Chapter 541   Tender Exchange of Feelings

“The affairs of the previous dynasty... Yan’er, if you’re related to them, would you think that I’m your enemy?”

Even though his voice was soft, Ning Xueyan heard him loud and clear. She shook her head. “Your family didn’t destroy the previous dynasty.”

Ning Xueyan had investigated the previous dynasty quite well. Regardless of how the dynasty ended, the initiator was said to be the then Right Minister, whom the Ao family had won the throne from. She didn’t think that this made Ao Chenyi her enemy.

But so what if there was indeed enmity between them? Her biological mother went missing after entrusting her to her adoptive parents. Even though they did their best to raise her, they also kept her origin a secret. This showed that they didn’t want her involved with the past.

The previous dynasty had been destroyed. How could a mere princess hope to revive her fallen country?

This must be her adoptive parents’ intention as well. They must have kept her origin a secret to give her a peaceful life. Yet, they couldn’t hide their biggest secret and were tricked by the Xia family. Their early deaths had also forced her to come to the capital and seek shelter with the Lord Protector’s Manor.

“Ning Ziying was the eldest princess of the previous dynasty, but she didn’t know anything. With her gone, all the grudges and grievances about the past and present dynasty have nothing to do with us,” she said softly.

Ning Ziying was dead. Whatever left of her—this remnant soul—was proof of that. Her death meant the end of the bloodline of the previous imperial family. Ning Xueyan didn’t wish to lament over things so much that they became her obsession. She didn’t hope for much. She just wished to protect the people she wished to protect and live peacefully.

National affairs were never something a young woman like her could hope to control.

Her heart was very small; there wasn’t enough space for the grandiose, worldly matters. She was just a young woman raised in the depths of the boudoir and all she could see was the corner of the sky from the backyard. A young woman as weak and slender as she could neither kill enemies in the battlefield nor spar verbally in the court.

No matter who she was, she was still an ordinary young woman.

“I’m glad that you think that way.” Ao Chenyi’s voice was as steady as ever, but Ning Xueyan could still sense his relief. The corners of her mouth curved yet there was a mild stinging in her eyes. She felt as if there was finally someone who cared for her. She was no longer the orphan abandoned at the Bright Frost Garden whom nobody loved nor wanted.

“My mother was the Imperial Father’s concubine. She was lovely, but her beauty didn’t bring her much happiness. She died from blood loss after giving birth to me. Afterward, I started following my father to the battlefield out of fear of being murdered. He hadn’t become the Emperor then. I have continued to stay in the army since.”

Ao Chenyi’s voice was flat but Ning Xueyan could hear a trace of sadness in his indifference.

No wonder he became famous at such a young age. He was heralded as a man with the power to overwhelm the world and rumored to be arrogant and domineering. He was still a child when he joined the army and entered the battlefield. If he wasn’t capable, he would have been dead a long time ago.

It was said that the late Emperor had taken care of him, but how could that be possible? The late Emperor was a man, and a man caught in a war at that. The world was in chaos then, so where would he find the time and energy to take care of his child? There seemed to be a huge age gap between Ao Chenyi and the current Emperor, too.

He had an elderly, busy father and a much older brother that he wasn’t close to. There was also the endless fighting. If he couldn’t remain strong in such days, he would have died without even leaving a corpse behind. Even a group of adults would easily die without a trace in the chaos of war, never mind a child.

Ao Chenyi must have suffered a lot at that time!

“You... You must have been very afraid and tired at that time!”

He must have been just as terrified, worried, and helpless as she was when she first arrived at the Lord Protector’s Manor in her past life.

Ao Chenyi watched as Ning Xueyan looked up at him with a gentle, pitying gaze. Her bright eyes were watery as if all of the gentleness and love in the world was contained in them. He felt as if his heart was being soaked in a hot spring. He squeezed her hand. “It was okay. It wasn’t as bad as you think. As long as you’re strong, much stronger than others, no one can do anything to you. Honor is utmost in the army, and everyone respects the strong there.”

The gentleness in his voice swiftly turned into a deep hatred. “When I investigated later, I learned that someone had fed my mother and caused her death by blood loss. They wanted both of us dead, but I was lucky enough to survive. The masterminds were so powerful that my father had no choice but to take me with him.”

An idea struck Ning Xueyan, making her ask, “Was it the Empress Dowager and Lord Protector’s Manor?”

“Yes. To be the Empress Dowager, she took great pains to promote her chosen person to a position of power. She wanted to enjoy the honors of the world, but what a pity. Even the one she supported wasn’t loyal to her. Once the throne was firmly in grasp, he settled the score with her. Just as the sky can’t have two suns, the country can’t have two masters. She wanted to be the puppet master, but she didn’t check if the puppet was willing!”

Coldness and bloodthirstiness glinted in Ao Chenyi’s beautiful eyes. For the throne, that old hag dared to murder his father and cost him his only family in the world.

