012 Khan, are you afraid that someone will bully the princess?

In the Grand Imperial Consort's Palace, after the noblewomen dispersed, the palace regained its tranquility.

Guli was leaning on the soft couch by the bed reading a book, her head on a comfortable pillow, while outside the branches swayed and the chirping of cicadas occasionally drifted in.

Rong Ge respectfully placed a cup of tea on the table and stood to the side waiting in attendance.

As Guli turned a page in her book, she said seemingly casually, "If you have something to ask, just ask."

It was only then that Rong Ge spoke, "Grand Imperial Consort, are you truly just going to let that woman sent for the marriage alliance go?"

Guli said, "What's the rush? There's plenty of time. Right now, due to Qiqi's incident, the Khan has had some complaints about our palace; it wouldn't do to stir up an open conflict."

"Seeing those women's weathercock attitudes today really made one angry," Rong Ge complained on behalf of her mistress.

In front of their mistress, they praised each other to the skies, talking about giving the other party a display of power, but as soon as that woman mentioned the Khan, not one dared to make a peep.

Guli said, "Haste makes waste. Grasping for small advantages leads to failure. The Khan holds great power, so naturally they dare not offend him. But there's a difference between the imperial court and the harem; a green girl who has barely arrived, still smelling of mother's milk—she's nothing to fear."

"What the Grand Imperial Consort says is true," Rong Ge said with a smile.

Guli gave her a look, saying, "You should learn to keep your composure in the future; you've followed me for so many years."

Rong Ge bowed with her arm in acknowledgment, "This servant has noted it."

Yelu Yan stayed with Xiao Dilu for a while before planning to return to his own bedchamber to take a look.

He actually didn't have any particular business; he just intended to change his clothes.

As a rough man, he lived in the military camp from a young age, during the wars it was normal for him to bathe only once every two or three months and to sleep enveloped in the scent of blood—devoid of any spoiled noble son's frailty.

Yet today, for some reason, he felt somewhat uncomfortable in his clothes and wanted to go back to the palace to change.

When he was only a hundred and eighty meters from his bedchamber, a guard came galloping over to him.

Approaching him, the guard knelt in front of Yelu Yan, bowed with his arm, and said, "Khan, there is urgent military intelligence."

Yelu Yan said indifferently, "Stand up."

As he spoke, he glanced at the Khan Palace and then prepared to leave, but then he heard Zhuo Ma's voice.

"Princess, it's hot outside; just tell me if you need anything, and I'll send someone to fetch it," Zhuo Ma said as she looked at Li Xianyun's small frame.

After only spending half a day with Li Xianyun, she strangely found herself developing a sense of compassion for her.

Li Xianyun said, "I have slept for an hour and would like to go for a walk, and it's not..."

...necessary.

Before she could finish speaking, she saw the tall figure of Yelu Yan not far away, and her words abruptly stopped.

Several burly guards stood behind Yelu Yan, but in comparison to him, they were all outshined.

Li Xianyun paused for a moment. Had not Yelu Yan said he would return late? Why was he back now?

Accompanied by her maid and a group of palace servants, she went towards Yelu Yan and bowed with her arm, saying, "This consort pays respect to the Khan."

Yelu Yan looked at her small face; perhaps because she had just woken up, her eyes were slightly red but exceptionally clear.

"What are you going to do?" Yelu Yan glanced at the many people following her and asked.

Li Xianyun answered, "This concubine wishes to visit the Ministry of Internal Affairs to see if there is anything suitable for decorating the bedchamber."

Yelu Yan looked at her and uttered a noncommittal "Hmm."

Li Xianyun asked, "Khan, do you need dinner prepared for tonight?"

Yelu Yan was momentarily taken aback; no one had ever cared whether he ate or not, and a novel feeling stirred in his heart.

"There's no need to prepare a meal for me."

"Alright," Li Xianyun said and, having given another bow to Yelu Yan, she left with her entourage of maids and palace servants.

After waking up, she had inspected the bedchamber and found many areas in need of decoration, so she anticipated quite a few items would be required; hence, she brought along a good number of attendants.

Yelu Yan eventually returned to his bedchamber and changed into a roomier, more comfortable set of clothes.

Yelu Yan glanced at Jinwu, who was attending to his dressing, and instructed, "You go over and take a look."

Jinwu faltered for a moment, then spoke, "Khan, are you worried that the people in the Ministry of Internal Affairs will give the Princess a hard time?"

Yelu Yan looked at him impassively and said, "Too talkative."

Suppressing a smile, Jinwu bowed with his arm and said, "This subordinate will go and make sure; I won't let anyone bully the Princess."

Yelu Yan looked at his smirking face, itching to kick him.

He adjusted his collar in the mirror and placed the tailor-made soft sword at his waist.

As Li Xianyun arrived at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the people there did not dare to neglect her, observing all the requisite etiquette.

But not a single item that was supposed to be given was there.

Youlan said coldly, "Then let us go in and have a look."

The person in charge at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, a woman in her fifties with a smile like a tiger, chuckled and said, "That would be against the rules."

Youlan, outraged, said, "So, you have none of the things we requested, yet you also won't let us see for ourselves, clearly you're just making things difficult."

Although Zhuo Ma had served Yelu Yan for many years, she was still a maid and lacked real power; even though she knew the person in charge was deliberately causing trouble, she couldn't say much.

Putting on a kindly look, the person in charge smiled and said, "How could that be? It is simply a matter of following the rules. Don't the Han people often say, 'Without rules, there can be no squares or circles'? Everywhere has its rules."