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

Liu Su choked.

He knew that Xiahou Che's concerns were not unreasonable, but seeing his hesitant appearance made him angry.

Now that the two are on the same side, even if Liu Su is anxious, he can't push Xiahou Che too hard.

Otherwise, if he rebels and joins forces with the Xiao family to deal with him, then he and the entire Great Jin Dynasty will be completely finished.

Thinking of this, Liu Su softened his voice and said, "Your Majesty, I know you can't bear to part with that Xiao family girl, but think about it in the long run. As long as you strip her of her military power, kill Xiao Dingfang, and confiscate the entire Zhenguo Duke's mansion, the Xiao family girl will be helpless and at your mercy. Just as you said, you can keep her in the harem as a plaything. Wouldn't that be more satisfying than having the entire Xiao family using their military power to oppress you?"

Xiahou Che remained silent for a moment before saying, "What Minister Liu said makes sense."

"It's good that Your Majesty has come to a decision," Liu Su said, bowing. "Then I await your good news."

Xiahou Che grunted in agreement and turned to leave.

Liu Su watched his figure disappear around the corner of the eaves before walking to the other side.

He walked a short distance when his personal guards approached and asked in a low voice, "General, what did His Majesty say?"

Liu Su said coldly, "Indecisive and hesitant, I think he doesn't want to deal with the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion at all! He's just stalling for time!"

The guard frowned: "What should we do?"

Liu Su gazed at the revelry in the Linde Palace from afar, a chilling killing intent flashing in his eyes: "Since he can't bring himself to do it, then I will personally purge the court of corrupt officials! First, I will kill that vixen Xiao Lingyi!"

The guard paused, then hesitated and said, "But the Empress stays in the inner palace all day, and the palace guards are all His Majesty's men. These days, the palace security is several times tighter than usual. Our people can't get in."

Liu Su pondered for a while and said, "In a little over a month, it will be the annual spring hunt. His Majesty will take the Empress and concubines out of the palace at that time. Find an opportunity to kill her at the spring hunt."

The guard's eyes lit up: "I'll get started on the arrangements right away!"

On the other side, behind the artificial hill.

Liu Su and Xiahou Che left one after the other. Yan Zhen stood there for a while, then said to Hongyu beside her, "Let's go back to Linde Palace."

After she finished speaking, she turned around and walked towards Linde Hall first.

Hongyu hesitated for a moment, then quickly walked a few steps to her and knelt down: "This servant knows her mistake, please punish me, mistress!"

"What's wrong with you?"

"This servant misjudged Your Majesty," Hongyu stammered, "I...I..."

Her master had asked her before what Xiahou Che meant, and she boldly suggested that her master try to believe Xiahou Che this once.

The master clearly took her words to heart, and from then on, he was much more patient with Xiahou Che.

However, not long after, reality slapped her in the face.

Yan Zhen smiled slightly and bent down to help Hongyu up: "Didn't you say back then that it wouldn't be too late to take action if he was being dishonest?"

Not only was Hongyu mistaken about Xiahou Che, she was mistaken too.

For a time, she tried to believe that he was different from the other princes.

But the facts were clear: Xiahou Che was no different from any of the men she had met before.

Hongyu said nervously, "Master, then you..."

Yan Zhen said, "This is not the place to talk. Let's go back and talk about it."

Yan Zhen did not stay in Linde Hall for long. After exchanging pleasantries with Madam Sun and several noble ladies for a while, he used the excuse of being unable to hold his liquor to return to Zhaoyang Hall.

The maid removed her hairpins and makeup. She took a bath, changed into her undergarments, and prepared to go to bed. Outside, she heard stumbling footsteps.

Soon, Xiahou Che came in, reeking of alcohol. He smiled when he saw her and drunkenly threw himself into her arms, saying, "Xiao Lingyi..."

Yan Zhen caught him, his expression unchanged: "Why did you drink so much?"

"Those old bastards kept trying to get me drunk." Xiahou Che's cheeks were flushed as he hugged her and said coquettishly, "I feel dizzy and uncomfortable."

Yan Zhen helped him to lie down on the couch, instructed the maid to bring him a hangover soup and feed it to him, and then wrung out a hot towel to wipe his hands and face.

Xiahou Che lay on the phoenix couch, watching her busily doing all this. When he saw her put down the handkerchief, he suddenly grabbed her arm, pulled her onto the couch, and spun around, pinning her down beneath him.

"Xiao Lingyi," Xiahou Che looked at her intently, "I love you."

Yan Zhen smiled slightly: "I know."

"how about you?"

Yan Zhen countered with, "What do you think?"

"Hmm, not really." Xiahou Che felt extremely dizzy, so he simply leaned against her and nestled into her shoulder. "At least not really right now."

Yan Zhen didn't deny it, and reached out to pat his back gently: "Go to sleep, you're drunk."

Xiahou Che closed his eyes and complained with dissatisfaction, "You're always like this."

"What kind?"

"They treated me like a child, deceiving and intimidating me."

Yan Zhen chuckled in a low voice, "You fall for that."

"No, it's because you're the one who's been deceiving and threatening me that I'm falling for this."

Yan Zhen's smile remained unchanged: "Your Majesty, I thank you for this honor."

Xiahou Che grumbled, "What's this? From now on, whatever you want, as long as I can get it, I'll give it to you."

Yan Zhen's smile faded, and she asked, "What if I wanted Your Majesty's life?"

“My life originally belonged to you. Without you, I wouldn’t be alive in the Yeting Palace now,” Xiahou Che said without hesitation. “If you want my life, you can come and take it anytime.”

Yan Zhen sighed softly.

Xiahou Che opened his eyes and looked up at her: "What's wrong?"

His handsome features were so close, Yan Zhen raised his hand and traced his outline with his fingertips, his tone half sighing and half regretful: "You really know how to talk."

Xiahou Che didn't catch the hidden meaning in her words, taking it as a compliment. He grinned and leaned in to kiss her cheek, as if asking for a reward: "So, are you happy being with me?"

"Well, happy."

“I’m happy too. All the happy things in my life have been related to you.”

Yan Zhen just smiled.

Half-drunk, Xiahou Che was eager to express himself, and he held her close, talking to her in a sticky, affectionate way until Yan Zhen finally succumbed to sleepiness and fell asleep in the middle of the night.

She was fast asleep, but Xiahou Che opened his eyes and quietly got out of bed.

He walked barefoot out of Zhaoyang Palace, and soon a guard stepped forward and knelt before him: "Your Majesty."

Xiahou Che's eyes were clear, showing no sign of drunkenness: "At the spring hunt at Lishan a month later, you will lead men disguised as Southern Barbarian spies to ambush me in the hunting grounds. When Liu Su comes forward to protect me, kill him."

The guard acknowledged the order: "Yes."

-

More than a month has passed in the blink of an eye.

With the arrival of spring, the ice and snow melted in the capital, the weather warmed up, and the palace welcomed the annual spring hunt.

Xiahou Che's harem was empty, with no concubines or princes. This time, he brought many court officials and their families with him. Liu Su accompanied him as the general in charge of guarding him. The vast hunting party stretched as far as the eye could see.

Yan Zhen sat in the carriage, accompanied by Lü Zhu and Hong Yu, as well as three other women from the Sun family.

All three were legitimate daughters of the Sun family. Before the new year, Xiahou Che issued an imperial decree to marry two of them.