Bai Yunyu went inside his Palace and sighed. He took off his robe and put it in a basket for laundry. He sat on his seat and started taking some books, but the main book he searched for was the Art of War, by the famous strategist Sun Tzu.

He read this once and was fascinated. But after they got married, he ditched all things about the military because he thought he needed to help Huang Shu be the Empress. He doubted that Huang Shu would give him the chance to study military and strategy again.

Because he wasn't sure if Huang Shu would favor him forever or not. As much as he hated to admit it, that stinky boy Xu Jiansheng was right.

Huang Shu was the Emperor, no matter how much I demanded to be the only one. Obviously, Huang Shu wouldn't stay loyal only to one person, especially if that person was just a Ger man without any support or backing.

So he needed to study even more. Maybe he would be able to leave the Palace if that time finally came. He would go back to serve in the military.

Yunyu imagined him being thrown to the cold Palace, and his heart went cold.

[Larva…]

[Larva: Yes?]

[Do you think Huang Shu will discard and throw me to the cold Palace someday?]

[Larva: Wu… Larva doesn't think so. I mean, Master Bai is so good. And Master Han loves you so much. If he dares to throw you to the cold Palace, that means he is not Master Han.]

[Why are you so sure that Master Han will always love me? I don't even have any memory about him.]

[Larva: Master Bai, if Master Han heard you saying that, he might destroy another world again… or maybe, just maybe, he will create another world in one flick of a finger, and then destroy it once he can pacify you…]

[You make it sounds like this Master Han of yours is actually a god.]

[Larva: He is.]

…

Yunyu continued reading and studying, tried to forget about his sadness and anxiety by studying. He was a strong Ger man before, and he should be one right now. The future might look bleak for him, but as long as he was well prepared in case that time finally came, then he would leave with pride.

**

"Wife…"

Huang Shu entered the Palace of Serene Harmony after a while. He was out of breath, and he forbade any servant or guard to follow him. Thus, he searched the whole Palace to find Yunyu, thinking that his beloved wife might be crying somewhere.

Who would've thought that Yunyu was actually sitting silently in his room, reading a book with a flat expression on his face?

Huang Shu approached his wife slowly and asked, "Wife, are you alright?"

Yunyu raised his head, and with a perfunctory smile, he nodded, "I'm fine, Your Majesty."

Huang Shu's heart skipped for a second when he heard Yunyu called him 'Your Majesty' instead of 'Husband' or 'Huang Shu.'

"W—Wife, I'm so sorry about what happened at the banquet. I will talk to my mother, Empress Dowager about this. But fear not, I will never take anyone other than you."

…

There was no answer from Yunyu. He was concentrating on his book. Huang Shu was anxious. He kneeled in front of his wife and gently took his hand. He kissed Yunyu's hand and then said, "Wife, you know that my mother still has a lot of power in the court. I cannot scold her in public. But trust me, I will find a way to cement your reputation, so you will be able to be the Empress in good backing and support, okay?"

Bai Yunyu finally spared a glance at Huang Shu. When their eyes met, he could see that Huang Shu's eyes beamed with sincerity and worry. Huang Shu was worried that he would be sad, and he was so sincere about making Yunyu his Empress.

It melted Yunyu's heart, but at the same time, he knew it was so hard for Huang Shu. Politically, Empress Dowager Aixi still held a lot of power until someone become the new Empress. And to get that, you still need the Empress Dowager's blessing.

It made Yunyu feel guilty because he didn't want to hurt Huang Shu. He had a lot of burden on his shoulder already.

Thus, after a small consideration, Yunyu took a deep breath and opened his mouth, "Husband, I know that you're sincere to me. But we both know it'll be very difficult for you. I don't want to be your burden, Huang Shu."

"I want to be the one who accompanies you and supports you. I want to be the one who helps you to be the best Emperor ever ruled this nation. But maybe… not as an Empress…"

"W—What do you mean?!" Huang Shu tightened his grip on Yunyu's wrist. He knew that today's incident was humiliating for Bai Yunyu, but that was because Huang Shu wasn't strong enough, at least not yet. He still had to cement his position until he could corrode his mother's influence in the court.

Huang Shu kissed Yunyu's hand, his expression was begging, "Please don't say anything hurtful to me, Yunyu. You know I love you the most."

Yunyu smiled and brought bowed to kiss Huang Shu's forehead.

"I know, that's why I want to help you. I just realized how egoistic I am. Instead of being your support, I become a burden for you instead."

"You're not a burden!" Huang Shu denied it, but Yunyu didn't seem to buy it. Thus he continued.

"Husband, no, Huang Shu, maybe you should fill your harem… as long as it will strengthen your position…"

"NO! I WILL NEVER DO THAT!" Huang Shu yelled. Then he noticed what Yunyu was reading, the Art of War. It was a book that Yunyu read once he was in training, but since he got married, he said to Huang Shu that he might not read this often.

But now….

There was a sudden paranoia in Huang Shu's head. After Yunyu died in the previous timeline, the military was demoralized severely, and after the rebellion kept on increasing, he heard from a general that the military hated him.

Because he had killed their beloved Empress due to his negligence, the Ger man whom the soldiers loved the most.

Back then, he didn't even notice how talented Yunyu was in military and strategy. He was blinded by his own pride and arrogance that he ignored Yunyu's great merit.

But it was back then when Yunyu was already an Empress, and he studied the military real hard to help Huang Shu.

But wasn't this too early for him to study about the military? Was this to help him, or was it because…

"Wife… why are you reading the Art of war?" Huang Shu asked.

With a thin smile, Yunyu replied honestly, "Because I don't know when I will have fallen out of favor. I don't know when I will leave this Palace of Serene Harmony. Huang Shu, even when that day came when you finally get a good Empress to rule the nation. You can draft me to the border. I will stay true to my promise."

"Huang Shu, I'd rather stay in the garrison with the soldiers rather than getting abandoned in a cold palace."