As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

Chapter 269 What do you mean, Your Majesty?

The Imperial Palace of the Seasons has undergone continuous renovation and upgrading.

The new dynasty's palace has been renovated quite well.

However, because the empress did not keep male concubines or have many lovers, her harem was not large, consisting of only one bedroom.

Having a stable successor is an important indicator of a regime's stability.

The court officials have said this countless times in court.

Bei Lie has done a good job in this regard. The crown prince is not old, but he has a good reputation for virtue, which is enough to reassure the officials and the people.

The Great Qi was in chaos, but Wang Huai also had his own bloodline successors.

Now that Xiao Xinyue is of age, it's time for her to choose a husband, give birth to a prince, and prepare for future succession.

This is no small matter, nor is it just Xiao Xinyue's personal affair; it concerns the entire dynasty.

If, by some accident, Xiao Xinyue were to encounter any mishap, the new dynasty that everyone had worked so hard to build would be reduced to ashes in an instant.

As a leader, Xiao Xinyue is good in every way.

He is intelligent, diligent, dignified, clear-headed, has a keen eye for talent, appoints people appropriately, has no bad habits, and is a trustworthy new king.

It is precisely in this aspect that things become frustrating.

She seems to have absolutely no feelings about sexual pleasure.

Some upright officials knelt in the court for a long time, pleading with Xiao Xinyue to choose a husband to ensure the future of Qian Yuan and put everyone at ease.

Xiao Xinyue was furious, but there was nothing she could do.

Some even tried to introduce her to handsome young men in roundabout ways.

Those people displayed their excellence like peacocks spreading their tails, but Xiao Xinyue pretended not to see it.

The courtiers were also helpless.

I wonder what Your Majesty's tastes like.

In a tug-of-war, both sides suffer tremendous mental and physical exhaustion.

Now all the ministers feel that His Majesty likes anyone, as long as they are men.

Even if he's a spoiled brat, a prince from an enemy country, or someone who threatens the dignity of the nation... it doesn't matter.

All I need is one child.

Of course, some discerning people could see the relationship between the emperor and the Marquis of Jing'an.

This is a complicated matter, and it's not convenient for me to get involved, so I'll just stand by and watch.

It is unprecedented in history for an emperor to marry the same man as a woman next to him.

That unpredictable marquis hasn't made a statement yet!

We need to look into this further.

Xiao Xinyue is the emperor with real power. The dregs of the old dynasty have been eliminated, and the people below her are all people she has promoted one by one. The only people who can truly threaten her position are Mingchen and his wife. The power of a subject is no greater than that of the emperor, so Xiao Xinyue will not be threatened or forced.

The ministers were buzzing around like flies, which annoyed her.

After promising to handle the matter as soon as possible, he forbade his ministers from mentioning it again.

Compared to the inner palace, the Hall of Mental Cultivation, where she conducted her business, was built to be quite magnificent and imposing. Sometimes, when Xiao Xinyue was too lazy to go back to her palace, she would simply sleep in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

It was autumn, a lazy afternoon after dinner.

The Empress, dressed in a simple blue robe, sat at her desk, quietly reading through the scrolls of memorials.

Having reigned on the throne for so long, and been supreme for so long, one's eyebrows and eyes are slightly raised, as if one naturally possesses an aura of majesty that is beyond doubt and beyond argument.

It was so striking that one dared not look directly at it.

But she was still beautiful; it was just that the weight of her imperial status made most people afraid to appreciate her beauty.

She was sitting in a chair, calm and focused, with a few stray strands of hair falling down, framing her delicate face and exquisite features.

This scenery is absolutely beautiful, but no one appreciates it.

No, perhaps there should be someone.

The dense text filled her eyes, making Xiao Xinyue feel a little dizzy.

It was afternoon, and the lazy sunlight streamed into the room through the window.

She felt warm all over, a little sleepy, and nodded from time to time.

I don't know if he even read or remembered the contents of the memorial.

Suddenly, a cool breeze blew in her face, making her feel refreshed.

Seemingly sensing something, he raised his head in a daze.

Before I knew it, the person I had been longing for appeared in the room, with his usual relaxed and carefree smile on his lips.

"Your Majesty, what's wrong? Are you slacking off?"

"Sleeping in class secretly?"

Because of the matter of choosing a husband, the court officials urged her on many occasions to meet many handsome men.

