Chapter 266: Chapter 265 QualificationsSang Yan declined with a lack of enthusiasm, "No need. No need. Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to."


    He Ying teased her with a smile, "Then what am I up to?"


    Sang Yan grumbled unhappily, "It’s definitely not anything good, that’s for sure."


    He Ying’s eyes suddenly darkened, and he said with a smile, "Since you’ve already said that, I feel like I’d be letting you down if I didn’t come up with some mischief."


    With that, he suddenly reached out and pinched her waist—not too gently but not too hard either.


    Sang Yan reacted strongly, almost jumping out of the bed.


    Her face flushed, she looked at the man still feigning innocence and felt both embarrassed and angry as she accused, "He Xinyuan, to speak and behave lewdly in broad daylight is a big taboo!"


    He Ying spread his hands with an innocent look, "I just thought you were tired from last night’s efforts and wanted to help you relax your muscles, that’s all."


    Although he said that, the mischievous smirk in his eyes couldn’t be hidden.


    Seeing this, Sang Yan also decided to toughen up her stance, "If you’re so keen to serve, then go ahead."


    She stretched out her foot and pressed it against his chest, "Go on, then. Pinch."


    And He Ying did just that—he pinched her foot, focusing on the pressure points like he was giving a foot massage.


    "Be gentler," she commanded.


    With her eyes closed, she took on the posture of someone savoring the moment.


    The man was very obedient, lightening his touch and even applying ointment, moving his fingertips in circles to more evenly spread it.


    Ignoring the initial discomfort, it was actually quite soothing.


    But then the sensation started to change.


    Her toes suddenly felt hot and ticklish.


    She opened her eyes wide in shock, "He Xinyuan, you, you!"


    This man with no bottom line!


    She withdrew her foot and called out, "Qiuzhi, Qiuzhi!"


    Hmph, if she didn’t want to sleep, why should she?


    Qiuzhi quickly came in, "My lady, what do you need?"


    Sang Yan said, "I want to get up."


    "Yes, my lady."


    Qiuzhi immediately brought over the prepared palace attire and helped her dress, one piece at a time.


    During this time, He Ying picked up his cup of tea and rinsed his mouth.


    He had just been following a sudden urge, seeing her pale, jade-like toes, soft and fragrant, he couldn’t resist the thought.


    Compared to the ardor of the previous night, it wasn’t particularly outrageous.


    Yet she seemed unable to accept it.


    Well, so be it.


    He was her first man.


    It was normal for her, a blank slate, to feel unaccustomed at first.


    He Ying convinced himself and sat at the dining table, waiting for her to join him for the meal.


    He had awakened her really because he wanted her to eat something.


    "After breakfast, you can go back to sleep," he suggested.


    He watched her approach with slow steps, stepped forward to support her, and had her sit beside him.


    Sang Yan was still upset and didn’t pay him any mind, letting Qiuzhi help her wash up before sitting down and eating in silence.


    Seeing that he had truly annoyed her, He Ying apologized, "Ah Yan, don’t be angry. I will change in the future."


    As for whether he could really change, that was beyond his control.


    After all, a man’s words in bed can never be trusted.


    Sang Yan also knew that men had a way of learning those things without teaching, so she didn’t say more.


    The joy of men and women is human nature.


    As long as he wasn’t too excessive, she was willing to go along.


    After all, if that part of their relationship was discordant, even the best of feelings could be affected.


    Especially with someone like He Ying, who clearly had strong desires.


    She had misjudged him before, thinking he was someone who shunned worldly pleasures.


    Now it was too late for regrets.


    "I’m not angry. I’m just not used to it yet."


    She picked up a piece of meat for him and said softly, "Eat well and don’t bring that up again. After eating, go handle state affairs obediently, heard me?"


    "Heard you," he replied.


    His smile was indulgent, and he added teasingly, "At the Empress’s command."


    Sang Yan: "..."


    Slick rascal!


    She had breakfast with him and sent him off to deal with official duties before she went back to bed.


    She stayed in bed until noon.


    Even after lunchtime came and went, there was no sign of He Ying returning.


    She sent someone to inquire and learned that He Ying had gone to inspect the Imperial Army.


    Just after returning, he went to inspect the Imperial Army?


    This man really favors martial over scholarly pursuits!


    But this was also good, with Qi Wuya eyeing him like a tiger watching its prey, it was imperative for him to favor martial pursuits to enhance Da He’s military strength.


