When Yan Yixuan took up position as the family head years ago, he cut away his leech-like relatives, gathered loyal servants, and made the Yan household stand tall and isolated like a fortress with its gates shut, prepared for a siege at any time. The only person the young duke confided in and treated as family was Ruan Shu. Yan Yixuan’s days had been filled with scheming or handling court matters while his nights were filled with dreams of the past.

But then the war ended and Ning Wei entered his life.

It was soon followed by the return of Yan Yiwen with her family, gaining new friends and allies like Cang Xiyu and the bandits, reconciling with Master Jin, and regaining Ning Guang. Before Yan Yixuan knew it, the unyielding fortress that was the Yan household had opened its gates to welcome all these new people into his life, bringing warmth and joy. He now had family, friends, and a lover he adored to the high heavens.

With Master Jin and Ning Guang furthering their relationship and settling the matter of Ning Guang’s future in a most satisfactory way, all pressing matters were cleared, leaving room for Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei to contemplate the next natural step in their lives: their marriage.

Ning Wei had already proposed and gained Yan Yixuan’s affirmation, so their households directly brought in a matchmaker and the two men’s eight characters were duly exchanged. Even without waiting to see whether their eight characters would match, the two households began swapping betrothal gifts all too happily while preparing for the wedding. All that was left was to find an auspicious date for the ceremony.

The impending marriage of their master to his beloved left the Yan household’s servants in a particularly cheerier mood than usual, suffusing the entirety of the usually stately residence in a warmer and brighter atmosphere. But Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei acted just like usual, not seeming as excited or nervous as others expected. Their routine was as always, filled with productivity interspersed with plenty of loving gestures and tender affection.

On this day, the couple was once more spending time together in the study.

Ning Wei sat at the side, his head in his hands as he memorized something his lover tasked him with. At the desk, Yan Yixuan seriously attended to important documents sent over from the imperial court. Currently, it was just Ning Wei and Yan Yixuan occupying the study.

Master Jin had taken Ning Guang with him to the Jin household just recently, so they were both still busy settling in and figuring out how to make things work. Since they didn’t have time to visit the Yan household often, Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei went over to visit them instead. Ning Wei in particular was summoned over by Master Jin for lessons several times, much to Yan Yixuan's amusement and Ning Wei’s despair.

After a day full of writing, Yan Yixuan put down the brush with a weary sigh and kneaded his stiff fingers. Ning Wei promptly abandoned his tedious memorizing to take over the task of massaging his hand. The young man relaxed back into his chair. He looked at Ning Wei solemnly attending to his hand and smiled. “Thank you, Ah-Wei. That feels great.”

Ning Wei returned his smile. “That’s good to hear.” His eyes gleamed with a teasing light. “And no need to thank me for such a trivial thing, Ah-Xuan. Just think of it as me finding a reason to escape memorizing that monstrous book.”

Yan Yixuan laughed. “Do you really hate it that much?”

Ning Wei nodded vehemently. “Books simply shouldn’t be that large, especially those I have to memorize.”

The young man’s laughter increased at how helpless and disgruntled his beloved sounded. Seeing this, Ning Wei’s expression turned indulgent.

Rather than leave after he was done massaging his lover’s fingers, Ning Wei instead folded his arms and leaned a hip on the desk. Looking thoughtful, he asked, “Ah-Xuan, what if our eight characters don’t form a good match?”

Yan Yixuan had just pulled back the sleeve of his writing hand to resume his work when he heard this. He peered up at Ning Wei with surprise.

Ning Wei continued somberly, “What if it’s instead decided that our marriage will bring great calamity to one of us? For instance, what if it says misfortune will befall you if we go through with it?”

The young man’s startlement melted into indifference as he returned his gaze to the documents. “Something like that won’t keep me from marrying you.”

Ning Wei smiled. How much must he be spoiled by his little fox to have expected this answer? “Then what if it was the opposite? What if it said that it will bring disaster to me instead?”

Yan Yixuan froze and looked up sharply. “Then…I’ll call the marriage off. The risk is not worth it.”

The general bent down to stare directly at Yan Yixuan and said, “No, I don’t want that. I would still want to marry you. I’d rather stay with you even if it means I have to suffer rather than us not being together at all.”

The young man grew flustered, his hand clenching over the brush. He didn’t even notice the ink splattering the paper as he replied heatedly, “No, you can’t do that! If it’s being together, then we can do it even without getting married. You shouldn’t invite misfortune just for that!”

Ning Wei laughed and straightened, eyes shining. “Doesn’t that apply in your case as well? Why do you want to go through with the wedding even if it brings you suffering when you don’t want me to do the same?”

Yan Yixuan opened his mouth then closed it, unable to say anything. His gaze grew anxious as he stuttered incoherently, “B-But that’s not―! It’s just… I-It’s different and… Ah-Wei!”

Looking at his discomposure, Ning Wei chuckled affectionately and teased, “Ah-Xuan, look at you being hypocritical and not taking care of yourself.” His mirth gave way to a quiet smile as he reached out to cup his beloved’s face. “But that’s alright. You have a lifetime to learn to take care of yourself. And until then, and even after, I will care for you.”

Growing silent, Yan Yixuan bowed his head and blushed.

Ning Wei knew that for Yan Yixuan, he was more important than the young man was to himself. But Yan Yixuan never believed that it could be the same for his lover. The truth was that Ning Wei cared more for Yan Yixuan than he did for himself as well.

Realizing what Ning Wei was indirectly telling him, the young man grew increasingly bashful until he couldn’t meet his beloved’s gaze anymore.

Ning Wei happily admired his little fox’s current state and bent to place a quick kiss on top of his head.

Yan Yixuan suddenly looked up, his shyness covered under fierceness as he declared, “Ah-Wei, you look like you’re enjoying this. For being such a bully, you deserve to be punished!”

Just as Ning Wei parted his smiling lips to ask how he would be punished, he was pulled down by a hand behind his neck before a hot tongue thrust into his open mouth. After a moment of startlement, Ning Wei laughed breathlessly and pressed closer, happily submitting to his punishment.

A few days later, the couple’s worries were rendered unfounded as their match was declared very suitable and one that would bring fortune to them both. An auspicious day for the wedding ceremony was also decided.

However, as the date of the marriage neared, Yan Yixuan’s subconscious fear only increased. He kept feeling that such good fortune would surely be snatched away from him at the last minute if he let down his guard even a little. And sometimes, in the hushed depths of night, his mind wandered into dark territories and it scared Yan Yixuan how persuasive he found such thoughts.

A few days before the wedding, the young man had another nightmare and woke up in cold sweat. As he lay stiff on the bed, his breathing was ragged and his pulse beat erratically, sounding too loud in his ears.

Yan Yixuan stared fixedly at Ning Wei, focused on his beloved’s smooth breathing and the warm exhales brushing over his face. His Ah-Wei was fine. He was fine.

The young man let out a breath to clear up the mix of fear, anxiety, uncertainty, and other negative emotions congealed in his chest. His gaze turned dark as uncharacteristic thoughts flitted through his mind. Shaking his head to dismiss them, Yan Yixuan quickly got up from the bed and left the room as if trying to flee his own mind. The more distance he gained from Ning Wei, the tenser he grew, but the young man didn’t want to be near his lover right now and face the wretched thoughts he just had.

Escaping into the fresh air outside and the clear night sky twinkling with stars overhead, Yan Yixuan struggled to regain his equilibrium. The doubts and dread clawing at him made him feel small, powerless, and vulnerable. But the cool breeze caressing his cheek softly brushed it all away until the young man settled into a semblance of calm.

Warm and strong arms wrapped around Yan Yixuan’s abdomen from behind as a sturdy body pressed against his back, bringing a comforting and familiar scent with it.

“Ah-Wei…” Yan Yixuan breathed out, almost soundless. Without looking back, he gently touched the arms enfolding him.

Ning Wei's voice murmured into his ear, still husky with traces of sleep, “Why aren’t you in bed? Did you have a nightmare?”

Yan Yixuan relaxed back into his hold and nodded.

“Would it help if you talked about it?” Ning Wei asked.

The young man hesitated then let out a sigh as his shoulders drooped. His voice was a low whisper as if he couldn’t bear to speak of it too loudly. “I dreamed that my brother crawled out of his grave after hearing that I was going to marry. He then took you away and…did horrible things to you. By the time I found you…you already…weren’t breathing.”

