And then there was Jun Yulin’s blackening value. Wasn’t it fluctuating way too easily? It didn’t even make sense.

Little Pink couldn’t figure it out either, so it simply kept quiet to avoid being scolded by its host.

Yan Luo felt strange for a moment, but sleepiness quickly took over. In the end, she drowsily hugged her blanket and drifted off.

Not long after she fell asleep, a figure silently approached her bedside. No one knew how long he had been observing from outside, undetected.

Only after confirming that Yan Luo was sound asleep did he finally come in.

There was no one around. The bedchamber was quiet. Jun Yulin looked at the girl sleeping soundly on the bed, the corners of his lips pressing together into a subtle, complex expression.

Hmm… How to describe that expression? Perhaps a mixture of curiosity tinged with a fascination he himself hadn’t realized.

His eyes were fixed on Yan Luo. Then his hand slowly reached out, lightly poked her cheek, and quickly pulled back. He glanced at her, who remained deeply asleep, completely unmoving. Only then did Jun Yulin’s gaze lower, sliding to the gently rising curve wrapped in white silk.

She was at the tender age of eighteen—graceful, shapely, and endearing. Jun Yulin blinked slowly, seemingly reminded of something.

All of a sudden, he reached out, then instantly drew back again after touching that soft area. He repeated this a few times, then pressed his lips together. This time, his hand landed again and didn’t immediately retreat. Instead, it lingered for a moment… and then gave a light squeeze.

He quickly withdrew his hand again and raised it to touch his own cheek.

Hmm. Very warm.

But this time, he was making progress—he didn’t flee in panic like before.

His eyes, cold and star-like, remained locked on the sleeping girl. His tongue unconsciously slid across the corner of his lips, and then a faint smile tugged at them.

His voice was low—so low it was nearly inaudible, “Feels different…”

Different from how she used to make him feel.

He didn’t know how things had evolved into this, but he knew one thing: he liked this feeling.

Almost in an instant, he altered the plan in his mind. The chill in his eyes faded, replaced with focus and a hint of obsession.

He didn’t know what she had realized that morning, or what she planned to do from now on, but there was no denying that after countless moments of observation, her face, her smile, her very presence had sunk deep into his heart.

And that… was enough.

After all, she hadn’t been the target of his original plan.

He’d known about the girl’s feelings for him in the past, but he hadn’t felt anything in return. Someone he had no feelings for was, to him, nothing more than a stranger. That was why he had repeatedly brought up the topic of choosing a consort, to make her give up early.

But now, thinking about it… Jun Yulin’s eyes darkened. He had to admit, a feeling called displeasure had indeed begun to stir in his heart.

Still, this matter was his to handle. He’d deal with it however he pleased.

He blinked, then looked again at Yan Luo’s fair, porcelain-like face. His gaze grew deeper as he leaned down, lips slowly moving toward her cheek.

But just before they touched, Yan Luo suddenly stirred, as if sensing something. Her lovely brows furrowed slightly, and she shifted.

The movement caused their lips to brush for the briefest moment—completely accidental and unexpected. Jun Yulin recoiled sharply, stumbling back two steps, and in a blink, disappeared from the room.

All that was left in the sleeping chamber was Yan Luo, who murmured softly, turned over, and continued to sleep soundly, clutching her blanket.

---

In the end, it was Jun Yulin who couldn’t stand it anymore. He glanced at Lu Xunche, who was standing behind An Bai, and spoke in a cold voice, “Since you’re all here for the same matter, the two of you can go together. Grand Chancellor, it’s a good chance to let Young Master Lu gain some worldly experience.”

—So he would stop hovering around the little emperor all day, disturbing her from diligently handling state affairs.

An Bai still frowned, while Lu Xunche curved his lips into a smile.

And just like that, the matter was settled. Once the approvals were signed, An Bai, having received the response, dragged Lu Xunche off, saying they needed to prepare quickly.

In a flash, only Jun Yulin and Yan Luo were left in the study.

Finally having sent that big Buddha¹ away, Yan Luo felt like even being a bystander could get her caught in the crossfire.

—Please lower those two points of blackening value back down!!

Feeling like her life was constantly in danger in this world, Yan Luo sat down and listened to Jun Yulin talk about how funds and supplies for disaster relief had recently been embezzled.

She nodded now and then.

Jun Yulin looked at the little emperor before him, who wore a serious and attentive expression—though her features still carried a touch of youthful innocence.

That, in turn, made her seem quite adorable. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly before he quickly suppressed the smile.

