"Your Majesty, is this... a secret mission?" Long Ziyue looked at the imperial decree in her hand, utterly bewildered.
This was the first imperial decree issued by Chu Qianli after she ascended the throne as Empress.
And it was the first one Long Ziyue received after her friend's status had changed.
Suddenly, she felt a bit strange. Should she open it herself?
Or should she wait until Her Majesty ordered her to open it before looking?
Also, was the person in front of her now Empress, or A'li?
Hmm... For a moment, she found it difficult to adjust.
"Why are you spacing out? I gave you the imperial decree, aren't you going to read it?" Chu Qianli was still packing something. She merely glanced up at Long Ziyue before busying herself again.
"Your Majesty..."
"I am A'li now." So, there's no need to be so formal.
Why be so tense and serious?
Long Ziyue breathed a sigh of relief. That settled it.
She immediately opened the imperial decree.
But upon seeing its contents, she was stunned.
"You want me to be Prince Yue, Wei Xian to be Regent, and for us to temporarily handle state affairs for you?"
"Shh?" Chu Qianli placed a long finger on her lips, motioning for silence.
"Don't be so loud. If Old General Wei hears this, I won't be able to leave."
"You want to leave?" This time, it wasn't just surprise, but shock!
Long Ziyue almost shrieked.
Chu Qianli immediately grabbed something and threw it at her. "I told you not to be loud, and you still want to shout. Are you trying to ruin my plan?"
"A'li!" Long Ziyue knew she shouldn't shout, but she couldn't help it!
She quickly walked up to Chu Qianli and realized that what Chu Qianli was packing were the very things she intended to take with her.
Gold, silver, and jewelry!
This girl was planning to abscond!
Although as the Empress, such treasures meant little, an Empress in the palace didn't need money.
She really intended to escape!
"A'li, you... you're going to..."
"I told you, I'm going to Bei Ming to find Ye Xuan." Chu Qianli winked at her. "He's still in Yitie City right now, and I want to go to Yitie City to lend him a hand."
"He doesn't need your help at all! He's the God of War Prince Xuan!"
Long Ziyue said with a look of grievance, "But we are the ones who truly need you here!"
The empire had just been established, and the state was still unstable. Now, the Empress was running away. This was utterly irresponsible!
"Ziyue, I'm so tired." Chu Qianli winked at her again, looking innocent.
"I've been tired for two lifetimes."
Long Ziyue was speechless. She didn't want to argue with her about such nonsense.
Two lifetimes! Could she possibly be someone who reincarnated?
Of course, Chu Qianli didn't intend to explain, but her claim of being tired for two lifetimes wasn't just a casual remark.
Truly, she had been tired for two lifetimes.
"I've never been willful before." So this time, she wanted to be willful.
"Ziyue, I want to live for myself completely, to do what I want to do, and go where I want to go."
"Even if it's just for three months, once I've done what I want to do, I will definitely return and shoulder this responsibility."
Long Ziyue looked at her, unsure of what to say for a moment.
She was too young, only sixteen, and Long Ziyue was two years older than her.
But the responsibility on her shoulders was truly immense, too heavy.
Before, Long Ziyue thought it was all natural, as she was Long Xiyue's daughter.
But now, when Chu Qianli earnestly said she wanted to live for herself, Long Ziyue suddenly realized that she was indeed still a little girl.
Even Long Ziyue herself desperately wanted to abandon everything and live the life she desired.
Who didn't have their own aspirations?
"But you are, after all, the Empress."
This identity was something Chu Qianli could never shed in this lifetime.
"A'li, three months. I can only give you three months. If after three months, you're still enjoying yourself and forgetting to return, I will dispatch the Royal Army to bring you back."
At that point, the Empress's dignity wouldn't look so good.
"Alright! I'll do as you say, I'll do as you say!"
Excited joy immediately flashed in Chu Qianli's eyes.
"This imperial seal, I'll entrust it to you, you..."
"No, keep the imperial seal. I believe that Old General Wei and I can manage the people below, we don't need the imperial seal."
Long Ziyue glanced at her, a hint of grievance and envy in her eyes.
But she still said seriously, "Only three months! After three months, hurry back to preside over the overall situation, and let me go on vacation!"
By then, it wouldn't just be about three months.
She wanted to travel around, see the mountains and rivers, live the life she wanted, and enjoy herself!
Who liked the messy affairs of the court!
"Okay! It's a deal!"
Chu Qianli extended her little finger. "Let's pinky swear, Ziyue, three months, I will definitely be back!"
...Ultimately, the imperial seal was returned to Chu Qianli's Qiankun Chain.
Perhaps that was the safest place.
Now that their Longteng empire had just been established and was not yet stable, the imperial seal had to be kept safe.
"Old General Wei will be furious when he sees the imperial decree tomorrow morning. You'll have to be more accommodating."
As she was about to leave, Chu Qianli still repeatedly cautioned.
Long Ziyue rolled her eyes at her. "You know that!"
"I'm just reminding you, in case your psychological endurance isn't good enough."
Chu Qianli patted her shoulder. "Don't worry, with Fulong here to guard and help you, you two, a man and a woman working together, will surely get things done!"
Long Ziyue didn't even have the urge to roll her eyes at her anymore.
She knew that Fulong was willing to stay?
Perhaps the moment Chu Qianli left, Fulong would follow right after her.
Chu Qianli might not know Fulong's feelings for this brat, but she, Long Ziyue, saw it very clearly.
"Alright, look, I didn't even bring Fulong and Funing. They can help you, so don't be angry!"
Chu Qianli, who had already changed into a maid's outfit, saw that it was getting late and quickly pulled Long Ziyue out.
"Quick, take me out of the palace, hurry, hurry, just say you have something to attend to outside."
Without someone to escort her, she could escape on her own, but it would be troublesome!
Long Ziyue taking her out would be much more convenient.
Long Ziyue was helpless, but since Chu Qianli had decided to leave, she believed she could endure it for three months.
"Three months, you must remember to come back!" After successfully escorting Chu Qianli out of the palace's back gate, Long Ziyue reminded her.
"I know, I know, three months, I will definitely be back."
Chu Qianli leaped onto her horse, smiled at Long Ziyue, and immediately spurred her horse on, galloping away into the distance.
But she never dreamed that as soon as she left the city, she would encounter someone completely unexpected!