Women disguised as men went to the battlefield and the emperor bowed down in submission.

Lin Ruoshui woke up groggily and saw a face with a built-in beauty filter in front of her. She was stunned and didn't know what had happened.

Xuan Yuan Yu's face was flushed, and his eyes were fixed on Lin Ruo Shui. Lin Ruo Shui found herself lying in Xuan Yuan Yu's arms.

Lin Ruoshui jumped up in fright, looked down at her clothes, and asked in a panic, "What's going on?"

Xuanyuan Yu, his face full of unsatisfied desire, said, "It's exactly what you see right now."

Lin Ruoshui said, "I was poisoned? I'm cured?!" She touched her pounding heart as she spoke.

"When you were poisoned, Physician Li arrived just in time and gave you medicine. I took it too, and now I'm fine. But a year from now..." Xuan Yuan Yu deliberately left his words unfinished.

Lin Ruoshui tugged at Xuan Yuanyu's already loose collar and asked, "What happened a year later?"

"Doctor Li said that the poison will take effect a year from today. It seems we need to start preparing for a year from now." Xuan Yuan Yu twirled a strand of Lin Ruo Shui's long hair in his hand.

"No way, the poison wasn't completely neutralized? It was just suppressed!" Lin Ruoshui sighed and rubbed her forehead in exasperation.

Lin Ruoshui was completely oblivious to anything amiss in the intimate interactions between her and Xuanyuan Yu. Xuanyuan Yu thought to himself, "It seems she's quickly gotten used to my presence; that's a good thing."

"The Imperial Medical Academy's research cannot stop. They must develop an antidote within a year. I don't want to go through those inhuman three days and three nights," Lin Ruoshui said fearfully.

Xuanyuan Yu said, "If you start cultivating your internal energy now, perhaps you won't die after those three days and three nights."

Lin Ruoshui said, "Okay, I love martial arts the most. My dream is to become a martial arts master and roam the world freely, or to become a female general with unparalleled martial arts skills."

As she spoke, she was about to get up, ready to begin her cultivation.

Xuanyuan Yu said, "It's already past midnight, let's get some rest. Maybe we'll switch back tomorrow at dawn."

Lin Ruoshui ignored the advice and insisted on getting up.

"Don't move anymore, or else I will..." Xuan Yuan Yu said stiffly.

Lin Ruoshui rubbed her hands apologetically and said, "Xuanyuan Yu, I was wrong. I promise I won't move anymore. I'm like a wooden doll right now..."

Xuanyuan Yu gave a hoarse "hmm".

Lin Ruoshui felt a mix of excitement, trepidation, and exhilaration, with various complex emotions swirling within her.

"Go to sleep, we'll change back tomorrow. Let's hurry to the hot springs," Lin Ruoshui said sweetly in a soft voice.

Xuanyuan Yu was exasperated by the little vixen in his arms. Did she even realize that her voice carried a bewitching power?

Now, any tone of voice Lin Ruoshui utters might make him lose control.

Xuanyuan Yu reached out and pressed Lin Ruoshui's sleeping acupoint, and Lin Ruoshui closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

The long day came to an end, and who knew what tomorrow would hold for them. Xuan Yuan Yu held Lin Ruo Shui tightly in his arms, and didn't sleep a wink all night.

……

When Lin Ruoshui woke up in the morning, she was exhausted and her eyes were so dry she could barely open them. Xuan Yuan Yu, on the other hand, felt like he had slept soundly and was full of energy.

The two looked into each other's eyes. Lin Ruoshui saw Chu Xiao's face, and Xuan Yuanyu saw his own face.

As expected, the two exchanged glances and went to the hot spring together.

Xuanyuan Yu thought to himself, "Being able to kiss in the hot spring water every morning doesn't seem like such a bad thing."

Lin Ruoshui's words shattered Xuan Yuan Yu's romantic feelings. She said, "It's like this every day. When will it end? Kissing in the hot spring every morning, something bad is bound to happen sooner or later. I don't want to die."

Xuanyuan Yu gave a helpless, bitter smile.

The two held hands and jumped into the hot spring water. Xuan Yuan Yu naturally closed his eyes and kissed Lin Ruo Shui on the lips.

Lin Ruoshui also closed her eyes, waiting for the exchange.

A moment later, she opened her eyes and found that the two of them had returned to their places.

But Xuan Yuan Yu's movements didn't stop. From his lips to his neck, and then down, Lin Ruo Shui hurriedly called for him to stop and pushed him away.

Xuanyuan Yu saw the lively girl in front of him, her hair cascading in the hot spring water, her lips alluringly red, and his Adam's apple bobbed.

Xuan Yuan Yu spoke in a hoarse voice, "It's good to switch them back."

Lin Ruoshui climbed ashore and left without looking back.

Xuanyuan Yu touched his swollen lips, closed his eyes, and recalled his moments with Lin Ruoshui. He didn't leave the hot spring pool in time...

After coming out, Xuanyuan Yu finally felt relaxed, and the restless feeling he had when he saw Lin Ruoshui finally subsided.

Xuanyuan Yu changed into clean court robes and thought, "I really should get married. But whom should I marry? The ruler of a country? And how should I do it?" Xuanyuan Yu sighed helplessly and turned to leave.

