"Wake up, my sweet." Gongsun Li opened her eyes at the gentle voice of her husband.

"Laoye, you are back" she squeeled with excitement making Zhu Zhen chuckle.

"Zhen is back." he pecked her lips clutching her close to his chest as they lay in the bed.

Gongsun Li smiled lovingly at him. "When did Laoye return?"

"Around midnight." Zhu Zhen replied burying his face in the crook of her neck.

"Midnight? Why didn't you wake me up?" Gongsun Li gasped and attempted to get up from her lying position but was hugged tightly in return.

"Zhen liked to watch you in sleep. My wife looked so beautiful, it would be cruel to wake my peacefully sleeping queen."

Gongsun Li's heart melted at his sweet words and she kissed him hard to show her gratitude.

"I missed you so much." she said in broken voice, her lips showering her husband with kisses.

"Really?" Zhu Zhen eyes turned glaze with emotions at her confession as he enjoyed her kisses like a thirsty man.

"Really." she assured, her body lying on top of his. "Erm, did Laoye miss me?" She asked, her eyes roaming everywhere except her husband in an attempt to hide her nervousness and the redness that was covering her cheeks at her confession.

"No." Gongsun Li's eyes flashed with hurt at his word as she looked at her husband with disbelief.

"No?" she whispered, gulping down the lump that formed in her throat.

Zhu Zhen roamed his eyes all over her face intently before he nodded. Gongsun Li immediately burst into tears and pushed him away to get up from him but instantly was tackled beneath him in the bed.

"Let me go!" she struggled to get away refusing let him see her pathetic heartbroken expression.

"No!" Zhu Zhen wrapped her arms around her tighter and finally managed to cease her flying hands and legs.

"I don't want to talk to you!" G.Li turned her head away from him, tears rolling down her cheeks. Zhu Zhen kissed her tears and then her eyes and slowly made her face him gripping her chin.

"Using 'I' while talking with Zhen. Wife has become daring, huh?"

Gongsun Li glared at him as response and then rebutted,

"So what? Punish me. I don't care. I. I. I.I-"

She was cut off by loud laugh that was coming from the emperor, his chest shaking with his laugh as he laughed louder making her fume in anger.

"Why are you laughing?"

Zhu Zhen finally managed to control his laugh and again burst hysterically again as soon as he saw her sulking expression.

When his series of laugh subsided, he brushed his nose with hers.

"Hmm, of course Zhen should punish wife." he said thoughtfully. "Daring to look so cute even when she is angry, it seems like Zhen has spoiled her too much."

"What's the point of looking cute when she is not missed by her husband even a bit?" Gongsun Li looked at him accusingly with her round tearful eyes.

"Zhen was joking, my love. Is it possible to not to miss this cute face, tell me? Zhen missed you every moment of the day and craved your kisses like a thirsty man in a barren desert" he sat straight on the bed making her sit on his lap.

"Jianqie didn't like Laoye's joke. Laoye doesn't care about qie's feelings at all." G.Li covered her face with her palms as she cried like a baby making panic flash in the emperor's eyes.

Zhu Zhen hurriedly started swinging her on his lap in an attempt to pacify her.

"Shhh, don't cry, my sweet. It was Zhen's fault, Zhen's fault. Punish me but don't cry." His attempt did nothing but fueled G.Li's tear ducts as she burst out in another series of tears and her crying voice pitched higher.

Zhu Zhen felt like he would start crying too considering the amount of pressure he felt in his blood for making his bride cry.

"Don't cry, sweetheart. Tell me what you want me to do but don't be angry with me."

"Uuuuu-Laoye-uuuu I am not angryyyyyyuuuuuuu."

He never been more baffled in his entire life.

"Then why are you crying?"

"Uuuuuu...I-uuuuu- I am crying beacause- uuuu' Gongsun Li sniffed.

"Because?" Zhu Zhen asked with utter desperation.

"Because I am hungryyyyyuuuuuuuuuuu"

If our emperor didn't exercise regularly to maintain his strength, he could swear he definitely would've fainted at that exact moment.

...........

Gongsun Li burped for the tenth time at the breakfast table, the empty bowls before her missing any sign of food it contained a moment ago as all of the foods were being processed in her stomach.

Zhu Zhen wiped her face with an amuse smile, his eyes laughing at her swollen stomach.

"Seems like wife has been really hungry these days." He flickered her nose before ordering the servants to take the bowls away.

"Mmmm" Gongsun Li mumbled closing her eyes as he started massaging her scalp.

"If Zhen didn't have an urgent meeting now, Zhen would take you for a walk." Gongsun Li opened her eyes and smiled happily at her husband.

"How's has been Laoye's tour? Did the meeting go successful?" His expression turned serious at her question.

"Can not tell now, Li'er. A war seems to be near." He sighed before adding,

"We all should be prepared."

Gongsun Li dug more into his arms to seek relief,

"Isn't there any way to stop war? Pardon qie for daring to say, a war will bring so much destruction to the empire."

Zhu Zhen smiled sadly at his wife,

"Do you think Zhen didn't try? A war that kills thousands is the last thing Zhen would want."

"I know." Gongsun Li smiled at her husband assuringly, "I trust you."

Zhu Zhen sad smile turned into pained one at her words as he tucked her head in his shoulders as he said,

"That's where you are wrong, my love. You should not."