It took the two of them quite some time to finish the dry run. It was not until their stomachs started rumbling that they came to realize it was past lunchtime.

Chefs of the imperial kitchen had prepared a meal for them. It was after having their fill of food that the two of them felt relieved.

"This was just a dry run. I'm afraid I won't even have enough strength left to raise my hands or feet after going through the actual ceremony on the wedding day," sighed Ling Zhang, sprawling in his chair.

Yuwen Tong, whose heart ached for him, said, "After everything's done in the front hall, you may go to the side hall to get some rest. I'll give you a massage there."

Ling Zhang looked at him, reaching out a hand to knead Yuwen Tong's arm. "You're not tired?" he asked.

Yuwen Tong would have to be a fool to reply that he was tired. Knowing that he couldn't say that, he answered, "No. I won't feel tired, no matter how tiring those things are."

Ling Zhang looked at him silently. For an instant he felt somewhat guilty, wondering whether or not he was being too honest, and whether or not his words had hurt Yuwen Tong's feelings.

However, the next moment, he heard Yuwen Tong say, "You may rest assured that on the wedding day, I'll be unusually energetic instead of being tired, and I'll make sure your desire is satisfied in the nuptial chamber that night."

Ling Zhang, "..."

His feeling of guilt instantly vanished, and he would have started hurling things at Yuwen Tong had there been any within his reach.

Yuwen Tong was such an asshole and bullshitter!

Looking at his dilated eyes, Yuwen Tong secretly snickered, feeling that his sweetheart was so timid. Then he leaned over to kiss Ling Zhang but was pushed aside before his lips could touch Ling Zhang's cheek.

...

In the afternoon, Ling Zhang didn't leave the palace. He spent the whole afternoon keeping Yuwen Tong company in the consultation hall. At night, they returned to the Infinite Fortune Palace to rest.

At the sight of their two masters coming back, the guards, who had watched over the deserted imperial bedchamber for several nights in the Infinite Fortune Palace, were moved so much they were almost reduced to tears. In the past few days they had felt abandoned by their masters and been so upset as though they had lost their names.

Seeing they seemed to be touched, Ling Zhang was amused. As a bunch of rough men, didn't they feel it embarrassing to have that kind of expressions on their faces?

"Your Majesty, Childe Ling, there's going to be a lantern show in the imperial garden tonight. It'll be beautiful. Would you care to go there to enjoy it?"

Ling Zhang was somewhat surprised. A lantern show in the imperial garden?

"Why are they holding a lantern show?"

"It's a rehearsal for the lantern show scheduled for the night of Your Majesty's and Childe Ling's wedding day. The preparatory work is almost finished. Countless lanterns will be lit after dark, and it's going to be a spectacular sight. If Your Majesty and Childe Ling are interested, you may go there to take a look."

Ling Zhang didn't know much about the imperial garden, because he had been fully occupied all along ever since he'd moved into the Infinite Fortune Palace, and he had never had the time to pay a visit to the imperial garden. Besides, the imperial garden was not really close to the Infinite Fortune Palace, and he had merely passed it in haste several times, so he really didn't know what the view was like in the imperial garden.

However...

"Seeing as it's a rehearsal, if we go there, wouldn't we alarm the eunuchs and interrupt the rehearsal?"

"That's very thoughtful of you, Childe Ling. The eunuchs will leave after all lanterns are lit, so if you go there to enjoy the view after that, nobody will disturb you."

Ling Zhang felt tempted at these words.

Yuwen Tong, who was much more direct than him, said, "Let's go there after dinner. We could take an after-dinner walk to help with digestion."

"All right," answered Ling Zhang.

When the two of them had had dinner and a few moments' rest, it was completely dark outside.

At this time, all the lanterns in the imperial garden had been lit. There were thousands of them, which were of every description and a variety of colors, making a splendid sight.

Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong slowly strolled in that direction. They hadn't got close to the front gates of the imperial garden yet when they beheld the sea of lighted lanterns inside it. Every lantern was elaborately made and of unique design. All of them were works of highly skilled imperial artisans, and some of them were even slowly rotating. Every one of them was so beautiful that people couldn't bring themselves to take their eyes off them. Ling Zhang were dazzled by the light.

"There are so many lanterns there. Do they adorn the whole imperial garden?" asked Ling Zhang, pleasantly surprised.

