Bring Out the Child to Talk, I Don't Believe You Won't Come!

For the next few days, the new imperial policies proved effective.

The cabinet had no authority over major state affairs, but there were only a dozen memorials to review.

As for the rest, after the memorials were processed and sent over, she reviewed them and found that many were handled exceptionally well?

The results were beyond expectations; she didn't even need to make many revisions.

It seemed that the people in the court were not all useless.

Another two days passed, and the imperial assessment policy was implemented.

All officials in the empire lived in fear!

This was forcing them to compete!

Could they not compete?

The annual work plans written by their colleagues involved more tasks than theirs. If they could complete them, they would surely be promoted. If they didn't, promotion would be difficult, and they might even be demoted!

The assessment policy was like this: plan your annual tasks, submit one copy to the cabinet, one to the Emperor, and keep one for yourself. If you completed it by year-end, you'd be promoted and wealthy. If not, rewards or punishments would be based on performance. And if you didn't do anything at all...

You'd be kicked out, leaving your position for someone else!

The key was that no one dared to complain!

Good heavens, His Majesty was a seventh-realm cultivator. If it were a matter of state, they could argue during court sessions. But this new policy was clearly beneficial to the country and its people. If you dared to argue with Ye Qinglian, she would dare to slap you to death!

She would truly kill you, without holding back!

There was no pressure for reform, no pressure for change. The court quickly developed a new, thriving landscape!

Meanwhile, Ye Qinglian's workload was reduced by seventy percent. She used to spend more than half of her day on administrative tasks, but now she only needed the afternoon to process the memorials that were sent over, finishing in half a day.

It was truly too easy, making her unaccustomed to it.

But wasn't this new policy meant to strengthen imperial control, enhance control over the empire, and make her life easier?

It was indeed a good method...

However, the better the new policy worked, the more depressed Ye Qinglian felt.

For a full five days, although Chu Ning dutifully prepared meals and sent Xiao Bing to deliver them on time, she hadn't seen Chu Ning once.

According to Xiao Bing, he had been sleeping in the palace...

Sleeping at night, and sleeping during the day too??

How could he possibly need so much sleep!

Even if you dislike cultivation, couldn't you sneak around the palace? With your excellent stealth skills, couldn't my Dragon Guards still find you?

Then you should wander around, but you've been staying in the palace all day!

You really won't leave the palace if I tell you not to, right? Where did that scoundrelly attitude from before go?

As long as you indicate that you won't interfere with governance, what could I possibly say?

Yet you insist on acting this way...

Indeed, she could see that Chu Ning's actions were in accordance with the rules she had set earlier.

No unauthorized movement, no coming here, not even the slightest transgression.

But it just felt... distant.

She was even carrying Chu Ning's child, and soon he would be established as Imperial Sovereign. Even if they weren't truly husband and wife, they were at least publicly acknowledged. Yet he wouldn't even see her once...

Didn't he say he wanted to take care of the child, that he wanted to be responsible? What was he doing now!

She frowned, took a deep breath, and sent a message through Xiao Bing.

"Tell Chu Ning that if there's nothing unusual, he can go out of the palace. As long as you can move around without being discovered, or once the Imperial Sovereign is established and he's allowed to move freely, that's fine too!"

Xiao Bing quickly delivered the message and returned just as quickly.

"Mister Chu said that now is a critical period for the establishment of the Imperial Sovereign. If anything were to happen, it might cause trouble for Your Majesty. He said he's quite content being alone in the palace and Your Majesty needn't worry."

Ye Qinglian was somewhat annoyed.

Weren't you not afraid of trouble before? Now you're afraid, isn't that just deliberate?

Ye Qinglian didn't say much more and let Xiao Bing leave.

After finishing her official duties for the day, on her way back to the palace, she remained restless.

These past few days had indeed been much easier, and the new court situation was reliable. With her presence, a new atmosphere had formed in just a few days.

But her mood was surprisingly not very good.

What if Chu Ning hadn't overthought things and had simply told her about them to help her?

What if Chu Ning had no ambitions and simply wanted to reduce her workload?

After all, Chu Ning had only mentioned it casually before.

The last time she met Chu Ning a few days ago, Chu Ning had left a sentence unfinished. She knew what it was.

If she didn't ask, Chu Ning would definitely not say it.

For a time, Ye Qinglian found herself in a dilemma.

If she misjudged, Chu Ning's current actions could be explained as him feeling his good intentions were unappreciated, or even seen as proof of her ambition.

If it were her, she would certainly be displeased too.

But she had to consider the matter of her empire, the entire nation…

She simply didn't want such a situation to arise; she hadn't intended to neglect Chu Ning, because even if he didn't participate, she could still provide him with everything he desired.

Why, why did it have to be like this?

Outside a side hall near Qianqing Palace, Ye Qinglian paused for a moment.

Her divine sense enveloped the interior. Chu Ning was, as usual, sleeping in the courtyard.

Sleeping, sleeping, sleeping all day long… what is he even sleeping for…

She muttered with a complex expression, not stepping inside, but simply turning back to her palace.

However, the more relaxed the court affairs became, the more time she had to dwell on these matters, especially when she felt Chu Ning might not have those intentions, the thoughts would only intensify…

She didn't want to back down, because what Chu Ning was doing now was exactly what Ye Qinglian wanted him to do.

He just needed to stay in the palace, be an Imperial Sovereign with peace of mind, and that would be enough.

Dinner was served as usual.

Ye Qinglian had no appetite and didn't want to eat.

Xiao Bing's persuasion had no effect, just as she had said, within the Great Gan Dynasty, she could do whatever she wanted, and if she didn't want to eat, she wouldn't.

Even though the food was as delicious as ever, and there were many dishes she had never seen before.

But due to her mood, she just couldn't eat, feeling an inexpressible melancholy…

Why, why did this man always occupy her heart?

Wasn't he just her husband? What was her judgment of Chu Ning's feelings towards him before?

But she knew that as the court became more stable, Chu Ning's contributions would only grow, and it would be even more impossible to do without him.

So that evening, Ye Qinglian asked Xiao Bing to go to her private treasury, take out several thousand taels of gold, and have her deliver it as a reward for his previous advice.

However, Xiao Bing soon returned with a message.

It was the same reply: the harem had no shortage of food or drink, so having it would be of no use.

Ye Qinglian could no longer tolerate it!

This man, why!

He had no weaknesses, he simply wouldn't take the bait!

As night fell, the entire Qianqing Palace was filled with Ye Qinglian's displeasure!

What did he mean, not coming to see me for so long!

Didn't you care about the child!

Besides, Chu Ning was completely unmoved by any approach, she had exhausted all the tricks she could think of!

But there was still one move!

Ye Qinglian took a deep breath and looked at Xiao Bing again.

"Go tell Chu Ning that I didn't eat enough tonight, I haven't eaten well these past few days, and I'm hungry!"

She didn't believe it.

Using the child as leverage, Chu Ning still wouldn't come!

Watching Xiao Bing's retreating figure, Ye Qinglian's heart was almost taut with anxiety.

She was afraid Chu Ning still wouldn't come.

If that happened, she feared there would truly be no other way…

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