After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 531 - 525: Tender Feelings

The Emperor’s uncle, not yet thirty, happily responded and burst into laughter, asking Fu Tinghan with a dignified air, "When will I be able to drink the recognition wine of my grandniece-in-law?"

Fu Tinghan glanced at Zhao Hanzhang and said, "We’ll choose an auspicious date once Hanzhang is out of mourning."

The Emperor agreed wholeheartedly, raising his cup, "Then let’s raise our glasses and preemptively wish them harmony and a long life together until old age."

Everyone followed suit, raising their glasses.

This drinking continued into the night, and when the night deepened and the dew became heavy, Zhao Hanzhang stood up unsteadily to bid farewell.

Behind her, Zhao Erlang was already so drunk that his eyes were dazed, needing Xun Xiu and Xie Shi to support him to stand. The Emperor quickly arranged for them to be escorted out of the palace.

Once outside the main hall, Zhao Hanzhang, supported by Fu Tinghan, stood upright, exhaling a breath. After adjusting her sleeves, she said, "Let’s go, back home."

Zhao Erlang, in a muddled state, mumbled, "Sister, you’re not drunk."

Xie Shi scolded him, "Do you think everyone is as carefree as you? This is the Imperial Palace, and with Gou Xi present, how could you get drunk?"

Zhao Hanzhang said, "Even if this weren’t the Imperial Palace, you shouldn’t get drunk. At such a young age, how can you be so indulgent in drinking?"

As Zhao Hanzhang left, the Emperor, along with the Empress, also departed, and the other ministers rose to take their leave as well. Gou Xi got up but didn’t leave; instead, he turned to seek out the Emperor.

He needed to confirm that the Emperor indeed intended to move the capital to Yun City.

The Emperor, supporting the Empress back to the rear hall, exhaled, letting his eyelids droop wearily.

Empress Liang helped him out of his clothes, "Your Majesty must be tired. After taking the sobering soup, you should rest."

The Emperor agreed, and after removing a layer of the heavy ceremonial robe, he held her hand, smiling lightly, "Now that Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan’s marriage is out in the open, you can rest easy, right? As an uncle, I wouldn’t want to compete with my grandnephew for a wife."

Empress Liang pushed him lightly, teasing, "What are you saying?"

The Emperor, holding her hand with a smile, recalled the rumors he heard today. His expression turned slightly cold, "But Chen Fulian is no longer usable. Such self-serving villains who only pursue power are useless to the nation."

With the sword of Damocles shifted away from her head, Empress Liang truly felt a sigh of relief. Leaning against the Emperor’s chest, she whispered, "Actually, if she truly could aid Your Majesty, I would be willing to step back for someone more capable." As long as she wasn’t killed, she was already quite content to be by the Emperor’s side.

Her fear was once becoming a concubine, the conflicts would become even more dangerous, and the new Empress’s faction might not tolerate her, while the Liang Family lacked the power and ability to protect her.

The Emperor embraced her, sighing, "Rest assured, I will never decommission you and marry another."

Empress Liang’s nose tingled, and she tightly embraced him in return, lightly responding, "Hmm."

The couple quietly embraced each other, relishing in the rare tranquility, until a eunuch quietly entered, bowing, "Your Majesty, General Gou is here."

The Emperor’s body tensed, both he and the Empress becoming taut. Even though Gou Xi was a more trusted minister, the Emperor still dared not entirely let down his guard.

The Empress looked at the Emperor with some apprehension, "Your Majesty already intends to move to Yun City. Why does he come at this late hour?"

"Don’t be afraid, let me meet him," the Emperor reassured, patting her back, changed his clothes to meet Gou Xi, appearing more cordial.

Although Zhao Hanzhang was pretending to be drunk, she did drink quite a bit. Once she sat in the carriage, she dozed off in the swaying movement.

Fu Tinghan, seeing she was almost unable to sit still, gently placed her head on his shoulder, murmuring, "Sleep, I’ll wake you when we arrive."

