Chapter 270 Conversation

If Emperor Jingyang were to learn of this, I'm afraid the entire Cao family would lose their heads.

Luo Qianxue cherished her life and felt that at this moment, she should steer Consort Li away from going astray, so as not to implicate herself later.

The best solution she could think of was to make Consort Li fall in love with Emperor Jingyang again.

"Mother, Xue'er has heard that Father has recently been going over memorials in the imperial study until late at night. If Mother has time, you could personally make some soup and send it to Father. He will surely remember your kindness when he sees it."

"Other men are just passing through. Father is the greatest support in your life. Our Cao family will have to rely on Father in the future. Mother, please listen to my advice and go see Father!"

Consort Li: "She sneered to herself, 'The greatest support?'"

She had never relied on Emperor Jingyang.

She hadn't counted on him before, and she wouldn't in the future either.

Luo Qianxue simply wanted her to use her looks to win favor with Emperor Jingyang like other women, in exchange for the Cao family's lifelong wealth and honor.

To put it bluntly, her daughter was still selfish.

She only cared about whether she could live in luxury in the future, but never asked whether I, her mother, was happy or content.

Consort Li gave Luo Qianxue a cold look, pushed her off her knee, stood up gracefully, and turned away from Luo Qianxue.

"Feelings are complicated—can't explain them in a few words. Over the years, I've raised you on my own and I'm used to not having him around. Just be a good princess. As for matters between your father and me, don't ask anymore."

"Now, I need to ask you something. Right now, I have a way for you to marry Xie Liuzheng. Are you willing?"

Luo Qianxue froze, her eyes widening and then her mouth slowly opening.

She was so excited that she screamed and then started babbling.

"Ahhh!"

"M-Mother, are you telling the truth? I... I can actually marry Heir Xie? Am I dreaming? Are you messing with me to make me feel better?"

"Mother, slap me so I know it's real."

Consort Li: "She couldn't stand seeing Luo Qianxue act so pathetic."

Back in the day, when she pursued Prince Nanxiao, she had never been that shameless.

Just hearing his name made Luo Qianxue blush with excitement.

If she were to actually marry Xie Liuzheng, she'd probably faint from happiness.

Consort Li thought sarcastically, how could she have a daughter this embarrassing, who didn't pick up any of her calmness under pressure.

Screaming over nothing—so embarrassing.

Despite thinking this, Consort Li kept a gentle, faint smile on her face.

Instead of answering Luo Qianxue's question, she softly asked her.

"Never mind that. Just tell me—would you be willing to marry Xie Liuzheng or not?"

"Willing, of course I'm willing!"

Luo Qianxue blurted out without even thinking.

She dreamed of marrying Xie Liuzheng, but the number of times she could see him was extremely rare.

Unless he took the initiative to enter the palace, whenever Luo Qianxue left the palace to find him, he would usually hide and avoid seeing her.

Luo Qianxue was dissatisfied but had no way to deal with him.

As a princess, she had everything she wanted, yet over the years, she was helpless when it came to Xie Liuzheng.

But the more she couldn't have a man, the more she wanted to conquer him. This strong desire for conquest had almost become an obsession in Luo Qianxue's heart.

Sometimes she couldn't tell whether she actually liked Xie Liuzheng or enjoyed the feeling of making him submit to her.

Now hearing Consort Li say this, she was a thousand times willing.

As long as she could marry Xie Liuzheng, wouldn't he be at her mercy for training in the future?

Thinking this, Luo Qianxue quickly asked Consort Li.

"Mother, do you have a good plan?"

"How about I directly ask Father to issue a forced marriage decree?"

"No!" Consort Li said coldly. "Xie Liuzheng already doesn't like you. Do you want to push him even further away?"

"A forced marriage will only increase his resistance. Given his nature and character, he is fully capable of fleeing the marriage. This will not only bring shame to the entire royal family, but even if you marry him, you won't be happy."

"Secondly, do you think Duke Rong, Lord Xie, is dead? His mouth dares to defy heaven and earth. Even the Censor-in-Chief, who oversees all officials, when facing him, gets scolded bloody and gains nothing."

"If Lord Xie doesn't approve of you, do you think he would agree to let your father issue a marriage decree for his son?"

Of course, Consort Li didn't mention the most important point.

That was that Luo Qianxue's marriage into the Duke Rong's mansion carried a mission.

She had to help Luo Jingshen win over Xie Jinrong and make Xie Jinrong serve Luo Jingshen.

If Xie Liuzheng fled the marriage, Xie Jinrong would surely not look favorably on her as a daughter-in-law, and even if Luo Qianxue married in, it would be of no use.

Luo Qianxue, being scolded by Consort Li, felt a bit impatient and started stomping her feet and muttering.

"You said you had a way for me to marry Heir Xie. Now this won't work, that won't work. Then how am I supposed to marry into the Duke Rong's mansion?"

Consort Li glanced at her, sat down on a golden-thread nanmu chair in the palace, and calmly asked Luo Qianxue.

"In the Duke Rong's mansion, who do you think holds the most power?"

Luo Qianxue frowned. "Naturally, it's Duke Rong. Why do you ask, Mother?"

"Wrong. In the Duke Rong's mansion, Duchess Rong holds the most power."

Consort Li squinted her eyes and then said solemnly: "Xie Jinrong and his wife Cai Guiti have been childhood sweethearts. Their parents were family friends, and before Xie Jinrong and Cai Guiti were even born, they had already arranged a betrothal for them. Therefore, their relationship has been very stable from childhood to adulthood, creating a beautiful story of 'one life, one couple' in the Dongchen Kingdom."

"Even though Cai Guiti only gave him one son, Xie Liuzheng, Duke Rong Xie Jinrong never took a concubine. He once swore before the Emperor that he would never marry another woman besides Cai Guiti in this life."

Luo Qianxue listened to this love story that everyone in the capital praised, but was completely unmoved.

She didn't care at all about how the Duke of Rong and Madam Cai felt about each other; she only cared about how to marry Xie Liuzheng.

Luo Qianxue asked impatiently, "Mother, what are you getting at?"

Consort Li picked up her teacup and took a sip, looking at her own reflection in the tea bowl, and her gentle voice took on a hint of ruthlessness.

"All I'm saying is that to control a man, relying just on your looks and status is useless."

"The most important thing is that you must know what he likes, what he wants, and what kind of person he wants to become in the future. On that basis, what you can do for him to make him see your worth."

"Once you have grasped his vulnerable spot, that man will be at your mercy for the rest of his life."

As she said this, Consort Li lightly swirled the teacup in her hand, watching the ripples on its surface, and a faint, enigmatic smile curled at the corners of her lips.

"The Duke of Rong's mansion has always had few descendants. Cai Guiti gave birth to a son for Xie Jinrong, and that is the biggest weak point she can use to control Xie Jinrong."

Saying this, some memories involuntarily came to Consort Li's mind.

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