Everything According to You
Su Li listened to Xiao Zetian's explanation, feeling a bittersweet pang in her heart, but also a hint of sweetness. It turned out there was nothing between him and Princess Mingyu, which made Su Li feel much more at ease.
But she pretended to be angry and punched him a few times, saying, "No matter what, the emperor is going to arrange a marriage for you. In the eyes of the world, you and Princess Mingyu are the legitimate couple. What am I then?"
"I don't care how the world sees it. In my eyes, I only recognize you," Xiao Zetian said, holding Su Li's small pink fist against his chest. "Don't suspect I have other intentions. In my heart, there's only you."
"Hmph!" Su Li huffed a few times. The knots in her heart loosened somewhat after their long talk, but the issue of status still troubled her deeply.
She had no formal betrothal, no proper marriage ceremony, and because Xiao Zetian didn't have an official status at the time, even the marriage contract was invalid.
The Wei Yuan Marquis Manor, Xiao Zetian's parents, didn't know her and didn't acknowledge her. The royal family and the world didn't recognize her either. Su Li suddenly felt lost and suffocated, as if she were the homewrecker between a married couple.
Although Princess Mingyu and Xiao Zetian hadn't even set a date for their engagement, and there was no real relationship between them, Su Li knew that once the news of Xiao Zetian being alive spread, Princess Mingyu, who loved him deeply, wouldn't give up on the marriage. Chu Kingdom might use the war between the two countries as leverage to force Xiao Zetian to comply.
Choosing between a woman and the safety of the country—this was a choice Su Li didn't even dare to think about.
Su Li hung her head, looking weary. Xiao Zetian knew the situation was helpless and couldn't change it anytime soon, and he was troubled as well.
Su Li lay down to sleep, and Xiao Zetian hugged her from behind, but she pushed him away.
Su Li said in a muffled voice, "Wait until you settle your marriage, then we can... Otherwise, my heart will always feel uneasy."
Xiao Zetian sighed looking at the back of her head and withdrew his hand, saying, "Alright, whatever you say. I'll endure it."
"Hmph, wait until you formally marry me with all the proper ceremonies!" Su Li covered her head with the quilt.
"Alright, alright, whatever you say, my lady is the boss," Xiao Zetian gave a helpless yet doting smile, then went to the trunk at the bedside and took out another quilt. He lay down with Su Li and said, "Doctor Wu said your mother has heart palpitations and can't be stressed. Let's not let her know about this matter, so she won't worry."
Su Li turned around, feeling touched by how much Xiao Zetian cared about her mother. Her voice softened as she said, "Then let's not tell my mother. If she finds out, she'll worry about the imperial edict and fear I'll be bullied."
"Mm, then we'll just carry on as usual when we're outside," Xiao Zetian said.
"You, you don't have to return to the capital?" Su Li asked in confusion. As the top supreme general of the dynasty, shouldn't he have many matters to attend to? Staying cooped up in a small farmhouse seemed odd.
"No rush, sleep a while. I'll stay with you and promise not to make any moves," Xiao Zetian said, stroking Su Li's cheek. "Nothing in this world is more important than you."
With a heavy weight lifted from her heart, Su Li could finally sleep soundly.
After a good sleep, Su Li opened her eyes to find it was already the next morning. She felt refreshed and much more comfortable.
Xiao Zetian was still sleeping beside her as usual, so close that she could see him the moment she opened her eyes. This sight brought her a sense of peace.
Looking at his familiar face, Su Li thought to herself that if he really left, her heart would probably go with him, leaving her disheartened and focusing solely on her business from then on.