The Empress's wedding day brought a general amnesty to the land.
After a long period of torment, Xiao Ren and the other two finally saw the light of day, though they were all reduced to commoners, destined to fend for themselves from now on.
Upon leaving the prison, Wei Zhu did not even spare Xiao Ren a second glance, following Chen Xuyang away. With the vastness of the empire, they planned to seek their fortunes in other lands.
Breathing in the fresh air outside, Xiao Ren was moved to tears. Listening to the commoners around them praising the new Empress and her Imperial Husband, his heart was a tangled mess.
He didn't know if he had ever truly loved Qiao Ci, but he had certainly liked her.
This woman, whom he had selfishly offered to the Southern Barbarian King, had not only overthrown his kingdom but also married another man as her husband, and would bear children for him in the future…
And he, from now on, would be struggling at the bottom…
After their marriage, Su Mo transformed into a super clingy puppy. Whenever Qiao Ci was not busy, he would want to be by her side.
Initially, he would cautiously observe her expressions, fearing any hint of displeasure or impatience. Then he discovered that apart from their intimacy, she indulged him in everything else.
Su Mo did not become arrogant due to her favor; instead, he strived even harder to be good to her. Whatever concerned Qiao Ci, he aimed for perfection, attending to every detail and perfectly embodying the role of a supportive spouse.
Seeing him bring her food again, Qiao Ci put down her state affairs and walked over to take the exquisite food box from him. She said helplessly, "You don't have to do everything yourself. We have imperial chefs for cooking. Why exhaust yourself like this? Are you foolish~"
"Those who know me will say I married an Imperial Husband, but those who don't might think I found a free laborer (⇀‸↼‶)"
Their private interactions were very casual, mostly addressing each other as "you." Only occasionally would Su Mo call her "Your Majesty the Empress" or… "sister." Thinking of this, Qiao Ci's old face flushed. She hadn't expected him to have so many tricks despite his innocent and harmless appearance.
"It's not hard. Making food for you is not much trouble," Su Mo said, pursing his lips. He suddenly thought of a possibility and hesitantly asked, "Is it… not to your taste?"
His father-emperor said that to capture a woman's heart, one must first capture her stomach. So, had he failed?
Qiao Ci was uncharacteristically speechless.
Not to her taste?
It was too much to her taste!
Qiao Ci leaned her face towards him, took his hand, and squeezed his cheeks. Her expression showed a rare girlish tenderness, "Look, since the wedding, you've fed me so much that my face has gotten chubby. It's so ugly. From now on, let the imperial kitchens handle the meals. If I crave something, you can cook it for me then, alright~"
Qiao Ci's rare display of affection was something Su Mo couldn't resist. His face instantly lit up with a brilliant smile. He lowered his head and kissed the top of her head, then gently nuzzled his forehead against hers, his voice incredibly gentle.
"Mhm, whatever you say."
This was simply lethal!
Who wouldn't be smitten by such an obedient, well-behaved, and attractive puppy-like man?
Qiao Ci certainly was, and on several occasions, she yielded to his desires…
As the Imperial Husband, Su Mo managed the harem impeccably, distinguishing rewards and punishments. In public, he was elegant, dignified, and poised, leaving no room for criticism.
Considering the Empress's hard work, he personally cooked for her daily. His nourishing soups and delicacies were even praised by the imperial chefs.
Being a man, he was also proficient in needlework, creating novel and elegant everyday clothes for the Empress. The Empress wore them to banquets several times, arousing the envy of many discerning noblewomen.
It was understandable that he would be attentive to the Empress, as it was his duty. But he also continuously enriched himself, not only in calligraphy, chess, music, and painting but also in archery and swordsmanship. Initially, people thought he was finally revealing his ambitions as a man. However, he never interfered with state affairs nor used his status as Imperial Husband to seek private gain for the Prime Minister's mansion.
…
More than a year had passed since their wedding, but the Empress's belly remained without any sign of pregnancy. This made everyone feel that their opportunity had arrived. At the morning court, they began to discuss offspring, bloodlines, and lineage with Qiao Ci… in short, they hoped she would take many consorts and give their younger generations a chance…
Qiao Ci directly refused, stating that offspring would come in time, but she had been too busy with state affairs to attend to it.
If she truly had no chance of having children, she would adopt a bright and clever child, ensuring that the State of Mo would not lose its lineage.
In short, her intention was clear: she would not take many consorts and would only have one Imperial Husband in this lifetime.
How could that be acceptable? How could other bloodlines be as legitimate as pure ones? The ministers were unwilling!
However, the Empress was unyielding, leaving them with no recourse. They then turned their attention to the Imperial Husband, Su Mo, hoping to gain a breakthrough through him.
Knowing that Prime Minister Su had always intended to send his eldest son, Su Yu, into the palace, and that he was also Su Mo's biological father, everyone instigated him to persuade Su Mo to urge Qiao Ci to take many consorts.
"You have been married for over a year, and there is no sign from the Empress… you know the importance of royal bloodlines!"
"Your elder brother is coming. He can also help you and manage the harem with you. If you have offspring, you can also raise them under your own name."
"Father is doing this for your own good. When you grow old and your beauty fades, will you still have favor? Having your own bloodline is more important than anything…"
Prime Minister Su's voice echoed in Su Mo's ears, plunging him, who had countless happy dreams for the future, into an abyss of icy coldness.
A faint sorrow creased his brows, and Su Mo couldn't help but smile wryly.
He was well aware that historically, imperial harems, even if not filled with thousands of beauties, at least had dozens of concubines.
Even his mother-empress, who loved his father-emperor so deeply, had other consorts in the palace. Those consorts were the sons of court officials. This was not a matter of love or not, but rather a check and balance of imperial power against court factions.
He constantly strived to improve himself precisely to have more confidence standing by her side. He was meticulous and attentive to show that he could do it all, that she only needed him for her daily life.
When it came to offspring, he was more anxious than anyone. He clung to Qiao Ci every night, wanting to have a child with her. Even if she changed her mind later, he would have some solace.
Privately, he had also consulted imperial physicians multiple times. There was nothing wrong with his body, nor with Qiao Ci's. They simply couldn't conceive.
Perhaps they just didn't have the fortune of having children yet, he thought. With more effort, it would eventually happen.
Even if it didn't, it was alright, as long as he had her.
The arrival of Prime Minister Su completely shattered his illusions.
Qiao Ci was the Empress, and the issue of royal offspring was a major concern.
Su Mo slowly closed his eyes, his raven-black eyelashes trembling gently. The waves of pain from his heart made him breathless.
Ultimately, it was him who wanted to monopolize Qiao Ci; ultimately, he had been selfish…
After finishing her state affairs, Qiao Ci returned to her and Su Mo's sleeping quarters and soon felt that something was amiss.
The little puppy was acting strangely, only helping her take off her cloak and hang it up.
Qiao Ci was bewildered.
Where were my sweet kisses?
Where was my big hug?
Little Spoon: She used to often complain to it about how clingy Su Mo was. Was that actually boasting?
"What's wrong?"
Seeing his pensive expression, Qiao Ci decided not to dwell on those matters for now.
"Let's eat first," Su Mo realized his lapse and calmed himself, speaking gently.
Qiao Ci shook her head, her attitude resolute. She wouldn't eat unless he spoke.