A Scummy Alpha Emperor Transmigrated and Marked the Powerful Prime Minister - Chapter 23.1

Lin Jiayue met Lu Siling’s gaze and provocatively raised an eyebrow.

Having witnessed someone daring to flirt with the Grand Chancellor, Gao Linghan was scared out of her wits.

“Master Jia, do you have a death wish?”

“Master Jia?” Lu Siling keenly caught the discrepancy in the name. She turned to Gao Linghan and asked, “What did you call her?”

“Jia Deming, a scholar from Jiangnan. We… we don’t actually know each other! We just met on the road. We aren’t together!” Gao Linghan immediately blurted out everything she knew, making sure to physically distance herself from Lin Jiayue. Then, she leaned toward Lin Jiayue and hissed, “Master Jia, don’t blame me! The Grand Chancellor is a total demon; I can’t afford to cross her. If my mother found out, she’d beat me to death.”

The others nearby nodded fervently. “Exactly! We just met Master Jia by chance. We don’t know her at all.” With that, they prepared to flee.

“Halt.” Lu Siling’s cold gaze made them lower their heads in fear. “Men, escort them back to their estates.”

Gao Linghan’s legs went weak, and she nearly collapsed. Her life was over!

“Grand Chancellor, please spare us! If your men escort us back, our families will think we’ve committed some unspeakable crime. They’ll kill us!”

“Yes, yes, Grand Chancellor, have mercy!”

Lin Jiayue’s eyes brimmed with amusement. She finally understood why these people were so desperate to dissociate from her—they were terrified of receiving some “tough love” back home.

Lu Siling caught the smile on her face. “They were being opportunistic. Should they not be punished?”

“Opportunistic?” Lin Jiayue obediently raised her hand. “May I ask the Grand Chancellor: in what way were they being opportunistic?”

Gao Linghan tugged at her. “Whatever the Grand Chancellor says, just listen!”

Lu Siling approached her step by step, and Gao Linghan hurriedly backed away.

“Jia Deming, the ‘Jiangnan Scholar’… can you guess why they wanted to travel with you?” Lu Siling’s icy words carried a hint of mockery.

Lin Jiayue didn’t back down. “They wanted to attend the poetry gathering but can’t write poetry. Hearing I was a scholar from Jiangnan, they brought me along to make up the numbers.”

“You knew?” Gao Linghan’s eyes widened.

Lin Jiayue patted her shoulder helplessly. “It was too obvious.”

How could a bunch of playboys like Gao Linghan write poetry? Even if they hired a ghostwriter, no one would believe them. They could only follow someone else. But throughout the capital, who didn’t know their reputation? No one was willing to go with them. Even if someone wanted to, they wouldn’t dare be seen with them publicly for fear of ruining their own reputation. After all, these people were known for frequenting brothels, riding pigs, and chasing chickens—even a passing dog would bark at them. They were truly detested by all.

Besides, Zhang Huairou had already briefed her on their background. Lin Jiayue was more interested in how Zhang Huairou knew so much.

Gao Linghan hung her head. “This was my fault. I hope Master Jia can find it in her heart to forgive me.”

“Young Master Gao, there is no need for that.” Lin Jiayue hadn’t given her real name either; neither of them was being sincere.

Beside them, Lu Siling’s eyes grew colder as she watched them talk as if she weren’t there. Sensing the chill, Lin Jiayue looked over and cupped her hands. “Grand Chancellor, since the gathering allows guests if one can write a poem, their entry isn’t against the rules. There’s no need to send them back, is there?”

Lu Siling hummed softly. “A half-poem does not count.”

This bastard is quite the sophist, almost making people believe she’s already composed something.

Lin Jiayue stared at her for a long moment. “At our meeting, I only felt our bond had grown cold; my heart is like a frozen branch falling into an icy lake.”

“Bravo!” Gao Linghan cheered excitedly, then leaned in to ask, “What does it mean?”

Lin Jiayue pushed her head away, her gaze locked with Lu Siling’s. There was no one else nearby; what did it matter if the words were blunt? Gao Linghan and the others wouldn’t understand anyway, and as long as Lu Siling got the point, it was enough.

