Extra 3

When Fan Changyu finally woke up, she had no idea what day or even what time it was.

Despite having the physique of someone who had practiced martial arts for years, every inch of her body still ached. While changing clothes, she glanced at her wrists and, unsurprisingly, found faint bluish finger marks upon them.

They had been left behind after Xie Zheng tied both her hands to the bedpost the previous night because she had struggled too fiercely.

The marks themselves didn't hurt much. Compared to the bruises she often received while training, they were nothing.

But…

Xie Zheng had been far too abnormal last night.

Even as sweat dripped from his brow onto her skin, making her tremble from the heat, those obsidian-like eyes never once left her, like a wolf staring at prey it had finally managed to catch.

Ever since they married, his stamina had been outrageously excessive.

After all, before the wedding, they had only lost control twice. The first time had been after he was drugged at the palace banquet, and the second had been after she rushed to save him during the palace coup.

After that…

He had simply endured it.

During the seven days of their wedding leave, aside from the third day when she returned to visit Grand Tutor Tao, they had hardly stepped outside their bedroom at all.

By the end of those seven days, even their wedding bed had to be replaced.

Last night had been even worse than those first seven days after their marriage.

It was also the first time he had questioned her about military strategy while tormenting her.

By the end, Fan Changyu's mind had become a complete blur.

She couldn't even remember what questions he had asked.

She only vaguely remembered that after he had driven her completely beyond her limits and she tearfully said all sorts of things in surrender, he had instead become even more forceful, his eyes turning red.

When she truly couldn't endure any longer, she had kicked at him.

He simply caught her leg and hoisted it onto his shoulder…

Fan Changyu abruptly stopped thinking about it.

Expressionless, she fastened her soft armor more tightly.

Her knuckles cracked audibly.

Not today.

She couldn't beat him.

Trying would only bring further humiliation.

The maid waiting outside must have heard movement inside.

Lifting the curtain, she entered and asked, "General, you're awake?"

The moment she spoke, however, the tips of her ears reddened.

She didn't even dare look directly at Fan Changyu.

"Before the Prince left this morning, he instructed this servant not to disturb your rest. He also requested leave from court on your behalf today."

Crack.

Another soft sound came from Fan Changyu's clenched fingers.

The maid secretly looked up at her.

Fan Changyu merely asked calmly,

"What time is it now?"

Only her voice was slightly hoarse.

The maid answered,

"It's already the You hour."

Fan Changyu fell silent.

No wonder the sky looked so dim.

It was almost evening already.

While the maid poured her tea, Fan Changyu glanced toward the dressing table.

Fortunately…

Not only had the bedding and pillows been replaced, but even the dressing table had been thoroughly cleaned…

She disliked servants seeing evidence of what happened in their bedroom.

Afterward, Xie Zheng was always the one who quietly cleaned everything himself.

The memory of being pressed against the mirror the previous night made her ears burn again.

She quickly looked away.

After taking a sip of warm tea to soothe her throat, she asked,

"Where's the Prince?"

At this hour, Xie Zheng had certainly already returned from court.

"The Prince came back to the residence and saw that you were still asleep. He sat in the room for a while before going to the study."

The maid carefully asked,

"Would you like this servant to notify the Prince that you've awakened?"

Fan Changyu shook her head.

"No. Bring Ningniang here, then have the stables prepare a carriage. The Empress Dowager has been saying for some time that she'd like to see Ningniang. I'll take her to the palace tonight."

There was a saying in Huainanzi:

"When the enemy is strong, avoid direct confrontation."

The enemy held absolute superiority.

She couldn't win.

Retreating was the wiser choice.

The maid blinked in confusion.

Fan Changyu had slept an entire day, only to wake up and immediately flee to the palace…

It seemed rather strange.

Fan Changyu glanced at her calmly.

"Do you have any objections?"

The maid hurriedly shook her head.

"I'll make the arrangements immediately."

—

By the time Xie Zheng received the news in the study, Fan Changyu's carriage had already left the residence.

Rarely, he wasn't wearing his usual narrow-sleeved robes.

