After Feng Lezhen’s marriage, the court officials did indeed quiet down for a while. The matter of choosing concubines was temporarily shelved, which let her breathe a little easier—but it brought a new concern: now that Chen Jinan had married her, he could no longer continue his political career, and the position of Grand General of the South was left vacant.
Though also a border region, Lingnan was more stable compared to Yingguan and rarely saw conflict. However, its complicated geography meant that any unrest could drag on for ages and plunge the whole empire into suffering. It was imperative to station someone capable there.
But the problem was—who could be more suitable than Chen Jinan?
Great Qian had enjoyed near a century of peace and prosperity. With such long years of calm, there were more scholars than warriors. If not for the severe shortage of talent, the imperial court would never have let the Yang family hold such exclusive power in Lingnan in the first place.
Since her marriage, Feng Lezhen had been losing sleep over the issue. To make matters worse, like dogs catching scent, many foolishly ambitious people pounced on the vacancy. In just a few days, she’d already received numerous memorials, both recommending others and self-recommendations.
“They think reading a few books and knowing a few characters means they’re fit to command armies—foolish and arrogant,” she muttered, tossing another memorial onto the pile and rubbing her temples in frustration.
Qin Wan chuckled and stepped forward to tidy up the messy desk. “Don’t worry, Your Majesty. Our Great Qian is full of talent. With time, a suitable candidate will emerge.”
“If we were truly searching seriously, yes, it wouldn’t be difficult. But the problem is whether they can be trusted.” Feng Lezhen sighed. “Now every official and noble house has their eyes on this vacancy. Unless I manage the selection personally from start to finish, their people are bound to slip in somehow.”
“That is indeed a concern…” Qin Wan said, but then spotted Ah Ye approaching. She gave her a silent glance, signaling her to leave first.
Ah Ye paused, then had no choice but to retreat.
Feng Lezhen rubbed her brow again and resignedly went back to reviewing memorials. Seeing she no longer wished to talk, Qin Wan quietly withdrew.
Outside, Ah Ye immediately approached. “Your Majesty should eat dinner now,” she said.
“Push it back by another half hour. Her Majesty likely has no appetite now anyway,” Qin Wan replied.
“Again…” Ah Ye pressed her lips. “Her Majesty is eating later and later these days, and even Mr. Shen’s medicines are being delayed. Who knows if the effect will be reduced.”
“What can we do? She’s so worried over Lingnan that she’s not in the mood for food.” Qin Wan sighed.
Seeing the distress on her face, Ah Ye couldn’t help but speak: “Actually…”
She only got one word out before falling silent.
“What?” Qin Wan asked.
Ah Ye gave an awkward smile. “N-Nothing…” and hurried off.
Qin Wan watched her scurry away and scolded sharply, “Mind your manners!”
The reprimand startled Ah Ye so much her steps faltered, nearly tripping over herself.
By nightfall, Feng Lezhen still hadn’t eaten. It wasn’t until Chen Jinan came in person to fetch her that she reluctantly left the imperial study.
“I haven’t finished reviewing the memorials,” she frowned.
“It doesn’t need to be done all at once,” Chen Jinan replied.
Feng Lezhen pursed her lips and lowered her gaze to hold his hand.
He paused for a moment, then gently laced their fingers together.
“Your Highness has been fretting over the choice for the new Grand General of the South.” It wasn’t a question.
Feng Lezhen replied lazily, “Among the entire court, there’s not one suitable.”
“Actually, I know someone who might be.” Chen Jinan suddenly said.
Feng Lezhen stopped in her tracks, intrigued. She looked at him with interest.
Being watched like that made Chen Jinan feel awkward. He cleared his throat. “Why are you looking at me like that, Your Majesty?”
“I’m just surprised you’ve started recommending candidates,” she said with a trace of a smile in her eyes.
“You once told me that one shouldn’t avoid recommending relatives if it benefits the nation… but,” he quickly added, “if Your Majesty doesn’t like it, I won’t say more.”
“It’s fine. Anyone you choose is surely better than those others. Why not go on?” she said without giving a definite answer, continuing to walk while holding his hand.
But when she allowed him to speak, he instead refused—saying he’d only tell her after she ate dinner.
Her curiosity was piqued. She ended up eating quite a bit. After dinner, he smoothly guided her back to the bedchamber, and only when the door closed did she remember the pending memorials.
“I asked Steward Qin. Only about a dozen remain. You can finish them in fifteen minutes tomorrow morning,” Chen Jinan said, his dark eyes glinting in the candlelight.
Ever since their marriage, his clothing and daily necessities had been handled by the palace. Gone were the days of rotating through a few worn garments. Now, he even wore jade crowns and bracelets like other nobles. Every time he appeared before her, he looked increasingly elegant.
Just like now—her gaze flickered, her eyes no longer so clear and composed.
Chen Jinan, spending every day and night with her, instantly noticed her shift in mood. After a brief pause, he reached out to caress her face—and kissed her.
Though it wasn’t yet May, the room was stiflingly warm. Soon, both were covered in a fine sheen of sweat, their damp skin pressed together, breathing blending into one.
