A gentle breeze rustled through the leaves, whispering softly…

Crackling faintly, flames licked at the firewood…

Hua Zhaoxue’s long eyelashes trembled slightly. After a moment, she gently opened her lovely eyes.

“Sister Zhaoxue, you’re awake.”

A voice so tender it melted the soul reached her ears. Blinking in confusion, Hua Zhaoxue looked utterly adorably innocent. Shaking off the haze, she instantly sat up from Tian You’s lap, her hands resting lightly on his slender shoulders. “Tian You!? Are you alright!? Hurt anywhere!? Feeling unwell!?” she asked anxiously.

Tian You saw the raw worry and care gleaming in her eyes. Touched, he soothed her gently, “Sister Zhaoxue, was it just a nightmare? I’m fine—really. Don’t worry.”

A… nightmare?

Hua Zhaoxue froze, scrambling through her memories.

She and Tian You had left the courtyard, following Brother Nie’s carriage out of Huanan… then wild beasts attacked the horses. With no choice, they continued on foot…

Her gaze shifted—and there was Nie Wangqing, feeding firewood into the flames while watching her with an amused glint.

Only then did she realize her hands still rested on Tian You’s shoulders. With a flustered gasp, she pulled back. A blush flooded her fair cheeks; her eyes, shy yet bright with flickering delight, darted toward Tian You’s knees hidden beneath his white robe.

“Ahem. It’s late,” Nie Wangqing cut in, sensing the tender tension thickening between them. “Let’s rest here tonight. At dawn, we’ll check for passing caravans—maybe hitch a ride.”

A flicker of confusion crossed Tian You’s face. “Brother Nie… where are we actually headed?”

“Oh, no need to worry about that, Tian You!” Nie Wangqing chuckled smugly, glancing at Hua Zhaoxue. “Zhaoxue’s the most sought-after Dance Weaver alive! Dance Weavers are rare treasures—coveted across the entire continent. Hehe, with her around, you’ll live like royalty!”

Hua Zhaoxue’s cheeks burned hotter. Her skin glowed like warm celestial jade, flushed and luminous. She stole a shy glance at Tian You’s profile, then quickly lowered her head—silent, unprotesting.

“Um… Sister Zhaoxue’s a Dance Weaver who deeply admires the Empress Sovereign. Then… why aren’t we going to the city where the Empress resides?”

…

…

Tian You’s words made Hua Zhaoxue stiffen; the blush on her face slowly faded.

Nie Wangqing’s smug smile froze, then softened into sorrow.

Silence settled. Only the fire’s steady crackle filled the air.

Seeing their expressions, Tian You realized he’d touched a wound. “I’m sorry—I didn’t mean to…”

“No, it’s not your fault,” Hua Zhaoxue gently interrupted. She sighed softly, her face clouded with bittersweet memory. “Tian You… remember what I told you? How the Empress Sovereign built the Fifth Empire in just ten years?”

“Mm… I remember.” A faint shimmer glistened in his violet eyes, reflecting the sorrowful silhouette of the woman in red.

“The Empress possesses breathtaking talent—she’s an idol to women everywhere. As a *person*, she’s nearly flawless…”

“But… no one can deny this: in her early days, she was not a qualified *ruler*.”

Nie Wangqing, silent until now, picked up the thread. He knew how deeply Hua Zhaoxue revered the Empress—speaking her flaws felt like shattering a sacred image.

“Her nature was too headstrong. With no warning, no diplomacy with the other four nations, she simply declared her empire. The act sparked outrage—especially from the Qisheng Empire.”

He glanced at Hua Zhaoxue. Her expression remained complex, yet steady. Relieved, he continued:

“At first, Qisheng only sent envoys to intimidate her. No one knows what happened in that meeting. Only this: the envoys never left Phoenixdance City. A blatant provocation against the continent’s strongest power. Qisheng mobilized south at once, launching military sanctions against the fledgling Shengwu Empire…”

“And Zhaoxue and I… we escaped that war.”

He’d laid bare their past to Tian You—but instinctively skipped the unbearable details.

Yes… escape wasn’t the right word.

The price was a tragedy too horrific to ever recall.

The war raged three long years. Though elite Dance Weavers held strategic weight, Qisheng—continent’s undisputed powerhouse—boasted heritage and legions of Faithweavers no newborn empire could match.

Casualties mounted beyond count. Just as Shengwu teetered on collapse… one woman turned the tide—

The current Shengwu Imperial Preceptor—Tang Xilei.