Yan Yixuan squeezed his eyes closed and tightly clutched onto Ning Wei’s arms wound around him to reassure himself. He could feel his beloved’s warmth and the vigor of the blood pulsing through his veins through his tight grip. He could feel the strong and rhythmic thud of the heart in Ning Wei’s chest from where it was pressed to his back.

Taking strength from it, the young man went on, “When I found you like that, my brother grinned up at me and told me that he did it because I dared to pay more attention to you than to him. If only I’d stayed alone after his death, he wouldn’t have come after you.”

Ning Wei tightened his hold on Yan Yixuan, his heart hurting. He murmured soothingly, “Ah-Xuan, that was not real. Your brother is dead. He can’t interfere in your life anymore and he can’t hurt us. No one can take me away from you that easily.”

Yan Yixuan bowed his head and nodded. “I don’t believe in ghosts or beings whose existences haven’t been proven to me. After I woke up, I knew that it was only a nonsensical dream channeling my fear that we’ll somehow be separated. And I know that it’s an insult to even think that a rotting corpse can muster enough strength to take you away from me. But even though I know all that…”

NNing Wei sighed and pressed a reassuring kiss to his lover’s jaw. His thumb rubbed the young man’s abdomen soothingly. Ning Wei was aware that his words alone would not offer much comfort right now. This fear of Yan Yixuan’s would only be dissolved after they spent enough time together to convince the young man that they were not going to be separated.

Breaking the contemplative quietness, Yan Yixuan suddenly asked, “Ah-Wei, what would you do if I suddenly confined you in a luxurious courtyard, had your every need provided for, but never let you leave? I would accompany you every day, let you do whatever you want to me, and satisfy as many of your wishes as I can. I will bring you any food, drink, or treasures you want. But…what if my only condition was that I’d never let you leave that place?”

Ning Wei blinked, startled. But rather than growing cautious or alarmed as Yan Yixuan expected, he rested his chin on the young man’s shoulder and hummed lightly in thought. “If I said I would be ecstatic at having your company and attention, but feel sad at being stifled and losing my freedom, would you still do it?”

Yan Yixuan stiffened, then slowly closed his eyes and let out a breath. His reply scraped its way out of his throat. “If it made you sad, then…I wouldn’t.”

A soft smile claimed Ning Wei’s lips as he bent to kiss the young man’s ear tenderly. “Mn, I thought so.”

Yan Yixuan felt his ear itch and heat up in response. He turned away and swallowed. His fingers slowly stroked the arms around his midsection.

Before Ning Wei agreed to the pact between their households, Yan Yixuan had been content to just look from a distance and support him. He had never expected that to change. If matters had continued that way, Ning Wei might have met someone else and fallen in love. The lucky person who was pursued by Ning Wei would surely understand the good fortune that had befallen them and love him back with all they had as well.

Yan Yixuan had been prepared to face such a reality. As long the person chosen by his beloved stayed true to him, Yan Yixuan would silently continue to protect them both to ensure that nothing marred his beloved’s joyful life. Yan Yixuan knew that he would feel bitter, he would feel jealous and heartbroken, but he would nevertheless shield his general’s happiness with all he had.

As someone who had been ready to watch from afar as his beloved lived with another, all to protect Ning Wei’s happiness, Yan Yixuan was definitely capable of controlling himself from forcing his lover into confinement for the same reason, even if it meant his insecurity would persist. No matter what Yan Yixuan wanted or how deeply he wanted it, he was ready to put it aside to ensure his beloved’s happiness.

Ning Wei had long realized this, and the weight behind such pure devotion staggered him. He snuggled into the crook of his little fox’s shoulder and breathed in the cleansing scent of fresh herbs. His voice was low as he expressed, “Ah-Xuan, thank you for loving me this much.”

With gentle eyes, Yan Yixuan reached up to touch his fingers to the top of his lover’s head. “It is as much as you deserve.”

Ning Wei’s breath was warm on the young man’s neck as he replied, “I’m honored you think so.”

Yan Yixuan’s eyes curved with a quiet smile.

The couple stood silently and watched the stars above sparkle brilliantly as if vying for their attention.

For the first time, Yan Yixuan expressed his fears clearly, “Ah-Wei…will our wedding really happen? What if something interrupts it or there’s an emergency that needs us to postpone it? I just can’t bring myself to believe that something so good is really happening to me.”

Ning Wei reassured him in a steady voice. “It’s alright to be afraid, Ah-Xuan. But understand that neither of us will be going anywhere. If something pops up, we’ll push it back and complete the ceremony first. If it’s urgent, we will finish the wedding quickly and attend to it. If something or someone tries to interfere with the ceremony to split us apart and we don’t have a way to evade it, then we’ll just elope.” The general’s eyes glinted with determination. “Come hell or high water, I will marry you.”

Yan Yixuan relaxed. Hearing his beloved express his anticipation so straightforwardly, the young man’s anxiety eased. As unlikely as it was, if something truly did happen, he wouldn’t have to deal with it alone. His lover would be by his side, helping him brave through everything so they could get married because, in the end, his Ah-Wei wanted it as well.

Yan Yixuan looked up at the dark night sky covering the world, as vast and endless as the future. The uncertainty of what life held for them was nerve-wracking sometimes. So the young man instead turned away and hugged Ning Wei, focusing on the present where his beloved was in his arms, warm and comfortable. Why should he fear the distant, indistinct future while Ning Wei was here, solid and much more real than anything?

The dread and unease that had tensed the atmosphere gradually relaxed, giving way to tranquility.

Nervousness flashed across Ning Wei’s gaze as he pondered over something. Letting go of the young man, he suddenly said, “Ah-Xuan, there’s something I want to give you before the wedding.”

Yan Yixuan blinked up at him curiously. “What is it?”

Ning Wei smiled. “It’s a special betrothal gift. Since you already gave me one years ago, it’s only fair I return the favor now.”

The young man’s heart thumped. He tried to act clueless. “What do you mean I already gave you one years ago?”

Ning Wei chuckled. If he didn’t know his little fox as well as he did, he would’ve missed the trace of guilt and bashfulness flashing through his eyes. Poking the young man’s nose playfully, he said, “Didn’t you indirectly give me the ivory handle I now use for one of my long knives? The pommel even has ‘harmonious union’ carved into it in accordance with your household’s customs.”

Yan Yixuan blushed and averted his gaze while rubbing his hot ears. He asked in a small voice, “H-How did you find out?”

With a warm and intent expression, Ning Wei explained, “When you were lost in Sui, I went to meet the empress to find a way to get you back. At that time, she told me about all the ways you helped me from behind the scenes, including how you became estranged from Master Jin in the first place, why you killed the grand duke, your part in helping us get supplies during the battle at Mount Xun, how you risked your life to obtain crucial information to extract me from Xie, and, of course, how you sneakily sent over that ivory hilt to replace my damaged one. Was it entertaining to watch me unknowingly tout around your betrothal gift?”

“Th-That… I wasn’t…” Hearing his past deeds of silent support and care being methodically recited by his beloved, Yan Yixuan couldn’t bear the eruption of embarrassment and buried his head in Ning Wei’s chest, his face flaming. His mind was in a muddle and he didn’t know how to respond. He had never intended his beloved to figure all this out. How should he face him now?!

Seeing his flustered reaction, Ning Wei laughed to himself. How adorable. Hugging his lover, he asked teasingly, “Ah-Xuan, does this mean you don’t want your gift?”

Yan Yixuan’s hands clenched on Ning Wei’s robes. He leaned back slowly and peered up at his beloved through his lashes. Tugging lightly on Ning Wei’s robes, he replied in a shyly eager voice, “I want it. Can I see it now?”

Ning Wei felt that his heart would explode due to how unbearably lovable his little fox was. He framed Yan Yixuan’s expectant face with his hands and pulled him up to place adoring little kisses all over his cheeks. Yan Yixuan squirmed, laughing with joy at the feeling of being cherished and pampered with affection.

Letting go of him, Ning Wei grinned and dragged the young man back into the house and to the study. Yan Yixuan followed with a wide smile, intrigued.

Entering the study, Ning Wei headed straight for where he kept his writing implements. Yan Yixuan watched with confusion as his beloved took one of the boxes and handed it to him, saying, “Here’s your gift.”

