Chapter 166 Chapter 166 “Unconsciously, she blushed. …

Jiu Zhao is rarely interested in the things around him.

It was rare for her to ask a question, and the maid was happy to answer it for her:

"In reply to the fairy, this Lianli Hall was originally called Huiyi Hall. It was only after His Majesty ascended the throne that the name was changed."

Lan Qi was a man who had deep meaning behind everything he did. Jiu Zhao naturally wouldn't think that he changed the name of the temple because he thought the word "Lianli" sounded nice.

From the bracelet that was burned by her phoenix fire but refused to be taken off, to the name of the Queen's Palace today, all the details are thought-provoking.

Those who still have expectations for love will always unconsciously look for evidence of the other person's soft-heartedness in subtle ways, and then fall into repeated entanglement and doubt.

Unfortunately, Jiu Zhao not only has no expectations for Lan Qi's love.

Not to anyone in the world.

She simply hummed a nonchalant "hmm" and perfunctorily replied, "'Lianli' sounds more affectionate and romantic than 'Huiyi'."

The maid wanted to say a few more words, but when she saw her turn her head to look out the window, with that familiar dazed look on her face, she tactfully stopped talking.

"Fairy, I have already removed your hair ornaments. If there is nothing else, I will take my leave."

She half-knelt down to perform the ceremony and closed the door for Jiu Zhao.

The sound-blocking barrier that had existed in the palace since its construction was immediately activated, separating the inside and outside of the door into two worlds.

Jiu Zhao sat for a while, looking around aimlessly, and found many traces of Changxi Palace from the different furniture.

The Three Pure Ones prefer grandeur, while the Burning Sea prefers dark tones.

Ignoring the two biggest differences, the layout of the palace was surprisingly 90% similar to her old residence.

Now, Jiu Zhao was even more certain that the name "Lianli Hall" was deliberately changed by Lan Qi in order to stimulate him.

But the maid's words just now revealed a truth - he did not make the changes recently, but had done so when he first ascended the throne.

How did Lan Qi predict that she would come to Burning Sea one day?

If it wasn't to welcome her arrival, what was his purpose in doing this?

Jiu Zhao was just thinking when a big hand reached out from behind and covered her lips.

At the same time, a very soft male voice sounded in her ears: "Don't be afraid, Zhao Niang, it's me."

"Why are you here?"

This was the first sentence Jiu Zhao had said to him in over a month.

The temperature of the palm touching the lips is so soft and beautiful.

Zhu Yan's mind was subconsciously filled with endless greed, but he didn't dare to stay for too long. He restrained himself and withdrew his hand, instead placing it on Jiu Zhao's shoulder.

With a slight effort, the slender body turned around without any resistance.

The two men faced each other. Looking into Jiu Zhao's clear, calm eyes, Zhu Yan paused before saying, "Your Majesty has just returned to Fen Ye Sea and summoned the thirty-two city lords to his study to discuss matters. The garrisoned city lords will be in the first place, and the officials accompanying us will follow. It's still early, so I wanted to see you."

Meet her?

He submitted it to Lan Qi in a serious manner, waiting for his approval.

But cast a spell to become invisible and sneak into the harem?

His mind was tossing and turning for a few times. Jiu Zhao raised his eyebrows slightly, and under Zhu Yan's eager gaze, he put his hand on his chest.

The push was neither too light nor too heavy, and the meaning of driving the guest away was self-evident.

Zhu Yan suddenly realized that her impolite questioning a few moments ago had exhausted her limited patience.

The more greed there is, the more bitterness it will turn into.

He held onto Jiu Zhao's resisting hand, and after enduring several attempts, he finally suppressed the urge to lower his face and press closer. He spoke in a pitiful tone, "Zhao Niang, don't push me away... I didn't come here just to see you. I also need to remind you of some important matters in Jiwu Palace. Listen to them before I leave, okay?"

