In the Great Jin palace, Fan Li stood before Empress Lu Fubao with a serious face.
“Your servant is here.”
“Hee hee, what is it, my lord?”
Fan Li pointed west with a pained expression.
“The palace is vast. Why do you insist on dragging me to the west gate every day? What are you up to?”
Lu Fubao’s eyes darted about with a hint of mischief hidden beneath her virtuous facade.
“I enjoy the scenery at the west gate.”
If Fan Li believed that, his intelligence was truly questionable. He was surprised to discover that women were truly fascinating creatures.
When he had brought Qing Qiu back to the Great Jin kingdom, Lu Fubao had clearly been jealous.
But somehow, she seemed to have come to terms with the situation.
Not only had she accepted Qing Qiu’s presence, but she had also seemingly embraced the role of matchmaker, shamelessly trying to pair Fan Li and Qing Qiu, completely disregarding their feelings.
“My Empress! Heaven and Earth can bear witness! I brought Qing Qiu here to weaken Empress Yao Guang's influence. There is nothing between us! We are completely innocent!”
“Oh.” Lu Fubao nodded obediently. “Completely innocent? Not even a single impure thought?”
Fan Li was speechless. He was a man. A normal man. How could he possibly be completely devoid of impure thoughts?
After all, even Emperor Xin, the Human Sovereign, hadn't been able to resist the allure of the nine-tailed fox demon.
Why should he be any different?
“My Empress, you are a woman of learning. Surely you’ve heard the saying: The Master said…
“‘Food and sex are natural desires’?” Lu Fubao quickly answered.
Fan Li’s face turned red.
“The Master said: When a man…”
“‘When a man reaches a certain age, he should marry. When a woman reaches a certain age, she should be given in marriage’?”
Another interruption.
“‘Men and women should maintain a proper distance!’”
Fan Li finally managed to finish the sentence, only to discover a tail swaying behind Lu Fubao.
He was startled, then realized that Qing Qiu had appeared, hiding behind Lu Fubao. Only half of her face was visible, her beauty breathtaking yet devoid of emotion. Her gaze, curious, was fixed upon him.
“Uh, why… why are you here?” Fan Li asked awkwardly.
“I smelled you, so I came to see.”
Stolen novel; please report.
He immediately began to reflect. Had he forgotten to bathe recently?
What did he smell like to Qing Qiu?
“Um… Did you hear our conversation?”
He prayed silently. A keen sense of smell was enough. Impaired hearing wouldn’t be a problem.
Unfortunately, his prayers weren't answered.
“I heard everything.” Qing Qiu’s tail swayed as she spoke.
She possessed a high cultivation level, but her knowledge of history and literature was limited.
“Who is this ‘Master’ you keep mentioning? He seems quite talkative.”
Fan Li wished he could disappear.
Thankfully, he had become adept at handling Qing Qiu. It was easy for him to change the subject.
“Qing Qiu, are you hungry?”
She was a Great Vehicle Realm cultivator. Hunger was almost a foreign concept to her. But her sweet tooth was legendary.
Qing Qiu immediately nodded. “Yes, I’m famished!”
“My Empress!” Fan Li said sternly. “I have matters to attend to. Please accompany Qing Qiu to the dining hall.”
Lu Fubao’s attempt at matchmaking was unsuccessful, thus she was slightly disappointed.
But whenever Fan Li adopted his Emperor persona, she always supported her beloved.
“Yes. Your servant obeys.”
She bowed and left, pulling Qing Qiu along. Qing Qiu turned to look back several times as they departed.
Finally, Fan Li was alone. He felt a strange mix of relief and… regret?
“He’s afraid to eat what’s offered, but he still craves it.
He has a wandering eye, but lacks the courage to act.
Damn it, why am I such a coward?”
Fan Li cursed himself silently, then decided to find a quiet place to study the Human Emperor Blood he had received as a reward from the system.
After completing the mission [Shangjun’s Regret], he had finally obtained the treasure. It was an incredibly valuable material, perfect for refining a Heavenly Emperor Treasure and increasing its grade.
Unfortunately, Fan Li’s cultivation was too low. And he had no knowledge of refining.
He was still pondering this when the system’s video call interface appeared.
“Xiang Ning wishes to speak with you. Would you like to accept?”
Fan Li didn't hesitate. He accepted the call.
Qing Qiu had left the Great Ci Dynasty. Xiang Ning was alone now. Although the system had granted her the [Undying] status effect, he was still worried about her safety.
The video call connected.
The screen showed the small courtyard where Xiang Ning resided.
An old tree stood in the center, and someone had constructed a swing beneath its branches. Xiang Ning sat upon the swing, gently swaying back and forth.
“Fan Li, how are you?”
Her voice was sweet, but a hint of loneliness lingered. Her gaze fell upon the ground. She didn’t look at Fan Li.
Thankfully, she hadn't. He was currently in the Great Jin palace, dressed in his Emperor’s robes and crown.
The moment he realized this, he quickly removed his crown and robes, despite being in public.
Thankfully, the Great Jin kingdom had a small population. And there were no servants or guards within the palace. He avoided the embarrassment of being seen in his undergarments.
Having removed his robes, Fan Li retrieved a Confucian scholar’s outfit from his storage box and quickly put it on.
“I’m doing well, Your Majesty. Qing Qiu has left the Great Ci Dynasty. They haven't mistreated you, have they?”
Hearing Fan Li’s concern, Xiang Ning’s mood visibly improved.
“No. I’m fine. Everything is well.”
She hesitated, her face turning red. The swing’s movement intensified, as if mirroring her racing heart.
“Fan Li, I know you are a man of learning.”
“You flatter me, Your Majesty. I’ve merely read a few books.”
Fan Li feigned humility, but he was puzzled.
What was wrong with Xiang Ning today?
Had she suddenly developed an interest in scholarly pursuits?
“I’ve been reading some ancient poems, and there are a few lines I don’t understand. I was hoping you could explain them.”
Fan Li sighed with relief. He had assumed something terrible had occurred.
Discussing poetry was one of the original Fan Li’s strengths.
Even he, having memorized a few hundred Tang Dynasty poems in his previous life, possessed a decent understanding of literature.
“Please speak freely, Your Majesty. I will answer to the best of my ability!” He smiled.
Xiang Ning nodded and glanced at Fan Li shyly. She resembled a lovestruck maiden.
“The mountain has trees, the trees have branches. My heart delights in you, but you do not know.”
“Fan Li, what does this mean?”
Fan Li listened attentively, nodding as if he understood.
“Your Majesty, are you reading Qin Dynasty poetry? Those lines are from the ‘Song of the Yue Boatman,’ a poem from the pre-Qin era. They mean: The mountain has trees, the trees have branches. My heart delights in you, but you do not know… Uh…”
He shouldn't have paused. He met Xiang Ning’s gaze. Silence hung in the air, heavy and awkward.
Fan Li’s mind raced. Xiang Ning was also filled with regret.
“What’s wrong with me? Why am I wasting my time reading poetry when I should be cultivating?
It’s all Master Qing Qiu’s fault! I was simply tidying up her belongings. Why did she have to have a book of pre-Qin poetry? And why did it have to be open to the ‘Song of the Yue Boatman’?
Great Chu ancestors, please forgive me! I am a good girl! I simply… lost control for a moment. No, there was no ‘control’ to lose! I have no inappropriate thoughts towards my officials!”
Xiang Ning was on the verge of tears. She looked at the man on the screen. “Fan Li, you’re bullying me again!”
“???” Fan Li was speechless.