Qiao Ci felt the person beside her stiffen for a moment. Knowing he was sensitive and preferred to sulk, she quickly took his slightly cool palm to comfort him.
She then turned to Princess Nanping, "Today is my imperial husband's coming-of-age banquet. Is it appropriate for Princess Nanping to send men to me?"
It was practically a direct accusation that she was trying to sabotage her relationship with her imperial husband. How absurd!
"Your Majesty is the ruler of a nation. What's wrong with having a few more men? You'll have to broaden your harem sooner or later anyway. Nanping is simply offering a gift in advance~" Although her words were directed at Qiao Ci, Princess Nanping's eyes were fixed on Su Mo, smiling playfully, "Don't you agree, Imperial Husband Brother~?"
"Imperial Husband, what do you think?" Qiao Ci's eyes flashed with a hint of ruthlessness upon hearing Nanping call Su Mo "Imperial Husband Brother."
At the same time, she felt Su Mo was too gentle and needed to learn to fight back. Otherwise, keeping unhappiness bottled up would be bad for his health.
Now was the perfect opportunity to test him with Princess Nanping. He had been provoked so much; he should just do it!
Fearing he would continue to sacrifice his own feelings for her sake, she then whispered into his ear, "If you dare to accept, I'll sleep in a separate room from you!"
"Do as you wish, I'll take responsibility for it."
The gloom in Su Mo's eyes gradually dispersed. He smiled faintly at Qiao Ci, his lips red and teeth white, looking utterly adorable.
"Okay."
He then turned to face the annoying Princess Nanping, his eyes filled with distance, his voice even colder, "I have never had a sister, nor am I related to the Princess. Why does Princess Nanping call me Imperial Husband Brother?"
Without waiting for Nanping to reply, he directly addressed the envoy from Cang Country, his words sharp and pointed, "Then, if my Mo Country's envoys go to your Cang Country in the future, will we address your Cang Country's empresses and consorts as sisters, without regard for gender propriety?"
These two sentences not only made Princess Nanping blush furiously but also put the envoys from Cang Country to shame.
Cang Yixuan shot Princess Nanping a glare, truly uncouth. She would fawn and act cute whenever she saw a handsome man, without considering whose man he was, nor on whose territory they were!
At the same time, he blamed Mo Country's Imperial Husband for being spoiled and arrogant, showing no respect to their Cang Country. Once he conquered the empress, he vowed to torment this Imperial Husband severely.
Seeing Princess Nanping about to speak again, he glared at her to shut her up, fearing she would make another mistake and jeopardize his grand plan.
The weight of the situation meant it was not suitable for a subordinate to answer. He could only reveal his identity.
Cang Yixuan straightened his clothes and gracefully stood up, offering a bow with an air of practiced charm, "Greetings, Empress. I am Cang Country's Second Prince, Cang Yixuan. My cousin is usually the most innocent and cheerful, calling everyone brother and sister. Please excuse her."
Princess Nanping, having been doted upon her entire life and accustomed to her spoiled nature, was humiliated for the first time. Even if it was the man she coveted, it was unacceptable. Feeling that Cang Yixuan was supporting her just now, she straightened her back and retorted stubbornly, "Is the Imperial Husband changing the subject because he doesn't want the Empress to take these ten handsome men? Afraid they'll compete for favor with you? Haha, so the Imperial Husband is so jealous and lacks confidence?"
Su Mo didn't even spare her an extra glance, his voice calm, "As the Imperial Husband, I must consider everything for the Empress. Since these ten are to be presented to our Empress, I must ask you, what can they do for our Empress? After all, being the Empress's man is not something anyone can do."
What can they do for the Empress? What else can male consorts do? Of course, serve the Empress well in bed.
However, saying that out loud would be unsightly. The ten men were silent for a moment. Then, a robust and handsome man stepped forward, bowed, and said, "This servant can play the zither and can accompany Your Majesty the Empress in playing music to relieve her worries."
"This servant can paint..."
"This servant can play Go..."
...
After each talent they mentioned, Su Mo had them demonstrate it on the spot. Under Qiao Ci's disapproving gaze, he personally competed with them. Once everyone had been defeated and looked disheveled, the exceptionally beautiful young man in palace attire walked to the Empress's side and sat down, his expression proud, "Our Empress is a favored daughter of heaven, and those by her side must be the most outstanding men in this world. If any of you believe you can surpass me in all aspects, feel free to accept the challenge from the Empress's husband. I, your Imperial Husband, welcome you wholeheartedly!"
His eyes flickered towards Qiao Ci, his delicate eyebrows instantly filled with sparkling light, "Of course, the above are merely supplementary conditions. Our Empress most favors beauty. Besides the essential abilities, they must also possess peerless appearance, elegant demeanor, and a pure heart and body."
"In the future, if any princess, prince, or minister wishes to present handsome men to our Empress, they may cultivate them according to these entry standards."
Not only Princess Nanping but everyone else was stunned.
Especially the officials and their families from Mo Country, who had watched Su Mo's growth all along...
Two years had passed, and this Imperial Husband, whom none of them had thought highly of, had become so outstanding?
Forget having mastered all skills; even his exquisite face, as if painted, was likely unmatched in the world...
With all the people she brought defeated, Nanping wasn't angry at all. Instead, she looked at Su Mo with even greater adoration. If she could have such a perfect man, she wouldn't have eyes for anyone else.
One didn't know what this princess was thinking. During her stay in Mo Country, she had tried every means to meet the Imperial Husband. When Su Mo refused to see her, she had researched through various channels and even dared to send love letters into the palace...
When Qiao Ci found out, her face turned green. This was a direct affront, digging at her man right under her nose, as if she were dead!
Fortunately, her Imperial Husband completely ignored that woman, otherwise, Qiao Ci would have drawn her sword and chopped that infatuated princess long ago!
At the farewell banquet, Princess Nanping hid along Su Mo's usual path, attempting to stage an accident.
Qiao Ci didn't give her any face and directly imprisoned her for provoking diplomatic relations. Su Yu, who indirectly helped her by attempting to disrupt her relationship with Su Mo, was also imprisoned for treason.
Cang Yixuan's negotiations failed, and he could only abandon Princess Nanping and return home first.
He frequently showed favor to Qiao Ci, but she rejected him without any warmth. Moreover, after the Nanping incident, she didn't give him any face at all. Cang Yixuan felt thoroughly humiliated and harbored resentment.
Upon returning to Cang Country, he exaggerated the situation, thus convincing the Cang Country's monarch, who already viewed Qiao Ci as a mere woman and intended to seize Mo Country for himself. The monarch immediately mobilized troops, preparing to attack Mo Country, rescue Princess Nanping, and uphold national prestige.
Cang Yixuan even traveled to neighboring countries, promising that if they provided reinforcements at a critical juncture, they would jointly partition Mo Country.
*
When Su Mo learned that Cang Country had allied with other surrounding small nations to wage war on Mo Country, he became anxious. With a pale face, he found Qiao Ci and saw her secretly eating something called hot pot. He couldn't help but frown, "You've been suffering from excessive internal heat recently. You can't eat spicy food."
Qiao Ci wasn't embarrassed when caught. She merely beckoned him to join her for a bite to warm his body.
Su Mo chewed the Empress's homemade hot pot slowly, tasting nothing. He watched Qiao Ci eating with great enthusiasm, his heart filled with a mixture of emotions.