‘He really is just a boy at heart.
He knows nothing of schemes and hidden daggers, throwing himself headfirst into the arms of a beautiful woman.
So single-minded.’
In truth, the Little Emperor was always very calm and manly in front of Shen Lang.
But since he was standing before his own mother, he unconsciously let his guard down and acted a bit childishly.
But the Empress Dowager couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy.
“You’re so good to her.
Do you really like her that much?”
Jiang Yu frowned, looking rather incredulous.
“Mother, what kind of question is that?
I am going to marry her, so of course it’s because I’m extremely fond of her.”
“And does this daughter of Prince Chen like you in return?”
“I am the Emperor, and in a few days, I will be her husband.
As for not liking me…” He raised his voice slightly, his clear, magnetic tone, still tinged with youth, carrying an unexpected hint of danger.
“Would she dare?”
The Empress Dowager: “…”
The Empress Dowager could already picture the awkward future where her son would forget his mother the moment he got a wife.
*
*
When Qing Mei returned to the Prime Minister’s Mansion, it was already dinnertime.
The servants had already set the table and were standing by respectfully, waiting.
The dishes were still warm, but something felt missing.
“…Where is my wife?” Qing Mei paused before taking his seat with composure.
The butler hurriedly replied, “The Madam went out today without an escort and hasn’t returned yet…”
Qing Mei gazed at the table laden with food and suddenly asked, “Are any of these dishes…
her favorite?”
The butler looked troubled.
“Well…
The Madam has only been with us for a day.
I don’t know what her preferences are…”
Qing Mei lowered his gaze, his expression faint.
He waved a hand.
“You are all dismissed.”
And where was Shen Lang right now?
She was at the Drunken Immortal Inn, elegantly stuffing her face.
Jade-green congee, sweet steamed cheese curd, braised pork trotters, drunken chicken, fried chicken wings, and stir-fried chicken gizzards with fresh peppers.
Her little belly had grown a full size larger.
When she finished, she elegantly wiped her rosy lips and commented casually, “Barely acceptable.”
Luo Baoshu, who had been staring wide-eyed from across the table as the peerless beauty ate: “…”
‘Somebody, please pinch me.’
‘I’m so overwhelmed I can barely breathe.’
‘How can someone use their beauty to freeload a meal and still look so disdainful?’
A femme fatale like Shen Lang was already enough to make one’s mouth water.
But watching this exquisite beauty elegantly devour an entire table of food only served to whet everyone’s appetite even more.
In an instant, sales of the Drunken Immortal Inn’s dishes skyrocketed.
To avoid attracting any more attention, Luo Baoshu swiftly pulled Shen Lang away.
“You’re not going back to the Prime Minister’s Mansion?” Luo Baoshu asked, surprised.
‘It’s only been a day since the wedding, and the bride isn’t even going home for dinner?
How improper is that?’
Shen Lang leisurely swayed her white jade round fan.
At those words, she glanced at her and said, “What if I go stay at your place?
Is that a problem?”
Luo Baoshu choked for a second.
“It’s only been one day and you and the Prime Minister are already sick of the sight of each other?”
Shen Lang: “Who said that?”
Luo Baoshu: “I could tell by looking at your nostrils.”
Shen Lang: “You’re quite good at spouting bullshit.”
Luo Baoshu: “…”
‘Do prettier people have a higher proficiency in cursing?’
Finally, Miss Luo asked awkwardly, “…Are you coming out again tomorrow?”
Shen Huoshui covered her lips with her fan and smiled.
“We’ll see.”
Luo Baoshu: “…”
“She will not be coming out tomorrow.” A voice as smooth as jade suddenly spoke from nearby.
They looked up to see a handsome man with ink-black hair, dressed in green robes.
It was none other than the current Prime Minister.
As the eldest daughter of the Luo Mansion, Luo Baoshu had attended numerous palace banquets and had, of course, seen the Prime Minister before.
“Prime Minister…?” She looked from the Prime Minister to Shen Lang and back again.
“You two seem to be good friends?” Qing Mei asked, a smile in his eyes.
Shen Lang arched an eyebrow.
