The other party was a major general from a neighboring star system, who was also ordered to suppress pirates.
The rising star of the neighboring country's major general was handsome and equally young and passionate, eager to wipe out these vicious pirates in one fell swoop.
The two met while gathering information, and although they concealed their identities, they hit it off immediately.
Just as Gu Tang said, they joined forces to gather information, fought side by side, and risked their lives together for a short time.
Qin Junche was clearly smitten with him.
He pursued Gu Tang passionately.
Even though he knew Gu Tang was very strong, he still carefully protected him.
Finally, the two discovered the pirates' lair and simultaneously led their troops in to completely wipe them out, eliminating the threat to the border.
Qin Junche was delighted to invite Gu Tang to return to China with him.
He wanted to stay with Gu Tang like this for the rest of his life.
Coincidentally, Gu Tang thought the same thing.
So after the war ended, he conveniently brought this major general from the neighboring country back by force.
From their respective positions, Gu Tang felt he had done the right thing.
He can't just abandon the Galactic Empire.
Your Majesty, the Emperor, should follow the neighboring country's major general and go live in their country.
But Qin Junche got angry.
He rejected Gu Tang's marriage proposal and the position of Empress of the Galactic Empire, which countless people coveted.
He and Gu Tang had been at odds for a long time, from the border all the way to the capital city.
Gu Tang circled around the other person a few times.
The study was so quiet that only the occasional chirping of cicadas could be heard from outside the window.
He stood opposite Qin Junche, looking directly into the other's eyes: "What exactly are you being awkward about?"
Gu Tang still had some patience for the person he wanted to marry and make his empress: "Tell me, and we can discuss a solution."
Qin Junche closed his eyes and remained silent.
Gu Tang was helpless.
He can't just use the fact that someone refuses to marry him as an excuse to kill her, can he?
He's not a tyrant yet!
He thought about it seriously again, then sighed, "Forget it! If I don't want to do it, I won't."
Gu Tang turned around and sat back down in his seat.
The eunuchs had already quietly brought in new memorials that required His Majesty's instructions.
Gu Tang casually picked up a book and threw himself back into the endless political affairs: "You can go now."
He thought for a moment and then said, "It was wrong of me to forcibly bring you back to the capital. I will have someone send you back to the border tomorrow."
He waved his hand, not even glancing at Qin Junche again.
He simply waved his hand, indicating that the other party could step back.
The eunuch serving in His Majesty's study immediately went to Qin Junche's side, bowed to him respectfully, and said, "General Qin, please come with me."
Qin Junche did not move.
He stared intently at Gu Tang, a complex light flashing in his eyes.
"I'm not going back." He finally uttered his first words after arriving at the Imperial Capital.
"Oh?" Gu Tang looked up at him with interest. "So, you've changed your mind and are going to become my empress?"
Qin Junche shook his head.
He looked into Gu Tang's eyes and slowly said, "I will stay and remain a general."
“That won’t do.” Gu Tang scoffed. “The army of my Galactic Empire cannot be handed over to outsiders so easily.”
Qin Junche laughed in exasperation: "The Empress is acceptable, but the General is not? Your Majesty is indeed as amusing as the rumors suggest."
"Oh?" Gu Tang rested his chin on his hand. "Just as interesting as the rumors? Then tell me, what do the rumors say about me?"
"Does Your Majesty truly not know?" Qin Junche asked slowly, looking into Gu Tang's eyes.
"Of course I really don't know," Gu Tang said with a slight smile.
He was already handsome.
With that smile, even the sharpness of battlefield bloodshed on him seemed to fade, making him look more harmless and handsome.
"I basically stay in this palace when I'm on the capital planet." He looked at Qin Junche and said without any concern, "As you can see, these memorials alone take up most of my time every day. I also have to practice martial arts, train soldiers, and raise my only future heir... tsk!"
Gu Tang said, "Where would I have time to listen to what others say about me behind my back? Even when the spies report back, they wouldn't mention such trivial gossip."
Qin Junche couldn't help but curl up his lips quickly.
He quickly lowered his head and coughed lightly twice, as if trying to suppress his cough.
Qin Junche took a deep breath to calm himself down before looking up at Gu Tang.
"Everyone says that His Majesty is licentious and heartless, and loves beautiful women the most."
He paused, then said, "Every month, you bring beauties into the palace, but they are often abandoned after only half a month. They are the most fickle of people."
