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

Xiahou Che walked up to her, and Yang Pei and Hongyu immediately and tactfully withdrew.

Yan Zhen cupped his face and rubbed his cheeks like he was petting a puppy: "What's wrong? Has our Emperor been bullied by his old minister again?"

Xiahou Che hesitated whether or not to tell her what Liu Su had said today.

But the thought of how she would be saddened by this, or even feel disheartened by Liu Su's suspicions, made him reluctant to do it.

She has done so much for the Great Jin Dynasty, and those who show contempt and malice because she is a woman should not have come to her.

Fine, I'll just find an opportunity to kill Liu Su.

"No." Xiahou Che let her rub his face. "She just said a few things I didn't like to hear."

"Oh? What did you say? Tell me."

"Forget it, I'm just wasting your ears." Xiahou Che changed the subject. "Have you finished reviewing the memorials? If you have, come play football with me."

"Not yet. Have Yang Pei find a few skilled palace servants to play with you," Yan Zhen instructed. "Remember to avoid people. You are still in mourning, so you must not act ostentatiously."

"it is good."

As Xiahou Che walked out of Zhaoyang Palace, the smile on his face vanished instantly.

"Yang Pei".

Yang Pei immediately stepped forward: "Your Majesty."

"Arrange for a few men to kill Liu Su."

Yang Pei was taken aback.

Xiahou Che strode forward, and Yang Pei immediately followed, whispering, "Your Majesty, you mustn't!"

Xiahou Che asked irritably, "Why?"

"Everyone in the court knows that General Liu made great contributions to your ascension to the throne. If General Liu were to die at this time, rumors would spread and it would be detrimental to you. Most importantly, the army would think that you have used the tools and then discarded them, which would chill the hearts of the soldiers and make it difficult to win them back."

Xiahou Che's eyes were gloomy.

He wasn't unaware of this principle, but the thought that Liu Su dared to instigate him to kill Xiao Lingyi made him unable to suppress his anger.

"Your Majesty, please wait a little longer," Yang Pei advised. "If there is war on the border next spring, you can send General Liu out. There are no eyes on the battlefield, so you can set a trap to have him die on the battlefield. Then you can give him a grand funeral and posthumously confer titles on him, and no one can say anything about it."

Xiahou Che remained silent for a long time before finally relenting: "Fine."

He can't be impatient.

On the other side is Zhaoyang Palace.

After Xiahou Che left, Yan Zhen held a memorial in his hand, but hesitated to read it.

"Master," Hongyu gently reminded, "the ink needs to dry."

Yan Zhen snapped out of his reverie and put down his vermilion brush: "Send someone to the horse farm to find out what Xiahou Che said to Liu Su today."

Hongyu accepted the order and returned within an hour.

“This servant sent someone to get information from the stable boy, and the stable boy said that when His Majesty was speaking with General Liu today, everyone else was dismissed.”

Yan Zhen asked, "So nobody heard what they said?"

"Yes, but it seems that His Majesty and General Liu had a quarrel."

Yan Zhen seemed to be deep in thought; Xiahou Che was indeed hiding something from her.

In the past few days, Xiahou Che had been almost always accommodating to her requests and had told her everything he knew.

Whatever she wanted to know, Xiahou Che would always tell her the truth as long as she asked.

But today he came back from the horse farm with a furious look on his face. When she asked him about it, he avoided her gaze and deliberately changed the subject.

Combined with Liu Su's inquiries about her and Xiahou Che's actions, it seems that Liu Su not only discovered her involvement in politics, but also had an argument with Xiahou Che over this matter.

Yan Zhen had a premonition that Liu Su would object after learning about this matter.

These old-fashioned people would not agree to a subservient person who should have stayed in the inner quarters and adhered to the "three obediences and four virtues" riding on their heads and issuing orders; to them, this was a disgrace.

Especially for old-fashioned figures like Liu Su, who held military power, he not only had the motive to oppose, but also the means to do so.

So what is Xiahou Che's attitude in this matter?

