"Scum, scum, scum!"

Long Yue shouted "scum" three times in one breath, but she still wasn’t satisfied. She sat back down on the Dragon Bed and fell asleep right away!

That bastard exhausted her last night!

The person who was being angrily called scum was now in Rong Si’s palace.

He obediently approached Rong Si, who was half-lying down, and gently massaged her temples.

His technique was still very skilled. Rong Si let out a soft hum of comfort, her face filled with satisfaction.

"Mu’er’s skills are becoming more and more refined, making it very soothing."

"Mother praises me too much. Without mother’s help, I wouldn’t be in my current position; naturally, I must be dedicated."

This pleased Rong Si. She smiled slightly and said, "My son is more mature than before. By the way, what about that Wei Yunyan?"

Li Qingmu’s gaze paused; he finally asked about Yue’er!

"Barely passable."

His voice was very calm, with no hint of emotion. Rong Si nodded slightly, "If that’s the case, then just make do for now. Oh, and by the way, mother has selected some noble daughters for you. Do you want to come along and have a look with mother?"

Li Qingmu said, "They’re just women. Mother, you can make the decision!"

This was a statement of his stance!

Rong Si was increasingly satisfied and nodded, "Alright, later I will prepare a list for you to look over, so you have a sense of it in your heart."

"Yes, thank you, mother."

"Hmm, it’s still early. The hunting contest on the grounds is still ongoing, right? As a ruler, His Majesty should go take a look! Meanwhile, I will also go to enjoy the atmosphere."

"Yes, should I accompany mother there?"

"Hmm, let’s go!"

Li Qingmu followed behind Rong Si deferentially, even supporting her when she walked up the steps, treating her completely as the true emperor while he himself was just a puppet.

Zhi Jin followed behind, watching Li Qingmu act subservient in front of Rong Si without any emperor’s dignity, feeling suffocated inside.

If... If he were a thorough emperor, holding the power of the entire empire, wouldn’t she also become his woman?

Once the thought arose, it was impossible to dismiss.

"Your Majesty, I must make sure you truly gain power and not be controlled by the Princess!"

Once a woman becomes obsessed with her own feelings, even Buddha cannot stop her.

Zhi Jin felt the greatest obstacle to being with Li Qingmu was Princess Rong Si!

As long as the Princess no longer holds power, what could she do to me?

By then, the sea will be wide enough for fish to leap, and the sky high enough for birds to fly. She could be free to be with His Majesty the Emperor.

Zhi Jin was already in her twenties and had never tasted the experience of a man. Seeing how handsome, tender, and considerate Li Qingmu was, her heart was completely captured, vowing to be with him!

Li Qingmu assisted Rong Si, glancing at Zhi Jin with a silent smile.

This one’s bitten the bait!

With Zhi Jin as his eyes and ears, he could always be aware of Rong Si’s movements and make the right decisions and actions.

The group exited the palace, arriving at the hunting grounds where a large crowd was already running back and forth, occasionally cheering as rare game was brought in.

Li Qingmu saw a fiery red fox being carried back, and he turned to Rong Si, "Mother, this Fire Fox Fur is eye-catching. How about I make you a cloak from it?"

Rong Si looked at him with a half-smiling expression, "What, you’re not giving it to your new lover?"

"Mother, are you mocking me? No matter how new a lover is, it’s only a piece of clothing and can’t compare to you. Plus, only someone as noble as you deserves such a cloak."

Li Qingmu said with a soft voice, behaving unusually well.

Rong Si felt even more pleased inside, pulling his hand, "My son, it would still be good to reward others with the Fire Fox Fur. You’ve just ascended to the throne, so it’s important to win people’s hearts."

"Yes, I will remember."

"Concubine greets Princess, greets Your Majesty!"

Long Yue had appeared behind them at some point, bowing politely, with not a single flaw in her etiquette.

Rong Si turned to look at her, seeing her slightly lowered head and obedient demeanor. She was fairly satisfied and said in a flat tone, "Rise."

"Thank you, Princess."

Rong Si looked at Li Qingmu, "This new concubine you have seems to be well-behaved; have you thought of a name for her?"

The naming was essentially a title, and Rong Si’s question was an acknowledgment of Long Yue.

Li Qingmu was overjoyed internally, but his face remained expressionless. "I thought of naming Yan’er Yun Yan and considered making her Princess Consort Yun, but that title seemed vulgar, so I dropped it. Mother, what do you think of Ming Fei?"

Rong Si’s expression was a bit unsightly upon hearing "Princess Consort Yun", but she was slightly reassured when he didn’t choose that title in the end.

"Ming Fei... is also quite a common title! But since Mu’er has decided, an emperor’s word is final, so be it."

Li Qingmu feigned embarrassment, mounting his horse, "Mother, I’m heading to the hunting grounds."

"Princess, I shall accompany His Majesty for a look."

Rong Si observed Long Yue, noticing her attentiveness to Li Qingmu, feeling slightly relieved. Perhaps he was right, only a woman with no substantial background, but not entirely poorly born, could truly aid his imperial ambitions.

Without external relatives, it would be much safer.

"Alright!"

Long Yue bid farewell to Rong Si, mounted a small horse, and caught up with Li Qingmu.

There were many people ahead, gathered in groups of three or five, instinctively surrounding Li Qingmu.

Long Yue’s gaze roamed among these people, and for some reason, the image of the black ink jade automatically appeared in her mind.

One corner of the ink jade had a tiny protrusion that would shoot out a series of poison needles with a little pressure!

These poison needles, extremely toxic, could corrode one’s body and blood, instantly lethal!

She had examined those poison needles, using the method given by her master to deduce some information: it was Beiliang’s secret medicine, very potent, and almost without solution!

Fortunately, she had the antidote.

As long as there was an antidote, it wasn’t a big issue.

She looked over the bustling hunting ground, thinking: could it be someone is plotting to assassinate him?

Otherwise, why go through so much trouble to bring the ink jade?

You’er had already taken one piece of ink jade, would there be a second piece? Or perhaps, a different color this time?

While Long Yue was pondering, someone rode up and saluted, "Your Majesty, the weather is great today, how about having folks play Cuju?"

"Ha, that’s a good suggestion. Aren’t there many women here? They can’t participate in archery, but they can play Cuju! Especially the Commandery Princesses, they play quite well!"

"..."

The voices of agreement grew. Li Qingmu didn’t care much about playing or not, but since they were enthusiastic, then let them have fun.

"Alright, then..."

He hadn’t finished speaking when a cry of alarm came from his side, "Your Majesty, watch out, there’s an assassin!"