Chapter 938: The Young Empress (75)

Over the course of more than five years, Tang Guo had entrusted Tang Nuoyue with traveling throughout the realm, investigating corrupt officials. Wherever darkness existed, there too could Tang Nuoyue be found.

From stumbling clumsily at the beginning to handling matters with effortless competence now, Tang Nuoyue had undergone a complete transformation.

Jing Cheng seemed to have noticed something.

One day, after finishing his sword practice, he returned with his sword in hand. Grasping Tang Guo's chin, he stole a kiss before saying, "Guo'er, there's something that's troubled me for a long time."

"What do you want to know?" Tang Guo asked with a smile.

That indulgent look in her eyes made Jing Cheng's heart burn. He tossed his sword to a palace servant, crouched down before her, and held both of her hands.

"Tang Nuoyue."

The Tang Nuoyue of the past had seemed foolish, though she possessed a bit of cleverness.

But over these years, anyone could see how much she had changed.

Precisely because Tang Nuoyue's transformation had been orchestrated by Tang Guo herself, and because she had even assigned two veteran ministers to accompany her, taking such pains to nurture her, the more Jing Cheng thought about it, the more uneasy he became.

"Guo'er, why are you putting so much effort into raising Tang Nuoyue?" he finally asked.

Tang Guo cupped his face and gazed directly into his eyes.

"Do you want the truth?"

"Yes."

Jing Cheng nodded.

"If I'm asking Guo'er, then naturally I only want the truth."

Tang Guo's lips curved into a smile.

"Then promise me first. After hearing it, you're not allowed to get angry, and you're not allowed to be sad."

"Alright."

Though he agreed readily, the unease in his heart grew stronger and stronger. His grip around her hands tightened unconsciously.

He had consulted the imperial physicians.

Her health was excellent.

As for her inability to conceive after all these years, he had never cared.

The only thing he cared about was Guo'er herself.

Long ago, he had even had himself examined by the physicians and confirmed there was nothing wrong with him.

Therefore, the reason lay with Guo'er.

As long as it did not threaten her life, children meant nothing to him.

"Ah Cheng."

"I'm here."

"My lifespan… is probably only ten or so years more."

Tang Guo spoke calmly.

Among all the worlds she had traversed, there was only one thing she could never control—

Her fixed lifespan.

At most, she could extend it by twenty years.

In truth, she was someone easily contented.

Ever since awakening, she had relied upon her own abilities to alter her fate and obtain many things.

Only her lifespan remained beyond her control.

Jing Cheng froze.

Disbelief filled his voice.

"But I've asked the imperial physicians. Your body is healthy."

"It is."

Tang Guo smiled.

"But I still only have a little over ten years left."

"Ah Cheng, don't be sad."

"If you're obedient, you'll meet me again in the next life."

Though she still didn't know who Jing Cheng truly was, nor whether they had been enemies or friends in the past, with neither of them possessing memories of former lives, and with him being so adorable, she didn't mind sharing a romance with him.

As for the future—

That was something for the future.

If one day their memories returned and they turned out to be enemies, then they could simply settle their grudges then.

And if they weren't enemies, beginning again in another world would make little difference to her.

She had always separated things clearly.

The affairs of one world ended within that world.

She never carried them into the next.

Jing Cheng remained silent for a long while.

At last, he buried his head against her knees, his muffled voice emerging softly.

"Alright."

"I'll be obedient."

"In the next life, Guo'er must come find me."

"And I'll work hard too… so I can meet Guo'er sooner."

Tang Guo smiled.

"Of course. I could recognize you at a glance."

Jing Cheng thought back to the day they first met.

"Guo'er…"

"Could it be that you remember our previous life?"

"Is that why, when we first met, you smiled at me and deliberately caught my attention?"

Now that he thought about it…

It really seemed possible.