The two arrived at the kitchen, where dinner had just been prepared.
Sure enough, Gu Qinghuai, who was leisurely drinking tea, was respectfully invited over by the maid. He didn't need to compete; he just had to wait.
The three had just sat down when someone rushed in to report: "His Majesty has arrived."
Wherever Mu Ruoyan went, everyone bowed in greeting, except for the three people in the dining hall who remained seated, none of them treating him as the emperor.
Only Lin Xihe immediately showed a bright smile upon seeing Mu Ruoyan: "Ayan, you've come at the perfect time. We haven't even started our meal yet. If I had known you were coming, I would have waited for you to come with me."
As she spoke, she got up and pulled Mu Ruoyan to a seat, then moved her own chair between Ji Zhuo and Mu Ruoyan.
Then, she whispered in Mu Ruoyan's ear, "You're finally here. I've missed you so much."
These were her honest words, spoken sincerely and gently, which softened Mu Ruoyan's expression.
Now, Lin Xihe's greatest skill is balancing these complex relationships.
Mu Ruoyan was in a good mood today. He had finally returned to the capital. Although he could not come to see Lin Xihe immediately, he was already in a great mood at the thought of seeing her in the evening.
He had originally planned to leave the palace with Ji Zhuo, but Ji Zhuo ran off first.
Mu Ruoyan glanced coldly at Ji Zhuo: "If you run away again next time, I will have you locked up in the palace."
Knowing he was in the wrong, Ji Zhuo replied perfunctorily, "Yes, yes, Your Majesty is right. I'll definitely wait for you next time." Though he said this, his tone was full of indifference. When they were alone, Ji Zhuo never treated Mu Ruoyan as the high and mighty emperor.
However, he gave plenty of face in front of outsiders.
Mu Ruoyan's gaze swept over Gu Qinghuai again. Ji Zhuo had already warned him earlier that Gu Qinghuai might be present.
Upon closer inspection, it was indeed the case.
He looked at Gu Qinghuai with displeasure: "Gu Qinghuai, do you not know to first go to the palace for an audience? Don't you want to be the Grand General of the State anymore?"
Gu Qinghuai frowned, too lazy to pay attention.
Lin Xihe said that the group had agreed that he would only act as emperor in front of outsiders.
There are no outsiders here, and he is not an outsider, so why should he be so formal?
Seeing that Gu Qinghuai ignored Mu Ruoyan, Lin Xihe quickly put a lot of food into Mu Ruoyan's bowl: "Ayan, these are ingredients I brought from the Northern Border. Luckily, the weather is cold, so they haven't spoiled yet. Try them."
"Was this brought especially for me?"
"Of course. The food has been reheated twice, and we've all been waiting for you."
Upon hearing this, Mu Ruoyan's lips curled into a slight smile. What he wanted was Lin Xihe's attitude; whether it was true or not didn't matter.
Lin Xihe sighed inwardly: If you have to coax someone when there are only two people, won't you have to coax them all day long when there are three?
However, Mu Ruoyan only complained once before picking up the food from her bowl and starting to eat.
Lin Xihe was somewhat surprised and was about to speak when Ji Zhuo asked, "When you stormed the Nanzhao palace, what do you plan to do with that general who refused to surrender?"
Mu Ruoyan pondered for a moment and replied, "He is a capable man, but he is too stubborn. It would be inappropriate to send him back to Nanzhao. I plan to transfer him to Xili and send him there with his family. There are often foreign tribes invading the other side of Xili, so it would be good for him to guard it."
Gu Qinghuai had a different opinion upon hearing this, and said calmly, "Instead of leaving him in Xili, it would be better to transfer him to Xidi. Xidi is not as barren as Xili. Giving him a few thousand men would be enough to protect the peace of the region."
Ji Zhuo nodded in agreement: "I agree with what Gu Qinghuai said. However, we should send a trustworthy deputy general over there, just in case."
Lin Xihe was surprised that the three of them would start talking about politics at the dinner table.
However, this is much better than them disliking each other and arguing endlessly.
As a result, the three of them got more and more excited as they talked, and eventually they returned to the palace together and began to systematically arrange all the regions of the former Western Regions.
Lin Xihe watched the three figures disappear into the distance and sighed helplessly, "Fine, fine, so you three have become a family?!"
In the days that followed, although Lin Xihe still had to balance the jealousy between the three of them from time to time, most of the time, everyone coaxed her. Her beloved family and friends were all by her side, and apart from giving birth to a son in the third year and crying from the pain, she did not suffer any more hardships afterward.
Lin Xihe's father, Lin Bin, was exonerated; her brother, Lin Zhihao, also regained his eyesight. Relying on his martial arts skills, Lin Bin started from the bottom and soon took command of the Imperial Guard, protecting the capital. He did not go to war again and remained in the capital.
Gu Qinghuai remained busy, often away from the capital for months at a time. But each time he left, a carriage would escort him for ten miles; and upon his return, that same carriage would be the first to greet him. He was content; there were two people he loved in the capital who were always waiting for his return. This gave him a sense of belonging and a sense of connection.
Ji Zhuo was a trusted minister of Emperor Mu Ruoyan of the Northern Dynasties. Rumors circulated that he and the emperor had a homosexual relationship, and the two were always inseparable. Some even witnessed them arguing—how could a minister dare to quarrel with the emperor? Yet the next day, they were inseparable again. From then on, the rumors about Ji Zhuo and the emperor intensified, but neither of them ever offered any explanation.
Emperor Mu Ruoyan of the Northern Dynasty never had a harem throughout his life, and it is rumored that he was fond of men, with his object of affection being Ji Zhuo, a high-ranking official in the court. However, there are also rumors that he once deeply loved a mysterious woman who bore him a son, who was later named crown prince. The crown prince's martial arts instructor was Gu Qinghuai, and his literary instructor was Ji Zhuo. The two of them taught him meticulously, imparting all the knowledge they had acquired in their lives.
Mu Ruoyan's life was nothing short of legendary. He was handsome, but was not favored in his youth. However, he suddenly ascended the throne at the age of twenty-one and unified the country in just eighteen months, ending years of war.
From then on, the Northern Dynasties ushered in a period of peace and prosperity, and the people lived in peace and contentment.
--------------------------------
The End.
Book categories, authors, and full-length book rankings
Homepage Click Ranking Recommended Ranking Favorites Ranking Temporary Bookshelf
PC version of all novels, latest updates, site map, member bookshelf
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
