This time, Lu Xingzhou’s expression turned a bit bitter.

Lu Xingzhou hadn’t expected that Gu Zhanting’s reaction here was basically as predicted, marking the perfect culmination of all his recent schemes. Yet, Ye Tinglan suddenly decided to join the fun.

What if Gu Zhanting didn’t cause any trouble, but his master did? Sir, you really shouldn’t appear at this time. Do you also want to go public?

Well, if you’re really willing to go public, even if it’s not the right time, I’ll go all out anyway.

With trepidation in his heart, Ye Tinglan, dressed in a Daoist robe with a light veil over her face, slowly entered.

She was entitled to a seat here and didn’t even need to wait for Gu Zhanting to offer one. A eunuch already brought a chair and placed it in the hall.

No matter how much Gu Zhanting undermined the Tianyao Sacred Land behind the scenes, he outwardly showed great respect for the State Preceptor: “The State Preceptor has not attended court for a long time. What urgent matter brings you here today?”

Ye Tinglan slowly sat down, her beautiful eyes piercing Lu Xingzhou before she stated faintly, “This humble one had some insights from observing the stars and intended to discuss them with His Majesty… I happened to hear that it’s very lively here. What are you all discussing?”

Everyone looked down, focusing on themselves, and remained silent.

Insights from observing the stars, and you come here now? Are you observing stars or the sun?

A eunuch discreetly approached and whispered to her everything that had transpired.

Ye Tinglan pretended to listen, her eyes fixed on Lu Xingzhou, not moving, and she remained silent with a hint of resentment.

She didn’t need anyone to tell her what had happened; she was fully aware. Having heard that Lu Xingzhou was summoned for an audience, she worried Gu Zhanting might trouble him, so she observed with her divine sense. Trouble she didn’t see, but she did see him marry three women honorably, which almost made her spit a mouthful of old blood all over her veil. In a fit of passion, she just came directly.

You’re marrying so many, are you? And there’s no place for me, is there?

Am I, a monastic, supposed to be a mistress?!

Of course, after arriving, she gradually calmed down and pondered what outcome she truly desired.

Simply ruining things would be meaningless and would only displease her young man, while the other two women would certainly view her as an enemy.

Seeing the young man’s anxious, sweating face, with a hint of pleading in his eyes, Ye Tinglan suddenly felt like smiling.

Do you really think I don’t know what’s important?

Just then, the eunuch finished his narration. Ye Tinglan nodded slightly: “So it’s about this… Lu Xingzhou is also a disciple of my Tianyao Sacred Land. Doesn’t his marriage need to be reported to me? I suppose I’ve arrived just in time.”

Gu Zhanting, eager for her to disrupt things, immediately played along: “What does the State Preceptor mean?”

“You intend to marry three?” Ye Tinglan looked at Lu Xingzhou. “One main wife and two co-wives, is that right?”

Lu Xingzhou was drenched in sweat. If that were the standard, what would Ye Tinglan become?

Should Long Qinghuang find out one day, she would directly launch an attack on the city.

Moreover, old Pei and old Sheng wouldn’t be pleased either. So-called co-wives, no matter how nicely phrased, were merely like lower-ranking scholars or concubines. Only one woman held primary authority, and their daughters certainly couldn’t be co-wives.

Lu Xingzhou’s mind raced, and he immediately said, “State Preceptor misunderstands; that’s not what I meant.”

Ye Tinglan smiled faintly: “Then what is it?”

“Because the State Preceptor was not present, this humble official had another candidate not yet mentioned. Since the State Preceptor has arrived, it’s better to seize the moment than pick another day, and I shall seek to marry her as well.”

All the officials: “?”

Lu Xingzhou took a deep breath: “The State Preceptor has a junior sister, Ye Zhuoyu, who is equally fond of me. I had originally intended to personally visit the Tianyao Sacred Land to propose. Since the State Preceptor is here, then it’s better to choose today than another day to propose for her hand as well.”

All the officials: “???”

Ye Tinglan almost laughed aloud: “Hmm… four, quite an appetite. How do you plan to arrange it?”

“Here, with me, there’s no concept of ‘co-wives’; they are all wives.”

Ye Tinglan said lightly, “Such a system of etiquette does not exist.”

“Marriage between a man and a woman is their own affair. As long as both parties are willing, it has nothing to do with others. We only need to ask if your junior sister is willing.”

Whether in China or abroad, in any civilization, it’s easy for monogamy to become the norm. Some societies legislate it, while others merely treat it as a custom or social etiquette. In a cultivation world like Da Qian, it’s considered natural for the powerful to monopolize resources, so there are naturally no laws governing such matters. While social norms and etiquette exist, countless people in the world disregard them. There are countless individuals in isolated sects who marry many people; Buddhist and Daoist schools also have their own interpretations, either having numerous “Ming Fei” or a multitude of “Daoist partners.” Who cares who is officially “the wife”? Even if ultimately one person is dominant, that’s truly a personal matter.

Therefore, Lu Xingzhou’s declaration wasn’t too shocking… but the imperial court, unlike those mountain sects, was a place that still greatly valued etiquette. To openly declare this in court was truly unprecedented.

For a moment, everyone’s expressions were very strange, especially those who knew Shen Tang was a princess. Looking at Gu Zhanting’s ashen face, they could only think, “What the heck.”

Unbeknownst to them, Gu Zhanting’s ashen face wasn’t just because of Shen Tang, but also because of Ye Tinglan.

He knew there was no such person as Ye Zhuoyu; the so-called junior sister was either the missing Ye Fuyao or Ye Tinglan herself.