Fearing he would be pushed around again, he stopped trying to hold back and quickly continued, "Over the years, the positions of empress and concubines have been vacant, and various departments have been trying their best to offer their daughters and sisters. Although Your Majesty has never accepted any, out of consideration for his relationship, he could not resist the repeated requests of some people and selected several women of exceptionally noble status to serve as female officials—"

"In the Burning Sea, female officials are considered reserve concubines. They have waited for years, just to ascend to the throne and become a phoenix. Now, out of the blue, you have become the other half of the master of the Silence Palace. I wonder how upset they must be in their hearts.

"Zhao Niang, those female officials have the support of powerful tribes behind them, so they are particularly fearless. You are weak now and it is difficult for you to protect yourself. You must be careful of them."

If they cannot directly harm lives, then the only options they can resort to are tricks of isolation, exclusion, and ridicule.

When Jiu Zhao was a goddess, she had already mastered these methods to perfection.

She did not feel the slightest bit of reluctance towards the young man's reminder.

Instead, he became more curious about the nature of the demon woman.

Zhu Yan rambled on for a long time, recounting the names, identities, and backgrounds of the female officials in the harem one by one, his mouth dry. But Jiu Zhao simply rested her chin on one hand, her eyes drooping as she squinted at him, her lips curled up nonchalantly, as if asking, "What does this have to do with you?"

Emotional indifference is far more unbearable than physical violence.

Zhu Yan's eyes dimmed, and his figure began to disappear from his footsteps: "Then, I'll go back first..."

Although he said this, he still had a glimmer of hope.

Even if Jiu Zhao could spare him a little more attention, his trip would not end in a dismal way.

However, the hope was ultimately dashed.

Jiu Zhao turned his head away, as if the emerald green dragonfly embroidered on the curtain was more interesting than him.

…

It is said that good things don't work but bad things do.

In the afternoon when Zhu Yan reminded them to be careful, the maids reported to the female official in charge of the harem affairs and came to pay their respects to the future queen.

Jiu Zhao was a little surprised that this day had come so early.

After all, bullying only comes when you are absolutely sure that your enemy is not taken seriously.

She had just arrived at Jiwu Palace, and the news that she was about to marry Lan Qi was known to everyone. It was not wise to provoke her at such a critical moment.

unless--

Jiu Zhao knew that he had no room for refusal.

If the other party is acting in a legitimate manner and you are timid and disappear, you will easily be looked down upon.

Before reaching the main hall, Jiu Zhao summoned them in front of the bed.

The door of the palace opened, and the fragrant breeze arrived first, diluting the darkness and gloom in the room.

A nose is a nose.

Eyes are eyes.

After taking a quick look at the five visitors, Jiu Zhao found that they were no different from the immortals in Sanqingtian.

After three thousand years of thunder punishment, her spirit was damaged and her memory was often not good. She forgot most of what Zhu Yan said - she only remembered that there was one girl who liked to wear red clothes, whose personality was somewhat similar to her in the past, arrogant and spoiled, and her name was Qiong Xing.

Looking down, I saw a red skirt fluttering at the head of the female official.

Behind her were two people in yellow skirt, purple skirt, pink skirt and green skirt respectively.

"Your Highness Qiongxing, I pay my respects to the future Empress."

The girl in red skirt knelt down.

The beauties, as beautiful as flowers, were kneeling on the ground in an instant.

Jiu Zhao wanted to ask them to stand up, but perhaps because of the bumpy journey, his head suddenly felt a little dizzy.

The hand that was half extended was suddenly retracted, and he pressed and massaged the solar plexus on both sides for a long time before the pain was relieved.

"Get up, there's still more than a month until the wedding, so there's no need to rush."

After she said this, the female officials knelt on the ground for more than half an incense stick.

They were not aware of Jiu Zhao's weakness and only regarded this as a warning.

The fiery-tempered Qiong Xing raised her head again, her eyes almost spitting fire. "We will have a long time to get along, and the affairs of the harem have always been managed by us. If the Queen needs anything, she has to tell us. So it's better for us to meet earlier so that the Queen doesn't get confused about our names."

"oh."

Jiu Zhao nodded nonchalantly, "So Lan Qi has already made up his mind to make me the nominal queen, right?"

No one among the female officials responded.

