The next morning, Lin Zaozao was pressed in front of the dressing table early in the morning by Xiao Taohua. She was like a wooden block, blankly watching Xiao Taohua, Xiao Liuli and Ji Fantian busy dressing her up one after another.
"Xiao Taohua, I feel that I'm beautiful enough now, there's really no need to dress up anymore."
Lin Zaozao looked at herself in the bronze mirror. She was indeed beautiful enough. No matter her makeup or the match of her jewelry, everything was as good as it could be.
"Zaozao, yesterday when you ascended as the female emperor, because of the rushed time, we couldn't dress you up properly. Today is the first time you officially meet the ministers. So we must dress you properly and appropriately."
Xiao Taohua said while pulling out the gold hairpin from Lin Zaozao's head and replacing it with a jade hairpin. Then she looked carefully in the mirror.
"Xiao Taohua, can you put on less jewelry? My head is already wearing such a big court hat. Now with more jewelry on, I feel like my neck is being overwhelmed."
Hearing Lin Zaozao's soft complaint, Xiao Taohua hesitated for a moment before taking off some of the jewelry.
After putting the jewelry on the table, Xiao Taohua glanced at Ji Fantian and Xiao Liuli.
Last night, Uncle Zhang had specifically told them that this morning when Zaozao was meeting the civil and military officials of Han Country was a small matter. What was most important was that she also had to meet the envoys from Canglan and Fengshuo today.
The envoys from Canglan and Fengshuo had already arrived in Han Country last night.
Canglan and Fengshuo had never been on good terms with Han Country.
It was unknown what bad ideas they were plotting since Canglan and Fengshuo sent envoys so hurriedly this time.
Because they came so hastily, Han Country’s spies arranged in Canglan and Fengshuo didn’t even send back a bit of news.
No news now meant bad news.
For Lin Zaozao’s safety, Uncle Zhang had refused to meet the envoys from Canglan and Fengshuo last night on the excuse that the new female emperor had just ascended the throne and state affairs were busy, so she didn’t have time.
So at this morning’s meeting, they must dress Lin Zaozao appropriately. After all, the current Lin Zaozao represented the face of Han Country.
Looking at the nervous expressions of Xiao Taohua, Ji Fantian and Xiao Liuli through the bronze mirror, Lin Zaozao wanted to laugh.
She was now the female emperor of a country, not the village woman Lin Zaozao. So now when she went to meet the envoys, she would be superior and those envoys would be inferior.
She sat in the main seat. What was there to be nervous about others for?
It would really be laughable...
She now wanted to tell Xiao Taohua and the others that there was really no need to be nervous.
If she had to say she was nervous about something, it would be whether the envoys she was going to meet included someone she wanted to see or not.
Ye Yi, Ruo Qiu, Murong Hai, or Gu Shan. As long as she could see one of them, she would be happy!
"Xiao Taohua, baby Ji, and Xiao Liuli, don't be busy anymore. It's almost time, follow me out!"
After tidying up her crumpled skirt, Lin Zaozao got up from the dressing table and pulled Xiao Taohua and Ji Fantian's hands to walk outside.
But before she could take a few steps, she was held back by Xiao Taohua and Ji Fantian.
"What's wrong? Why don't you go?"
Lin Zaozao looked back at Xiao Taohua and Ji Fantian, puzzled.
Facing Lin Zaozao's confusion, Xiao Taohua and Ji Fantian looked at each other before explaining softly.
"Zaozao, you are now the female emperor of Han Country, while we are only..."
"Xiao Taohua, only what?"
Lin Zaozao walked to the front of Ji Fantian and Xiao Taohua, took their hands earnestly and said,
"Chun Jun, Ji Fantian, you two are my husbands. We are a family who have worshipped Heaven and Earth together. So no matter if I am the village woman Lin Zaozao or the female emperor Mingzhu of Han Country, your status by my side will never change. When I bring back Gu Shan, Ye Yi and the others, I will have an official wedding with you. I want everyone to know that you are Lin Zaozao’s husbands, the husbands of the female emperor of Han Country. We live and die together."
