Chapter 99: The Lost Princess Bai Yueguang 30 The End of the Fourth World...

In the imperial study, a mountain of memorials were spread out on the desk.

Ji Hanlin was reviewing the memorial when he heard footsteps outside the door. He subconsciously looked up and said coldly, "Who allowed you to come in without permission? All of you—"

Before he finished speaking, he saw who it was and was stunned for a moment. Then his eyes lit up and he could hardly hide his surprise.

"Ningning? Why are you here?"

Since ascending the throne, Wen Qianning has always been very cold towards him, rarely taking the initiative to approach him, let alone coming to the imperial study to see him.

This scene today was undoubtedly an unexpected surprise for Ji Hanlin.

Wen Qianning, holding the soup bowl, walked forward hesitantly, placed the item on the table, and explained, "Eunuch Su asked me to bring this."

At this moment, Ji Hanlin's brain had automatically filtered out the three words "Eunuch Su", and his eyes were full of smiles: "Thank you Ningning." In his heart, this was clearly sent by Ningning herself.

Wen Qianning lowered her eyes and glanced at the corner of her eye. She saw a memorial spread out in the middle of the desk, with the words "selection" clearly written on it.

Following her gaze, Ji Hanlin also noticed what she saw, and his face immediately darkened. He quickly reached out and closed the memorial, saying urgently, "Ningning, don't misunderstand me. I'm going to send it back right now. I won't let another woman get close to me, and I certainly won't choose any show..."

"You pick the draft."

Before he could finish, he was interrupted by the girl.

Ji Hanlin's face turned even darker.

Facing the gloomy and obviously unhappy man, Wen Qianning bit her lip and mustered up the courage to continue speaking:

"I cannot bear children. But your kingdom must be inherited by someone. You are the emperor, and your heir is not just a family matter, but also a matter of national importance."

The air in the room froze instantly. The man's expression was extremely grim. He stared at her intently, feeling as if his heart was being ripped open by something.

People say that if you really care about someone, you will want to make that person your own and not allow others to covet even the slightest bit.

That's exactly how he treated Ningning. Her every smile, every glance, belonged only to him. Not to mention sharing, if another man looked at her even once, he'd want to draw his sword.

But what about Ningning? She pushed him away again and again, always trying to push herself into the arms of other women.

At that moment, Ji Hanlin felt endless loss and desolation in his heart.

After a long time, he suppressed the dejection in his eyes and regained his indifferent look. However, without saying anything, he put his hand into Wen Qianning's collar without saying a word.

Wen Qianning:?!

"What are you doing...you hooligan!" The girl trembled with shock, her eyes widened, she stammered in anger and shame.

The corners of his lips curled slightly on his stern face, and Ji Hanlin revealed a slightly unhappy smile: "You're pushing me out again. This is a punishment."

Being subdued like this, Wen Qianning was at a loss. Her momentum instantly weakened and she could only stare at him with a red face and shyness, feeling as aggrieved as a cornered kitten.

Looking at her like this, how could Ji Hanlin bear to continue bullying her?

He withdrew his hand with a sigh, held the girl in his arms, let her sit on his lap, and kissed her red lips lovingly.

"Ningning..." The man's voice was filled with rare pity and tenderness. "I don't like children at all."

Meeting her gaze, Ji Hanlin spoke seriously, emphasizing each word, "I don't want anyone else to disturb our world of two. Ningning, not having a baby is perfect."

"As for Jiangshan, why bother asking for it? There are many descendants of the clan. Why not just pick one with good qualifications to train?"

The man held her hand and spoke lightly, not caring at all.

Wen Qianning's thoughts were in a complete mess.

The original storyline depicts a cold-blooded emperor who, for the sake of power and empire, would sacrifice anyone, including the women closest to him. But now, in front of her, he reveals this stubborn side, refusing to participate in the selection process or establish a harem, simply to keep her by his side.

She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

Just when she was distracted, the familiar mechanical sound suddenly rang in her ears.

【Host……】

Hearing this voice, Wen Qianning felt a chill in her heart. Before the system could continue speaking, she spoke preemptively:

"Are you hiding something from me? I don't think it's my fault that I failed so many world quests."

The system was stunned, as if it had not expected her to suddenly attack. There was a hint of guilt in its voice, and it no longer had the condescending and domineering attitude of the past.

[How, how could that be? No... Oh, in this world, the host's node mission has been completed, and the subsequent missions have also been changed due to the male protagonist's emotional attachment. Now all I need to do is be with the male protagonist.]

Wen Qianning wasn't so easily dismissed. She sneered inwardly, "You're kidding me, aren't you? Why didn't you just set the mission to be with the hero from the beginning? Why did you insist on me cheating on him?"

After a long silence, the system sighed and said something cryptic: [Due to limited permissions, this system cannot reveal too much. Host, you will understand later...]

After saying this, the system went offline in a hurry, and the sound disappeared completely.

Ji Hanlin had no idea what kind of inner struggle the girl in his arms was going through with the system in her mind; he simply assumed she was distracted in his arms. The man lowered his head and placed another gentle kiss on her lips, a declaration of ownership that wouldn't be denied.

