Huang Shu was mesmerized.

It came like a shock to Yunyu because the moment he saw Lady Xi Yue coming at them, he became anxious.

Bai Yunyu was a hundred percent sure that Huang Shu was mesmerized with Lady Xi Yue. He kept staring at Huang Shu, guessing what was Huang Shu had in his mind.

[Larva, Huang Shu is definitely mesmerized with that woman, Lady Xi Yue's beauty…]

[Larva: Umm…]

Larva squinted at Master Han, whose eyes glued at the woman who walked with her Prime Minister Grandpa towards them. Larva knew very well that Master Han was very loyal to Master Bai. Even if they started anew in a world, they would just fall in love all over again, through thick and thin, and sometimes with a lot of drama.

But one thing that Larva was sure of, Master Han would never fall in love with someone else other than Master Bai.

Larva kept watching over Master Han's expression, and it doubted what Master Bai just said.

[Larva: Um… Master Bai, I don't think Master Han is like… falling in love with that lady…]

Bai Yunyu shook his head. He suddenly became so restless when Lady Xi Yue approached them as if he had this innate suspicion in his head when he saw this woman and Huang Shu together.

[Larva, what is this feeling? This ominous feeling is too strong.]

[Larva: Master Bai, is there something wrong? Are you alright?]

[I'm alright, but… my heart is restless right now. I suddenly have a strange sense of crisis in front of this woman, as if… as if she would snatch Huang Shu away from me. Just look at the way Huang Shu stared at her.]

[Larva: Wu… Master Bai, Larva thinks that you're too paranoid. All I see is just Master Han having a complicated gaze on that lady. Trust me, Master Bai. He will never love anyone other than you!]

Yunyu became even more restless after he didn't get the affirmation from Larva. He never had this feeling before because he knew that Huang Shu would always love him no matter what.

But right now…

[H—Huang Shu will not cheat on me, right? He will not discard me for this woman, right?]

Yunyu's restlessness baffled Larva. It never realized that its master could be this restless. If this was just acting, then Master Bai's method acting was amazing!

[Larva: Master Bai, aren't you a bit too paranoid? I don't think that Master Han is that fickle…]

[I… I don't know, Larva. But seeing them together hurt me so bad. Even worse, I feel so restless when I see them staring at each other.]

[Larva: Like a trauma?]

Larva guessed wildly.

[Yes, like a trauma…]

Obviously, Yunyu knew that Huang Shu never cheated on him before because he devoted his life to be a commander, a general until he decided to take the path to be an Emperor instead.

So he had no time to search around. In fact, he said that Yunyu was his first love.

[Larva: Wu… this is our first time coming here to complete the world. I don't understand your trauma, Master Bai…]

Bai Yunyu didn't understand what Larva was talking about, especially since his mind was occupied with the sight of Huang Shu, who kept staring at the beauty.

[What is this restless feeling… I'm so scared…]

**

Meanwhile, Huang Shu had something completely different in mind. He was stunned when he saw Xi Yue, but not because he was mesmerized, but he had a complicated feeling in his heart.

In fact, even in the previous timeline, and the timeline before that, he never fell in love with Xi Yue or anyone other than Bai Yunyu. Yunyu was his drive to use that magical Rewind Stone he got from a mysterious man.

He used the Rewind Stone for the first time to defeat his brother, the Crown Prince, and take over the throne, alongside marrying his beloved, Bai Yunyu.

He used the Rewind Stone for the second time because everything went wrong in the previous timeline. Including his beloved's death, which drove him to insanity.

And this was his third timeline…

Yet, in this third timeline, his heart never beat for anyone other than Bai Yunyu. Even for Xi Yue, who was the mother of his son in the previous timeline, he never actually loved her.

She was just there because Huang Shu's mother, Empress Dowager Aixi, favored her a lot. So he had to marry her, especially when Bai Yunyu turned to be infertile.

But what made him felt complicated was because he missed his son from Xi Yue. His son, Crown Prince Guowei, was also his favorite after his beloved Bai Yunyu.

So he was in a big dilemma when he found out that Bai Yunyu tried to poison his son…

'Xi Yue's face… I just realized that my son in the previous timeline, Guowei, had a similar face with his mother…'

Huang Shu wouldn't lie, he was still a traditional man who followed the rule and tradition, so when he realized that Yunyu was barren, everything changed for him.

He still loved Yunyu, but he also couldn't live without an offspring to continue his legacy.

…

'That's when everything went wrong…' Huang Shu thought. He had to marry Xi Yue for an offspring, but Yunyu reacted so crazily back then, and their relationship became sour.

So to fill his emptiness, Huang Shu accepted women in his harem. He seldom visited them, and he allowed Yunyu to manage the harem.

He wanted to visit Yunyu every day in the previous timeline, but whenever he entered the Palace of Serene Harmony, Yunyu would throw things at him, sometimes hitting him, calling him a filthy adulterer.

Huang Shu became so stressed out, so all he did was have enough children for his legacy, and then visited the harem just to see his children's growth and study.

His heart was longing for Bai Yunyu, but Bai Yunyu kept on calling him a filthy adulterer and refused to talk unless it was related to the policy for the empire.

'Is it my fault, Yunyu's fault, or… it's just disaster waiting to happen?' Huang Shu pondered.

Prime Minister Xi and Lady Xi Yue bowed down ceremoniously, and the old man Xi said, "Your Majesty, thank you for inviting me and my granddaughter, Xi Yue. Long live to your rule, Your Majesty."

Huang Shu snapped out of his daze, and he smiled at Prime Minister Xi and Lady Xi Yue, "Thank you for coming, Prime Minister Xi, Lady Xi Yue. You may enjoy the banquet with other guests."

Prime Minister Xi glanced at Xi Yue and signaled her to make a good impression on Emperor Xianliang.

Xi Yue blushed and speak with her gentle and sweet voice, like an angel hymn, "Your Majesty, this lady is very grateful that you still remember me. I really thought that you would forget about me, even though… I've been your study partner for two years before you joined the military."

Huang Shu nodded and replied perfunctorily, "Today is a good day to celebrate."

Knowing that Emperor Xianliang didn't seem to take any hint from Xi Yue, Prime Minister Xi mentioned, "Your Majesty, my granddaughter is already twenty years old. She is a beauty, well-educated, well-mannered, and magnanimous. Begging Your Majesty to consider…"

Huang Shu paused for a moment, and then hummed before answering,

"Hm… Prime Minister Xi is correct. Your granddaughter is indeed a gemstone. I will think about it."