Chapter 211: Is Her Great General Out of His Mind?

"Your Majesty."

A soft cry interrupted the strange atmosphere between Xiao Yang and Li Wei.

Turning to look, they saw Yu Li, wrapped in a cloak, looking so frail he seemed about to melt into the wind and snow.

"Your Majesty..."

He stared blankly at Xiao Yang, took two steps forward, and knelt directly on the ground. "I beg Your Majesty to save me."

Only then did Xiao Yang notice that his complexion was strange. He was deeply flushed, as if he were ill.

The eunuch Liang Sha immediately went over and touched his forehead. "Your Majesty, he’s indeed burning up."

Li Wei frowned. "He must have caught a chill. Pull him away at once. Don’t let him pass his sickness to Your Majesty."

Hearing this, Yu Li pleaded anxiously, "Your Majesty, they’re bullying me! They poured water on my bed and stripped me and threw me out into the freezing snow! They’re jealous that Your Majesty treats me differently. Please, save me, Your Majesty, or I’ll truly have no way to survive."

’Treats him differently? I don’t recall ever treating him differently.’

Xiao Yang asked, "How would you have me save you?"

Yu Li lifted his gaze to look at her, his eyes brimming with affection and endless tenderness.

This blatant seduction was not only seen by Xiao Yang, but by Li Wei as well.

Li Wei’s face instantly darkened. ’This person is utterly shameless! How dare he seduce Your Majesty!’

Xiao Yang sighed softly. "It seems you are no longer suited for your current life. In that case, I will grant you one hundred taels of gold. You may go home."

"No, I don’t want to!" Hearing that he was being sent away, Yu Li panicked. "Your Majesty, I don’t want to leave! I am willing to serve by Your Majesty’s side..."

’So the plea for help was fake. The real goal was to use this to climb higher. What part of me gives off the impression that I’d be blinded by lust?’

Xiao Yang crouched down to look at him. "I do not like you, and I certainly will not have you in my personal service. Either continue dancing properly, or leave the palace for good. This is the last time I will tolerate this. There will not be a next time."

The Emperor’s gaze wasn’t sharp, but its calm indifference sent a chill to the bone.

She was an eighteen-year-old girl, but she was also the Emperor.

Not someone who could be so easily manipulated.

Yu Li was dragged away, stiff and silent, without another word.

Xiao Yang stood up and continued toward the Plum Garden ahead. Li Wei, his face rigid, followed closely behind.

’I despise Yu Li for shamelessly seducing the Emperor, but am I any different...?’

’I’ve seen the look on Her Majesty’s face when she’s with someone she likes, and now I’ve seen how decisive she is with someone she dislikes.’

’Her feelings for me must be those between a sovereign and a subject, with none of those ambiguous intentions.’

Whether facing an army of a million or fierce tigers in the mountains, Li Wei could charge forward without a shred of fear.

But when facing the Little Emperor, he dared not take a single misstep.

The two walked to the Plum Garden. Amidst the heavy snow, the entire garden of red plum blossoms was in full bloom. The vibrant contrast of white and red was incredibly eye-catching.

A beautiful sight that came only once a year was indeed something to be appreciated.

Xiao Yang remarked with a sigh, "I should have known to come here for my meal."

’Why just appreciate the snow by itself? White snow and red plum blossoms are the perfect match.’

Xiao Yang was genuinely admiring the plum blossoms, even leaning in to smell them, but Li Wei only had eyes for her.

The Little Emperor was already beautiful and exquisite. Hers was not the gentle beauty of a traditional woman, nor was it the frosty, heroic air of someone like Ling Ji. It was a pure, androgynous sort of beauty—flamboyant, proud, and spiritedly defiant.

Once your gaze was drawn to her, it was impossible to look away. Her beauty was three parts appearance and seven parts soul.

Intelligent yet cunning, beautiful yet eccentric, aloof yet not without gentleness, kind yet possessing an intimidating imperial might.

Everything about her was just right. A little more or a little less would not be as perfect as she was.

