After being reborn, I hugged the villainous boss tightly.

The rooster crowed at dawn, but the sky was still dark. When Ye Zhuxi woke up, Fu Jingyuan had already gone to court.

This was Fu Jingyuan's first day at court. He was dressed neatly in a red official robe, his handsome and delicate face expressionless, his phoenix eyes sharp, making him stand out among the group of civil officials.

The emperor noticed Fu Jingyuan the moment he entered the court session; this was the first time he had looked at him seriously.

"Minister Fu is handsome and refined; no wonder Prime Minister Li's daughter came to ask me for a marriage proposal! They are indeed a perfect match."

Fu Jingyuan: "A marriage decree?"

"Yes, last night Li Wenyue came to see me specifically, saying that you two are in love and asking me to grant you marriage. I have granted it!" The emperor laughed.

"..."

Ye Zhenyu was startled, and he frowned deeply as he looked at Fu Jingyuan.

"Your Majesty, Li Wenyue and I are not in love!" Fu Jingyuan said without hesitation.

"Didn't Li Wenyue say that you two have long been in love with each other?"

"That's not true!"

"..."

Upon hearing this, Prime Minister Li felt utterly humiliated. Fu Jingyuan was publicly refusing the marriage!

He stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, my daughter is one of the best in the entire Daqi Kingdom in terms of both appearance and talent. She would never make up such nonsense about marriage. It must be because Fu Jingyuan has become the top scholar in the imperial examination that he wants to abandon my daughter!”

“Prime Minister Li, I have only met your daughter a few times, and it's not like I fell in love at first sight. Besides, I have someone I like, and it's not her!”

At this point, Fu Jingyuan bowed to the emperor and said earnestly, "I beg Your Majesty to issue a decree to grant us this marriage. I wish to marry Ye Zhuxi!"

"..."

As soon as Fu Jingyuan said this, the hall fell silent, and the ministers looked at each other in bewilderment.

Someone whispered, "Ye Zhuxi, isn't that General Ye's daughter?"

"It's not just a feeling, it's definitely true!"

"Isn't this incest?"

"..."

Some people saw Ye Zhenyu looking at them with a gloomy face, which frightened them so much that they quickly shut their mouths.

The emperor frowned: "So, the one you're truly in love with isn't Li Wenyue, but Ye Zhuxi!"

"Yes!"

The emperor felt a headache coming on when he thought about his promise to Li Wenyue.

He pondered for a moment: "How about this, Ye Zhuxi and Li Wenyue will both marry you, as equal wives, with no distinction between them!"

"Your Majesty, I only want Ye Zhuxi!" Fu Jingyuan said firmly.

The emperor had already been lenient with Fu Jingyuan out of consideration for Ye Zhenyu, but he didn't expect him to be so ungrateful. His face turned somewhat ugly.

"Fu Jingyuan, I have already been accommodating to you enough. Don't push your luck."

Fu Jingyuan showed no fear in his eyes. He raised his hand to meet the emperor's angry gaze, his eyes resolute.

"Your Majesty, I have chosen Ye Zhuxi for the rest of my life, and I will never marry anyone else!"

Prime Minister Li couldn't stand it anymore and roared, "Fu Jingyuan, don't go too far! Do you think just anyone can marry my daughter?"

"I don't know how many men want to marry her, but I certainly don't!"

Seeing that he had said that, the emperor glanced at Ye Zhenyu, who had remained silent, and steadied himself: "So, Fu Jingyuan, you intend to defy the imperial decree!"

"If Your Majesty insists that I marry Li Wenyue, then I have no choice but to disobey the imperial decree!"

"You..." The emperor's face turned ugly with anger.

He glared at Fu Jingyuan: "Even if you are demoted from your official post, you still won't marry Li Wenyue?"

As soon as the emperor finished speaking, Fu Jingyuan took off his court robes, leaving him only in his white undergarments.

"Then I can only fail to live up to Your Majesty's high expectations!"

After he finished speaking, he turned and left without any politeness.

At this moment, Ye Zhenyu, who had been silent for a long time, spoke.

"Your Majesty, I have something to report!"

The emperor glanced at the crowd in the court and quickly dismissed them all.

Seeing that Fu Jingyuan was about to leave, Ye Zhenyu called him back.

After everyone else left, only the three of them remained.

"Your Majesty, there are always refugees in the north who do not receive proper medical treatment, and disaster relief funds are often embezzled by local officials. Why don't we entrust this matter to Fu Jingyuan? If he handles it well, you can let him choose his own marriage!"

The emperor always valued his reputation, so it was no wonder he was furious when Fu Jingyuan publicly rejected the marriage he had offered.

"..."

"Since General Ye has said so, then Fu Jingyuan will do as you say!" The emperor said after a moment of silence.

As he spoke, he looked at Fu Jingyuan: "I will not hold your audacity today against you for General Ye's sake. Now I will hand the initiative over to you. Whether you can marry Ye Zhuxi or not is up to you!"

"Yes!" Fu Jingyuan lowered his eyes. He knew that there was no time to rush things, so he could only nod in agreement.

Inside the Prime Minister's residence.

As soon as Prime Minister Li returned home, he told Li Wenyue everything about Fu Jingyuan's rejection of her in court. After listening, she angrily smashed the teacup in her hand.

"Who does Fu Jingyuan think he is, daring to refuse me! Does he even know who I am?"

Prime Minister Li looked troubled: "Daughter, I've told you before, with your looks and beauty, you could even be the Empress. How could you fall for Fu Jingyuan, an adopted son of a general's family?"

Li Wenyue glared at him secretly: What do you know! Fu Jingyuan is the male lead of this world, only he is worthy of me!

"Although he has nothing now, I believe he will eventually have everything I want!"

Prime Minister Li thought she was too crazy and sighed helplessly.

"What will happen after that? Fu Jingyuan has publicly refused the marriage in court!"

Speaking of this, Li Wenyue's face turned ashen. She bit her lip and said, "I'll find a way!"

……

When Ye Zhuxi heard the news that Fu Jingyuan was in the palace, she turned pale with fright. When she saw that he had returned safely, she rushed over and hugged him.

Seeing her worried expression, the man chuckled and patted her back: "I'm right here!"

Ye Zhuxi shook her head in his arms: "Big brother, I heard from Father that I want to go to the North with you!"

"No!" Fu Jingyuan grabbed her shoulders and pulled her out, looking down at her. "It's too dangerous there. I'm afraid I won't be able to take care of you. You should stay home and wait for me. I'll be back soon!"

"But I don't trust you!" she muttered.

"It's your departure that worries me the most. I'll not only be busy with my business, but I'll also be worried about your safety!"

Upon hearing this, Ye Zhuxi immediately became displeased, her eyebrows furrowed and her almond-shaped eyes wide as she glared at him: "Does Big Brother mean that I'm causing you trouble?"

"Ha! It's not that you can't think that way!"

Well, Fu Jingyuan really doesn't know how to talk.

Seeing that she was upset again, Fu Jingyuan asked, "What's wrong?"

"I can't help at all, I'm so useless!" Ye Zhuxi said dejectedly.

"It's not entirely useless!" Fu Jingyuan said thoughtfully.

Seeing that he actually agreed, Ye Zhuxi was annoyed and planned to leave, but the man grabbed her hand firmly.

She glared at him angrily: "What are you doing?"

Before he could finish speaking, Fu Jingyuan bent down and scooped her up in his arms, a wicked smile on his face: "I'll show you what good you are!"