The Officials' Wildly Overblown Acting!

The imperial palace, the Imperial Study.

The first two court heavyweights to arrive had already set Chu Ruoyan's heart surging. She had never expected to meet such important figures in a setting like this.

But those who appeared next left her rather apprehensive, because she actually recognized a few of them.

As a second-tier aristocratic family in the imperial capital, the Chu Lineage still had access to certain upper-class circles.

The people who entered the Imperial Study one after another were all high-ranking officials who wielded real power in the capital.

They included key figures from the Six Ministries, leading officers from the Imperial Guard and the City Defense Army, and even the Imperial Capital Prefect and a renowned noble of great distinction.

Chu Ruoyan had seen several of these important figures at various gatherings. To curry favor with them, her father even paid frequent visits with gifts during holidays and festivals.

He would make a special effort to find out these important figures' birthdays and other anniversaries. Even without an invitation, the head of the Chu Lineage would shamelessly show up.

Her father might have had a fairly high cultivation level and cut an imposing figure within the Chu family.

But before these powerful officials, he became meek and submissive, keeping his tail tucked between his legs.

Yet now, these high-ranking officials who wielded real power in the capital knelt before Li Chen, trembling with fear. Some had begun shaking all over before they even entered the room and could barely speak coherently.

If the Grand General and the prince who had arrived earlier had been putting on something of an act, those who came afterward were truly afraid.

Of course, the distinguished noble Chu Ruoyan recognized had nearly tripped as soon as he entered. He was certainly overacting, his performance both deliberate and wildly exaggerated.

Chu Ruoyan was also beginning to understand the tone in which Li Chen had muttered, "That old fox really knows how to act."

For some reason, watching these high officials kneel on the floor and tremble filled Chu Ruoyan with emotion.

These important figures were beyond even my father's reach. Could such lofty, powerful nobles really wear expressions like these?

Once they left the palace, perhaps a single glance from these important figures could send a chill through everyone around them.

But this was the imperial palace, and the man they faced was the emperor.

Before this emperor, they were the ones chilled to the bone.

Little by little, the way Chu Ruoyan looked at Li Chen began to change.

Chu Ruoyan herself could not put the rest into words, but her respect and admiration were written plainly in her eyes.

Chu Ruoyan stood there for nearly three full hours before Li Chen finally finished reviewing the memorials on his desk.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting so long."

Looking at the lovely figure standing in the Imperial Study, Li Chen offered an apologetic smile.

Chu Ruoyan was overwhelmed by the unexpected consideration. Panic crossed her face, and she kept waving both hands.

"No, no, no, Your Majesty, please don't say that. You had official business to attend to. It's already an honor for this commoner that you could spare time from your busy schedule to see me. If you... if you don't have time today, you can summon me whenever you like."

By the end, Chu Ruoyan no longer knew what she was saying.

A faint blush had begun spreading across her flustered face. Gone were the disdain for Li Chen and the utter despair she had felt when she first arrived.

Now, she was simply a little girl at a complete loss.

It was the first time in her life she had ever felt this way.

As Li Chen walked toward her, Chu Ruoyan's heartbeat quickened. Her mind had gone blank, and she had no idea what to say next.

In truth, Li Chen merely intended to chat with her, get to know her better, and perhaps go out on a date.

After all, he was choosing a wife. Looks were certainly important, but he would have to get to know her properly to understand her personality and character.

At the very least, they needed some foundation of affection. They would be sharing a pillow in the future, after all. What if she slipped a blade into him when his guard was down?

Li Chen was a cautious man. He would not put himself in danger just to indulge in a little beauty.

Otherwise, he would never have kept his head down and cultivated diligently until reaching the Saint Realm before revealing his strength.

Just as Li Chen was about to speak, several more people walked in.

Their arrival puzzled even Li Chen. Hadn't everyone he summoned today already come? Who were these people?

The newcomers were three eunuchs. Leading them was the chief eunuch he knew well, Eunuch Cui, who handled matters great and small within the palace and had also served the late emperor.

The chief eunuch and two young eunuchs brought over another enormous pile of memorials.

"Your Majesty, these are memorials from the provinces and prefectures, along with some confidential reports from military officers. They've been piling up for some time. Please attend to them as soon as possible. This old servant will leave them here for you."

With that, Eunuch Cui had the two quick-handed young eunuchs stack the memorials on the desk and move those Li Chen had already dealt with to the other side.

Before long, two more "little mountains" had appeared on the desk.

Li Chen had just been planning to go out on a date and unwind, only for another mountain of trouble to arrive.

I've been at this since early morning. Are they going to let me live at all?

"Well..."

Looking at the lively, alluring Chu Ruoyan before him, Li Chen did not know what to say for a moment.

"Your Majesty, affairs of state should come first. If you don't mind, this commoner could stay here and keep you company for a while."

Chu Ruoyan was, of course, a woman who could read the situation, and those were the most appropriate words she could think of.

She still remembered how cold and unwelcoming the palace had felt when Chu Ruoyan first entered. She had not wanted to stay even a moment.

But now, she no longer felt such aversion to the place.

Because she could see a good emperor working diligently.

When addressing his subordinates, Li Chen's manner carried both the commanding presence of a sovereign reigning over all under heaven and the composure and wisdom unique to an emperor.

When dealing with his own blood relatives, his words revealed dignity and strength, and he handled every matter impartially.

Chu Ruoyan did not know whether others considered Li Chen a good emperor, but in her eyes, at least, he was.

"Ah, all right. Then feel free to look around here for a while."

Li Chen summoned the head palace maid and asked her to prepare some tea and refreshments for Chu Ruoyan.

Then he sat down at the desk again and resumed reviewing memorials.

So many had piled up because they had gone unattended during the period surrounding the late emperor's death.

These were all relatively urgent memorials, too. Nothing could proceed without his approval.

There was nothing Li Chen could do about it. He was the emperor now, after all.

Since he had become emperor, he at least had to fulfill some of his duties.

Seeing the little expression of speechless frustration on Li Chen's face as he returned to his desk to review memorials, Chu Ruoyan found it rather amusing.

Even the mighty emperor of the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty had moments of such frustration.

Oh? Is His Majesty frustrated because he wanted to go on a date with me, but now he doesn't have the time?

The thought brought Chu Ruoyan a little secret delight.

But soon, she felt she was flattering herself. His Majesty was surely worrying about the country and its people.

It was a change she had not even noticed in herself.

The head palace maid arranged a seat for her in the Imperial Study, with fine tea and exquisite pastries set beside it.

An ordinary person might not have recognized them, but Chu Ruoyan's eyes were full of surprise. She actually knew several of those pastries.

The one that made her mouth water most was the Dragon Saliva Jade Dew Cake.

Dragon Saliva Jade Dew Cake was made from deep-sea ambergris, golden-thread honey dates, and rare spirit reishi spore powder.

Chu Ruoyan still remembered that a distinguished noble had given her a serving of this very cake on her eighteenth birthday!