The young man accepted it with a doubtful expression and asked, “Isn’t this that box with brushes that you said Master Jin gave you?”

Ning Wei smiled smugly. “The obvious locations are the best places to hide a secret.”

Yan Yixuan’s eyes widened. “Wait, my gift was inside this box all this while? Was Master Jin in on it as well?”

Ning Wei nodded cheerfully.

Giving him an approving look, Yan Yixuan said, “You’re getting sneaky, Ah-Wei.” He looked down at the box before asking eagerly, “Can I open it now?”

Ning Wei nodded, hiding his apprehension. He’d worked hard on this gift and he really wanted his lover to like it.

Yan Yixuan gently pulled up the lid and looked inside expectantly. A large folding fan laid within, made of lacquered ebony and copper-colored silk. A dark red tassel with an oblong green bead was tied to its lower half.

Squinting at the little bead, the young man tried to understand why the combination of its shape and color felt familiar. He poked it and felt the smooth texture under his fingertip. As the bead turned slightly after being nudged, it revealed a reddish blush on one side. Yan Yixuan blinked with realization. The bead was actually made to look like a miniature guavasteen. His lips curved up with amusement at such an understated yet thoughtful detail.

With anticipation at what other things he would find, the young man carefully lifted the fan up from the box and spread it open.

An intricate scene painted in black ink unfolded in front of him, showing the capital stretching under a sky scattered with auspicious clouds. Though it was obvious that the painter was no expert, each building was drawn with careful detail and meticulous accuracy. The sprawling city extended towards the distant horizon before flattening into a line. The sun was already on its way down, the reddish hue of the silk emulating the city bathed in the fading glow of dusk.

Small script formed vertical lines on either side of the painting. Though the writing was obviously not the work of a master, it was neat and vigorous, holding its own unique charm. Yan Yixuan wondered whether he felt that because he knew it was written by his Ah-Wei. He went on to read the script curiously and his eyes widened.

On the top right, sliding down over the painted sky were the words: No mortal can separate the union of land and sky at the horizon. On the bottom left, the sentence continued at the blank edge of the city: And not even the heavens can split the union of might and brilliance in the empire.

At first glance, it seemed like a patriotic statement praising the empire, but the hidden meaning beneath was easy to spot. The might used in the sentence was 威 and was pronounced similar to the Wei in Ning Wei. Similarly, the brilliance used was written as 绚 and sounded similar to the Xuan in Yan Yixuan.

And so, if their names were substituted into the writing as was clearly intended, the meaning would change to: No mortal can separate the union of land and sky at the horizon, and not even the heavens can split the union of Wei and Xuan in the empire.

Yan Yixuan’s eyes were fixed on the words and he softly rested a finger on the second sentence. Sweet warmth filled the young man’s chest, causing an awed smile to bloom on his face. His beloved sounded so pleased and confident about their relationship, as if it brought him immense pride.

Tearing his gaze away from the fan, Yan Yixuan looked up. “Were you the one who composed this?”

Ning Wei studied his lover’s expression carefully, then concluded that he must like it. Smiling with relief, he nodded and replied, “Yes, and I also painted it. Master Jin helped me practice drawing everything and it was much more difficult than I thought it would be. I originally wanted Master Jin’s help to also make the writing sound subtler and more elegant. But Master Jin questioned if I truly wanted to obscure the expression of my love behind twists and turns of poetic phrasing, and I realized I didn’t like the thought of that. I wanted to announce how much I love you straight and clear, without ambiguity. I knew that you’d prefer to make it known directly too. This way, we can flaunt our relationship better, can’t we?”

Yan Yixuan laughed and nodded. “You’re right. Now I can’t wait to use it outside and show it off.”

The young man’s eyes squeezed themselves into happy arcs. He wanted to hug this fan made by his beloved with so much difficulty. Each line and stroke in this painting and script were drawn with love while his Ah-Wei thought of him. The very fact that his lover considered him worthy of all this effort brought immense joy to him.

Ning Wei watched Yan Yixuan’s face almost glowing with happiness and rubbed his head affectionately. In a warm voice, he spoke, “Oh? You are already this impressed? And I haven’t even shown you the hidden functions of the fan yet.”

Yan Yixuan stilled. “It has hidden functions?!” His eyes shone with a mix of wonder and enthusiasm. “Show me!”

Ning Wei laughed and held his hand out. The young man gave him the fan. In front of his beloved’s excited gaze, Ning Wei pointed to the end guard and said, “See this panel? If you hold it at the top like this and pull it up…” The top half of the wooden guard slid up, detaching from the rest of the fan to reveal a blade hidden inside. The removable section of the guard served at the hilt to a small but extremely sharp knife.

Yan Yixuan gasped softly, his eyes fixed on the gleaming blade.

Ning Wei sheathed the knife again and pointed to the other guard. “There’s another one on this end too. With this, you can sneak in weapons to places they aren’t allowed in. Do you like it?”

The young man looked up with a bright smile. “Ah-Wei, it’s exquisite!”

Unable to help himself, Ning Wei dived forward to steal a quick kiss from those curved lips. With a twinkle in his eyes, he then asked, “What if I told you there was another hidden weapon within?”

Yan Yixuan blinked with surprise. “Another? But where would you hide it?”

Ning Wei spread the fan open again and pointed to the top. “As you can see, the silk leaf stretches across the ebony slats on both sides. But if you do this, you can easily pull apart the fabric at the top to reveal the secret pockets between the slats. The top of the silk is stuck together with a special type of weak adhesive that can be sealed and unsealed as one wishes. And hidden inside each of these little silk pockets, there are needles that are especially made to resist corrosion due to toxins.”

Yan Yixuan stared at the fan with wide eyes, stunned speechless.

Satisfied with his reaction, Ning Wei dipped a finger in to pull out a needle, then pushed it back in. “The pockets are also lined inside with a substance that resists toxins, so the silk will be safe. The bottom end of each pocket is narrow enough that it will grip the needle tightly and not allow it to move around. The pocket widens at the top, so you can easily slip a finger in and take out a needle when needed. All that’s left is for you to coat each needle with a poison of your choice and they will be ready to use.”

As Ning Wei closed it and handed the fan back, Yan Yixuan took it with a dazed expression. When he thought of all the workmanship, effort, and thoughtfulness that had gone into creating this masterpiece for him, he couldn’t contain the giddy glee spilling out of his heart.

Giving out a laugh, Yan Yixuan clutched the fan tightly and leaped up to cling to Ning Wei in a full-bodied hug. “Ah-Wei, I like it very, very much! Thank you for making this for me!”

Ning Wei wrapped his arms around his beloved to support him and pressed a loving kiss to his chin. This was more of a positive reaction than he had hoped for. “As long as it pleases you, it was effort well spent. You can even show it off at our wedding if you like it that much. Are you looking forward to it?”

Yan Yixuan leaned back and nodded eagerly. “Yes! I want to show everyone what you made for me!”

Ning Wei smiled, satisfied.

In this way, Yan Yixuan’s dread as the date of their wedding neared was replaced with undiluted anticipation.

↢∘●∘↣

The day of the wedding swiftly arrived and the two households bustled with activity. The Yan and Ning residences were hung heavily with red banners and lanterns carrying the characters for double happiness in gold. Even as the servants scrambled to make last minute arrangements or check that everything was ready, they couldn’t hide the shine of joy in their eyes or the energetic spring in their steps.

The entire capital’s attention was fixed on this wedding between two of the most notable households in the empire. After all, it was the union of the powerful and prominent Duke Yan Yixuan and the popular and revered Great General Ning Wei, following their passionate romance that was much flaunted and gossiped about. Each person invited to witness the wedding ceremony was either someone close to one of the bridegrooms’ families or a person of high renown in the empire. Even if one wasn’t invited, they were still eager to see the lavish wedding procession and flocked to border the streets connecting the Ning and Yan households.

After the many speculations that abounded throughout the capital regarding who would be married off to whom, it was finally revealed today that it would be Ning Wei who would give up his title as family head to marry into the Yan household. Considering that there were many people in the Ning household who could lead the family in Ning Wei’s stead while Yan Yixuan supported his household by himself, it was a pragmatic choice.