Yuwen Tong replied, "Yeah. I want to have them hold the banquet scheduled for the night of our wedding day in the imperial garden. What do you think?"

Hold the banquet in the imperial garden? But the imperial garden was a distance away from the Taiqing Palace. If the banquet was to be held in the imperial garden, the security issue would be a lot trickier. On top of that, although there were pavilions, terraces, towers, rockeries and lakes in the imperial garden, there wasn't an area suitable for holding a banquet. Surely they couldn't hold it in the open air?

After Ling Zhang expressed his confusion, Yuwen Tong actually gave a nod. "That's right. It's going to be an open-air banquet. With the countless lanterns, we won't have to worry about the lighting."

Indeed, lighting wouldn't be a problem. Right now this whole place was as bright as day.

However, if the banquet was to be held in the imperial garden, both the security and the preparatory work would be thorny issues. Eunuchs and court ladies would probably be working off their feet. Moreover, there were small hills and lakes in the imperial garden. If anybody accidentally fell into a lake at night, it would hardly be a pleasant experience for them.

Ling Zhang told his worries to Yuwen Tong, who said, "Qi San and Jiang Ke will be here. Even if something happens, they'll be able to get the situation under control immediately."

Yuwen Tong insisted the banquet be held in the imperial garden, and Ling Zhang couldn't bring himself to rain on his parade. He was just a little baffled as to why Yuwen Tong was so insistent on holding the banquet in the imperial garden.

While Ling Zhang was wondering, the two of them walked into the garden hand in hand. Eunuchs and court ladies had all left. Only a group of guards were following the two of them, carefully keeping a certain distance from them.

Ling Zhang looked over his shoulder to cast a glance at those nervous guards, gave a little cough and said, "You may go back now. We don't need anybody to protect us in this place."

The guards exchanged apprehensive looks. "Childe Ling, please let us follow you. This garden is too dark," said one of them.

Dark? Ling Zhang glanced around him. The whole place was so brilliantly illuminated he could even distinguish every blade of grass. He couldn't think of a single reason why that guard found this place dark.

Yuwen Tong turned around and instructed with a motion of his hand, "Get back, all of you."

The guards briefly hesitated and then chorused, "Yes, Your Majesty." While pivoting around to leave, they twisted their heads aside to glance at the two of them, worrying that anything might happen to these two masters of theirs the moment they left.

All these guards were Yuwen Tong's personal bodyguards. In their eyes, Yuwen Tong words were orders that must not be disobeyed. Whenever Yuwen Tong asked them to leave, they would leave. However, almost all of them had grown up with Yuwen Tong and were among those who cared about Yuwen Tong's safety the most, which was why they appeared so ambivalent.

Qi San was still secretly following the two of them, along with a lot of secret bodyguards. The whole imperial palace was basically under Qi San's and Yao Yi's firm control. Even if somebody dared to do anything, they wouldn't be able to have their way, so for the moment the two of them didn't have to worry about their safety.

Yuwen Tong just wanted to spend some time alone with Ling Zhang in this place. On their wedding day, this garden would no doubt be seething with noisy guests, and it would be impossible for them to find any opportunities to enjoy the scenery alone like this.

"Let's go and check that gazebo out," suggested Yuwen Tong. Having dismissed the guards who'd been following them at every step, Yuwen Tong drew Ling Zhang up to a gazebo located on a small hill not far away. Because of the height of its site, they had a much wider view there.

As soon as Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong walked into the gazebo, they sighted the enjoyable scenery around the spot.

"This garden is really worthy of its reputation," commented Ling Zhang.

Yuwen Tong just casually glanced around before his eyes rested on Ling Zhang's face again. In his eyes, no matter how artistic those lanterns were, their beauty would never outshine Ling Zhang's charm. There were also beautiful lanterns ablaze in the gazebo. They were giving off an orange light which was shed on Ling Zhang's face. Every flutter of his long, curved eyelashes was accompanied by a gleam across his eyes, like someone lightly fanned the surface of the water rippling it. Yuwen Tong watched, enthralled. Ling Zhang's face was covered with a warm glow which seemed as though it were emitted by his face itself. His rosy lips were opening and closing while Ling Zhang was speaking. From his current position, Yuwen Tong could easily see the charming view inside Ling Zhang's mouth distinctly. He felt as though his whole being had been enchanted.

