【Aloof and mysterious National Preceptor (top) vs. gloomy, cold-tempered Emperor who later becomes indifferent to worldly affairs (bottom)】 1. Mu Xiang ascended the throne through vile means, his heart occupied only by the National Preceptor. Using the former Crown Prince’s life as leverage, he confined the National Preceptor, Shi He, to Weiyang Palace—the residence reserved for empresses throughout history. Though his goal was achieved, he remained clueless about his own intentions, unaware that his forceful detention stemmed from love. Until the day he got drunk and, yielding to his heart, leaned in for a kiss—only for Shi He to evade him without a word. Coming to his senses, Mu Xiang replayed their past interactions in his mind, a bitter taste rising in his throat. He heard his own calm voice: "Stay with me for one more month, National Preceptor, and I’ll let you go." —*It’s me asking you to stay. But it’s the Emperor who’ll release you.* 2. Three months after Shi He left the imperial city, news arrived of Emperor Mu Xiang’s death. Rumors claimed that, before dying, Mu Xiang personally drafted an edict bequeathing the throne to the imprisoned former Crown Prince, Mu Yu. Shi He saw through the ruse of Mu Xiang’s faked death, waiting composedly for the Emperor to seek him out... Yet even after half a month, there was no sign of him. His heart, long untouched by turmoil, finally stirred with faint ripples.