Of course, the Dragon clan’s issues wouldn’t be discussed in court, making them a laughingstock among the other vassal clans. Moreover, it implicated the Prime Minister’s oversight, and Long Qinghuang was willing to save Long Yan some face.

Although Lu Xingzhou’s words made Long Qinghuang somewhat question Long Yan’s intentions—was it genuine indifference or deliberate? She didn’t outwardly show her impulsiveness. She sat in the Imperial Study, sipping tea, her beautiful eyes observing Long Yan and the others as they entered, feigning normalcy.

“Click,” the teacup softly clinked against the table as Long Qinghuang leisurely spoke, “I haven’t considered marriage and procreation until now… and some matters have naturally been overlooked. Recently, I’ve been wanting to have little dragons. Reflecting on it, I began to wonder if there’s a problem with our Dragon clan’s reproduction?”

Long Yan quickly replied, “The Dragon clan is too powerful; strong life forms often struggle to reproduce. However, the Heavenly Dao opened a window, allowing the Dragon clan to interbreed with other races without reproductive isolation, thus maintaining balance… Currently, the number of Ya-long species has increased by ten percent compared to a century ago.”

“Then, what about pure-blooded Long species? How much have they decreased compared to a century ago?”

“Uh, there’s been no change.”

A century isn’t enough for an old dragon to die, so naturally, there’s no change. Long Qinghuang said blandly, “Then, compared to a millennium ago?”

Long Yan wiped cold sweat, “They’ve decreased by twenty percent.”

At these words, the atmosphere became even quieter.

An invisible pressure seemed to shroud everyone in the Imperial Study, making it impossible to breathe.

A thousand years ago, the Dragon clan hadn’t yet unified the demon realm, engaging in many battles with significant casualties. Even under such circumstances, there were at least ten thousand dragons. Yet, now that the demon realm has been unified for centuries, and other clans are thriving, the dragons number only a few thousand.

Long Qinghuang believed that the Dragon clan in the sea, who had already branched off, would surely not be in such a state.

Even the Ya-long species haven’t increased much, just ten percent… Is this the expected data for a Dragon clan notoriously fond of sowing their seeds everywhere?

Of course, difficult reproduction, including the slow propagation of subspecies, is indeed a racial characteristic. Long Qinghuang’s face was as still as water, and she said flatly, “In just these few years, we’ve lost twenty percent. Given a few more millennia, will there be no dragons left?”

Long Yan and the others bowed their heads in silence.

There were also pure-blooded Long present. Long Qinghuang turned to them and asked, “Long Ao, Long Zhan, do none of you have children?”

Long Ao and Long Zhan both replied, “Yes, no pure-blooded ones. We have sired some Ya-long, but not many.”

“Is it that you don’t want to have children?” There was no survival pressure in the demon realm, and Long Qinghuang truly couldn’t understand why. Even if the Dragon clan’s reproduction was difficult, it shouldn’t be this hard; even high-ranking officials in the demon court were childless?

“We can’t have them,” Long Ao sighed. “I’ve tried very hard, but it’s no use. I can only have children with other races.”

“Have you visited Sheng Shan?”

“Yes, it helped a little. It became slightly easier for concubines from other races to conceive, and even some casual encounters outside led to pregnancies, though not many. But my main wife’s belly still hasn’t stirred.”

Long Qinghuang was silent for a moment, “Does the Prime Minister have any measures?”

Long Yan helplessly said, “It’s not that everyone doesn’t want children, it’s that they can’t have them… Besides consulting Sheng Shan, what other measures can there be for reproduction problems in the demon realm?”

Long Qinghuang was furious, “Only Sheng Shan? Even a random pig demon from the common folk would know that answer. Is this the conclusion the Prime Minister gives me?”

Long Yan prostrated himself, “This subject is incompetent.”

In fact, Long Qinghuang herself had considered many催生 measures, such as rewards, tax exemptions, and so on. But these were for those who didn’t want to have children… Policy is useless for infertility problems.

But no matter what, the Prime Minister hadn’t even considered these encouraging measures, which deeply disappointed Long Qinghuang. She said blandly, “Nevertheless, incentive measures must be implemented first. I want to see the Prime Minister’s detailed measures by tomorrow morning. Don’t tell me the Prime Minister can’t even do this.”

“Yes.”

“After the measures are decided, distribute them privately among the Dragon clan, not through court discussion.”

“Yes.”

“You may withdraw.” Long Qinghuang rose, feeling dispirited, and paced back to the imperial harem, lost in thought and worry.

Her steps unconsciously led her towards the Ni Luan Gong. Upon reaching the palace gate, she suddenly looked up at the plaque of Ni Luan Gong, a slight bitter smile on her face.

She hadn’t anticipated such a severe situation… Even if Long Yan had his personal motives, Long Ao and the others were pure-blooded dragons with no such selfish concerns, yet they clearly stated they couldn’t conceive. This left Long Qinghuang, who had been confident that a few policies would solve the problem, feeling somewhat defeated. This wasn’t a political issue; was it medical?

What a mess. Did she really have to ask Lu Xingzhou for ideas?

Long Qinghuang stared at “Ni Luan Gong” for a long time. Was she really going to let him be smug?

But this problem was extremely serious, involving the extinction of their species. If it wasn’t discovered and addressed… Long Qinghuang dared not imagine what would happen in a few millennia.

Long Niang pouted indignantly and finally stepped into the palace.

As it turned out, Lu Xingzhou and his apprentice were not there. Long Qinghuang, full of worry, hadn’t noticed their absence. She then paused, extended her divine sense, and saw Lu Xingzhou squatting in the Imperial Garden, with Xiao Kui and A Nuo squatting beside him, enthusiastically playing in the mud.