This beauty belonged to him. Nobody would be able to take Ling Zhang away from him, and he wouldn't allow anybody to take him away.

Ling Zhang, who was enjoying the scenery in the imperial garden with curious and excited eyes, unaware that the man beside him was eyeing him covetously. The glint in Yuwen Tong's eyes was so feverish as though they could really burn people, as though he were trying to melt Ling Zhang with his gaze, but his eyes were also like some kind of dark, deep pond which was trying to swallow Ling Zhang and trap him in it.

When Ling Zhang perceived that there was something wrong with Yuwen Tong's gaze, the latter had got very close to him. It was not until this moment that he noticed the fervent emotions that were about to burst their boundaries in Yuwen Tong's eyes. His whole body instantly stiffened at the sight of this. "You..."

"You'll stay in this palace and be by my side forever, right?" asked Yuwen Tong in a low and deep voice, fixing him with an unblinking stare, a powerful, brooding air radiating from him.

Ling Zhang sensed a kind of danger that he had never sensed before, the source of which was Yuwen Tong's eyes. It was as though he would be swallowed by Yuwen Tong in one gulp and never be able to escape if he didn't give Yuwen Tong an answer he deemed satisfying. Also, the powerful emanation from Yuwen Tong's eyes was weighing him down like never before. It struck him as so heavy that he could distinctly feel the most real thoughts of Yuwen Tong's.

If it'd been not long ago that he started a relationship with Yuwen Tong, Ling Zhang would have been scared by this state Yuwen Tong was in, but right now Ling Zhang only felt that Yuwen Tong was virtually glowing. Although the glow from Yuwen Tong was trying to bind him, as though it would stop at nothing to trap him, Ling Zhang didn't feel afraid.

Because he wanted to do the same thing to Yuwen Tong.

Yuwen Tong wanted take possession of him, and he wanted to take possession of Yuwen Tong. He wanted to marry Yuwen Tong and be Yuwen Tong's only marriage partner. He wouldn't allow Yuwen Tong to take anybody in as his concubine or leave him. If anybody dared to get between the two of them, he would show his worst side and tear them to pieces.

"I will never leave you. What about you? Will you let me leave?" inquired Ling Zhang, gazing at him.

Yuwen Tong looked at Ling Zhang's eyes which were gazing at him and seemed to be glistening, transports of affection surging madly inside him. "I won't."

"I heard you very clearly – you said you won't. If one day you want to forsake me and take concubines for the sake of your identity, I swear I'll kill you," said Ling Zhang.

Eyes glinting with a crazed passion, Yuwen Tong clamped his arms around Ling Zhang tightly. "I heard you clearly as well. You're not to forget a single one of these words!"

The imperial garden spangled with radiant lanterns was so dazzling, the scenery so entrancing, but what struck the two of them as more entrancing was the charm of their lovers.

With such beauty in sight, Yuwen Tong was unable to retain his cool, and so was Ling Zhang, which was why eventually the two of them didn't finish their planned stroll around the imperial garden. Instead, they strolled back to their bed in the Infinite Fortune Palace...

The official of the Ministry of Rites responsible for the decoration of the imperial garden, who mistakenly believed that he hadn't done his job well enough, was terribly anxious. Yao Yi provided some much-needed reassurance to him. "Don't worry. His Majesty and Childe Ling are both very satisfied with tonight's lantern show. Just do it all over again on the night of their wedding day."

It was only then that the official of the Ministry of Rites was saved from dying of anxiety.

...

The next day, Ling Zhang woke up very late.

Both of them had found their passion somewhat out of control the night before, and they'd spent hours unleashing that energy inside them. Ling Zhang's waist was so sore and painful he almost toppled back onto the bed immediately after he sat up.

His face burned as he recalled the killing frenzy the night before, feeling that he and Yuwen Tong had probably lost their minds.

Of course, it might also have been because they'd been very relaxed in the Infinite Fortune Palace, their own place, in which nobody would disturb them no matter what they did, and which was different from the Ling Mansion where there were a lot of inconveniences. Both of them had been totally at ease and all what they'd wanted to do was enjoy themselves to their hearts' content. As a result, it was not until noon that Ling Zhang got out of bed to languidly wash and change.