Others might not know, but Zhang Huairou did! He wanted to go hide. How could Her Majesty say there was “affection” (qíng) between her and the Grand Chancellor, and that their meeting felt “cold,” making her heart like an icy lake?

This is flirting! Your Majesty! Zhang Huairou lowered his head, not daring to look at Lu Siling’s face. He felt second-hand embarrassment for his sovereign. What kind of poem was that!

Meanwhile, a flash of scarlet rose to Lu Siling’s face. In the winter sun, the tips of her ears looked crystal clear. Bastard! Who has affection for you?

This scene left Lin Jiayue dazed. Lu Siling in plain clothes was different from Lu Siling in her official robes.

The Grand Chancellor in her red robes, jade belt cinching her waist, was noble and restrained—every move a natural elegance. Her black official hat sat low on her forehead, accentuating her pale, rosy skin. Her stern eyes held a righteousness that was impossible to ignore. Her upright posture held a steady, unyielding composure. A premier of her generation, even the slight lift of her robes was beautiful.

Today, in her plain clothes and fabric belt, she was elegant and transcendent, her hidden character surfacing. As her sleeves fluttered in the wind and plum blossoms fell, there seemed to be a hidden fragrance. Lin Jiayue’s nose seemed to catch that icy, cold scent from the other day, making her lose control of herself. Compared to the sternness of the official robes, the plain-clothed Lu Siling had more warmth in her eyes, yet the simple fabric couldn’t hide her scholarly nobility.

Lin Jiayue couldn’t tear her eyes away. She felt this woman’s coldness was a perfect match for the current scenery.

“How dare you! How dare you flirt with the Grand Chancellor!”

A foppish young man with a face full of makeup, dressed like a colorful peacock, appeared from nowhere and pointed at Lin Jiayue as he rushed over.

“You’re the one who’s daring!” Lin Jiayue snapped.

The newcomer was indignant. “Heh? I’m daring? In this capital, no one has ever dared to call me ‘daring.’ Do you know who I am? I am Li Yuan, a Qianyuan (Alpha) of the Li family!”

Li Yuan spoke like he was performing on stage. Lin Jiayue’s polite silence was almost a question of “Who?”

“What kind of look is that?” Li Yuan looked at her unhappily and struck a few dramatic poses, nearly losing his balance and falling.

Lin Jiayue offered her sincere praise. “You are truly a genius.”

Li Yuan immediately stood straighter. “You’re right! I am very smart. Hey? Wait! Don’t try to cozy up to me. You dared to flirt with the Grand Chancellor; let me teach you a lesson!” With that, Li Yuan charged at Lin Jiayue.

Zhang Huairou was about to step in, but Lin Jiayue bypassed him and threw a direct kick. A scream rang out as everyone’s attention was drawn to Li Yuan, who went flying backward in a curled-up heap.

Lin Jiayue moved her foot in confusion. Was her strength really that great? She had noticed the changes in her body—she ate a lot, and her strength grew fast. She was still eating a lot, but her strength seemed to have plateaued. Besides, she’d only used fifty percent of her power. Knowing she was strong, she didn’t want to accidentally kick someone to death. But she hadn’t expected her strength to be this immense.

Opposite her, Lu Siling raised an eyebrow in surprise, gaining a new understanding of the Emperor’s strength. According to Zheng Qinglin, Lin Jiayue’s technique was still green, but her power was so great it was hard to withstand without internal energy. Indeed, she was strong enough to send a person flying with a single kick.

Seeing Lu Siling frown, Lin Jiayue subconsciously assumed she was displeased with her. “Is the Grand Chancellor unhappy that I fought back?”

Lu Siling moved her gaze to her. After a long moment, a smile without any warmth appeared on her face. “Send them back to their respective homes. Pass on my word: if their families won’t manage them, I shall manage them myself.”

The expressions on the faces of the group froze instantly as they begged for mercy. One even threatened Lin Jiayue: “Jia Deming, you just wait!”

Lin Jiayue brushed off her purple robes and replied provocatively, “I’m waiting.”

At this, Lu Siling’s gaze swept over the crowd of onlookers, and everyone hurried away. No one dared to challenge the Grand Chancellor’s authority; a single look was enough to inspire terror.

