Don't Leave Without Finishing Your Sentence!

Inside Qianqing Palace, Xiao Bing had left, and she was the only one left in the hall.

Ye Qinglian clenched her fists, her gaze fixed on the palace doors.

She really had no appetite; her appetite had been getting worse these past few days...

Other than handling court affairs, which could occupy her mind, nothing else interested her, not even cultivation.

But court affairs had been greatly reduced, leaving her with too much free time to ponder these matters.

Yet Ye Qinglian had no experience with such things; how could she figure it all out in such a short time...

Her thoughts were extremely complicated.

But Ye Qinglian found it strange.

Her connection with Chu Ning didn't seem that deep. It was merely one night together, and she hadn't been in the Imperial Palace for that long afterward.

How could her attitude towards Chu Ning change because of a few meals?

But even though she told herself this, her heart couldn't help but think about it.

She felt that their relationship shouldn't be so strained.

Even if it was her request at the beginning, but now...

She felt like she owed Chu Ning something.

She didn't know if Chu Ning would come.

But she hoped it would be Chu Ning, so she would have a chance to explain that day's events to him. She hadn't intentionally been distant, nor was it her intention...

She waited for a long time but still heard no footsteps.

Ye Qinglian lowered her beautiful eyes and returned to the bed.

It seemed this was the only way?

It felt like this was her true intention, but her heart was uneasy.

Why did she have to be put in such a difficult position...

You could have just stayed in the harem; you wouldn't lack anything, wouldn't that be fine, just like before?

The more she did this, the more she felt she owed Chu Ning, especially when she thought that Chu Ning might not even have any intention of being regent; this feeling only intensified...

The key was that Chu Ning didn't want any rewards, not even the cultivation techniques that everyone dreamed of. She couldn't think of anything to compensate Chu Ning for what he had done for the Great Gan Dynasty, for her...

With a creak, as if a door was opening.

She suddenly turned her head and looked at the door.

It was empty, just the rustling of leaves in the wind.

Her eyes became more complex; she didn't even understand why she was so sensitive.

"Xiao Bing said Your Majesty hasn't had a good appetite lately. Are the meals not to Your Majesty's taste?"

Just as Ye Qinglian was about to rest again, the palace doors slowly opened.

Ye Qinglian froze for a moment, looking at Chu Ning holding a bowl of noodles, lost in thought for a moment.

However, she immediately realized she was only wearing a chemise and quickly pulled a nearby outer garment to cover herself.

Chu Ning's expression was calm as he set down the bowl of noodles.

"Your Majesty acting like this is not only detrimental to yourself but also to the child in your womb. You should eat something."

He spoke slowly, and Ye Qinglian, on the opposite bed, had a blank expression.

"What can I do if I don't want to eat?"

"If Your Majesty dislikes it, you can summon the Imperial Kitchen staff to prepare something now. It depends on what Your Majesty wants to eat. I'll have Xiao Bing go and summon them."

The moment he turned to leave, Ye Qinglian's heart tightened, and she immediately called out to him.

"Are you determined to treat me this way? That day, I merely reminded you not to get involved in our dynasty's affairs, and you reacted like this. Have I ever wronged you in any way!"

"You trespassed into my place of seclusion and had relations with me. At the time, I saw you were just a Mortal and didn't have the heart to kill you. I even had Xiao Bing take care of you for a few days. After you left the Imperial Palace, I even gave you travel money. If not for that, how could you have rested in the Imperial City for so long!"

"Now that I have an heir in my womb, it's not just mine, but yours too. What is the meaning of you coldly treating me like this!"

Chu Ning turned around, his expression clearly confused.

"But didn't Your Majesty ask me to enter the palace and do these things?"

Ye Qinglian was stunned, her expression even more complex: "Did Xiao Bing tell you to do this, to play hard to get and win my heart? To make me constantly feel indebted to you with the political affairs you've handled, waiting for this moment..."

