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A flicker of emotion stirred within him as he recalled the moment she fell from her horse in Qinghai, her eyes so clear and innocent, reminding him of the young lady from the Nalan family whom he had once loved.
In the days that followed, as they spent time together, he realized that Xiao Man was not like the Nalan woman.
The Nalan lady exuded purity and grace, but Xiao Man was different. She possessed the clearest gaze and the most passionate spirit. Yet all of this was not because she loved him; it was because he loved her just as she was.
He thought to himself that the Emperor truly understood him.
At the very least, the Emperor knew what kind of woman could win his favor, which was why he had arranged for Xiao Man to be by his side.
After all, the Emperor was still the Emperor, and Fourth Prince was no longer the Fourth Prince of old.
Once upon a time, Fourth Prince could call him brother and share his innermost thoughts without reservation.
But now, as Emperor, he bore the weight of imperial authority.
And he had naively believed that they could still drink together through the night and share a bed as they once did.
Recalling their journey back to the capital, he felt a chill run through him at how his selfishness and arrogance had led to reckless behavior, all of which had flown into the palace with Xiao Man's carrier pigeon.
It was time to consider a way out for himself.
He sighed softly, lifted the cup of tea that Xiao Man had just brewed for him, and brought it to her lips, gently saying, "It's cold outside; drink some tea to warm yourself."
Tears shimmered in Xiao Man's eyes, flickering slightly in her dark gaze.
She gently parted her crimson lips and drank the cup of tea, then took his hand and placed it against her cheek, saying, "General, did you know all along?"
The cup in Nian Gengyao's hand fell to the ground with a loud clatter, his face filled with disbelief. "Know what?"
"Even the tea I brewed for you, you don't dare to drink," Xiao Man said, curling up like a docile kitten as she nestled into his embrace.
The tenderness in her eyes rippled softly. "The year the Emperor found me, I was just ten years old, performing on the streets and enduring hardships. It was the Emperor who brought me into the palace; back then, he was still the Fourth Prince. He sent a skilled eunuch to teach me martial arts.
He said that one day I might serve Saint Ancestor Kangxi in the palace or become a woman of his enemies. But no matter where I went or whose woman I became, my master would always be him. The Fourth Master back then is now the Emperor! If I were to betray him, my only fate would be death."
A fleeting pain crossed Nian Gengyao's face, quickly replaced by an extremely weary smile. "So, the Emperor wants you to disguise yourself as a man and enter my camp, allowing me to discover your true identity during the battle in Qinghai. The purpose is to test my loyalty to him? To see if I would deal with you according to the law?"
"No, the Emperor wants me to stay by your side. If you have no treasonous intentions, then I am merely his spy placed beside you. But if you harbor thoughts of rebellion or disrespect, the Emperor will not show you mercy!"
Xiao Man tightened her grip on his hand and gently placed it on her lower abdomen. "But General, heaven has shown mercy; Xiao Man is carrying your child! Xiao Man wants to give birth to this baby..."
Nian Gengyao's body instantly stiffened like a piece of iron, as if Xiao Man in his arms were a creature covered in thorns that could wound him at any moment.
"With your talents, General, you can still be a good support for Xiao Man and the child, right?" She tilted her face up towards him, her eyes filled with hope. "Xiao Man wants to follow you for a lifetime, General!"
"Do you know what you're saying?!" Nian Gengyao's hand lightly brushed through her glossy black hair. "You're inciting me to rebel! Xiao Man, you little wolf, whose heart do you truly belong to?"
Xiao Man listened, giggled, and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I am yours, General. My heart, my body, my life—all of it is yours from this moment on!"
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