They have all sorts of temperaments.

Feminine, robust, resolute, aloof, sunny and passionate...

However, it never impressed her.

Because when I was at the lowest point of depression, a ray of light shone into my heart.

In the swamp of despair, a pair of hands once pulled her forward.

She has already amazed us far too much...

To outsiders, it still seems to fall short.

It's become very difficult for me to find anyone else attractive.

"you?"

Xiao Xinyue was stunned for a moment when she saw Mingchen appear in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

"Your Majesty, Chen is back!"

Mingchen ran incredibly fast, and the white wolf's claws were even scratching sparks.

It was much faster than intelligence reports, so much so that Xiao Xinyue didn't even know he had returned.

but……

To Mingchen's surprise, Xiao Xinyue's expression remained calm, as if she was not surprised at all.

This made Mingchen think he had fallen out of favor.

"Have you been too tired lately?"

Xiao Xinyue lowered her head and rubbed her temples.

She glanced at Mingchen and said indifferently, "You're number four, stand by the window."

Mingchen: ?
"Number four?"

what happened?

Having been away from home for so long, His Majesty no longer recognizes him?
"Why are you still standing there?"

"The first three are all more sensible than you."

Seeing Mingchen lost in thought, Xiao Xinyue waved her hand and pointed to the window, saying to him in a low voice, "Go to the window and say something I want to hear!"

Mingchen: ?
"The first three?"

What's going on in this guy's head all day?
Completely disregarding imperial dignity, Mingchen stepped forward and pinched Xiao Xinyue's cheek: "Your Majesty, it's me! I'm back!"

"You...you're incredibly bold!"

Her Majesty the Empress's eyes widened, and she began to speak incoherently.

As Mingchen drew closer to her, he froze on the spot when his fingers touched her face.

"Mingchen... are you really Mingchen?"

Mingchen: ...

He rolled his eyes and sat down on the table without any hesitation: "It's fake, Chen is fake. I'll stand by the window and say something His Majesty likes to hear."

What would Your Majesty like to hear?

Ignoring the man's dismissive attitude, Xiao Xinyue stood up abruptly: "You're back? When did you get back?"

All three are fake; they are figments of the imagination.

But what's in front of me is real.

"I do not know how?"

Why didn't anyone inform me?

What are the guards even doing?!

Mingchen smiled and placed a token on the table: "This token was given to me by His Majesty. Has His Majesty forgotten?"

This sign is as if His Majesty himself were present; there would be no hindrance for Mingchen to enter the palace.

Upon reaching the entrance, the guards were all familiar faces. Mingchen ordered him to be quiet, which put the guards in a somewhat awkward position.

On one side is the supreme Emperor, and on the other is a high-ranking and powerful Marquis.

He couldn't afford to offend either side, and he dared not offend either of them.

In the end, they could only resign themselves to watching Mingchen go inside.

"The third one? The fourth one?"

Mingchen raised an eyebrow and looked at the somewhat dazed emperor with a smile: "What do you mean, Your Majesty?"

However, the next moment, a fragrant breeze greeted them.

The Empress, who was worried sick about how to give birth to an heir to inherit the empire, now embraced the man without any hesitation.

Xiao Xinyue hugged him tightly and whispered, "Why did it take you so long to get back?!"

The fatigue vanished, and every cell in my body seemed to be jubilant and joyful.

A deep affection will not diminish because of separation.

Instead, it will intensify with longing, bursting forth in a single moment.

Mingchen didn't try to deny it, but simply patted her back gently and said with a smile, "Sorry, Your Majesty, it's my fault for being late!"

A gentle breeze rustled the windowpanes, causing the woman's long hair to flutter in the wind.

The young man and woman embraced each other, the scene frozen in time, a picture of tranquility.

She had actually hinted at her feelings before.

The two embraced, their hearts overflowing with unspoken words, yet for a moment they were at a loss for what to say.

After a while, Xiao Xinyue finally calmed down.

She looked at Mingchen with bright eyes and said softly, "Tell me, after the Battle of Yueyang, where did you go and what did you do?"

Mingchen's charm lies in his unrestrained, free-spirited, and imaginative nature.

Now he lives in Jiqu, handling affairs of the new dynasty.

Xiao Xinyue was very curious about everything Mingchen did.

"After the Battle of Yueyang?" Mingchen laughed. "Doesn't Your Majesty want to know about what happened before the Battle of Yueyang?"