…I didn’t allow you to leave the palace, and you’re so repressed that you’re playing in the mud? And why are you always so close to a little palace maid?

Long Qinghuang, full of indignation, “whooshed” and appeared beside the three.

Xiao Kui was saying, “It broke, it broke, it came out!”

The next moment, her collar tightened, and she was lifted into the air.

Xiao Kui turned around in shock, then immediately became timid, “Your Majesty.”

Long Qinghuang’s expression was dangerous, “What broke? What came out?”

Lu Xingzhou turned, saw the ornament being held aloft by the Demon Emperor, and couldn’t help but laugh, “It’s ‘breaking through the soil.’ What is the dignified and solemn Demon Emperor thinking?”

Long Qinghuang: “…”

Only then did she realize that the three weren’t playing in the mud, but observing the tender shoots of several plants breaking through the soil.

“Cough.” Long Qinghuang cleared her throat, squished the little palace maid she was holding into a ball, and tossed her far away. She then took her place and squatted down, “What is this?”

“I saw that Your Majesty’s Imperial Garden only had ordinary flowers and plants, and none were in season, so I took the liberty of replacing them with some beautiful and useful medicinal herbs.”

Long Qinghuang’s somber mood brightened. “Yes, yes, this is what the mistress of the harem should do. When they grow well, I will admire the flowers with you.”

Lu Xingzhou chuckled, “Look at you, like a foolish emperor.”

The flirtatious tone of these words was palpable, and Long Qinghuang was even more delighted at being called a foolish emperor, laughing, “So what if I’m a foolish emperor obsessed with men? Didn’t you make me one?”

Lu Xingzhou hinted, “You do everything I tell you to do?”

Long Qinghuang’s beautiful eyes sparkled with an uncharacteristic charm, “I can, but unfortunately… can you?”

The conversation died at that, and Lu Xingzhou, with a sullen face, lowered his head to look at the flowers, ignoring her.

Long Qinghuang found him increasingly adorable and her mood improved. She smiled, “What kind of flower is this?”

“For treating infertility,” Lu Xingzhou said leisurely. “These few types of flowers and herbs, when combined, are all for that purpose.”

Long Qinghuang’s expression subtly changed.

These flowers must have been planted before this topic was mentioned yesterday; he was well-prepared. After all this, Lu Xingzhou wasn’t relying on wisdom to solve the problem, but on his technical skills as an alchemist.

“So…” Long Qinghuang hesitated, “Is it really a problem that can be solved medically?”

“It’s not that certain, but we can try. Also, the effect of human elixirs on demon races is unknown, so that needs to be tested too. In any case, something like inability to conceive isn’t something an emperor can solve with decrees, is it?”

Long Qinghuang ground her teeth, “Is this why you were so confident I couldn’t solve it?”

“Yes.”

“We have physicians in the demon realm, and Sheng Shan!”

“If Sheng Shan could solve it, wouldn’t it have been solved already?” Lu Xingzhou said leisurely. “I even fear that the root of your problem lies in Sheng Shan. This isn’t just ‘climbing a tree to catch a fish’; it’s handing a knife to someone else.”

A Nuo glanced at his master. In the past, when his master used phrases like “climbing a tree to catch a fish,” he would inevitably stumble a bit. Now, there wasn’t the slightest ripple. Indeed, both the spring breeze and the fish were but transient guests.

Long Qinghuang’s expression was extremely grave, “You can’t just say things like that.”

“Yes, I have no basis, just a casual remark.” Lu Xingzhou said blandly, “Then Your Majesty can continue to find your own solutions, and I will plant my flowers.”

Long Qinghuang looked at the flowers and plants before her, feeling as if the roots of the Dragon clan were growing there. Her thoughts became much more solemn, and she almost wanted to dispatch guards to protect the garden. Then she reconsidered, thinking it shouldn’t attract attention with great fanfare; it would be better to just let people think a demon concubine was playing with flowers in the imperial harem.

Long Niang’s tone unconsciously became more fawning. “Then, will you try refining some pills first? I’ll find some dragons to secretly test the medicine for you then.”

Lu Xingzhou glanced at her, “Has Your Majesty admitted defeat? Do you truly need my help?”

Long Qinghuang then remembered he had conditions, and he had said it would be very embarrassing for her.

Although Long Qinghuang felt she could still find solutions from places like Sheng Shan, and the witch doctors of the demon realm should also have methods… it was clear she was much more nervous now and no longer as certain as yesterday. If alchemists could solve it, Long Qinghuang wouldn’t dare entrust such an important matter to untrustworthy alchemists like Chen Yu; if they maliciously added other ingredients and messed things up further, it would be over. Moreover, ordinary alchemists wouldn’t have this level of skill.

How could she dare to block the path again? She said cautiously, “Although I can still try… but, but it’s always right for you to test the medicine first, isn’t it? Can I agree to a small condition of yours first?”

Lu Xingzhou finally stood tall.

Long Qinghuang instinctively stood up with him.

Lu Xingzhou scrutinized her, his face expressionless, “Hands behind your back.”

Being commanded like this, and in such a humiliating posture, yet Long Qinghuang remembered why he needed her to put her hands behind her back, and the urge to laugh actually overcame the feeling of shame. She indeed put her hands behind her back, pouting slightly, “Satisfied now?”

She had expected Lu Xingzhou to kiss her directly, but instead, he extended his index finger and lifted Long Qinghuang’s chin.

Long Qinghuang: “…”

Lu Xingzhou said, “You’ve teased me how many times? Let you also feel what it’s like?”

This time, Long Qinghuang truly felt a strong sense of shame. She bit her lower lip slightly, glaring at him with a stubborn look. Her hair was disheveled, her eyes unyielding.

Xiao Kui, who had been tossed far away, peered from behind a tree. The name of Ni Luan Gong truly was fitting.