Chapter 142

Neither of them had ever thought that something as absurd as soul swapping could turn into a recurring drama.

And the trigger for this swap was right after they had sex?!

Seeing his own face showing such a chaotic, ever-changing expression like a messed-up palette, Tu Shanjin still found it hard to accept, but he had long grown somewhat accustomed to this oddity.

Only, the "proof" they had just shared was now backfiring on him—his ached, his legs were sore, and there was a faint, lingering discomfort in that intimate area too.

Yun Yaoyao, looking at her own face twisted with a dejected, helpless look, also felt a little out of sorts, before she couldn't help snorting out a laugh.

She lowered her voice to produce a sultry, alluring bubble tone, hooked Tu Shanjin's chin, and smirked wickedly: "Woman, did I rock your world just now, huh?"

And then...

The two of them were both grossed out by their own corny act.

Yun Yaoyao laughed so hard she toppled over onto the bed. Tu Shanjin should have been more frustrated, but seeing her laugh, he couldn't help softening into a smile too.

Just watching every little twitch and smile on her face made Tu Shanjin feel utterly at peace.

Love and desire were truly things that could easily bewitch the mind.

Before he knew it, he had dismissed them as nothing, but once he had a taste, he never wanted to go back to the old days without them.

Moonlight seeped through the window lattices, cut into dappled patches of light and shadow that fell over the two of them. She was messing around playfully, and he was smiling at her.

Boom!

A distant chime suddenly rang out from outside the palace hall, breaking the warm little moment.

Yun Yaoyao pulled on her clothes and was about to get up to go check it out, but Tu Shanjin grabbed her wrist.

"Close your eyes. I'll lead you there."

"Hmm?" Yun Yaoyao blinked in confusion, a guess popping up in her mind, "Did you prepare a surprise for me?"

"Mm-hmm." Tu Shanjin nodded with a faint smile, refusing to say what it was.

Yun Yaoyao had no choice but to close her eyes, place her hand in his, and the two of them walked slowly out of the hall.

When a person loses their sense of sight temporarily, their other four senses get heightened to an extreme.

Yun Yaoyao could only feel how warm Tu Shanjin's hand was, how long the path ahead was, and faintly, the noisy, bustling chatter of a crowd coming from somewhere nearby.

What kind of surprise did the tyrant prepare for her exactly?!

She was so curious that she was nearly squirming with anticipation, but also worried that this straight man might end up giving her a cringey letdown that would leave both men and women speechless.

Yun Yaoyao's mind raced through all kinds of possibilities, from flowers, a phoenix crown, and peerless treasures to custom-printed mugs and pillows with portraits on them, a lucky draw for rouge and face powder, and even the recent popular trend of copying the *Fu Lin Fu* essay to win one's beloved's heart. Her mood tugged back and forth between excitement and apprehension.

Gradually, the wind picked up, and it seemed they had arrived at a wide, open high ground. The faint sounds she had heard earlier grew clearer and clearer.

Beside her, Tu Shanjin's gentle voice rose: "Yaoyao, open your eyes."

When Yun Yaoyao opened her eyes, the first thing that greeted her was a vast expanse of bright lantern light and countless joyful faces.

Across the imperial lodge, the pavilions and terraces were lit up with glowing lanterns. All the civil and military officials were seated there, wearing brand-new official caps and court robes, all with big smiles on their faces.

When they noticed the two figures on the watchtower looking their way, the officials all stood up, bowed respectfully in their direction, and shouted in unison.

"On this New Year's Day festival, we subjects respectfully wish Your Majesties and Her Majesty the Empress boundless fortune and peace, joy and safety year after year, and a prosperous, peaceful nation for all people! We wish Your Majesties and Her Majesty the Empress a harmonious, loving union that lasts until your hair turns white with age!"

Then Lin Qingti, the Minister of Rites, led the others to present the New Year greetings notes and tributes from all the officials. Court musicians began to play music, and dancing girls twirled their long sleeves in graceful dances. Bright red palace lanterns hung under the glazed tile roofs, every corner decked out in festive decor, brimming with joy.

After all that was done, the officials snuck glances at the empress's expression from below, feeling secretly pleased and proud of themselves.

Surprised? Shocked?!

They had been cooped up holding this secret for days, dying to tease the empress a little but having to hide everything from her by telling little white lies. Their consciences had been "hurting" so much this whole time!

Finally the day had come, and the emperor had prepared so many more surprises for the empress~ Hehe~~

The only odd thing was that the empress looked perfectly calm and collected, while the emperor was the one wearing a shocked, deeply moved expression?!

They didn't get it, but they chose to respect and send their well wishes anyway.

Seeing this whole scene, Yun Yaoyao's eyes widened a little, her heart swelling with emotion.

She remembered that back when they were traveling back to the capital from Shu, she had sighed casually in her carriage, saying it was a shame she had missed the New Year celebrations. She never thought Tu Shanjin would remember that offhand comment, and arrange for all the court officials to be here to celebrate the New Year with her all over again.