Thus, with much aplomb, the wedding procession headed to the Ning household while accompanied by firecrackers and energetic music as the masses followed it excitedly. Garbed in red wedding robes, Yan Yixuan urged his horse forward into a brisk trot, eager to see the man he was to marry.

The brightly colored procession accompanied by cheerful cacophony soon arrived at the Ning household’s doorstep with much ceremony. His thoughts fixed only on his beloved, Yan Yixuan leaped down from his horse and entered the house with quick steps, clutching the fan he received from Ning Wei in his hand. The moment his eyes landed on the red-robed Ning Wei waiting within, the impatience scratching at the young man’s heart calmed.

But wait, why was Ning Wei sitting on the couch with his feet up? For that matter, why were his feet bare?

Reading his confusion, Ning Wei smiled helplessly and said, “Ah-Xuan, they took my shoes.”

Yan Yixuan sighed amusedly. He supposed that as per one of the customs, someone from Ning Wei’s family had hidden his shoes and Yan Yixuan would now have to find them before he could take Ning Wei with him.

Yan Yixuan knew that the family members he was familiar with weren’t the type to make things difficult for him after all this time, so he guessed that it must be one of the people he hadn’t met yet. Prying his gaze away from his beloved, the young man looked around to study the other people in the room for the first time.

All three of Ning Guang’s siblings, Ning Yong, Ning He, and Ning Zeng, were present along with their respective families. Since the Yan household was closer to the Jin household, Ning Guang had decided to wait at the Yan household after discussing it with his son. Ning Wei knew that his father also wanted to show the insecure Yan Yixuan that he was just as much his family now as he was Ning Wei’s and couldn’t approve of it more.

As Yan Yixuan assessed Ning Wei’s relatives, he took special note of the presence of the ones he hadn’t met till now.

Ning Yong’s wife, Sui Ming, had recently returned from the border and stood with her three children. Two of them were adults, a scholarly man and a gallant woman, and they both seemed mature and sensible. The third child was Sui Shan, who had been frolicking about with Ning Zeng’s two youngest children at the main residence all this while.

Meanwhile, Ning Zeng’s brood was made up of three adults and two kids. The three oldest siblings consisted of a woman and two men, all of whom looked like troublemakers. The youngest two were Ning Shu and Ning An who Yan Yixuan was used to seeing with Sui Shan.

Under the young man’s searching gaze, Ning Zeng’s three oldest children giggled and one of them proudly admitted, “Cousin-in-law, we were the ones who hid Cousin Wei’s shoes. You have to find them first before you can steal him away.”

The other two imps chortled gleefully in agreement.

Yan Yixuan raised a brow wryly, his fingers leisurely skimming the edge of the fan.

Ning Zeng massaged his temples and said, “I did try to stop them. But in return for cutting out the other, more troublesome traditions, I had to give in on this one. These ungrateful brats didn’t even tell me or anyone else where they hid the shoes, so I’m afraid I can’t help you, Nephew-in-law.”

Yan Yixuan waved his apology away and said, “Don’t worry, Fourth Uncle. This shouldn’t cause much of a delay, so I don’t mind.”

The three troublemaking cousins grinned cheekily and one of them spoke, “Cousin Ning has been so cutely excited to get married, so we don’t want the ceremony to be delayed either. That’s why we’ve prepared hints to help you find the location of the shoes in this big residence, but it’s still up to you to figure it out.”

Yan Yixuan was relieved that they didn’t have the intention to make it too difficult for him and nodded. “Of course, I didn’t expect anything else.”

One of Ning Zeng’s sons stepped forward and presented the young man with a key while saying, “Here, you can use this to open the lock behind which the shoes are hidden. Don’t worry, not many doors in this household are currently locked. You should be able to find the correct lock easily enough. As an additional bonus, I’ll tell you in advance that none of the doors in the main residence are locked, just to save you the time of checking them.”

Yan Yixuan received the key and examined it thoughtfully. It seemed that all he had to do was go around looking for locked doors in the courtyards surrounding the main residence to find one that can be opened by this key. Considering that this was a notably large key, he should be able to eliminate all the doors with smaller keyholes and only be left with a few doors. In short, all he had to do was stroll around the courtyards and stick the key into the rare door with a large keyhole. Though it might take a while, he should be able to make it in time for the ceremony if he walked briskly.

Yan Yixuan tapped the fan against his chin, feeling that something was strange. He didn’t expect these cousins of his beloved to make it this easy for him. It was somewhat suspicious. Was this really all there was?

Sighing, Yan Yixuan snuck a peek at Ning Wei, both to satisfy his urge to look at him and to see if his beloved had any insights to offer.

Ning Wei held the young man’s gaze and touched the side of his belt, then looked away and pretended as if nothing happened.

Yan Yixuan frowned. If he remembered right, the place Ning Wei indicated was where he used to hang his old sword from. Ning Wei wore his new sword at a slightly different position, claiming that it was easier for him to recall that he now used a different sword with different proportions if he had to reach for a different place to draw it.

Yan Yixuan pondered on what hint his lover was trying to give him by pointing to where he used to carry his old sword. Since that sword was now with Ning Guang, was he trying to say that the place the shoes were hidden in was related to his father? Was it Ning Guang’s old room?

But the young man didn’t think it was likely. He recalled Ning Zeng saying that no one other than those children of his knew where the shoes were hidden. Since Ning Zeng and the others hadn’t been able to guess the location by just seeing the key, and if this key really opened Ning Guang’s room, then it could only mean that the cousins got the key from the servants. That would explain why none of them could guess the location based on seeing the key alone.

However, that didn’t tell him how Ning Wei, someone who was not as familiar with this household as Ning Zeng and the others, recognized the key and knew enough about the location of the shoes to give him a hint. The logical conclusion would be that the location must be related to Ning Wei and someplace he was more familiar with than the others.

So, if the hint wasn’t pointing to Ning Guang or a location relating to him, what else was it trying to convey to him?

Yan Yixuan wiped away his speculations from before and started a new line of reasoning. He should first understand what meaning Ning Wei expected that sword to hold for him and see if there was a hint there somewhere.

When Yan Yixuan thought of that sword, it always brought to mind how Ning Wei gave it to him to use as a talisman in Sui. Contemplating on it further, he realized that the time that sword was in Ning Wei’s possession made more of an impression on him than the fact that it was with Ning Guang now. It was because, for Ning Guang, it was only a sword that had accompanied him for years. But for Ning Wei, it was a sacred talisman, something that connected him to his father when he thought he was dead.

Yan Yixuan speculated that Ning Wei knew him enough to guess what would come to his mind when he thought of that sword. Now, how was that related to finding Ning Wei’s shoes? Was that line of thought somehow connected to the location where the shoes were hidden? If so, what all locations in this household were related to the significance of that sword?

Yan Yixuan narrowed his eyes as something suddenly occurred to him.

Thinking of the significance of the sword, he realized that the first time he learnt about how important that sword was to Ning Wei was during his first visit here, when Yan Yixuan was helping his beloved take off his armor.

The young man’s grip on the fan tightened as he looked down at the key in his hand. His eyes flashed as he understood what Ning Wei tried to tell him. As expected, those three tricksters had indeed never intended on making this easy for him.

Without hesitation, Yan Yixuan strode towards the room where Ning Wei kept his armor, which was in the main residence that the cousins had tried to dissuade him from checking. The entire Ning family—except for the poor Ning Wei without his shoes, along with the two levelheaded adults Ning Yong and Ning He—followed after the young man to see what he’d figured out.

Watching Yan Yixuan confidently march towards the armor room and stand before it, the three cousins had to hide their apprehension. One of them pretended to be helpful by pointing out, “That’s not a locked room, Cousin-in-law. You can’t use the key to open the door. Don’t you think you’ve chosen the wrong place? We already told you that there are no locked doors in the main residence, so you shouldn’t waste time here.”

Yan Yixuan caressed the fan in his hand and smiled at them. “May I remind you that in your hint, you stated that the lock paired with this key was hiding the shoes behind it, and you also stated that there aren’t many locked doors in the household, especially in the main residence. But those two statements were only implied to be linked. They can, in fact, also be taken as two separate facts that have nothing to do with each other. In other words, the lock might not necessarily belong to a door, so the lack of locked doors in the main residence doesn’t exempt it from being searched.” As someone who used such misdirection himself, Yan Yixuan thought it would be an insult to his intelligence if he fell for such a trick.

