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

"Hmm, they'll probably be exiled, their property confiscated, or sent to the border to cultivate wasteland or perform forced labor." Jin Chenyuan thought of the judgments he had handed down in similar cases in the past.

“Uncle is right. All those involved in this case have had their homes confiscated and been exiled.” The Emperor sat alone opposite the two men, watching them talk as if no one else was around, and couldn’t help but speak up.

The Emperor's sudden words surprised Yue Li. She had almost forgotten that the Emperor was sitting right in front of her, because she had just been talking about Yuan Xinyi.

She gave the Emperor an awkward smile, and when the Emperor couldn't see her, Yue Li pinched Jin Chenyuan's side.

Why didn't this person remind him earlier that although the emperor seems to have a good temper, he is still the ruler of a country, a person who can behead people and exterminate their entire family with just a few words? It's not good for the two of them to be talking like this, leaving the emperor standing there.

However, Jin Chenyuan clearly didn't have this concern. He took the little hand that was playing around on his waist and held it in his own hand, smiling and reassuring him, "Once we get married, you will be the Emperor's aunt. Then we will be family. There's no need to be so nervous."

"Uncle is right. After you two get married, we will be family. There's no need to be so formal." The Emperor said, feeling rather uncomfortable, as he watched the two interacting so intimately.

Hearing the two say that, Yue Li rolled her eyes inwardly. These people who grew up in the palace are all cunning and scheming. Who knows what they will say when they really don't treat them like strangers?

Just then, Fuquan reported from outside the pavilion, "Your Majesty, lunch is ready. Would Your Majesty like to move to Shou Kang Palace now, or..."

"My uncle, my aunt, and I will go now and have lunch prepared at Shou Kang Palace."

"Yes, this servant will immediately instruct the imperial kitchen to prepare lunch in Shou Kang Palace." Fu Quan said, then bowed and withdrew.

Seeing this, the Emperor said, "Uncle, Aunt, let's go to Shou Kang Palace together. We can also see if Grandmother has woken up yet."

When the group arrived at Shou Kang Palace, the Empress Dowager had already woken up, and lunch had been laid out in the main hall of the palace.

Seeing the group enter the gates of Shou Kang Palace together, the Empress Dowager greeted them happily, "Shou Kang Palace hasn't been this lively in a long time, come over here quickly."

The three of them first paid their respects to the Empress Dowager before coming to the dining table.

The Empress Dowager gestured for them to get up quickly, saying, "It's just the few of us here. We're family, no need for so much formality. Aren't you tired of bowing every day?"

As she spoke, she pulled Yue Li to sit down next to her, and Jin Chenyuan also sat down next to Yue Li.

Seeing that there were no seats left next to Yue Li, the Emperor's plan to sit next to her fell through, and he could only sit down on the other side next to the Empress Dowager.

The observant palace servants had already gone to prepare water for the three of them when they entered.

The three of them washed their hands with warm water brought by the palace servants, dried their hands with handkerchiefs, and then began to eat.

When Yue Li ate, she didn't need to pick up any food herself; the Empress Dowager and Jin Chenyuan would fill her bowl with food.

Yue Li: ……

Although the food prepared by the imperial chefs in the palace was indeed delicious, she couldn't possibly eat that much!

"Don't put any more on my plate, how can I possibly finish all this?"

As she spoke, she even put the food she didn't like into Jin Chenyuan's bowl.

"You don't need to put it in my bowl now. I'll help you if you can't finish it later."

Ignoring Jin Chenyuan's refusal, Yue Li continued until she had put all the dishes she didn't like into Jin Chenyuan's bowl.

The Empress Dowager watched the interaction between the two with amusement.

The Emperor looked at the food that Yue Li had personally placed in his uncle's bowl and wished he could switch the bowl with his uncle's.

After the meal was finished, and everyone rinsed their mouths and moved to other seats, the Empress Dowager finally spoke of something she had been thinking about for a long time: "Chenyuan is about to get married, but Your Majesty, you still don't have an Empress. How can a ruler of a country not have an Empress? Without an Empress, where will the heir come from? Your Majesty, you should choose an Empress as soon as possible."

The Empress Dowager felt that she was destined to worry. Now that her troublesome youngest son's marriage was finally settled, she was starting to worry about the Emperor's marriage.

Sigh, it's all thanks to the eldest daughter-in-law who left early. Otherwise, she would have been in charge of the Emperor's wedding arrangements, and there would be no need for her to worry about it here.

The emperor was at a loss for words.

When his grandmother said he should choose an empress, his gaze unconsciously fell on Yue Li.

However, it was only for a moment, and before anyone could notice, he withdrew his gaze.

He knew he could never have a relationship with Yue Li. Not to mention he was the emperor—no, if he weren't the emperor, there might be some connection between him and Yue Li.

However, he was really unwilling. As the ruler of a country, he was rich and powerful, yet he couldn't even have the girl he had fallen for for the first time. How could he be willing to accept this?

The other three people present had no idea what the Emperor was thinking.

After hearing the Empress Dowager's words, Jin Chenyuan remained silent. He truly didn't know what to say, after all, he had been experiencing this for over a decade.

Upon hearing the Empress Dowager's words, Yue Li's eyes lit up, and her gossipy nature began to stir.

Unbelievable! She actually encountered the rare occurrence of the Emperor being pressured to get married.

The Empress Dowager continued, "I had originally planned to hold a Hundred Flowers Banquet some time ago, but who knew..."

Before the Empress Dowager could finish speaking, Jin Chenyuan coughed, interrupting her, "Mother, it can be done now."

Jin Chenyuan was startled when the Empress Dowager suddenly brought up the matter of almost holding a Hundred Flowers Banquet to find him a noble lady some time ago.

If the Empress Dowager were to mention what he said a few days ago about having someone he liked, wouldn't Yue Li know that there was some scheming involved in their being together?

You know, Yue Li still feels that the responsibility lies with her for the coincidence that the two of them ended up together that night and even had sex.

Although, well, most of the responsibility for what happened that night does indeed lie with Yue Li.

However, if Yue Li knew that she had long harbored feelings for him and had schemed so much, Yue Li would definitely feel distant from him.

Interrupted by her youngest son, the Empress Dowager glared at him, wondering what he was up to, and continued earnestly to the Emperor, "In a couple of days, I will send out invitations to the households of noble ladies with eligible daughters, inviting them to bring their daughters to the palace for the Hundred Flowers Banquet. Your Majesty can also come and see if there is a lady you fancy. If you can choose one, perhaps we can bring the Empress into the palace this year."

The Emperor fiddled with the lid of his teacup, listening to his grandmother's words, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw Yue Li's lively and bright face, her bright eyes seemingly watching him casually.

He knew she was looking at him out of curiosity, but just being able to let her see him made him feel a sense of satisfaction. He wished she could keep looking at him like that forever.

The Emperor thought to himself silently.