Just then, another chime rang out.

In the square in front of the Xuande Gate, the main entrance of the distant imperial palace, countless lanterns lit up one after another. The lanterns swayed rapidly, and upon closer look, they were ordinary townspeople holding them, shifting their positions in orderly formations.

The lanterns looked like a sea of stars falling from the sky, continuously changing shapes to form scenes that played out like a moving film.

The first scene was their first meeting, at a palace banquet, where she had pulled a hairpin out resolutely and stabbed it straight at the tyrant sitting on the high throne.

The second scene was in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, where the two of them were each hiding their own schemes yet forced to keep up a false front of friendliness. She had tricked him into thinking she was a "Book of Life and Death", while he was wary and suspicious of her, and trading sarcastic jabs was their daily routine.

The third scene was at the charity fundraising banquet, where she and all the officials put on an elaborate act together. The officials all pretended to be dirt poor, only to find out their hidden wealth had been raided, and that was the first time Tu Shanjin, whose body was being occupied by the "Book of Life and Death", started to see her in a new light.

...

The fourteenth scene was when Tu Shanjin called Imperial Physician Shan over to examine his pulse. He insisted stubbornly that it was just a friend who was sick, only for the physician to diagnose that "friend" with lovesickness.

...

The sixteenth scene was when she decided to help the women at the Full Jade Tower, teaching them to break free from their fates and never give in. He stood off to the side, watching her intently, and that was when he finally realized his own true feelings for her.

...

The twenty-fourth scene was on the day the library opened, when Tu Shanjin was attacked and nearly lost his life. He reached out to pat her head, reassuring her that he was tough and wouldn't die, but her first thought wasn't that her own body would be gone—it was that the soul living inside it would disappear forever.

...

The thirtieth scene was on the first snowfall of the year, with snowflakes piling on their shoulders. Tu Shanjin looked up at the snow, a soft glint in his eyes, thinking: If we share the snow today, we might as well have spent our whole lives growing old together.

...

The thirty-fifth scene was when the two of them decided to root out the last corrupt force in the court, and help the people get through the harsh winter as a step to establishing her as empress. She pulled strings in the imperial court, while he worked tirelessly out among the common folk, sending each other letters to pour out their feelings, hand in hand to face every conspiracy together.

...

The fortieth scene was after all the hardships, when they finally broke through the city gates, defeated the rebels and marched into Shu. He was clad in bloodstained armor, and she was wearing a striking, vivid red dress.

...

Every single scene was a little memory they shared, and it almost brought tears to Yun Yaoyao's eyes.

She and Tu Shanjin had never fallen in love at first sight. On the contrary, the first time they met, both of them had fully intended to kill the other.

But as they spent more time together, she gradually came to understand all his hardships and struggles, and saw the simple, pure heart hidden under his cold, violent mask. And he was slowly drawn to her, learning to understand her, cherish her, and protect her. The two of them stood side by side, fighting all their enemies together, and their feelings for each other solidified little by little without them even noticing.

Down in the square, the lanterns settled on the scene of the two of them riding tall horses back into the capital city. Up on the Yunzhitian watchtower, the wind whipped their robes. Tu Shanjin looked straight into Yun Yaoyao's eyes, and spoke every single word with utter devotion.

"Yaoyao, thank you for coming into this world all on your own, and for coming to my side. This is the first New Year's celebration we have spent together, and every New Year's day from now on will be spent with me, the court officials, and all the common people by your side. You will never be lonely, nor will you ever feel sad."

"I only wish the scenery stays the same year after year, and the people we love are always here with us."

"Mm." Under the glow of lantern lights and moonlight, Yun Yaoyao's features looked exceptionally soft. She smiled and echoed, "The scenery stays the same year after year, and the people we love are always here with us."

Inside the Xuande Gate Square, the common people held their hands high, packed shoulder to shoulder, and sent out wave after wave of cheers.

It was so worth going through layers of selection to get into the imperial palace to practice the lantern painting formation! Getting to witness the love story between His Majesty and Her Majesty up close was such a delightful treat!

Her Majesty would never have guessed that the entire capital's residents were here to celebrate this New Year's day with her!

What's more, she had no idea that His Majesty had prepared another huge, showstopping surprise for her!

Three...

Two...

One...

Another bell rang. The crescent moon had already sunk below the horizon, and the next second, countless lantern lights on the ground lit up one after another, spreading from near to far. Fireworks burst across the sky, illuminating the entire capital completely.

The light cast by the fireworks in the sky and the lanterns on earth reflected on Yun Yaoyao's face. She looked down and realized that the quiet streets and houses across the capital had lit up with lanterns one by one.

Streets were packed with crowds: some formed teams wearing masks and paraded through the streets, some followed behind the ornate, grand lantern parade carriages, and others gathered in circles to watch artisans perform the iron tree spitting fireworks show, with cheers, shouts and the sound of gongs and drums mixing together in the air.

