually me."

Subaru looked at her and felt that what she said was indeed reasonable.

It's highly unlikely that a princess would personally deliver food to a defeated general who refused to surrender. If Qinghe was merely disguised as a palace maid, this would make sense.

Just because it's plausible doesn't mean he can recall the scene.

At that time, Natsuki Subaru had just been brought to Cao Cao's residence. His mind was filled with images of Yuan Shao's defeat. He couldn't even remember what he ate each day, let alone pay attention to what the palace maids who delivered his meals looked like.

Qinghe's finger stopped beside his face.

Actually, I was attracted to you back then.

“You thought about Yuan Shao every day, how to avenge him, how to get justice for him. Later, when you came to your father’s side, your heart was filled with Cao Wei and those soldiers.”

As she spoke, a gentle smile appeared on her lips.

“At that time, I thought to myself, I must find a husband as devoted as you.”

"You will never betray me, and you only have me in your heart."

"Otherwise, I'd be dying of jealousy..."

The wind outside gently brushed against the window paper.

Subaru looked at Kiyokawa, who was so close to him, and the pain in his chest seemed to be suppressed by that gentleness.

He slowly approached her.

Qinghe closed his eyes and came over.

Their lips touched.

The kiss started lightly, as if to confirm that neither of them was pulling away. Only after Qinghe's arms wrapped around his neck did Subaru raise his hand to support her back, slowly deepening the kiss.

When they parted, Qinghe pressed her forehead against his, her voice already trembling with tears.

"My husband, no matter where you go, I will wait for you to come back."

"Let me have a child for you."

Subaru looked at her, his Adam's apple bobbing heavily.

Qinghe's toes gently hooked around his waist.

Red curtains hung from the edge of the bed, concealing the candlelight and the two figures embracing each other.

Red candles illuminate the wedding dress, and the spring breeze enters the embroidered curtains.

A moment of spring night is worth a thousand pieces of gold, and today in Xuchang, no one is willing to urge the time.

------

On the other side, after Sima Yi hurriedly returned to his residence, he ignored the servants' greetings and went straight into the innermost room.

He waited inside for a long time.

Footsteps finally came from outside the door, and an old eunuch dressed in eunuch's clothes slowly walked in.

The two closed the door and spoke in hushed tones.

They talked for a long time.

It wasn't until the old eunuch pushed the door open and left that they saw the young Sima Zhao standing outside.

The old eunuch turned around and gave Sima Yi a slight bow.

"Lord Sima, don't forget."

"rest assured."

Sima Yi watched the old eunuch leave before turning back to look at Sima Zhao at the door.

Sima Zhao stood there blankly, clearly having overheard quite a bit of what was going on.

"Father, was the conversation you just had with that eunuch about something that concerns the long-term plan of our Sima family?"

Sima Yi raised his chin, his expression arrogant, and looked towards the courtyard not far away, shaking his head and saying:

"Of course, it's a major event that will determine the next four hundred years of history."

Upon hearing this, Sima Zhao's eyes lit up.

Although he hadn't heard Sima Yi explain it in detail, he already had some guesses about the future.

"Father, can my Sima family truly..."

"Silence!"

Sima Zhao was interrupted by Sima Yi's angry shout halfway through his speech!

Sima Yi searched around outside the courtyard.

A servant was found sweeping the ground not far away.

"Fifth brother, come here."

The servant put down the broom and went to the door.

"Stand guard at the door, listen at the door."

The servant was clearly used to it; he nodded and turned to stand outside the door.

Sima Yi then looked at Sima Zhao again.

“That’s right, Zhao’er, that’s exactly it.”

"Father, could it be that our great undertaking has made progress?"

Sima Zhao was still young, but his face already showed an excitement beyond his years.

Sima Yi gave a cold laugh.

"Hmph, progress? What progress? It's all unpredictable!"

"variable?"

"That General of Chariots and Cavalry, Natsuki Subaru, should have died long ago, but he just didn't."

Sima Yi raised his hand and tapped the table.

"Zhao'er, tell me, what else is this but a variable?"

Sima Zhao frowned.

He had heard of Subaru Natsuki's name, but he couldn't understand how the life or death of a mere General of Chariots and Cavalry could have anything to do with the Sima family's century-long plan.

"Father, what exactly happened in these two matters...?"

"I always tell you to read more books, read more books!"

Sima Yi suddenly raised his voice.

"You can't even see the connection between something this simple? How will you ever amount to anything in the future?"

Sima Zhao opened his mouth.

He couldn't see any cause or effect in it.

Sima Yi was too lazy to explain any further.

"In short, Zhao'er, remember this: Natsuki Subaru cannot continue to live."

"Whatever he wants to do, we must stop him, and it would be best to find a way to get rid of him."

Upon hearing this, Sima Zhao's eyes darted around. Although he was young, a treacherous plan had already formed in his mind.

"Stopping him is easy, isn't it?"

"Father, I heard that he plans to leave Cao Wei after his marriage. Why don't we send someone to ambush him on the way?"