"Brother Sanbao, will you stop wanting me once you become emperor?"
On the mountaintop behind Qingyang County, San Niu leaned against Chen Lin, fiddling with a stalk of grass as she asked.
"Hard to say. That depends on how you behave."
Chen Lin answered with a smile.
Despite his words, his arm held her tightly.
Five years had passed since he had risen in rebellion. Although he had seized more than half the dynasty's lands, it had not all been smooth sailing. He had faced danger several times, and she had been beside him through every ordeal.
Their feelings for each other needed no explanation.
But despite all their efforts over the years, she had never borne him a child, so she was always afraid of losing his love.
Most importantly, Mother Chen was growing increasingly dissatisfied.
Several of his chief generals had also voiced complaints. Without an heir, the army's morale was unstable. If anything happened to him, the realm they had fought so hard to win would collapse in an instant.
"Brother Sanbao, Mother came to me again. She wanted me to persuade you to take consorts."
San Niu looked at Chen Lin.
Then she said wistfully, "I think you should take a couple. Otherwise, Mother will think I'm standing in the way, and she'll only resent me more."
"Don't worry."
Chen Lin stroked her hair.
He smiled. "We're both still young. We'll have children sooner or later. If you're afraid of falling out of favor, you'll just have to work harder."
With that said,
he tightened his arms and scooped her up.
Laughing heartily, he carried her into the house behind them.
Moonlight flowed like water.
The two emerged from the thatched cottage hand in hand.
This mountain hollow was where Chen Lin had first started out.