OL CH25

Chen Tian’s kiss caught Bai Su off guard, but in the next instant, he let out a massive sigh of relief as though recovering from a grave illness.

Since his beloved had kissed him, it meant he was forgiven.

Of course, the punishment he deserved could not be skipped. To atone for the mistakes he had made, Bai Su was extraordinarily cooperative that night, allowing Chen Tian to thoroughly enjoy the treatment of an emperor.

With their misunderstandings dissolved, he finally fell asleep peacefully in Chen Tian’s arms, harboring no more thoughts of making needless aggressive moves.

Looking down at Xiao Bai’s tranquil sleeping face, a fond smile curved Chen Tian’s lips.

What he had kept from Bai Su was that the imperial decree his lover believed had been so agonizingly difficult to obtain had actually been acquired with absolute ease.

The old Emperor had originally harbored subtle suspicions toward him, but requesting an imperial decree to marry Bai Su permanently severed any possibility of him ascending the throne. At the same time, it brought Bai Su, who held absolute command over the military, firmly into the royal fold.

Moreover, Chen Tian was the party marrying out. As an imperial prince of noble stature, his deliberate request for the decree to mandate “one couple for a lifetime” also served to announce that Bai Su was forbidden from taking anyone else, which meant Bai Su could have no heirs.

In this world, romance between men was fundamentally unacceptable. With Bai Su taking a male wife and leaving behind no descendants, the sovereign felt that no matter how towering Bai Su’s prestige grew among the troops, he could never threaten the imperial lineage.

Having two lingering threats eliminated in one stroke, Situ Hongshen had naturally been delighted to hand over the imperial decree.

As for Chen Tian’s true thoughts: who in their right mind would want the thankless chore of being Emperor? Rising before dawn and toiling until dusk to review endless memorials every day, what fun was there in that?

Wasn’t saving that energy to kiss, embrace, and pamper his beloved so much sweeter?

Following that day, Chen Tian and Bai Su were in no rush to return to the capital, choosing instead to confer over frontier matters.

Though Great Yan was docile for now, there was no guaranteeing they would not attempt a resurgence once they rested and recuperated.

Bai Su had initially been eager to return out of concern for Chen Tian. With that worry laid to rest, he considered striking while the soldiers’ spirits were high to press their offensive further.

Chen Tian naturally offered his full support.

Thus, in the months that followed, Chen Tian remained in the army camp by Bai Su’s side.

Within just a few months, Great Yan lost city after city under the relentless assault of the Xiling forces.

Living alongside Chen Tian day and night, Bai Su felt the depth of his devotion in full measure, his heart finally settling into complete peace.

Chen Tian did not allow Bai Su to wipe Great Yan out entirely; expanding Xiling’s borders was sufficient. An ambitious Great Yan had to be preserved as an external deterrent, which would also prevent the old Emperor from getting any notions about eliminating capable generals once the war was won.

Once the army was reorganized, Chen Tian and Bai Su returned triumphantly to the imperial capital in glory.

At this point, thanks to Chen Tian’s prior maneuvering, Prime Minister Yan’s faction had completely collapsed. The old Emperor was advanced in years and failing in health, while Crown Prince Situ Chen had matured into a capable leader.

On the day of their arrival, the Crown Prince personally led officials to the city gates to welcome them, his eyes brimming with genuine joy.

Though the old Emperor was astonished by Bai Su’s formidable brilliance, constrained by his monumental achievements and towering prestige, he bestowed lavish rewards upon him.

Ever since falling into the cesspit and becoming the city’s laughingstock, Marquis Bai had languished in chronic melancholy and taken to his sickbed. Bai Feizhang’s corpse was discovered in the forest as well; having succumbed to massive blood loss from severe injuries, it had already been gnawed beyond recognition by wild beasts.

Situ Hongshen simply conferred the title of the Marquis of Zhongyong onto Bai Su, and read aloud the imperial decree bestowing marriage between him and King Ning before the assembled court.

The ministers found their jaws dropping at this bizarre marriage edict, but seeing both men accept the decree with radiant smiles, no one dared utter a dissenting word.

On the day of the wedding, both grooms, striking and dignified, rode high-stepping steeds side by side.

One was dashing and free-spirited, the other upright and clear-featured. In Chen Tian’s hair rested the red jade hairpin Bai Su had gifted him so long ago.

Though love between men defied worldly conventions, anyone who laid eyes upon them could not help admitting that King Ning and General Bai made an exquisite match, as the boundless love flowing between their gazes was unmistakable to all.

After their marriage, Bai Su and Chen Tian served as pillars of the state, assisting the Crown Prince with utmost devotion.

Two years later, the old Emperor abdicated, and Situ Chen ascended the throne, wedding Empress Yan Qingying after expending considerable effort to win her heart.

Rumor had it that the sovereign and his empress had crossed paths over a simple handkerchief, sharing an unbreakable bond. The Emperor even went so far as to dissolve the imperial harem, taking only one cup from the three thousand rivers of love, inspiring countless folk ballads and stories among the common people.

The new Emperor governed with diligence and benevolence, treating civil officials and military commanders with equal respect, while the Empress ruled the inner palace with virtue. Inside and outside the capital, prosperity flourished.

Once Chen Tian had nurtured a core of upright ministers and ensured the realm was secure, he casually penned a farewell memorial to Situ Chen, leaving to roam the world with Bai Su.

