Quick Transmigration: Why did you provoke him? He's love-struck!

Yan Zhen's thoughts stirred slightly: "Your maternal family is quite reliable. The New Year is just around the corner. Why don't you invite some of the female relatives to the palace for a chat?"

Xiahou Che asked, "You want to see them?"

Yan Zhen nodded: "Since your maternal family is your backing, you should win them over. Those who deserve promotions and titles should be given rewards during festivals. You can't skimp on either face or substance. Only by giving them enough benefits will they work wholeheartedly for you in the future."

Upon hearing this, Xiahou Che leaned in and hugged her waist, saying, "You've considered these social niceties very well."

Yan Zhen smiled, then remembered something else: "By the way, there's something I need to discuss with you. I want the Noble Consort, who is Xiahou Jin's mother, to stay in Yongchun Palace to help me manage the harem."

Upon hearing that it was Xiahou Jin's mother, Xiahou Che frowned instinctively: "Why? Aren't you busy enough?"

Yan Zhen knew what he was worried about, so she ruffled his hair, as if soothing a puppy: "Don't overthink it. There's a real reason I kept her in Yongchun Palace. When the late emperor was alive, the Dowager Consort managed the six palaces for many years and is very experienced in this matter."

Although I grew up in the harem, I rarely came into contact with these matters. Now that there are fewer people in the harem, things are still relatively easy. But after you take in new concubines and the harem becomes more crowded..."

"I will not take a concubine!" Xiahou Che interrupted her, his face darkening. "You will be the only one in the harem; there will be no one else."

Yan Zhen was taken aback.

She stared intently at Xiahou Che: "This concerns the imperial heir..."

Before she could finish speaking, Xiahou Che suddenly pushed her away.

"Xiao Lingyi, you're really generous!" Xiahou Che's face was extremely ugly. "You're rushing to take me a concubine, and you're unhappy even though I don't want her. Have you been raised to this state by the rigid rules of the harem, or do you simply not care about me at all, so you can share a husband with other women without any reservations?"

Yan Zhen: "..."

Xiahou Che, with a sullen face, said, "That so-called Noble Consort, you may stay if you wish, but as for taking a concubine, don't even think about it!" and left without looking back.

As Yan Zhen watched his retreating figure, that feeling of confusion returned.

She's done so many missions and seen all kinds of men.

They are hypocritical and ruthless; they can spout any lie to achieve their goals.

One moment they're all tender and affectionate, the next they can stab their lover in the heart with a knife.

Having seen so many men, she felt that all men were cut from the same mold, regardless of whether they were beautiful or ugly on the outside, their essence was the same: hypocrisy and selfishness.

She just couldn't seem to see through Xiahou Che.

This man trusted her completely, revealing all his ambitions and desires to her, while also exposing all his weaknesses and vulnerabilities to her.

His purpose in doing this was simply to please her.

It's like a cat knowing its belly is its most vulnerable spot, but because its owner likes it, it rolls over, exposing its belly and letting her knead and flatten it.

Xiahou Che is not a stupid person, but he is indeed doing something that Yan Zhen finds unbelievable and incomprehensible.

It was so foolish that it even made her wary, thinking it was another kind of trap she had never seen before, designed to attack her mind.

Hongyu brought over a cup of calming tea and placed it on the table.

Yan Zhen stopped her: "Hongyu, tell me, what does Xiahou Che mean by this?"

Hongyu is usually quiet, but she has a very clear understanding of things.

Instead of answering, Hongyu asked, "Is Your Majesty worried that His Majesty has ulterior motives?"

"Ah."

After thinking for a long time, Hongyu said, "I think it would be better to try to trust him once. Time will tell. If he is not sincere, it will not be too late for you to take action."

Yan Zhen leaned back in his chair, lost in thought: "Try... trusting him just this once?"

Xiahou Che did not return to Zhaoyang Palace that night. A palace servant came to report that he stayed in Yangxin Palace.

The next day, Yan Zhen had the small kitchen in Zhaoyang Palace prepare some snacks and a bowl of lotus seed porridge before going to the Imperial Study.

Upon arriving at the Imperial Study, several ministers were discussing matters inside.

Yan Zhen waited patiently for half an hour until the court officials left before going in.

Xiahou Che clearly saw her when she entered, but he pretended not to notice and kept flipping through a memorial.

Yan Zhen placed the food box on the imperial desk and reminded him, "The memorial is upside down."

Xiahou Che immediately flipped the document over to check and found that he hadn't held it upside down.

Realizing he had been tricked by Yan Zhen, he retorted angrily, "Mind your own business!"

Yan Zhen opened the food box, took out the lotus seed porridge inside, and said gently, "Eunuch Yang said that you haven't had breakfast yet. This lotus seed porridge has rock honey added. Try it and see if it suits your taste."

Xiahou Che glanced at it, his anger subsided slightly, and he said in a haughty tone, "I don't want anything sweet today."

"Then try this crab shell pastry, it's salty."

Xiahou Che raised his chin: "Eating this so early in the morning is too greasy."

"How about trying the mini peach shortbread?"

"Too bland."

"Ox tongue pastry?"

"It's so salty."

Yan Zhen's smile vanished.

With a "smack," she slammed her hand on the imperial desk, startling Xiahou Che so much that he dropped the memorial in his hand.

"Yang Pei".

Yang Pei, who was serving the emperor, immediately bowed and stepped forward: "Your Majesty."

"Take the food out and feed it to the dogs," Yan Zhen said coldly. "If people won't eat it, the dogs will."

Yang Pei looked at Yan Zhen with suspicion, then at Xiahou Che, who had completely lost his momentum. After hesitating for a moment, he still went to get the food box with trepidation.

But before he could even touch the food box, Xiahou Che glared at him and sent him packing.

Xiahou Che brought the food box closer and picked up a piece of ox-tongue pastry, stuffing it into his mouth.

Yan Zhen asked, "Isn't it too sweet?"

Xiahou Che quickly shook his head, picked up the lotus seed porridge again, and drank it all in a few gulps.

Yan Zhen sneered: "You won't listen to me when I speak properly, you only stop when I get angry."

Xiahou Che silently ate his peach shortbread, not daring to say anything back.

He finished eating everything in the food box, closed the lid, and glanced at Yan Zhen, saying, "I'm done eating."

His fear was written all over his face. Yan Zhen hadn't come here today to upset him, so she softened her tone and asked, "Are you still angry?"

Xiahou Che immediately shook his head: "I'm not angry anymore."

After he finished speaking, he cautiously asked, "And you?"

Yan Zhen smiled slightly and adopted the attitude of coaxing a child: "I wasn't angry in the first place."

Xiahou Che clearly didn't believe it: "Really?"

"If I were angry, why would I come over early this morning to bring you food?"

Xiahou Che thought about it and realized it made sense. He breathed a sigh of relief and tentatively put his arm around Yan Zhen's waist.

He sat on the dragon throne, while Yan Zhen stood. He pulled her close, buried his head in her chest, and whispered a complaint: "But you were so fierce just now."

Yan Zhen looked at the head that was nuzzling against him: "Are you afraid of me?"

"……A little."

"Why?"

"I'm used to being suppressed by you."

Yan Zhen couldn't help but laugh: "You're hopeless."

After letting Xiahou Che linger for a while, Yan Zhen reminded him, "It's getting late, I should go back."

Xiahou Che refused to let go: "No, you stay and review my memorials."

Yan Zhen glanced around: "Here?"

Xiahou Che nodded and gave Yang Pei a wink.

Yang Pei understood, dismissed all the palace servants attending to the emperor, and closed the door to the imperial study.