He didn't even know at what time Yuwen Tong had left in the morning.

"Sire promptly presided over the court meeting. After that, he came back here to check on you. You were still sleeping. Sire told us not to awake you and then returned to the consultation hall," said Yao Yi.

Ling Zhang inclined his head. Fortunately Yuwen Tong had made it. Otherwise it would've been the second time that Yuwen Tong had missed a court meeting because of his excessive indulgence in sex the night before, though Yuwen Tong hadn't been enthroned yet when he'd done that for the first time...

"Did he eat anything in the morning?" asked Ling Zhang.

"Yes. He had breakfast in the side hall," Yao Yi answered and then said, "You should get something to eat too, Childe Ling. How about I have the servants bring the food here?"

Ling Zhang looked at the color of the sky to gauge the time and then said, "He'll come back soon. I'll wait a while and dine with him."

Yao Yi gave it some thought before he took his leave to have the servants get ready to serve the lunch. Yuwen Tong should return soon.

Predictably, after a Joss-stick (a unit of time used in feudal China; how long it takes for a joss stick to burn itself out), Yuwen Tong came back. Seeing that the lunch had been served and Ling Zhang was waiting for him, he gave a smile, walked up and pressed a hand against the small of Ling Zhang's back. "How do you feel?" he asked.

Ling Zhang slid him a sideways glance. "What do you think?"

Yuwen Tong stroked his nose in a somewhat guilty way and said, "I should've shown some self-restraint. You may catch up on your sleep after lunch."

Ling Zhang said, "It's about time I got back home."

Without the slightest change of his countenance, Yuwen Tong poured him a bowl of nourishing soup and then said, "You need more rest. The trip out of the palace would be tiring, and you're not in a fit state to do that. Even if you can manage it, I can't bring myself to let you do it.

On top of that, your maternal grandfather and your father are both in the Ling Mansion, and they're unbelievably sharp-eyed. If you get back like this, they'll be able to tell at a glance what happened. You... really think it's okay to let them see you like this?"

Ling Zhang's face registered vexation at these words, and even his appetite for the bowl of nourishing soup in front of him was gone. "Then what should we do? I promised my family I'd go back today."

"I'll have Yao Yi explain to your elders. He'll tell them that there are still some preparations to make for the wedding ceremony, that I'm otherwise engaged and you have to stay to help. You may stay here for another night on this pretext and get back home tomorrow," said Yuwen Tong.

This explanation was watertight. Ling Zhang could tell at the mention of it that Yuwen Tong had had this planned out some time ago. Ling Zhang silently looked at him.

Yuwen Tong appeared quite composed, without a single sign of shame on his face. He called Yao Yi in and instructed him to deliver a message to the Ling Mansion. Not having heard any objections from Ling Zhang, Yao Yi took his leave and exited the palace to deliver this 'explanation'.

...

In the Ling Mansion.

It was Ling Zhaowu who received Yao Yi. After hearing Yao Yi's explanation, Ling Zhaowu slightly lifted his brows. His eyes were calm, but they seemed to be seeing right through Yao Yi. After a brief moment, Ling Zhaowu said, "I see. I'll tell this to my family. Zhang'er has been quite busy with his own thing lately. Even if something comes up in the palace, you guys should figure out a way to share your master's burden, rather than relying on Zhang'er to deal with it. I want you to tell Yuwen Tong that Zhang'er will move into the palace sooner or later, and he's not supposed to keep Zhang'er there when it's time for him to come back. I've been tolerating him sneaking in here every night, but it's unacceptable for him to take Zhang'er back to the palace after he spent merely a couple of days at home."

In an embarrassed but polite manner, Yao Yi promised he'd relay the message and then quickly left the Ling Mansion as though he were fleeing from something. On his way back to the palace, he kept having this feeling that someone was chasing him.

"... Sire, I didn't disclose anything to Master Ling, but he seemed to see me through at a glance. Moreover, it's come to his knowledge that you've been visiting the Ling Mansion every night." After returning to the palace, Yao Yi steeled himself to related to Yuwen Tong what Ling Zhaowu had said, and also reminded him that Ling Zhaowu had found out about him going to the Ling Mansion every night, that Ling Zhaowu had warned him to let Ling Zhang return home immediately.