The others following them showed expressions of realization. They should’ve expected that those rascals would try to deceive them with misleading words to make trouble!

The three cousins looked at each other. Then another one spoke up, “But Cousin-in-law, even if you think that, why did come here instead of searching all locked cabinets or boxes along the way? After getting the hints, you barely spent a few moments thinking before setting off. You should slow down and think some more.”

Yan Yixuan chuckled and waved his fan in an arc. “Those few moments are more than enough to put together the clues. Please don’t worry, I’m certain that the shoes are here.”

The cousins felt helpless at their attempt at trickery being seen through so easily and the location of the shoes found so quickly.

Unheeding of their difficult expressions, Yan Yixuan pushed the door open and headed towards the chest where Ning Wei kept his armor. As expected, the lock over it was big, with a keyhole that matched the size of the key in the young man’s hand. Yan Yixuan slid the key into the lock and it turned smoothly. With a click, the lock popped open. He removed the lock and lifted the lid of the chest.

Nestled amongst the pieces of hard metal and supple leather making up the armor was a pair of luxurious red shoes.

Yan Yixuan took them out and triumphantly turned to show the others that he had found the shoes.

The others offered him their praises and congratulations on finding them so quickly while the cousins looked at him with begrudging admiration.

Shoes in possession, Yan Yixuan proudly returned to the main hall and knelt before Ning Wei. Placing the fan on the floor and looking up with a smile, the young man held out a hand.

Ning Wei smiled back and wordlessly extended one of his bare feet. The young man lovingly slid the first shoe onto it, his gaze attentive as he made sure it fit comfortably. Once the other shoe was on as well, Yan Yixuan proclaimed, “It’s done. You can stand up now, Ah-Wei.”

Ning Wei bent to press an affectionate kiss to the top of his lover’s head and got up. “I knew you’d figure it out even though the hint I gave you was vague at best.”

Yan Yixuan preened at the praise as he picked up the fan and stood up. Grinning, he asked, “Shouldn’t I get a reward for finding your shoes?”

Ning Wei chuckled. “Well, it’s our wedding day, so I suppose we can afford to be a bit more shameless than usual.”

Pulling the young man closer, Ning Wei bent towards him. Yan Yixuan’s eyes widened and he snapped the fan open to shield their faces just as their lips touched. Closing his eyes, the young man happily melded his mouth with Ning Wei’s and indulged in the familiar softness and warmth.

While his lips were engaged, Ning Wei’s fingers crept up his lover’s forearm to settle right under the hand Yan Yixuan was holding the fan up with. The rough pad of Ning Wei’s thumb rubbed little circles on the inside of the young man’s wrist.

Yan Yixuan’s hand trembled. As the young man’s face heated up further, his tongue speared into Ning Wei’s mouth and played with the slick tissue inside with increased vigor.

For a moment, the adults in the room were glad for the fan blocking the view of the two smooching soon-to-be husbands. It not only protected the children’s eyes from picking up something unsuitable, but also their eyes from being blinded by the brazen display of affection. But then they read the words on the fan and felt choked with the cloying sweetness of the hidden message expressing such deep love.

In the end, it seemed that they couldn’t escape the dog food that easily after all.

↢∘●∘↣

As the wedding procession left the Ning household and headed towards the Yan household, Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei rode on the same horse. Ning Wei sat behind the young man, with his arms wrapped around him from the back and chin resting on his shoulder.

The couple wore the matching red wedding robes Yan Yixuan brought back on his journey back from Sui. The lower sections of the robes were embroidered with beautiful peacocks displaying their feathers in a dazzling array of deep green, teal, indigo, and coppery brown. Both the peacocks had different postures, with one arching its neck up with noble elegance while the other had its beak lowered while posing with heroic majesty. And when the pair stood side by side, it looked as if the peacocks were gazing at each other, a hitherto unseen affection and indulgence coming together subtly in their eyes and postures.

The upper sections of the wedding robes, above the belt, were stitched with flower branches. The image of delicate petals fluttering down as the flowery boughs swayed in a gentle breeze was frozen in time and immortalized in fabric. Peach blossoms adorned Ning Wei’s robes while wisterias decorated Yan Yixuan’s, keeping in line with the flower branches the couple had exchanged soon after enjoying their first night together.

Those who saw their matching robes couldn’t help but look twice at the unconventional peacocks. But then, realizing how these two were always so proudly showing off their relationship like two strutting peacocks, they decided it was all too suitable.

Even now, as the wedding procession proceeded towards its final destination, the couple didn’t stop flaunting their affectionate and warm relationship.

The couple had been smiling and chatting harmoniously along the way, with Yan Yixuan occasionally swishing open his fan to either wave it back and forth to dry imaginary sweat or helpfully shield his beloved from the mild evening sun. Though these actions were obviously unnecessary, it certainly managed to show off the writing on the fan to those who were watching, just as the young man intended.

His little fox’s sneaky actions both amused and gratified Ning Wei. How could he not be glad to see his hard work being appreciated with so much delight?

Settled comfortably in his beloved’s arms while the horse swayed back and forth under him, Yan Yixuan let out a soft sigh. Turning his head to the side and looking up at Ning Wei, he said regretfully, “Ah-Wei, I wish I could have carried you in my arms from the Ning household all the way back to our house. It would be fittingly romantic for today, don’t you think?”

Ning Wei chuckled and squeezed him. “That’s a long distance. I’m not sure I can do the same with you.”

Yan Yixuan smiled cheerily and stated, “Yes, I’m starting to gain weight, after all.”

Chuckling, Ning Wei pressed a kiss to his jaw. How could his beloved be so adorable? The thought that he was going to marry this man soon and spend the rest of his life with him made him feel such deep contentment and unimaginable joy.

“Hmm, even so, I think I can find some way to carry you all the way from here to the residence,” Yan Yixuan said contemplatively.

Ning Wei smiled and nuzzled him. “Oh? How would you have done that?”

Yan Yixuan leaned back and let his lover support his weight while wriggling to get cozier. The horse adjusted its gait to accommodate the shift in weight distribution.

The young man hummed thoughtfully, then said, “I suppose I would need to make a contraption to carry your weight the whole way home. I’d need a tall and sturdy wooden frame on wheels that can support twice your weight. Then I’d run a rope over the top and tie a rock almost equal to your weight on one side, then tie the other end to a seat securely and make you sit in it. All I’d need to do was pull the section of the rope tied to the rock to draw the entire contraption forward. Technically, since I’m holding one side of the rope while the other side is connected to you, one could say that I’m carrying you.”

Ning Wei burst into laughter, his entire body shaking. “How did you even come up with this?” he asked breathlessly.

Yan Yixuan grinned. “Sometimes when I can’t sleep at night, I try to solve the most inconsequential of problems.” He shrugged. “It’s relaxing.”

Ning Wei continued chuckling for a good while before being able to stop. Wiping the tears, he cleared his throat. “You know, it reminds me of another tradition I’m glad my dignity was spared being inflicted with. Fourth Uncle wanted me to wear a veil for the ceremony all the way until night.”

The young man’s eyes widened. “Eh? Why? Isn’t that part of the tradition for the women?”

Ning Wei rolled his eyes. “I’m sure Fourth Uncle just wanted to get more black material on me to bring up whenever the fancy struck him.” After a pause, he asked, “What about you? Did you want me to wear a veil?”

Yan Yixuan shook his head unhesitatingly. “Just because you’re marrying into my house doesn’t mean you fill in the role of a woman in a traditional male and female wedding. Also, I would be unhappy if I couldn’t look at your face for that long.”

Ning Wei chuckled warmly. “I guess I better make sure my face will be visible to you throughout the ceremony then.”

The young man pretended to act strict and said, “Yes, you better.”

Ning Wei laughed and poked his cheek, causing Yan Yixuan to drop the act and start smiling as well.

While the couple thus indulged in affectionate bickering and lavishing loving gestures on each other, the procession finally reached the Yan household. Inside, both of their families and close friends awaited them with smiles.

The people from the Ning household had come along with the wedding procession and had sped ahead near the end to join with Ning Guang first. Ning Wei’s three subordinates had also arrived beforehand, with Jian Lan bringing his wife and twin daughters with him. Meanwhile, Yan Yiwen, her husband Lin Changyuan and daughter Lin Meihui, Ruan Shu, Cang Xiyu, Master Jin, and the bandits attended on Yan Yixuan’s behalf. With all these people together, there was plenty of familial and friendly support for both bridegrooms.

