"What were you saying earlier?" Sheng Li asked Ying Lili.
"Nothing," replied Ying Lili and pulled her hand from Sheng Li's grip when he drew her closer to him by holding her arm. "You said something erroneous. I never loved her. Indeed, as a kid I admired her, but that was because she used to help me but I never loved her," Sheng Li explained to Ying Lili.
"I know. That's why I said because you admired her for that sake she should be brought inside. Why are you sulking over this?" Ying Lili asked, raising her brow.
"I love only you. Don't ever say that I admire another woman. I do not. I will never. The only woman I admire since the day I met her is you. I enjoy being around you and you make me feel special," Sheng Li blurted out everything, whatever came to his mind at that moment.
A smile formed on Ying Lili's lips. She put her both hands around Sheng Li's neck. "Did you fall for me at first sight?" Ying Lili asked.
"Umm…probably. You held my sword without thinking about your life," Sheng Li stated. "Only a strong woman can handle a strong man!" Sheng Li remarked, looking into Ying Lili's eyes. Soon, his gaze shifted down to Ying Lili's lips. He leaned towards her and kissed her. Ying Lili kissed him back. They pulled away and touched their foreheads against each other.
"Sheng Li, I think the Empress will plan something big this time. We need to meet Zhang Yong," Ying Lili asserted. Sheng Li leaned back to hear her out. "I do not think that Xue did all this by herself. There is a strange feeling inside my heart this time. It's like I am a little scared," Ying Lili stated.
Sheng Li stroked Ying Lili's hair. "Stay away from her for a few days. I will look into this matter," Sheng Li assured Ying Lili. He looked at the floor table. "So, shall we continue what we left in the middle?" He asked.
Ying Lili nodded. Sheng Li pulled his hand back from her arm, and the two sat around the table. Ying Lili picked the brush and completed the remaining drawing on the white paper.
Oppositely, Sheng Li was still struggling with making a painting. Ying Lili found that he could not even paint a simple house. "I am losing my patience. Why is it so hard? Lili, I am not painting anymore" He lifted his head to look at her when she grabbed his hand from which he was holding the brush.
"Why are you holding it so fiercely? Loosen your hand," Ying Lili said and applied the stroke of the brush on the white paper. Sheng Li instead of focusing on what Ying Lili was teaching him, he kept his focus on Ying Lili's face. He kissed her cheek and immediately Ying Lili turned to him.
"What are you doing? I am…" Before she could complete her words, Sheng Li sealed her lips again with his. He removed Ying Lili's grip from his hand and grabbed her hand, bringing her closer to him.
Ying Lili pulled away and placed her hand on his chest. "You promised me that you will learn to paint and see what you are doing. You get distracted easily," Ying Lili complained.
"I am not made for all this. I am not learning it anymore," Sheng Li affirmed. "And you distracted me," he added.
"Do not blame me. I was only helping you. You even held the brush wrongly," proclaimed Ying Lili.
"But why shall I learn art? It is not like I will become a painter. I accept that I cannot draw anything," Sheng Li asserted. "Now, let's kiss," he said and leaned forward, but Ying Lili placed her palm between their lips. "No more kissing. Let's go to the office where Brother Jian works. We need to work on the new administration system," Ying Lili suggested.
"We will go there but after…" Ying Lili did not Sheng Li speak further and pressed her forefinger tightly on his lips. "No. This is enough for today," Ying Lili opined and put her hand down.
Sheng Li nodded and let go of her. The two stood up from the mattress and walked out of the chamber.
Soon, they reached the chamber which Jian Guozhi used as the Office of Governor. They walked in and found not only Jian Guozhi there, but also Nianzu.
Seeing the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess there, the two Princes stood up from their respective seats. "How is the Crown Princess doing?" Nianzu asked.
"I am doing well. Thank you for asking, Brother," Ying Lili replied and saw Chuntao there who lowered her eyes.
"Have a seat, Crown Prince, Crown Princess," Jian Guozhi asserted. They nodded and sat on the chairs beside each other.
"This is Miss Chuntao, from Shuanxi village. She is the one who told me about the drastic ongoing problems in the village," Nianzu told Sheng Li and Ying Lili. Chuntao formally greeted them.
"Have a seat, Miss Chuntao," Ying Lili offered. Chuntao hesitated when Sheng Li said, "We do not have enough time to make you agree to sit on the chair."
The remark was indeed harsh, but Chuntao quickly sat on the chair, to the left of Prince Nianzu.
"We will suspend a few higher-ups in the Department of Food supplies and Water Distribution. The village headman will be changed, and the police officials involved in the illegal works will be removed. If needed, ranks might get lowered in a few cases," Jian Guozhi put forward his decision as the Governor of Luoyang.
He waited for Sheng Li to respond who agreed with him. "Brother, impose the fine on them as they tried harming the finances of the Empire," Sheng Li stated.
"I think we shall not suspend the higher-ups," Ying Lili pronounced. They all looked at her with inquisitiveness.
"We want our people to work for us willingly. Suspending them will create a sense of hatred in them towards us. We want to create an amiable and prosperous nation. Punishment shall be there but not the suspension from their position," Ying Lili pronounced.