The latter possibility was even greater.

How dare he! How dare she!

Gu Zhanting gripped the armrest of his dragon throne tightly, the hard wood almost cracking under his grasp.

Logically, no matter what, Ye Tinglan couldn’t possibly agree to such an absurd proposal. Yet, under everyone’s gaze, Ye Tinglan unexpectedly responded leisurely: “If you can truly treat everyone equally, this humble one can accept this marriage on behalf of my junior sister. But you promised, the betrothal gifts for Tianyao Sacred Land cannot be omitted.”

Lu Xingzhou let out a huge sigh of relief, bowing deeply to the ground: “Many thanks, State Preceptor, for making this happen.”

All the officials: “!!!”

Pei Qingyan and Sheng Qingfeng’s mouths were wide enough to fit duck eggs.

What is this?

How could the State Preceptor agree? And why does her expression even show joy?

If the State Preceptor’s junior sister is willing to marry like this, what about us?

Sure enough, Lu Xingzhou looked at them again: “I wonder, both of you…”

Pei Qingyan: “…”

Sheng Qingfeng: “…”

Not agree? Forget being the third, even the fourth will be gone!

Both spoke almost simultaneously: “Since the State Preceptor doesn’t mind, how can this old man be obstinate? We’ll ask her herself later. If she’s willing, then it can certainly become a beautiful story.”

Ye Tinglan’s prior agreement became an excellent excuse for the two of them, otherwise it would have been difficult to save face.

The entire court was silent, as if they had just watched a play directed by someone, or as if they hadn’t fully woken from last night’s dream.

Please, the State Preceptor agreed because she is, after all, an outsider, who doesn’t prioritize these rituals, and may not even understand them much. What about you two? Are you also outsiders? Just seize any excuse you can, right!

Especially you, Pei Qingyan, a millennium-old aristocratic family, this is how you operate?

Looking up at Gu Zhanting, seated high on the dragon throne, his face was as black as the bottom of a pot.

After court was dismissed, Ye Tinglan used the pretext of needing to ask a question and directly took Lu Xingzhou to the National Observatory.

What? Insights from observing the stars, an urgent matter to discuss in court? Forgotten.

Everyone in the court had forgotten.

“You’re quite capable, Lu Xingzhou? Flawless in your calculations, aren’t you?” As soon as they reached the foot of the observation deck, Ye Tinglan shoved Lu Xingzhou against the wall, gritting her teeth: “You’re so good at calculating, you anticipated everyone’s reactions from Huo Xingyuan to Gu Zhanting, but if I hadn’t rushed over, would you have truly left me out? Huh?”

“No…” Lu Xingzhou raised his hands in surrender: “Master, you yourself are unwilling to go public, how could I say anything…?”

He paused, then added, “If you’re willing, I can say right now that I’m proposing to Ye Tinglan, not some Zhuoyu.”

One sentence silenced Ye Tinglan, and after a long moment of silence, she sneered, “You’re willing?”

“Why wouldn’t I be willing?”

“Exposing your relationship with me means you’ll be firmly on one side, making it difficult to play both. Not only that, you might also have to deal with the emperor’s killing intent. With the guise of a Ye Zhuoyu, even if the emperor is suspicious, he has no solid proof, allowing for some leeway.”

“I don’t care,” Lu Xingzhou said lightly. “If I can honorably obtain Ye Tinglan, even if the emperor strips me of all my power, even if I have to face his killing intent, I don’t care. When soldiers come, we block them; when water comes, we cover it with earth. With you by my side, what do I fear from Gu Zhanting!”

Ye Tinglan’s eyes flickered, but she said nothing in the end.

Lu Xingzhou gently removed her veil: “But Master, are you willing? To face the world’s gaze, to be called disrespectful due to age, to be accused of violating your spiritual cultivation, to be…”

“Don’t say it,” Ye Tinglan whispered, breathing heavily, turning her head, her voice becoming somewhat pleading: “Anyway… anyway, I’ve already… married you as Miss Ye…”

Lu Xingzhou reached out and gently stroked her lips, whispering, “There’s still one more time.”

Ye Tinglan turned to look at him.

“Right now, at best, it’s just an engagement. When I formally propose at Tianyao Sacred Land, there will be another opportunity… I hope by then, Master, you will have made up your mind.”

Ye Tinglan pursed her lips, then after a long pause, said, “No matter what, how should you thank me today?”

Lu Xingzhou truly had to thank Ye Tinglan. The so-called flawless calculations, of course, had many uncontrollable elements, especially the attitudes of Pei and Sheng. If they had stubbornly opposed him to save face, it would have been difficult.

It was precisely Ye Tinglan’s unexpected appearance that made things proceed smoothly. Moreover, due to her presence, Gu Zhanting found it difficult to go back on his word.

However, with Ye Tinglan’s help… she wasn’t sure whether to be proud that she also had a place, or to feel bitter about helping other “little vixens” gain legitimacy.

Lu Xingzhou knew her complex feelings at the moment, lowered his head, and kissed her forehead: “I only thank Master for marrying Lady Ye to me.”

Ye Tinglan’s slight complexity immediately vanished. Biting her lower lip, she was somewhat moved: “Xingzhou… your mouth is truly born to charm women…”

“This mouth has other uses too… Wife, want to try?”

At the sound of “wife,” Ye Tinglan immediately softened, gasping, “It’s just an engagement, not, not your wife yet… Mm… Not here…”

“As you wish.” Lu Xingzhou scooped her up in his arms and kicked open the door to the room beneath the observation deck.