The ceremony began, with Ning Wei and Yan Yixuan acting solemn even as they snuck looks and traded secret smiles with each other. As the ceremony reached the main part, the pair made the three requisite bows—the first one to the heavens, the second to the parents and ancestors, and the third to each other. When the time came for them to serve tea to show respect to their parents-in-law, Ning Wei went to Master Jin while Yan Yixuan went to Ning Guang as expected.

After the vibrant and joyful wedding ceremony that was briefly attended by the empress herself and the lavish feast that followed it, Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei were escorted to the wedding chambers and finally left alone.

Within the wedding chambers, gauzy layers of curtains hung from the ceiling and fluttered like ethereal clouds of red. The strategically placed candlelight gave the room a cozy and intimate atmosphere. As the couple stepped in, the clamor and hecticness of the wedding faded away into peace and calm. The tense lines of their shoulders and backs finally relaxed.

Ning Wei spotted a jug of wine and two beautifully engraved metal cups on a side table. He poured the wine into the cups and the couple wordlessly hooked an arm around their beloved’s before downing the wine. With the exchange of cups over, they were finally free of all the wedding customs except one. But neither of them was in a hurry to proceed to the marriage bed yet.

To wind down from the long ceremony, Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei first washed their faces, then helped each other undo their tightly bound hair. The room was illuminated by the soft candlelight as the couple moved with implicit closeness and familiarity.

The single cup of wine they’d drunk didn’t affect Ning Wei much. But as someone whose health did not permit him to drink often, Yan Yixuan hadn’t had the chance to build a resistance to it and began feeling its influence. Though it wasn’t to the point where his mind blurred, it showed in the way his voice turned husky and drawling while his movements grew languorous and liquid.

Finding him temptingly sensual, Ning Wei gulped and suppressed his rising need to ask, “Ah-Xuan, how do you feel?”

Yan Yixuan smiled at him through half-lidded eyes and replied, “I feel more relaxed and warm now. It doesn’t inhibit my reasoning, so we shouldn’t have any issues in continuing on to our wedding night.”

Ning Wei licked his lips. “But Ah-Xuan, are you sure…”

Without waiting for him to finish, Yan Yixuan rose and walked towards the bed while shedding the layers of his robes. When he looked back to see that Ning Wei wasn’t following and was instead just staring at him in a daze, the young man beckoned with a finger and purred, “Does my husband not want to join me on our marriage bed?”

Ning Wei’s desire ignited in a flash and the pair tumbled onto the bed. Yan Yixuan’s laughter was low, smooth, and satisfied. Clothes flew until their bodies had nothing between them.

Sitting back on his knees, Ning Wei asked, “Does your mind really feel clear enough to do this?”

Holding his gaze, Yan Yixuan leaned against the headboard and widened his legs provocatively. Ning Wei felt heat spread up his neck and over his face. His eyes were fixed on Yan Yixuan as the young man reached down to gently caress the head of his own shaft. Ning Wei swallowed hard.

Yan Yixuan let out a small gasp at the sensation of touching himself, then blinked at his beloved and said, “The wine seems to have made me bolder, but it didn’t take away my reason. Ah-Wei, I’m ready and willing.”

Ning Wei’s need was already straining against his self-control and that was all he needed to hear.

Yan Yixuan was entirely unprepared when Ning Wei gripped his ankles and suddenly dragged him forward. The young man fell back on the bed with a shout of startlement. Then he laughed smugly at how much he’d succeeded in riling his beloved up. Ning Wei settled over him and covered his mouth with his own, and the wedding night was soon underway.

After the familiar ritual of preparation and foreplay, their arousal only climbed higher and pulsed with more urgency. Heat burned their lungs and they exhaled desire with every breath. But along with the insatiable need darkening their gazes, there was also a deep well of inexhaustible love.

Ning Wei held Yan Yixuan close and slowly entered him while the young man panted. The cup of wine gave the young man’s expressions a wicked edge as if he was up to no good. After being teased and tormented mercilessly by him, Ning Wei could attest to that impression being entirely too accurate.

Yan Yixuan arched back as he felt his insides being slowly filled up with the familiar shape of that large member. As molten currents flowed through him, he blinked up at Ning Wei. His beloved looked like he was completely focused on the task at hand. Ning Wei’s muscles were bunched with the strain of holding back. His brows were creased with concentration as his gaze bored into the young man intently as if drinking in every detail of him.

Yan Yixuan let out a deep breath, bewitched. He reached over to take one of Ning Wei’s hands, then unabashedly led it down between their bodies to where they were joining. The brazenness of the action made their pulses quicken.

The young man licked his lips, his gaze seductive. “Ah-Wei, can you feel where we’re connected? Can you feel us consummating our marriage and becoming husbands?”

Heat shot through Ning Wei’s veins in a torrent. Unable to pry his gaze away from his little fox’s captivating eyes, he whispered hoarsely, “Yes.”

Yan Yixuan smiled. “Good. Since you know the importance of this night, you should stop holding back and let go for today. I want you to make it a night we will never forget. I want you to keep going until my body can’t take any more.”

Ning Wei almost groaned at the mental images those words evoked, but he still hesitated. “Ah-Xuan, I don’t want to hurt you.”

The young man pulled him closer and murmured huskily into his ear, “But this is what I want on my wedding night. I promise I won’t regret it. Ah-Wei, I want you to directly show my body how much you want me and dispel my doubts. Just like how I’m not holding back, won’t you let me feel all of your passion as well, just for tonight?”

Ning Wei’s eyes burned. If it was for quenching his beloved’s insecurity, how could he refuse?

Yan Yixuan gasped as the hot shaft suddenly plunged into him deeply in response to his invitation. Due to the careful preparation, the discomfort was minimal. The young man didn’t resist the abrupt invasion and even wrapped his legs around his beloved’s waist, pulling him forward with them and urging him to go deeper.

Ning Wei answered his impatience by sheathing himself into the young man completely. Yan Yixuan shuddered at the feeling of being fully connected, and the pair took a moment to appreciate it. Then they began moving together, their pace gaining fervency. The flame of the candles on the nightstand swayed to and fro with the force of their movements before extinguishing, leaving the bed and its occupants swathed in diluted shadows.

The night was hot and messy, a passionate red-tinted dream taking place behind hazy, fluttering curtains. The bed creaked and groaned as the pair of bodies undulated over it. Rough fingers dragged over scarred skin; soft lips caressed the hard line of a jaw while teeth nipped alongside delicately; flexible tongues traced up along taut throats before plunging between parted lips. The wet squelch of a thick member thrusting in and out of a moist passage was loud and lewd.

As trails of heat burned through the couple, gasps, groans, and deep, ragged moans spilled out of them. Sweat slicked their bodies as muscles rippled underneath evocatively. They arched and twisted together, limbs straining and hips slamming against each other with insistent and insatiable need. Murmured words of affection and passion were interspersed with harsh breathing and choked cries.

The liquid heat flowing through them thickened and burned hotter, then hotter still, drawing them up to the very peak before dropping them into the depths of unimaginable ecstasy. They clutched each other desperately as waves of pleasure crashed into and tore through them without mercy. Their tense bodies quivered powerlessly. Under the onslaught of the climax, their only anchor was their beloved.

When the chaotic sensations battering their senses finally eased, it left them exhausted and contented in each other’s arms. Eventually, their unsteady breathing calmed while they stared deep into each other’s eyes as if mesmerized. The unextinguished candlelight in the rest of the room swayed in a slow, steady, and tranquil movement. Hushed quiet slowly settled in.

But the pair of newly-wedded husbands didn’t let the peace last long.

Not satisfied with a single round, they went for another, and yet another. Yan Yixuan begged Ning Wei for more and more until he grew dizzy with pleasure. Unconvincingly reasoning to himself that he must be drunk on the wedding wine, Ning Wei indulged the young man and plundered his willing body with ravenous hunger. Every time Yan Yixuan gasped out “Husband!” it only stimulated Ning Wei more.

The night spent in a haze of frenzied passion eventually gave way to a quiet morning.

