Chu Chen smiled wryly and said, "Your Highness Princess, how would I dare to interact with other girls? My heart only holds you, and there's no room for anyone else. If anything were to happen, it would only be because someone else forcefully took me."
Li Xinyue looked at Chu Chen with suspicion, feeling that his words held a hidden meaning and were not spoken without reason.
However, she was truly pressed for time and could only leave for now.
Only after Li Xinyue departed did Chu Chen breathe a sigh of relief. He had almost revealed his true feelings.
He returned to his seat, and a maid poured him tea. Chu Chen took a few sips and wiped the sweat from his brow.
Chu Chen looked up at the maid and said in a low voice, "Regarding the girls in the back courtyard serving the Old War God, instruct the servants not to discuss it, not to spread it, and certainly not to let the Princess know. Do you understand?"
The maid quickly nodded, "Understood, sir."
Upon returning to the palace, Li Xinyue summoned all the royal relatives she could find in Shuangyue City.
If time had not been so tight, preventing other princesses from arriving, she would have even summoned them.
The Empress Dowager was somewhat displeased, but since it was Xinyue's intention, she did not object.
However, her thoughts were already drifting far away to the Huashan Immortal Realm.
She was now solely focused on becoming an immortal quickly, so that she would no longer be bound by the limitations of mortal lifespan.
Because of this, she paid less attention to those around her. If she became an immortal, her children and descendants would all die before her eyes in the future. Rather than grieve then, it was better to learn to let go of these matters now.
Li Xinyue noticed that the Empress Dowager seemed a bit unhappy and knew that she disliked the current situation.
But to make amends for her guilt, Li Xinyue could only try to appease her mother.
In the past two days, besides indulging in pleasures, Li Xinyue had also sought her mother's guidance on various matters of governance and state administration.
Although Li Xinyue had absolutely no interest in these subjects, she still forced herself to learn them for the continued stability and prosperity of the Yunyue Kingdom in the future. At the very least, she had to remember it all.
Two days passed, neither long nor short, but fleetingly.
As the Empress Dowager prepared to depart, the news had already spread throughout Shuangyue City.
A large number of citizens flocked to the city gates to bid farewell to the Empress Dowager.
However, they could only line the sides of the road, with numerous guards armed with sabers standing before them to prevent any unforeseen incidents.
Concurrently, the civil and military officials of Shuangyue City had gathered at the city gates to see her off.
At noon, the Empress Dowager, accompanied by Li Xinyue, arrived at the city gates in her carriage.
Chu Chen, mounted on a tall horse, escorted them from behind the carriage.
The Empress Dowager's carriage was naturally luxurious and dazzling, exuding an air of nobility, clearly indicating it was for the Empress Dowager.
The common people, however, could not discern much. Yet, they recognized Chu Chen.
Before and behind the Empress Dowager's carriage and Chu Chen, there were large contingents of guards.
"Look quickly, it's Prime Minister Chu! The person in the carriage must be Her Majesty."
"Nonsense, who else would allow Prime Minister Chu to ride a tall horse and escort them? It must be Her Majesty."
"I heard that Her Majesty is going to seek an immortal elixir this time. I wonder if it's true. Does an elixir of immortality truly exist in this world?"
"How could it be fake? If it were fake, why would Her Majesty travel such a long distance to seek it? It must be real."
"Yes, we ordinary folk shouldn't worry about these things."
"May Her Majesty succeed! Our Yunyue Kingdom has been prospering recently. If Her Majesty can also achieve immortality and forever guard the Yunyue Kingdom, our nation will surely surpass all others and become a dominant power."
As the carriage exited the city gates, the Empress Dowager and Li Xinyue disembarked and bid each other farewell.
Chu Chen approached them, looking at the Empress Dowager with a complex expression.
Having been here for so long, Chu Chen had lived under the Empress Dowager's shadow. Yet, now that the Empress Dowager was about to depart, he felt a strange sense of reluctance.
Could this be called masochism?
After speaking with Li Xinyue, the Empress Dowager turned her gaze to Chu Chen.
"Chu Chen, Yunyue Kingdom, and Xinyue, I entrust them to you. You must watch over them for me, or I will not spare you."
Upon hearing this, Chu Chen immediately said with a serious expression, "Your Majesty, please rest assured. Chu Chen will do what he must and will absolutely not cause Your Majesty any trouble."
The Empress Dowager nodded and raised her hand, signaling the surrounding citizens to quiet down.
The citizens, who had been watching them intently, immediately fell silent upon seeing this gesture.
Those who were more boisterous were silenced by those beside them.
"My dear people, I am leaving. I am going to the Wei Kingdom to seek an immortal elixir for the lasting peace and stability of Yunyue Kingdom."
"When I return with the elixir, I will grant you eternal peace!"
The Empress Dowager's voice was not loud, but it was incredibly inspiring.
The surrounding citizens erupted in cheers!
"What Her Majesty says truly warms the heart. If I were Her Majesty's subject, I would dedicate my life to her service."
"No wonder Prime Minister Chu, a sage, emerged from under Her Majesty's command. Her Majesty is a truly virtuous ruler!"
The Empress Dowager departed. The citizens lining the roads by the city gates dispersed, returning to their own places to resume their daily lives.
After an hour in the carriage, the Empress Dowager grew impatient and leaped out of the carriage.
"Your Majesty, what are you doing? Please allow me to drive the horses for you."
The coachman said in surprise.
The Empress Dowager shook her head, "I can't wait any longer. Continue on the original route and wait for me at the Wei Kingdom's posthouse."
With that, the Empress Dowager dashed forward, disappearing in a blur of motion within moments.
Only after the Empress Dowager had left did the coachman regain his senses.
"Her Majesty's cultivation is truly becoming more profound. Even without an immortal elixir, she is absolutely extraordinary."
The Empress Dowager traveled using her movement techniques and, within half a day, reached an inn within the Wei Kingdom, not far from Huashan.
Although the Empress Dowager was eager to find the immortal elixir, she was wary of the Wei Kingdom and the other nations that had already arrived at Huashan.
As her spiritual energy was now more than half depleted, it was best to rest here and recover her strength before heading to Huashan.
Meanwhile, Chu Chen returned to the Prime Minister's mansion, intending to discuss with the Old War God the immediate need to find people to take command of several military forces.