Su Bai looked at Xue Ke's obedient demeanor.
He couldn't help but think that in the near future, this girl lying in his arms would become the empress of an empire, ruling the world.
Unable to resist, Su Bai once again began to caress Xue Ke's body.
Xue Ke immediately responded to Su Bai's touch.
"Brother Su Bai is so amazing, Xue Ke can't take it anymore, but Brother Su Bai still..." Xue Ke panted, matching Su Bai's movements.
Su Bai pinched Xue Ke's nose playfully. "Of course, who do you think I am?"
Xue Ke's face was flushed. "I think you're my husband."
"Oh? Then what should you do in front of your husband?" Su Bai asked with a mischievous grin.
"I should... serve my husband..." Xue Ke said, struggling to sit up.
Seeing her trying so hard, Su Bai couldn't bear to make her exert herself further. He pulled her down gently. "Alright, just like this."
Su Bai lifted Xue Ke's pale legs onto himself and kissed her passionately.
Xue Ke responded with equal enthusiasm.
The two of them continued their intimate embrace.
At that moment, Su Bai thought of Ye Leng Leng, the girl he had met in the Star Dou Forest.
He wondered how she was doing now.
Su Bai realized he hadn't returned to the Star Dou Forest in a long time.
It seemed it was time to go back and take a look.
"Brother Su Bai, who are you thinking about?" Xue Ke wrapped her arms around Su Bai's head, noticing his eyes had lost focus.
Su Bai snapped back to reality and saw Xue Ke pouting unhappily. He placed his hand on her delicate body. "I was just thinking about the Star Dou Forest. It's been a long time since I went home."
Su Bai pecked Xue Ke's soft, jade-like lips. "When I'm with you, all I can think about is you."
"Alright, I'll forgive you," Xue Ke smiled contentedly.
Su Bai seized the opportunity to resume their intimate activities. "Let's continue our fun."
"Mm~" Xue Ke moaned.
...
A few days later.
A shocking event occurred in the Heaven Dou Empire.
Emperor Xue Ye passed away.
"Father!" Xue Ke cried loudly at the emperor's funeral.
Su Bai felt a deep sense of loss.
Someone he had known for so long was suddenly gone.
It pained him deeply.
The news of Emperor Xue Ye's passing spread, and the entire Heaven Dou Empire mourned. Even the heavens seemed to weep as snow began to fall, as if lamenting the end of an era.
Xue Ke, dressed in mourning clothes, sat beside Emperor Xue Ye's body, keeping vigil.
During this period, no minister could approach her, and she remained unresponsive to everyone except Su Bai.
Only when Su Bai appeared would Xue Ke manage a smile, sadder than tears.
"Brother Su Bai, from now on, I have no father..." Xue Ke said with a sob, breaking Su Bai's heart.
However, the nation couldn't be without a ruler.
Soon, Emperor Xue Ye's will was announced.
This was his final decree.
The contents of the will puzzled the ministers.
Firstly, it declared Xue Ke as the new ruler.
Since Xue Ke was Xue Ye's only offspring, this was expected.
But the second part of the will was more controversial.
Emperor Xue Ye declared that the Heaven Dou Empire would become a vassal state of the Dragon God Empire.
"Dragon God Empire? Where is that? Never heard of it."
"Yeah, do you think Emperor Xue Ye was coerced?"
"Unlikely, this is a will. How could Emperor Xue Ye be coerced by an empire we haven't even heard of?"
"Maybe he was just confused in his last moments..."
The ministers speculated, but no one questioned the will. They were more perplexed by the idea of becoming a vassal state of an unknown empire.
Thus, they chose to focus only on the first part of the will.
This made Xue Ke the rightful empress of the Heaven Dou Empire.
However, Xue Ke had to mourn for seven days.
Only on the eighth day would the coronation ceremony be held.
During this period, Xue Ke, overcome with grief, refused to see anyone.
So, the ministers had to wait to meet their new empress.
Seven days passed quickly.
Xue Ke finally emerged from the mourning hall.
The Heaven Dou Empire was set to hold a grand coronation ceremony.
From sacrificial rituals to the crowning, the entire day was filled with solemn events.
That night, Emperor Xue Ye would be buried.
The new empress personally oversaw the old emperor's burial.
Despite her new status, Xue Ke insisted on personally sending her father to his final rest.
She watched as Emperor Xue Ye was placed in his coffin and buried.
She held back her tears, knowing her new role required strength.
As a princess, she could cry and be emotional. But as an empress, she needed to be strong.
To wear the crown, one must bear its weight.
Xue Ke could no longer be as willful as before.
Finally, the royal family held a banquet.
While honoring the late emperor, they also celebrated the new empress's coronation.
The empire's nobility attended the banquet.
"Your Majesty, it's time to go out. No one dares to start without you," an old servant waited anxiously outside Xue Ke's room.
But now that she was the empress, he didn't dare rush her too much.
Otherwise, she could order his execution if displeased.
"Brother Bai... Ahem, has Su Bai arrived?" Xue Ke's voice, after a light cough, became more authoritative.
Clearly, she had been practicing.
"He has arrived," the old servant replied with his head bowed.
"Clang."
Xue Ke opened the door.
Dressed in a luxurious dragon robe and wearing a phoenix crown, she symbolized imperial authority.
She walked with her head held high to the banquet hall.
Immediately, the lively banquet fell silent.
Everyone looked at the elegantly dressed Xue Ke.
At that moment, her empress aura fully emerged.
"Loyal subjects, let's raise a glass to commemorate the great achievements of our late emperor," Xue Ke raised her glass.
The attendees followed suit.
"Under Emperor Xue Ye's leadership, the Heaven Dou Empire thrived. To our most revered emperor, Xue Ye!"
Xue Ke downed her drink.
"To our most revered emperor!"
"To Emperor Xue Ye!"
It was clear that their respect for Emperor Xue Ye was genuine.
After honoring the late emperor, Xue Ke prepared to take her seat. She glanced around and found Su Bai.
Su Bai saw her too.
As Xue Ke was about to step down from the platform, Su Bai stood up, raising his glass high. "The late emperor has departed, leaving us in mourning. Shouldn't we also toast to our new empress?"
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