Guan Zhiyue felt like she was suffocating from the sudden embrace, and she reached out to pat Li Qiji's back.

"Cough cough, damn it, let me go, you're choking me to death, cough cough..." Guan Zhiyue coughed with difficulty.

Hearing the voice in his arms, Li Qiji reluctantly released Guan Zhiyue from his embrace. After letting go, he looked down at Guan Zhiyue and said, "I'm sorry, I was too excited just now and accidentally hurt you."

Guan Zhiyue pushed Li Qiji away and walked towards her father.

"Father, look, this is my 180 mu of barren mountain. I have now transformed it into terraced fields and land. In a few days, I will plant rice in the terraced fields and potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn and other crops in these flat areas."

Guan Hongsheng looked at the places his daughter was pointing to, feeling a mix of emotions. He had never heard of any of the things she mentioned, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn, but he didn't want to ask in front of so many people what they were.

He had heard of rice before; it's just white rice, and he eats three big bowls of it in one meal, so he was familiar with it. But he didn't understand the last three things his daughter mentioned, but he didn't ask.

Those present had heard what their Empress had said and were waiting for General Guan to ask. Unfortunately, General Guan did not grant their wish; she didn't ask any further questions about what the remaining three items were.

"Alright, now that we've seen it, shall we go back? Your Majesty, aren't you going back to court?" Guan Zhiyue said, looking at Li Qiji, who was staring intently at the waterwheel.

Li Qiji snapped out of his daze, looked around, and saw that the entire back mountain was completely bare, with nothing at all. He then walked to Guan Zhiyue's side and said, "Empress, I see that there isn't even a single big tree on this back mountain. Should we plant some trees or something?"

Guan Zhiyue pouted and said, "No need. This isn't a high mountain or cliff. There's no need to plant trees. I cleared the land to farm, so why would I plant trees? If I were planting trees, I wouldn't have cut them down last year."

After hearing Guan Zhiyue's words, Li Qiji slowly touched his nose and then led his men away from the back mountain. When they arrived at the front courtyard of the Cold Palace, they saw the ministers who had not gone there sitting one by one in the courtyard in front of the Cold Palace gate, eating various braised meats without any regard for their image.

What are you all doing?

Upon hearing this, the ministers hurriedly wolfed down their food. Some even choked and coughed violently, while others coughed so badly that their faces turned completely red.

Seeing how humiliated they were, Li Qiji angrily strode out of the Cold Palace.

Su Xu stayed behind last, standing in front of Guan Zhiyue, and said in a gentle yet doting tone, "Your Majesty, you are truly a lucky star for our Nan Ding Kingdom."

"You've been working hard lately, take good care of yourself..."

He then clasped his hands in a fist and bowed before leaving. Guan Zhiyue looked at your slender, jade-like fingers and inexplicably thought of the white-robed man she had seen in her dream a few days ago.

"Is it him?"

How could there be such a gentle and refined man in this world? She can still recall those hands, as if they had caressed her cheek. But was he the one in her dream that night?

If it's him, then what am I? I'm a married woman, and my husband is the Emperor...

Guan Zhiyue looked at the huge Cold Palace, now devoid of the ministers from before, shook her head, and shook off all the unrealistic thoughts in her mind.

"Hey, don't overthink it, don't overthink it."

Seeing her mistress shaking her head, Bilian thought something serious had happened and quickly went over to support Guan Zhiyue's arm.

"Your Majesty, what's wrong?"

Guan Zhiyue shook her head and said, "It's alright! I was just thinking about some unrealistic things. Alright, you take some people to clean the yard. I'm going to the study to take care of something important."

Bilian noticed that her mistress had been acting strangely lately, but how to put it? Well, ever since she lost weight, her mistress had become even more strange.

****

After the ministers returned to the court, they continued to attend court. This was the first time in history that they had entered the emperor's harem. Although they did not visit other places, they ate a lot of delicious food in the empress's cold palace that day.

Some ministers began to risk their lives to offer their advice.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty! I have heard that the Empress's design for the waterwheel has been successfully completed. I humbly request Your Majesty to issue an edict allowing the Empress to return to Kunning Palace."

Upon hearing this, the other ministers quickly echoed, "We implore Your Majesty to issue an edict allowing the Empress to return to Kunning Palace."

Li Qiji sat on the high dragon throne, looking down at the court officials below. Suddenly, he remembered some words that Liu Shanxian had once told him. He then waved his hand and said, "Your Majesty, although this waterwheel was designed this time, the ministers have also seen the back mountain behind the Cold Palace. It seems that Your Majesty is unwilling to move away from the Cold Palace."

"Since the Empress is unwilling to move out, I can't say much. Besides, wherever the Empress resides is Kunning Palace."

Hearing the emperor speak in this way, the lower-ranking officials knew they could say nothing more and thus fell silent.

At this moment, Li Qiji said, "Minister Yang, I order you to spread the process of making this waterwheel to the common people within three days. Can you do that?"

"Your Majesty, I think it would be good to distribute this technology to the various county governments, and then have them spread it outwards," a civil official said respectfully.

Li Qiji snorted and said unhappily, "I will give it directly to the people and let them spread it."

Lord Yang quickly knelt down and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I will certainly not fail your trust."

"I will issue an imperial decree prohibiting all carpentry teams from overcharging. A reasonable price must be set so that all people can afford and use it. This is a truly beneficial thing for the country and its people."

"Yes, Your Majesty is wise, we obey!" The ministers all shouted in unison, congratulating the man on the high seat.

Li Qiji smiled to himself, thinking, "In a few days, will you people still be so calm when you see the glass windows again?"

“Our Nan Ding Kingdom is about to change, Xiao Yue’er. What else do you know that I don’t know?”

"You little rascal, I really can't figure you out anymore. Is your little tail already wagging in the air?" Li Qiji thought to himself, and none of the ministers below dared to raise their heads.

In the end, it was Hua Quan who reminded the emperor, and only then did the emperor dismiss the court.