Having many handsome men means no worries; pampering them all keeps me in good spirits.

Meanwhile, in the Ministry of Rites, Lin Zhijie stood in the center of the council hall, discussing the specifics of the marriage alliance with his subordinates…

"Look at these people in the Ministry of Rites, spinning around like tops, they're all just miserable working people!" Jiang Qingyan said with deep empathy.

Jiang Qingyan did not make a grand display, and was dressed casually, so no one noticed her for a while, allowing her to travel smoothly all the way to Lin Zhijie's council hall.

"If you ask me, we don't need to make all that fancy show of welcoming the bride. Let the princess from the Southern Frontier come in her own bridal sedan chair!"

"Yes, that damned traitor King of Southern Xinjiang, just based on his daughter's status, being able to marry into our Da'an is already a tremendous favor from His Majesty! There's no need to give him any more face!"

Two burly men in their late twenties slammed their fists on the table in a fit of rage, their faces filled with indignation.

Lin Zhijie chuckled and shook his head. "After all, this is a marriage alliance with His Majesty. Even if we don't give face to the King of Southern Xinjiang, we still have to consider His Majesty's dignity. We can't skip the proper etiquette."

Lin Zhijie's voice was incredibly gentle, especially compared to the loud, boisterous men in the room, making it sound particularly pleasant.

Jiang Qingyan slightly curled the corners of her lips. No wonder he's the man I've set my sights on!

"Minister Lin is truly considering my best interests..." Jiang Qingyan smiled and stepped into the council hall.

Upon hearing the sound, everyone turned around, and when they saw who it was, they were all terrified and immediately knelt down in a sea of ​​black...

"Your Highness, long live the Emperor!"

"We, your humble servants, failed to receive any notification and have neglected Your Majesty. We beg Your Majesty's forgiveness!" One of the burly men who had slammed his fist on the table in indignation earlier quickly stepped forward to apologize.

Jiang Qingyan seemed indifferent and said lightly, "It's nothing, rise."

Then, with a beaming smile, she walked towards Lin Zhijie…

From the moment she entered the room, Jiang Qingyan's eyes never left Lin Zhijie's face, making Lin Zhijie feel a chill run down his spine, yet he dared not meet Jiang Qingyan's gaze...

"Minister Lin, what do you think the ceremony for this marriage alliance should be like?" Jiang Qingyan asked softly, staring into Lin Zhijie's beautiful eyes.

Lin Zhijie pursed his lips slightly and answered with his head down:

"Your Majesty, I believe that this marriage should follow the normal procedure of previous marriages, with an important court official leading the welcoming party to the border between the two countries to greet the princess from the Southern Frontier."

"Oh? An important official?" Jiang Qingyan stared at Lin Zhijie's thin lips, which were moving as he spoke, and continued, "Then, in your opinion, Minister Lin, who should be sent?"

Feeling Jiang Qingyan's fiery gaze, Lin Zhijie took a step back, let out a long sigh, cupped his hands in greeting, and respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, as the Minister of Rites, it is naturally most appropriate for me to go in person."

“That won’t do! What if there’s any movement in the southern border? You’re just a civil official, what if you get captured? Let Lu Nian go instead.” Jiang Qingyan immediately rejected Lin Zhijie’s suggestion.

Lin Zhijie was taken aback. The thought that the Emperor, who was usually so unreliable, would actually worry about him... Although it felt strange, a warm feeling inexplicably arose in his heart, and even his cheeks felt slightly hot.

"Your Majesty, I obey your decree. I will immediately send someone to the General's Mansion to inform Lord Lu." After saying this, Lin Zhijie cupped his hands and quickly left the council hall as if fleeing.

Stepping out of the council chamber, Lin Zhijie took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart...

He had never noticed before, but this emperor, though a man, was undeniably handsome. Looking at him, he could occasionally sense a woman's allure, which stirred a tingling feeling within him…

Lin Zhijie slapped his head. What was he thinking? He must be crazy! How dare he so rebelliously blaspheme the Emperor in his heart! He deserves to die!

After giving detailed instructions to his subordinates, Lin Zhijie paused in his steps as he was about to return to the council hall. Was the Emperor still inside?

No… the Emperor must have left… He’s just a mere Minister of Rites, how could he possibly be worthy of the Emperor waiting for him inside…

Lin Zhijie chuckled self-deprecatingly, then quickly returned to the council hall.

Lin Zhijie froze as soon as he stepped inside…

Jiang Qingyan not only didn't leave, but she even took off her shoes and leaned against the small couch at the innermost part of the council hall, sipping her tea leisurely...

Lin Zhijie looked around the room and confirmed that only Jiang Qingyan was inside. He figured the Emperor probably wanted to rest alone for a while and didn't want to be disturbed.

Actually, as soon as Lin Zhijie left, Jiang Qingyan made an excuse to kick the others out... After all... since they were already here, if they didn't tease Lin Zhijie a bit... wouldn't it be a wasted trip?

Lin Zhijie then bowed respectfully to Jiang Qingyan before turning and leaving the council hall.

But... before he could even step out the door, Jiang Qingyan called out to him, "Lin Aiqing, why are you leaving so soon after you get back? Is there some kind of man-eating tiger inside this house?"

Faced with Jiang Qingyan's teasing, Lin Zhijie felt somewhat embarrassed and stammered, "Your Majesty...no...no...no..."

"Come here, sit next to me, let's chat for a while." Jiang Qingyan poked her head out and waved to Lin Zhijie with a smile.

Lin Zhijie's mind went blank. Was the emperor going to talk to him about something like... pork and scallion dumplings again?

As I pondered this, my legs seemed to lose all feeling, and I froze, completely motionless...

Seeing Lin Zhijie's dazed expression, Jiang Qingyan said helplessly, "What? If you're not coming over, do you expect me to come to you? These shoes of mine are such a hassle to put on!"

"Your Majesty, I will go right away..." Lin Zhijie hurriedly agreed, then forcefully dragged his numb legs, slowly moving towards the bed...

It was only a few steps away, but it felt like we walked for ages, like we were separated by thousands of miles…

Finally reaching the bedside, Lin Zhijie stood there blankly, head down, not daring to look at Jiang Qingyan.

Jiang Qingyan found it somewhat amusing; Lin Zhijie's two steps were slower than the little tortoise she used to keep. Suddenly, she grabbed Lin Zhijie's shirt by the collar and gave it a gentle tug.

She had intended to pull him closer, but Lin Zhijie was so light he felt like a rag doll. With that pull, he seemed to lose his balance and fell straight down, landing squarely on Jiang Qingyan…

Jiang Qingyan was also startled. Was this considered a staged accident? "I didn't even use any force! I'm innocent! There shouldn't be any security cameras in this house, right?"

The two people on the bed were facing each other, their noses almost touching. The room was so quiet that only their breathing and heartbeats could be heard.

Suddenly, Jiang Qingyan playfully winked at him…

Lin Zhijie suddenly came to his senses, startled, and hurriedly tried to get up, but Jiang Qingyan wrapped her arms around his waist.

"What? You deliberately tried to stage an accident, threw yourself into my arms, and now you want to run away?" Jiang Qingyan's lips curled into a wicked smile, and then she flipped over and pinned Lin Zhijie down.

She ran her finger lightly across Lin Zhijie's cheek, slowly tracing his features, her tone carrying a hint of ambiguity: "Lin Aiqing, your heart is beating so fast, do you have a heart condition?"