"Heh, since you can't resist, then keep him and enjoy him," Zhou Hong chuckled, glancing at Lu Qianqian's graceful figure.
"What are you looking at? Look again and I'll gouge your eyes out," Lu Qianqian's face flushed as she put on a fierce expression, though it seemed more like playful banter.
"Princess, you are actually quite beautiful. Thinking about it, I didn't suffer any losses."
"Then why were you so stubbornly refusing earlier? I didn't dislike you, yet you dislike me," Lu Qianqian pouted and huffed again, seemingly forgetting her role as Zhou Hong's tutor at this moment.
"Hahaha, didn't I listen to you and say no dating during our time at the Taigu Academy to avoid affecting my cultivation?" Zhou Hong said with a laugh.
"I had almost forgotten you mentioned it. It seems that even if we get married, I can't let you touch me, or you'll be distracted and it will affect your cultivation."
"Don't be like that, what's the fun in that?" Zhou Hong was displeased. Since they were already married, why waste the opportunity?
"Didn't you just say it would affect your cultivation? Why do you want it again now?" Lu Qianqian shot Zhou Hong a sidelong glance. She had accepted Zhou Hong as her fiancé and felt quite sweet about it. Although Zhou Hong was still far from the prince charming in her heart, Zhou Hong had cured her father. Just the gratitude in her heart would ensure she had feelings for Zhou Hong.
However, at this moment, a loud bang suddenly came from the main hall, like a table being slammed.
Zhou Hong and Lu Qianqian had only just walked a short distance from the imperial palace hall.
Zhou Hong quickly looked towards the hall, a look of confusion on his face. "Did I hear wrong? Someone is slamming a table in the hall? Could it be that some minister dares to slam a table at your father the Emperor? Or is it your father the Emperor slamming the table? Wasn't your father the Emperor in a good mood?"
"I don't know, let's go take a look." Lu Qianqian also looked solemn.
The two immediately returned to the hall they had just left, quietly entering from the back and standing in an inconspicuous corner.
At this moment, several rows of court ministers stood in the hall, and the Emperor's face was very unpleasant. The dragon throne beside him was in pieces, clearly indicating that the Emperor had shattered the dragon throne with a palm strike just now.
"Your Majesty, I implore you for your approval," a grizzled old man with a full beard said, stepping forward and speaking aggressively to the Emperor.
"National Preceptor, are you threatening me?"
"Your Majesty, how would I dare to threaten you? My son, Wang Tao, likes Princess Qianqian so much. I hope Your Majesty will grant us a marriage." the National Preceptor said again.
Zhou Hong's body trembled, doubting if he had heard correctly. What was going on? Didn't the Emperor say that whoever cured his illness would be taken as a consort? How was it that a National Preceptor was now asking the Emperor for a marriage decree for his son, Wang Tao?
Lu Qianqian's expression also changed, and her body trembled with anger.
"Who is he? How dare he speak to your father like that?" Zhou Hong whispered, asking quickly.
"He is the National Preceptor of the Wudi Empire, named Wang Mang. He has a son named Wang Tao. Before my father fell ill, he often asked my father to issue an imperial decree to marry me off to his son, Wang Tao. I didn't expect him to bring it up again today."
"National Preceptor, I already said, my illness has been cured, and I have already promised the Princess to the divine doctor who cured me." the King said, suppressing his anger.
"Your Majesty, but when I asked you just now who cured your illness, you refused to say. I assume you are just trying to placate an old minister."
At this moment, other ministers in the court also chimed in, "Your Majesty, please agree to the National Preceptor."
"We implore Your Majesty to agree to the National Preceptor."
"You... you all..." The King's body trembled with anger. It was obvious that many of these ministers had already sided with the National Preceptor.
Zhou Hong could see at this moment that Lu Qianqian's father, the Emperor of the Wudi Empire, did not have a stable throne. This National Preceptor seemed to have a power no less than his, otherwise, how would he dare to be so arrogant?
Zhou Hong hesitated for a moment, then walked out and shouted, "Esteemed ministers, I was the one who cured the King's illness."
Everyone's eyes turned towards Zhou Hong. They hadn't paid attention to him at all before, mistaking him for some eunuch.
"Who are you? Which eunuch from the palace?" The National Preceptor's eyes also turned towards Zhou Hong. He had already noticed that Zhou Hong was standing with the princess, but he still called Zhou Hong a eunuch.
"I apologize, I am not a eunuch. My name is Zhou Hong, a student of the Taigu Academy. It was I who cured the King's illness," Zhou Hong said, feeling a bit annoyed. He really wanted to destroy this National Preceptor, but unfortunately, the Dark Golden Crow could not control his body yet, as it had not been a full month since the last time.
"I thought it was some eunuch," the National Preceptor said with a slight curl of his lips, his eyes full of disdain.
"You're the eunuch!" Zhou Hong roared in anger. It was unbearable.
"You dare to shout at me?" The next moment, the National Preceptor was enraged.
"You were the one who insulted me first," Zhou Hong retorted, his eyes blazing with anger, as if he was the one who had been wronged.
"King Your Majesty, this person dared to shout at me. Today, I wish to kill him in the main hall. I hope Your Majesty will grant me permission." The National Preceptor then moved to attack Zhou Hong.
"Stop!" the Emperor roared. How could he let Zhou Hong be killed by the National Preceptor in the Golden Dragon Hall?
"King Your Majesty, as you saw just now, this little eunuch dared to shout at me. What is he?"
"National Preceptor, this Zhou Hong is the young divine doctor who cured my illness, my benefactor. Moreover, I have already told him that I will take him as my consort."
The National Preceptor quickly said, "Your Majesty, these are two separate matters. He cured your illness, that is between you and him. Now, he shouted at me and offended me, that is between him and me. I hope Your Majesty will not meddle and ruin the friendship between us as ruler and minister."
"You...!" The King immediately trembled with rage.
Zhou Hong had never encountered such an arrogant National Preceptor.
"Your Majesty, since that is the case, I will not take his life in the Golden Dragon Hall today. However, as soon as he leaves the palace grounds, I will take his life."
"National Preceptor, are you truly going to be so ruthless?" the Emperor asked angrily.
"Your Majesty, it is not I, the old minister, who is ruthless. It is this little eunuch who dared to shout at me, which has made me unhappy. I fear that if I harbor inner demons, it will affect my future cultivation."
After speaking, the National Preceptor looked at Zhou Hong and threatened, "Little eunuch, I wonder how much longer you can live."
Zhou Hong wanted to say something more, but Lu Qianqian quickly stopped him.
"Zhou Hong, let's go first." Lu Qianqian pulled Zhou Hong and left through the back door.
"Ahhhhh...!" Zhou Hong roared several times in anger.
"Zhou Hong, calm down. In terms of anger, my father the Emperor is even angrier than you right now," Lu Qianqian said, quickly comforting him.