When he finished speaking, he didn’t leave. He simply stood there, looking at Yan Luo.

His gaze made her uneasy. She blinked hard, trying to act casual. “Does Royal Uncle have any other matters?”

Jun Yulin seemed to come back to himself, withdrawing that chilling gaze, and replied in a cool tone, “Your Majesty.”

Yan Luo blinked at him.

“Your Majesty is still young and should be focused on governing the country. Matters of the inner palace need not be rushed.” Especially bringing someone who might become her consort into the imperial study.

Jun Yulin’s eyes darkened, and his tone was slow, like he was teaching her.

Yan Luo stared at him blankly. After holding back for a while, she finally couldn’t help but say, “But didn’t Royal Uncle just say a while ago that I should choose a consort soon?”

It hadn’t even been that long, and now he’s saying something completely different?

Jun Yulin seemed to pause for a second before replying, “What I meant was, Your Majesty should focus primarily on state affairs right now.”

“Don’t worry, Royal Uncle. I know what I’m doing,” Yan Luo replied obediently.

But inside, she spoke to Little Pink with suspicion.

“Why do I feel like you’ve scammed me again? From the way Jun Yulin acts, he just seems like a strict elder. I don’t sense any hatred or discontent at all.”

[Dear Host, have you forgotten that there’s a kind of revenge called ‘flattering someone to death²‘?]

Yan Luo pursed her lips and said nothing.

After that, Jun Yulin didn’t linger.

Once Lu Xunche was sent off with An Bai to eliminate the bandits, Yan Luo quickly received word from Lu Yan.

First, she scolded her for sending Lu Xunche to such a dangerous place. But knowing that an imperial decree had already been issued and couldn’t be revoked, she could only accept it.

Then came her real purpose: the Flower Festival was approaching. As usual, Lu Yan planned to host a banquet in the palace. But this time, she wanted to hold a grand one and have Yan Luo personally preside over it.

After finally managing to send Lu Yan off, Yan Luo finished approving the memorials, ate lunch, and then flopped onto the bed, yawning sleepily.

—Being an emperor is so exhausting. Why do so many people want to be one?

Hugging her blanket and half-closing her eyes, she talked internally, “Why does this world feel so strange too? Jun Yulin acts like a strict elder, while Lu Yan seems more like the one trying to consolidate her family’s power and usurp the throne…”

---

1. 大佛 (dàfó, lit. “big Buddha”) here refers to a burdensome, difficult, or troublesome person. ↩︎
2. 捧杀 (pěngshā) is a Chinese idiom. 捧 (pěng) means to flatter or to heap praise on, while 杀 (shā) means to kill or to destroy. The term 捧杀 (pěngshā) describes a malicious strategy where someone is over-praised, flattered excessively, or given undeserved credit, with the intention of causing their downfall. ↩︎

---

Lu Xunche was used to doing as he pleased, as he was powerful and capable, yet he was always lazy and laid-back. He also enjoyed teasing others.

If you had to sum him up in one word, it would be: ‘abominable.’

For someone with his personality to show up this early in the morning, it likely meant something big was about to happen.

Yan Luo glanced at the two people behind her and stepped into the study.

Next to the main seat in the study, someone was leaning against it, dozing lightly with his head propped on his hand.

There were tea and snacks placed nearby. Whether it was out of hunger or genuine preference, he had eaten quite a few of the overly sweet pastries. He was probably tired of waiting and had dozed off there.

Hearing the sound, he lifted his head and glanced at An Bai behind Yan Luo. Then his gaze drifted toward Jun Yulin, and Lu Xunche paused slightly. A fleeting expression passed over his face, then he smirked and spoke in a slightly hoarse voice, “Yo, Little Cousin.”

This guy had always been unpredictable, acting on impulse and constantly catching people off guard.

The moment those flippant words came out, the expressions of the two men behind Yan Luo instantly changed.

Yan Luo : …

Lu Xunche rubbed his eyes and slowly stood up, as if only now noticing the two very real people behind Yan Luo. He exclaimed in surprise, “Aren’t these the Regent and the Grand Chancellor? My apologies, I thought it was just me and Her Majesty here.”

He adjusted his robes and added with an innocent look as he said, “Sorry about that.”

Great. That one sentence successfully made the already dark faces of the two men look even worse.

[*Ding*—Jun Yulin’s blackening value +2 (91/100)]

Yan Luo : ???

Wait, what does this have to do with her? What did she do? Or is it simply that the male god finds Lu Xunche annoying, so he just increased the blackening value for no reason?

“Lu. Xun. Che.”

