novelSusiti Chapter 243 My First Intimate Encounter with the Empress
Chapter 243 My First Intimate Encounter with the Empress
The Imperial Palace.
The Imperial Study.
Empress Zhao Lingyang is reviewing memorials.
Upon hearing the eunuch announce that "the Prince of Zhenbei requests an audience," she paused in her writing.
"Let him in."
When Lin Chen pushed open the door, the Empress was putting down her pen and leaning back in her chair.
She wasn't wearing court robes today, but rather a simple black casual dress, her hair simply tied up with a jade hairpin, looking much more casual than when she was attending court.
Lin Chen casually cupped his hands in greeting: "Your Majesty, I have a favor to ask."
The Empress raised an eyebrow and chuckled softly:
"Oh, even the Prince of Zhenbei needs to ask for favors? Speak, what is it?"
"I wish to make my way to the East."
The Imperial Study fell silent.
The Empress looked at Lin Chen with the same gaze she would give a drunkard.
Lin Chen stood upright with a calm expression.
Two seconds later, the Empress smiled.
"Lin Chen, do you know who owns Dongshan?"
"I understand. Those belonging to the royal family are not granted fiefdoms outside the palace."
"Then you still dare to take it?"
"You dare!"
The Empress stared at Lin Chen for a few seconds, then stood up, walked to the window, and asked with her back to him:
"Tell me, why do you want to go to Dongshan?"
Lin Chen spoke frankly: "I want to build a separate courtyard on the mountain so that I can bring my family there to stay when I have nothing to do."
"That's it?"
"This is it."
The Empress turned around, leaned against the windowsill, and looked at Lin Chen. Sunlight shone in from behind her, outlining a silhouette.
"Lin Chen, do you know what Dongshan means?"
Lin Chen was stunned for a moment.
The Empress walked back to her desk and sat down, tapping her fingers on the table as she spoke slowly and deliberately:
"Dongshan is thirty miles from the capital. If someone with ulterior motives were to station troops there, it would be enough to threaten the capital."
understood.
This is because they are afraid he will rebel.
Lin Chen smiled and said, "Your Majesty, if I wanted to rebel, I wouldn't have to wait until Dongshan was built."
The Empress's eyes flashed: "What do you mean?"
Lin Chen shrugged: "I can do it right now."
The Imperial Study was quiet again.
The Empress stared at Lin Chen, her eyes sharp as knives.
Lin Chen looked back at her with an innocent expression.
The two looked at each other, one sitting and the other standing, neither moving.
Five full breaths.
The empress suddenly laughed.
"Lin Chen, Lin Chen, you really know how to give me a hard time. You're the only one in the Great Yan Dynasty who dares to say such things in front of me."
Lin Chen laughed as well: "That's because others don't dare to tell the truth."
The Empress suppressed her smile, looked at Lin Chen, and remained silent for a long time.
Lin Chen thought she was about to refuse before she finally spoke:
"Dongshan is available to you."
Lin Chen's eyes lit up: "Thank you, Your Majesty—"
"But there are conditions."
"...What are the conditions?"
The Empress leaned back in her chair, continuing to tap her fingers on the armrest.
"You promised me before that you would inspect nine provinces. It's time to put that on the agenda."
Lin Chen coughed lightly: "Your Majesty, the Imperial City Guard is currently training. Once the training is complete, I will set off immediately."
"When?"
Lin Chen smiled and said, "Wait until my eldest son is born."
The empress was stunned.
"Your eldest son?"
"Yes." Lin Chen nodded. "Ruyan will give birth in less than three months. I would like to wait until the child is born before I go out to handle matters."
The Empress looked at Lin Chen with a somewhat complicated expression.
Lin Chen continued, "There are eight pregnant women in my household. Ruyan is the most pregnant, and I want to stay with her until she gives birth before I leave."
The Imperial Study was quiet for a while.
The Empress suddenly laughed, but her laugh was different from before; it wasn't as sharp anymore.
"Lin Chen, you are... quite family-oriented."
Lin Chen shrugged, saying seriously, "Of course, a wife, kids, and a warm bed are more important than anything else."
The Empress remained silent.
He just looked at Lin Chen.
As I was looking at it, I suddenly asked:
"Lin Chen, do you think I have a home?"
Lin Chen was stunned.
This question came a bit suddenly.
He looked at the Empress, whose face still held that calm and collected expression, but something seemed to flash across her eyes.
He remembered what Zhao Mingyue had said: "My younger sister is very lonely."
Lin Chen thought about it carefully and said, "Of course Your Majesty has a home. The Dayan royal family is Your Majesty's home."
The Empress chuckled softly: "The royal family?"
She shook her head and said nothing more.
Lin Chen looked at her and suddenly felt that this girl in her early twenties must be quite tired sitting on the dragon throne.
The two remained silent for a while.
The Empress spoke first: "Dongshan is yours. You shall set off immediately after Liu Ruyan gives birth."
Lin Chen cupped his hands in thanks: "Thank you, Your Majesty."
After saying that, he turned and left.
He reached the doorway, then suddenly stopped and looked back.
The Empress raised an eyebrow: "Is there anything else?"
Lin Chen thought for a moment, then walked back.
He walked to the desk and stood opposite the Empress.
The Empress looked at Lin Chen with a wary gaze: "What do you want to do?"
Lin Chen didn't speak, but simply reached out and gently took her hand, which was resting on the desk.
That hand was slightly cool and slender.
The Empress froze.
She stared at him with wide eyes, her lips slightly parted, forgetting to close them.
Lin Chen held her hand and said earnestly:
"Lingyang, I don't know if you are lonely, but if you are willing, once your cultivation breaks through, I can come to the palace often to keep you company, and we can get along like an ordinary couple."
The Empress stared blankly at Lin Chen.
She forgot to pull her hand away from his grasp.
Lin Chen released his grip, turned and walked out, saying without looking back:
"By the way, Your Majesty, I would like to change my name."
The Empress, still in a daze, instinctively asked, "Change what?"
Lin Chen smiled and said:
"A comeback."
After saying that, he pushed open the door and went out.
The Empress was left alone in the Imperial Study.
She sat there, looking down at her hands.
The spot where Lin Chen had just held that hand was still a little hot.
She slowly clenched her fist.
It loosened again.
Then I gripped it tightly again.
The sunlight streamed in through the window, falling on the floor tiles and also on her face.
The expression on his face was somewhat complicated.
But the corners of his mouth seemed to curve slightly.
Just a tiny bit.
She herself didn't realize it.
……
Lin Chen left the palace and boarded the carriage.
Lin Wu leaned closer: "Your Highness, has the matter been completed?"
"It's done." Lin Chen leaned back on the soft pillow. "We'll talk about it when we get back to the manor."
The carriage rumbled forward.
Lin Chen leaned against the soft pillows, thinking about what had just happened.
Shaking the Empress's hand was both an impulsive act and a deliberate act.
Since we'll be together sooner or later anyway, someone has to take the first step.
He smiled.
Suddenly, I remembered the Empress's expression.
She was stunned and blank, completely different from the majestic empress she usually was.
Just like the comments said, she looked like a girl next door who had been teased.
She's actually quite... cute.
Lin Chen shook his head, dispelling the dangerous thought.