Meng Qingzhou chuckled softly and brushed a strand of hair from Dongfang Liuli's forehead, speaking gently, "I was just teasing you. I'll give you a proper wedding. The one three months ago doesn't count; it was just a prearranged deal without real feelings or proper recognition."
He knew Dongfang Liuli was a traditional and principled girl. Since they had decided to spend their lives together, it couldn't be done carelessly, or it would make her feel insecure. Every girl wants to feel safe, and Meng Qingzhou didn't want his woman to one day envy other brides…
"Hmph." Dongfang Liuli pouted adorably, her earlobes turning as red as ruby pendants.
"By the way, when I fought with the visitor from Sky State, no one from the village saw it, right? I deliberately sealed off the energy leakage, so it should have been very quiet," Meng Qingzhou asked.
Dongfang Liuli pouted, looking both cute and mischievous, and rolled her eyes secretly. Not just the Present Village, the entire Imperial Capital, with its millions of inhabitants, witnessed it. The commotion couldn't have been any bigger.
But she gave a thumbs up and sincerely said, "No, dear, you hid it perfectly."
"Good, that's a relief," Meng Qingzhou said, feeling reassured. As long as no one discovered it, his decision for a swift battle was indeed correct.
Three heads peeked out from a side room, spying on the man and woman in the courtyard.
"Why isn't Her Majesty discussing serious matters yet? She should be asking the Empress' Husband for strategies," the Minister of Personnel complained to the two women, stomping his feet in frustration.
They were supposed to be discussing national affairs. How could talking about love be the Great Jin Dynasty's top priority?
Well… actually, it kind of is, considering the need to continue the royal bloodline. But with the Prime Minister's safety and the dynasty's fate at stake, there shouldn't be any room for negligence.
Su Qingqiu and Wu Die's big eyes sparkled, and they both smiled like doting aunts. Hearing the Minister's complaint, they rolled their eyes simultaneously.
"Hey, Minister, please understand. The Empress' Husband doesn't know his identity yet. Should Her Majesty just rush over without any prelude? That would be too abrupt," Su Qingqiu said.
"Old men are just old men, completely lacking in charm. The Empress' Husband's lifelong matters are the top priority of the Great Jin," Wu Die retorted mercilessly.
Hey! The Minister of Personnel's old eyes widened as he turned to look at the two women.
Su Qingqiu was startled and privately messaged Wu Die, "Hey! This is the Minister of Personnel, not some ordinary old man. Show some respect."
Wu Die quickly apologized, bowing her head, "I didn't recognize Mount Tai. Please forgive me."
The Minister of Personnel waved his hand wearily, too tired to pursue the matter.
…
…
Dongfang Liuli suddenly exclaimed in surprise, "Oh right, I heard the Great Jin Dynasty has declared war on the Western Buddhist Kingdom. Prime Minister Jiang Canghai is leading the army. Did you know?"
In the kitchen, Meng Qingzhou finished washing the dishes, dried his hands, and said with some surprise, "Really?"
"The Great Jin declared war on the Western Buddhist Kingdom? And sent strategist Jiang Canghai to the battlefield… Hmm, let me think…"
"The Empress must have encountered a formidable enemy, and with the urgency to unify the Wilderness, sending Jiang Canghai to the Western Buddhist Kingdom is a wise decision. But the war strategy is flawed."
Meng Qingzhou brewed two cups of tea, adding a petal of Nine Suns Burning Heart Lotus to each. He handed one to Dongfang Liuli, the steam rising from the cup, and stopped discussing the Western Buddhist Kingdom.
Dongfang Liuli blinked her eyes, her expectant gaze turning to confusion. She tilted her head and asked, "Why did you stop talking?"
"What's there to say? Let them be," Meng Qingzhou replied.
In the side room, the Minister of Personnel was shocked, jumping three feet high and making a slight noise—"Damn, Empress' Husband, don't be like this, hurry up and talk."
"Who's there?" Meng Qingzhou turned his head.
Dongfang Liuli's smile froze. She glanced sharply behind her, annoyed that they were eavesdropping and even causing trouble.
"Nothing… just a mouse," Dongfang Liuli explained, then added, "You were once a Minister of the Great Jin, and I was a female official before the Empress. Even though we are now in seclusion, we are still within the Great Jin. It's okay to talk about it."
Meng Qingzhou firmly shook his head, "No."
Dongfang Liuli bit her lip, hesitated, then looked back at the side room. She grabbed Meng Qingzhou's arm with both hands and shook it, acting cute and pleading, "Please, Qingzhou, I'm really curious…"
Meng Qingzhou felt his scalp tingle, as if he had been injected with a shot of adrenaline. He instantly became energetic and spirited.
His wife was acting cute for the first time; he couldn't resist at all, and his defenses crumbled immediately.
"Alright, alright, let's talk briefly then."
Meng Qingzhou sat down leisurely, took a sip of tea, and said calmly, "The origin of the Western Buddhist Kingdom is unclear. It's said that an ascetic monk once dug up a Buddha statue in the desert, and from there, the Buddhist Kingdom, spanning thousands of miles, was born…"
"Over the years, the Buddhist Kingdom has produced many Zen cultivators, eventually giving rise to a Buddha named Pudu."
"Buddha Pudu! A master of Zen cultivation. In a sense, he has achieved Buddhahood. He established a force called Sacred Mountain."
Upon hearing this, Dongfang Liuli's eyes narrowed.
…
…
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