It's Not What She Expected

It was said to be half an hour.

In reality, it hadn't taken nearly that long!

By the time he finished those thirteen dishes and carried them into her bedchamber within the Qianqing Palace, the time still hadn't arrived!

Calculating it this way, every mealtime this dog of a man showed up right on schedule—he must have finished cooking well in advance, even accounting for the travel time!

That precise?

"Not eating yet? Doesn't suit your taste? Hungry?"

Ye Qinglian snapped back to reality and shook her head.

"Imperial We was wondering where Xiao Bing went. Why hasn't that girl shown herself today..."

Chu Ning was also puzzled.

"Right, usually she's crouched by the stove at mealtime helping you test for poison, but really she's just sneaking bites."

Ye Qinglian didn't mind. "Her temperament is fine. It's not as bad as you say. Besides, you make so much food that Imperial We can't finish it alone, and it's not good to waste the leftovers."

After all, it was his thoughtful gesture.

Seeing that Xiao Bing wasn't coming, Chu Ning smiled and stood up, ladling soup for Ye Qinglian and setting it down barely half a step away from her.

The woman's eyes narrowed slightly.

She noticed this time.

But considering how hard you worked, I won't call you out on it.

She made no move and accepted it as a matter of course.

"I heard from Xiao Bing that the selection of the Emperor Consort is to be announced to the world?"

Ye Qinglian nodded and said calmly, "You don't need to trouble yourself with these matters. Just wait in the palace for the ceremony. But I'll say it again: even if you become Emperor Consort, you'll still sleep in the side hall. You won't be moving in here."

Chu Ning sighed, a little disappointed.

"Not even after we're married? Then are we really husband and wife?"

"Even among the common folk, after marriage, when a wife becomes pregnant, the husband voluntarily moves to a separate room. Don't you know that?"

"Back in my hometown, we don't separate rooms. After three months, it seems like there's no problem..."

The chopsticks snapped instantly!

Ye Qinglian's face flushed with shame and anger as she glared at him!

No problem?

No problem doing what!

You dog of a man, do you dare say that even after you made this whole table of food today, Imperial We still wants to beat you!

Of course, Chu Ning didn't dare say it...

Otherwise, he'd really get beaten...

He smiled, took the broken chopsticks, and handed her a new pair.

"I didn't say I wanted to do anything. Qinglian, you're overthinking it."

"Heh, all men in the world are the same breed. So don't even think about it!"

Ye Qinglian emphasized, "The two of us only have a marital bond because of that accident. It's just a surface-level husband-and-wife identity. As for anything else, or even more presumptuous advances—just dare to think about it!"

Chu Ning nodded and laughed.

"It's fine. Separate rooms it is. After all, it's all for raising the child."

"Heh, not even after the Dragon Prince is born."

"Ah?? That's a bit much, isn't it? If we want to have another one later, do we have to wait until the next July 15th?"

"If you're not eating, go back to your palace!"

July 15th?!

You sure know how to seize an opportunity!

A mere mortal, unconscious for just one day—if it weren't for half a month, wouldn't Chu Ning be completely drained dry!

I heard that someone outside the palace lay in bed for three months unable to get up, and he's still thinking about this kind of thing?

A man's heart is never satisfied—a snake trying to swallow an elephant. At that time, she couldn't control herself at all. Even if Xiao Bing had come, she would have devoured her alive!

So, the two of them were nothing but an accident!

"Alright, alright, I won't say anymore, I won't say anymore..."

Chu Ning smiled and changed the subject. His wife was good in every way, but she was too impulsive and quick to anger. Couldn't she be a little gentler...

Ye Qinglian snorted coldly and said nothing more, focusing on her meal.

"Qinglian..."

"What is it? If you have something to say, say it. If you have something to let out, let it out!"

"As the emperor..."

"My empire..."

"That is still my wife..."

There it was. She had said it.

Her guess had been right all along.

Chu Ning asked curiously, "Have you thought about the court matters? The political system I gave you is actually pretty good. It would make things easier for you."

"After all, once the child is a few months older, going to court will probably be a hassle for you. If you set it up early, with your high cultivation, you can keep full control. You could even delegate power to the cabinet for a short time and let them handle decisions. It'd be even better if there are trusted old ministers in the court."

Ye Qinglian set down her chopsticks, her eyes cold as she looked at him.

"It seems you know quite a bit about this? You could even guess that?"

Chu Ning paused, a little surprised.

If you find this book enjoyable, to avoid losing it next time, remember to bookmark it.

"There really is one?"

"Yes, the former Prime Minister."

She sneered inwardly.

Exposed yourself, didn't you? You even know my Prime Minister. You've probably long planned for me to abdicate so you can take over!

After all, that political system—how could an ordinary person come up with it? All that talk about Great Ming's Zhang Juzheng is just a smokescreen to hide your own talent and ambition!

Chu Ning understood and nodded.

