Emperor Jingxiang's face darkened, and his eyes instantly dimmed, brewing the impending gloomy anger.
However, when he saw Lan Miao shrinking her body, his heart softened again. Instead of raising his voice as he was about to, it became even lower.
"Does my lady think that I'm too gentle-tempered, so you keep rejecting me again and again?"
"Does my lady not want me to get close to you?"
Lan Miao shook her head, her eyes glistening with faint tears. "No... I just feel that we're too close. I need some time." Seeing Emperor Jingxiang's gradually calming face, she summoned up her courage and said, "Moreover, it was Your Majesty who summoned me to the palace, not the Empress Dowager. I'm quite panicked."
Emperor Jingxiang remained silent for a long time.
Panicked about what?
He had an intuition that there might be something awkward on his lady's mind. Or had someone said something to her?
But he wanted to win Lan Miao over, not through physical conquest, but by making her get close to him from the bottom of her heart.
Emperor Jingxiang reached out his hand, just about to touch Lan Miao's cheek and tell her to speak out whatever she was concerned about. But suddenly, there came a series of footsteps outside the door, along with a childish and cheerful voice. "Mother, I've come to see you."
It was Xue'er.
Lan Miao was shocked.
If Xue'er saw the current situation between her and His Majesty, what a psychological shadow it would leave on the child.
At this moment, the gentle and frail Lan Miao seemed to have changed her nature. She instantly grabbed His Majesty's arm and made a "shh" gesture at him, whispering in the softest voice possible. "Your Majesty, please hide or jump out of the window."
Emperor Jingxiang was amused.
He was in no hurry.
This was the palace. What did he have to be afraid of?
"Let her see. I don't mind her calling me father." A naughty smile played on Emperor Jingxiang's lips. This panicked lady was so cute. It was the first time he had seen her like this.
The tense confrontation just now instantly flew out of the window.
Lan Miao looked at Emperor Jingxiang with pleading eyes, which seemed to be filled with a pool of spring water, pitiful and hazy.
The sound of the door being pushed open slowly rang out.
Fortunately, there was a screen separating them. Otherwise, Lan Miao would have died of shame by now.
Emperor Jingxiang sized Lan Miao up with great interest, leaned close to her ear, and teased her. "How about you give me a kiss, and I'll agree to you."
Lan Miao's delicate face blushed completely.
But she didn't have time to think. Her lips quickly touched Emperor Jingxiang's cheek, very lightly, and then separated immediately.
"Your Majesty, please leave quickly."
Xue'er's childish voice rang out again.
"Mother, aren't you here?"
"Xue'er, I'm changing clothes. Wait for me at the door." Lan Miao didn't have time to think and just told a little lie casually, shouting loudly. After she heard the small footsteps stop, she glared at Emperor Jingxiang with a resentful look, as if saying, "Why don't you hide yet?"
But Emperor Jingxiang got close to her ear again. His breath was like a feather floating on her cheek, tickling. "My lady is so good at lying?"
"Your Majesty..."
Lan Miao was so ashamed that she couldn't bear it anymore. She pushed Emperor Jingxiang away.
She sprang up from the couch, walked a few steps to the dressing mirror, and tidied up her appearance, gently coiling up her disheveled hair. When she looked back with a glimmer of hope, Emperor Jingxiang was still leaning against the window, looking at her indifferently.
Seeing his leisurely look, it seemed that he wasn't going to leave.
Lan Miao was extremely anxious. She glared at Emperor Jingxiang several more times. "Your Majesty, please leave." Then she lifted her skirt and walked around to the front of the bedroom, trying to slow down her steps to appear calm.
In the candlelight, Xue'er's small figure stood upright.
She had double buns on her head, and her face was as cute as a snowball. Facing the room, her eyes unconsciously fell on the ground. After noticing Lan Miao coming over, Xue'er looked up, a bright smile on her face, and then flew towards her.
Lan Miao bent down and hugged her tightly.
By the way, she blocked the sight behind her.
At the same time, Leng Shuang stood outside the door and saluted Lan Miao gently. "Greetings, Madam. Miss Xue'er heard that you entered the palace and was eager to come and see you."
"Mother, will you be able to stay with me in the palace from now on?"
Xue'er looked up and asked innocently.
Lan Miao didn't know how to answer for a moment. Suddenly, there came a soft laugh from behind the screen. The atmosphere was so quiet that it was especially obvious. Lan Miao's heart tightened. If Xue'er saw His Majesty here, she wouldn't be able to clear her name even if she jumped into the Yellow River.
Well, it seemed that she couldn't clear her name anyway.
Xue'er's small ears twitched. She was very alert and immediately whispered, "Mother, there seems to be some noise in your room. Could there be a thief inside?"
"Uh... I don't think so. Did Xue'er mishear?"
"I didn't mishear. Mother, isn't it unsafe for you to live here?" Xue'er's tone was anxious, as if she was very worried that her mother would be taken away by some bad guy.
Then, there was another sound, like the dull sound of something heavy hitting the ground. Lan Miao felt relieved. His Majesty should have jumped out of the window and left. She really couldn't keep it hidden anymore.
"Come on, let's go and see if there's a thief."
Lan Miao held Xue'er's small hand and walked leisurely behind the screen. Sure enough, there was no one there, and even the window was tightly closed. Xue'er poked her head around and scratched her head, confused. "Could it really be that I misheard?"
"Xue'er may not have misheard, but maybe it was a cat or a dog. Mother is very safe here. It's just that it's too far from Wenyatang. Otherwise, Xue'er could come and live with mother."
Lan Miao explained unhurriedly.
She pulled Xue'er to sit down in front of the small warming stove and lovingly stroked her cheek. Xue'er laughed heartily. "It's okay. I've grown up and can sleep by myself."
"Xue'er is so good."
"Mother has something to tell Xue'er. Don't be panicked, okay?" Lan Miao sat in front of Xue'er, away from the beauty couch, and her tone became a little more serious.
"Okay..."
While peeling an orange, Xue'er handed the peeled orange to Lan Miao's mouth. "Mother, eat an orange."
Lan Miao took it with a smile and explained in a gentle way that she was going to divorce the deceased Wen Lingzhou, which meant that she was going to leave the Marquis Mansion from now on.
Xue'er listened quietly.
Her big eyes blinked. Suddenly, she asked very seriously, "Mother wants to divorce because His Majesty likes you, right?"
Lan Miao almost choked.
His Majesty really... had led Xue'er astray.
Lan Miao shook her head and looked into Xue'er's innocent eyes. "Does Xue'er want mother to leave the Marquis Mansion?"
This time, Xue'er nodded quickly.
"Yes!"
"I don't want mother to be bullied in the Marquis Mansion anymore. Grandmother won't be sick forever. I hope mother won't stay because of me. I just want mother to be happy."
Xue'er's voice was clear.
On this cold night, it was like a bunch of flames, warming Lan Miao's heart. Her heart was softened, and she hugged Xue'er tightly in her arms.
"Even if mother leaves the Marquis Mansion, Xue'er will always be the young lady of the Marquis Mansion. This will never change."
"Okay... I'll listen to mother."
The night was long. Lan Miao and Xue'er snuggled together. The moonlight couldn't clearly illuminate their figures. Outside the pavilion, Emperor Jingxiang stood there for a while longer before leaving with his entourage.