When the couple woke up, both of their bodies ached. As the more severely affected one, Yan Yixuan knew that he might not be in the condition to leave bed for at least three days straight. But his smug expression, like that of a sneaky fox that successfully caught its prey, declared that he regretted nothing.

After tasting the bliss of continuous and unbridled lovemaking for a whole night, Yan Yixuan was a changed man. He finally did what he kept saying he would for a long time: making space in his daily routine for exercising to build up physical strength and stamina. Ning Wei didn’t know what expression to make when he heard this reason, while Ruan Shu was just glad that the young man had finally begun paying more attention to his health.

Yan Yixuan began training both to build up strength and improve his fighting skills. He sparred regularly with Ruan Shu and Ning Wei, and even Ning Guang came by to give him pointers sometimes. The exercises combined with the healthy meals and herbal concoction improved the young man’s physique noticeably. The most obvious change was undoubtedly his height.

After the young man excitedly asked Ruan Shu to measure his height, they found that he had indeed grown taller by a finger’s breadth. This was the most marked development in his height for the past few years and it made the young man immensely proud.

When asked how he’d detected the change in his height, Yan Yixuan cheerfully replied, “Oh, I just realized while Ah-Wei and I were busy in bed that Ah-Wei had to tilt his head up a bit more to kiss me, which he hadn’t had to do during our first time.”

In response, Ning Wei sputtered with embarrassment and secret pleasure at how much attention his husband paid him even in bed. Yan Yixuan thought it was adorable. And as always, one thing led to another and the couple hurried back to their bedroom to thoroughly test in what other ways the young man’s increase in height affected their activities in bed.

Time passed like this, and the pair made plans for the rest of their life together.

Yan Yixuan decided that his niece, Lin Meihui, would one day inherit the Yan household if she so wished. Meanwhile, Master Jin promised to prepare her adequately so that she would be up to the task if she chose to accept the mantle of the head of household. Yan Yiwen and Lin Changyuan didn’t have any objections to it. After all, it would still be their daughter’s choice in the end.

Meanwhile, Ning Wei had already decided on a candidate to take over his title as the general: his cousin, Ning Yong’s daughter, who was currently serving as a soldier at the border. She was both suitable and willing to take on the position, so Ning Wei placed her under Ke Jing to learn what it took to manage the army. After she used her own merits to climb up the military ranking and to the top, he would transfer his titles of General and the head of household to her. But until then, his third aunt, Ning He, would run the Ning household.

As for Ning Guang, he didn’t show any interest in acting as the general or the patriarch. Considering everything he had been through, the other family members also tacitly didn’t involve him in anything stressful. Since Ning Guang happily considered himself married into Master Jin’s household even without a ceremony, he was declared exempt from participating in any troublesome matters regarding the Ning household.

In the meantime, Yan Yixuan continued accomplishing his duties from his home, only visiting the court occasionally to terrify the other officials. Of course, he didn’t forget to take his trusty fan to secretly spread some dog food, much to the exasperation of the others.

Song Hai, who was a prominent member of the opposing faction and the self-proclaimed nemesis of Yan Yixuan, tried to take issue with the underlying message in the fan. But when Yan Yixuan insisted that he was reading too much into it and that the statement was purely patriotic, Song Hai could only grit his teeth and turn to the other officials in the hopes that they would back him up.

But Cang Xiyu jumped in, and with a straight face, he asked Song Hai to refrain from making trouble. When Song Hai persisted in his accusations, Yan Yixuan acted confused and asked why he was kicking up such a fuss and if it was because he was so thrilled at his and Ning Wei’s marriage that he was seeing signs of their affections everywhere.

Knowing that he would only be driven into a corner with words if he pressed this matter, Song Hai could only shut his mouth and fume silently, much to Yan Yixuan’s and Cang Xiyu’s amusement.

After the ordeal at Sui, Cang Xiyu had grown much closer to the young man and supported him more vocally and with increased fervency. Yan Yixuan didn’t know whether the official did it because he wanted to or because the young man had evidence against him in his hands. So, in a gesture of good faith, Yan Yixuan finally returned the evidence to Cang Xiyu along with the promise that he wasn’t keeping any extra copies with him.

Once Cang Xiyu’s shock passed, he accepted the documents with teary gratitude. His vehement support of Yan Yixuan only strengthened after that, making the young man feel happy at this confirmation of friendship.

Back at the Yan household, the bandits had been converted into an elite unit of skilled and efficient guards, and the gap in the residence’s security was finally filled to Ning Wei’s satisfaction. While Li Yang’s unit of bandits-turned-guards grew to have the utmost respect and loyalty for Yan Yixuan, they were just as fearful and worshipful of Ning Wei. Under his brutal training that honed them to such sharpness, they finally came to know how truly frightening the man called the Great General was.

In this way, as some aspects of their lives remained comfortingly the same while other aspects changed for the better, Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei’s days together proceeded in a fulfilling manner.

↢∘●∘↣

When Ning Wei woke up, the space beside him on the bed was empty. He rubbed his face sleepily and yawned. His husband must have gone out to the outhouse or to sneak a midnight snack that didn’t taste of bitter herbs.

Letting out a shiver at the cold, Ning Wei went to take out another quilt from the cupboard. When his beloved returned, he would most likely appreciate having another layer of insulation as well.

But as he surveyed the spare quilts, Ning Wei found one missing. He frowned. He hadn’t sensed anyone else in their bedroom tonight, so it must have been Yan Yixuan who took one on his way out. Did that mean the young man was planning to spend some time outside?

Ning Wei pondered in silence for a minute, then gathered up a few more quilts to give to Yan Yixuan. It was pretty cold today. Before leaving, Ning Wei stacked some pillows onto the pile in his arms as well. Maybe his beloved would appreciate the extra comfort.

On his way out the door, Ning Wei suddenly recalled something and looked back. He had forgotten to take his sword with him. He stared at the blade quietly resting by the bed, then shrugged, stepped out of the room, and kicked the door close. His arms were full, and he didn’t feel the need to carry a blade around now.

As Ning Wei searched for Yan Yixuan, his breath made little clouds in the cold air. He stepped outside the shelter of the building to see if his husband was taking a walk in the garden or something.

Ning Wei looked up to check the time and saw the full moon hanging under a cloudless night sky. He couldn’t help but feel that the moon was similar to a dumpling filled to bursting. Sighing, Ning Wei realized he was hungry and decided to go see if the kitchens had something to eat. His beloved must also be hungry by now.

In another part of the courtyard, just past the gardens, Yan Yixuan was looking at the same sky. He sat in a stone pavilion located in the waters near the edge of the lake. The garden bordered one side of the lake, its vibrant colors muted in the night.

Yan Yixuan was seated on a stone bench within the pavilion, huddled inside the quilt while wishing he was wearing more layers. He peered up at the night sky, soaking in the quiet serenity of the night. The stone comprising the pavilion around him and the bench beneath him radiated cold. The young man sighed and shifted, trying to minimize the chill seeping into him.

Yan Yixuan mused at how familiar this sensation was. Before Ning Wei began living here, he had often come to this pavilion to escape his nightmares. The cold here would freeze his roiling emotions and still them, so he had willingly given in to it. But now, despite returning to the same location, everything felt different, more alien. He realized that he wasn’t used to being this cold and calm anymore. He ceased needing the comfort only this place used to provide him.

A breeze floated by and Yan Yixuan shivered before pulling the quilt tighter around him.

The sound of familiar footsteps slowly neared him and grew in clarity. The young man turned to see Ning Wei approaching.

Ning Wei placed a covered basket atop the low and thick wall in front of the young man, then deposited the rest of the things in his arms beside his husband. Ning Wei then promptly began bundling Yan Yixuan up in the quilts while reprimanding, “Ah-Xuan, what were you even thinking to come out here at this time with just one quilt? You could’ve caught a cold!”

As Ning Wei finished wrapping him in quilts and moved onto arranging the pillows around him next, Yan Yixuan smiled up at him. “My body is only physically weak, Ah-Wei. I usually don’t get sick easily.”

Ning Wei gave him an exasperated look. “That doesn’t mean you can tempt fate.” He turned to the basket he placed on the wall before and removed its cover to reveal bowls of steaming dumplings within. “Here, I thought you’d like something to warm you up from the inside.”