Yan Luo swore she absolutely heard the usually refined and composed Grand Chancellor grinding his teeth.

“I have urgent matters to discuss with Her Majesty. Young Master Lu, it’s not appropriate for you to be here, is it?”

Compared to An Bai, Jun Yulin’s tone was far more composed. He frowned slightly at the man in front of him, who clearly didn’t see himself as an outsider at all.

Lu Xunche looked at Jun Yulin again, as if pondering something. But he didn’t push any further and instead bowed respectfully to Yan Luo, his tone now more serious:
“This subject is here to volunteer for a mission.”

An Bai, who had already looked unhappy earlier, now seemed to recall something that made his expression darken even more.

Yan Luo did remember. Although Lu Xunche didn’t have to attend court every morning, he still held an honorary position as a military officer. So she nodded for him to continue.

“I’ve heard that bandits in the northern region have grown increasingly rampant, harming the local people. I—”

“Denied.”

Before Lu Xunche could finish, An Bai cut him off.

He stepped in front of Yan Luo, blocking Lu Xunche from view, and said coolly,
“This subject is here for the same matter. The sudden organization and discipline among the northern bandits, along with their rapid expansion, is suspicious. Beyond their stronghold lies the territory of our former enemy state. I suspect a greater plot is brewing. I ask that Your Majesty grant me permission to investigate and eliminate this threat once and for all.”

As An Bai spoke, Lu Xunche’s lips twitched slightly. He tried signaling Yan Luo with a glance, only to be blocked by An Bai. He shifted position to try again—still blocked.

Yan Luo : …

She couldn’t help but feel that An Bai was starting to be influenced by Lu Xunche. The back-and-forth between the two was starting to feel… childish.

---

When she found out that Jun Yulin had come to her room while she was asleep, Yan Luo instinctively reached for her neck in panic.

At the same time, she didn’t forget to scold Little Pink.

“This is a matter of life and death, and you, you damn Scam Pink, didn’t even wake me up!”

Little Pink : [I did! You didn’t wake up.]

“I don’t care, I don’t care, I don’t care!”

Little Pink : (凸艹皿艹)

---

In the period that followed, Jun Yulin started frequenting Yan Luo’s bedchamber more and more often. No one knew how skilled he truly was in martial arts, but he never once alerted the guards standing watch outside.

But the strange thing was, he wouldn’t do anything after arriving. He would just stand at her bedside and look at her. Thankfully, Little Pink could sense Jun Yulin’s presence; otherwise, if she were woken in the middle of the night to find someone standing silently by her bed, Yan Luo felt she might just faint from fright.

At first, she was constantly on edge, worried he might do something to her in the dark, which led to sleepless nights, low energy, and irritability during the day.

But as time passed and she realized he would just stand there and do nothing, she gradually got used to it. In the end, she was even able to fall asleep peacefully, completely ignoring whatever it was Jun Yulin was doing there.

More importantly, she couldn’t grow taller if she kept staying up every night guarding against him!

Little Pink : [The obsession of someone who once had long legs and lost them runs very deep.]

Yan Luo : “Shut up, this is all your fault!”

Little Pink : […]

With her sleep improving, Yan Luo’s mood naturally got much better. But she still couldn’t quite figure out why this guy would sneak into her room at night, only to act cold and aloof at court the next day. What on earth was he trying to do?

Resting her cheek on her palm, Yan Luo listened to the usual bickering in the court, her mind already drifting far, far away.

Down below, Jun Yulin was also listening to the noise, then looked up at Yan Luo.

Those beautiful pitch-black phoenix eyes of hers looked a little dull—clearly, she wasn’t paying attention at all to the ministers’ quarrels.

Without realizing it, Jun Yulin’s thoughts began to drift as well. The sleeping version of her was completely different. She hugged the quilt tightly as if she had no sense of security at all, looking like an ordinary girl from a common household. But when those beautiful eyes opened, they carried a hint of indifference, instantly giving her an air of unapproachability.

And yet, it was unexpectedly captivating.

Whatever he was thinking, the look in Jun Yulin’s eyes darkened slightly.

[*Ding*—Jun Yulin’s blackening value -1 (89/100)]

Yan Luo : ????

Her eyes widened slightly as she instinctively sat up straighter, sneaking a glance at Jun Yulin, who gave no hint of what he was thinking.

What happened? His blackening value suddenly dropped? Even if it was just one point, she still remembered how troublesome the blackening male gods in the previous dimensions had been…

With questions swirling in her mind, she left court. As usual, Jun Yulin and An Bai followed behind.

