Feng Miaojun caressed the fragment, secretly sighing at her good fortune.

Grand Tutor Lu was dead, and how he obtained this object remained a mystery, yet in the end, it benefited her.

What needed to be confiscated was confiscated, who needed to be executed was executed, and investigations that needed to continue were still ongoing. But her business in Yinzi City was complete.

The next day, the New Xia Queen began her journey back to Wusel. The Lantern Festival had passed, and countless affairs awaited her in the capital of New Xia.

Outside Wusel City, she and Yun Ya made a brief private farewell. He would slip back to the Kingdom of Wei, while she had to make a grand, ceremonial return to the palace!

The Queen’s return stirred the entire city of Wusel, creating festivities as lively as a holiday. The royal court appropriately announced three days of grand celebration, bringing joy to both the court and commoners.

However, shortly after the Queen entered her palace, she heard the roar of her Prime Minister:

“Gone for half a year, and this is what Your Majesty called ‘I’ll be right back’?! A ruler should know that their word is as weighty as nine sacred cauldrons!” Fu Lingchuan’s face and neck flushed with anger. “Do you know that official business has piled up like mountains, hundreds of policies stalled, all requiring your signature!”

Feng Miaojun quickly covered her ears, making a pained face: “Lower your voice, you’ll deafen me. It was an unexpected situation, wasn’t it? Besides, I brought back the Eastern Region as a bonus.”

Fu Lingchuan fumed: “New Xia is far from prosperous, and now we’ve swallowed such a large piece of territory. Is Your Majesty tired of our internal peace?”

Feng Miaojun gave him a thumbs up: “Cousin is indeed perceptive.”

The problems currently appearing in the Eastern Region indeed stemmed from what Fu Lingchuan had just said. When the ruling country is too weak, the people of the Region would refuse to submit and harbor disloyal thoughts.

She changed tack: “The Region’s wealth is astonishing and can become a great asset. You know that war between the Kingdoms of Yan and Wei is imminent, and we likely cannot stay uninvolved. Yet New Xia is far from strong; if we don’t find ways to leverage power, I fear we’ll end up being used as cannon fodder by Wei, easily crushed by Yan.”

“So overall, gaining the Region brings greater benefits than drawbacks, as long as we carefully manage relationships on both sides.”

She made it sound so simple that Fu Lingchuan was speechless, foreseeing that his future would likely be one of working himself to death.

Feng Miaojun smiled again: “Besides, I rushed back specifically to attend Cousin’s wedding ceremony on time.”

Spring had arrived, and Fu Lingchuan was soon to be married.

Fu Lingchuan took a deep breath, removed an invitation from his robe, and presented it with both hands: “I hope Your Majesty will honor us with your presence.”

Feng Miaojun accepted it and examined it carefully, smiling: “Rest assured, I must prepare a generous gift before I dare attend.”

Fu Lingchuan smiled faintly, his heart filled with complex emotions. The Queen had been traveling for half a year, enduring several fierce battles, yet her appearance showed no signs of weariness. Instead, she had grown even more beautiful, like a peony covered with morning dew, blooming with unparalleled splendor. Her bearing had also changed, becoming increasingly profound and calm like a deep pool.

Her future was truly limitless. How could such a woman be content as merely a flower in a man’s garden, even if she were the most exquisite bloom?

How wishful and naive had his thoughts been back then?

Fu Lingchuan set aside that slight bitterness and said sternly: “I will welcome you most earnestly. However, there are still three days until the wedding on the second day of the second month, and official documents have piled up even in the side halls. Now, I request that Your Majesty go quickly to review them!”

Feng Miaojun laughed dryly: “I’ll go right away.” After taking two steps, she turned back and said, “By the way, the former State Preceptor of Kingdom Xi, Yu Haizhen, has also returned with me. From now on, she will be the State Preceptor of New Xia.”

As she spoke, she watched Fu Lingchuan closely, not wanting to miss the slightest change in his expression.