“What’s it to you?”
Qing Mei replied, “As her husband, I believe my desire to know about my wife’s life is not an excessive request.”
“Our relationship…” Shen Huoshui shot Luo Baoshu a flirtatious wink.
“It’s hard to describe.”
Qing Mei: “…” ‘Why am I sensing some intense romantic vibes between them?’
Luo Baoshu immediately leaped to the side, declaring defensively, “We have no relationship!
We just met today, we didn’t know each other before!”
‘Listen to that.
What kind of nonsense is that?’
After saying her piece, Luo Baoshu asked, “What did you mean just now?
Why won’t you let Yu Yin come out tomorrow?”
Qing Mei smiled faintly.
“Tomorrow, my wife and I will be at home…
bonding.
Does Miss Luo wish to interfere with that as well?”
Shen Lang slowly formed a question mark in her mind: …?
‘Bonding?’
‘No, impossible.
He should just give up.’
‘I’m a woman that a stinking man like him can never have.’
Luo Baoshu rubbed her nose sheepishly and gave a dry laugh.
“Oh, I see.
Bonding is good, bonding is good.
Haha, well, I won’t disturb you two then.”
After Luo Baoshu left, the two of them also started walking toward the Prime Minister’s Mansion.
Qing Mei hadn’t brought any attendants, so the two walked at a leisurely pace.
It was mostly quiet, with only sporadic, idle conversation between them.
“When you went to the palace today, did the Emperor ask about anything?” Shen Lang asked nonchalantly.
A flicker of light passed through Qing Mei’s eyes.
“…No.”
“Does he not know that we’re married?”
“He does not.”
The hand Shen Lang was using to wave her white jade round fan paused.
“Truly?”
“Does my wife not trust me?” Qing Mei countered.
Shen Lang: “Give me a reason to.”
Qing Mei: “…”
He pursed his lips and said quietly, “…Are you acquainted with the Emperor, my wife?”
“We’ve met once.” Shen Lang glanced at him.
“But I was disguised as a man at the time.
He probably doesn’t remember me.”
It was unclear if it was out of relief, but Qing Mei smiled.
“My wife is surprisingly honest.”
“Unlike a certain someone,” Shen Lang added, shooting him a meaningful, chilly glare.
Qing Mei: “…”
‘Utterly lawless…
Do you have any idea you’re saying that to the current Prime Minister?’
Qing Mei’s idea of “bonding” the next day was simply to move his work to his study at home and have Shen Lang grind ink for him.
But if Shen Huoshui could resist causing trouble, she wouldn’t be Shen Huoshui.
With a broad grin, she poured all of the ink into his teacup.
Simple and brutal.
Anyone who dared to order Shen Huoshui to grind ink herself must be as magnanimous as a prime minister.
When Qing Mei finally looked up, ready to take a sip of tea, Shen Lang eagerly presented him with the cup of pitch-black “tea.”
She was in for a penny, in for a pound.
After taking a sip, Qing Mei: “…”
The inside of his mouth was pitch-black.
His lips were covered in ink.
Shen Lang lowered her head with a look of perfect innocence…
and made a run for it.
The entire sequence of events was so smooth and flawless it could only be described as the work of a professional.
After that incident, Qing Mei flatly refused to let her anywhere near the study again.
Until the Emperor and Empress’s grand wedding.
For the grand wedding of the Emperor and Empress, a general amnesty was declared across the land.
In the time leading up to it, Qing Mei, as the Prime Minister, found his workload increasing as he had to handle a series of related affairs.
Shen Lang had been waiting for nearly half a month.
Now that the day had finally arrived, she couldn’t possibly miss the chance to watch a good show, so she begged Qing Mei to take her to the palace banquet with him.
At the time, Qing Mei had frowned and said, “Absolutely not.”
Shen Lang was dejected.
No matter how much she pleaded and cajoled, Qing Mei refused to agree.
With no other choice, Shen Lang snuck into Qing Mei’s study in the middle of the night and threatened him with his official documents.
“Are you taking me or not?”
Qing Mei: “…”
“Fine…
But don’t you regret this.”