If he agreed with Liu Su's point of view, he would have argued with Liu Su at the horse farm.

But if he disagreed with Liu Su's opinion, he would stammer and hesitate when he returned, not daring to tell her the truth.

Yan Zhen leaned back in his chair, his brows furrowed slightly, and unconsciously tapped the table with his fingers.

Regardless of Xiahou Che's attitude, she needs to prepare corresponding countermeasures in advance.

-

In the days that followed, Xiahou Che seemed to have some reservations. He not only personally reviewed the memorials for two days, but also let Yan Zhen do it for him again, and wouldn't let her go to the Imperial Study anymore.

Yan Zhen witnessed all of this, his feelings were complicated.

What Liu Su said at the horse farm that day truly influenced Xiahou Che.

Half a month has passed in the blink of an eye, and the New Year is approaching, so the palace is bustling with activity.

At Yan Zhen's request, Xiahou Che invited his maternal relatives from Jiangnan to the capital to celebrate the New Year.

Xiahou Che's maternal family name was Sun, and he had an uncle in the clan who was quite talented in business.

Xiahou Che used his status to make things easier for him, and he expanded his business all the way, and now he has several business lines under his name that are spread throughout the Great Jin Dynasty.

On the second day after the Sun family arrived in the capital, Yan Zhen summoned the Sun family matriarch and a group of female relatives, and bestowed upon them many fine gifts.

Accompanying Old Madam Sun into the palace were several young and beautiful women from the clan. Old Madam Sun's words implied that she wanted Yan Zhen to arrange marriages for the younger women.

Yan Zhen also had the same idea.

If she wants to bring the Sun family under her control, she has to keep them in the capital.

Arranged marriage is the fastest and most effective method.

Busy as they went, it was soon the 28th of the twelfth lunar month. The palace held a banquet, inviting officials of the fourth rank and above in the capital to bring their families to the palace for a feast.

The Noble Consort handled these matters with ease, and Yan Zhen hardly needed to intervene.

On the night of the palace banquet, men and women sat at separate tables. The main hall where the banquet was held was reserved for Xiahou Che and the civil and military officials, while Yan Zhen and a group of female relatives ate wine in a side hall.

After a few rounds of drinks, Hongyu came over and whispered in her ear, "Your Majesty, His Majesty and General Liu have both left."

Yan Zhen paused slightly.

She has been keeping an eye on Xiahou Che and Liu Su's movements these days.

Liu Su behaved himself for a while. Xiahou Che spent almost all his time by her side except when attending court and meeting with officials, and he did not meet with Liu Su alone again.

As expected, Liu Su came to see Xiahou Che at today's palace banquet.

Yan Zhen found an excuse to leave his seat and asked after walking out of the side hall, "Where did they go?"

"Taiye Pool."

The palace banquet was held in the Linde Hall, next to the Taiye Pond, which was brightly lit tonight.

Yan Zhen walked a short distance towards Taiye Pond, and soon heard hushed voices coming from behind a rockery.

"Your Majesty, evidence has been presented for some time that Xiao Dingfang's Flying Cavalry Captains are oppressing the people and disregarding human life. Why have you been so slow to act?" Liu Su's tone was full of displeasure.

Yan Zhen felt a slight tightness in his chest upon hearing this.

Xiahou Che said after a long while, "No rush, I haven't figured out what to do yet."

Liu Su said, "The evidence is conclusive. You may issue an edict to punish Xiao Dingfang for failing to properly manage his subordinates."

"Yes, I understand. I will issue the order after the New Year," Xiahou Che said. "Minister Liu, go back and have some wine."

Liu Su sensed his perfunctory attitude, and his voice was tinged with anger: "Your Majesty, are you going to back out and no longer want to deal with the Xiao family?"

"No," Xiahou Che said impatiently. "Why are you in such a hurry? Xiao Dingfang and the Empress are not ordinary people. If we appear too eager and they discover our plan, they might strike first. Do you think your 300,000 troops can withstand Xiao Dingfang's attack?"