Zhao Hanzhang glanced at him through bleary eyes, smiled slightly, and kissed his cheek, then leaned on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

Fu Tinghan was momentarily stunned, his face slightly reddening, but he couldn’t help the upward curve of his lips.

Zhao Erlang, seated with them due to drunkenness, looked bewildered, noticed Fu Tinghan’s smiling lips, then looked at his sister comfortably leaning on him and moved closer, "Brother-in-law, I want to lean too."

Fu Tinghan: ...

He held up Zhao Erlang’s head with a finger, "Lean against the carriage wall."

"No, it knocks my head when it moves, and it’s noisy!" Zhao Erlang yanked Fu Tinghan’s finger down, squeezing his head onto his shoulder, "I want to be like Sister."

Fu Tinghan resignedly propped his head a bit, and seeing him immediately fall asleep with all his weight on his shoulder, sighed softly, adjusting his posture for more comfort.

Pretending to sleep, Zhao Hanzhang couldn’t suppress the grin at her lips, the corners of her eyes filled with laughter.

Fu Tinghan didn’t notice, gently adjusting her head for her comfort.

Shaking slightly, Zhao Hanzhang, finally at ease, dozed off as her head grew heavier, then did he realize she hadn’t been asleep earlier.

Fu Tinghan touched her hair with a helpless smile. Once at their destination, he lightly knocked on the carriage wall.

Ting He, peeking in, appeared at a loss. Who should she support?

Fu Tinghan said, "Let Zeng Yue carry Erlang down."

Ting He quietly agreed, brought Zeng Yue over to take the sleeping Zhao Erlang away.

Fu Tinghan finally moved his somewhat numb shoulder, just about to lift Zhao Hanzhang up, when she opened her eyes.

They locked eyes for a moment before Zhao Hanzhang closed her eyes again, wrapping her arms around his neck, not moving.

Fu Tinghan couldn’t help but laugh aloud, shaking his head, he carried her off the carriage, all the way back to the courtyard.

Zhao Hanzhang still resided in her Qingyi Pavilion, and luckily, it hadn’t been burned. However, the courtyard next to Qingyi Pavilion was entirely torn down, with three or four meters away from it a charred black patch where it had been torched.

The flowers, grass, and trees in Qingyi Pavilion all drooped, scorched by the fire.

Upon returning her to the courtyard and laying her on the bed, Fu Tinghan watched for a while. Seeing she showed no intention of opening her eyes, he helped remove her shoes and socks, tucked her in, and before leaving, couldn’t resist tapping her nose, whispering, "Mischievous."

Once the door closed, Zhao Hanzhang opened her eyes, smiled, turned over, and tried to continue sleeping. But lying there proved uncomfortable, prompting her to sit up and remove her clothes.

Ting He brought the sobering soup, about to leave when she heard a noise and returned. Knocking softly, she entered, seeing Zhao Hanzhang in just her inner garments, sitting cross-legged on the bed, hurriedly stepped forward, "My Lady, it’s still cold today, and you’ve just had wine, you cannot catch a chill."

Zhao Hanzhang reached out for the sobering soup, gulping it down, "I’m not cold. Go fetch a basin of warm water, I need to wash up."

She twisted her neck, "Strangely enough, I was so drowsy on the carriage, yet now I’m wide awake."

"Good news brings joy and spirit," Ting He chuckled, "I heard outside the hall, My Lady is named Ru Nan County Duke, the Yu State is yours now."

Zhao Hanzhang’s lips quirked up, "The fief is merely in Ru Nan. The Yu State comes with being Governor; it’s different and demands effort. Otherwise, even a governor can be replaced."

"In the current world, who besides my lady could be the Yu State Governor?"

Zhao Hanzhang stroked her chin, "Ting He, you have some talent for a treacherous minister, speaking such words that make my heart flutter."

Ting He couldn’t help stomping, teasing, "My Lady!"

Zhao Hanzhang burst into laughter.