When they reached the entrance to the study, she noticed something was off about the expression of the lady official nearby.

Lin Yuan, who was waiting at the side, stepped forward with a troubled expression. “Your Majesty, Young Master Lu is in the study. The Empress Dowager personally escorted him over—we didn’t dare stop him.”

Yan Luo choked. Lu Xunche? What is he doing here this early in the morning?

Thanks to Lu Yan, recently the two of them had been seeing each other more often and had grown quite familiar.

Aside from gaining a better understanding of each other’s missions, Yan Luo had also gotten a sense of what kind of person Lu Xunche was.

---

Blinking her eyes for a long while, Yan Luo suddenly clapped her hands and glanced at Little Pink ball beside her.

“They’re having an affair! Scam Pink!” (✧◡✧)

[I think so too, Dear Host! (✧◡✧)]

Seeing that it was about time, Yan Luo informed the nearby female official and began walking back. On the way, she listened as Little Pink explained the various departments of the Dimensional Management Bureau.

The Deputy Director of the Combat Department, before joining the Dimensional Management Bureau, was apparently a formidable figure in his own dimension, almost destroying the world. Later, he somehow ended up getting bound to the system, but his task completion rate had always been very high.

Yan Luo tilted her head and blinked. “Well, that actually sounds pretty reliable.”

[But all the dimensions he used to complete were the kind where you solve problems with fists…] Little Pink added after hearing her.

Thinking of the mission that had made Lu Xunche so frustrated, along with all the messy ‘brotherly bond’ drama…

Yan Luo paused for a second. “…Alright, pretend I said nothing just now.”

Not far from Yan Luo, in a slightly hidden spot, Jun Yulin stood with his brows faintly furrowed, watching her. She wore a luxurious dragon robe, moved with casual nonchalance, and even had the female officials following her from a distance.

He wasn’t sure what had driven him to leave the palace and then return, only to not approach her, just watching from afar.

Usually, Yan Luo always positioned herself firmly as an emperor—wearing heavy makeup, hiding all her smiles, forcing herself to act as a sovereign should. Even he had nearly forgotten that she was only just eighteen, still a young girl.

But now, with no makeup, a light step, and a faint curve at her lips, he couldn’t help but recall that cunning smile she wore when she outmaneuvered her opponents in court.

Jun Yulin narrowed his eyes slightly. This version of Yan Luo was even harder to read than before.

As if she’d figured something out, or maybe learned something from someone?

He had always trusted Yan Luo’s capabilities and sensitivity.

A trace of contemplation flickered across his cold face. He licked his lips lightly, and as he watched the girl walk farther away, he quietly followed after her.

There wasn’t a lot of things for Yan Luo to do. Following the original owner’s routine, after finishing her breakfast, she skimmed through a few relatively unimportant memorials. As she was doing so, she let out a yawn.

With a whim, she pushed the official documents aside and went to nap.

The original owner usually didn’t like having anyone around during this time of day, and Yan Luo was no different. The sleeping quarters were silent and still.

Not long after she drifted off in a drowsy sleep, a figure silently appeared beside her bed.

The visitor looked at Yan Luo, who was hugging her quilt and sleeping soundly, but his brows were still furrowed, as if struggling with something.

Then he reached out and gently poked her cheek.

Mmm… so soft.

The soft, squishy feeling was so addictive that he couldn’t help but poke her again. Twice.

Finally, the deeply sleeping girl was disturbed. With a soft hum, she turned over and pressed the annoying thing down under her.

The unexpected soft contact startled the intruder. He quickly retracted his hand at lightning speed.

After just a brief second’s pause, he vanished in a flash.

Almost as if he was fleeing the scene.

Meanwhile, Yan Luo, only lightly disturbed, furrowed her brows and turned over again, hugging her blanket as she continued sleeping sweetly.

Little Pink, who witnessed the whole thing : [Well… my Dear Host really has nerves of steel.]

By the time Yan Luo woke up, it was already past lunchtime. Since there wasn’t anything urgent, no one dared to wake her.

---

rokumi’s note : So, in ancient Chinese, the court meetings were usually held at 5 to 7 a.m. Then, they usually had breakfast at 9 a.m. So, in between 7 to 9 a.m., even before having the first meal of the day, the original owner’s Mother called Luoluo for a set-up date.

… Wow.

---

When the topic of the mission target came up, Lu Xunche’s face instantly darkened. Under Yan Luo’s curious gaze, he gritted his teeth and spat out two words: “An Bai.”