Qin Junche said, "That is why His Majesty's harem remains empty to this day, and no beauty has ever stayed in your palace for more than half a month."
Gu Tang: "..."
"People also say," Qin Junche added, "that the monarchs of the countries with which the Galactic Empire has diplomatic relations are all His Majesty's close confidants."
He looked into Gu Tang's eyes and said slowly, "You love beautiful women, but you are heartless and have never been sincere."
Gu Tang: "..."
Qin Junche looked at him, his gaze turning somewhat somber: "I was originally a lone wanderer who arrived in the former empire, later joined the army, and rose to the rank of major general through military merit. That wasn't my motherland, and now I can follow His Majesty. But..."
He sighed softly, "I only wish to fight for you on all fronts; as for the harem, forget it."
Gu Tang: "..."
So that's the real reason he was rejected?
"Come, come, come." Gu Tang closed the memorial in front of him and tapped the table lightly with his fingers. "Let's talk this out."
He said, "Although I am not the most diligent emperor in the history of the empire, I have always been conscientious and have spent at least twelve hours a day on these memorials and government affairs."
Gu Tang patted the mountain of memorials piled up beside his desk and said, "Then my son, I'll check his homework and accompany him in martial arts practice for at least two hours. This is the future ruler of the Galactic Empire; we can't be careless. I don't expect him to become a wise and powerful monarch, but at least he can't bring disaster to the people of the empire, can he?"
“…Hmm.” Qin Junche thought it made a lot of sense.
But for some reason, these words always sounded somewhat comical coming from the mouth of a galaxy's monarch.
"Then I have to practice my own martial arts. I must attend all kinds of imperial festivals and major celebrations. In order to ensure the loyalty of the army, I also have to show up at the army from time to time to express my appreciation. In order to ensure the loyalty of the court officials, I also have to hold banquets for my close ministers from time to time to reward and encourage them."
Gu Tang continued calculating with him: "Plus the royal family and relatives, there's eating, bathing, sleeping..."
He asked Qin Junche, "Tell me, where do I get so much time to forcibly take and favor beauties? And I change them every half month... People who have never been emperors really don't know how tiring it is to be an emperor!"
Qin Junche: "..."
He already had a good impression of Gu Tang.
It was love at first sight at the border.
Later, they even fought side by side while infiltrating the pirates' ranks to gather information.
The initial goodwill gradually brewed and eventually turned into a delicious dish.
At this moment, as the other party recounted her hardships in detail, her somewhat helpless tone sounded like a coquettish plea to him.
Qin Junche's heart stirred, and his gaze softened when he looked at Gu Tang again.
“Then,” his voice was slightly hoarse, “if what you say is true, why are those rumors circulating?”
Moreover, the rumors spread like wildfire, and he often heard about them even when he was in another country.
Furthermore, after the campaign against the pirates ended, Gu Tang revealed his identity and forcibly took Qin Junche back to the capital star without saying a word.
His demeanor was indeed reminiscent of the legendary licentious and heartless monarchs.
Although the other party said they wanted him to be the empress.
However, Qin Junche, who already believed the rumors, no longer cared what the other party wanted him to do.
He felt as if his passionate love had been doused with a bucket of ice water.
It turns out that the person she fell in love with when she first experienced love was a philandering monarch.
"How would I know?" Gu Tang chuckled. "No one has ever dared to say these things to my face. I have no way of asking them."
He could tell that Qin Junche's mind was softening, so he took the opportunity to ask, "So? Have you changed your mind now and are you willing to be my empress?"
Qin Junche was indeed less resistant than he had been at the beginning.
He thought for a moment, then suddenly asked, "You want me to be your queen, is it because..."
Qin Junche looked into Gu Tang's eyes: "You love me?"
Chapter 69 The Pure Emperor Forces Marriage Online (3)
Many years later, the eunuchs of the Star Palace in the capital of the Galactic Empire still remembered that afternoon in the height of summer four hundred years into the Star Calendar.
A handsome young man from the Andromeda Galaxy storms out of the Emperor's study in a fit of rage.
Then, incredibly, right in front of His Majesty, he slammed the study door shut.
Even so, Qin Junche still seemed unsatisfied.
He reached out and slammed his fist heavily against a large tree in the garden outside the study.
The leaves rustled and shook, making a "whoosh" sound.