I've announced that I'm destined to have many children, and my father has bestowed upon me

In the afternoon, Liu Ruoshuang was required to meet with the leaderless academic ministers at her residence.

Before Zhao Chen'an even approached the main hall, he could faintly hear suppressed conversations.

He slowed his pace, stood sideways behind a pillar, and looked into the hall.

In the main hall, Liu Ruoshuang, who had changed from yesterday's red makeup, was now wearing an elegant and dignified palace dress.

Her black hair was tied up high, secured with only a simple jade hairpin.

Her posture was upright, and her unadorned face carried an innate aloofness and majesty.

Below her, seven or eight middle-aged men dressed in official robes of various colors stood with their hands at their sides, each sitting upright and not daring to breathe loudly.

Zhao Chen'an recognized all of these people.

The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, the Principal of the Ministry of Revenue, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review... all of them were influential figures in the court, and in the eyes of outsiders, they were the "academics" of Tie Gan.

They are the pride of the Jixia Academy, upholding the academy's ideals.

They formed their own faction in the imperial court, subtly opposing the traditional aristocratic families and imperial relatives.

At this moment, these upright officials, who were eloquent in the court and even dared to contradict the emperor to his face, were now in a state of shock.

In front of Liu Ruoshuang, however, he was as docile as a schoolchild awaiting instruction.

"Esteemed gentlemen, you are all senior scholars and sages of my Jixia Academy."

Liu Ruoshuang finally spoke, her voice clear and crisp, not loud, yet clearly carrying to every corner of the entire hall.

"As a woman, Ruoshuang should not have the right to comment on the ways of governance of you gentlemen."

She paused, then her tone suddenly shifted, becoming sharp.

"But now I am the concubine of the King of Wei, and also the next dean."

"Some things just have to be said."

"The academy's philosophy is 'to establish a moral compass for heaven and earth, and to secure a destiny for the people,' not 'to treat the world as a chessboard and the common people as chess pieces!'"

"You study the classics, receive salaries from the court, and eat the grain of the people. Loyalty to the emperor, love for your country, and service to the people—this is your duty!"

"If anyone still clings to those self-righteous grand ideals, thinking of stirring up trouble in the court, realizing their ambitions, disregarding the laws of the land, and regarding the power of the emperor as a straw dog..."

Liu Ruoshuang stopped and did not continue speaking.

But that invisible pressure caused fine beads of sweat to appear on the foreheads of the ministers present.

"The Holy...the Queen's reprimand is correct, we...we will remember it and never forget it!"

The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel was the first to bow, his voice hoarse.

The others echoed this sentiment, falling silent in fear.

The shock they felt was beyond words.

Is the woman before me still the aloof and otherworldly saintess of the academy?

These words are not an admonition, but a warning!

It's a knock!

It was to completely sever the ambiguous connection between them and the academy, forcing them to choose sides!

Standing behind the pillars, Zhao Chen'an took it all in.

A strange feeling welled up inside me.

This is Liu Ruoshuang, a prodigy of the Jixia Academy, a talent rarely seen in hundreds of years, possessing an innate reincarnation body.

Her prestige among academic officials was even higher than that of the former dean.

Now, with her marriage, that prestige and those connections have become her intangible assets.

He looked at the woman in the hall who was aloof and proud, yet radiant with brilliance.

But the image of her writhing and pleasuring him beneath him involuntarily surfaced in his mind last night in their wedding chamber.

The stark contrast made Zhao Chen'an's heart skip a beat.

What a treasure trove!

After a while, the ministers, as if granted a pardon, bowed and took their leave.

They filed out, passing by Zhao Chen'an.

He only glanced at it briefly before lowering his head and walking away quickly, as if he hadn't seen the true master of the Prince's mansion.

Zhao Chen'an didn't care.

He straightened his robes and stepped into the hall.

Inside the hall, Liu Ruoshuang remained seated in the main seat, seemingly deep in thought, with a hint of weariness in her eyes.

