The Empress remarried, and I retaliated by wiping out the court.

The following day, at the Qianqing Palace.

News of all the officials gathering at the Grand Secretary's home quickly spread.

Cao Ji said respectfully, "Almost all the officials who were respectable went to Li Juzheng's house and talked for nearly three hours, not leaving until dawn."

"Don't these people sleep?" Ye Wudao yawned.

Cao Ji probed indirectly, "Your Majesty, aren't you worried?"

"What's there to worry about? I now have both troops and power. They can only talk. If they really push me too far, I'll send them to the underworld for a meeting."

Upon hearing this, Cao Ji's heart trembled.

Anyone who didn't know better would think he was talking to an unprecedented tyrant!

But Cao Ji knew that Ye Wudao's ability to say such things meant he was definitely confident.

"Your Majesty, the Second Empress requests an audience."

"Li Yanran, what's she doing here? Announce her arrival."

"Summon Empress Li to the palace!"

As Cao Ji loudly proclaimed his greeting, a woman dressed in dark green, resembling a figure from a painting, appeared in view.

Cao Ji, with his keen insight, withdrew.

Li Yanran bowed respectfully, saying, "Your Majesty, I have something to report to you."

Ye Wudao gazed at Li Yanran's shapely figure and patted the bed beside him enthusiastically: "My beloved concubine, come, sit here."

Li Yanran shook her head: "No, Your Majesty, let's talk here."

"It's far away, I can't hear you..."

Without a word, Ye Wudao pulled Li Yanran's delicate hand and made her sit on the dragon bed. Then, he happily buried his head in her neck and said with great enjoyment:

"What is it, my beloved consort? Speak, I am listening."

Li Yanran sighed, and could only let Ye Wudao do as he pleased.

"Yesterday, many officials came to my grandfather's house to discuss impeaching you."

Ye Wudao's large hands climbed up her slender waist and gently touched it through the light gauze of the fabric.

"And then?" he asked.

"Aren't you surprised?"

"What's so surprising?" Ye Wudao chuckled as he looked at the talented woman up close. He leaned closer, placing one hand on the bed and the other around her shoulder, forcing her to look directly at him.

"I have threatened the interests of the powerful families; it would be strange if they didn't resort to desperate measures."

Li Yanran raised an eyebrow: "What is cheese?"

"Well... you can think of it as something rare. Anyway, they'll definitely use this as an opportunity to cause trouble. The only difference is whether your grandfather or Xiao Linyuan will step forward. Right now, it seems... neither of these two old foxes wants to take the lead..."

Li Yanran blushed deeply after being boldly provoked by Ye Wudao.

Normally, if any scoundrel dared to treat her like that, she would have stormed off immediately.

But today was an important matter personally entrusted to her by her grandfather, so she had to suppress her shyness and ask, forcing herself to speak, "What makes Your Majesty say this?"

"It's very simple."

Ye Wudao stared at Li Yanran's cherry-like lips, raised his hand, and gently caressed her red, tender lips with his fingertips, saying:

"The powerful families are the foundation of the officials in the court. In the past, these people would definitely have gone to Xiao Linyuan, but now they have chosen Li Juzheng. Wu Qingxun and Zhang Shouzhi are clearly Xiao Linyuan's men. Without Xiao Linyuan's approval, they would not dare to do this."

"The only explanation is that Xiao Linyuan doesn't want to take the lead this time and wants your grandfather to be the one to step up. Am I right?"

Upon hearing this, Li Yanran's beautiful eyes widened instantly, her intense shock causing her to overlook Ye Wudao's large hands roaming behind her back.

What Ye Wudao said was exactly the same as what her grandfather had said!

The other party actually guessed all of Grandpa's plans the moment they met...

Li Yanran gritted her teeth, her heart pounding: "So, you know about my grandfather..."

Ye Wudao interrupted her: "You're not the type to actively seek me out. Since you're here today, it means you received orders from your grandfather to show me goodwill so you'll have a way out when we confront each other later, right?"

As he spoke, Ye Wudao leaned close to her snow-white neck, took a small sip, bit her hair with his teeth, and swept it to one side, revealing the fair skin below her collarbone.

Li Yanran was already utterly shocked by Ye Wudao's words, and subconsciously ignored even his reckless behavior.

She bit her cherry-like lips and tentatively asked, "Then... will you let my grandfather off the hook later?"

