The warm breath sprayed on Pei Yuanshao’s face, his lips trembled, and he took the initiative to bite her cool thin lips, squinting his eyes like a cat stealing cream: “Marriage… isn’t wife-master afraid of much criticism from the humble families? After all, Ziyuan… has a bad reputation.”

Liu Changning pulled away his hand that was eagerly exploring downward, saying carelessly: “It doesn’t matter… Under absolute power and ability, what use is criticism? Moreover, Liu Cang Yun marrying Pei Ziyuan is a match made in heaven. Your Highness, who could comment?”

Her voice wasn’t loud, her thin lips opening and closing, rubbing back and forth against his lips. Pei Yuanshao’s lips and teeth softened, he unconsciously licked the lips pressed together, hugged her waist, and gasped: “With the overwhelming power in our hands now, indeed no one would dare…”

His ink-black eyes met her gaze, feigning melancholy: “Has Minister Liu ever thought, will Chao Guang become the next Ming Xing? Can we really retreat unscathed ten years from now?”

Pei Yuanshao was a person who had died once, with lessons from two lifetimes, if he couldn’t see things clearly, he would truly be foolish.

Placed in this situation, with overwhelming power, it would be no easy task for the two of them to retreat unscathed.

He raised his head, imitating her usual manner, lightly pecking the corner of her lips. He didn’t rush for her answer, his hands pulling off the sash at her waist, raising his hands to remove her outer robe.

Liu Changning gave him a glance, this time not holding his hands, allowing him to undress her.

The carriage was narrow, bumping along the way, and the two followed the bumpy road, up and down, rising and falling.

Red and white clothes fell all over the carriage floor. Someone let out a muffled groan, and all conversation suddenly ceased.

…

Outside the carriage, the hubbub of voices continued, completely covering the soft singing and low moans from inside.

The carriage stopped at the gate of the Liu mansion. Pei Yuanshao, with reddened eyes and a water droplet on his crow-black eyelashes, leaned against her body, one hand playing with her long hair. He curved his lips, complaining coquettishly: “Wife-master’s family should change the horse woman, right?”

He looked at her meaningfully, the heat not yet dissipated.

Liu Changning hugged his waist with interest, following his words, laughing lightly: “Mm, next time we’ll change to a carriage woman who doesn’t stop driving, to serve my husband to his heart’s content.”

Pei Yuanshao turned his gaze away, his face finally showing a hint of shyness after their intimate act. He lowered his head, not showing any intention of getting up.

His gaze fell on her black hair, nestled in her arms, he asked: “Cang Yun still hasn’t answered me, do you really intend to marry me? If you don’t marry me, and we confront each other in court, people will think we’re at odds, which could reduce others’ suspicions. It would be easier to retreat unscathed ten years later, but if you marry me…”

Liu Changning covered his moving lips with her hand, picking up the clothes from the ground with the other hand and covering their bodies. The smile on her face was obvious as she said decisively: “I will marry you! Ziyuan needn’t worry, if the status of the top commoner isn’t enough, then how about the status of the world’s number one? Your wife is going to implement reforms…”

Leaning in Liu Changning’s arms, with her last ambiguous words, Pei Yuanshao’s relaxed gaze suddenly widened. He naturally understood the meaning of her words.

The reforms Liu Changning spoke of were not just administrative reforms, but also agricultural, water conservancy, tax laws… comprehensive reforms.

If the reforms succeed, the Golden Phoenix Dynasty would surely enter an era of unprecedented prosperity. Pei Yuanshao had seen Liu Changning’s reform strategies on her desk, such almost revolutionary innovations had a high feasibility, and once successful…

Liu Cang Yun’s name would represent not just the top commoner, but she would be a milestone of this era, revered by all people.

She was telling him that when she becomes powerful enough to be revered by all and deeply rooted in people’s hearts, no matter how wary the emperor’s heart is, they wouldn’t dare to touch him at all.

Liu Changning lowered her head to kiss away the tear on his eyelash, seeing his seeming understanding, her clear voice sounded again: “My A’shao doesn’t need to worry, whatever the emperor does, I’m here. If Chao Guang isn’t as foolish as her mother, she’ll be the enlightened ruler of the Golden Phoenix Dynasty’s prosperous era in the future, someone always needs to manage the world on her behalf. But if she has thoughts she shouldn’t have, we can just replace her with someone more suitable.”

She flicked non-existent dust from her fingers, talking and laughing with ease. “Moreover, even if I don’t act, just based on A’shao alone, the current empress can’t touch you! In this court, the spies planted by the Long Emperor probably account for about 40%, right?”

Pei Yuanshao raised his eyebrows, surprised, his mouth open for a long while without speaking.

She actually knew about the things he didn’t know on the day of Jing Huan’s palace coup, but she knew. Pei Yuanshao closed his lips, a smile spilling from his eyes, and indeed, she was his Liu Cang Yun, even if she knew everything under heaven, it wouldn’t be surprising.

His fingers twirled her hair into circles again and again, smiling in admiration: “Wife-master is impressive, of course. Cang Yun must have planted many people in the court over these years, otherwise how would you know about my people. Ziyuan has been tricked once, so I must make plans for our future. If it weren’t for Zi Jue being used to help Jing Huan, how could that day’s palace coup have been so easy? Even if the palace coup succeeded, it wouldn’t have been so easy for Jing Huan to secure the throne, right?”

His eyebrows and eyes were flamboyant, a proud and fierce light flashing in his eyes.

Liu Changning loved his current spirited expression, she hugged him tightly, kisses falling again like raindrops.

The man in her arms was stunned for a moment, then climbed onto her waist, looking her up and down, and provoked: “Wife-master, do you still have strength…”

Liu Changning glanced at the blue and purple kiss marks on his body, grinding her teeth: “This humble official… couldn’t serve Your Highness well earlier. As it happens, a hot spring opened in the mansion some days ago, the warm water is quite comfortable on the body. If A’shao can hold on, this official is willing to accompany you to the end!”

In the still slightly cool spring day inside the carriage, the man with seductive eyes straightened his neck, leaned to her ear, and let out a low moan, seeming both bewitching and inviting.

Liu Changning: …

Constantly being drained by her husband, the old cadre hesitated for a moment, frowning and thinking to herself, she might need to eat some mutton… what if she couldn’t withstand the exertion, wouldn’t that be embarrassing!

In the first life, the Phoenix Ancestor had no human form, they could only touch spirits, he was shy and bashful.

Who would have thought that the old phoenix with a body now, after a long drought encountering sweet dew, would want it every day…

Yet it was impossible to refuse!

The old cadre squinted her eyes, attributing her irregular daytime behavior of rubbing ears and cuddling cheeks with him to the inherent nature of the phoenix clan.