CHAPTER 470: CHAPTER 457: THE FASTER THE DRAFT, THE BETTER

"Jealous of a woman?" The young Emperor watched Lin Yi with his overly cautious demeanor, barely suppressing a laugh, then nodded in silent approval.

The Empress, although displeased, had finally found an opportunity to get close to Your Majesty but was blocked by Lin Yi; nevertheless, she tactfully stepped back a half-step.

Caring for His Majesty was a long-term commitment, not something to be rushed. Besides, Lin Yi had now become a great hero of You Country. Arguing with a eunuch, even slightly, would be beneath the dignity of an Empress.

Lin Yi’s skill in attending to others seemed to have surged overnight. He’d never before so attentively cooled the soup by blowing gently until it emitted a slight steam before passing it to the young Emperor.

After taking a sip of the ginseng soup, the young Emperor felt much more comfortable. However, he could no longer endure Lin Yi’s overbearing spoon-feeding.

"Little Lin, let me do it myself."

Lin Yi gave the young Emperor a glare but acquiesced to the Emperor’s authority and obediently complied.

[Hmph, look how eager you are. As the ruler of a nation, are you afraid of not having soup to drink? I’m worried about scalding you and the child, sheesh. If we were to close the doors, I might as well be blowing on the soup mouth to mouth for you!]

Mouth to mouth?

The young Emperor caught on to Lin Yi’s mischievous thoughts, his face involuntarily heating up. What a debaucherous fellow, still thinking of taking advantage at this time. I’ll have to lay down some strict rules later.

The Empress, on the other side, watching His Majesty finish the ginseng soup in one breath, surprisingly felt a sense of achievement, but her joy was short-lived.

"Empress, I have summoned you here to hear your opinions on the selection of concubines."

The Empress felt a twinge in her heart; what she feared had come. Despite her reluctance, she had to consider the bigger picture.

"This subject was just about to report to Your Majesty on this matter. Since your ascension, Your Majesty has never held a grand selection of concubines. Now that the country is in peace, it’s time for Your Majesty to choose some and fill the Harem."

Perhaps out of self-reproach for not yet bearing an heir, the Empress did not mention the responsibility of producing offspring for the Imperial Family.

But the young Emperor didn’t seem to care, knowing that he already had an heir on the way.

"I have the same intention. Let the Empress handle the selection of the concubines, and the sooner the better."

After saying this, the young Emperor cast a glance at Lin Yi who, surprisingly, remained calm without the usual greedy gleam at the prospect of women.

Strange, has this man truly changed?

But the sentiment lasted only three seconds as Lin Yi’s playboy instincts kicked in again.

[Always so hasty, quick to resolve, my darling. Training your man like this, aren’t you afraid that I’ll really become a ’three-second Mr.’? I don’t want a man’s joy to turn into a man’s pain, hmph, stingy]

What? This scoundrel dares to call me stingy, and really wants me to arrange a harem of three thousand beauties for him? Dream on!

Meanwhile, the Empress hesitated for a moment, pondering over the words "the sooner the better." Could it be that His Majesty is eager to produce heirs for the Imperial Family?

"This servant obeys the decree. I shall arrange the grand selection of concubines in three days. May I inquire when Your Majesty will be available for personal selection?"

The young Emperor, naturally averse to the selection, attempted to avoid it if possible. Going through personal selection would take so much time.

"I have state affairs to attend to. The Empress should just select the twenty most suitable concubines, and I’ll come take a look once I’m done with official duties."

Selecting only twenty from at least a thousand concubines seemed too few, making the Empress a bit uncomfortable. But on second thought, Your Majesty’s equal attention might actually be favorable for her if there were fewer concubines.

"This servant will make the arrangements immediately and shall take her leave now."

Once the Empress had left, Lin Yi instantly changed his demeanor like a different person, shamelessly grabbing the hand of the young Emperor.

"My darling, you’re not alone now. Whether it’s going out or eating, you must be more cautious. Remember that, okay?"

The doors of the Imperial Study Room remained ajar, and the young Emperor wouldn’t let this libertine act recklessly, even if he was the father of the baby in her belly.

"I’m not a three-year-old child. You worry too much. If you have the time, think about how to handle the upcoming selection process," he said.

After the selection, Lin Yi’s Harem would expand even more. The young Emperor wasn’t worried that this libertine would change his heart, but rather that her man would have to be shared with more men, which made her a bit emotional.

Even though she was a sovereign who should look at the big picture, she was also a woman after all.

And yet, Lin Yi remained calm and massaged the young Emperor’s shoulders.

"Even if the Harem becomes crowded, you will always be my most beloved treasure."

The young Emperor’s cheeks flushed with a sense of security from being cherished.

"Stop with the sweet talk and get to the point. How should we deal with the aftermath of the selection?"

Lin Yi, gazing at the wide-open doors of the Imperial Study Room, suddenly raised his voice.

"The selection of ladies is a matter of national importance, and the Civil and Military Officials must all be prepared."

The young Emperor nodded. This selection was a great opportunity for the Civil and Military Officials to climb the ladder, and they certainly wouldn’t miss out. This was the perfect occasion to see their true loyalties.

Perhaps because of the pregnancy, the young Emperor was starting to feel sleepy, which made Lin Yi anxious.

While trying to keep the young Emperor alert, Lin Yi pondered how to cover for her in the future.

But the young Emperor calmly pointed to a pile of documents two meters high in the corner, which would be the excuse for her drowsiness going forward.

The arrival of the baby inside her had distracted the young Emperor, but it did not diminish her attention to the Empress.

Suddenly, a sound of the wind swept through. Lin Yi protectively embraced the young Emperor in his arms, not sure if it was the wind or Ying Yi.

"All this fuss, Ying Yi, come out."

Ying Yi was already standing behind the screen at some point.

"Your Majesty, I have received a secret report. The Eighth Prince intends to win over General Lin."

The young Emperor was slightly taken aback; she hadn’t expected her Imperial Uncle to act so swiftly, wanting to snatch Lin Yi away, not giving her a chance to control the military.

Lin Yi, however, smirked arrogantly.

[Hehe, I didn’t expect to be so in-demand. Women fight over me, and now the Eighth Prince is extending an olive branch. I’m a eunuch desired by both men and women, hahaha.]

The young Emperor, however, fell into deep thought. Initially granting Lin Yi the title of Great General was partly to deter her Imperial Uncle with his fame. Now that her Imperial Uncle is still trying to attract Lin Yi, what moves would he make?

"Ying Yi, be more specific."

From Ying Yi’s information, it was known that the Eighth Prince had sent a message to the Fourth Prince, indicating the Fourth Prince intended to nominate someone during the selection.

Nominating his own person? No wonder the little princess was seen in the Imperial Garden. It seems that everything is traceable.

"Is it possible to arrange for some of our people during the selection?"

The Empress would preside over the three days of the selection, and she, too, would likely think of her own family. Since I’ve already requested only 20 ladies be selected, it is indeed challenging to insert our people quietly.

"Your Majesty, we don’t have many suitable for selection, and they come from humble backgrounds. It’s estimated they’ll be eliminated by the Harem’s standards before reaching the top 100."

If the Eighth Prince’s or the Fourth Prince’s people were always at their side, it would be quite dangerous.