Yan Luo : Meow meow meow??¹

Lu Xunche watched as Yan Luo suddenly sat up straight, seemingly not understanding. Then she lowered her head in thought for a while, before looking up and cautiously asking, “Senior, is An Bai… a woman disguised as a man?”

That one sentence made Lu Xunche’s face even darker. He jumped up and smacked Yan Luo on the head. “What the hell are you thinking? My mission is to protect him and build a level of trust. It’s supposed to be something like brotherly bonds!”

At that, Lu Xunche’s brow flickered slightly. Red-Orange-Yellow looked like it had something to say, but in the end, for some reason, it quietly shrank back and said nothing.

Yan Luo, holding her head pitifully, looked up at him.

—So fierce… Q_AQ

Lu Xunche : …Why does it feel like I’m bullying a kid?

With a finger pressed to his brow, Lu Xunche sat back down in his seat, looking frustrated. The boy’s features were refined, and paired with his usual roguish air, he lounged in the chair, grinding his teeth. “When I get back, I will dismantle that damned system.”

Yan Luo abruptly looked up, startling Lu Xunche. Then she nodded seriously and echoed, “Senior, I want to dismantle it too.”

Little Pink : …

Lu Xunche burst out laughing, his eyes glistening with amusement as he leaned lazily back in his chair. Glancing at the tightly shut door—which had been closed on Lu Yan’s orders—his earlier irritation faded somewhat. Thankfully, that nagging woman had at least provided them this moment of privacy. “I’ve been in this dimension for a while now. Did you just arrive?”

“Mm-hmm, I got here this morning.”

With no one watching and the atmosphere finally relaxed, Lu Xunche casually picked up a peach from nearby and took a bite, clearly preparing to have a proper chat with Yan Luo.

Then, as if remembering something, he leaned in a bit and said, “You said your target is Jun Yulin? I heard from someone before that he’s a strange one. You’d better be careful.”

Yan Luo nodded. Just as she was about to pull away, she saw a sly smile tug at Lu Xunche’s lips. He suddenly raised a hand and pressed it to the back of her head, gently pulling her a bit closer.

It was at that exact moment that the palace doors were flung open with a loud bang.

The sound echoed sharply through the quiet hall. Startled voices of the palace maids followed from outside, but the person who entered spoke in an oddly calm tone, “Your Majesty, I am now Lu Xunche’s etiquette instructor. It’s time for class. I’ve come to take him back…”

The last word was cut off.

Upon seeing the scene before him, An Bai’s voice abruptly stopped. His face remained expressionless.

In truth, Yan Luo and Lu Xunche were merely sitting a bit too close. But from the doorway, the angle made the scene look far more ambiguous.

An Bai’s gaze flickered unpredictably. His eyes held shock as he looked at Yan Luo. And yet the exquisitely dressed young man still wore a teasing smile.

An Bai closed his eyes briefly, then stepped inside without hesitation. “Your Majesty, I apologize for the intrusion,” he said—while dragging Lu Xunche away.

His actions, however, showed none of the deference his words implied. Without even glancing at Yan Luo, he hauled the struggling Lu Xunche out of the hall.

Yan Luo was left behind, still utterly confused, and just stared blankly as the two of them disappeared.

---

1. 喵喵喵？ (miāo miāo miāo?) is an online slang, used as a playful and often rhetorical way of asking “What are you doing?” or “What’s going on?” in a teasing or slightly disapproving tone. ↩︎

---

rokumi’s note : I just found out now that that 喵喵喵？ is an actual Chinese online slang. I just let it be without putting a footnote before because I thought it was Luoluo’s unique way of showing confusion, as she had transmigrated as a kitten before…

---

Since Little Pink hadn’t officially entered the Dimensional Management Bureau yet, it naturally didn’t have a serial number yet.

What was going on?

Yan Luo was still trying to process everything.

The little girl looked fair and tender, and once she shed her disguise, she looked just like the sweet girl next door. With her big round eyes full of confusion and suspicion, she stared at Lu Xunche. He straightened up, stretched lazily, and said with a grin, “Great, such a one-in-a-million chance actually happened to me, your lordship. Maybe this time the mission will go a little more smoothly?”

The odds of two hosts carrying true systems appearing in the same dimension at the same time were extremely low—so low that even someone of Lu Xunche’s level had to sit on the sidelines and observe for a long time before confirming Yan Luo’s identity.

Yan Luo glanced at the two small light orbs nearby, then looked at the person in front of her. It took her a long moment to digest the situation, and recalling what he had just said, she asked hesitantly, “Senior… you’re from the Combat Department?”

Then what kind of mission would he have in this dimension?

