Chapter 35: Personal Campaign

Chapter 35: Personal Campaign

Previously, the tyrant had stationed two hundred thousand troops at the border to propose marriage to Princess Zhaoyun of Nanchu.

As Lu Meiren went to Beiwai for a marriage alliance and, through a series of misunderstandings, won the tyrant's favor, most of these two hundred thousand troops had gradually returned to their original posts, easing the border tensions for a time.

It was only a step away before the concerned Consort Lu almost persuaded the tyrant, opening the borders for trade between the two nations...

Yet, at the brink of success, Consort Lu fell victim to the tyrant's "scheme," and after a night of passion, not only was her safety compromised, but the entire Southern Chu faced imminent danger.

Lu Changping steadied his mind and asked the servant, "You just mentioned Beiwai reinforced with three hundred thousand troops; how many do they have in total now?"

With Southern Chu enjoying long-standing peace and Emperor Lu preferring tranquility over conflict, the servant, terrified by the impending war, anxiously replied:

"To report to Your Majesty, Beiwai has now amassed a force of five hundred thousand at the border!"

This time, Emperor Lu finally diverted his gaze from the greenery outside the window, his face, as handsome as a banished immortal, clouded with worry.

He bitterly smiled and said, "It seems self-inflicted troubles are indeed inescapable, and retribution has arrived so swiftly..." Not only has it arrived, but even earlier than anticipated.

The servant who delivered the message, hearing his sovereign speak thus, was naturally perplexed.

His Majesty has always toiled for the state and loved his people like his own children, flawless in both achievements and character. How could the invasion by an enemy nation be blamed on him?

Lu Changping flipped through the reports from the border again and finally sighed, instructing, "As war approaches, go now and summon the officials to my study for a meeting."

In just a short while, the courtiers of Southern Chu were all assembled. The room was filled with individuals in solemn, dark official robes, appearing as a dark mass from afar.

Yet, in this gloom, there was still someone who managed to stand out effortlessly.

Consort Lu, seated at the head, also in dark attire, shone brightly against the dull surroundings, her fair skin and noble demeanor adding a touch of light.

Among those attending the meeting were the senior officials of Southern Chu, who, despite being accustomed to such beauty, couldn't help but internally praise the celestial grace of their current emperor.

Once everyone had arrived, Lu Changping took the lead in questioning the officer who had returned from the border:

"Beiwai's troops pressing on our borders without launching a surprise attack suggests they might have some conditions. Did General Yang, who guards our northern border, receive an envoy from Beiwai?"

The officer, about to report the details, hadn't expected Emperor Lu to have already guessed the situation accurately and immediately expressed his admiration:

"Your Majesty is indeed prescient! Beiwai's choice not to invade rashly indeed comes with ulterior motives. Their envoy conveyed that if the man disguised as Princess Zhao Yun is handed over, they will temporarily withdraw their troops. However, if we insist on sheltering this spy... they will not hesitate to slaughter their way to the capital, Yongchun."

This bold and arrogant threat immediately caused an uproar among the ministers of Southern Chu.

Even a few loyal and patriotic old ministers couldn't contain themselves, beginning to bang on the table and furiously denounce the enemy tyrant's wolfish ambitions.

"Where is there any man disguised as Princess Zhao Yun? I see this as nothing but that tyrant Xie seeking trouble on purpose!"

"How could our emperor, of such upright and honorable character, engage in the despicable act of sending someone to marry in another's place? Let alone having a man impersonate a princess, wouldn't that be immediately exposed?"

"Minister Wang speaks sensibly. Under the broad daylight and the clear sky, can someone truly not distinguish between a man and a woman? His eyes must be blind!"

"Xie Xuan Yuan not only covets the lands of Southern Chu but also seizes the opportunity to insult our renowned Princess Zhao Yun by saying she looks like a man. Your Majesty must never submit to such a tyrant!"

