Her gaze lingered on him, captivated by his looks, physique, demeanor, and aura, all of which struck a chord deep within her. Every day she revisited the memory of their first encounter, her admiration for him growing stronger.
She had initially believed him to be a noble scion from the capital. However, upon dispatching someone to discreetly investigate, she discovered no such person existed in the capital.
That fleeting glimpse felt like a celestial jest, a beautiful dream woven in broad daylight.
This dream, moreover, instantly extinguished any interest she had in Dong Haoyu, Zhou Qingyun, and Wu Ting, leaving only him in her heart.
"What happened next?" the Empress feigned a stern look at her daughter. Honestly, this girl was becoming increasingly audacious. How could she focus solely on appearance for such a crucial matter as selecting a consort?
Historically, noble families and powerful clans in court had a tradition of arranged marriages for the purpose of forming strong alliances and consolidating their influence. The marriages of children from prominent families were never their own decision.
Furthermore, Xin Yao was a princess, and her marriage was even less within her own purview. This was her destiny, and she had to accept it.
Xin Yao smiled mischievously, "Nothing. It ended there."
The Empress sighed and spoke earnestly, "Yao'er, your mother is speaking from the heart today. As a princess of the realm, when choosing a consort, you cannot merely judge by looks, nor do you need to seek someone you personally fancy. Those superficial qualities are the least valuable. If you must choose, seek only those who can serve a significant purpose.
Therefore, Yao'er, your future consort must be of equivalent family background and standing, someone who can bring benefits to you and your brother. That would be the best choice. As for appearance, it is the least important." Didn't she herself never disdained your father?
Xin Yao's face fell, and she huffed, "But if we have to live together for a lifetime, I must choose someone I can look at forever without growing tired. If he's too ugly, I wouldn't even want to stay in the same room with him, let alone... engage in conjugal relations." She certainly didn't want to live a celibate life.
"What you say is not without reason, but at present, your brother has not yet ascended the throne. Many are coveting his position, wishing to destroy him and us. As his own sister, shouldn't you contribute to his cause?" the Empress rebuked sternly.
"Brother, brother, Mother's heart is always with Brother! I am your own daughter too. Why can't my future husband be chosen according to my own preferences?" Xin Yao turned away, indignant.
The Empress's expression turned cold. She sat up abruptly and said sternly to Xin Yao, "You are a woman! Besides marriage, what benefit can you bring to the family? What other value do you possess? You must understand that Rong Xian is your full brother. In this imperial harem, besides myself, he is the only one who can protect you. There are so many people in the palace who wish our family of three would perish sooner. When you can help him, do so. If he ascends to that position in the future and secures the empire, won't the entire Great Xia Kingdom be yours to command?"
Xin Yao lowered her eyes and pondered. She felt her mother had a point, but what if she simply preferred handsome men?
The Empress smiled helplessly. "Once you possess supreme power, what can you not have? All the handsome men in the world will be yours! And a consort is merely a title; it won't prevent you from liking other men."
Xin Yao's eyes lit up with surprise, "Mother means that if I agree to marry into families that can assist Brother's ascension, I can still have other men? Mother won't blame me for that?"
The Empress nodded. "Of course. As long as your marriage brings benefits to your brother and helps him ascend the throne, Mother will definitely help you obtain the men you desire. However, those men will have no official title. They can be your personal guards, 'eunuchs,' or retainers. You can handle them however you wish."
"I understand, Mother," Xin Yao said excitedly. "From now on, whoever Mother wants me to marry, I will marry. But the men I like, Mother and Brother must also help me obtain."
The Empress embraced her and smiled, "Naturally. When your brother becomes Emperor, you can choose from all the handsome men under heaven."
Xin Yao was surprised by her mother's open-mindedness. She inwardly vowed to find the man who had captured her soul and make him her male favorite.
Outside the window, the diagonally growing branches of flowers trembled, and a gust of wind brought the rich fragrance of blossoms.
Beside the couch, a piece of paper on the low table was blown halfway down its edge.
Xin Yao's gaze suddenly stopped on that paper.
Her heart gave a jolt. The person in the portrait looked familiar.
She feigned a walk to have some tea and took a careful look at the portrait.
It was him! The handsome man she had been searching for!
But how did Mother have his portrait?
Xin Yao suppressed her inner excitement, took a sip of tea, and turned to ask her mother with a calm expression, "Mother, this man in the portrait is truly handsome. Who is he?"
A cold, sinister aura enveloped the Empress's gaze. She said coldly, "This man is a person with the surname Lu from Hong what slope in Tianshui Town, Tasha County. It was he and his wife who reported your brother for illegally mining iron ore and secretly manufacturing weapons, which led to your maternal grandfather's family being exiled three thousand li! I will make them disappear completely."
Xin Yao was shocked. How... how could it be him?
She had seen him in the capital. How could he have come from such a remote and impoverished place as Tasha County?
Moreover, he looked like a noble scion from a distinguished family, not at all like a lowly peasant.
How could he be a peasant?!
And... he was already married?
She wanted to see what kind of woman his wife was!
"Mother, is this portrait mistaken? That Hong what slope sounds like a poor gully. This man is exceptionally beautiful and graceful, nothing like a peasant," Xin Yao wanted to confirm again.
The Empress replied, "I sent several groups to investigate discreetly, and all of them brought back such a portrait. There can be no mistake. However, Yao'er has a point. I suspect this Mr. Lu might be a member of some noble family in court, secretly placed there by Prince Yu's arrangement." Otherwise, how could a mere peasant escape my assassination attempts so many times?
Xin Yao felt that fate was playing another trick on her. She had finally found the man, only for him to be their enemy, and for her mother to hate him so intensely.
Why was she made to suffer all this?
At this moment, she felt incredibly vexed. She had no mind to respond to her mother's words.
"Mother, I will take this portrait and have someone redraw it. Later, I will help you find him."
The Empress nodded. "It would be better with your help. But once you have a lead, do not act rashly. This person is likely not an ordinary peasant and is quite dangerous."
Hearing her mother say this person might not be an ordinary peasant, Xin Yao felt a flicker of joy. She did not want him to be a lowly farmer.
Xin Yao took the portrait back to her own chambers. After having several copies made, she immediately found two inner guards and instructed them to go to Tasha County in Bianzhou to search for this man.
No matter what, she had to find him first.