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

Yue Li glanced at Jin Chenyuan, who smiled and nodded at her. She then followed the Empress Dowager's lead and sat down next to her.

However, Jin Chenyuan then stepped forward and sat down on Yue Li's other side, as if afraid that Yue Li would be frightened.

When the Empress Dowager saw this, she was not angry that her youngest son was siding with someone else; on the contrary, she was extremely pleased.

The fact that her son, who had always been steady and aloof since childhood, was so dear to her made the Empress Dowager even happier as she looked at Yue Li, who sat beside her with a face as fair as a peach blossom and a radiant beauty.

The Empress Dowager instructed Zhu Xi, who was standing behind her, "Zhu happy, go and have someone bring up the pastries that the small kitchen made this morning, and let Princess Chen try them to see if they suit her taste?"

Seeing that the Empress Dowager liked Princess Consort Chen so much, Zhu Xi immediately smiled and replied, "Yes, this servant will go right away."

After giving instructions to Zhu Xi, the Empress Dowager turned to speak to Yue Li, "Did you have a good time in Kyoto these past few days? Are you comfortable staying at Prince Chen's residence? If you don't like staying at Prince Chen's residence, then move to the palace and live with me."

"No need, thank you for your kindness, Empress Dowager. I'm very comfortable living at Prince Chen's residence." There are already so many rules at Prince Chen's residence; I have to be accompanied by someone wherever I go. Wouldn't there be even more rules if I lived in the palace?

Besides, she wasn't that familiar with the Empress Dowager.

Although she had a great curiosity about the palace, she had no intention of moving in.

Seeing how strongly Yue Li refused, the Empress Dowager could only regretfully withdraw her own little scheme.

Sigh, isn't it because she saw how well-behaved and adorable Yue Li was that she couldn't resist wanting to lure her into the palace to stay for a few days?

Since the entire vast palace now only has her and the Emperor as masters, and the Emperor is usually too busy to see anyone, she has no one to talk to.

It was Jin Chenyuan, who was standing nearby, who saw through his mother's thoughts and comforted her, "If Mother likes A-Li, I will bring her to the palace to play more often in the future."

On the way to the palace, Yue Li also heard about the Empress Dowager's situation. When Jin Chenyuan said this, she nodded and said, "Yes, when I have time, I will go to the palace with A Yuan to talk to the Empress Dowager."

"Haha, good, you two must keep your word." Hearing the two say this, the Empress Dowager was instantly delighted.

Just then, Zhu happy led people to bring out several plates of pastries, and the Empress Dowager gestured for them to place the pastries in front of Yue Li.

"Since Chenyuan calls you A-Li, may I also call you A-Li?"

"Of course." After spending some time with her, Yue Li realized that the Empress Dowager in front of her wasn't putting on airs or acting like a domineering mother-in-law. On the contrary, she was very kind and approachable, so Yue Li spoke much more casually.

Seeing Yue Li answer so readily without the slightest hesitation, the Empress Dowager was even more pleased.

"Okay, Ah Li, try these pastries and see if they suit your taste? If you like them, we'll have the kitchen make some more for you to take back with you when you leave."

She preferred to be around straightforward people. She always found it exhausting to be around those who were hesitant and stuttering.

Having just drunk a bowl of bird's nest porridge that Jin Chenyuan had prepared in advance on the carriage, Yue Li had no appetite at the moment. However, seeing the Empress Dowager's warm invitation, Yue Li still took a piece of golden pastry and put it in her mouth.

The pastries were made very delicately and small, one bite at a time. The moment they entered your mouth, their sweet and soft texture melted in your mouth.

Swallowing the pastry in her mouth, Yue Li smiled and said, "The pastries in the palace are much tastier than those outside."

Seeing that Yue Li seemed to like it very much, the Empress Dowager immediately turned her head and instructed Zhu Xi beside her, "Later, tell the small kitchen to make another batch of all the pastries on this, so that A Li and the others can take them with them when they leave."

"Yes, Your Majesty, rest assured, this servant will give the order immediately. We will definitely make it in time when Prince Chen and the others leave," Zhu happy immediately said ingratiatingly.

"Yes, I trust you to do things well." The Empress Dowager casually praised Zhu happy, then turned to talk to Yue Li.

Zhu Xi immediately beamed with joy and became even more concerned about the matter of Princess Chen.

Jin Chenyuan sat to the side, sipping tea, and was also very happy to see his mother and Yue Li getting along so well.

They were just chatting about Yue Li's experiences in Kyoto these past few days when the Empress Dowager suddenly asked, "Ah Li, when will you and Chen Yuan hold your wedding banquet?"

Yue Li: ……

"what?"

It's safe to say they're truly mother and son; Yue Li can hardly keep up with their wildly imaginative thought processes.

However, Jin Chenyuan had told her that she didn't need to worry about the wedding; he would take care of everything. She just needed to attend the wedding banquet as the bride on the wedding day.

Sitting next to her, Jin Chenyuan spoke up at the opportune moment, "Mother, rest assured, the Ministry of Rites has already begun to handle all the matters related to my marriage."

"It's been handed over to the Ministry of Rites, that's good. Although the Ministry of Rites hasn't held a wedding banquet for many years, they still have the necessary procedures. What about your household's arrangements?" The Empress Dowager was now eager for Jin Chenyuan's wedding banquet to be tomorrow, hoping to get him married quickly and relieve the great weight on her heart.

"The assets in the manor will be inventoried in the next couple of days. Once that's done, we'll report it to the government office, and half of the property will naturally be transferred to A-Li's name."

Hearing that Jin Chenyuan had taken stock of the manor's properties so quickly, the Empress Dowager looked at him with surprise. Her youngest son's actions were so swift that he must have left her no room to choose others.

Instantly, the Empress Dowager's gaze towards Yue Li became even more benevolent.

If Yue Li hadn't taken him in, her youngest son would probably have remained a bachelor for life.

They chatted with the Empress Dowager at Shou Kang Palace for a while, but the Empress Dowager was getting old, and she soon showed signs of fatigue.

Seeing the Empress Dowager's tired face, Jin Chenyuan put down his teacup and asked with concern, "Mother, have you been sitting for too long and gotten tired?"

Seeing the concerned expressions on Jin Chenyuan and Yue Li's faces, the Empress Dowager waved her hand and said, "It's nothing, that's how it is when you get old."

"Since Mother is tired, she should go and rest for a while. Anyway, there will be plenty of time to talk to A-Li later, so a little while won't make a difference."

The Empress Dowager was indeed tired. When Jin Chenyuan came to the palace yesterday to ask for servants, she wanted to see Yue Li, but because of the time constraints yesterday, she was afraid it would be inconvenient, so she kept putting it off until this morning.

She had been thinking about this since yesterday, and didn't sleep well last night. She got up early this morning to wait for the two of them, and now her body is really starting to feel the strain.