"Mm, you could use him. But if you delegate power blindly, it'll cause trouble. Especially if you don't have the energy later—like during the postpartum weakness when you can't handle any court affairs at all..."

She smiled like a blooming flower, but with a hint of chill.

"Then let you take over, ruling as Emperor Consort?"

Chu Ning shook his head. "No need. If you give me power, it will stir up unrest among the court officials and easily lead to factional strife."

So you really were thinking it would be given to you? As if!

Chu Ning smiled and offered a solution. "Imperial power and the Prime Minister are two extremes. One represents supreme imperial authority, the other represents all the ministers under heaven."

"If you leave a vacancy, and the Prime Minister tries to dominate alone, that's trouble—especially if he allies with the newly formed cabinet. In that case, separate the Prime Minister. You could even separate the cabinet. Let the Six Ministries and the cabinet fight. Give them power, let them stand against each other, and develop factional strife."

Ye Qinglian was startled, confused.

"Why create factional strife? Wouldn't that cause chaos?"

Chu Ning, a history and literature enthusiast, cut straight to the point.

"In your political structure, the cabinet's power is the strongest—second only to imperial authority. That makes it dominant. But if you give power to the Six Ministries, they'll have the capital to tangle with the cabinet. The officials' infighting will drain their energy. They won't be able to seize total power. They'll have to negotiate and counter each other, constantly innovating internally, producing stronger talents..."

"Once they start fighting, they'll have to reveal their trump cards. The more you know, the bigger the leverage you have, and the easier they are to control. When someone starts acting up, one imperial decree and they're gone."

"You are the ultimate master of imperial power. You control the entire court, and through it, the entire realm!"

Hearing this, Ye Qinglian's heart churned with shock again.

If Chu Ning were just spouting nonsense, she'd laugh it off.

But she had held imperial power for nearly a hundred years. How could she not know what effect such tactics would have?

To the officials, her image would become even more terrifying and imposing. To her, it meant she could manipulate an even more formidable political machine.

This man—his schemes ran this deep?

Ye Qinglian raised her head, squinting at Chu Ning.

"Oh? Did you come up with all this?"

"No. It's from that Great Ming I told you about. There was a guy named Jiajing who didn't go to court for twenty years and played it exactly like this. But he was obsessed with cultivation and failed. You, on the other hand, succeeded in cultivation, so you're stronger than him."

Ye Qinglian was half-convinced.

"Why are you telling me all this? To show off your talent, to enter the court as an official, or to replace me in governing?"

Chu Ning looked baffled. "Isn't this just because you'll have trouble going to court later? And what would I want with being an official? Fame or profit? I'm already eating such a big bowl of soft rice—what else would I chase?"

"And why would I govern for you? I'm not good at that stuff anyway?"

Ye Qinglian's expression was as calm as still water, utterly unruffled.

"Chu Ning, let's set other matters aside. But you cannot involve yourself in the dynasty's regency. I can let you cultivate, give you wealth and honor, everything you could want. But the rivers and mountains—they are passed down from the Ye family. I will not give them up to others."

"Even if you have such thoughts, you'd better abandon them now."

Chu Ning was completely dumbfounded.

"So I give you all this information, and you suspect I'm after your empire?"

"Are you not?"

Chu Ning fell silent for a moment, his expression gradually calming.

Self-protection. Not enough trust?

Also, he had only been in the palace for three days. This was only the third day.

It seemed that meddling too much might indeed arouse suspicion.

He gave a bitter laugh. "Actually, I just said that offhand that day. After all, it was a political system for reference. If you hadn't asked..."

Chu Ning paused, not finishing the sentence.

"But saying these things probably won't make you believe me either... Well, eat first. I'm going to rest. I'm a bit tired."

He then set down his chopsticks, stood up, pushed open the door, and left.

Why did he leave?

In that instant, it seemed the figure before her had not only pushed open a single door.

It was as if a distance had been drawn between the two of them as well.

Ye Qinglian's brows knitted tightly.

Her mood was not one of joy at having "exposed" the truth about Chu Ning, nor did she see what she had wanted to see. Instead, it was a certain... disappointment?

This didn't seem to be what she had wanted to see...

Outside the door, Xiao Bing came trotting over and immediately apologized upon seeing Chu Ning.

"Mister Chu, I went into seclusion to cultivate today and forgot to call for you..."

"It's fine."

That figure grew farther and farther away, and Xiao Bing looked puzzled, but she still went in to tell Ye Qinglian the good news.

The girl said excitedly, "Your Majesty, I've broken through to the late stage of the Fourth Realm. I don't know why, but my cultivation has been very fast lately. Huh? Your Majesty is already eating? This servant thought it would be later..."

"Isn't Mister Chu eating together?"

Ye Qinglian's eyes lowered slightly.

"He's already eaten. You eat too."

Xiao Bing seemed to sense something, feeling that the atmosphere between the two was off.

What's going on...