Volume 1, Chapter 25: Call Me Husband and Let Me Hear It!

"And as for the position of Empress? The Second Prince thinks far too highly of himself. Even if I, Xiao Ningshuang, were to marry, I would only ever wed a true hero who stands tall against the heavens, not a sinister, petty man like you who does nothing but scheme against women from the shadows!"

Having said this, she did not bother to look at Li Zhan’s face, now twisted with rage and humiliation. She turned on her heel and pushed open the door, walking out without a second glance.

"You...!" Li Zhan trembled with fury, sweeping all the tea sets off the table in a sudden burst of rage.

*Crash—*

The expensive porcelain shattered across the floor, much like his own fractured pride. He could never have imagined that the speech he had so meticulously prepared—promises that should have moved any woman—would be met with such ruthless, humiliating rejection.

Why?

Why would she defend that good-for-nothing Li Xuan?

Could it be... could she really have feelings for that man?

A chilling thought made Li Zhan’s face turn paler than a corpse.

Outside the teahouse, as the cool afternoon breeze brushed against her, Xiao Ningshuang realized just how fast her heart was racing. The fury and disdain she had shown were genuine. Yet, as she calmed down, an unavoidable question surfaced in her mind.

Why was she so angry?

Why did she feel such deep, visceral rage when Li Zhan slandered Li Xuan?

And when she declared that she would "only marry a hero who stands tall against the heavens," whose figure had appeared in her mind?

It was that man from the autumn hunt, who had used the Thunder Sound technique to instantly kill a maddened bear, standing firm as a mountain, as imposing as a god.

She stopped in her tracks, standing amidst the bustling street, letting the crowd flow past her. For the first time, she felt a profound doubt about her heart, which she had always believed to be as solid as a rock.

Her feelings for Li Xuan...

The man she was supposed to hate to the bone...

The "Ice and Fire Alliance" seemed to have changed quietly without her noticing. The iceberg in her heart was not merely melting; it had suffered a catastrophic avalanche.

***

In the Eastern Palace study, Li Xuan was practicing calligraphy, copying Wang Xizhi’s *Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection*. His strokes were steady, the ink sinking deep into the paper, and the rhythmic flow of his brush bore an uncanny resemblance to the original masterpiece.

This was his way of finding inner peace. Since he had transmigrated, he discovered that calligraphy, much like the martial arts of his past life, helped him better control the power and spirit of this body.

Wang Fugui entered silently, placed a freshly brewed cup of Junshan Silver Needle tea by his side, and withdrew just as quietly. He knew the Crown Prince did not like to be disturbed while writing.

After finishing the piece, Li Xuan put down his brush, picked up the tea cup, and gazed at the lush parasol tree outside the window, his eyes deep and contemplative.

The study door was pushed open gently.

Xiao Ningshuang walked in.

Li Xuan retracted his gaze from the window and turned to her. At a single glance, he sensed that something was wrong. Her face was pale, and her eyes held a trace of confusion and turmoil he had never seen before, as if she had just weathered an internal storm.

"What happened?" he asked, setting down his tea cup.

Xiao Ningshuang walked to the desk, ignoring his question, and silently stared at the calligraphy he had just completed.

"Fluid as moving clouds, strong as iron hooks; a fine piece," she remarked softly, her voice carrying a trace of uncharacteristic hoarseness.

"It seems the Crown Princess is interested in calligraphy today?" Li Xuan smiled, his tone light, attempting to ease the tension.

Xiao Ningshuang looked up, her gaze meeting his directly, his figure reflected in her clear eyes.

"I met with the Second Prince today," she said, holding nothing back.

The smile on Li Xuan’s face did not falter, but his eyes narrowed slightly.

"Oh? And what did he want? Was he trying to turn the Crown Princess against me, or did he want to tell you a joke?"

"Both." Xiao Ningshuang’s tone was calm. She recounted everything that happened at the Jingxin Teahouse, including Li Zhan’s slander and his promise of the "position of Empress," word for word.

She spoke in great detail, devoid of personal emotion, as if stating facts about something that had nothing to do with her.

The study was quiet, save for her cold, clear voice echoing in the room.

Li Xuan listened in silence. The light smile he had worn had faded, replaced by an indescribably complex expression. He was not angry that she had met Li Zhan in private, nor was he shocked by Li Zhan’s conspiracy.

He simply watched her.

He watched this woman, who, when faced with such immense temptation and provocation, chose to return and tell him everything honestly.

This was not required by the "Ice and Fire Alliance."

This was something beyond the alliance—it was trust.

