Empress: Your Majesty, please respect yourself, I don't want to be promoted

"hiss!"

The next morning, Lu Chen, who had slept all night, inexplicably felt some back pain.

I felt completely drained and had no energy all morning.

After a quick bite and getting into the carriage, on the way to Ziji City, he couldn't help but ask Fu Xuan, who was also looking exhausted, as he carried him on his shoulder:

"Fu Sizheng, did you do something to me last night? I feel strange."

Fu Xuan glanced at his profile and calmly said, "It's normal. I need to use some kind of power from you to maintain the spell, which will put a certain burden on your body. You'll get used to it."

"Moreover, this burden is within your capacity to bear, and you will recover quickly without affecting your daily life."

Lu Chen frowned.

Although Fu Xian spoke in the same calm and normal way as usual, he still felt that something was wrong.

He thought about it for a long time but couldn't figure it out, and since his body was indeed recovering quickly, he stopped thinking about it.

"Really? That's good."

Fu Xian stretched out her feet and swung her little toes against Lu Chen's shoulder.

She seemed to really enjoy doing this, and it even became a habit. She inexplicably exuded a sense of leisure and tranquility.

"Idleness is also idleness."

She suddenly raised her hand and gently brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"Young Master Lu, let's find something to talk about."

Lu Chen slightly raised his eyes.

"Okay, you can say it."

Fu Xian seemed to have gotten used to Lu Chen's lack of romantic understanding and no longer expected him to find topics to talk about.

"If, I mean if..."

Her rosy legs swayed back and forth, and as her lips parted slightly, a soft, inexplicable voice slowly rang out.

"Young Master Lu, if you had a child, what name would you give it?"

Lu Chen felt somewhat confused.

What's the point of this kind of topic?

He thought Fu Xian would bring up topics like the Holy Realm's predicament, interests, the significance of the Heavenly Secrets Bureau's existence, and the impact of causal deduction, but he didn't expect it to be something completely unrelated.

Fu Xian's legs swayed a bit more.

"It's just casual conversation, it doesn't need to mean anything, right?"

As she spoke, she spread her hands out, placing them on Lu Chen's shoulders, and her body relaxed even more.

"It's not a lecture or a formal discussion; it's just a casual chat on a whim. Don't take it seriously. Just say whatever comes to mind and continue the conversation along my lines."

Lu Chen: ".Okay."

Taking advantage of the rare free time for conversation, he relaxed as well.

Then, after thinking for a moment, he continued:

"If it's a boy, we'll name him Lu Sheng, and if it's a girl, we'll name her Lu Xiaoxiao."

Upon hearing this, Fu Xian immediately showed displeasure.

"Isn't this a bit too casual? It's fine for a boy's name, as it means brightness and prosperity, which is also your ambition. But the girl's name is too ordinary, isn't it? What's the difference between it and names like Er Ya or Xiao Hua? It's like a country bumpkin's name, you didn't put any thought into it at all."

"Didn't you say it was just casual conversation?"

Lu Chen couldn't quite understand Fu Xuan's thought process.

These are just casual conversations, nothing more than casual banter. Is it really necessary to take them seriously?

Fu Xian's expression froze slightly, and then he turned his head away somewhat awkwardly.

"There's no need to be so casual. When I was in the Holy Realm, I heard that you were a scholar of unparalleled learning, a genius of the ages. Even if you don't speak eloquently, you are still full of knowledge. You shouldn't be so casual."

Lu Chen raised an eyebrow slightly.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you. My performance in the imperial examination was only average. I'm a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest level of the imperial examinations). Let alone someone as talented and eloquent as Li Bai, I don't even have the talent of a Zhuangyuan (the top scholar in the imperial examinations). I don't have that kind of talent."

Fu Xuan: "." After a moment, she sighed softly.

"Be serious, think of another name."

Although Lu Chen was a little confused, he still thought about it seriously.

"Then let's call her Lu Qingwan."

"This is acceptable."

Fu Xian smiled slightly and readily agreed.

Lu Chen turned his head and glanced at her speechlessly. He wondered if it was just his imagination, but he felt that Fu Xian seemed to care a lot about this so-called casual conversation.

"The name doesn't really matter."

He suddenly turned his head and looked at the street outside the car window, his expression inexplicably becoming somewhat melancholy.

"Anyway, I can't have children, so even if I choose a good name, it won't make any difference."

Upon hearing this, Fu Xuan fell silent, a hint of sadness flashing across his face.

"That's right."

The atmosphere suddenly became somewhat heavy.

Neither of them spoke again, silently waiting for the carriage to arrive at Xuanji Gate.

After entering the palace, Lu Chen originally intended to go to Lingyun Mansion to see if Xiao Yun had sent any urgent letters, and to deal with them in time to ensure the stability of the situation in Yuzhou.

However, as soon as he crossed the corridor, he saw two eunuchs in red robes standing at the entrance, seemingly waiting for someone.

As soon as they saw him coming, the two of them went straight to greet him.

"Lord Lu, His Majesty has issued an urgent decree, ordering you to proceed immediately to the Zichen Hall upon entering the palace."

Upon hearing this, Lu Chen was slightly taken aback.

Recently, things have been relatively stable in all aspects of the court, with no major moves and everything proceeding in an orderly manner. Logically speaking, the Empress shouldn't have anything to ask him.

The timing of this urgent imperial edict seems rather odd.

However, he didn't think much of it. Since the Empress had summoned him, he might as well go.

"Please lead the way, gentlemen."

"Young Master Lu, you're too kind."

Soon, Lu Chen followed the two to the Zi Chen Palace.

Then the two eunuchs stopped at the door and let Lu Chen go in alone.

Lu Chen naturally stepped into the main hall where only the Empress was present.

After working together for more than two years, he had learned some of the Empress's habits. For example, when she specifically sought him out, she would usually be alone with him, and there would generally be no one else in the palace.

Even the palace servants who accompanied the emperor were driven out of the main hall.

"I am here to see you, Your Majesty."

Upon entering the Imperial Study, Lu Chen habitually bowed to the Empress.

"You're here, Lu Qing."

Jiang Chengwan raised her head and put down the memorial in her hand.

"sit down."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Lu Chen walked to his designated spot and sat down, then looked up at the Empress, waiting for her to give her instructions.

Jiang Chengwan picked up her teacup, took a small sip, and then got straight to the point:
"Minister Lu, I intend to have you lead the Xingping New Army to Luyang to assist the Holy King in coordinating the eastern front and stabilizing the situation in the Jianghuai region in preparation for the southern expedition. What do you think?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Chen's eyes narrowed slightly.

So they really came.
Fu Xian's prophecy was about him and the Holy King Cangming.

Whether in Yuzhou or the capital, he had absolutely no connection with the Cangming Saint King, and their respective territories hardly overlapped. But now...
He had a strange feeling that the gears of fate had begun to turn. (End of Chapter)