Feng Lezhen had been frustrated for days, and they hadn’t been intimate for quite a while. In this moment, they both let go completely. But just as they collapsed, Chen Jinan suddenly remembered the main thing he was supposed to say. He reluctantly released her and said, somewhat breathlessly: “I still haven’t recommended… the candidate to you…”
“At a time like this, you’re still thinking about that?” Feng Lezhen was both exasperated and amused. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.
Chen Jinan’s throat bobbed, but he still shook his head. “No, I have to finish what I was saying.”
This man was good in every way—except that he could be ridiculously stubborn. Feng Lezhen was so annoyed she bit him on the neck. Chen Jinan endured it without a sound, letting her do as she pleased.
When she let go, sure enough, there was a distinct bite mark on his neck. Feng Lezhen was helpless. “It’s about Ah Ye, isn’t it? I also think she’s the most suitable choice. But I’m not at ease letting her go alone. You’ll have to accompany her for a while, until she’s settled in, then come back.”
“You’d already decided?” Chen Jinan looked surprised.
Feng Lezhen shot him a glance. “I hadn’t before. But today you were stammering and she was nowhere to be seen—so strange it barely needed guessing. It was my oversight not to consider her. Did she ask you to recommend her?”
Chen Jinan smiled. “Why does Your Majesty know everything?”
Ever since their marriage, their intimacy had made him more relaxed—less restrained than before. His eyes curved into a rare playful glint. Feng Lezhen felt a sudden itch in her heart, pulled him close, and kissed him again. Chen Jinan gave a soft chuckle and let her do as she pleased.
After their indulgence, she lay against his chest, still a little breathless, already returning to business. “You’ll go with her. At least for a year.”
“I know. Lingnan has no major external threats. The Yang family and a few other clans are the real danger. I need to go and uproot them completely to be at ease.” His voice was still a little hoarse.
Feng Lezhen chuckled and kissed the base of his ear. “Take Ah Ye with you for everything. She needs to learn to hold her own.”
“Alright.”
The red candles flickered. Silence gradually returned between them.
An indescribable feeling filled the room, eventually dissipating into Feng Lezhen’s soft sigh.
“Sleep.” she said.
“Yes.” Chen Jinan got up and extinguished the lights.
Darkness filled the room. Feng Lezhen nestled into his arms again. Just as she was drifting off, he suddenly spoke.
“Your Majesty.”
“Mm?”
“Will you miss me?” he asked.
Feng Lezhen slowly opened her eyes, leaned up to kiss his jaw. “I will. I’ll think only of you.”
The unspoken meaning: there would be no new favorites during that year.
Chen Jinan had only expected a simple reply, but received a commitment so deep it made his arms tighten around her. “Maybe I won’t even need the full year. I’ll carry out the task earnestly…”
“Mm. I’ll be waiting for you at home,” Feng Lezhen said with a light laugh.
Chen Jinan smiled too and adjusted their position so she could lie more comfortably.
“Sleep now, Your Majesty,” he said.
Feng Lezhen curved her lips into a small smile and quickly fell asleep in his arms.
—
They spoke no more that night. When Feng Lezhen woke up for morning court, she realized—being too indulgent sometimes came at a price.
Seeing her constantly sigh and stretch her waist, Qin Wan’s face darkened. “If Your Majesty continues to ignore moderation, then the palace affairs will have to follow the old code for bedroom conduct.”
“No, thank you. I don’t have any interest in letting palace staff monitor my private life.”
“Then from now on—”
“I’ll be moderate, I’ll be moderate.” Whether as a princess or as emperor, Feng Lezhen always feared her lectures the most.
Satisfied with her obedience, Qin Wan said no more.
—
While Feng Lezhen headed off to court, Chen Jinan had already dressed and washed, ready to find Ah Ye—only to find her waiting outside already. As soon as she saw him, she hurried over. “You and the Emperor… That mark on your neck—was that from Her Majesty?”
Chen Jinan silently pulled up his collar a bit higher.
“…Was that a sacrifice to persuade the Emperor to agree?!” Ah Ye was so shocked she even used honorifics.
Chen Jinan was just about to deny it, but suddenly remembered what the Emperor said last night—that Ah Ye was used to treating him informally, and if she were to mature faster, she’d need to respect him more.
He paused, then replied, “Her Majesty has agreed to your appointment. But the clan influence in Lingnan is overwhelming. You likely can’t handle it alone. I’ll be going with you.”
Hearing he didn’t deny the cause of the bite, and that he’d accompany her, Ah Ye was even more moved. “H-How long will you be gone?”
“One year.”
“A year?!” Ah Ye gasped. “Then what about Her Majesty? Aren’t you afraid she’ll fall for someone else?!”
“If I’m helping you, I’ll see it through to the end.” Chen Jinan dodged the question.
Ah Ye’s eyes turned red. Deeply touched, she knelt down and knocked her head on the ground. “My lord! From now on, you are this servant’s second master!”
Chen Jinan was speechless for a moment, but still helped her up.
After choking out a few more words of gratitude, Ah Ye ran off to wait for Feng Lezhen to finish court. Watching her back, Chen Jinan thought: this move of the Emperor’s was clever… but also a bit ruthless.