At first, what Li Wei liked was her way of doing things. Only later did he notice her beauty. In the end, he fell completely.

Right now, the Little Emperor’s face was close to the beautiful blossoms, her eyes bright, a smile playing on her lips. The red of the plum blossoms cast a faint rosy glow on her face, making her even more breathtakingly beautiful.

Li Wei had always mocked his lecherous subordinates for being unable to walk straight at the sight of a girl. At this moment, he had become just such a common man.

"Your Majesty..." Li Wei called out to her, his voice strained.

Xiao Yang looked back at him. "Hm?"

Li Wei took something glittering and golden from his robes, took a step forward, and gently placed it in Her Majesty’s hand.

Xiao Yang looked at the Death Exemption Token. "What are you doing?"

Li Wei suddenly leaned in and lowered his head. In contrast to his physical strength, his kiss was exceedingly gentle and careful as it landed on the space between Xiao Yang’s eyebrows.

Only after the kiss did he kneel. "This subject has offended Your Majesty. I dare not ask for forgiveness and will submit to any punishment Your Majesty sees fit."

Xiao Yang held the heavy gold medal, looking at Li Wei kneeling before her.

"..."

She took a deep breath, and then another, still finding it hard to understand. "You used the Death Exemption Token you earned with all your military achievements... to take liberties with me?"

’Has my Great General lost his mind?’

’Although taking liberties with the Emperor is indeed a capital offense, to use a Death Exemption Token for *this*... Is this something a sane person would do?’

Li Wei felt ashamed enough to want to disappear under the Little Emperor’s incredulous stare, as if he were some brainless profligate who had just done something absurd.

"Your Majesty..."

Li Wei looked up at Xiao Yang. This tough, fearsome Great General now wore an embarrassed expression, but he still stated his intentions firmly. "This subject... has feelings for Your Majesty, and I wish to ask Your Majesty to give this subject a chance."

"Previously, Your Majesty granted this subject the title of a concubine. This subject has long had the title, so... I wish to ask for Your Majesty’s favor."

Xiao Yang: "..."

She raised a hand to press down on her twitching eyelid. ’Calm down. I have to stay calm.’

"Before... I was having a fit... I was just teasing you..."

"Besides, a ’scolding concubine’... Don’t you think that’s absurd? Logically, you should have been angry."

’The last time I was acting crazy and wanted to make him a concubine, wasn’t he so angry he looked like he wanted to kill me? And now he’s using that joke to ask me to make good on it.’

"This subject was not angry."

Li Wei’s gaze was fervent. "At the time, this subject spoke without thinking and angered Your Majesty. This subject is at fault. But not only did Your Majesty not hold it against me, you even helped so many soldiers get their military pay. This subject has never resented Your Majesty for that incident. On the contrary, I have always remembered Your Majesty’s kindness. Therefore, my loyalty to Your Majesty is unwavering. It’s just that..."

"This subject is drawn to Your Majesty. As far as my eyes can see, there is only Your Majesty. I couldn’t help myself... I just wanted to reveal my heart. If Your Majesty is disgusted, this subject is willing to guard the border for the rest of my life and never return, not even in death."

He had only taken half a step forward, but he had already planned out the ten thousand steps of his retreat.

Xiao Yang looked at Li Wei, then at the sky, and finally, her gaze fell back on him.

’Li Wei... I’ve never coveted Li Wei. I simply liked his muscles and strength, purely from a place of appreciation.’

’An appreciation for this kind of perfect physique, full of masculine power and hormones, like admiring a flawless work of art.’

’Because I was so vexed after he beat me, I’ve been obsessed with the idea of ganging up on him.’

’And now he’s saying he likes me and wants to be my man.’

The more Xiao Yang thought about it, the more speechless she became. She turned and walked away. After about ten meters, she suddenly stopped, then walked back.

Under Li Wei’s gaze, she tossed the Death Exemption Token back into his arms.

"In half an hour, meet me at the training grounds."

’Li Wei must have lost his mind. I’ll just have to beat some sense into him.’