Instead, he had changed into a pale scholar's robe, making his already jade-like features appear even more refined.

Only the cold authority between his brows remained unchanged.

Even Xie Wu, who had come to deliver the message, was briefly stunned.

Xie Zheng was writing annotations in a book with a brush.

Without looking up, he simply said,

"She and the Empress Dowager are very close. Let her stay there. I'll bring her home in a couple of days."

Xie Wu found the whole matter increasingly suspicious.

Ever since his master discovered Li Huai'an's annotated military treatise, the Great General had spent an entire day bedridden, claiming illness, and now she had suddenly gone to stay at the palace.

The timing felt… strange.

Seeing Xie Wu still standing there, Xie Zheng paused his brush.

"Anything else?"

"No, Your Highness. This subordinate takes his leave."

As Xie Wu lowered his head and cupped his fists, he happened to notice a book lying beneath the desk leg.

Judging by the cover, he could just make out the words Six Secret Teachings.

Wasn't that…

The military treatise annotated by Li Huai'an?

Xie Wu's expression changed several times.

Pretending he hadn't seen anything, he quietly withdrew.

Only then did Xie Zheng place his brush upon the porcelain brush rest.

Rubbing his forehead, he muttered softly,

"You ran away rather quickly."

—

After arriving at the palace, Fan Changyu ate three full bowls of rice in the Empress Dowager's Palace of Compassion before finally putting down her chopsticks.

Changning had grown sleepy during the carriage ride and was already asleep in a side hall.

Watching Fan Changyu eat as though she had been starving for days, Yu Qianqian stared in surprise.

"Has the Regent Prince been mistreating you? Did he not let you eat?"

Fan Changyu waved her hand.

She didn't want to explain.

"Qianqian… I'm staying here for a few days."

Naturally, Yu Qianqian agreed.

Still, seeing Fan Changyu arrive so suddenly looking half-starved, she couldn't help asking,

"Did you quarrel with the Regent Prince?"

Fan Changyu answered vaguely,

"No."

It wasn't an argument.

It was a fight.

And she had lost.

Whatever had suddenly possessed Xie Zheng, she had no idea.

To avoid walking straight back into the tiger's den, she'd decided it was best to hide here for a couple of days.

Feeling slightly choked after eating so much, she poured herself another cup of tea and drank it in several gulps.

As she tilted back her neck, Yu Qianqian finally noticed the faint marks scattered across it.

She immediately understood everything.

With a teasing smile she said,

"Our mighty General Fan, who fears neither heaven nor earth… turns out she's afraid of the wolf she married."

Fan Changyu nearly choked on her tea.

After coughing for quite some time, she finally muttered helplessly,

"Qianqian… even you're making fun of me."

Yu Qianqian tapped her forehead.

"My silly Yu'er. To think you'd actually run all the way to my palace over something like this. You've completely lost your imposing General's dignity."

Holding her teacup, Fan Changyu's ears turned crimson.

"I… I can't handle him."

Yu Qianqian rolled her eyes.

"Who says you have to give in every time he wants you? You can't always indulge a man. Once you're already in bed, there are plenty of ways to train him like a dog."

Fan Changyu looked utterly bewildered.

Seeing her reaction, Yu Qianqian sighed in disappointment and leaned over to whisper a few things into her ear.

Fan Changyu's entire face instantly turned scarlet.

"I… I already pleaded with him."

If anything…

That only seemed to have the opposite effect.

He had nearly worn her bones apart.

Yu Qianqian looked her up and down before muttering,

"Well… considering the Regent Prince's waist… it's hardly surprising you ended up like this."

It was Fan Changyu's first time hearing such an expression.

Thinking of Xie Zheng's lean, powerful waist, she blushed even harder.

"…His waist?"

After making sure no one else was nearby, Yu Qianqian coughed lightly.

"It's just an expression from where I'm from. It means a man has… excellent stamina."

Fan Changyu fell silent.

His stamina…

Really was excellent.

