"Alright," I breathed against his lips, our closeness electrifying. "If you wish to reveal my splendid plans, perhaps we should momentarily halt."
"Perhaps?" Li Jie responded with a mischievous glint in his eyes, turning his head to look at me with a playful tilt of his lips. "I won't cease touching you just for a 'perhaps.'"
"You've grown rather audacious," I admitted, pressing my face into his shoulder to hide the warmth spreading across my cheeks. "You used to be so innocent; this hardly seems fair."
"I've been openly embracing you in broad daylight for quite some time," Li Jie teased, his soft smile tugging at my heartstrings. "I believe 'reckless' is the more apt term."
"I'll protect you," I assured him with a boyish grin, my heart swelling with affection. "Even if circumstances take a dire turn, I won't hesitate to defend you."
"You have my permission to do so," Li Jie sighed, his expression momentarily wearied. "I'd pardon you regardless of the circumstances."
"What if I were to... remove your father?" I quipped, aiming to lighten the mood. This was his sole day off for the month, and his choice to spend it with me filled me with a joy that words couldn't express.
But in all honesty, if I possessed the power or opportunity to do so, I would rid the world of the emperor. How could someone unfit to be a parent to their child serve as a parent to a whole nation?
"In that case, I shall ascend to the throne," Li Jie responded without hesitation. I had known he wouldn't flinch at such a suggestion. "You will become my empress, and I'll grant you the Phoenix Palace."
"I would be honored to be your empress," I declared, sealing my words with a kiss, my resolve to remove the emperor strengthening. If it meant Li Jie's happiness and our freedom, I'd take drastic measures. "And what of the Jade Harmony Chambers?"
"The harem can remain empty," Li Jie replied, playfully pushing me away. "I have no need for anyone else as long as I have you."
"Now you're really unsettling me," I admitted, hoisting him into the air. Li Jie barely managed to suppress a surprised yelp, fixing me with a charmingly irritated look. "You've been so open today; I'm beginning to think I'm hallucinating. You're making me want to abandon our plans and spend the entire day like this!"
"Put me down!" Li Jie demanded, his glare laced with amusement.
"I love you," I repeated, feigning deafness to his request. "Jie, I love you more than the stars in the sky and the universe itself."
"You're acting rather peculiar now," Li Jie noted, his cheeks adorned with a delightful blush. "Let's commence our date. Please, put me down."
"Very well," I agreed, savoring his unique scent and bestowing a tender kiss on the nape of his neck as I gently lowered him to the ground. Kissing Li Jie was akin to pressing my lips to the softest silk.
"First things first," I began, "I have a surprise for you within the palace."
"Is it my father's head on a platter?" Li Jie playfully inquired.
"We can only dream," I replied with a grin, shaking my head. "But no. Remember the western spies?"
"The ones we suspected of spying?"
"Yes," I nodded. "Some of their belongings surfaced on the black market, unbeknownst to the palace. As the world's best lover, I procured all items related to the palace to eliminate any potential threats. And guess what I discovered?"
Li Jie didn't reply, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. Before continuing, I planted one more kiss on the crown of his head, like planting a kiss on the finest silk.
"The palace's lost map, the one that vanished years ago. It reveals numerous secret gardens and tunnels within the palace that no one knows about." My grin was brimming with pride. "Our adventure starts within the palace itself."
Is it too forward to ask for a compliment from Li Jie?
"You're truly remarkable," Li Jie murmured, patting my head with an appreciative grin and pulling me down by the hem of my tunic to share a lingering kiss. "Let's begin."
"How are we planning to infiltrate the palace?" Li Jie paused. "Everyone will recognize me with only one glance."
Instead of responding with words, I revealed the bag slung across my back.
Li Jie's curiosity peaked. "But I'm already in disguise though..."
"Nope," I proclaimed triumphantly, taking out a sleek black wig from the bag. "We're going all the way, complete disguises and all."
Li Jie remained quiet, simply seating himself on the ground, his gaze averted from mine.
I followed suit, my fingers delicately brushing through his hair. Every part of him was a precious gem meant to be cherished.
Every day, I marveled at how someone as exquisite as him could see value in being with someone as scarred and imperfect as me.
But in the grand scheme of things, the only truth that mattered was that he wanted me and loved me. As long as I breathed, I would cherish him.
Even if a day arrived when Li Jie no longer wanted me, I would still love him. Near or far, my love for him would endure eternally.
For his happiness and liberty, I would go to any lengths, even if it meant taking a life.
I gently removed the simple black jade from his hair, allowing a cascade of silky white locks to frame his enchanting visage.
"Why did you wear the black jade?" I delicately stowed the precious gem into my bag, cradling it like a fragile memory. "I heard princes should adorn themselves with imperial green."
"Your hair is black," Even though I couldn't see his face, I could feel his warmth and the trace of a smile in his voice. "From a distance, even your eyes appear ebony. You have an affinity for black attire, and your dagger is adorned with black hues. You have turned black into my favorite color. I shall never wear imperial green again, for every day with you is a canvas painted in the shades of happiness. I don't think I'll ever be able to recognize the Li Jie who once wore imperial green..."
"What, then, becomes of the color green?" I chuckled, letting my fingers linger through his hair, not attempting to conceal the blush that washed over my face and neck in his presence. "Is it not the hue of favor and fortune of the emperor?"
"Who cares?" Li Jie shrugged, his head turning slightly as he glanced in my direction. "I am the sole prince, after all." He turned his head further, a sidelong glance catching mine. "You're blushing," he stated matter-of-factly, a mischievous glint dancing at the corner of his lips, further igniting my crimson cheeks.
"Quiet," I mumbled softly, nudging his face playfully. Then I deftly gathered his hair into a tidy bun atop his head before securing it with a hairnet. "Even if you were to lose your hair in the future, you would remain a strikingly handsome man."
"You're slipping into your nonsensical banter again," Li Jie remarked, yet there was no trace of annoyance in his voice. "Are you attempting to divert my attention from your own blush?"
I remained silent, for he had spoken the truth. Instead, I guided him closer to me, turning him so that he faced me. I retrieved the wig, deftly placing it on his head and adjusting it with meticulous care, the black jade serving as a perfect adornment.
His words lingered in my mind. Black was his happy color, he had said. Those words reverberated in my ears, quickening my heart's rhythm. By now, there was no point in attempting to conceal the deep blush that had overtaken my features; it was as futile as halting the dawn.
"Jie..." I gazed at him, for black was his color too, although it had been taken from him.
"This is how I originally appeared." He gazed downward, tugging at my sleeve. "I can't remember my face from the last time I had black hair, and so I cannot fathom how I might appear now..."
"You are simply the most exquisite being in the world," I whispered, gently pressing my forehead against his. "I love you, Jie. I adore you more than anything else in existence. You are my everything."
"I love you too," Li Jie murmured. "You are the reason I continue to breathe, so promise me you shall never leave me, alright?"
"Of course, I shall not," I replied with a grin, placing a tender kiss upon his lips. "I would be the most foolish person on earth to abandon the very essence of my being. And, not to boast, but everyone always commends me on my intelligence."
"Enough of your nonsense," Li Jie playfully swatted my shoulder, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. "Now, come along, and take me on our date."