“Mm.” Lu Xunche gave a slight nod.

[My host is the Deputy Director of the Combat Department!] The proud voice of Red-Orange-Yellow rang out.

But then Little Pink quickly chimed in, [Didn’t they say recently that the Combat Department had a major issue and temporarily pulled out of Dimensional Management?]

[So why are you guys here?]

Red-Orange-Yellow stiffened, and then they heard Lu Xunche let out a cold laugh. He raised his hand and pointed at the warm-colored little light orb, saying, “Ask him why I’m here.”

[Uh… um… we’re here on vacation! And while we’re at it, we’re helping out the front desk lady of the Dimensional Management Bureau to lighten her workload!]

Without thinking, Red-Orange-Yellow blurted it out in front of Little Pink.

Immediately, Lu Xunche’s face darkened completely. If Red-Orange-Yellow had a physical form at that moment, Lu Xunche—who had always been the type to solve problems with violence—would’ve kicked it without a second thought.

“Talking complete bullsh*t in front of your junior. Is that your excuse for dragging me into a mission that even the Strategy Department couldn’t find anyone to take?”

Sensing the situation was getting out of hand and afraid of saying anything more that might provoke this lord’s wrath, Red-Orange-Yellow quickly retreated, shooting back into Lu Xunche’s brow to hide.

Lu Xunche cursed under his breath, then resumed his usual nonchalant demeanor. He looked at Yan Luo and gave a simple explanation of the situation.

The Combat Department had indeed run into trouble. The Director had gone missing, and all members were temporarily pulled out of dimensional management. Lu Xunche had originally been on a rare vacation, but Red-Orange-Yellow had wandered over to the Strategy Department and somehow got sweet-talked by the front desk girl into accepting a mission that no one else in the department wanted. He’d been totally set up.

Lu Xunche, who had always relied on brute force to solve problems, was completely unfit for such missions. He had stumbled and struggled his way through a few dimensions, barely scraping by.

Yan Luo listened carefully from the side, and whether it was her imagination or not, when Lu Xunche talked about this, it sounded almost like he was gritting his teeth in frustration.

Propping up his head with one hand, Lu Xunche looked at Yan Luo with satisfaction, thinking that he had finally caught someone who could help. This time, surely the mission wouldn’t go completely off track again, right?

After explaining, he didn’t forget to ask:

“What’s your mission?”

“To eliminate the target’s blackening value.”

“Oh? Then who’s your mission target in this dimension?”

It seemed like their missions were similar, and since one was male and the other female, there shouldn’t be any conflict. So Yan Luo answered, “Jun Yulin. What about you, Senior?”

---

“Mother.” Yan Luo suppressed the strange feeling in her heart and spoke to Lu Yan.

Lu Yan looked over when she heard the voice. A flicker of complexity passed through her eyes before she smiled and said, “Luo’er, are you done with your work? Your cousin Xunche is here.”

Lu Xunche slowly stood up and gave a courteous salute. “Your Majesty.”

“Cousin Xunche,” Yan Luo responded and walked over to sit beside Lu Yan.

Lu Yan smiled and took Yan Luo’s hand, chatting on and on, intentionally or unintentionally steering the conversation toward Lu Xunche.

Lu Xunche, on the other hand, half-squinted his eyes and replied lazily and intermittently.

He looked even more lazy and annoyed than Yan Luo.

This was the grandson most favored by Old Master Lu. He was good-looking, intelligent, and clever, though with a bit of a difficult temperament. Still, he was the son-in-law Lu Yan had always set her heart on.

After chatting for a while and seeing that Yan Luo wasn’t engaging with Lu Xunche, and Lu Xunche couldn’t be bothered to speak either, Lu Yan pursed her lips slightly, then said, “Luo’er, Mother just remembered that a few of the imperial consorts wanted to discuss some matters with me. You two talk here, alright?”

With that, she stood up, and before leaving, gave the palace maids meaningful looks so they would all retreat, leaving the two alone.

The spacious palace suddenly became empty, and a faintly awkward atmosphere began to spread.

Lu Xunche tilted his head and looked at Yan Luo, his voice lazy and pleasant. “You…”

Yan Luo : ???

Wait… with her current identity, is he even allowed to call her so directly in private like that??

[D-dear Host…] Little Pink’s voice suddenly sounded in her ear. Yan Luo blinked in confusion as a response, and Little Pink’s voice continued, [Why do I feel like this guy’s aura is really familiar…?]

[It kind of feels like… kind of feels like…]

“What’s your system’s name? Junior.”