Xiao Xinyue paused, then chuckled dryly, "Let's talk about the later parts first, let's talk about the later parts first."

The monk had told the story several times already.

Xiao Xinyue would call the head monk over for a chat whenever she had nothing to do, which annoyed the monk so much that he ran away, saying he wanted to wander around and travel around the new Qian Yuan.

"Good~"

Mingchen didn't hide anything and told His Majesty everything he had seen and heard along the way.

When asked about Bai Lingcheng's novel management philosophy, Xiao Xinyue nodded and then shook her head, seemingly inspired.

When asked about the four meetings with the Alliance Leader, Her Majesty the Empress was not surprised by Hong Ling Shuang's special abilities. She simply rolled her eyes at him, knowing that he clearly had no good intentions.

Mingchen never hid his womanizing ways, and Xiao Xinyue didn't believe him when he said he had no interest in the alliance leader.

"The irrigation canal in Beilie is almost finished."

However, at this point, Xiao Xinyue frowned: "So fast?!"

Located in a remote area with limited access to information, she hadn't yet grasped the specific details, as the truth was often mixed with falsehoods.

All that is known is that Xiao Beilie's canal construction was completed much faster than planned.

Now that Mingchen has gone to see for himself, the intelligence can't be faked.

The irrigation canal is a cage that binds a fierce tiger; once the canal is completed, the cage is broken.

What will become of the world?
Bei Lie had previously done humiliating things, such as forcing Qian Yuan to send her the princess and ceding territory to sue for peace. These things still cast a shadow over her.

Mingchen lowered his eyes and sighed softly, "Yes."

"We have so many extraordinary people joining us, and Bei Lie is no exception."

"To open up mountains and split the earth, to block rivers and divert water, the strength of an individual is greater than that of countless hard-earned labors."

This was also beyond his expectations.

"Are you ready, Your Majesty?"

"Next year, the year after... at the latest the year after next, we will send troops."

With perfect timing, favorable location, and harmonious relationships, Xiao Xinyue has everything she needs for a stable and successful career.

These past few years have been blessed with favorable weather and abundant harvests, and thanks to the new breeds developed by the rats, the grain reserves of Xinqianyuan have been overflowing.

The Ordnance Bureau has been refining weapons and developing firearms.

Ling Yu and a group of generals have been training their troops.

In this era of great strife, peaceful development is rare. The East is plagued by frequent wars and devastation.

The new Qian Yuan dynasty, however, is confined to the west, where its power is rapidly expanding.

Mingchen believed that although he could no longer hold Bei Lie back, the capital that Xin Qian Yuan had accumulated over the years was enough to get back to the card table and compete.

Xiao Xinyue's expression turned serious, her eyes gleaming with a turbulent light. Finally, she raised her head, looked into Mingchen's eyes, and said in a deep voice, "Alright!"

A single, simple word, yet it caused the world to crumble, millions to fall one after another, and corpses to litter the fields.

Living in a corner and being content with the status quo is nothing more than waiting to die.

She also has ambition and desires.

She embraced the land, the people...

"Ah."

"I met the Crown Prince of Beilie at the irrigation canal, and then I went to Qingcang City to see the Northern Emperor..."

There is absolute trust between the two.

Xiao Xinyue felt nothing but surprise and excitement at Mingchen's silent appearance in her Yangxin Hall; she felt no dissatisfaction or suspicion whatsoever.

Similarly, Mingchen wouldn't hide anything from Xiao Xinyue.

In a sense, they are already a family.

He did not hide anything from Qing Cang.

"Humph!"

"You treacherous Northern Emperor! Your wicked heart remains undiminished!"

"You dare to arrange a marriage between me?!"

Xiao Xinyue never cared that Mingchen was flirting with beauties, but she was indignant about other leaders poaching their girlfriends.

The Northern Emperor of Gou Cao once spread rumors that half a province could be exchanged for one person.

Now they're trying to force people into marriage; they've really lost all sense of shame.

That Northern Emperor looks like a bear; one slap from him could make Mingchen, this frail scholar,'s head buzz. Who would believe he lost to Mingchen on purpose?!

Is this wicked, dissolute person really that likable?

Apart from Dong Zhuo, it seems that the leaders of other major forces are all particularly fond of him.

Grooves!
Xiao Xinyue felt like her forehead was green.

