Knowing that Sikong Zhan was unhappy, Lin Jinghan did not back down and said firmly:
"Only beasts would sleep with someone they have no feelings for, but people are different. They have feelings, and they will only sleep together when both parties are willing. Now, although Jinghan and the prince are husband and wife in name, their feelings for each other are not yet to the point where they can sleep together. So, prince, please forgive Jinghan for not agreeing to your request."
Hearing such a novel statement for the first time, Sikong Zhan looked at Lin Jinghan intently, and after a while he asked doubtfully:
"When you say sleeping together, do you mean having sex?"
Lin Jinghan's face flushed, not knowing whether it was out of shame or anger. She gritted her teeth and blurted out a word: "Yes!" This man must have done it on purpose! Isn't this what he meant by "serving her in the bedchamber"? He actually came to question her, was he trying to embarrass her?
Sikong Zhan nodded and said seriously, "Don't worry, I will only sleep with you and won't touch you. This is my promise and my bottom line."
Lin Jinghan secretly rolled her eyes: "Men's words are deceitful! How can a normal man remain calm when faced with his beautiful wife lying next to him? I'd be a fool to believe you!"
"Of course I believe in your promise, Your Highness." Lin Jinghan tried her best to keep her tone calm. "But, Your Highness, sometimes, a person's self-control is so fragile that it can be easily damaged. So, let's not challenge something that tests our self-control so much. It's late, Your Highness, please go back."
She made a gesture of invitation towards the door, and actually wanted to chase the person away.
"How can you know if you have good self-control if you don't try it?" Sikong Zhan stood up, walked towards Lin Jinghan, and hugged her around the waist.
Lin Jinghan struggled instinctively, "What are you doing? Put me down! You're the King of Jingnan, yet you actually forced a weak woman like me to do this? If this gets out, aren't you afraid that it will ruin your reputation?"
"If you move around like this, I can't guarantee that I won't kill you." This wasn't a threat, because he could already feel her moving around in his arms, and his voice was uniquely hoarse.
She couldn't beat him, and she couldn't convince him with reason either. Lin Jinghan didn't dare to move. She stared at him and watched him carry her to the bed - if he dared to touch her, she would make him a eunuch!
Seeing that Lin Jinghan was cooperating very well, he was very satisfied. He adjusted her posture, took off his outer shirt, leaving only his inner clothes, lay down beside her, pulled the quilt to cover them, and ignoring Lin Jinghan's murderous gaze, he held her in his arms, with her back against him.
After a sleepless night in the palace, he was indeed sleepy. The faint fragrance at the tip of his nose quickly made him sleepy...
Soon, the sound of his even breathing could be heard, and he had fallen asleep.
It was just a pity for Lin Jinghan. She didn't dare to move, and couldn't sleep. She cursed Sikong Zhan countless times in her heart, but in the end, she couldn't resist the sleepiness and fell asleep in a daze around five o'clock...
Just at the hour of Mao, Sikong Zhan woke up as usual, looked at Lin Jinghan who was still sleeping in his arms, smiled with satisfaction, got up quietly, covered her with a quilt, and when he went out, he also told the maid not to disturb the princess, and then returned to his own yard.
Today, he did not practice martial arts, but went to the palace for the first time - dragging his sick body and sitting in a wheelchair to attend the morning court. Such model worker behavior can be recorded in history and become a good story.
The ministers had their own guesses about Prince Jingnan's attendance at the morning court, but because Prince Jingnan was present, none of them dared to say anything.
"The Emperor has arrived!" As the chief eunuch sang loudly, all the ministers knelt down in unison, shouting, "Long live the Fifth Emperor!"
This time, Prince Jingnan was the only one who did not kneel in the Golden Palace, which was extremely abrupt.
"My dear ministers, please stand up!" When the emperor saw Prince Jingnan, he was not angry but very happy - he was waiting for Sikong Zhan and Lin Jinghan to separate so that he could implement the next plan. Sikong Zhan took the initiative to enter the palace, leaving Lin Jinghan alone in the mansion, and personally presented the great opportunity to her!
The emperor winked at his trusted eunuch beside him, and the eunuch understood and quietly retreated.
"If you have something to report, please come forward. If not, please dismiss the court!" said the chief eunuch.
The emperor had nothing important to do here, so he looked at Sikong Zhan from time to time to see what he was doing in the morning court.
At this time, an imperial envoy stepped forward, holding the imperial tablet and bowing, "I am Imperial Envoy Li Haonan, and I have something to report."
The job of the Imperial Envoy was to monitor all officials. From time to time, they would find a reason to criticize the ministers. For example, the wedding of the East Family went beyond the standard, the West Family displayed an overly expensive decoration, the South Family had too close a relationship with someone, and the North Family allowed their sons to abduct women...
As long as the imperial envoy opens his mouth, even if the minister being reported has not committed any serious crime, he will still be in trouble. So, regardless of whether he is guilty or not, the person being reported will be unlucky. Some will be unlucky for a while, while others will be unlucky for a lifetime...
And this Li Haonan is an outstanding one among them. Many ministers who have been reported by him have suffered misfortunes. I wonder which unlucky person will fall into his hands this time?
"Approved!" The emperor had to listen to everything the imperial envoy said, which gave him a headache...
Li Haonan presented a case file. "I would like to impeach Grand Secretary Lin for abusing his position and colluding with his daughter, Consort Lin Yiyi, to sell official positions and titles for personal gain! This is the intelligence and evidence I received yesterday. Please review it, Your Majesty!"
After being accused, Grand Secretary Lin quickly stood up and looked directly at Li Haonan, "Master Li, this is groundless. Don't try to throw dirty water on me!"
"Whether there is any basis for this is up to the emperor to decide!" Li Haonan ignored Lin Daxueshi at all. He held the case file and looked at the emperor firmly.
The chief eunuch hurriedly took the case file and presented it to the emperor.
The emperor was horrified and quickly opened the case file—it detailed the list of officials recommended by Grand Secretary Lin, the details of the bribes he had accepted, and some correspondence. The amount of bribes was staggering, beyond the reach of even an emperor with an empty treasury! The emperor still remembered that some of the officials who had been bribed were officials he had promised to appoint when Concubine Xian had been whispering in his ear.
The emperor slammed the case file down, slammed the throne, and angrily shouted, "You are so good, Grand Secretary Lin! I trusted you so much, but you dared to sell official positions and titles without telling me!"
When the imperial envoys impeached someone, it was often based on hearsay. Grand Secretary Lin firmly believed that he had done these things very carefully and had left no evidence that was unfavorable to himself. No matter what, as long as there was no irrefutable evidence, it was always right to protest first!
He sank to his knees, "Your Majesty, I am wronged! I am loyal to you and to our Donglin Kingdom, and would never do anything that would endanger the order of the court! Please understand!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
