The imperial palace was quieter than usual that evening.
Rain fell lightly beyond the palace roofs, the sound soft against the stone courtyards and carved pavilions. Inside the Emperor's private study, warm lantern light flickered gently while incense burned faintly in the background.
The Emperor sat beside a low table reviewing memorials from court, though his attention had clearly drifted elsewhere.
Across from him, the Empress calmly poured tea.
After a long silence, she finally spoke.
"You've been staring at the same document for half an hour."
The Emperor sighed lightly before setting the memorial aside. "I'm thinking."
"That much is obvious."
The Empress handed him tea calmly. "What is it this time?"
The Emperor accepted the cup slowly. "Chen'er."
The Empress raised an eyebrow slightly. "What did he do now?"
"Nothing."
"That's even more suspicious."
The Emperor laughed quietly despite himself. "You truly understand our son."
The Empress smiled faintly before her expression softened slightly. "Is this about Yue Ning?"
The Emperor looked toward the rain outside the window for a moment before nodding slowly.
"Yes."
Silence settled briefly between them.
Not uncomfortable.
Just thoughtful.
The Empress lowered her cup carefully. "You're thinking about the marriage."
"Yes."
The Emperor leaned back slightly, his expression calmer now. "They've been engaged for years already."
"And everyone in the empire already sees her as the future Crown Princess."
"Mm."
The Empress smiled faintly. "Especially Chen'er."
At those words, the Emperor looked oddly helpless.
"Our son isn't subtle at all."
The Empress nearly laughed softly. "He never was where Yue Ning is concerned."
That was true.
To the rest of the world, Xu Chen remained calm, distant, almost untouchable.
But around Yue Ning—
He became different.
Softer.
More direct.
Sometimes so obvious that even palace servants noticed.
The Emperor rubbed his forehead slightly. "A few ministers already approached me regarding the marriage timeline."
The Empress looked unsurprised. "Of course they did."
"The Yue Family's influence keeps rising. Many officials believe formalizing the marriage sooner would stabilize the court completely."
"And?"
The Emperor looked thoughtful. "They're not wrong."
The Crown Prince and the Yue Family together already represented the strongest political foundation within the empire.
If the marriage happened officially—
No aristocratic family would dare challenge that balance anymore.
The Empress studied her husband quietly before speaking again.
"But that's not the real reason you're considering it."
The Emperor smiled faintly.
After all these years, hiding thoughts from her was impossible.
"I watched Chen'er during Yue Ning's birthday celebration," he admitted quietly.
The Empress immediately understood.
"He looked happy."
"Yes."
The Emperor's expression softened slightly. "I don't think I've ever seen him look at anyone else the way he looks at her."
The Empress lowered her gaze briefly toward the tea in her hands.
"When Chen'er was younger," she said softly, "I used to worry."
The Emperor looked at her.
"He was always too calm. Too distant from everything." Her voice remained gentle. "Even as a child, it felt like he stood far away from everyone else."
The Emperor nodded slowly.
They both remembered.
The young Xu Chen who rarely smiled.
Who rarely showed emotion.
Who carried himself with unnatural composure even at ten years old.
Then Yue Ning appeared.
And slowly—
Things changed.
The Empress smiled faintly. "Now he waits outside her mansion just to make sure she enters safely."
The Emperor nearly laughed. "Han Wei reported that?"
"Han Wei reports everything accidentally."
That poor boy truly had no talent for hiding things.
The Emperor shook his head helplessly before his expression became thoughtful again.
"Still," he said slowly, "this matter cannot be decided by us alone."
The Empress nodded immediately.
Because no matter how favored the Yue Family had become—
Respect still mattered.
Especially now.
"We should ask their opinion first," she said.
The Emperor agreed. "The Yue Family has protected and supported the empire loyally. For this marriage, they deserve proper respect."
The Empress set her tea down calmly. "And Yue Ning herself should decide too."
The Emperor glanced at her slightly. "Do you think she would refuse?"
The Empress smiled knowingly. "No."
"Then?"
"She'd still want to be asked."
The Emperor laughed quietly.
That was indeed exactly the kind of person Yue Ning was.
Not timid.
Not blindly obedient.
And strangely enough—
That was probably one of the reasons Xu Chen cared for her so deeply.
At that moment, movement came from outside the study.
A palace servant entered and bowed respectfully.
"Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived."
The Emperor and Empress exchanged a glance.
The timing was almost amusing.
"Let him enter," the Emperor said.
Moments later, Xu Chen stepped into the study calmly, dressed in dark robes after finishing evening court discussions.
"Father. Mother."
The Emperor gestured toward the empty seat nearby. "Sit."
Xu Chen obeyed quietly, though his sharp gaze immediately noticed the unusual atmosphere.
"You were discussing something."
The Emperor looked briefly toward the Empress before answering directly.
"Your marriage."
Xu Chen paused.
Just slightly.
But enough for both his parents to notice instantly.
The Empress almost smiled.
Xu Chen remained calm outwardly. "What about it?"
The Emperor spoke steadily. "Your mother and I believe it's time to formally discuss preparations."
Silence.
Then Xu Chen asked one question.
"Did Yue Ning agree?"
The Emperor and Empress both looked at him for a moment.
Not court politics.
Not ceremony.
Not timing.
The very first thing he asked—
Was whether Yue Ning agreed.
The Empress's smile deepened faintly.
"We haven't spoken to her yet," she answered gently.
Xu Chen nodded once immediately. "Then speak to her first."
The Emperor looked helpless again. "You truly only care about her answer."
"Yes."
No hesitation.
No denial.
Just complete honesty.
The Emperor sighed dramatically while the Empress quietly laughed beside him.
For a moment, the atmosphere inside the study became unexpectedly light.
Then the Emperor finally nodded.
"Very well. Tomorrow, we'll invite the Yue Family to the palace."
Outside, the rain continued falling softly across the imperial palace.
And somewhere far beyond the palace walls—
Completely unaware of the discussion happening tonight—
Yue Ning was probably still peacefully reading in her courtyard, not knowing that the next stage of her life had already begun moving quietly toward her.