Fu Lingchuan indeed raised his eyebrows, but then quickly returned to normal: “State affairs are numerous, and Your Majesty cannot attend to everything personally. It is certainly necessary to find a reliable person to manage the nation’s destiny. Yu Haizhen is a good choice.”

First of all, he was well aware of who accompanied the Queen back to Wusel. Yu Haizhen’s appearance had already sparked speculation among those with keen perception. The former female State Preceptor of Kingdom Xi had always been renowned; it was said she had perished when Xi fell, which everyone found regrettable. No one expected her to come to New Xia with the Queen.

Considering Yu Haizhen’s former position and New Xia’s current situation, Fu Lingchuan could deduce seven or eight parts of Feng Miaojun’s calculations, so he wasn’t particularly surprised now.

His expression was calm, and Feng Miaojun couldn’t tell if he was feigning indifference or had truly let go. She only said: “Trouble you, Cousin, to arrange a large residence for her near the palace. Preferably, hmm, on the south side.”

Fu Lingchuan nodded: “Leave it to me.”

Feng Miaojun looked at him for a while, then sighed softly: “I am very sorry.”

Her recruitment of Yu Haizhen was certainly for New Xia’s benefit. But inevitably, the old and new State Preceptors would be compared by others.

In the short term, Fu Lingchuan would likely bear the pointing fingers and private criticisms of others, which would be considerable pressure.

Fu Lingchuan paused for a moment, then shook his head: “It’s fine.”

When he relinquished the position of State Preceptor, he had already anticipated this situation.

Three days later, Fu Lingchuan’s grand wedding took place.

He was the powerful Prime Minister; the Queen had dared to entrust the royal court to him during her half-year absence, which sufficiently proved her trust in him. He was also the Queen’s only elder brother, who had once been defeated by the current sovereign in a cruel power struggle.

He was formally marrying Liu Qingru, the second daughter of the Grand Minister of Works, Liu Wenzheng. Observant individuals couldn’t help but notice that Grand Minister Liu Wenzheng was also a supporter of the Queen, and the marriage between their two families would undoubtedly further consolidate royal power.

The unique relationship of love and rivalry between the siblings was the talk of both the court and commoners in New Xia. Fu Lingchuan’s wedding ceremony was the focus of countless people’s attention.

On this day, Feng Miaojun gave him full respect, arriving precisely one moment before the ceremony began, stepping into the grand new residence, Prime Minister’s Garden, which Fu Lingchuan had built for his marriage.

The sovereign personally coming to offer congratulations was the highest honor, and the Liu family members all stood with chests out and heads high, faces glowing with pride.

The garden was even more festive, with various luminaries and dignitaries already gathered.

Today, Feng Miaojun did not wish to overshadow the main celebrants, so she wore only light makeup. Her hair was not adorned with jade ornaments, but only two golden pearls, paired with a bright yellow robe embroidered with gold, elegant and dignified.

She walked straight to the main seat and sat down. Liu Wenzheng and his wife immediately stood up and bowed.

Feng Miaojun raised her hand and pressed downward, smiling: “No need for such formality, please be at ease. I am just here to support Fu Lingchuan, lest Minister Liu think his in-laws have no one of consequence.”

Everyone laughed, and the atmosphere immediately relaxed.

In terms of age and seniority, Feng Miaojun was younger than Fu Lingchuan, but as the New Xia royal bloodline had only this one descendant, today’s main seat on the groom’s side was still occupied by her in her capacity as Queen.

With the Queen setting such a tone, the atmosphere at the wedding ceremony quickly warmed up, as befitting a momentous joyous occasion.

Next came the three-bow ceremony.

Feng Miaojun smiled as she drank the tea offered by the newlyweds. She saw that under the pearl-adorned phoenix crown, the bride’s cloud-like hair and flowery countenance radiated after the ceremonial makeup, truly a one-in-a-thousand beauty. Fu Lingchuan’s gaze toward her was full of tender affection, without sparing another glance at the Queen.