    She ate lunch alone.


    In the afternoon, when she felt better, she also left the palace.


    With her people, she walked through the palace, which had the air of an inspection.


    Everywhere she went, they all called out, "Empress."


    The title made her feel uneasy.


    Deep inside, regardless of how much He Ying doted on her and valued her, her modern-day commoner’s background left her without any sense of entitlement to power.


    In other words, she didn’t feel that she deserved to be called "Empress."


    The tale of a sparrow turning into a phoenix was inspiring, but she knew that a sparrow couldn’t transform into a phoenix.


    Unless it went through a painful process of toughening its skin, tempering its bones, changing its blood, and cleansing its marrow.


    At that time, the sparrow was still a sparrow, yet it was no longer just a sparrow.


    In the evening,


    He Ying returned, covered in dust from the road.


    He had spent the afternoon inspecting and personally training the Imperial Army, working up a sweat.


    After returning to the palace, he first went to the bathhouse, planning to get cleaned up and make himself presentable before seeing Sang Yan.


    Knowing that he had come back, Sang Yan went to the bathhouse.


    She helped him bathe.


    Perhaps he was too tired; he didn’t mess around with her.


    Seeing him sitting in the bathing pool with his eyes closed, looking exhausted, Sang Yan felt a pang of heartache, "Xinyuan, your health is the most important. We’ve traveled thousands of miles back to Du, jostled all the way. Rest for a few days, don’t rush."


    He Ying nodded, caught the hand that was massaging his shoulder, gently patted it twice, and said in a low voice, "Ah Yan, don’t worry, I’m not in a rush."


    He didn’t tell her about the political situation in Beiqi.


    For one thing, he had sworn to keep her forever safe and happy.


    Secondly, he didn’t want her thinking about other men.


    Especially Qi Wuya.


    "What about you?"


    He changed the subject and asked, "I heard you took a walk in the palace this afternoon. Did anyone treat you with disrespect?"


    Sang Yan shook her head, "No. How could they disrespect me? On the contrary, they were too respectful."


    Speaking of this, she became downcast, "Xinyuan, can I really be the Empress? I always feel like I’m not worthy of being an Empress."


    Perhaps influenced by the various first ladies of the modern world, she always felt that compared to those great women, she was humble, insignificant, not worth mentioning.


    Without education, experience, and even less, the demeanor, she only had good looks which somehow caught his eye, and now she was going to be the Empress of a nation.


    It was like she had stumbled into a streak of dumb luck.


    He Ying didn’t know her thoughts, but naturally disagreed with her words.


    In his heart, she was the best woman in the world, completely worthy of being his Empress.


    However, he didn’t say these cliched praises, nor did he try to comfort her excessively, but he smiled wryly, "Ah Yan, if you think that way, I have a method to make you qualify as Empress."


    Seeing his self-assured appearance, Sang Yan grew curious, "What method?"


    "Splash—"


    She suddenly fell into the water. Sёarch* The novёlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "He Xinyuan!"


    With a face full of surprise, she glared at the culprit, "What are you doing?"


    He had pulled her into the water.


    She had just admired him for behaving properly while she bathed him.


    But his seriousness lasted only a few seconds.


    "What do I want to do?"


    He Ying pulled the person in the water into his arms and teased her earlobe with a kiss, chuckling softly, "Why don’t you try to guess, Ah Yan?"


    Sang Yan guessed he wanted to do something naughty and did not cooperate, pushing him away and trying to climb up.


    But to no avail.


    The hand on her back shoulder was strong and assertive, pressing her down firmly.


    Then he wrapped himself around her from behind, his broad chest completely enveloping her.


    He lowered his head, his breath hot against her ear as he chuckled, "Ah Yan, why run? Don’t you want to know how to qualify as Empress?"


    Sang Yan faintly guessed his method and said indignantly, "I don’t want to know anymore."


    "Ah Yan is really clever."


    He Ying, knowing that Sang Yan understood his intent, praised her, "With Ah Yan being so smart, how could you not qualify as Empress?"


    His kisses spread from her earlobe to her neck, and at the same time, he clarified his intentions, "So, Ah Yan, bear a child for me."


    As long as she gave birth to an heir for Da He, and he was made the Crown Prince, no one in the world would be more qualified than her to be Empress!


    By then, she would surely have no more self-doubting thoughts.


    She must be his Empress, his only