Looking at the faint dark circles beneath Fan Changyu's eyes, and recalling that Qi Yu had mentioned she had taken sick leave from court that day, Yu Qianqian thought for a while before saying,

"Since the Regent Prince is so dominant in that regard, don't confront him head-on. But don't simply yield either. If you resist, he'll only become more determined to make you submit. If you're too gentle… well, the only time you're willing to show weakness is in bed. How could he possibly let you off easily?"

Fan Changyu was speechless.

Yu Qianqian seemed to think of something else and whispered another suggestion into her ear.

Fan Changyu let out a startled sound.

Her clear eyes were full of helpless confusion, and her face turned even redder.

Resting her chin in one hand, Yu Qianqian smiled mischievously.

"I think that's the only way to keep your husband in check."

She then rummaged through a drawer and produced an illustrated marital manual, handing it over with a grin.

"Take it and study it. Learn a few more positions. When I first saw this, I realized people in ancient times knew far more tricks than we ever did."

Still clutching the book, Fan Changyu was promptly pushed into the side chamber by Yu Qianqian.

She sat beside the bed and flipped through only two pages beneath the palace lantern before decisively stuffing the book beneath her pillow and going straight to sleep.

The following morning, Yu Qianqian was awakened by the sound of a wooden staff cutting through the air in the courtyard.

After the palace maids helped her dress, she pushed open the doors and saw Fan Changyu already dressed in fitted training clothes, wielding a long staff. The weapon whistled through the air as she thrust, swept, flicked, and struck, every movement flowing seamlessly into the next. Quite a few young palace maids had gathered beneath the covered walkway, their cheeks slightly flushed as they watched the General practice.

Yawning, Yu Qianqian asked, "You're up this early? Couldn't you have slept a little longer?"

Fan Changyu finished the final movement and lowered the staff.

Sweat-damp strands of hair clung to her forehead. One side of her body was covered in soft silver armor, while the other was draped in a tea-white brocade robe worn in the military style, leaving one arm free. Bathed in the morning sunlight, she looked strikingly heroic. There was even an unconscious allure hidden in her bright eyes.

She replied, "I've figured it out. Learning all kinds of tricks isn't nearly as useful as having stronger fists. Martial arts are still the most reliable."

Yu Qianqian: "…"

The captivating atmosphere vanished instantly.

She was still the same simple, straightforward girl as always.

Coincidentally, it was a court holiday that day, so the officials did not need to attend morning court.

Qi Yu came to the Palace of Compassion to pay his respects to Yu Qianqian and only then learned that Fan Changyu and Changning had entered the palace the previous evening.

He stayed to have breakfast with them.

While Fan Changyu chatted with Yu Qianqian, Qi Yu devoted himself entirely to filling Changning's bowl with food.

One dish after another.

Before long, the little girl's bowl had become a small mountain.

Changning kept shoveling food into her mouth as fast as she could, but she simply couldn't keep up with the speed at which Qi Yu kept adding more.

Finally, she became anxious.

"Stop putting more in! I can't finish it!"

Only then did Fan Changyu and Yu Qianqian finally notice the two children.

Qi Yu immediately straightened his posture.

If not for the mountain of food in Changning's bowl, no one would have guessed what he had been doing.

Yu Qianqian couldn't help laughing.

"Ever since Bao'er ascended the throne, the only time he's truly happy is when Changning comes to the palace with you. I think the child is simply too lonely. The burden on his shoulders is too heavy, so he's become more withdrawn with every passing day. A few days ago, I was discussing with the Junior Preceptor about selecting several study companions for him."

She paused before turning toward Fan Changyu.

"Aren't you still worried about finding a tutor for Ningniang? How about… letting her enter the palace instead?"

Fan Changyu immediately shook her head.

"The companions chosen for His Majesty will study statecraft under Master Gongsun so they can assist him in governing the empire one day. Ningniang is still very young, and she's rather mischievous. I'm afraid she'd only disturb His Majesty."

Qi Yu suddenly spoke.

"I won't be disturbed."

Fan Changyu looked at him in surprise.

The moment she raised her eyes, she met an earnest pair of puppy-like eyes.

Though he was already the young Emperor, whenever he looked at people like that, there was still an unmistakable loneliness and vulnerability hidden within them.