Hearing footsteps, she looked up and saw Zhao Chen'an. Instantly, she snapped out of her life-or-death authority.

She hurriedly got up, walked down quickly, and lowered her head slightly.

"My husband."

"Thanks for your hard work."

Zhao Chen'an stepped forward and naturally took her slightly cool hand in his.

Liu Ruoshuang's body trembled almost imperceptibly, but she did not break free.

"I...I want to go back to the academy."

She raised her head, a hint of pleading in her clear eyes.

Zhao Chen'an understood instantly.

The old dean didn't have much time left, and she went back this time to see him one last time and fulfill her teacher-student relationship.

Secondly, and most importantly, we must take advantage of the old dean's presence to thoroughly reorganize the Jixia Academy, and clean up all the elders and factions who harbor ulterior motives and are unruly.

From this day forward, the Jixia Academy will truly become her personal fiefdom.

Only in this way can she ensure that the immense power of the academy will not be exploited by those with ulterior motives, becoming a hidden danger that threatens the Great Zhou and him.

This is a war without bloodshed.

Zhao Chen'an really wanted to go with her and support her.

But he can't.

He was a prince, the King of Wei.

If he were to appear, the nature of the matter would completely change.

That would be a forced takeover of the academy by the royal family, which would only provoke the strongest backlash.

At least nominally, Zhao Chen'an is indeed not in a position to show his face.

This is something that Liu Ruoshuang has to do herself.

"Of course."

Zhao Chen'an released her hand and tidied a stray strand of hair at her temple.

"Do you need me to send someone to escort you?"

Liu Ruoshuang shook her head, a sincere expression of gratitude appearing on her face.

"No need, the academy has its own arrangements. It's just... this trip may take some time."

She had thought Zhao Chen'an would ask more questions, or even impose restrictions.

After all, the princess was going back to her parents' home on the second day of her marriage, and to such a sensitive place as the Jixia Academy. It wouldn't sound good if word got out.

But he didn't.

He simply offered complete trust and support.

This feeling of being respected and understood was something she had never experienced in her more than twenty years of life.

The men surrounding her either revered her like a goddess, or feared her like a venomous snake, or...

I want to possess her as a precious collectible.

Only Zhao Chen'an treated her as an equal, a wife with whom he could stand shoulder to shoulder.

This feeling of goodwill quietly fermented in my heart, growing stronger and stronger.

"It's alright."

Zhao Chen'an smiled. "Perfect timing, I also have some things to take care of. Come back when you're done; the Prince's Mansion will always be your home."

"Thank you, my husband."

Liu Ruoshuang bowed deeply, and when she raised her head again, the coldness that belonged to a saintess had completely melted away, leaving only the gentleness that belonged to a wife.

……

An hour later, at the east gate of the imperial city.

A simple, unadorned carriage was parked outside the city gate.

Zhao Chen'an, dressed in casual clothes, personally escorted Liu Ruoshuang to the car.

"I'm losing out big time by sending away my newlywed princess today."

Zhao Chen'an said half-jokingly.

Liu Ruoshuang's cheeks flushed slightly.

"Rest assured, my husband, if I go, I will definitely return in ten days at the earliest and half a month at the latest."

She made a solemn promise, as if afraid he might misunderstand.

"Okay, I'll wait for you."

Zhao Chen'an nodded.

An atmosphere of parting permeated the two of them.

Liu Ruoshuang glanced at Zhao Chen'an, seemingly mustering up a great deal of courage.

She suddenly stepped forward, and under Zhao Chen'an's astonished gaze, tiptoed and gently kissed his lips.

Soft, cool, and with a hint of orchid fragrance.

Instantly separate.

"My husband... take care."

After Liu Ruoshuang finished speaking, she quickly turned around and got into the carriage, as if she had used up all her strength, and didn't even dare to look back.

The coachman cracked his whip, and the carriage slowly started moving, heading into the distance.

Zhao Chen'an stood there alone, subconsciously touching his lips.

The thrilling sensation still lingers on it.