Ling Shuzhou's eyebrows, as dark as distant mountains, suddenly lost their curved curves, and his eyes, as shimmering as autumn water, were filled with endless hurt. "I have admired the General's majestic and heroic appearance for a long time. My greatest wish in this life is to marry you. I wonder why you rejected me? Is it because I am not good-looking, or is my talent not worthy of you? If there is anything you are not satisfied with, just tell me. I can change anything and do anything for you."
Lakshmi clasped her fists and bowed towards Ling Shuzhou, repeatedly saying, "Your Highness, the Second Prince, is truly a jokester. You are recognized as the most beautiful woman in the Chisha Empire, and even the entire Tianyuan Continent. You also have a father as talented as Empress Fu, who has taught you meticulously since childhood. Even the most outstanding woman in the world would be worthy of you. I have no dissatisfaction with you, it's just that I am not worthy of you."
Ling Shumo frowned slightly at her son's humble attitude. But when she heard Lakshmi reject Ling Shuzhou, she felt relieved. If Lakshmi had agreed to marry Ling Shuzhou, she wouldn't know how to explain it to Jiang He and her other son.
Yesterday, Ling Shumo went to sleep in the Anxiang Palace. Jiang He asked her several times to arrange a marriage between Lakshmi and the fifth prince Ling Shuming, but she always made excuses to evade the idea.
If Lakshmi and Ling Shuzhou were to marry, Ling Shuming would be heartbroken and in tears. Jiang He, heartbroken for her son's emotional pain, would surely come to her and cause a scene, which would surely lead to another round of trouble.
Ling Xihe walked over to Ling Shuzhou and patted him on the back twice. Then he looked at Lakshmi with a smile and said, "Do you remember that during the Chinese New Year two years ago, His Majesty gave you a Thunder Flame Blade as a reward?"
On New Year's Eve two years ago, Lakshmi led her troops to crush the Zhao Dynasty ruled by Zhao Honglin. The emperor said he would give her a treasure inherited from the previous dynasty. That treasure was the Thunder Blade that Ling Xihe mentioned.
The handle of this sword is an icy blue, and the blade is marked with lightning. Every swing is accompanied by a fierce wind, making it a weapon that can cut through iron like mud. Its value is so high that it can be regarded as a family heirloom of the top families in the imperial capital.
Lakshmi had a vague suspicion when she heard Ling Xihe continue, "That sword was actually a family heirloom of the Fu family, but Ling Shuzhou forcibly took it from his grandmother, the Xuanming Fairy, who was also the current Minister of Rites. He then used His Majesty's hand to give the Thunder Blade to you."
A slight surprise flashed across Lakshmi's eyes. Ling Xihe curled his lips and smiled, "Including that exquisite red jade wine cup four years ago in the winter, your birthday party three years ago, the agarwood bronze mirror with the Eight Immortals pattern given to the General's Mansion by the palace, and two years ago during the Mid-Autumn Festival when the full moon came, you came to the East Palace to discuss official business with me. When you left, it was already dark, and I gave you an eight-treasure glass palace lantern for lighting, and last year's spring banquet..."
Ling Xihe's words were not finished when Lakshmi interrupted him in disbelief, "You mean, those things were actually given to me by His Royal Highness the Second Prince?" She was so surprised that she even forgot to call herself "Humble Subject" in front of the Crown Princess.
Ling Xihe took a clean white handkerchief and wiped the tears from the corners of Ling Shuzhou's eyes. She said earnestly, "My brother loves you deeply. If you let down someone who loves you so deeply, wouldn't it be a pity?"
Lakshmi was about to speak when a servant's voice came at an inopportune moment, "Your Highness the Third Princess and Your Highness the Fifth Prince have arrived..."
Hearing that the fifth prince Ling Shuming had arrived, the look in Ling Shuzhou's eyes changed slightly.
The next moment, Ling Xicheng reached out and lifted the door curtain.
Ling Shuming walked in, dressed in a smoky green kesi silk robe with a double-breasted front. As he raised his sleeves in greeting, the colorful butterflies on his sleeves fluttered, and large clusters of beautiful flowers swayed gracefully.
After bowing to Ling Shumo and Ling Xihe, he looked up at Lakshmi, his gaze as natural and unadorned as a lotus flower emerging from clear water. "General Zhongyong, you conquered the two great empires of Southern Liang and Eastern Wu in just two months. I truly admire you. General, you are so mighty and extraordinary. Your heroic deeds will surely be remembered forever. I really want to become your husband, to share your fame and fame with you. I wonder if you can fulfill my wish?"
In Lakshmi's blind spot, the charming and shy look on Ling Shuzhou's face was completely gone. He glared at Ling Xicheng fiercely and was so angry that he wanted to argue with him immediately. However, in order to maintain the demeanor of a prince in front of his sweetheart, he suppressed the anger in his heart.
When Ling Xicheng left from the back door just now, he knew that the other party must have no good intentions. Sure enough, this person pulled his love rival Ling Shuming over.
Ling Xicheng glanced back at Ling Shuzhou with a half-smile, and seeing the man's expression of having eaten a fly, he felt extremely pleased. Turning around, Lakshmi began to promote Ling Shuming, "Loyal and Brave General, there's an old saying, 'Marry a virtuous man, a good match for the family.' When looking for a husband, you must not only focus on appearance; the most important thing is to find a man with virtuous character. If the head of a wealthy family is not up to standard, it will bring disaster to nine generations of descendants."
"Look at my fifth brother. He's just like his second father, Madam Mei. They're both renowned in our capital for their virtuousness, generosity, gentleness, and kindness. After you marry him, let him choose a few beautiful attendants to serve as your concubines. When you return home, you'll find a virtuous husband and beautiful attendants waiting for you. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
Ling Shuzhou's forearm trembled slightly. No matter how well-mannered he was, his face turned blue with anger. Although Ling Xicheng didn't mention any names, every word he said conveyed that if Lakshmi married him, it would bring disaster to nine generations of descendants, and the general's mansion would never be at peace.
Ling Xihe sighed inwardly, feeling helpless. The grudges of their fathers had finally reached their generation. Xue Wu had been dead for eleven years, but Ling Xicheng's resentment hadn't faded with time. Instead, as time went by, she resented Fu Jun more and more, even taking her anger out on the innocent Ling Shuzhou.
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