The Emperor, with more men than women, made me his mistress.

In the blink of an eye, Yue Li was already lying on the soft couch.

Her words were interrupted, and Jin Chenyuan's subsequent actions left her with no energy to speak again.

Thinking about where the two of them are right now,

Yue Li could only purse her lips tightly, not making a sound, and her body tensed up.

Even so, Jin Chenyuan did not let her go.

He crouched down, getting close to Yue Li's back, leaving no gap between them.

Even her usually aloof and composed expression showed a hint of excitement...

Contrary to Yue Li's expectations, there was no one guarding the door.

Instead, the entire courtyard was quiet.

After all, as Jin Chenyuan's most capable subordinates, they knew they should all stay far away when he deliberately closed the door.

After all, if there's nothing wrong, who would deliberately close the door?

………………

The next day, Yue Li and Jin Chenyuan got ready early and boarded a carriage to head to the palace.

Today is the day of the Hundred Flowers Banquet hosted by the Empress Dowager.

"I wonder what kind of empress the Emperor will choose." She must be easy to get along with, otherwise dealing with her later will be a huge hassle.

Seeing Yue Li's charming appearance after being pampered by him, Jin Chenyuan turned his head and kissed her between the eyebrows. As if he knew what was troubling her, Jin Chenyuan comforted her, "You have to trust the Emperor's judgment, otherwise the Emperor wouldn't have gone so many years without choosing an Empress."

"Moreover, if the Emperor really chooses an empress who is difficult to get along with, then we will simply stop going to the palace. If that doesn't work, we can bring the Empress Dowager out of the palace and let her live in our residence. That way, we will have even less reason to go to the palace."

"Can the Empress Dowager leave the palace to live?"

“Of course she can leave the palace. I am her son. She can come and stay at my residence. Who dares to say anything?” Jin Chenyuan’s domineering and arrogant demeanor was evident in his words.

Seeing Jin Chenyuan like this, Yue Li couldn't resist. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a big kiss on the cheek. "You look absolutely stunning."

"Really? That's my honor." Jin Chenyuan's mood instantly soared after being kissed by Yue Li.

At the same time, she wondered if she should show this side of herself more, so that Yue Li might kiss her a few more times.

When the two arrived at the palace, there were already many young men and women in the imperial garden.

Seeing that there were still men around, Yue Li said as she and Jin Chenyuan walked towards the Empress Dowager's Shou Kang Palace, "Isn't this supposed to be a matchmaking event for the Emperor? Why are there other men here? Is the Empress Dowager planning a mass matchmaking event?"

The occasional words that Yue Li uttered would bring a knowing smile to Jin Chenyuan's face.

Hearing Yue Li say this, Jin Chenyuan smiled and said, "Isn't this how all the banquets in the capital are held? Besides, the Emperor only needs to choose one person, so he invited so many noble ladies, and now he has invited so many scions of prominent families. Maybe he can actually accomplish a few good things at the Hundred Flowers Banquet."

After all, everyone knew that the invitation, issued in the name of the Empress Dowager, was for the selection of an empress for the emperor.

Therefore, none of these noble ladies who came had ever been married. There is only one emperor, and even if the emperor chooses one of them, there will still be so many left.

Since a young lady could marry six husbands, the number of noblemen invited by the Empress Dowager was more than three times that of the noble ladies present.

This is why everyone knows that this banquet is held to select an empress for the emperor. Otherwise, all the families in the capital who have already married but have not yet chosen a husband would be invited to attend the banquet.

After all, those who haven't chosen enough husbands might find another man they like at the banquet.

Upon arriving at Shou Kang Palace, Yue Li and Jin Chenyuan chatted with the Empress Dowager for a while and drank a cup of tea before accompanying her to the Imperial Garden.

As soon as they reached the entrance of the Imperial Garden, they heard the eunuchs guarding the entrance announcing, "The Empress Dowager has arrived, Prince Chen has arrived, and Princess Chen has arrived."

Yue Li: ……

Why does this scene feel so awkward? I wish she hadn't come with the Empress Dowager.

After everyone knelt down to pay their respects, the Empress Dowager smiled and said, "Everyone, please rise and sit down to talk."

"Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager," everyone responded in unison.

This is a palace next to the Imperial Garden. Judging from its construction scale, it should have been used specifically for holding banquets.

At the very top of the palace were three long tables, and below them, long tables were placed in order along both sides of the palace. Large ice chests were placed in the four corners of the palace, making the palace extremely cool.

The Emperor had not yet arrived, so the central seat was empty. The Empress Dowager's seat was to the left of the Emperor, while Jin Chenyuan's seat was to the right of the Emperor.

After the Empress Dowager, Jin Chenyuan, and Yue Li were seated, everyone else took their seats as well.

Seeing that it was getting late and there was still no sign of the Emperor, the Empress Dowager was about to ask Zhu Xi, who was by her side, to urge him when they heard the announcement from the gate of the Imperial Garden: "The Emperor has arrived."

Then came another round of bowing.

As soon as the Emperor reached the entrance of the main hall, he saw the figure bowing to him in the spot belonging to the Prince Chen's residence.

This time, it wasn't that the Emperor went to deliberately look for Yue Li, but rather that Yue Li and Jin Chenyuan standing there seemed quite out of place while everyone else was kneeling on the ground.

However, in the first year of his reign, the Emperor issued a special imperial edict to Jin Chenyuan, allowing Prince Chen and his future Princess Chen to not have to kneel and bow when they saw him.

So even though the two did not kneel, the people below did not say anything.

Upon seeing the figure he had been longing for day and night, the emperor paused almost imperceptibly as he walked, then looked away as if his gaze had been casually drawn to that spot, and went straight to the highest point.

"Everyone, please rise," the Emperor said, sitting in his designated place and adjusting his dragon-embroidered robe.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

After everyone was seated, the Emperor looked at the young men and women below and said, "Everyone, please don't be shy. The Empress Dowager organized this Hundred Flowers Banquet to make everyone happy. Please enjoy yourselves as you please."

However, these young men and women below were not the ministers in the court who had been forbidden from sexual activity for many years, nor did they speak any flattering words. They would only nod and agree after the emperor finished speaking.

Seeing the somewhat reserved crowd, the Empress Dowager then instructed Zhu Xi behind her to inform them that the pre-arranged song and dance performance could begin.

Yue Li watched with great interest as the men in the center of the hall danced, some gracefully and others with strength.

Seeing that Yue Li liked to eat the grapes on the table, Jin Chenyuan peeled them one by one and fed them to Yue Li.

Jin Chenyuan brought Yue Li to the Hundred Flowers Banquet today, which already attracted a lot of attention, and their every move was closely watched by everyone.

Everyone was first amazed by the beauty of the legendary Princess Consort Chen, and then surprised by the way the two got along.

After all, Prince Chen had always treated everyone with aloofness and politeness.

Seeing the usually aloof and distant Prince Chen being so considerate to his princess, everyone couldn't help but be a little surprised.

Seeing how much care the Imperial Uncle was putting into Yue Li, and thinking about his own plans for the day, the Emperor lowered his eyes, concealing the complex emotions within them.

It's certain that the Imperial Uncle has fallen in love with Yue Li.

But he didn't want to give up so easily!