The constraints were that she couldn't find someone from The Imperial Clan to adopt him because then he would become a contender for the thrown and Su Li had been racking her brains about it.

Though she hadn't disclosed the truth about having a system to Li Rong (Zhou Sheng), she had talked to him about entering him into the genealogy books of a family in the capital.

She had couched her actions as wanting to give him a bog clan to support and shade him in times of need and after much back and forth, he had finally agreed.

When she had collected all these records back then before the trip for the rain ritual, she had also asked her Shadow Guards to look into a few n.o.ble families and report to her their family environment and if they had troubles financially or regarding the next Head of the family.

Her friend must be their sole concern; she didn't want his guardians distracted with their own mewling brats or about the troubles of a.s.signing the next Head of House - infighting between brothers and concubines.

After extensive snooping around, Su Li found only two viable options - wither herself or Unit Commander Ning Fu's family - he was the only child of his father and as of now, he didn't have any concubines.

Moreover, Ning Fu didn't have any children, so the risk of his parents being distracted by looking after grandkids was at a minimal as of now and since Zhou Sheng had already signed under The Devil Snare Army, Ning Fu would be a great help in this regard as well.

More importantly, most other n.o.ble families in the capital city had some problems underneath their glowing exterior.

She had also determined that since she was friendly with Zhou Sheng if she allowed any other family to take him in, they might just use him as a trophy to curry favour with her. This wouldn't be conducive to either Li Rong or her own secondary task.

She couldn't push him into a situation which might turn unfavourable for him.

Thinking about it for a few days, she came to the decision that she would first need to talk to Ning's about placing Zhou Sheng in their career before she further discussed anything about it with the said person.

--------Line Break--------

When Ning Fu's father - the old Unit Commander of the Devil Snare Army heard his servants report that His Majesty along with his retinue was at the doorsteps of The Ning Manor, he had a fright.

Why would such exalted existence visit his residence?

His eyebrows rose in surprise and then with a smack at his armchair, he turned his furrowed bows towards his son - Ning Fu and questioned him, "What did you do this time for the monarch to come at our place, boy? Ning Fu, what he'll did you raise outside?"

A person might question why did the old man question his son about His Majesty's visit?

The answer was that before Ning Fu got a high enough position on the army, he was a veritable portable trouble magnet and many Lord's had come to their doors to complain about him to his father and the old Unit Commander would always have to lower his head in apology because his son had beat up someone's son or nephew.

Thinking that Ning Fu must have once again done something to anger someone, the old commander's first line of thought was that his son must be the culprit.

The Old Commander called for his wife and everybody else in the manor and went to greet the monarch.

The old patriarch and matriarch along with everybody else knelt to greet the Son of Heavens, "Your subjects greet Your Majesty. May Your Majesty be blessed for tens of thousands of years."

Su Li reached a hand to pull the two old people up.

She had realised that if every time she stopped someone from kneeling, her subjects would start gossiping about it.

Therefore, now she just helped the older ones to stand whenever this happened and kept quiet about greetings.

Afterwards, she was brought into an audience hall in the major and was given the highest seat to sit upon while everybody else waited for her to speak.

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Su Li was sitting in a hardback chaired that wasn't easy on her behind and since she had to uphold her image as the stern Emperor, she couldn't even move around to find a more comfortable position.

Meanwhile, when the Ning clan members saw the solemn eyes of the monarch, they wondered if they had committed some wrong to displease His Majesty.

Then a plate of sweets and hot tea was served to the monarch.

When Su Li insisted that she didn't want to ear or drink anything as her manners dictated, she saw the matriarch redden her eyes and ask, " Your Majesty, are the sweets not up to your taste? This humble woman will go and make something herself. I could whip some..."

Su Li cut-off the matriarch's words, "No. Zhen isn't hungry."

She wanted to say a few more words but looking at how everyone was almost shaking at her words, Su Li decided to forgo saying anything further.

At those words, the matriarch looked at her with a hurt look and asked feebly, "Does Your Majesty disdain us?"

Now, one could question why was The Ning Matriarch acting so weirdly just because the monarch didn't want to partake in snacks at her place? It wasn't as if it was the end of the world. So, why was she forcing the monarch?

The answer is that the old buddy had spent her life in the power struggles between sisters before her marriage and the concubines after that. The old comma der had a slew of concubines and children but in the end, only Ning Fu was well and alive to take up the position of The Head Commander of The Devil Snare Army.

This showed that the old matriarch had enough means and ends at her disposal.

The reason she was acting as dotting, the muddle-headed lady was to find out one thing.