Clearly, these remarks were in support of Southern Chu, yet Emperor Lu still felt as though he had been struck by many arrows in the knee...

He propped his chin with his hand, glancing with a guilty conscience at Cui Yue, who sat quietly in the corner.

As the only person among the ministers present who had witnessed Emperor Lu in women's attire, how could Minister Cui dare to join in the condemnation with the others?

After accidentally meeting Emperor Lu's gaze, Cui Yue immediately gestured to himself to keep silent, indicating he would never reveal what he saw in Beiwei.

Not to mention the emperor forbade him from speaking, even if he were allowed, the old and conservative ministers present would never believe a word he said.

Who could believe, without seeing for themselves, that Emperor Lu, who normally followed the rules meticulously, not only excelled in cross-dressing but also chose the "nation-destroying enchantress" style?

After hearing the ministers' opinions, Emperor Lu's expression finally softened somewhat. He cleared his throat, and his clear, peach-blossom eyes regained their sparkle:

"Southern Chu has always emphasized diplomacy before military action. I will send another envoy to discuss in detail with the people of Beiwei. Firstly, to buy time for the redeployment of our border troops, and secondly, to try our best to avoid conflict. Should it be unavoidable, even if Beiwei boasts a force of five hundred thousand, I will not allow them to step half into Southern Chu!"

This stance immediately invigorated the ministers, with even the reticent Cui Yue nodding repeatedly.

But only Emperor Lu himself knew how fast his heart was beating just then.

Those out of the loop thought this was another provocation by the tyrant. However, Lu Changping knew that Xie Xuan Yuan, at his core, was extremely proud. If his goal was merely to conquer Southern Chu, he wouldn't bother with the pretense of sending envoys to negotiate.

The tyrant's choice to negotiate instead of attacking silently only indicates his genuine concern for this "male spy."

It's unclear whether this concern stems from a sense of betrayal and anger, or if there's an unspeakable motive behind it...

After the meeting concluded, the bewitched Emperor Lu specifically asked the officer from the border to stay behind. Maintaining a calm demeanor, with even a hint of a smile, he instructed:

"Upon your return, remind General Yang to keep Beiwai at bay for now, and discreetly inquire with Beiwai's envoy about how Emperor Xie intends to deal with the spy. But make sure not to mention that I asked."

Hearing this, the officer couldn't help but ask in a lowered voice, "Does Your Majesty truly have a lead on this male spy?"

Lu Changping shook his head and continued to bluff: "Of course not. I'm merely curious."

If he were to believe the tyrant's lies and expose himself, wouldn't Southern Chu descend into chaos?

Not to mention, Xie Xuan Yuan is now convinced that the "Consort Lu" herself is the perpetrator of that night's misdeeds. The young tyrant has his ways of tormenting people; falling into his hands would surely mean a fate worse than death.

Admitting it is out of the question, something I could never acknowledge in this lifetime!

Despite knowing he absolutely must not reveal himself as the male spy Emperor Xie is searching for, Emperor Lu can't help but feel a curious itch. Barely having escaped from Beiwai, he now finds himself dangerously probing the boundaries again.

He's curious about how Emperor Xie would react upon learning the truth, even somewhat looking forward to seeing the tyrant blush with anger and question him with a red face...

Just the thought makes Emperor Lu question his own questionable tastes.

How could there be someone as terrible as him in this world?

After several days of torment with these unspoken thoughts, Emperor Lu finally receives a report from the northern border.

General Yang, guarding the northern border, has managed to extract useful information from the envoy of Beiwai.

Eagerly opening the report, Emperor Lu's typically calm and composed demeanor turns ashen halfway through reading, nearly throwing the document away in frustration.

After mentally preparing himself, Emperor Lu forces his gaze back to the report.

The solemnly written report by General Yang conveys:

"I heard at the banquet for the Beiwai envoy that the tyrant of Beiwai harbors deep hatred for the spy from Southern Chu. He has forbidden anyone from Southern Chu from dealing with the spy, proclaiming he himself intends to castrate, break the legs, and lock the person in the palace as a lowly slave..."

