Minister Hu stepped outside, feeling both anxious and relieved. As he exited, he noticed Chen Gou standing nervously nearby, dressed in the rich robe He had given him.
The boy looked out of place, despite the fine clothes—a red robe adorned with golden embroidery meant for someone of noble status. His unkempt hair, pimpled face, and awkward posture, still made him look like a peasant.
Minister Hu sighed heavily, wanting to distance himself from this situation as quickly as possible. "Well, it's nothing to do with me now," he muttered. "The queen is waiting for you. Go in."
Chen Gou nodded, nervous but obedient, taking slow steps toward the door.
Lan, standing by, looked from Hu to the boy. "Should I go in too?" she asked, unsure of the situation.
Minister Hu with no mood to care as he was already preoccupied with his own troubles. "I don't know. Maybe, maybe not," he muttered before picking up his belongings from the guard and hurrying off.
Chen Gou and Lan exchanged a glance. Something felt off about Minister Hu's mood, but they didn't dwell on it.
They went inside the room together.
The calming glow of the lanterns and the aroma of incense caused the mood within them to become peaceful.
Zhang Lian sat on her bed in her blue robe waiting for Chen Gou, she also put her knife on a nearby table to make the boy feel more comfortable.
The room was quiet, except for the rustling of her robe as she adjusted her posture.
Zhang Lian's gaze flickered toward Lan and Chen Gou as they entered. Her eyes, sharp filled with a hint of irritation. "I need to give Minister Hu better instructions next time," she said, almost to herself, as not happy about Lan coming in.
The black cat, moving lazily on the bed nodded in agreement.
Chen Gou's heart pounded as he stood before the queen. He had never seen anyone so beautiful in his life, and he felt both overwhelmed and ashamed of his appearance.
The fine robe he wore, despite its luxurious fabric, couldn't hide his awkward face or the pimples that marked his face and his ugly hair.
Zhang Lian turned her attention fully to Lan. "Is Minister Hu still outside?" she asked.
Lan shook her head. "No, Your Highness. He left."
"Good," Zhang Lian nodded. "Arrange a place for the boy to stay tonight, and send him back to Minister Hu tomorrow. Come back in an hour—I have some important matters to discuss with him."
Lan glanced between the queen and the boy, puzzled but not daring to question her. Something about this situation felt strange, but she kept her thoughts to herself. "Yes, Your Highness," she said before exiting and closing the door behind her.
The room grew still. Zhang Lian's eyes swept over Chen Gou, studying his features—the boy was nervous. His pimpled face flushed under her gaze, and the fine clothes seemed to hang awkwardly on him.
Zhang Lian stated directly, "You look... quite ugly." Chen Gou's shoulders sank in defeat as his face collapsed.
He'd had plenty of insults told that he was ugly in the past, but to hear it directly from such a beautiful lady for some reason hurt more.
The black cat flew closer to Zhang Lian, "Nya, don't worry about his looks. He must possess some unique qualities. Make sure you get his baby before he is gone on his journey."
Zhang Lian gave the cat's advice some thought as she continued to stare at Chen Gou.
She nodded, then stood, walking past him toward the door, her movements graceful and deliberate. The soft click of the door lock echoed in the quiet room, making Chen Gou's heart race.
The queen turned back to face him, her expression unreadable."Now, take off your clothes," she said with a calm face.
Chen Gou blinked, red in the face from shock and confusion. "W-what?" he was confused, not understanding what was going on.
With a little laugh, Zhang Lian moved in closer. "What do you think I mean?" she asked in a playful tone.
"I... I don't understand," Chen Gou muttered, still looking down at his feet, too shy and bewildered to meet her gaze.
Zhang Lian let out a soft laugh. "Just follow my lead. If it works out, you'll be happy," she said, her tone seducing.
Zhang Lian slowly, untying the belt of her blue robe. The shiny material relaxed over her, exposing the tiny lace of her white panties underneath and then her boobs covered with white bra.
Breathing hard, Chen Gou watched her, not knowing how to respond. He remained frozen, his hands trembling slightly as he avoided her eyes.
Zhang Lian noticed he hadn't started to remove his clothes and raised an eyebrow. "Why aren't you undressing?" she asked, impatiently
"I... I don't know what you want me to do," Chen Gou said in a low voice.
Zhang Lian laughed at his innocence, shaking her head. "Don't you want to spend time with me?" she asked, putting her hand on her breast & with a teasing smile on her lips.
Chen Gou blinked, growing more confused. With genuine confusion, "What does that mean?" he asked.
Zhang Lian sighed softly. "You really don't know, do you?" she said, her tone more serious now. "Haven't you heard of... Sex?"
Chen Gou shook his head.
The cat, observing from its perch, interjected. "Nya, maybe it's time to use the pink pill. That should clear things up."
Zhang Lian nodded at the suggestion. "Good idea," she said, walking over to a small drawer. Her robe, now loose, slipped further down her shoulders as she opened the drawer and retrieved a small pink bottle.
She gently opened the cap, tilted the bottle toward her hand, and a pink pill slid out into her palm. After carefully sealing the bottle and placing it back into the drawer, she closed it softly before returning to Chen Gou, holding the pill out to him.
"Here, Take this," she stated softly, "It'll make things much easier to understand."
With a pause, Chen Gou's gaze shifted from the pill to the queen's face. "What is it?" he asked with uncertainty.
Gently speaking, Zhang Lian said, "It's a special medicine." It will improve your state of mind. Believe me.
Chen Gou nodded nervously and was mesmerized by her body and words, took the pill out of her palm, and swallowed it.
With a small smile on her face, Zhang Lian observed him carefully. "Well done."