Only the two of them remained. Zhang Huairou tactfully walked to the side, facing a tree and thinking: Will Her Majesty be scolded by the Grand Chancellor? I’d better stay far away. If I hear even a word, and Her Majesty loses face, she might start a fight with the Grand Chancellor.

The reality was much better than he imagined. Lin Jiayue tilted her head. “Why is Teacher Lu here?”

“Is Your Majesty not here as well?”

Fair enough. Lin Jiayue gave a vague smile. “Well… I finished my homework.”

“Then Your Majesty is truly diligent.” Lu Siling’s voice, laced with irony, carried a bone-chilling coldness.

Lin Jiayue was used to it and didn’t care at all. “Thank you for the compliment, Teacher Lu.”

“If a city wall met Your Majesty, I fear even it would bow in defeat (to your thick skin).” Lu Siling’s expressionless face would make anyone else’s heart thud with anxiety.

It was known to all officials that the Grand Chancellor hadn’t liked smiling since she was young. Her face was usually void of emotion. Since the late Emperor’s death, the already taciturn Grand Chancellor became even more reluctant to waste words, but she wasn’t exactly “cold.” This bone-chilling frost must have started on that day. From then on, more and more people feared her, yet they had to feign closeness on the surface.

Lu Siling thought: This person clearly wants me dead, yet she remains all smiles. She watched Lin Jiayue’s expression, a hint of playfulness flashing in her eyes.

Lin Jiayue met her gaze and chuckled. “Is Teacher Lu saying I’m thick-skinned?”

A “straight ball” was the most sincere response. She wasn’t angry about being called thick-skinned. After the college entrance exams, she had followed her sister to the city for a summer job handing out flyers. If nothing else, that job had significantly toughened her skin. Later, she tried sales and street vending. Her longest job was as a sparring partner in a gym. The reason she left vending was because her business was too good; a man got jealous and caused trouble, pushing her to the ground when she tried to call the police. Although the middle-aged man was punished, she felt humiliated by her physical weakness. So, she applied at the gym. Strength was something you might not use, but you couldn’t be without it.

As for “thick skin”… when you’ve eaten nothing but plain steamed buns for thirty days straight, and even the meat flecks in chili sauce feel like a luxury, you learn that being thick-skinned isn’t a bad thing. Besides, she didn’t see it as being thick-skinned, but as having a good mindset. Without it, she would have given up long ago.

The bright smile on Lin Jiayue’s face pricked Lu Siling’s eyes. This bastard seems to have become optimistic. In the past, she was gloomy, almost devoid of youthful vitality. She was a total blockhead, slow to learn. Something she herself could learn in half a day took the young Emperor over a month just to get the gist. The old Emperor was never this clever.

A hint of suspicion appeared in Lu Siling’s eyes. “When is Your Majesty returning to the palace?” If it were the past, Lu Siling might have advised her to return, but now it felt unnecessary.

The smile on Lin Jiayue’s face vanished. ” I just came out.” She was like a child out to play, refusing to go home.

“Suit yourself.” Lu Siling didn’t even offer a reason; she simply turned and walked away.

Seeing this, Lin Jiayue hurried to follow. “Teacher Lu, where are you going? Take me with you! I promise I won’t cause trouble. What is a poetry gathering like? Who are the famous people attending…?”

“Noisy!” Lu Siling stopped and looked coldly at her. If this weren’t the Emperor, she would have had someone gag this bastard. No—this person was currently “Jia Deming,” not the Emperor. A plan began to form in her mind.

Lin Jiayue didn’t notice the meaningful look. she gave a dry laugh. “Teacher Lu, it’s my first time seeing a poetry gathering. I’m curious.” Her large eyes blinked with an innocent and expectant gaze that almost overlapped with her little dog, Bai Heng.

“Bai Heng!” A voice rang out. Lu Siling instinctively looked at Lin Jiayue. Was she calling her?

Clearly not. A white shadow shot out, about to collide with Lu Siling. Lin Jiayue reacted faster, intercepting it and dangling the white shadow in her hand. It was a small white local dog, being held by the scruff of its neck by Lin Jiayue, its little legs paddling, the excitement on its face not yet faded.

“Bai Heng?” A woman in flowing white clothes walked over. She bowed and said, “Sir, that is the Grand Chancellor’s dog.”