After speaking, Lin Zaozao ignored their opposition and pulled Xiao Taohua and Ji Fantian's hands to walk outside.
Xiao Liuli, who had been standing on the side, looked at the backs of Lin Zaozao, Ji Fantian and the others leaving.
It was only at this moment that he felt what regret meant.
If back then, when his third brother asked if he was willing to marry Lin Zaozao to be her husband, he had said yes, how wonderful would that have been!
Unfortunately, even if he regretted it now, it wouldn’t change anything.
Because Lin Zaozao had said that she would only treat him as a sister in this life. Now her attitude towards him was only that of an elder sister to a younger sister.
It seemed that the relationship between him and Lin Zaozao would only ever be "sisters" in this lifetime.
He didn’t want to be a "sister".
Withdrawing his thoughts, Xiao Liuli looked at himself in the mirror.
Although he didn’t have to dress himself ugly now, he was still wearing women's clothing to avoid people's eyes.
After wearing women's clothing for so long, would he still have the chance to take it off and stand by Lin Zaozao's side as a man?
When Lin Zaozao led Xiao Taohua and Ji Fantian to the door of Qinzheng Hall, Han Ye was already wearing a black sacrificial robe and waiting there.
This morning after Lin Zaozao woke up, Han Ye had already gotten up and gone out, only leaving Xiao Taohua, Ji Fantian and Xiao Liuli to dress Lin Zaozao up properly.
When Lin Zaozao saw the extraordinary Han Ye, and thought of the steamy scene last night, her eyes suddenly lit up.
Forcibly suppressing her wildly rising mouth corners, Lin Zaozao walked quickly to his side, took his hand, and asked concernedly,
"Brother Han Ye, you were busy for half the night yesterday. Are you still tired now? Does your waist hurt? Can you still get up the energy later? There is still time now, do you want me to give you a massage?"
Facing Lin Zaozao's concern, Han Ye's face immediately turned red. He gave a dry cough, glanced at the smiling Xiao Taohua and Ji Fantian, and said in a low voice.
"Little Pearl, I'm fine. Let's not ask about this first. Now the envoys from Canglan and Fengshuo are already at the embassy waiting for you to summon them. This morning you will first meet with Han Country’s civil and military officers to get acquainted with them briefly. This afternoon you have to go meet the envoys from Canglan and Fengshuo. Remember, Little Pearl, if the envoys from Canglan and Fengshuo dare to make things difficult for you, you can do whatever you want to them, including killing them."
When it came to the last two words “killing them”, Han Ye bit down on them very hard. When he met Lin Zaozao’s puzzled eyes, his tone became gentle again,
"Little Pearl, the struggle between our Han Country and Canglan and Fengshuo is inevitable. Now that you have returned to Han Country, I'm too lazy to maintain superficial peace with them."
"Got it, Brother Han Ye. I just have to meet Han Country's civil and military officers in the morning and meet the envoys from Canglan and Fengshuo in the afternoon! This is quite simple for me."
After comfortingly patting Han Ye's hand, Lin Zaozao turned her head and said to Ji Fantian and Xiao Taohua.
"You two follow me openly and uprightly. Remember, you two are Lin Zaozao's husbands, people who will be with me for life. So as long as you are within my sphere of influence, you two can walk sideways and I'll cover for you!"
Lin Zaozao's words made Ji Fantian and Xiao Taohua, who were a little nervous, feel amused and relieved at the same time.
They weren't crabs, why would they need to walk sideways? But with these words from their wife, they were satisfied.
Hearing Lin Zaozao's words of protection, Han Ye turned his head and looked at Ji Fantian and Xiao Taohua, saying gently,
"Little Pearl is right. You two are now her husbands, so you are also the lord attendants of the female emperor of Han Country. Now, you two have the qualifications and the rights to always accompany Little Pearl. When I have time, I will arrange some official posts for you two in Han Country. With official posts, you will be able to spend more time with Zaozao in the future."