Wen Qianning, who had been kissed, suddenly came back to her senses and glared at him, "...Why do you always kiss me secretly?"

He looked at her with a half-smile, his eyes filled with a fiery passion that was difficult to conceal: "Because I can't help it."

"You are really a hooligan." She muttered softly, the tips of her ears turned red. She knew it was just an angry remark, but in his ears, the coquettish girl was so cute.

The man's heart was aroused bit by bit. He stretched out his hand to pinch her cheek and chuckled softly, "Ningning, scold me harder. Anyway, I feel good."

Wen Qianning was speechless for a moment and turned away, not wanting to pay attention to him. But Ji Hanlin refused to let go and forced her to look at him again.

Her eyes flickered, her heart was in a panic, and her voice was a little aggrieved: "I don't like this."

Ji Hanlin's eyes darkened, and he stopped forcing her. He just sighed, pressed her back into his arms, and coaxed her carefully: "If Ningning doesn't want to, I won't force you anymore. So Ningning, can you try to accept me again?"

However, he had already lost her once, and no matter whether Wen Qian was willing or not, he would not let her go again.

But he still had to lower his posture to coax the little princess. The man put away his sharpness and softened his attitude. He put his palm on her hair and stroked it gently.

"Hmm..." The girl just snuggled in his arms, her face flushed quietly.

Ji Hanlin smiled softly, taking in her reaction, and his heart was filled with warmth.

*

During this period, Ji Hanlin had become increasingly demanding, keeping Wen Qianning tightly by his side. Even during the day, despite being busy with official duties, he insisted on having her sit with him during meals. Even if she just quietly watched him review documents, he was content.

At night, although he no longer forced Wen Qianning, he often used kisses and sweet words to wear down her defenses.

Facing such a beautiful woman, Wen Qianning had no other options. The consequence of his weak willpower was that the two of them would always end up together...

She gradually got used to his presence.

The emperor was unusually patient and clingy. Gradually, Ji Hanlin began to probe indirectly: "If you are not of a certain status, it will always be inappropriate to stay here. Ningning, what do you think, if you were the queen, would it be okay?"

His words were full of temptation. He pretended to be reasonable, but at the same time he pushed her into a situation where she had no way out.

Wen Qianning understood what he was saying. She just felt a little uncomfortable, wanting to tease him, to get even with him. She pretended not to understand, changing the subject or simply avoiding the question with a stern face.

Ji Hanlin knew it very well, but he couldn't do anything about her. She was throwing a tantrum and refused to agree, so he could only be patient and take it slow.

But on this day, something happened that Wen Qianning could not have imagined.

"Your Highness."

Zhuyue served tea to Wen Qianning. Zhuiyun was not there at the time because he had gone to collect his share.

"Forgive me for speaking frankly..." Zhuyue said hesitantly after holding up the brewed tea, "The Emperor truly treats you well. You don't have to refuse him."

Wen Qianning was startled and looked at her with raised eyebrows. Zhuyue was usually taciturn and rarely interfered with her and Ji Hanlin's affairs. Suddenly speaking up to comfort her, she felt something was wrong.

"Why do you suddenly say that?" Wen Qianning couldn't help but ask.

Zhuyue was silent for a while, as if he had finally made up his mind. He knelt down with his forehead pressed against the cold ground.

"Your Highness, there is something I can no longer hide from you."

What is this for? Wen Qianning hurriedly tried to pull Zhuyue up, but couldn't pull her up.

"During that time, while you were praying at the Buddhist temple... I was communicating with the Emperor, who was then Master Ji."

Hearing this, Wen Qianning was shocked and his eyes darkened.

"Why?" She was in a complex and unbelievable mood. "You are my maid, how can you tell others about me so casually? Even if it's Ji Hanlin, you shouldn't do that."

"Your Highness, I acknowledge my guilt."

Zhuyue's voice was choked with sobs, tears dripping onto the ground. She refused to raise her head, "This servant... once admired the emperor."

Wen Qianning was completely stunned and looked at her in confusion.

Zhuyue gritted her teeth and finally uttered the words that had been buried deep in her heart for so long: "Your Highness, when the Emperor came to Xuanping as a hostage, he was so aloof and cold. Even though he was trapped in a foreign land, he remained as proud as a pine tree. I was young at the time, and deep down... I couldn't help but be moved by him."

She raised her eyes, a flash of shame in them, and then she quickly lowered her head again.

"But Your Highness, I soon realized that my excitement was a delusion. Because the one the Emperor truly cared about, from beginning to end, was only you. As someone who serves Your Highness day in and day out, I know better than anyone that the way His Majesty looks at you is completely different from the way he looks at others."

Having said that, Zhuyue took a deep breath and his tone gradually became firm:

"So, during those days in the Buddhist temple, my correspondence with the Emperor was no longer motivated by selfish motives, but simply out of concern for Your Highness's safety. Every word I spoke was to assure Your Highness of your well-being, letting the Emperor know that you were all well. It was for this reason that when Your Highness was sent to the Prime Minister's Mansion, the Emperor rushed there immediately..."