"I'm aware of all the actions she's taken. I merely tacitly allowed it and didn't speak up. If that's the case..."

Chu Ning shook his head and said calmly, "I haven't spoken to Xiao Bing these past few days. I've just been doing what I should do. That's the reality."

"Since I am in the palace according to Your Majesty's plans and requests, I will naturally not interfere with Your Majesty's future plans. I heard Your Majesty didn't eat much tonight, which is not good for your health. Please eat something quickly. It's getting late, so I'll be going back to rest."

Ye Qinglian suddenly stood up, her eyes blazing with anger: "Do you know the importance of the dynasty to me? If you were an ordinary person, I wouldn't say anything. But your strategy and cunning far surpass anyone in the current dynasty. No one within the Five Great Dynasties can achieve what you casually mention, which shows your plans are far grander than this!"

"When the late Emperor was on his deathbed, the only thing he entrusted to me was to protect the Great Gan Dynasty. Besides this, I would have agreed to anything you wanted. Why must you be so stubborn!"

Chu Ning smiled and looked over, "Then why would Your Majesty think I have designs on the dynasty?"

"You treat me this way simply because you want to win my heart. Then, in the future, you'll be able to do as you please in the dynasty. Isn't that the reason!"

"And what if I'm only doing this for Your Majesty and the child in your womb?"

Ye Qinglian froze, her expression growing more complicated. For a moment, she couldn't find any words to answer.

That's right, what if it wasn't about her own ambitions to seize control of the dynasty, but simply because of her and the child in her womb?

After all, if she hadn't asked in the first place, wanting Chu Ning to explain more clearly, his words at the time would have ended with just 'unpresentable,' and he wouldn't have gone on to write out the extremely detailed new system of governance. This new system was designed so she could better control the dynasty.

Chu Ning looked at Ye Qinglian before him and said helplessly, "Your Majesty guards your heart tightly, trusting no one but yourself. Since anything I say is meaningless, it's better not to say it. Anyway, Your Majesty will just think I'm trying to explain myself."

"Perhaps Your Majesty will think I'm explaining myself for what happened earlier. It seems there's no point in saying it."

Ye Qinglian's mood seemed to plummet to the lowest point as she stared intently at Chu Ning.

"Must you treat me this way? What if I trust you?"

"If Your Majesty trusts me, then you should eat this bowl of noodles, at least it's something I just made for Your Majesty."

Ye Qinglian's gaze fell on the bowl of noodles on the table. Though simple, it could at least slightly ease the tension between them.

However, Chu Ning cupped his hands in a bow at this moment.

"It's getting late. Your Majesty, please eat and rest early. We are not yet married, and it would be improper to stay here."

Ye Qinglian immediately stood up, staring coldly at Chu Ning's retreating back!

"Why are you unwilling to even discuss this matter with me now? Do I have to use the child in my womb as leverage to get you to come!"

"You think I don't trust you, don't you! You won't believe anything I say, no matter what? Fine!"

Ye Qinglian's voice was clear and cold, her eyes sharp!

"Tomorrow, I will break these so-called rules and directly confer upon you the title of Imperial Sovereign, allowing you to attend court hearings, control the six ministries of the cabinet, and command all the armies of the realm!"

"Even if you don't want to be regent, you must be now. We will handle state affairs together!"

But as soon as she finished speaking, her imposing aura vanished, and her breathing quickly softened.

"I've given you everything I can. Can't you stop this? You are already the Imperial Sovereign. Must our relationship remain this stiff for the rest of our lives..."

Chu Ning turned to look at Ye Qinglian, "Your Majesty should eat first..."

"If you leave, I won't eat. At worst, it'll be the death of mother and child!"

Her attitude was utterly resolute. If Chu Ning still insisted on leaving, she was prepared to resort to force and tie him up right then and there!

Although Ye Qinglian's mind was complex at the moment, her methods were never indecisive!

If they didn't finish this conversation today, no one was leaving!