Mingchen chuckled and waved his hand, "It's just that the connection failed. The princess doesn't even fancy me!"

"Humph!"

"That's because she's short-sighted and has no vision!"

Xiao Xinyue frowned and snorted coldly, "She still dares to look down on people? She should take a piss and look at herself in the mirror."

She doesn't even like Mingchen, so who else could she like?

I had long heard that Princess Beilie was unruly, and indeed, her reputation was well-deserved.

Mingchen: ...

You've said everything.

Once Xiao Xinyue had calmed down a bit, Mingchen continued speaking.

Speaking of the Bai Ling Rebellion, Xiao Xinyue couldn't help but sigh, "That alliance leader is quite a character."

However, the Jinglan Alliance was too small in power; its main rivals were still Bei Lie and Da Qi.

When the topic of the chaos in the northern border came up, Xiao Xinyue frowned and fell silent.

She knew this information.

The rise and fall of the nation brings suffering to the people.

The people who suffered so much in the northern lands were originally subjects of Qian Yuan, her subjects as well.

Her ambition, and the blood oath she swore, were partly due to this.

The world has been in chaos for so long, it's time for some peace.

Then, it was time to go home. After crossing the Shen River, we headed south back to Jiqu.

Nothing major happened during that time, but there were still some things I saw and heard, and some interesting stories that I can talk about.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Xinyue kept raising her head, like a puppy waiting for praise, anticipating what Mingchen would say.

Praise, praise, praise!
Did you see that?
This is the land under the rule of the new Qian Yuan, the country I have diligently governed day and night.

Mingchen simply looked up into Xiao Xinyue's eyes and said, "Does Your Majesty know what my feelings were when I traveled from the northern border to the south and met the new Qian Yuan?"

"what?"

"I only feel that what I did was right, and that my choice was right."

This person is usually carefree and irresponsible, eloquent, and full of lies. Few people can truly understand his thoughts, and few people can listen to him seriously talk about his feelings.

But now, Xiao Xinyue knew that these few words came from his heart.

She swayed slightly and stared intently into Mingchen's eyes.

For a moment, all sorts of emotions surged through my chest, and I felt, without a doubt, that my hard work and diligent governance over the years had been rewarded.

Mingchen's choice was correct. What did Mingchen choose?

He didn't choose the powerful ruler of Beilie, nor the wise crown prince, nor the Blood-Clad Army he had raised.

Mingchen chose her!
They chose her, the least likely candidate, a fallen princess who had once been used as a bargaining chip.

"Humph!"

She wrinkled her nose, tilted her head back, and snorted, "Good to know."

She wanted to hear such sentimental words, but now she didn't want to.

He kept changing the subject, saying, "What else? What else? Tell me more!"

She wanted to know everything about Mingchen.

"And..."

Mingchen smiled and simply sat beside her, explaining in detail.

The afternoon breeze was gentle, and happy moments flew by in the blink of an eye.

The dazzling, bright sun had somehow set behind the western mountains.

The dim, golden rays of the setting sun streamed through the window, and the gauze curtains swayed gently in the breeze.

The two of them just sat there, talking.

Mingchen is quite talkative; he can talk on and on.

However, as he was talking, he suddenly stopped.

"Huh~"

Before anyone knew it, her little head was resting on Mingchen's shoulder.

"You make someone talk to you, but you just go to sleep by yourself!"

Mingchen turned his head and said with a mocking laugh.

However, despite saying this, he didn't tease her; instead, his eyes were gentle.

No one knows how much effort she put in to get to this point.

Mingchen is not the kind of servant who acts like a nanny; on the contrary, she has achieved most of her success through her own efforts.

Even the most beautiful and noble Empress is still just a human being.

She gets tired too.

Being by Mingchen's side was the time when she felt most at ease and relaxed.

At this moment, the mind gets a complete rest.

She leaned against Mingchen without any hesitation, her eyes closed, her small mouth slightly open, and soft breathing could be heard.

So cute.

It looks as if it's tempting someone to kiss it.

And that's exactly what Mingchen did.

With her long eyelashes trembling slightly, the naturally noble woman suddenly opened her eyes, and the man's wicked appearance came into view.

According to unofficial historical records,

On the day of his return to the city, the despicable and greedy treacherous minister sexually assaulted the supreme Empress.

(End of this chapter)