Ning Xueyan fell silent. Ao Chenyi had grown up in the army without his mother, but he at least had his father. Yet, he lost even his father in the end. This must have been a huge blow to the young Ao Chenyi. And after his older brother ascended the throne, he was viewed in suspicion. This was obvious judging from the many concubines sent from the palace.

He didn’t have an official mistress for his harem, only a group of concubines. Even if everything was fine, they could still cause trouble out of nothing. That was, indeed, their goal in the first place. Fortunately, Ao Chenyi was ruthless enough to keep his harem in check. This reminded Ning Xueyan of the time she entered the manor disguised as his beloved concubine.

Back then, his concubines only quieted down after watching two beauties sent by the two Emperors die.

Even though her origin was complicated, her life seemed considerably less miserable than Ao Chenyi. Her adoptive parents had truly loved her in her past life. In this life, Madam Ming had loved her dearly as well.

Suddenly, she looked up and asked, “Why didn’t the Emperor say anything after you beat his palace maids to death?” Logically speaking, Ao Chenyi couldn’t kill palace maids sent by the Emperor.

“Of course he wouldn’t say anything. I stopped seeing my fiancee because of him. He had always felt apologetic, so naturally, he wouldn’t reprimand me. If people knew that he stole his younger brother’s woman, his reputation would be ruined in the history records.”

Ao Chenyi mocked.

Fiancee? Ning Xueyan was stunned. She heard that Ao Chenyi’s fiancee died of illness a long time ago. It was said that he stayed a bachelor out of love for his deceased fiancee and delayed his marriage for the longest time. She was surprised by the truth behind this.

“Forget it. I wouldn’t want that woman even if you gave her to me. It suited me just fine. Let him keep her if he wants her.” Ao Chenyi raised his brows languidly without any trace of sadness on his face. Instead, Ning Xueyan realized a gleam of interest in his wicked, handsome eyes.

“Don’t spare her any mind. Yan’er, all you have to remember is that she has always been a passerby in my life.” Ao Chenyi reached out to touch her soft face with a smile. When he saw her face turning an unusual red, he couldn’t help but chuckle.

“I don’t want anyone but you, Yan’er. You can disregard other women, especially Xianyun. The Lord Peace’s Manor tried to rise again after the Empress Dowager died, but what a pity. Neither I nor the Emperor had the intention to let them do so. And you’re the only mistress of my manor. You’re the only one I want!” Ao Chenyi lowered his head and looked at Ning Xueyan. His voice was soft but his tone was sincere.

After he finished speaking, he deliberately squeezed her soft cheek.

Ning Xueyan’s face turned even redder. She reached out to pat his hand away and protested playfully. “Speak properly.”

“Am I not speaking properly now? What, am I not speaking properly if I’m holding my wife?” Ao Chenyi teased, chuckling. He continued to look at her with a playful look. He pinched her again with a loving expression.

“You... We’re talking about your childhood here. You must have been very tired then...” She once again patted his hand away. It seemed like she was deliberately changing the topic instead of being truly concerned about him. Her beautiful eyes carried a hint of feigned annoyance, making him feel even more in love with her.

“Treat me better in the future then,” Ao Chenyi said seriously. He nodded, going along with Ning Xueyan’s topic. His words were straightforward but somehow, his earnest expression made her feel embarrassed. The languid, mirthful look in his eyes, in particular, gave her the feeling that he was doing it on purpose.

“Let’s go!” Ning Xueyan was speechless. She pulled his hand and moved forward. She used her beautiful eyes to glare at him, making his typically cold, dangerous eyes to be dyed with dazzling happiness. His face became all that more handsome with a relaxed smile. Even she couldn’t help but become mesmerized by his rare smile.

What a wicked man! He was better off not smiling! He should keep a straight face all the time so no one could see this side of him.

But, seeing his relaxed expression and sunny smile filled her heart with unspeakable softness and warmth. The corners of her mouth curled up.

Ao Chenyi let down one of his hands and wrapped it gently around her slender waist. Then, he slowly walked forward.

The moment they started walking, the people behind them immediately followed suit.

After taking two steps, Ao Chenyi suddenly looked at Ning Xueyan and said, “Don’t worry. I married you for you!”

Ning Xueyan had asked this question before, and he had indeed answered it. Repeating it only made his answer feel more solemn. Her lips subconsciously curved into a beautiful smile and she even took the initiative to lean into his arms.

Ao Chenyi smiled in satisfaction at the feeling of having a beautiful, gentle woman in his embrace. He stared at the pretty woman in his arms with fiery intensity and whispered, “I’ll keep you safe for the rest of your life.” His voice was so soft that it was barely audible to him. He had always been someone who knew exactly what he wanted.

Therefore, at this moment, he knew very well that this was his wife, someone that he wished to protect for the rest of his life.