Of course Lan Qi wouldn't say it so bluntly.

However, through discussions in the study, he had informed the princes and ministers who were strongly opposed to marrying Jiu Zhao that the marriage was only for the purpose of seizing the true blood power in her body.

To put it bluntly, it's just a tool.

Could it be possible that His Majesty would hand over the entire harem to her and share the power in his hands with her?

For this reason, the female official who received the news from her family and claimed to have understood the emperor's intentions could not wait to declare her sovereignty.

They didn't answer, and their expressions showed an unconcealable contempt.

Jiu Zhao was not annoyed, but instead clapped his hands and laughed: "Very good, I just need to lie down and be served, without having to worry about anything. If I feel bored, I can call you beauties to keep me company - this is a heavenly life. Even if Lan Qi gave me the seat of Ye Zun, I would not trade with him!"

"How dare you address His Majesty by his name!"

Jiu Zhao's words were understood as looking down on herself.

The female officials in the back began to whisper among themselves, and Qiong Xing jumped up, pointing at her name and angrily saying, "Your Majesty has already explained to us that he only married you for the Phoenix Blood in your body. Once you're no longer useful, you'll be even worse than us. Don't be so proud!"

"Sister Qiongxing, please stop talking..."

The purple-robed female official on her right tugged at her sleeve and said hypocritically, "No matter what, at least she still has the Empress's seat—"

Everyone present, except Jiu Zhao, knew that Qiong Xing's family had asked and kowtowed countless times just to make their daughter the queen.

Their family background cannot be compared with Qiongxing's.

But the title of the queen is confirmed, and she can at least get a high-ranking concubine.

Lan Qi used them as female officials and in the name of future concubines, leaving them alone for thousands of years. How could they not feel resentful?

Qiong Xing's criticism expressed their inner thoughts.

In order not to offend Lan Qi, he simply used provocation to stimulate her to vent her anger on his behalf.

Qiong Xing became more and more excited as she spoke, especially since Jiu Zhao had been hanging his head and not looking at them since he came in.

This made her feel more and more that Jiu Zhao had been touched in a sore spot by her, and she felt guilty and dared not talk back.

After she had vented her emotions thoroughly, she even brushed the hem of her skirt twice in a serious manner, as if she regarded Jiu Zhao as a tiny, non-existent speck of dust on her skirt.

"Are you done?"

To show respect, Jiu Zhao adjusted his posture, half asleep or half asleep, and hooked his finger at her, "Come here when you're done."

"?"

Qiong Xing's face immediately showed an expression as if facing a great enemy.

how?

If you can't convince her, are you going to take action?

She is not a pushover and must resist!

Anyway, Your Majesty is not really in love with the woman in front of him. With her family around, he will not be severely punished.

Think clearly and have confidence.

Qiong Xin put away her guard and deliberately crossed her hands in front of her lower abdomen, ready to use her weapon at any time.

Who would have thought that as she approached Jiu Zhao's side, her left hand hanging by the edge of her skirt would sink into a piece of soft and fragrant jade.

"After venting all your frustrations, do you feel better?

"Lan Qi is really something, he has so many beautiful women in the harem but he doesn't even cherish them.

"The calluses on your hands are from the daily grind, right?

“I really can’t bear it.

"I do know a recipe. I'll write it down later. You can make it into a cream and apply it to the calluses. Your skin will be smooth and smooth again in less than two weeks."

…

“……?”

A transparent question mark slowly appeared on Qiong Xing's forehead.

Everything seemed different from what she had imagined.

She tried to pull her hand out, but perhaps because Jiu Zhao's skin exuded a rare warmth from the Burning Sea, she didn't move her hand the first time.

Jiu Zhao smiled warmly at her again: "If you still feel depressed in the future, just come to me."

Although Qiong Xing knew very well that they were rivals in love.

But when he looked at Jiu Zhao's extremely beautiful face, heard her soft voice, and smelled the faint and pleasant scent of roses lingering at his nose.

Some of the cold face and indifference that Lan Qi had shown in the past when facing her kindness silently emerged in his mind.

…

Before she knew it, she blushed.