Emperor Lu's peach blossom eyes widen in shock at the horrifying phrases "personally castrate" and "break the legs," quickly averting his gaze after a brief moment of horror.

Even dressed in fine, warm clothing, he feels a bone-chilling breeze pass over his lower body, causing an involuntary shiver...

Xie Xuan Yuan, how cruel you are!

After reflecting on this, Emperor Lu continues reading, realizing that Xie Xuan Yuan is not only cruel but also impatient, giving Southern Chu merely a half-month ultimatum.

According to the report, if the spy is delivered to the border for handover within half a month, Beiwai will withdraw its troops and forgive past offenses. Failure to produce the spy, substituting someone else, or handling the spy privately will lead to immediate military action to annihilate Southern Chu.

With Xie Xuan Yuan planning such brutal punishment, can he really expect Southern Chu to willingly hand over the person?

After suffering immense emotional damage from the tyrant, Emperor Lu's eyes reddened with anger as he clenched his fists tightly.

That very night, word spread throughout the Southern Chu palace that His Majesty would be spending the night in the Imperial Study.

Emperor Lu, known for his self-discipline and efficiency in handling state affairs, seldom found himself forced to work overtime into the night.

But with the crisis looming and in order to avoid becoming "Eunuch Lu" at the tyrant's hands, he started to mobilize troops and strategize for the city's defense, planning reinforcements and supply routes throughout the night.

Engrossed in his work, time flew by for him alone with the maps, until he realized it was already the second watch of the night when he came back to his senses.

Sensing someone's presence, Emperor Lu looked up to see a graceful and beautiful figure holding an exquisite lacquered food box at the door. His serious expression softened, finally breaking into a gentle smile:

"Zhao Ping, it's so late, why are you here?"

The true Princess Zhao Ping, holding the food box, smiled brightly, "You've been working hard into the night, so I've made you a pot of medicinal cuisine."

Medicinal cuisine...

Wait, medicinal cuisine!?

Remembering his sister's unique “top-notch” culinary skills, along with the countless "medicinal dishes" he'd been forced to consume, a look of despair slowly filled Emperor Lu's eyes.

Desperately, he tried to find an escape:

"It's not hard, not hard at all. You must be exhausted from reviewing so many documents recently, Zhao Ping. How about I arrange for Secretary Ji to accompany you on an outing in a few days?"

Upon hearing this, Princess Zhao Ping's peach blossom eyes sparkled, quickly taking the offer: "Thank you, brother!"

Without any hesitation, she entered, placed the lacquer food box on another table free of maps, and then curiously moved closer to Emperor Lu.

Perhaps because they were twins, she bore a striking resemblance to Emperor Lu. The two similar delicate faces together were especially pleasing to the eye.

Together, the siblings studied the map for a while longer, eventually finalizing the basic strategy for defending against the enemy, ready to discuss it with the ministers the following day.

Princess Zhao Ping, never one to sit still, began to incessantly talk about her beloved, Secretary Ji, after attending to her duties.

Secretary Ji, whose real name is Ji Yuzhe, is five years her senior and was a favored student of the siblings' tutor, often substituting for the tutor in the palace during his illness.

Ji Yuzhe, a gentleman as gentle as jade with both good looks and scholarship, inadvertently developed a mutual affection with Princess Zhao Ping.

Emperor Lu has always been protective of his sister, supporting whatever Zhao Ping likes, and has often covered for Ji and Zhao Ping in front of their old tutor.

Precisely because Zhao Ping already had someone she cherished, he could never allow her to marry the tyrant of Bei Wei!

It was bad enough that he himself was ruined by Tyrant Xie!

