"What the hell are you thinking!" Ming Yue Yin spread her arms exasperatedly.

Yuan Shao confuses, why she's here and what is she talking about, first he wants to ask why Ming Yue Yin visit his courtyard in the middle of the night with the sword on her hands, he just opens his mouth slightly but Ming Yue Yin shouted at him again. ​​

"How can you reject the imperial decree! even if you don't like that woman there's still another option to annulled the engagement and why you disowned yourself from you're family you even step down from your post, I know you want to leave this country soon or later but why must doing like this, do you know what the Emperor would do to you? DO YOU?" she glared and scolded at Yuan Shao nonstop.

While Ming Yue Yin yelled and shouted, Yuan Shao face beamed and his smile grew wider, he can't hide his happiness when Ming Yue Yin shows her blatant concert towards him, usually, women would care and act weak to show they care but Ming Yue Yin show her care with anger and worry, this behavior he found it very adorable.

After venting her anxiety for half-hour Yuan Shao didn't say anything but instead, he looks at her with indulgent eyes, which make her feel awkward "What, why are you looking at me like that?" she narrowed her eyes confusedly.

"Why don't we sit in my porch, tonight is quite cold" he smiles warmly.

She feel lost when she see his smiles "I don't feel cold" he stubbornly refused.

"I make you Pu Erh tea" he coaxed her again.

"I don't need tea" she pouted angrily, she feel Yuan Shao teasing her.

"I got flower dumpling too…" he raised his eyebrows head and smiles cunningly.

Ming Yue Yin narrowed her eyes, she feel rather conflicted "Is it from Tiancu tea house?" she probed.

"The one and only…" he nods his head.

She clear her throat awkwardly "Fine, I'm leaving after eating one…" she sheathed her sword and flicked her robes arrogantly.

Yuan Shao raised his hand and gesture her to follow him, Ming Yue Yin feel slightly embarrassed but Yuan Shao is the one who insists on her to come, Ming Yue yin justify her owned action in her minds but the truth is she can't resist the temptation of flower dumpling ever since she tasted it at the lantern festival.

When she walk past him with haughty attitude Yuan Shao almost burst to laugh, the rumor said the Ming Empress is charismatic, smart and cunning some said she is merciless and cruel but no one said she can be cute and adorable too and now Yuan Shao feel trouble with the growing feeling inside him.

When Ming Yue Yin takes a sit, he brews tea for her without hurry his moves are smooth and swift he doesn't look like hotheaded general she used to know but more like a refined scholar, suddenly she feel awkward being alone with him, Ming Yue Yin realizes how reckless she is, she doesn't know what possessed her for making her behave like this, this is so not like her!

"Drink your tea first, I tell my servant to warm the dumpling," said Yuan Shao.

Ming Yue Yin suddenly becomes anxious, she doesn't want to know she come to a man courtyard only knows she realizes how improper her behavior is.

"Don't worry, the servant who works for me is part of my shadow guard, no one will say or do anything without my consent" he patted Ming Yue Yin's shoulder to comfort her.

"Okay…" she smiles and drinks her tea calmly.

Yuan Shao leaves to the moon gate to called his servant, used to be his servant and bodyguard is surrounding his courtyard but tonight he wants to be alone so he told everyone not to bother him, who knows he suddenly has an unexpected guest. After her anger subsides he becomes anxious staying in the man courtyard, if Lory knew about this she will not stop teasing her, she better hide this from Lory.

"Don't worry you're dumpling will come in a moment" Yuan Shao suddenly come from behind her snd Ming Yue Yin almost spit her tea, he didn't think Ming Yue Yin would be surprised because his sudden appearance as a strong cultivator she should able to feel his presence from a few meters away.

"What's wrong, you don't like the tea?" he obliviously asked.

Ming Yue Yin clears her throat then she feigns ignorance said "No, I'm fine" she sips her tea again then she put down her teacup on the table gently and she takes a deep breath "So, tell me….why are you doing this?" she stares at him with a serious face.

"I don't know you will worry so much about me, I feel very flattered" he teasingly smiles.

Ming Yue Yin's face turn red "I'm not worried!" she rebuked than she pursed her lips "I'm just curious…" although she knew sh's not fooling anyone but she refused to admit it.

Yuan Shao let out a long sigh, his empress is so cute what should he do?

His mother gentle face suddenly flashed on his mind, if his mother was still alive…if she met Ming Yue Yin what would she thinks, will she like her, probably she would, his mother like the honest person the most, Yuan Shao put the teacup and clasped his hand together on the table "You probably know what the Emperor had done to my family, how they destroy a family because of fear and paranoia" Yuan Shao expression become somber, he never talks about his family matters not even to Yuan Xue An.

"My family has served the Emperor for three-generation, I should be the fourth" he make sarcastic smiles "The emperor becomes jealous and warry because the citizen honored and admired my family.

The emperor feel we steal his limelight, he fears we would become greedy and we want something more…..Driven by his paranoia he needs someone to watch my family from the inside, someone to put a leash on my family and so he sends one of his eldest daughters Qian Qin Wei to marry my father" Yuan Shao hand trembles while holding his anger.

"You know what the irony is? my family never once think about to betray the Emperor they never even dream about it, I know because my grandfather taught me and my father to honor the Emperor, to serve him unconditionally, to die for the Emperor if you must….but, what the emperor did to my family is worst then send us to the war, its worst then taking our life"

Ming yue Yin feel her heart tighten, her heart breaking for him and his family, The Yuan family remind her with Fu Xiao Jing and Fu Ying, the Fu family also served her family and protected her with all they got, part of her succeed is because of the help of the Fu family, she didn't understand how the emperor could hurt his loyal subordinated like that?

"The emperor and Qian Qin Wei push my mother to her death, they broke my father spirit, make my sister ill and make me and my sister motherless, and now he sends another princess to become my wife? Even just for a second, I couldn't accept it, this is too much for me" Yuan Shao shakes his head with a tired expression.

Ming Yue Yin feel her eyes become hot, her heart aching so much for him, Yuan Xue An is still small she might not witness as much as him, at that time he was almost eleven, he should saw many things he shouldn't have. How his Mother withered away, how his father broke down from the pain and Qian Qin Wei hatred and jealousy, he was forced to grown-up faster and to be self-reliant to protect himself and his sister. Such a painful experience…

"What can I do to help?" she said with soft tones.

When he heard his concern voice Yuan Shao palpitated heart gradually become calmed "You have helped me more then you know" he smiles gently at her but than his eyes flickering "But there is something I wish you could do for me?"

"What?" Ming Yue Ying tilted her head.

But the servant suddenly came with steaming rattan box, Yuan Shao straighten his back "Eat first, I tell you later, is no hurry"