If the monarch still talked and replied to her in a placating manner, that meant that The Ning Clan wasn't on the verge of extinction this evening and her husband and son could take it easy.

Each of the three of them had a tactile understanding of it and were masters in acting and thus this situation where she repeatedly asked the monarch to eat something.

On the other hand, Su Li could feel her blood pressure rising from declining an old lady again and again and felt that she must look like an egotistical idiot as of now.

Therefore, she took a white, round sweet from the platter in front of her and bit into it. "Mmm, delicious," she replied in a facsimile of polite words even though she could feel her hands shaking.

After all, in ancient times adopting a child who didn't have any ties with a clan was something huge and she had come to ask help in this matter from these people.

Su Li didn't even know if all of them would agree or not.

The Patriarch turned towards the monarch and with a bow asked, "Your Majesty, this lowly official must have done some good deeds in his time for Your Majesty to visit this humble dwelling."

Su Li looked at all the clan's member present in the room and thought of how best to explain her reason without giving away any information and without having to consume any more snacks - the snacks these ancient people consumed were full of sugar and she didn't want to die of diabetes without completing her tasks.

Thinking about it, she replied, "Zhen would like to discuss something with the first branch of your family."

At her words, except for Ning Fu and his parents, everybody else left the audience hall.

Still, Su Li signalled one of the Shadow Guards to make a sweep outside and when she was satisfied that her talk wouldn't be overheard, she tried to speak but couldn't get the words out.

She stood up agitated by from her seat and at her actions, the Ning's wore expressions of worry and concern.

Trying to put her words into some coherent speech, Su Li started, "Zhen felt it best to not

for our discussion that there was no chance of being overheard."

"Is something wrong, Your Majesty?" Ning Fu questioned.

His Majesty replied tersely, "Yes, everything is fine. Zhen would like to ask if you would like to have a child?"

Ah!

That didn't come out right, Su Li thought.

In her panic, she had forgotten her pre-planned words and blurted out those words.

The Ning's were looking at her with their mouths agape.

"Ah! Not a new-born one. A partially grown-up child and more like, the child won't stay with you full-time. More like on a short term lease."

"Your Majesty is renting out deformed children?" Ning Fu questioned with an audible squeak in his voice.

At least, he was faring better than his parents who seemed to have been shocked out of a speech by the monarch's words.

Hearing Ning Fu's words, Su Li jolted in her position.

She wondered what The Unit Commander was talking about?

What deformed children?

Moreover, what renting?

She wasn't running a paedophile escort business, was she?

When no words were forthcoming from any of the four present, Su Li decided to try once again.

"Zhen thinks you must have heard about a boy who is staying in the Imperial Palace - Zhou Sheng."

"Yes, this lowly official has heard about the child Your Majesty favours," Ning Fu's father replied with a bland smile.

However, Su Li felt as if he wanted to add 'you fatuous ruler' at the end of his words but had withheld those words.

"Indeed. Zhen has known him from before Zhen took the throne. You could say that he and Zhen almost grew up together," Su Li replied with a smile on her face.

"Zhen's concern lies with the fact that Zhen cannot keep him in the palace all the time. Many officials are grumbling about it and Zhen doesn't want anyone to target him just to get a rise out of Zhen."

The patriarch's eyes grew wide at those words.

It seemed that the boy was quite important to the monarch, of the monarch was willing to come to a subject's house and discuss this with them.

However, what was the reason for all this talk?

Did the monarch want them to provide additional security to the boy?

If so, they could send a few second-order generals to protect the boy from the shadows.

"How can this lowly official be of help, Your Majesty?" Ning Fu's father asked.

The next words out of the dragon's mouths left the Ning's slack-jawed once again.

"Zhou Sheng doesn't have any appropriate guardians that Zhen can trust implicitly. Zhen would be immensely grateful if the first branch of The Ning's would agree to take in the boy and provide him with a family. In return, Zhen can fulfil any wishes the Ning's have."

The Ning's looked at each other in surprise at the monarch's words and when Su Li saw them dumbfounded at her words, she hedged.

"Zhen can give you some time to think about it. However, Zhen would like an answer within a fortnight."

Finished with her words, Su Li ducked out of the room and ran away in mortification from The Ning Manor.

However, The Ning's felt that the monarch had left in anger because they hadn't acquiesced to his request even though he had already humbled himself to come to their home and talk about it with them, instead of simply writing and announcing an Imperial Decree.

While Father Ning and Mother Ning went ahead to think and talk about it, Ning Fu felt as if his heart had become restless as soon as he had heard the monarch's words.

For a person who ruled over everyone and everything under heaven, to be so worried about someone, how unfathomable.