Before Little Pink could finish, Lu Xunche lazily propped up his head with his hand, a devilish curve on his lips as he gazed over indifferently and spoke.

Just as she was talking to Little Pink, hearing that line out of nowhere startled Yan Luo into blurting out, “Little Pink… Oh crap!”

Yan Luo : ???

Little Pink : ?!?!?

(º言º)

“Keep your voice down,” Lu Xunche raised a hand to his forehead with a look that said I knew it, then said, “Red-Orange-Yellow¹, come out and greet the guest.”

[Host, there’s no such thing as ‘greeting guests’ among us true systems.] A young boy’s voice suddenly spoke up, sounding serious yet with a hint of grievance.

“Think about what you did before you talk to me,” Lu Xunche raised an eyebrow, sneering coldly. Then a small warm-colored light orb floated out from the center of his brow.

[Hello, dear dimensional traveler. I am System Red-Orange-Yellow, No. 001 of the Dimensional Management Bureau’s Combat Department. It’s a pleasure to meet you~ (*^▽^*)]

Yan Luo : …Is it supposed to be this thrilling??

Also, are all systems named like paint palettes? What’s with all these weird names?

Little Pink also emerged from Yan Luo’s brow, looking at Lu Xunche and Red-Orange-Yellow with what seemed like excitement. [Hello, Senior.]

[So you’re still in training. You’ll need to work hard to earn your official number, Little Pink.] The warm-colored light orb circled around Little Pink once, then spoke in a child’s voice that somehow carried the gravity of a seasoned elder, completely serious.

Only systems officially recruited by the Dimensional Management Bureau are assigned a standard number.

---

1. 红橙黄 (hóng chéng huáng), literally red (红 hóng), orange (橙 chéng) and yellow (黄 huáng). ↩︎

---

After all, everyone had witnessed Jun Yulin’s capabilities firsthand. Some even found it strange that during the chaos back then, he hadn’t claimed the throne himself but instead chose to support Yan Luo.

“Yan Luo?” Yan Luo was dozing off on her side when the discussion over there was just about to wrap up. Jun Yulin looked up and saw the young girl, who was supposed to be listening attentively to their reports, propping her head up with her hand, eyes half-closed—clearly about to fall asleep.

Jun Yulin was the only one who dared to call Yan Luo by her full name in private. Yan Luo was startled and abruptly opened her eyes wide, a sheen of moisture glimmering in them as she stared straight at Jun Yulin.

She tugged at the corner of her lips awkwardly. “What is it?”

Jun Yulin : …

“Didn’t sleep well?” Jun Yulin frowned and asked as a formality.

To his surprise, Yan Luo nodded like a pecking chick.

Jun Yulin : …

He lowered his head, the corners of his lips twitching slightly. When he looked up again, his expression was one of solemn seriousness. “Your Majesty should be more diligent with state affairs.”

And yet, he managed to say such a thing with a completely straight face.

Standing beside them, An Bai couldn’t help but tug at the corner of his mouth when he heard this. He raised his eyebrows and looked over at Yan Luo.

What was with the little emperor today? It was rare to see Jun Yulin at a loss for words like this.

The matter had more or less been addressed. Outside the door, a female official who had served the original owner’s Mother was waiting. Once the door opened and she entered, she paused briefly at the sight of the two men inside, but then spoke up, “Your Majesty, the young master from the Empress Dowager’s maternal family has arrived. She’s asking for your presence.”

The Empress Dowager’s name was Lu Yan. That young master was her nephew, named Lu Xunche, and someone Lu Yan had long tried to plant into Yan Luo’s harem.

Understanding Lu Yan’s intentions all too well, a flicker of mockery passed through Jun Yulin’s eyes. He turned his gaze slightly toward the young girl on the throne, his eyes glinting faintly.

On the other hand, An Bai furrowed his brows slightly upon hearing about the young master from the Lu family. He instinctively took a step forward, then quickly came back to his senses, letting his expression fall blank again.

Yan Luo shot An Bai a puzzled look. Seeing that he made no further movement, she said nothing more. She rose to her feet and said, “Since Royal Uncle and Grand Chancellor have said all they needed to, I shall excuse myself first. Lin Yuan, see Royal Uncle and the Grand Chancellor out.”

With that, she dusted off her robes and left with the female official.

Lin Yuan paused, looked around, then turned to the two men who made no move to leave. She blinked, eyes filled with respect, and asked cautiously, “Your Highness? Prime Minister?”