On the moat, lotus lanterns floated in a continuous stretch, their reflections rippling on the water into a sheet of glowing light.

It was a night of fire trees and silver flowers that never went dark, with dancing fireworks to welcome the new year. This was truly a New Year's celebration shared by every single resident of the entire capital. Seeing it with her own eyes, Yun Yaoyao found the scene unbelievably beautiful, and even more deeply stirring.

What shocked Yun Yaoyao even more was that on the four altars located at the east, west, south and north intersections between the imperial city and the capital, two statues stood solemnly on each altar.

One statue was of Tu Shanjin, wearing the celestial crown and the imperial sword at his waist, exuding an aura as deep and unfathomable as a vast lake from a distance. The other statue was of her, clad in a phoenix robe, holding a phoenix imperial seal, with a dignified, majestic bearing and elegant, noble imperial grace.

The two statues were holding hands, looking down towards the direction of the capital. They were tall, grand, solemn and stately, like two patron deities guarding this land together.

Beside her, Tu Shanjin's voice spoke slowly, "Yaoyao, this is the second gift I have for you."

"Today, the Great Yan Chi is a peaceful, prosperous land, and you deserve half the credit for that. The emperor holds supreme imperial power, but imperial power cannot be split in two. So I have established a theocratic power, taking the phoenix imperial seal as its symbol, and written it into the laws of Great Yan Chi and the royal family's ancestral decrees. This theocratic power allows you to rule the world alongside me, with equal status and authority to the emperor."

He spoke the words casually, but Yun Yaoyao knew that Tu Shanjin must have gone through countless hardships and setbacks to make this happen.

All he wanted was to give her a sense of true peace of mind, now that she had returned to her original body as Yun Yaoyao.

To grant her real power, and give her that peace of mind.

Tu Shanjin let out a faint, soft sigh. He glanced at his own tall, slender frame, then looked at her smaller figure, and chuckled helplessly, "But now that we've swapped back to our original bodies, this gift seems a little less useful, doesn't it?"

"It's useful. I love both of these gifts, I absolutely adore them, truly." Yun Yaoyao's heart was melting into a puddle of soft warmth at that moment.

That tyrant was no straight, unromantic man at all! He was clearly the most thoughtful, caring little angel!

"Then are you disappointed that we've swapped back?" Yun Yaoyao blinked, suddenly curious about the answer.

"Actually, if I said I wasn't disappointed, that would be..." Tu Shanjin drew out his words, pausing deliberately to push Yun Yaoyao's curiosity to its peak, before he curled his lips into a smile and finished, "completely true."

"The very moment I opened my eyes after waking up and saw we were back in our own bodies, I felt nothing but joy, and relief."

Yun Yaoyao looked at him seriously, "Why? Did you get addicted to being a woman?"

"..." Tu Shanjin's smile froze for a split second. Then he thought to himself, falling in love with someone who used to be a registrar of the underworld... no, a modern person, this kind of playful teasing was just what he had to take, so he leaned closer to her and spoke his honest, heartfelt words in a soft, loving tone.

"My only selfish wish is to spend the rest of my life with you. When our souls swapped bodies, it meant that you and I truly became one, inseparable, the closest two people could ever be in this whole world."

The wind blew through Yun Yaoyao's hair. Her smile was as bright as the rising sun, and she returned his sweet, affectionate line, "What a coincidence, that's exactly what I was thinking too."

"For the rest of our lives, please take good care of my soul and my body, okay~"

Above ​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‍them, the sky was filled with the Milky Way and dazzling fireworks. Below them, the ground was covered in rivers of lanterns and the warm glow of mortal life. Countless streaks of light fell on their faces. Yun Yaoyao and Tu Shanjin smiled at each other, then joined hands to look out at the distance.

In the pavilion across the way, the court officials raised their wine cups to toast each other, talking loudly about state affairs and the people's livelihood. Every one of their faces was filled with high spirits and determination. Looking at these civil and military officials, you could see the bright, upright, uncorrupted future of the imperial court.

On the streets far away, common people played, chatted and laughed, sharing stories of their daily lives and their hopes for the future. Their faces were full of ease, peace and vibrant energy. Looking at these ordinary people, you could see a world where everyone lived in peace and contentment, with more than enough food and clothing.

The sound of fireworks bursting brightly, the din of gongs and drums across the whole capital celebrating the New Year, the officials' passionate voices discussing state matters, and the common people's joyful, lively laughter...

All these sounds wove and merged together, forming a living, breathing portrait of the prosperous Great Yan Chi era.

At this belated New Year's celebration, Yun Yaoyao and Tu Shanjin faced the world of glowing lanterns and mortal joy, and devoutly made three wishes together.

The first wish is for Great Yan Chi to be peaceful and calm, with bountiful harvests year after year.

The second wish is for the imperial court to have a wise emperor and virtuous officials, with a clean and upright political atmosphere.

The third wish is for you and me to be in good health, and to see each other every year for the rest of our lives.