A thrilling, scalp-tingling suspicion surged wildly through Shen Zueran’s mind.

The men exchanged a look.

They all realized that if this was truly what they suspected...

...it could involve the hidden secrets behind the last royal succession. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

The previous Queen’s grave illness, Marquis Yisha being away with her troops, Belina’s sudden ascension to the throne, and the complete, forceful replacement of the Imperial Palace guard.

The truth of what happened back then was not something that could be easily uncovered now.

So, Shen Zueran said no more.

Jun Lin Yuan quickly interjected with a laugh.

"Alright, alright."

"If you insist on finding a resemblance, I think Lanlan and I look a little alike."

"It’s a couple’s resemblance."

"Lanlan, don’t you agree?"

Jun Lin Yuan raised an eyebrow at Yu Lan and leaned in, his devastatingly handsome face looming larger and larger before her.

Just as he was about to make contact, the other jealous men teamed up and hauled him away.

"Trying to take advantage of Lanlan right in front of us."

"Do we look like we’re not here?!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, don’t throw me, don’t throw me!"

Amidst Jun Lin Yuan’s cries of alarm, he was unceremoniously thrown by Pei Shiyi.

The man performed an agile mid-air spin, landed steadily on his feet, and immediately started chasing after Yu Lan again.

「Meanwhile.」

Qi Jingshen, led by an attendant, arrived at the Imperial Palace’s main hall.

The guard had just carefully closed the great hall’s doors when, a second later, a teacup flew past Qi Jingshen’s forehead and smashed violently onto the floor.

"Qi Jingshen, how dare you!"

Queen Belina’s face was a mask of unconcealable fury.

"You could have handled this so much more cleanly."

"That rabble from the Garbage Star nearly ruined everything for me."

Heaven knows, when she saw Gu Deming confess and die, then watched the people from the Garbage Star rush forward to accuse Louisa, Belina’s heart had nearly leaped into her throat.

If they had actually been allowed to reveal the truth or raise any suspicions under the public’s watchful eye...

...with billions across the interstellar watching, public opinion would have turned, and not even she, Belina, could have saved Louisa.

How could she not be furious?

And fury leads to folly.

A glint of light flashed in Qi Jingshen’s eyes. He kept his gaze lowered, his expression unreadable.

He answered in a low voice,

"My apologies, Your Majesty. I did not expect them to act like that."

"It’s not that I didn’t want to bring more obedient people, but on the Garbage Star, people are either sick or dead. These were the only few who were even remotely presentable."

"If I had brought anyone else to appear on the live broadcast..."

Qi Jingshen didn’t finish his sentence.

If the tattered, sallow, and emaciated people currently on the Garbage Star had appeared on camera...

...Queen Belina and Princess Louisa would have been torn to shreds by public opinion.

"However,"

Qi Jingshen let out a low laugh, the corner of his mouth curling with a hint of mockery.

"There was at least one clever person among them. In the end, they didn’t say anything, did they?"

"As long as the outcome was good, what does it matter?"

’How could the outcome possibly be good?’

Although that middle-aged man had reacted quickly, forcing the rest of the Garbage Star delegation to accept the official story...

...people on the Star Network were still whispering, still harboring doubts.

This was completely different from the outcome she had envisioned when she’d first planned everything.

Belina was seething, but just as she was about to say more...

...Louisa spoke up.

"That’s enough, Mother."

"Don’t blame Brother Qi. He didn’t do it on purpose."

"Who could have known that rabble would be so audacious?"

’To actually dare to accuse her at the public trial.’

’They were simply asking to die.’

’Gu Deming, the Star Commander of the Garbage Star himself, had to die for this. What chance did that rabble have?’

’I never expected that while Gu Deming was so clever and knew his place, the people under him would be a pack of complete morons.’

’But the Garbage Star wasn’t the most important matter right now.’

’The number of high-quality males around Yu Lan was growing.’

Huo Zhanting, Su Xingye, Shen Zueran, Li Yucheng, Jun Lin Yuan, Pei Shiyi.

’One after another, the sight of them was deeply unsettling.’

’How could Louisa not panic? She needed to quickly build her own harem of high-quality males as well.’

"Mother,"

Louisa looked at Belina and reminded her softly.

Belina caught Louisa’s gaze, and her eyes swept over Qi Jingshen, sizing him up.

Clearing her throat, she announced,

"Qi Jingshen, I intend to decree a marriage between you and Louisa. What do you think?"

"After the marriage, you will lead the Second Legion to be stationed on the Central Star and await my command."

’Huo Zhanting’s First Legion is a fearsome force, like lions and tigers, and they even have a formidable general like Su Xingye. Belina had to be on her guard.’

’What if one day they became dissatisfied with the next Queen’s decree and decided to just overthrow the Central Star?’

’She would never allow what happened decades ago to be repeated.’

’Assigning Qi Jingshen—a man who was in no way inferior to Huo Zhanting in ability, talent, or looks—to Louisa was a key part of her plan.’

Qi Jingshen raised an eyebrow.

A dark glint flashed in his deep green eyes.

’He never expected Belina to make such a decision.’

’Thinking of a decreed marriage...’

’...his mind instantly conjured the image of Yu Lan, whom he had only briefly glimpsed.’

’He’d heard that Huo Zhanting and the others originally had no relationship with her; it was Belina’s decree that had forged their connection.’

’Why hadn’t such a wonderful thing happened to him?’

Qi Jingshen ground his teeth. Still, leading the Second Legion back to the Central Star was something he had been paving the way for for a long time. Now that Belina was offering it, he certainly wasn’t going to refuse.

In a flash, Qi Jingshen reined in his imposing aura. The perpetually cold, ruthless expression on his face melted, replaced by a smile.

He turned, his deep-set eyes gazing gently at Louisa as he spoke.

"It would be my honor to become Princess Louisa’s Beast Husband."

"However..." Qi Jingshen paused.

Belina and Louisa, who had just begun to relax at Qi Jingshen’s gentle demeanor, frowned once more.

"However what?" Belina asked, speaking first.

Qi Jingshen was an indispensable part of her plan.

Now that he was raising an objection, she couldn’t help but feel anxious.

Qi Jingshen continued, his tone unhurried.

"The Second Legion is stationed on a Remote Star. It’s far-flung, and the conditions are harsh."

"In terms of both equipment and warships, we can’t compare to Huo Zhanting’s First Legion."

"I do not wish to bring shame upon Princess Louisa."

"Could you perhaps..."

Qi Jingshen let his words hang in the air.

But Belina and Louisa already understood.

Ever since Belina took the throne, she had made cut after cut to the regular subsidies and resources for the various legions, which had been established during the previous Queen’s reign.

’After all, the Empire had countless males. If they died, she could just recruit more.’

’But once money was spent, it was gone for good. It was better to keep it for herself.’

Now, hearing Qi Jingshen ask for money, resources, and equipment, Belina was less than pleased.

That is, until she glanced at Louisa, who was frowning slightly.

’She had been unable to compete with Isha back then. Was her own daughter now going to be outshone by Isha’s daughter as well?’

Only then did Belina reluctantly speak.

"I understand. Go see the Royal Chamberlain later. He will see to it."