In this lifetime, Chen Tian and Bai Su journeyed across the mountains and rivers of Xiling, venturing beyond into foreign lands to behold the wonders of the world.

Decades later, Xiling had become the mightiest empire on the continent. Though its territorial expanse was slightly smaller than in the original storyline, the lives of its people were far more peaceful and prosperous.

Only in their twilight years, when their strength began to wane, did they return to the imperial capital to spend their remaining days.

Chen Tian tended flowers and kept birds daily, but what he cherished most was holding his lover’s hand, gazing upon that gentle face turned toward him.

In their earlier years, even after their wedding, Bai Su had often felt insecure. Yet Chen Tian had treasured him with a lifetime of unwavering devotion, granting him the ultimate sense of safety. In the end, his beloved closed his eyes with a serene, blissful smile.

Feeling his lover’s breath slowly dissipate, Chen Tian detached from the mortal shell.

Catching sight of the soul hurtling through the void, Chen Tian reached out swiftly, yet managed to peel away only a modest wisp of dark mist. Clenching his fingers tight, the bundle of black vapor dissolved within his palm.

Having finished this, Chen Tian’s brow furrowed.

What he feared most had come to pass after all: the corruptive taint had sunk deep into the divine soul and could not be severed all at once. He could only proceed step by step, handling it with extreme caution.

With that in mind, Chen Tian nodded to the plump fledgling beside him, and man and bird dashed toward the next world.

At dusk, along an aged, weathered street, vendors were gradually setting up their stalls, though pedestrians remained sparse.

The evening rush hour had yet to arrive, but lunchbox stalls were already clattering their spatulas, and fried chicken stands had begun calling out their wares.

Under a humble canvas awning, golden donuts tumbled in a vat of bubbling oil before being scooped out. Once the excess oil drained away, they were dusted generously with powdered sugar and arranged in woven wicker baskets.

Rings of warm steam drifted upward, looking thoroughly appetizing.

In a shadowy alley running alongside the street, several silhouettes dashed past in silence. A few children in frayed clothes slipped quickly into the alleyway, ducking out of sight.

A tall boy standing at the front wore a black sweater, half his face cast in shadow. His short hair curled slightly, leaving only a pair of striking, single-eyelid eyes visible. At this moment, he was carefully scanning the stalls and passing pedestrians.

“It smells so good!”

Standing at the very back, a little girl with pigtails swallowed hard as she stared at the steaming donuts, whispering under her breath.

A slightly older, dark-skinned boy patted her head, murmuring, “Zhaozhao, are you hungry? I’ll go grab one for you!”

“Don’t go, Brother Heipi! I’m not hungry!” The little girl shook her head hurriedly, clutching the boy’s sleeve, reluctant to let him take the risk.

In truth, aside from a bowl of thin porridge provided by the orphanage director that morning, these children had eaten nothing all day; how could they not be starving?

“Shh, keep quiet.” The moment the tall boy spoke, everyone fell silent.

After a moment, he directed the sharpest boy, Xiao Lei, toward the adjacent fried chicken stall.

“Got it, Boss!”

Xiao Lei nodded, dashed forward a few paces, and beamed at the vendor: “Boss, how much for the fried chicken?”

“Hey! Your chicken isn’t fresh at all! Why are there still feathers on it? Whoa, there’s even a fly sitting on top, that’s disgusting!”

Xiao Lei’s voice was loud, drawing a small crowd in no time. Seeing a scruffy kid slandering his chicken, the vendor erupted into an argument with him on the spot. Even the round-bellied man selling donuts waddled over to watch the spectacle.

“Now!”

Bai Su licked the tip of his canine tooth, giving the signal. He and Heipi darted forward like lightning, each snatching a basket of pastries before sprinting away.

By the time the distracted vendor turned around, he caught sight of their fleeing backs. Shouting for thieves, he tried to give chase, but being heavily overweight, he was panting for breath after a few strides, and the children were already nowhere to be seen.

After sprinting through several streets, Bai Su’s group finally came to a halt, joined shortly after by Xiao Lei, who had executed the diversion.

Looking at the two baskets brimming with pastries and bread, broad grins broke across their faces.

“Here, Zhaozhao, eat one quick, it’s still warm!” Heipi handed a donut to the little girl, who was practically drooling at the sight.

Zhaozhao took it, but instead of eating, she held it up to Heipi’s mouth. “Brother Heipi, you eat first!”

“Alright, fine!” Heipi took a tiny bite and pushed it back to her. Only then did Zhaozhao begin nibbling it with earnest delight.

The other children held back no longer, devouring the food from the baskets like hungry wolves.

Watching these emaciated children, Bai Su felt a wave of bitterness wash over his heart. While the younger siblings were oblivious, he knew that Director Mama was nearing the end of her rope.

Someone had set their sights on the orphanage’s land, determined to drive them out.

Director Mama’s savings were nearly exhausted, and the older children had wanted to help, but whether setting up small stalls or seeking odd jobs, someone always sabotaged their efforts, clearly trying to cut off every avenue of survival.

If this continued, they would soon end up living on the streets.

In their secluded corner, the children failed to notice a black sedan parked along the curb, where a pair of deep, tiger-like eyes was watching their every move.

More precisely, those eyes were fixed upon Bai Su at the lead, brimming with affection that threatened to spill over.

Chen Tian murmured softly in his heart: Darling, I found you!