The corners of Jun Yulin’s lips twitched almost imperceptibly. The image of Yan Luo’s spirited look from earlier flashed across his mind, and he glanced at An Bai, who appeared calm on the surface but whose thoughts were clearly elsewhere.

Hearing Lin Yuan’s words, An Bai finally came back to himself. He spoke in an odd tone, “Lu Xunche?”

Lin Yuan nodded and blinked. “The only young master from the Lu family who could enter the palace would naturally be Young Master Xunche.”

---

Meanwhile, Yan Luo had already arrived at Lu Yan’s palace. As soon as she entered, she saw Lu Yan beaming with a bright smile. Beside her sat a youth of about seventeen or eighteen, with bright eyes, pearly teeth, and a slightly roguish smile playing on his lips.

The two of them looked like they were chatting amiably, but Yan Luo could see the impatience and irritation hidden in the boy’s eyes.

This boy… gave her a rather strange feeling.

At that moment, Lu Xunche looked up and met her gaze. When he saw her, he tilted his head slightly and blinked.

---

An Bai was slightly stunned when he heard Yan Luo’s words. He raised his eyes to glance at her, then turned his gaze slightly to look behind him.

Minister Lin trembled. He had originally thought that Yan Luo was still young and would have some reservations about handling matters like this, especially since he was an old minister. Surely she would understand what was going on and wouldn’t embarrass him in court.

Yet unexpectedly, he was called out by name. When he looked up, he saw Yan Luo’s half-smiling eyes. She looked as though she had no idea what was going on, her lips slightly curved in an innocent smile.

“What is it, Minister Lin?” she asked sweetly.

Cold sweat instantly beaded on his forehead. Without even thinking, he stepped out of line.

“Your Majesty, Grand Chancellor… this old minister has indeed confirmed that the disaster relief supplies have been sent to the affected regions…”

“But the reports I received indicate that the quality of the supplies that arrived was highly inconsistent, and clearly not from the original batch distributed by the imperial court,” An Bai replied, withdrawing his gaze and bowing respectfully. He followed the lead Yan Luo had given him and directly cornered Minister Lin, leaving Minister Lin speechless.

Yan Luo widened her eyes slightly and looked at the official below, who was drenched in sweat.

“Minister Lin, what’s going on?”

“Well, Your Majesty, it’s like this. Because of the severe drought, the carts and horses delivering the supplies were exhausted, and they haven’t yet…”

“Absurd!” Yan Luo suddenly slammed her hand on the armrest and barked sharply, cutting him off. “How many days has it been? What did I say back then? I ordered immediate, uninterrupted delivery to the disaster areas. Are you treating my words like a joke, Minister Lin?”

“I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare! Your Majesty, how would this old minister dare!” Minister Lin immediately fell to his knees, panicked and trembling.

“I know Minister Lin is devoted to the nation. Then let the law deal with whoever is responsible for the delay in delivery.” Yan Luo looked down at Minister Lin, who flinched visibly. She had learned from Little Pink that the person responsible for the relief supplies this time was his son. She then turned to Jun Yulin, curved her lips, and added a hint of girlish charm to her voice.

“Royal Uncle, what do you think?”

Jun Yulin’s lips pressed into a thin line as he raised his head to look at Yan Luo—only to meet those beautiful eyes. Her lips held the faintest smile, soft and sweet like a young maiden’s.

He had grown used to seeing her deliberately rigid and formal expression, so to see her smiling like this momentarily stunned him. A complex glint flickered in his eyes.

Two seconds later, he finally spoke. His mind was already racing, naturally recalling the issues Yan Luo had just considered.

He gave her a probing glance before replying, “Your Majesty’s actions are most appropriate.”

“Then I’ll leave it to you, Royal Uncle.” As soon as Jun Yulin finished speaking, Yan Luo wasted no time in tossing the troublesome matter into his hands.

Jun Yulin : “…”

It was the first time he had ever been left speechless by something Yan Luo said. His deep, dark eyes couldn’t help but glance at her again.

In return, he received an innocent and trusting gaze from the young girl.

In the end, he had no choice but to agree.

After the morning court session ended, Yan Luo yawned as she headed to the study. Following behind her were Jun Yulin and An Bai. Both said they had matters to discuss with her, so they had dragged her over immediately after court ended.

Still drowsy, Yan Luo half-closed her eyes and listened to them speak. Although they said they wanted to consult her, in truth, Jun Yulin could make most of the decisions on his own.

Watching this scene with her head propped in one hand, Yan Luo thought to herself: no wonder there were rumors among the common people that the emperor had long been rendered powerless, and the regent now held full control over the court.

---