……

Lin Ruoshui sat on the dragon throne with a sense of novelty. This was her first time attending the morning court session. Seeing the civil and military officials lined up to wait for her, she felt that being able to travel through time might not be such a bad thing.

"Why didn't Tu Yu of Dingguo Company attend court today?" Lin Ruoshui asked knowingly.

"Your Majesty, the Duke of Dingguo has suddenly fallen seriously ill and is recuperating at home. He has already submitted a request for leave," Zhang Quan said.

"Oh? The Duke of Dingguo is still vigorous in his old age, how could he suddenly fall ill? Eunuch Zhang, after court, go to the Duke of Dingguo's residence and have the imperial physician give him a proper diagnosis and treatment." Lin Ruoshui feigned concern.

Xuanyuan Yu stood below, looking at Lin Ruoshui who was full of mischief, a hint of elusive affection appearing in his eyes.

……

Zhang Quan and the imperial physician arrived at the Duke of Dingguo's residence, where the old steward invited them into the main hall. Seeing the old steward's worried expression, Zhang Quan suppressed a smile and said, "I have come to visit the Duke of Dingguo on the orders of His Majesty. His Majesty is very concerned about the Duke's condition and has specially ordered Imperial Physician Wang to come and treat him."

The old steward bowed gratefully and said, "Your Majesty's grace is boundless. This old servant will now lead you two there."

Zhang Quan chuckled and swayed his hips as he walked into the front courtyard of the Duke of Dingguo's mansion.

As soon as Zhang Quan entered, he found the Duke of Dingguo lying on the bed with disheveled hair and clothes, seemingly unconscious.

Kneeling under the bed were several concubines, their clothes disheveled, their bodies covered in bruises, silently wiping away tears with handkerchiefs.

The imperial physician took the Duke of Dingguo's wrist to feel his pulse and found that he was exhausted and overworked, and that he would not live long without treatment.

Zhang Quan feigned surprise and said, "It's that serious? Then Physician Wang, you can stay here and treat the Duke of Dingguo. I need to rush back to the palace to report to the Emperor immediately."

After returning to the palace, Zhang Quan reported what he had seen and heard to Lin Ruoshui.

Lin Ruoshui didn't take it to heart. He ordered his guards to poison the fathers of the remaining concubines.

As a result, ministers would fall ill and request leave every day during court sessions.

……

A rumor spread throughout the palace that the Prince of Chu stayed overnight at Longxi Palace every night, and the Emperor kept the Prince of Chu company every night.

Upon hearing this rumor, Zhang Quan hurriedly reported it to Lin Ruoshui, who knew that nothing stays hidden forever.

She glanced at Xuan Yuan Yu, who was lying calmly on the bed, but she didn't say anything.

Lin Ruoshui looked at the moon in the sky, which was being obscured by a dark cloud, and a group of assassins in black quietly arrived.

"In this situation, I feel like reciting a poem: 'A dark night for murder, a windy day for arson.'" Lin Ruoshui shook her head as if reciting a poem.

Startled by her, Xuanyuan Yu spat out the teacup he was holding onto the memorial with a "pfft," the words slowly spreading across the page.

Just then, about a hundred black-clad assassins rushed into the Longxi Palace and engaged in battle with the guards.

"Oh, here it comes!" Lin Ruoshui said excitedly.

Xuanyuan Yu stood up, put on his armor, and drew the Crimson Sky Sword from his waist.

The Crimson Sky Sword's aura was like a rainbow. Xuan Yuan Yu leaped into the battle. Wherever he went, blood and flesh flew everywhere, and no armor was left. The assassins had no chance to resist and were all killed with a single sword strike.

Lin Ruoshui gazed at Xuan Yuan Yu with starry eyes, a sense of awe welling up within her. She muttered to herself, "The God of War truly lives up to his name—powerful, majestic, and fearless. His gleaming armor and sharp weapons are absolutely stunning. If only I had a cell phone, I would definitely capture this moment on camera."

A rain of arrows swept towards Lin Ruoshui, who was greatly alarmed!

She thought to herself, "Are they going to shoot me full of holes?"

Zhang Quan hid behind the door, trembling. He held a shield in front of him and shouted, "Guards! Protect the Emperor!"

Xuanyuan Yu and his guards retreated to the front of Longxi Palace, protecting Lin Ruoshui inside.

At Zhang Quan's command to protect the emperor, the rain of arrows stopped, and a large number of imperial guards, armed with sharp blades, filed in through the palace gates. Dingguo Company's Tu Yu and the imperial guard commander Xiao Zhan strode in, surrounded by soldiers.

Lin Ruoshui also came out of the bedroom and said, "Oh my, father-in-law, are you cured?"

The Duke of Dingguo was caught off guard by the shout of "father-in-law".

"You were faking your illness pretty well, why don't you stop pretending?" Lin Ruoshui teased.

The Duke of Dingguo asked in shock, "You knew I was faking illness?"

Lin Ruoshui said, "I am the Son of Heaven, what do I not know?"

The Duke of Dingguo was startled, with a sense of foreboding.