Don't Ask Where People Go After Time Travel

Chapter 1704 Purpose
Upon seeing Fang Zilan, Li Shengxuan seemed relieved, completely ignoring her standing there forgetting to bow, and said gently, "I heard you had taken several days' leave, and I thought you were ill..."

He paused for a moment, then finally said, "It's alright."

The two words, as light as a feather, stirred a strange emotion within Fang Zilan, both unexpected and tender. She had never imagined that Li Shengxuan would care about her.

"I...I'm fine." Fang Zilan opened her mouth hesitantly. Many thoughts flashed through her mind, but none of them could explain why Li Shengxuan was here.

The atmosphere became awkward for a moment, and Xiahou Zhang tactfully withdrew. Li Shengxuan stared intently at Fang Zilan, neither probing nor explaining his purpose, and the two fell into silence.

"you……"

"His Majesty……"

Suddenly, the two spoke at the same time, but then stopped at the same time. After exchanging a smile, Li Shengxuan said first, "I want to see you."

He spoke bluntly, and Fang Zilan was taken aback. She blurted out, "The day before New Year's Eve, His Majesty should be preparing for the year-end ceremony..." Her words stopped abruptly, as if she were out of control.

Seeing that she hesitated, Li Shengxuan curled his lips and asked with a smile, "What?"

"Nothing." Fang Zilan pursed her lips. "What was His Majesty trying to say just now?"

“This is my fourth year on the throne. Except for the first year when you were guarding the northern border, I have been able to see you every New Year’s Eve since then.” Li Shengxuan said seriously, “I do not want any exceptions.”

Fang Zilan stared at Li Shengxuan in disbelief, unsure whether he was out of his mind or if she had taken the wrong medicine. Yet his gaze was so open and earnest that she couldn't look away.

"I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint Your Majesty." Before Fang Zilan could finish speaking, Li Shengxuan said, "So, I've come."

Fang Zilan's expression froze. Although she had felt that Li Shengxuan's attitude towards her was ambiguous since the Lantern Festival about a year ago, it was more sincere than winning people's hearts, but less greedy than romantic love.

She pretended to be deaf and dumb, but Li Shengxuan only pressed his advantage. Now that things had come to this, it seemed that feigning ignorance wouldn't work. So she simply asked, "What does Your Majesty mean by this?"

Li Shengxuan did not answer her question, but changed the subject, saying, "There are many rumors circulating in the capital, but I will handle them myself, so you don't need to worry."

"What rumor?" Fang Zilan pretended not to know and asked again.

"It's better that you don't know." Li Shengxuan's expression was calm, but a hint of coldness appeared in his eyes. "They are just ignorant and foolish opinions that are just empty talk."

Fang Zilan remained noncommittal, but Li Shengxuan said, "However, I have come here today to ask you something."

Fang Zilan lowered her eyes and asked, "What does Your Majesty want to know?"

"I want to know, why did you help Miss Fang?" Li Shengxuan stared at the person in front of him. "You went so far as to surround the Pei residence with troops and break into the Pei family alone to bring her out. Was it for the sake of the Prime Minister's family or for the laws revised by Mo Han?"
He asked bluntly, and Fang Zilan was taken aback at first, then smiled and said, "So that's why Your Majesty came."

"We'll do what needs to be done," Li Shengxuan said casually, but the Empress Dowager's expression changed. "The case of Prince Rong'an has far-reaching implications. The southeast is no different from a den of tigers and wolves. Qi You is still young. How could he possibly handle it?"

"Still young?" Li Shengxuan repeated the four words, a half-smile on his face. "When I was Qiyou's age, I had fought bandits and guarded the northern border. Back then, no one said it was impossible." The Empress Dowager's expression froze, thinking that Li Shengxuan was going to bring up old grievances. Before she could refute him, she heard him say to himself, "If what Qiyou wants is my position, then nothing is impossible."

"What did Your Majesty say..." The Empress Dowager looked at Li Shengxuan in disbelief. Even though they all shared the same sentiment, the way he said it carried a completely different meaning.

He allowed them to have such ambitions, and even didn't care that they had such ambitions.

Li Shengxuan looked with interest at the Empress Dowager, whose face had turned pale, and the Grand Empress Dowager, who remained as steady as a mountain. "Did I say something wrong?"

"If Qiyou cannot..." The Empress Dowager heard her own voice, deep and still, "What will Your Majesty do?"

"The Empress Dowager seems to have far too little faith in Qi You." Li Shengxuan composed himself. The Empress Dowager took a deep breath and asked again, "If Qi You is incapable, what will Your Majesty do?"

"Although I've allowed Qiyou to remain in the southeast, I haven't abandoned him completely," Li Shengxuan smiled slightly. "If Qiyou can't manage, then I'm still here, aren't I?"

He paused for a moment, then said, "As long as I am here, Qiyou will always be the Jade Emperor of Dajing."

For some reason, the Empress Dowager suddenly felt relieved, as if as long as Li Shengxuan's words were there, no matter what happened in the southeast, Li Qiyou would be safe.

As long as I'm alive, that's enough. As for whether I'll become King Yucheng or the future ruler of the world, there's plenty of time.

However, before the Empress Dowager could even breathe a sigh of relief, Li Shengxuan said, "However, if the case of Prince Rong'an involves the Pei family and the Dugu family..."

He didn't continue, and the Empress Dowager's face turned cold. "Do what needs to be done. Now that things have come to this, does His Majesty expect him to punish everyone equally to maintain appearances?"

"The Empress Dowager understands me." Li Shengxuan's smile widened. "I will certainly not disappoint the Empress Dowager."

The Empress Dowager snorted coldly and turned to leave. The Empress Dowager herself looked ashen, lowered her head, and quickly followed, only speaking when they reached a secluded spot: "Mother..."

"You heard what His Majesty said just now." The Empress Dowager slowed her pace and said in a low voice, "Consider the case of Prince Rong'an as a trial. As long as Qiyou is protected, nothing else matters."

"Not important?" The Empress Dowager finally couldn't hold back and burst out, "Your Majesty can disregard the Pei family, but I cannot disregard the Dugu family!"

"How do you intend to handle this?" The Empress Dowager stopped in her tracks. "Since he has set his mind on this, things will not end well."

"There are countless powerful families in the world, far more than just the Pei and Dugu families." A ruthless glint appeared in the Empress Dowager's eyes. "If he insists on investigating to the end, all the powerful families will rise up against him..."

"Shut up." The Empress Dowager's face was as cold as ice. "Do you even know what you're saying?"

"Mother, the Pei family has few members left, so abandoning them is not a loss." The Empress Dowager remained unmoved, saying, "But the Dugu family is different. Generations of meritorious service cannot be lost..."

A sharp "slap" interrupted the Empress Dowager's words. She covered her face and looked at the Grand Empress Dowager in disbelief, as if she had been hit hard by the slap.

"I will pretend I never heard these words today." The Empress Dowager withdrew her hand and warned, "He is far more powerful than you think. If you still want to leave a way out for Qiyou, then you should give up any thoughts you shouldn't have."