Yan Yixuan smelled the enticing aroma and felt his stomach grumble eagerly. He reluctantly extended his hands from under the cozy cocoon of quilts to receive a bowl and a pair of chopsticks. Ning Wei settled down beside him, using the quilts he’d wrapped around himself before exiting the bedroom to ward off the chill. Taking the other bowl, he dug in as well.

Realizing something between bites, Yan Yixuan asked, “The cook should be asleep now. Where did you get the food?”

Ning Wei blew on a dumpling and answered, “I whipped them up quickly from the leftovers.”

Yan Yixuan nodded and shifted his focus to the food in his mouth again that suddenly seemed much more delicious. His eyes squeezed into content arcs. Now that he was comfortably covered in layers of quilts, with steaming food in his hands and his husband beside him, the coldness from before had vanished without a trace. His heart was filled with so much tenderness and affection for this person that it warmed him from within.

The pair finished eating and placed the used bowls and chopsticks back into the basket. Yan Yixuan pulled Ning Wei under his quilts, arguing that they were large enough for both. Ning Wei’s quilts were then added on top of their shared cocoon to increase its thickness. The couple now resembled an extra-large dumpling with double the filling that had just finished devouring its smaller brethren. Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei leaned against each other, quietly immersed in the comfort of their husband’s presence while peacefully looking at the sky.

Yan Yixuan was filled with such deep love for his beloved, and quiet nights like these only made those emotions more evident and stronger, until they were almost spilling out of his heart. Needing to express it somehow, Yan Yixuan turned to his beloved and said softly, “Ah-Wei, if you wanted, I would pluck the very stars from the sky for you. You do know that, don’t you?”

Ning Wei smiled. “Yes, I do. But Ah-Xuan, the most brilliant and precious star of all is already by my side, so what do I need those others for?”

The young man blushed as his lips curved up, unable to hide his happiness.

Ning Wei wrapped an arm around him and rubbed their cheeks together affectionately. The warmth from his husband’s face caused his skin to tingle pleasantly. Letting out a contented breath that turned to mist, he spoke, “Moments like these make me glad that my father raised me to be the person I am.”

Yan Yixuan blinked. “What do you mean?”

“Think about it,” Ning Wei said. “If I hadn’t been taught to help those in need no matter their status or the status of their enemies, I wouldn’t have barged in and knocked out your brother so confidently. My surety that Father would stand by me and that I wouldn’t be blamed for doing what's right was one of the things that allowed me to be so bold that day. And because of that, I earned your attention that grew into love, and I eventually managed to obtain the incomparable treasure that was you.”

Ning Wei turned to look at his beloved as his voice gentled. “I’m really, really glad I am who I am since it brought you into my life.”

Yan Yixuan felt a lump in his throat and swallowed. He hugged his husband tightly. “I’m thankful that I was able to cross paths with you too, Ah-Wei. It was worth going through all the hardships in my life to meet you, fall in love with you, and finally marry you.” His voice grew hoarse by the end, his eyes reddened at the corners.

“Thank you, Ah-Xuan,” Ning Wei said softly, then pressed a tender, loving kiss to his forehead.

The young man tucked his head into the crook between Ning Wei’s neck and shoulder. His beloved’s scent enveloped him, comforting him like nothing else.

An intimate silence settled over them like a soothing blanket. They wordlessly turned to look at the sky again. The quiet sound of water sloshing and the distant rustle of leaves were the only things heard. In the company of their husband, the night was unbearably beautiful.

Ning Wei asked in a whisper, “Ah-Xuan, why did you come out here in the middle of the night? Did you have a nightmare?”

Yan Yixuan shook his head with a smile. “I did it because I could.”

Ning Wei turned to him with confusion written on his face.

The young man explained, “Whenever I had nightmares, worked late, or just had a sleepless night before, I’d come here to spend time alone and let the calm of this scenery settle into me. But after you began living here—whether you were staying in the room nearby as a guest or in my own room as a lover—I was always afraid that if I left your side, you would suddenly disappear. I had wished and yearned to be close to you for so long, how could my deepest desire be granted so easily? It was too good to be true. There had to be a catch.” He sighed. “I knew it was irrational and that you weren’t a wisp of smoke to be blown away so easily, but the fear nonetheless had a tight grip on me.

“But somewhere down the line, I grew used to having you by my side. I began believing despite myself that you won’t leave me so abruptly. If it didn’t happen so far, it probably won’t happen in the future as well, would it? Marrying you only cemented this belief; though, of course, the anxiety didn’t just vanish overnight. But the grip of fear kept growing lighter and lighter the more time I spent with you.”

Yan Yixuan then turned to Ning Wei and said softly, “For the first time today, when I thought of leaving the bed and going to the pavilion, I didn’t feel the usual lurch of fear. I knew without doubt that you would still be there when I returned. I knew that you loved me enough that even if something pried us apart forcefully, you’d do everything you can to get back to me. You’ve already proven that you think I deserve that devotion with your words before our wedding and your actions when I was lost in Sui.

“As all that went through my mind, I was startled to realize that I was free of that shackle now. I could leave your side without feeling anxious that you won’t be there when I return. And so, because I could come to the pavilion without fear, I did so.”

Ning Wei’s eyes were deep pools of tenderness, his heart feeling like it would melt. He lifted his husband and seated him on his lap so that they could face each other. Peering into the young man’s eyes, he expressed solemnly, “You’re right. No matter what happens, I will always return to your side since that’s where my home is. Even if I have to wage a hundred wars and cut through oceans of soldiers, I will still find my way back to you. Ah-Xuan, I will never forsake you.”

The words touched Yan Yixuan deep inside, where his insecurities quivered in the darkness, soft and vulnerable. Yan Yixuan felt tears welling in his eyes.

Ning Wei looked up to see his husband smiling even as clear water gathered in his eyes and dripped down in silvery streams. Ning Wei was dazed as he realized that, other than that time long ago in the carriage when Yan Yixuan’s inhibitions had lowered under the influence of drugs, this was the first time his beloved let him see his crying face so directly. Yan Yixuan sat on his lap with a straight back, openly displaying his tearful and moved expression, and it was so beautiful in its rawness that Ning Wei’s breath stuck in his throat.

Ning Wei saw a crystalline droplet trembling on the tip of the young man’s eyelash. He reached out just in time to catch the drop on the back of his hand. Holding his beloved’s gaze that overflowed with emotions too deep to put into words, Ning Wei brought his hand up to gently kiss that one tiny droplet.

Yan Yixuan closed his eyes as his smile widened, both bashful and happy. He bent to press their foreheads together. Ning Wei cupped the back of his neck, as if protecting his vulnerability, while gently pulling him forward. The young man went along and their lips met softly, sweetly, like the kiss of a butterfly’s wing against the tip of a petal.

The pair parted after a moment, unwilling to change the gentle warmth between them into something more heated. Needing some distance but being unwilling to part, Yan Yixuan shifted to sit beside Ning Wei again and pressed in closer. Ning Wei wrapped the quilts that had been disturbed more tightly around them.

Neither of them wanted this peaceful night full of affectionate intimacy to end.

The stars twinkled above like handfuls of shimmering diamonds sprinkled carelessly over the black velvet of the night sky. The sound of the swaying water was rhythmic and calming. The silver moonlight spilled down and gilded everything in an ethereal glow. The air was crisp and cold but the couple was cozily nestled within their shelter of quilts.

Lulled by the environment, Yan Yixuan let out the first yawn.

Ning Wei smiled and murmured, “Do you want to go inside and sleep?”

Yan Yixuan shook his head drowsily. “It’s warm and comfortable enough here; I don’t want to disturb it. Do you want to head back in?”

Ning Wei shook his head as well. “My husband is plenty enough to keep me content.”

The young man chuckled. He shifted to adjust his position and sighed wistfully. “How nice would it be if we could just sleep here like this.”

Raising a brow, Ning Wei asked in return, “Well, why can’t we?”

Yan Yixuan blinked with surprise and nodded thoughtfully. Then he straightened with pride and declared, “Yes, I’m the head of this household. If I want to sleep here with my husband, I can, and no one will tell me otherwise.”

Ning Wei nodded with a grin. “Yes, that’s the spirit!”

Smiling widely, the young man snuggled in closer while Ning Wei wrapped his arms around him. Embracing each other, they peacefully drifted to sleep.

And when the first light of dawn touched them, it found Yan Yixuan and Ning Wei just like this, together, as they wanted to be until the end of their days.