Luo Chaoxi's voice was very soft. The room was quiet at the moment, and her gentle voice clearly reached Murong Ling's ears. Every word struck his heart, and every word made his heartstrings tremble.
Murong Ling's eyes were so gentle they could melt water, and the corners of his mouth curved into an upward smile, his joy overflowing. "I also want to be by your side all the time, to hold you in my arms and kiss you."
He paused, then took her hand and placed it over his heart. "This place is filled with you, there's no room for anyone else. When you smile, it beats joyfully; when you're sad, my heart aches too."
Luo Chaoxi's palm touched his chest through his clothes, and she poked his chest with a finger. "Your Majesty's sweet words are so lovely. Have you said such things to other women before?"
Luo Chaoxi glanced at him.
"I didn't," Murong Ling explained innocently. "You are the first woman I've had in my twenty-five years. Before I turned twenty, I was busy practicing martial arts, studying, and strategizing. After I turned twenty, I focused on conquering the Southern Qi kingdom and lived in the military camp every day. After ascending the throne, I suffered from headaches. How could I have time for romance?"
"Then I'll trust you this once." Luo Chaoxi cupped his face and leaned down to give him a quick kiss.
Murong Ling laughed, "Is this my reward for remaining chaste?"
"If His Majesty says so, then so be it."
"That's not enough."
Murong Ling pressed her head down, his lips pressed against Luo Chaoxi's soft lips, and kissed her for a long time, finally getting himself a satisfying reward.
Afterwards, Murong Ling actually began to look for suitable husbands for Bai Youxue.
Even though he had already repaid the kindness he had shown to the Bai family and the care that Bai Youxue's mother had shown him, Murong Ling still decided to help one last time, not for any other reason than to eliminate any possibility of Bai Youxue entering the palace.
The Bai family are imperial merchants, but in the end, they are just merchants. It's already considered a great honor for Bai Youxue to marry a minor official of the fifth or sixth rank. If she were to be betrothed to a high-ranking official of the second or third rank, not to mention whether there are any eligible and unmarried men in the court, even if there are, if Murong Ling really arranged the marriage, the man might not be willing to marry a merchant's daughter.
Therefore, Murong Ling selected eligible men of the fifth or sixth rank who were unmarried and of decent character. For a man in his twenties to be able to sit in this position was already quite impressive, and he had a bright future ahead of him.
However, when these portraits were sent over, Bai Youxue either disliked the person's appearance or thought that the person's position was too low. She didn't want the person who was too short, too fat, or too thin. After picking and choosing, she couldn't find a single one left.
Murong Ling was already quite unhappy, so he had the portraits packed up and sent to Guanzhou for Bai's mother to choose from.
The capital and Guanzhou are far apart, and it takes quite a while for letters to arrive and depart.
At this point, Bai Youxue suggested that she would choose these men herself, so Luo Chaoxi hosted a flower-viewing banquet, inviting these talented young men and some eligible women from similar family backgrounds to the banquet.
On the day of the banquet, Bai Youxue entered the palace early. As soon as she entered the hall, she looked around as if she was looking for someone. She was somewhat disappointed when she did not see Murong Ling in the Ganming Hall.
Luo Chaoxi smiled but didn't point it out.
"Miss Bai, the people who came today were all people sent by the Emperor a few days ago with portraits. How would you like to conduct the fortune-telling today?"
Bai Youxue said, "Portraits often differ greatly from the real people we meet, and it's difficult to judge a person's character based solely on a portrait. I plan to ask Her Majesty the Empress to give me a few questions to assess their talents, and then I'll personally talk to a few that I find satisfactory."
"After all, I have high standards. It would be hard to find a man as outstanding as Brother Ling in this world. But if they are not even half as good as Brother Ling, I will not look at them."
She kept calling her "Brother Ling" over and over, making Luo Chaoxi want to hit her.
But if she opened her mouth now, she was afraid that she would lose face for the royal family at the banquet later, so Luo Chaoxi held back.
Luo Chaoxi smiled and nodded in agreement. "Indeed, there are few men as outstanding as the Emperor, who can write poetry and prose, devise strategies for governing the world, and establish a new dynasty with outstanding military achievements. It's a pity that he is already married and has children, and will welcome his first child in a few months."
"I am truly blessed, perhaps from eight lifetimes, to have met such a wonderful man as the Emperor in my second marriage."
"As the Empress's sister-in-law, I sincerely advise Miss Bai that if she truly wishes to get married, she should not set her standards too high. Only when family backgrounds are comparable will she not be looked down upon. Although I am a second-time bride, I was once the legitimate daughter of a second-rank Minister of War, and my family background is sufficient to match the Empress's position."
Luo Chaoxi defeated magic with magic and boasted to Bai Youxue in an annoying tone.
Bai Youxue was furious. She stared at Luo Chaoxi's bulging belly for a long time, then at her face, her heart filled with rage.
These details that she had deliberately suppressed were brought up by Luo Chaoxi, which made Bai Youxue even angrier.
Why is it that Luo Chaoxi, a woman who has been married twice, can win Murong Ling's favor, while she, who is not only Ling's cousin but also a virgin, cannot even get a glance from him, and even when helping him choose a husband, he just randomly picks a few minor officials.
If she hadn't been so young when Ling-gege ascended the throne, and hadn't disappeared for several years afterward, she would definitely have entered the palace as a concubine long ago!
After being angry for a while, Bai Youxue decided to stop pretending; she was never a calm and collected person to begin with.
“Your Majesty, I know what my mother wrote in her letter. She wants me to enter the palace. I also know that the Emperor refuses to accept me because of you and the child in your womb.”
"Your Majesty, as the head of the palace, no one can threaten your position. Why make things difficult for Brother Ling? As long as you agree, I believe Brother Ling will definitely let me into the palace."
"Besides, you are currently pregnant and cannot serve Brother Ling. Rather than choosing an unfamiliar palace maid, it would be better to..."
Bai Youxue's voice grew softer and softer as she spoke, clearly embarrassed to say the rest.
"How about we send you to serve in the palace?" Luo Chaoxi said bluntly. "Miss Bai's suggestion is quite good."
Upon hearing this, hope ignited in Bai Youxue's eyes, as if Luo Chaoxi would agree to let her enter the palace at any moment.
But the next moment, Luo Chaoxi poured cold water on her, "However, Miss Bai, it would be better to give up this idea as soon as possible, because the Emperor promised me that he would only have me as his woman in this lifetime."
As Luo Chaoxi spoke, a happy yet proud smile appeared on her face.
Bai Youxue, "..."
She had long guessed that Luo Chaoxi was an unyielding and cunning woman. She believed that one should rely on oneself in everything, and she had already made a desperate decision when she came.
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