Perhaps he did remember, but what difference did it make? She didn’t care about him now.
When someone doesn’t care about you, no habit of yours will matter.
With a silent sigh, Buxiu stopped speaking.
In the distance, the Yiqi Pavilion was brightly lit. When Mingyi returned from her outing, she saw Zhou Zihong, who had already gone to bed, standing at the door waiting for her.
He was only wearing a thin robe, his fingertips slightly blue from the cold. Frowning, Mingyi quickly grabbed his hand and pulled him inside. “You didn’t even throw on a coat before coming out?”
“I was worried about the Minister Superior.”
“What’s the big deal? He doesn’t bite.” Mingyi shook her head, pushing him back into bed and wrapping him in the quilt. “Even if I weren’t the Lord of Sunspire City, just based on my Essence Power alone, I could walk away from him unscathed.”
Zhou Zihong looked at her deeply. “And what about emotions?”
Her lashes trembled slightly as Mingyi lowered her gaze. “What emotions?”
“He came all the way here to the Chaoyang Harem, lowering himself like that—isn’t it to reconcile with the Minister Superior?” Zhou Zihong pressed his lips together, immediately regretting his words. “Sorry, I tried to hold back, but I couldn’t.”
Mingyi chuckled, poking his forehead. “In this harem, if you claim second place in jealousy, no one would dare take first.”
“But you’re overthinking it. That Ji Bozhai—he’s born with an unyielding pride. He would never lower his head to me. He came tonight only because there’s a traitor in the palace, and he needs to root them out before he can return.”
Zhou Zihong scoffed. “He could’ve stayed anywhere else, but no, it had to be Qingming Hall.”
Scratching her temple awkwardly, Mingyi gave a dry laugh. “I arranged that.”
**He glared at her, unsurprised.
Mingyi raised her hands in surrender. “He paid for the new palace—how could I make him stay in the old one? If word got out, the other Five Cities' Lords would file complaints against me. With the new laws just passed, it’s a turbulent time. The fewer troubles, the better, don’t you think?”
“The Minister Superior always has her reasons.” He turned away, his back to her. “I’m just petty and can’t see the bigger picture.”
Mingyi laughed, patting his back to coax him. “My dear minister, you’re the most understanding person here. Everyone in the harem knows that.”
He hmphed, but after a moment, he lifted the quilt and pulled her in, squeezing her cold hands before muttering, “Warm up a bit.”
“Alright.” Mingyi smiled, lying down beside him.
She always slept well next to him, her breathing steady within minutes. But Zhou Zihong barely closed his eyes that night. A terrible premonition gnawed at him—that he was about to lose her.
And he wasn’t the only one. The next day, the entire harem was abuzz with gossip the moment they heard His Majesty was staying for a while.
“The Six Cities' Lord—why would he come here of all places?”
“If anyone says he has no feelings for the Minister Superior, the 6,728 tiles in my room would call them a liar.”
“We’re still fine—look at Noble Lin. Now that’s a case of a minor ghost meeting a true deity. She’s panicking.”
Lin Huan, sitting nearby with a pallid complexion, sneered. “At least my threshold has been stepped on. Unlike some who’ve never even had visitors.”
“Oh? But every time His Majesty visits, he leaves within minutes, doesn’t he?” Someone covered their lips mockingly. “How efficient.”
Lin Huan slammed the table and lunged, summoning the Nether Domain as she attacked.Today was the routine day for paying respects in the rear courtyard, but neither Situ Ling nor Zhou Zihong, who were supposed to receive the greetings, showed up. Soon enough, chaos erupted. Men, after all, have always been fond of settling things with their fists. The palace maids and attendants saw it but didn’t intervene, merely sending someone to inform Mingyi.
So, while Mingyi was yawning her way through a report in front of Ji Bozhai, Bai Ying suddenly announced, "Minister Superior, there’s a fight in the rear courtyard."
Startled, she stood up and gave Ji Bozhai a perfunctory bow. "Your subject has urgent matters to attend to. Your Majesty, please enjoy your meal."
"Wait a moment," Ji Bozhai said, leisurely finishing the last spoonful of his porridge. "I’ll go with you."
What was the point of him going? Mingyi gritted her teeth, knowing full well he just wanted to watch her in a mess. She kept a cold expression and didn’t respond, stepping out and immediately mounting her sword to fly off.
The attendants behind couldn’t keep up, but Ji Bozhai managed to ride his sword alongside her. Mingyi tried to shake him off by speeding up, but he refused to back down, matching her pace. The two raced each other, flying three miles in no time.
The quarreling crowd in the Zhaogian Hall watched as the Minister Superior flew past the entrance on her sword, then flew back again.
"Apologies," she said sternly, sheathing her sword. "Overshot it."
Ji Bozhai followed her inside, and everyone froze before reluctantly kneeling in greeting. "We pay our respects to Your Majesty and the Minister Superior."
"At ease." Ji Bozhai didn’t stand on ceremony, waving his sleeve for them to rise before taking the seat of honor for himself.
Logically, it was only right for the emperor to sit in the seat of honor, but this was Mingyi’s rear courtyard, where the seat was usually reserved for her or her esteemed consorts. What was His Majesty doing there?
Not only did he sit there, but he also beckoned Mingyi over. "Why stand? A seat for the Minister Superior."
Mingyi opened her mouth, closed it, then finally swallowed her words and sat beside him.
"I heard there was a fight here," he said with a smile. "Are there rewards for the winner?"
"Your Majesty, forgive us," Lin Huan was the first to kneel. "Someone here overstepped their bounds, but it wasn’t this humble one’s fault, and the fighting has already stopped."
Seeing him, Ji Bozhai grew intrigued. "Lift your head."
Lin Huan trembled, reluctant, but he closed his eyes and raised his head.
Ji Bozhai studied him for a long moment, then stroked his chin and turned to Mingyi. "Don’t you think he resembles me a little?"
Mingyi forced a smile. "Your Majesty flatters him. Though Lin Huan is delicate and charming, he couldn’t compare to even a fraction of Your Majesty’s brilliance."
"Is that so?" He clicked his tongue. "I thought perhaps you kept him in your rear courtyard because you still held feelings for me."
"Misunderstanding," Mingyi said. "Your subject merely took pity on him for being alone and helpless."
"I’m alone and helpless too," he murmured, lowering his eyes. "Why hasn’t the City Lord shown me the same compassion?"
Mingyi averted her gaze to the door. "Your subject wouldn’t dare."
The atmosphere grew strange, and the hall fell silent under the tension.
It was then that Zhou Zihong stepped through the door. Taking in the scene, he frowned briefly before composing himself and approaching Mingyi with a bow. "Your subject was delayed by matters of the Former Dynasty and arrived late. Please forgive me, Minister Superior."
At the sight of him, Mingyi’s expression softened considerably. "Rise, my dear subject. Has there been an issue with the new legal codes?"
Zhou Zihong nodded. "Minister Situ is currently negotiating with a few dissenting senior officials from the Ministry of Justice and couldn’t make it either.""It's obvious who those dissatisfied old ministers are," one of the talents spoke up, frowning. "Those men keep shouting about dedicating themselves to Facing Sun, yet they're terrified of having their authority challenged in the slightest. They refuse to accept anything unfamiliar to them."
"Let Su He persuade them. He's more familiar with those old ministers."
Mingyi nodded and turned to another talent. "Su He, you should make a trip later."
"Yes, Minister Superior."
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