After talking for a while, Zhao Ping noticed her brother's distraction tonight and teasingly commented:

"Brother usually listens to me with great interest. Ever since returning from Bei Wei, it's as if you've been ensnared by a siren, often lost in thought and staring blankly."

At this point, Zhaoping suddenly leaned close to Lu Changping's ear and whispered:

"Brother Emperor, you wouldn't happen to have someone you like, would you? If there's a lady you fancy, you must hurry and bring her into the palace. The Grand Tutor always says there's an order to these things; you must marry first, so then it can be my turn, right?"

Emperor Lu was startled by his sister's question, his heart skipping a beat. He hadn't been thinking of a beloved just now; he simply didn't know why but suddenly remembered Xie Xuan Yuan...

Even his recent daydreaming and distractions were due to his unconscious thoughts of the tyrannical ruler from the North who had intended to deal with him harshly.

Where in this did it seem like he was moved by romantic feelings?

Lu Changping was inwardly conflicted, but his sister, ever so curious, saw that he didn't deny it outright as usual but appeared hesitant to speak, and immediately started to pester him relentlessly:

"Brother, don't be shy, quickly tell me who is in your heart. You've only been to the North for three months and have become like this; could it be that you've fallen for someone from there?"

Emperor Lu, exasperated by the nagging, replied helplessly: "I don't know if it's liking. I just find him very special, which is why I can't help but think of him. Maybe... there is a bit of fondness."

He did not use the royal "we" in front of Zhaoping and spoke with utmost sincerity.

Upon hearing this, Zhaoping's curiosity was immediately piqued. She continued to encourage him:

"It's okay if you're unsure of your feelings now, tell me what he looks like, his temperament, perhaps by talking about him, you'll figure out whether you like him or not!"

Lu Changping nodded, finding his sister's words reasonable. After a moment's thought, he slowly described:

"He... is slim and tall, about my height, with very fair skin, and delicate features. Especially those eyes... they're of a unique color, sharp and expressive."

"His lips are red, his chin pointed, and his neck slender... um, his waist too... overall, very good-looking, the rare kind of handsome."

Hearing her royal brother's abstract and straightforward description, Zhaoping couldn't suppress the urge to tease any longer. She clapped her hands sharply and said with a smile:

"Brother, I think I might guess who you're talking about!"

Already feeling guilty, Emperor Lu was startled by her words and quickly asked, "Who?"

"The serpent spirit from those tales!"

Hearing this utterly unreliable answer, Emperor Lu couldn't help but laugh, his brows, furrowed from worries of war, also relaxing.

He patted Zhaoping's head, chiding, "To think I seriously described his looks to you, only for you to make a joke out of it!"

Though he said this, not a trace of anger was evident on his face. The thought of Zhaoping comparing Xie Xuan Yuan to a serpent spirit made him want to laugh.

Seeing her brother struggle with describing appearances and fearing her ears would suffer from more outrageous comparisons, Zhaoping quickly conceded:

"My apologies, Brother Emperor. Then, tell me, what is his character like? Is he gentle and virtuous, dignified and generous, capable of bearing the great responsibility of being a mother figure to the nation?"

This question made Emperor Lu even more embarrassed. After pondering, he didn't feel terms like "gentle and virtuous" could be associated with that tyrant, so he honestly replied:

"His temperament is indeed fiery, and his tongue can be sharp, but he's not a bad person. He's just not good at expressing his kindness. Having suffered a lot in his childhood, it's inevitable he'd become a bit hardened to protect himself. If Zhaoping ever has the chance to meet him... remember to be more patient with him."

With words like these, even a fool could see what Emperor Lu felt for this man.

Zhaoping couldn't help but mock inwardly; her brother's feelings were clearly more than a little liking. He was unknowingly smitten, always speaking in favor of this person!

To like someone to this extent yet still dodge around without bringing the person back, she wondered what exactly her brother was thinking.

