[The Princess's Vow]
In the Chang-Le Palace, Si Yirou sat before her mirror, clutching a single fallen osmanthus petal. The echo of Li Yan's cruel words—"Please, respect yourself"—still rang in her ears like a death knell. But as she stared at her reflection, the pain in her eyes transformed into a fierce, unyielding fire.
"I will not retreat," she whispered to the shadows. "I will make the world see that my love for Li Yan is not a scandal, nor a joke, but a choice made in the light of day."
[The Stone's Agony]
At the Infirmary, Li Yan sat in the dark. The rumors from the court were reaching a fever pitch. Each word spoken against the Princess felt like a lash against his own soul. He believed that by pushing her away, he was saving her. But as he stared at a fallen osmanthus branch on the floor, the void in his chest told a different story. The physical pain of his wounds was nothing compared to the slow, agonizing shredding of his heart.
[The Final Confrontation]
The next day, despite the warnings and the gossip, Yirou appeared at his door in a gown of shimmering gold.
"Princess," Li Yan said, his voice strained and hard. "You should not be here."
"Because of the rumors?" Yirou stepped closer, her eyes blazing. "You think you're being noble by pushing me into the fire alone? You think I care about my status more than I care about the man I love?"
Li Yan's breath hitched. "I cannot have you. To take your heart is to drag you into the abyss. You deserve someone who can stand beside you, not a scarred general with blood on his hands!"
"I don't want someone who 'fits' my status!" Yirou's voice trembled with a desperate, beautiful fury. "I want you! If you truly despise me, say it. But if you are using 'etiquette' as a shield, that is the greatest insult of all!"
[The Loss of "Innocence"]
Li Yan turned his head away, his knuckles white as he ground out the words again: "Princess... please, respect yourself!"
He didn't finish the sentence. In a blur of silk and fury, Yirou lunged forward, pushing the towering general back onto the couch. Before he could react, she pinned him down, her breath hot against his skin.
Then, she kissed him.
It wasn't a gentle kiss; it was a battle. It was a kiss filled with rage, defiance, and a love so raw it scorched the air between them. Li Yan froze, his mind exploding into a thousand fragments of chaos. The world outside—the court, the wars, the rumors—all vanished. There was only her.
When she finally pulled back, her eyes were red but triumphant. She pressed a finger to his chest, her voice low and dangerous.
"Li Yan, if you say another word that angers me... I will devour you right here. I'll take your 'innocence' myself, and then you'll have no choice but to be mine forever!"
Li Yan lay there, his face flushed a deep crimson, his breath coming in ragged gasps. For the first time in his life, the Great Shield of the Yao Realm had no defense. He was utterly, hopelessly captured.