Chapter 117 Who is His Majesty's True Love? [Bonus Chapter]
What?
Empress?
Zhi Junyuan felt as if he had been hit by a pie falling from the sky, leaving him dizzy and disoriented.
He was stunned for a long time before he reacted, staring blankly at Guan Zhiwei.
Guan Liuliu wanted to remind them that looking directly at the emperor was a capital offense, but seeing the current atmosphere, she swallowed her words.
At this moment, Zhi Junyuan had no sense of rules; he was practically brainless.
A long, prolonged silence indicates that someone is sinking into a quagmire from which they cannot extricate themselves.
Guan Zhiwei raised an eyebrow: "Don't you want to be my empress?"
Startled by the question, he snapped out of his daze, his thoughts still wandering aimlessly. His mouth opened and closed, unsure of what to say, and he could only hurriedly deny it: "Of course not, I, Your Majesty, I just never expected to receive Your Majesty's favor. My father said that Your Majesty would never look favorably upon me."
“If you only listen to him, then you shouldn’t have come back to save me.”
"I want it!"
Zhi Junyuan said, word by word, "No matter how many more chances I am given, I will come back to save Your Majesty. I am willing to repay Your Majesty's kindness with my life."
"What if my gratitude to you for recognizing my talent wasn't pure?" Guan Zhi looked at him with a smile.
He remembered the time they met at the Guan residence, and she looked at him in the same way.
Her gaze was direct, pure, and intense, powerful, with an indescribable strength.
Did you develop feelings for him back then?
"Your Majesty, you're not kidding me, are you?" Zhi Junyuan's palms were sweating, and he didn't dare to look up at her.
She walked over, squatted down to be level with Zhijun, and looked very considerate.
But she didn't answer his question directly. She only said, "I'm very busy right now. I have to promulgate new policies, create a new country and a new atmosphere, reduce taxes and corvée labor, rectify officialdom, and revise history. All these miscellaneous things have fallen on my shoulders. I just managed to squeeze out an opening to catch my breath and come to see you."
Zhi Junyuan tried his best to remain rational, "That Gao Huan..."
Guan Zhiwei curled her lip, "What is Gao Huan? How can he compare to you?"
Knowing that the emperor was at a loss, he said, "What virtue or ability do I possess to deserve Your Majesty's favor? I am unworthy."
"Are you rejecting me? Fine, I won't force you." Guan Zhiwei stood up as if to leave.
Zhi Junyuan panicked and grabbed her skirt, whispering, "I didn't refuse, I didn't refuse Your Majesty!"
"I didn't hear what you said."
"Your Majesty!" Zhi Junyuan was too embarrassed to say it aloud, so he pleaded.
Guan Zhiwei looked down at him, reached out and touched his face, and smiled brightly: "Then don't agree to me so quickly. Go back and think it over carefully. Becoming empress is not an easy thing. I'm afraid you will be wronged."
Zhi Junyuan's heart trembled. "I'm not afraid of being wronged, I'm just afraid of not being good enough for you..."
Guan Zhiwei placed a finger on his lips, "Go back and think about it carefully."
His lips were rosy and soft.
His Majesty's fingers are long and slender, carrying a faint fragrance.
Knowing that you're about to be overwhelmed by the fragrance and forget what you were going to say.
He left the palace in a daze, and only when the wind blew outside did he belatedly realize what had happened. His head felt like it had exploded, and goosebumps rose all over his back.
Your Majesty, you like me!
How can I possibly repay Your Majesty's deepest kindness?
My father is still trying to rebel.
How could I be worthy to be the queen of this country?
Zhi Junyuan was at a loss, wavering between joy and sorrow.
How is he?
"Knowing that the young general walks with his arms and legs moving in unison, he will surely realize soon that becoming His Majesty's empress is a great honor."
Guan Liuliu saw the person out of the palace gate, and upon returning, answered His Majesty's questions truthfully.
"What do you mean by 'think it through' or 'understand it'? Marriage is something you do when you're out of your mind. You have to take advantage of people when they're dizzy and confused to make it happen in one fell swoop."
Guan Zhiwei sneered: "You inadvertently revealed that I intend to make Zhi Junyuan my empress."
Guan Liuliu lowered her eyes and said, "Yes."
Guan Zhiwei thought to herself, "That old fellow Zhi Fang is really calm. I've already ascended the throne, and he hasn't said a word. That's interesting."
Zhi Fang controls seven or eight cities and has over 100,000 men. He is capable of fighting, and a battle would only result in countless corpses strewn across the battlefield.
This country already belongs to Guan Zhiwei, and she is thinking about how to take over Zhifang without bloodshed.
A country cannot be without an heir for a day, and the nobles were eager to make sure that the empress was born into their own family.
They prepared the most outstanding young men for this purpose, men of exceptional talent and appearance, who were first-rate in both character and looks.
But suddenly a rumor spread that His Majesty intended to make Zhi Junyuan Empress.
When this news came out, noble families and ordinary people alike were in an uproar.
The noble families thought that he came from a humble background, his father was a military man, and he was a military man, with neither a good family background nor a good upbringing.
"What did His Majesty see in him?"
"She seems to have a good appearance and figure; His Majesty praised her."
"Even if his appearance is presentable, he can be a beauty. If not, he can be a nobleman. Anyway, he is not worthy of His Majesty."
"I would like to submit a memorial to Your Majesty, stating that the Empress Dowager, the father of the nation, should be a role model for the people. She must be benevolent, kind, dignified, and composed. She should be able to assist the monarch and fulfill her duties, while also being diligent, frugal, and self-disciplined, and educating the inner palace."
Everyone responded enthusiastically, wanting to submit a memorial to the emperor, arguing that a pheasant was not worthy of a phoenix.
What circulates among ordinary people is a moving and inspiring story.
In Your Majesty's love story with Yuan Chizheng, although we were on opposing sides, and although I killed your father, our love was profound. Even if it meant war, a fight to the death, I would still marry you properly!
"Didn't His Majesty already marry Yuan Chizheng? Why has he chosen a new empress?"
"You just don't understand. Lord Yuan is dead, his territory has been divided up, and the Third Young Master Yuan has no outside support. With such a family background, how could he possibly become Empress? Those nobles would never agree to it."
"Then why not bring him into the palace? I heard he's still being kept at the Palace Attendant's residence. Throughout history, emperors have had noble ladies and beauties by their side."
"You don't understand this. This is called protection. Think about it, His Majesty's first wife couldn't become Empress. If she entered the palace as a concubine, wouldn't she be resented? So, by keeping her outside the palace and treating her coldly, His Majesty diverted everyone's attention from her. This is a form of protection, and it actually shows that His Majesty cares about her."
"I see, so indifference is a form of protection! Your Majesty must be suffering from suppressing your longing."
"If anything were to happen to Yuan Sanlang, His Majesty would surely regret it deeply and be in unbearable pain!"
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