Thus, Zhaoping couldn't help but urge him:

"Brother Emperor, it's clear you've already deeply fallen for this person. With the imminent conflict between Southern Chu and Northern Wei, how can you bear to leave him alone in the North? You should secretly send someone to bring this future sister-in-law over."

But Emperor Lu could only shake his head helplessly upon hearing this.

Even if he had truly developed feelings for Xie Xuan Yuan, he couldn't just bring that person into the palace.

It's not that he doesn't want to, he truly can't! Could he possibly abduct the emperor of Northern Wei amidst thousands of troops and bring him directly to Southern Chu?

Let alone doing it now, even if it becomes possible in the future, Xie Xuan Yuan's temper could very well explode his head…

To divert Zhaoping's attention from this matter, Emperor Lu lightly dismissed it:

"This is but a personal affair, not worthy of such extensive effort. Right now, the war is the utmost priority. Everything else can wait until after the war has settled."

Despite Zhaoping's persistent inquiries, she was unable to extract the name of the person from her brother and had to watch him process the last few documents on the desk, resigned.

She had intended to play with her brother's pet black cat, Coal, but the cat, being wild at heart, had already disappeared into the night, likely courting other felines.

Bored, she turned to browse the books in the imperial study.

Emperor Lu had refined tastes, preferring military strategies and history books, whereas Princess Zhaoyun favored wild histories and tales found on the streets. Their differing interests meant that Zhaoping skimmed through the books without finding anything to pass the time.

Just as she was about to return the books to the shelf in disappointment, she noticed a thin booklet squeezed between two large tomes.

Acting on the principle that anomalies suggest hidden intentions, she suspected someone might have deliberately hidden it there. She tiptoed to gently pull the booklet from the narrow gap, opening it to discover a whole new world…

The title page read "Amidst Flowers, a Leisurely Stroll – Volume Five," clearly not a serious literary work.

As Zhaoping suspected, the subsequent pages filled with sensuous illustrations proved it to be a finely crafted album of erotic art, specifically a male-male edition!

Had it been only this, it wouldn't have been so shocking.

The issue was that among the pages, there were several meticulously annotated manuscripts, bearing both her brother's handwriting and that of another man! The unfamiliar writing, elegant yet edged, clearly belonged to another man.

What does this imply?

It implies that her brother might be into men and even shared this erotic album with his ambiguous interest. Perhaps they've even gone further, experimenting in person.

Zhaoping glanced from the male-male erotic album in her hands to her handsome brother, her eyes widening in disbelief. Could the person her brother mentioned actually be a man?

As a family member, she supports her brother whether he likes men or women, especially since this is the first time for him.

But as the sovereign of Southern Chu, with a throne to inherit, no wonder he was so conflicted and hesitant, unwilling even to disclose the name of his beloved.

Believing she had inadvertently unearthed the whole truth, Zhaoping quickly and discreetly returned the album to its place.

She needed to devise a perfect solution to alleviate her brother's concerns...

……

Emperor Lu was unaware that the erotic book he had casually hidden on the shelf had been discovered.

At that moment, he was having a staring contest with a highly confidential report in front of him.

After "Empress Lu" fled, Xie Xuan Yuan went to great lengths to find him, even going as far as to sever ties with the empress dowager's faction.

Anyone suspected of being involved in "Empress Lu's" disappearance suffered at the tyrant's hands, including the Empress Dowager's brother, Grand Tutor He, who had treated "Empress Lu" disrespectfully during the temple sacrifice.

The He family, relying on their close relation to the Empress Dowager, acted recklessly in court and bullied both men and women in the public, a dominance not easily dismantled overnight.

Yet, Xie Xuan Yuan was no easy opponent.

Bereft of his beloved Lu Meiren, his rage found no outlet, making him even more ruthless against political enemies, to the point where he actually exterminated the entire He family in one fell swoop.

This led to a point of no return between him and the Empress Dowager's faction.