So when he was forced to be sent to the Prime Minister's Mansion, Ji Hanlin was able to arrive in time because of this?

At this time, Wen Qianning was already in a state of confusion. Betrayal that could not be called betrayal, doubt, and an indescribable bitterness all surged into his heart.

"Do you know what this means to me?" Wen Qianning's face was expressionless.

Zhuyue slammed her forehead against the ground and cried, "I know! That's why I've been unable to sleep these past few days, my heart aching. Your Highness, I betrayed you. But at that time, Xuanping State was already in turmoil, so I only thought... if Your Highness ever found himself alone, I'd have someone to rely on. I thought that this would at least protect you a little bit."

"But I also understand that this is a betrayal of my master's trust."

By the time she finished speaking, her sleeves were wet with tears.

"So, Your Highness, I no longer have the face to stay by your side. If you blame me, please grant me death. If you cannot bear it, please send me away. From now on, I will never dare to appear in front of you again."

Wen Qianning looked at her quietly for a long moment, an indescribable feeling welling up in her heart. She was furious at Zhuyue's unauthorized decision, but she couldn't deny that her decision was indeed motivated by her desire to protect her master.

"Get up quickly."

Finally, with a helpless sigh, the girl grumbled, "How can I respond to what you said... Your crime isn't punishable by death, and I don't want to dwell on it. If you're still willing to stay with me, I'll naturally let you stay."

"If you feel uneasy and no longer wish to serve me, I will make proper arrangements for you to go. You don't have to worry about the future."

These words were spoken lightly, but they showed tolerance.

Zhuyue was startled for a moment, then overjoyed. She kowtowed quickly and said, "Thank you, Your Highness, for your forgiveness! I ask for nothing else but to stay by your side and serve you for the rest of my life."

She was both grateful and relieved, as if a stone that had been weighing on her heart for a long time had been lifted off her shoulders.

*

Inside the imperial city, bells and drums rang.

Since the young new emperor ascended the throne, the wedding of the emperor and empress finally took place today.

A red carpet was rolled out in front of the palace, and the throne room was decorated with lanterns and colorful lights, creating a grand and festive atmosphere. The people of Chang'an City lined the streets to watch, looking up at the glittering golden phoenix chariot.

Inside the phoenix chariot, Wen Qianning was dressed in a phoenix coronet and bridal robe, radiant and gorgeous beyond compare. However, the gauze curtain was half-drawn, obscuring her expression.

When the news spread, the people of Xuanping were all excited. After all, their former princess was not only safe and sound, but had also become the most noble woman in the world.

The new emperor valued her so much, so he must be a good monarch who would not mistreat the people of Xuanping. As expected, the court adopted a lenient policy towards Xuanping, and instead of inciting massacres and oppression, it prioritized relief, repairs, and comfort, for which the people were naturally grateful.

As for the ministers in the court, they were originally worried that the emperor would delay in establishing a harem, and they secretly encouraged the selection of concubines to establish a queen.

Now that the emperor has married the former Princess Xuanping, it can both silence the gossip and serve as a political appeasement. At least in name only, no one can find fault.

As night fell, the palace was filled with joy.

Red candles were hung high, and after all the complicated ceremonies were over, the palace servants withdrew one after another, leaving only the two people in the bridal chamber.

Wen Qian sat quietly on the bed. The phoenix crown had been taken off her body long ago. Her long hair was like a waterfall, which made her fair face look even more beautiful.

Ji Hanlin was dressed in black and red. His eyes fell on the woman on the couch, and his expression softened instantly.

"Ningning." He called out, his voice filled with joy.

Wen Qianning blinked and didn't respond.

The man walked over slowly, sat down beside her, and looked at the girl closely. He couldn't help but reach out to hold her face and stroke it gently, as if to confirm that this person really existed in his arms.

"Today, you are finally my queen."

She suddenly stretched out her arms, gently hooked them around the man's neck, and leaned against him, hanging in his arms like a kitten clinging to its owner.

"Then...shouldn't the Emperor treat me better?"

Her eyes were full of light, her voice was soft and sticky, with a hint of coquettishness.

Ji Hanlin was stunned for a moment, then his Adam's apple moved, and he smiled softly, his eyes darkening. The girl in his arms was so soft and fragrant that she rubbed against his neck coquettishly, as if deliberately trying to arouse his feelings.

The smile on his face grew deeper, and then he reached out and pulled the boneless girl into his arms, pressing his lips onto hers.

Caught off guard, the girl's eyelashes trembled slightly when she was kissed. The man's breath was heavy and hot, with a strong sense of possessiveness.

Her resistance gradually lost its strength, a mixture of shyness and helplessness, her breathing trembling slightly. The man's movements were neither hurried nor impatient, but he pressed on, leaving her no room for escape.

The red candles flickered, the gauze curtains swayed, and two shadows were intimately intertwined.

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The author has something to say: The fourth world is over, thank you babies [scatter flowers]