"Thank you, Your Highness Han Ye."
Xiao Taohua and Ji Fantian replied earnestly.
"Xiao Taohua, Ji Fantian, we are a family, so don't be so polite. I am the Empress of Han Country, and today is the first time I am meeting Han Country's civil and military officials, so it's best if no one is late."
"Okay!"
"Okay!"
Ji Fantian and Xiao Taohua replied.
When they arrived at the door of the Qinzheng Hall, Lin Zaozao had long pulled Han Ye's hand, and let out a long sigh of relief. Following the ushers' loud voices, they walked into the main hall.
When all the ministers in the main hall set their sights on Lin Zaozao, there was only shock in their eyes.
The Pearl Princess in front of them, who looked almost identical to the previous Empress, although she was raised among commoners by the Grand Guardian.
But at this moment, the aura on her was really no less than any other specially trained imperial heir.
It was also no wonder that more than ten years ago, the High Priest and Imperial Teacher were willing to take the risk of shortening their lifespan to seal off Han Country, waiting for Princess Mingzhu to grow up.
Just by Princess Mingzhu's current bearing, she will definitely be a qualified Empress in the future.
And Uncle Zhang and Dashan, who had been standing at the front all along, were now dressed in military uniforms. Amidst their stern expressions was a full sense of pride.
This was the Han Country’s Empress they had been protecting for over ten years.
She had awakened from her confused state and was somehow able to spontaneously become a noble and overbearing Han Country Empress.
It was only right, the little girl they had been protecting for so many years was no ordinary person after all.
It was only natural that she could become like this now!
When Lin Zaozao met Uncle Zhang and Dashan's gratified gaze, she gave them a silly grin that no one else could see.
The next second, Uncle Zhang, who had just looked gratified, twitched the corner of his mouth.
It seemed that he was thinking too much just now.
The aura of dominance on the little girl was mostly pretended.
But on second thought, not everyone could pretend to have such an imperial aura.
Hmm! His little mistress was simply better than others!
When Lin Zaozao finally sat in the chair in the center of the main hall, representing the highest power of Han Country, Han Ye stood by her side.
As soon as Lin Zaozao’s butt sat firmly, and was still thinking about what kind of opening remarks to say to the crowd of civil and military officials below, they took the initiative to speak first, relieving Lin Zaozao’s embarrassment.
"Your Majesty, we heard that before you came back, you had already taken a husband?"
A general who looked to be around forty years old, with a big beard, asked. As he asked, he subconsciously glanced at Ji Fantian and Xiao Taohua from time to time.
"That's right! I have taken a husband. Let me count, not too many, not too few, plus the High Priest and Imperial Teacher, exactly eight."
As soon as Lin Zaozao’s words fell, the bearded general immediately exclaimed in shock.
"Only eight husbands! Your Majesty, you are now the Empress of Han Country, representing the supreme glory of Han Country. In our Han Country, even an ordinary woman has at least eight husbands.
And you are the Han Country’s Empress. Having only eight husbands is really too few. Let me say, even if you married eighty husbands, no one in Han Country would dare say a word."
"Eighty, eighty husbands!"
Lin Zaozao muttered to herself, then couldn't help swallowing.
Although her body was extraordinarily endowed, and her waist didn't hurt and her legs didn't ache after the bridal night.
But if she married eighty husbands...
Damn, if I really married eighty husbands, she dared to guarantee that one day, sooner or later, she would definitely be drained by those little devils.
If she married so many husbands and then couldn't keep up in the future, wouldn't her dissatisfied little husbands give her head a whole prairie of green grass!
Thinking of this, Lin Zaozao couldn't help but shiver.
Forget it, eighty husbands was more than she could handle!
