Chapter 294: "Struck by the Love Fairy"
Such a large hat coming down all of a sudden, not even Ling Yue could come out of this unfazed.
Did I get hit by the Love Fairy? First is that Crown Prince Xia Hou Hong, then now this Sixth Prince Xia Hou Qi. In an instant, her forehead begins to sweat.
To be fair, whether it be status or character, Sixth Prince Xia Hou Qi was more than adequate as a match. However, aside from the relationship of being fellow students of the same mentor, Ling Yue honestly held no other superfluous thoughts or feelings about the boy.
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Looking at the sincere appearance of the queen before herself, Ling Yue suddenly didn't know how to reply.
"Your Grace, does your son know about this?" She gulps with a tinge of worry.
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"He knows, how can he not know? Hou Qi personally came to ask me of this. Oh how wonderful for my son to finally open up." Making a slight shake of her head, Queen Liu's smile was both happy and sad at the same time.
What parent out there in the world wouldn't care about their children's happiness?
Born of royalty and to be schemed against since young, Xia Hou Qi had long been disheartened by the thought of love. For this reason, Queen Liu's been quite worried over his son's future, fearing he might never find a suitable partner that can fill his heart. Then came this request. Hearing her son would want to take Ling Yue as his wife, the mother would of course be ecstatic with joy.
"But Your Grace, I have no feelings for His Highness the Sixth Prince. I only look to him as my senior since we hold the same mentor." In her view, the boy was at most a friend like everyone else, not a prospect of marriage.
What's more, Ling Yue had been very careful not to get entangled with the opposite sex while interacting with any male. So to have this come out of nowhere, it's quite perplexing.
"Then do you have someone in your mind?" After hearing the girl's reluctance, Queen Liu's complexion quickly became a bit green.
Someone in my mind?
Startled by the question, Ling Yue honestly never considered such an issue. To her, there's only been her and her mother's revenge. Something like love and stuff never even crossed her mind.
"That's good then. Ling Yue, you are still young and don't know what marriage means. For us women, rather than finding one to love, its far better to find one that will love you more. I can see my son really likes you. Unlike his father the king, Hou Qi's personality is different and will only have one girl in his heart. If you don't want to get married immediately, I can have His Majesty postpone the marriage until you are sixteen. This way the both of you can have some time to build up a stronger relationship." The queen earnestly proposes the idea from her heart.
"I'm sorry Your Grace but you've misunderstood what I mean. Hou Qi and I, it's impossible between us." She hurries to explain, fearing any further dragging will make matters worse.
But just as the queen wanted to say more, the woman suddenly went white and nearly fell over from her seat. Fortunately Ling Yue was nearby and managed to catch her on the spot.
Alchemist Mei had already mentioned this before, the queen's been feeling unwell lately. Therefore it came as no surprise here. Immediately checking the unconscious woman's pulse, elation came out of Ling Yue's face after a quick diagnostic.
"Someone come, go inform His Majesty the King and Her Grace the Dowager that the queen is pregnant with child!"
For the queen to be pregnant, it didn't take long for the news to cover the entire palace.
"Thank the Heaven, it's been many years since the Xia family has had new blood." After both individuals became aware of this news, both the king and dowager were extremely excited. And of course, Xia Hou Qi wouldn't be staying away either after he learned of this.
By the time the boy rushed over, everyone was already present with his mother and father intimately holding each other. As for the old queen, she became so happy that she went ahead and rewarded Ling Yue a second time.
"Ling Yue, mother she..." Taking the lead to guide Ling Yue out of the palace afterwards, Xia Hou Qi was somewhat shy in his demeanor while he talked.
"Your Highness, I feel its best that we remain formal in our talks," her tone indifferent.
"Ling Yue, you are... Mother told you everything did she not? I am different from my brother, I will treat you with sincerity." Xia Hou Qi makes a grab for her hands with anxiousness in his eyes.
"Your Highness, I had always thought you were aware of our relationship. That night I told you we are working in collaboration to help you retrieve what is yours and take the throne. In return, you will help me crush the Hong House when the time is needed."
Naturally the boy didn't forget any of those things. It's just that his initial assumption that he can keep a pure hearted relationship was false.
"I only want to protect you Ling Yue."
"Xia Hou Qi, are all men from your family the same, with the same illness? So your idea of protection is like that, lock a woman away so they can grow old while weeping in sorrow?" Ignited inside, Ling Yue's temper started to flare up.
It's unsure if it's due to her mother Ye Huang Yu's experience, or seeing how cold hearted the king can be, but Ling Yue's heart didn't have the slightest delusion about what will become of herself if she says yes here.
In her mind, the ideal husband and wife model was more like the General Lan and Madam Lan. With only each other in mind, they will never abandon each other in the most difficult of times.
"Ling Yue, I'm not that kind of person. I promise you, I only want to marry you and will give you everything." The boy eagerly explains himself, afraid things might derail even further.
"Alright, Xia Hou Qi, if I ask you to give up everything, would you do it? Give up your right to the throne, give up your fight with Xia Hou Hong, and give up all that you have now, would you do it?" Aggressive in her stance, she didn't leave any room for rebuke.
Sure enough, the prince begins to hesitate.
Indeed, the part about giving up everything was extremely difficult to come out of that mouth.
Xia Hou Qi understands well. If he gives up now, it would mean forsaking his mother's many years of care and education. Not only that, he will also give up fighting that bastard of a brother of his and betray the many supporters behind his back.
Undoubtedly, this moment of hesitation - though brief as it was - was the most ironic thing from all this in Ling Yue's view.
"I'm sorry Ling Yue, I can't do it." The boy bitterly smiles, sad over his own weakness. In the end, Xia Hou Qi couldn't bring himself to deceive the girl he cares for the most.
He can deceive all the people in this world, but not her, she's the only one he can't do that to.
Upon hearing this answer, it was not disappointment but rather relief in Ling Yue's deep black eyes. In honest truth, she herself wouldn't know how to respond if the prince had agreed to her request.