Empress Dowager He harbored deep hatred for Xie Xuan Yuan, even going so far as to send a letter of surrender to Emperor Lu of Southern Chu. The letter not only listed the tyrant's "perverse actions" but also revealed that Xie Xuan Yuan would soon personally lead a campaign to supervise the war in the Northern Guard.

Empress Dowager He saw this as a golden opportunity, hoping to collaborate with Emperor Lu of Southern Chu, combining forces inside and out, to take the tyrant's life.

She even promised in the letter that, upon success, she would cede ten cities along the border between the Northern Guard and Southern Chu to Southern Chu.

Emperor Lu glanced at the letter, filled with servile and treacherous words, and couldn't help but recall the tyrant resting on his thigh, his eyes sparkling as he spoke of unifying the land and having their children ascend as crown prince.

Compared to that, he actually found the tyrant somewhat more endearing...

Emperor Lu made up his mind and, with a cold air, penned at the end of the memorial: "Ten cities are not enough; I want thirty. Words alone are not enough; I expect the Empress Dowager to provide a written agreement and seal it with the phoenix seal."

No sooner had he made a bold demand from Empress Dowager He than he began writing an anonymous letter to Xie Xuan Yuan.

In the letter, Emperor Lu earnestly analyzed the situation and reasoned with the tyrant:

He advised Xie Xuan Yuan that to deal with external threats, internal stability must first be secured. With the Northern Guard facing internal strife and external threats, and Empress Dowager He's faction not yet eradicated, a hasty campaign could provide an opportunity for them to cause trouble.

Should that happen, failing to conquer Southern Chu and having the capital occupied by rebels would lead to being attacked from both sides. Therefore, the best course of action for now was not to attack Southern Chu...

……

In less than half a month, this urgent and confidential letter was delivered to Xie Xuan Yuan through special means.

At that time, Emperor Xie had just finished taking his pregnancy medicine. He was nibbling on candied kumquats while perusing this anonymous letter.

Although the letter was unsigned, Xie Xuan Yuan felt the meticulous thought process and the overly detailed, nagging tone somewhat familiar...

Right!

This style is very similar to the commercial strategy between Southern Chu and Northern Guard written by Consort Lu to him!

Even the handwriting on the letter vaguely resembles Consort Lu's!

Xie Xuan Yuan abruptly stood up, summoning everyone in the Zichen Hall, interrogating them one by one about who brought this letter in.

However, despite examining the envelope, all shook their heads; among the hundreds of palace servants and maids, not a single person could trace the letter's origins.

The thought of "Consort Lu" daring to act smug after fleeing only fueled Xie Xuan Yuan's seething rage.

Clearly, that male spy feared his attack on Southern Chu, hence disguised his concern for his safety, listing all these high-sounding reasons to deceive him from leading the charge personally!

Frustrated by the fruitless investigation, the letter only served to provoke the tyrant further. To him, the Empress Dowager's faction was merely a bunch of cowards hiding in the shadows.

As long as he could swiftly defeat Southern Chu, there would be no chance for them to stir up trouble!

As days passed and the pregnancy medicine took effect, Xie Xuan Yuan's belly gradually began to show. Soon, it would be impossible to hide it perfectly under loose robes.

If he continued to attend court as usual, people around him would inevitably notice something amiss. It might be better to use the excuse of being injured in battle during a personal campaign to hide and recuperate.

But before that, he was determined to capture that "heartbreaker" himself!

Xie Xuan Yuan, subconsciously rubbing his soft belly through his clothes, asked his attendants, "Has there still been no reply from Emperor Lu of Southern Chu? Today is the final deadline, isn't it?"

"Your Majesty, Southern Chu claims to be completely unaware of this matter..."

"Unaware? What a convenient ignorance." Xie Xuan Yuan laughed instead of getting angry, "Even as a sovereign, how can Lu Changping be so shamelessly brazen?"

"If he refuses to cooperate with me in finding the person, then I'll conquer his Southern Chu first, and drag that male spy out myself..."