When Xiao Ningshuang finished her last sentence, silence fell upon the study once more. She felt nervous, her palms damp inside her sleeves. She did not know how Li Xuan would react; would he suspect her, or would he...

"Ha," Li Xuan suddenly let out a soft laugh, breaking the silence.

He shook his head, his tone laced with wry, helpless amusement. "My dear second brother truly... thinks quite highly of himself. The position of Empress? He isn't afraid of biting his own tongue with such big talk. Does he think the Crown Princess of the Imperial family is a head of cabbage at the market, to be picked up by anyone who walks by?"

This witty remark, tinged with a modern flair, instantly dispelled the heavy atmosphere in the study.

Xiao Ningshuang was taken aback, her tense nerves relaxing involuntarily. She had not expected this reaction.

"You... aren't angry?" she couldn't help but ask.

"Angry? Why should I be?" Li Xuan stood up, walked around the desk, and approached her.

He was a head taller than her. At such close proximity, she could clearly smell the pleasant scent of dragon incense on him, and her heart skipped a beat for no reason.

"Should I be angry that you met a man behind my back, or that you didn't agree to his offer right there and then to crown me with a green hat?" He leaned down slightly, whispering near her ear. His warm breath brushed against her earlobe, sending a shiver down her spine.

Xiao Ningshuang’s face turned bright red, the flush spreading from her cheeks to her ears. She instinctively wanted to step back, but found her feet rooted to the spot.

"You... are insufferable!" she turned her head away in flustered annoyance, afraid to look into his eyes, which seemed capable of seeing through everything.

"Hahaha..." Li Xuan straightened up, laughing heartily. Seeing her blushing profile and those cute, small earlobes, he felt that the "iceberg" before him was far more vivid and interesting than he had imagined.

The laughter subsided, and his expression turned serious once more.

"Ningshuang," he called her name for the first time, his voice low and solemn. "Thank you."

These three simple words were more moving than any sweet talk could ever be.

Xiao Ningshuang turned back abruptly, catching his gaze—deep as the starry sky. Within those eyes, there was no calculation, no probing, only the purest... sincerity.

Her heart was in total disarray.

"Since he wants to drive a wedge between us, we cannot disappoint him." A trace of a hunter’s cunning appeared at the corners of Li Xuan’s mouth. "Doesn't he think we are estranged? Then let us be a loving couple right before his eyes."

"A loving couple?" Xiao Ningshuang frowned.

"Exactly." Li Xuan snapped his fingers. "A play, performed for him and for the whole world to see. The more he tries to tear us apart, the tighter we shall bind ourselves. Let all his schemes and plots become a joke."

"What do you want to do?" Xiao Ningshuang quickly grasped his intent. This was indeed the best counterattack for now.

"It’s simple." Excitement glimmered in Li Xuan’s eyes. "Three days from now is the Lantern Festival. By tradition, the Imperial family and the people celebrate together by viewing the lanterns. That night shall be the opening act of our grand play."

He looked at her like a child planning a prank, mapping it out with great enthusiasm.

"When the time comes, all you have to do is... be a little nicer to me."

"How nice?" Xiao Ningshuang felt uneasy.

"For instance, when you look at me, let your eyes be a bit softer, don't look at me like I'm a block of ice."

"..."

"When you speak to me, keep your tone gentle, don't talk as if you're interrogating a prisoner."

"..."

"And when we walk, you can stay closer to me. It would be best if you could take my arm, letting me feel your profound 'love' for me."

Xiao Ningshuang’s face was practically burning. She glared at the man before her, who was saying increasingly preposterous things, and gritted her teeth. "Li Xuan, do you think this is very funny?"

"Of course!" Li Xuan nodded righteously. "Life is a stage, and it all depends on your acting. If we can drive our number-one enemy half-mad while strengthening our alliance, why wouldn't we?"

Watching her cute, shy, and annoyed expression, he suddenly felt playful, reaching out to gently pinch her cheek.

"Come, let's rehearse. Say 'Husband' for me to hear?"

"You... get lost!"

Xiao Ningshuang slapped his hand away and turned to leave, walking hurriedly as if a beast were chasing her.

Li Xuan watched her retreating figure, which was practically a flight in panic, and the smile on his lips could no longer be contained.

He knew that this "fake act turned real" would likely be far more spectacular than he had anticipated.

And that self-righteous Second Prince would probably never guess that his supposedly clever scheme to sow discord had not only failed to tear them apart but had acted as a powerful catalyst, pushing an alliance that was already blurred in its boundaries toward a direction neither of them could have foreseen.

He was looking forward to the Lantern Festival.