Li Xiaocheng lifted his head and gazed affectionately at Lin Yuxin, saying:

“Miss Lin, you have already seen my body. Shouldn’t you take responsibility for it?”

“Cough, cough!”

“Cough, cough…!”

The Emperor: This is a bit too much! Let me take a moment to process it!

Lin Yuxin choked on her own saliva.

She wasn’t guilty! She didn’t do anything! She had been wronged!!!

“Your Highness, please don’t speak nonsense. When have I ever seen your body? You cannot lie before the Emperor.”

Lin Yuxin panicked.

She absolutely didn’t want to get married this quickly.

“It doesn’t matter if Miss Lin doesn’t remember. As long as I remember, that’s enough.”

Li Xiaocheng shamelessly insisted.

If this woman hadn’t been making up all kinds of rumors about him in her mind, he wouldn’t have acted so recklessly.

He found Lin Yuxin intriguing.

He could hear her inner thoughts, and they weren’t just insightful—they were entertaining.

He was drawn to her, though he wasn’t sure if he truly liked her.

But today, Lin Yuxin had provoked him one too many times.

As a man, how could he just take it? Besides, she was the only one he had ever felt this way about.

He figured if they got engaged now, he could take his time developing feelings for her later.

Moreover, he doubted he would ever feel the same way about anyone else.

If Lin Yuxin knew what Li Xiaocheng was thinking, she would probably slap herself. Serves me right for gossiping! Now my own marriage is on the line!

But she didn’t know.

Right now, she was too frightened by Li Xiaocheng’s words to think straight.

“You… I…!”

Lin Yuxin stammered, struggling to find the right words.

In the end, she hung her head in frustration and sulked in silence.

Seeing her like this, a trace of amusement flickered in Li Xiaocheng’s eyes.

The Emperor, observing their interaction, seemed to understand what was going on. He then spoke:

“Alright, since you two seem to have mutual feelings, I shall grant this marriage. However, the wedding will have to wait. Lin Yuxin hasn’t come of age yet, has she? Once she completes her coming-of-age ceremony, I will officially bestow the marriage. In the meantime, you two can spend time getting to know each other.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty!”

Li Xiaocheng stood up and expressed his gratitude.

Inside, Lin Yuxin was fuming: [Mutual feelings? Ha! The Emperor really knows how to joke! That man’s face is colder than ice! Even a dagger couldn’t pierce his heart! No way! I still want to live freely!]

She pursed her lips and grumbled internally.

The Emperor, noticing her lowered head, immediately called her out:

“What’s wrong, Lin Yuxin? Do you have any objections to my decree?”

“No, Your Majesty. Thank you for your grace.”

Lin Yuxin reluctantly expressed her thanks.

[How could I dare to object? You’re the Emperor—your word is law! And just like that, my entire future has been decided for me. How am I supposed to enjoy my carefree life now?!]

[Wait a minute… Did the Emperor summon me here so late at night just to arrange my marriage? Does he have nothing better to do? Why not just let me go back to sleep?!]

She felt utterly speechless.

She had come to the palace to treat people, used up almost all her medicine, and now she was walking away with a marriage decree. What a terrible deal!

The Emperor cleared his throat, shifting the conversation:

“Lin Yuxin, the reason I summoned you here was to ask about the poison that affected the officials today. Will there be any lasting consequences?”

Finally, he addressed the main issue.

After all, many ministers, noble ladies, and even imperial concubines had been poisoned.

If the poison was lethal, it could bring disaster to the kingdom.

Lin Yuxin set aside her frustration and answered seriously:

“Your Majesty, this was a hallucinogenic drug, typically used for mind control. If left untreated for too long, it could result in permanent mental impairment.”

“The melody I played today only suppressed the poison’s effects temporarily, allowing the victims to regain clarity. To fully cure them, proper medicine is required.”

The Emperor frowned. “Is it the same pill that Lin Shaoyang gave me earlier?”

“Yes. However, my supply of medicine is limited, and it’s not enough to treat everyone. I can write a prescription, and Your Majesty can have the imperial physicians prepare the medicine and distribute it to the ministers.”

“Or, if Your Majesty prefers, the officials can take the prescription and gather the ingredients themselves.”

“However, one particular ingredient is quite rare and may not be available in regular pharmacies. If its absence delays treatment, it could hinder the ministers’ ability to serve Your Majesty effectively.”

Lin Yuxin spoke with an air of seriousness.

The Emperor fell silent for a moment, then sighed. He could tell that she was setting a trap for him, but he had no choice but to walk into it.

“Which ingredient?”

“Dragonbone Herb. It grows on steep cliffs, making it extremely difficult to harvest. It’s also quite rare, so most pharmacies don’t carry it. I already checked earlier—none of them have it.”

She blinked innocently. “But surely the imperial palace has some, right?”

The Emperor sighed. “Fine. Write down the prescription.”

He was getting tired of listening to her. Without another word, he waved her away.

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Inside, Lin Yuxin snickered: [Ha! That’s what you get for randomly arranging marriages! If I don’t make you pay up a little, I’d be letting myself down for all the work I did tonight!]

Happily, she went to write the prescription, leaving the two men staring at each other.

After a moment, the Emperor broke the silence:

“I never expected you to have such… unique tastes.”

Li Xiaocheng instantly understood. With a helpless expression, he replied:

“I have no choice. I just like this type.”

The Emperor chuckled, shaking his head. “You brat!”

Then, his expression grew serious again. “You handle the matter of the Third Prince of Qi. I want to see if Qi Kingdom has the nerve to make a scene this time.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. But… if the Emperor of Qi decides to abandon his son and go to war anyway?”

Li Xiaocheng hesitated, voicing his concern.

Lin Yuxin’s inner thoughts had mentioned that Qi would send troops.

Although he himself hadn’t been poisoned or injured, the Qi envoys had been detained due to certain circumstances.

There was a real chance Qi might retaliate.

The Emperor’s face darkened. “If they dare to start a war, I won’t back down. My only concern is the suffering of the people. Right now, the Crown Prince is useless, and my other sons are too busy scheming against each other to focus on governance.”

He sighed deeply. “I have failed as an emperor. My sons are all disappointments… Will this truly be the downfall of Xia Kingdom?”

For the first time, the Emperor looked utterly exhausted.

Li Xiaocheng consoled him. “Your Majesty, don’t lose hope. There may still be a way.”

He didn’t mention the hidden prince.

The child was safe in Lin Manor, and with Lin Yuxin’s guidance, he might have a bright future.

The Emperor nodded, gathering his composure. “Let’s hope so.”