Chapter 403 Robust Imperial Consort 14 With a loud bang, Ling Siran's mind went blank, and the whole world seemed to stand still.
All that remained was the incredible softness on her lips and the roar of her own blood rushing to her ears.
Zi Xi gave him a light, fleeting kiss and then withdrew, watching him freeze in shock, forgetting even to breathe, her smile widening.
Ling Siran was stunned for more than ten seconds before he suddenly came to his senses. His handsome face with its sharp features turned bright red, all the way down to the roots of his neck.
As if he had been burned, he abruptly stood up from Zi Xi, took a big step back, and almost tripped over his own cloak in his panic.
"Your Highness...I...your subject...takes...leaves!"
He was rambling incoherently and had no regard for manners.
Almost using both hands and feet, carrying a strong sense of shame and unvented excitement, he rushed out in a panic, as if fleeing in disarray.
The tall figure disappeared into the night, looking rather disheveled.
Zi Xi watched his figure disappear like a whirlwind and finally couldn't help but laugh out loud, feeling a joy and brightness she had never experienced before.
The night breeze was slightly cool, but it couldn't dispel the burning heat on Ling Siran's face in the distance, nor the heart that was about to leap out of his chest.
*
The scent of ambergris permeated the imperial study.
The Empress sat behind the rosewood desk, her usual majesty from the palace banquet gone, a hint of worry barely perceptible in her eyes.
She dismissed her attendants, leaving only Zixi standing in the hall.
“Xi’er, there are no outsiders here, so I will speak frankly with you.”
The Empress spoke, her voice carrying its usual composure.
"Please speak, Mother."
In front of her mother, Zi Xi abandoned her usual nonchalant demeanor and lowered her head slightly.
"Your mother and father did not forcibly stop you from marrying that child from the Ling family, but we were always uneasy about it."
"General Ling holds a large army, and although his loyalty is not in doubt for the time being, his excessive power has always been a thorn in the side of emperors."
"Now that you are marrying her only son, how will the outside world view it? Will it be seen as the royal family relying on you to win her over, or as the General's Mansion wielding such power that it can even influence the imperial family's marriage?"
The Empress's gaze fell upon her, filled with inquiry.
"That's one thing. Secondly, I've also heard about the Ling family's child."
"His temperament is too rigid, unlike the gentle nature of ordinary men, and his fertility is really too low."
“Alas… You are the eldest daughter of my Phoenix Dynasty, and this position will surely be yours in the future… Your offspring are crucial to the foundation of the nation.”
Have you given these things serious thought?
The Empress paused, sighed, and tapped her fingertips lightly on the smooth tabletop, making a soft, rhythmic sound.
The weight of those words pressed down heavily.
This is not merely a mother's concern for her daughter's marriage, but also a monarch's profound consideration of the future political situation and succession issues.
Zi Xi raised her head, her phoenix eyes showing no panic, but rather a clear clarity and a composure beyond her years. She didn't rush to explain, but spoke slowly, her voice steady and clear:
"I understand Mother's worries."
"Putting aside the fact that I do like Si Ran, regarding General Ling and military power... it is precisely because General Ling holds a large army and has a well-established prestige that I want to marry Si Ran even more."
Zi Xi met the Empress's gaze calmly.
The Empress raised an eyebrow, signaling her to continue.
"Mother, have you paid attention to the border military reports in recent years?"
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