Ji Yue, noticing the Emperor's mood swings whenever that male spy was mentioned, quickly sent all the lingering maids and eunuchs back to their stations.

The first time she brewed the medicine for His Majesty, she found the scent somewhat familiar. Over time, she finally confirmed that what His Majesty is drinking daily is indeed the same pregnancy medicine she initially prepared for Consort Lu!

Taking into account what Your Majesty has mentioned before, she has nearly figured out the truth of the matter:

Her Majesty became pregnant after being betrayed.

The child is very likely the offspring of the enemy spy known as "Consort Lu."

After overcoming the shock that shattered her worldview, Ji Yue managed to piece her beliefs back together and began to subtly advise her sovereign:

"Your Majesty, I've heard that conditions at the frontier are harsh and basic, and you are still under medication for your health. Perhaps... perhaps it would be wise to postpone your personal involvement in the campaign."

"Last time you asked me what should be done about a lady deceived by a faithless man. After much thought, I believe that if it's impossible to bring the traitor to justice, it might be better for the child to have a stepfather who is decent and responsible... If that lady continues to entangle herself with the faithless man, she is bound to suffer."

Xie Xuan Yuan looked at her in astonishment, then a trace of anger surfaced on his handsome face:

"How could a stepfather ever compare to a real father? Have you not heard the common saying? With a stepfather comes a stepmother. What if this stepfather turns out to be a hypocrite who abuses the child in secret?"

Having said this, he suddenly understood the implication behind Ji Yue's words. Out of shame, his fair neck gradually flushed red.

The tyrant cleared his throat, attempting to defend himself:

"I know you mean well. I'm not fixated on that faithless man... after all, men are plentiful; as many as I want if I so desire. Having spent a night with me without payment, he should be the one at a loss!"

"But since he has served me, he belongs to me and shall not think of serving another. His attempt to flee back to South Chu and sever ties with me is nothing but a fantasy!"

As the tyrant's lips moved, many spiteful phrases he thought clever in ridiculing the unknown male spy came out effortlessly.

The more he held back, the angrier he became; the more he yielded, the greater the sense of loss. He became so engrossed in his tirade that he forgot about the candied fruits before him.

Oddly enough, because of Xie Xuan Yuan's handsome appearance and eloquent speech, even his insults were delivered crisply and with a certain indescribable charm.

His manner of scolding was indeed a pleasure to witness, and instead of feeling shamed by his words, onlookers found themselves enjoying the spectacle...

Despite spending much time badmouthing Consort Lu, Emperor Xie failed to realize that his harsh words had lost their sting, becoming akin to playful banter exchanged between lovers.

When he finally noticed Ji Yue's struggle to suppress her laughter, he immediately frowned and asked in displeasure, "I am discussing serious matters! Do you also find my words amusing?"

Ji Yue, not wanting to upset His Majesty, vehemently shook her head and denied, "How dare I... I just happened to think of something joyful."

"Is that so? What joyful event?"

"Yesterday, I took Snowball to the dog park, and it really enjoyed playing with a little black dog there."

Xie Xuan Yuan gave Ji Yue a suspicious glance, finding it particularly annoying that even dogs were pairing up now.

But as a sovereign, he couldn’t possibly stoop to the level of a puppy...

He eventually gave up on getting to the bottom of it and casually instructed:

"Keep an eye on Snowball; it’s still young. Don’t let those unknown, miscellaneous dogs get too close to our fine cabbage."

"Also, start packing up my personal belongings from this afternoon. I will be leading an expedition to South Chu in three days!"

Author's note:

Dear angels, thank you for your patience. This chapter combines the updates of yesterday and today. Though it's not a 30-jj coin transaction, I've truly done my best to make it substantial.

Red packets will be randomly dropped in the comments section of this chapter, and if all goes well, Xiao Lu and Xiao Xie are expected to reunite in the next one~