Ye Wudao suddenly stood up, leaving Li Yanran with his tall, imposing back view:

"I will not offend others unless they offend me. But if they do offend me, I will... slaughter them until no one dares to offend me again!"

Just then, Cao Ji's announcement came from outside the hall:

"Your Majesty, the current Grand Secretary Li Juzheng, Minister of Revenue Wu Qingxun, Minister of Rites Zhang Shouzhi, Minister of Justice Zuo Zongming, and others are requesting an audience with Your Majesty in the Imperial Study."

Ye Wudao turned to look at Li Yanran: "Since you are my person, you will come with me later."

Li Yanran lowered her head subconsciously: "Wouldn't this be inappropriate? The harem must not interfere in politics."

Ye Wudao laughed: "Don't worry, you won't be the only empress coming later."

Li Yanran responded softly, "Mm."

Cao Ji, who was standing nearby, reminded him, "Your Majesty, shouldn't we set off?"

"No rush," Ye Wudao said. "Let's keep them waiting and dampen their spirits."

"This old servant obeys the decree!"

Cao Ji was already used to it, so he respectfully and slowly retreated before turning and leaving.

Inside the Qianqing Palace, Ye Wudao looked at Li Yanran and said, "My beloved concubine, help me change my clothes."

Li Yanran was slightly taken aback.

"Shall I...have my concubine come?"

Ye Wudao nodded.

"Today I am to meet with the entire court of officials; surely I cannot be improperly dressed?"

Li Yanran pursed her lips and slowly stood up.

She was born and raised in the Prime Minister's mansion and was proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and etiquette. Yet, she had never done anything like serving her husband while he changed clothes.

After all... she never considered Ye Wudao her husband, and the two never had a wedding ceremony; they were husband and wife in name only.

But now, as if possessed, she walked up to Ye Wudao, gently reached out her slender, fair hand, picked up a coat, draped it over him, and fastened the intricate buttons.

Her movements were somewhat adorably clumsy; her delicate fingers trembled slightly with nervousness as soon as they touched the buttons.

After all that effort, things only got more chaotic.

Ye Wudao glanced down and couldn't help but chuckle.

"You haven't studied this?"

Li Yanran's pretty face flushed red instantly. "Who...who would learn this? I didn't have a husband before..."

As soon as she uttered those words, her ears turned even redder.

Ye Wudao simply stood quietly, without urging her, letting her tidy up little by little.

After a long while, Li Yanran finally straightened Ye Wuli's dragon robe and carefully smoothed out the wrinkles on his shoulders.

His earnest expression made it seem as if he were completing a work of art.

After getting dressed, the next step is to comb my hair.

She picked up the jade comb and stood behind Ye Wudao.

Her hair was as black as ink, draped over her shoulders.

Li Yanran held the jade comb, but for a moment she didn't know where to start.

She gently combed her hair, but accidentally pulled a strand, causing Ye Wudao to raise an eyebrow slightly.

Li Yanran was immediately terrified, "I'm so sorry..."

She quickly let go, her eyes filled with panic.

"I didn't mean to..."

Ye Wudao smiled.

"It's alright, I'm happy, please continue."

Only after receiving permission did she take a deep breath and continue combing her hair.

The girl lowered her eyes, her expression focused. Occasionally, a few strands of hair would fall onto her cheek, which she would gently blow away before continuing to tie his hair.

Li Yanran looked at herself and Ye Wudao in the bronze mirror and suddenly felt a little dazed.

Why does this scene feel so familiar?

That dream involuntarily surfaced in her mind.

In her dream, she and Ye Wudao lived together as husband and wife for a long time in an ordinary little courtyard. They combed each other's hair, whispered sweet nothings, and supported each other through thick and thin.

"Oh my God!"

"What am I thinking!"

Li Yanran blushed as red as a teapot, and her hands became a little flustered.

"What's wrong?"

Ye Wudao's voice pulled her back to reality.

"Nothing, it's just that this moment feels strangely familiar."

"What a coincidence! I also feel a sense of familiarity, as if I have been married to my beloved concubine for many years."

Li Yanran stared wide-eyed in shock: "You...you also find this familiar?"

Ye Wudao nodded and smiled, "I've heard that this happens; it usually means they were husband and wife in a past life."

"Is that so?"

Li Yanran's eyes darted away, and she became even more flustered...

So, you were husband and wife in your past life...