"Jiang Ming, this is where you are wrong. It is your duty to continue the lineage of the Duke of Ning’s estate. Do you intend to see the Duke of Ning’s estate become extinct in your generation?" The Empress Dowager's voice turned cold.
Meng Jiang Ming looked up at the Empress Dowager and said, "Does Your Majesty mean that if I refuse the people Your Majesty bestows upon me, it will mean the Duke of Ning’s estate will have no heirs?"
The Empress Dowager glanced at Meng Jiang Ming. Seeing him looking at her, she said, "Yes, so, can you bear it?"
"Your Majesty, why do you say that? Are you slandering the Duke of Ning’s estate simply because I have not accepted Your Majesty’s gifts?" Meng Jiang Ming’s expression grew cold.
"Presumptuous! How dare you speak to me like this, Meng Jiang Ming?" The Empress Dowager was furious.
Meng Jiang Ming stood up and knelt on the ground, saying, "Your Majesty, this subject dares not, but I implore Your Majesty to retract this idea."
"Jiang Ming, have I doted on you too much, making you so unruly?" the Empress Dowager said coldly.
"Your Majesty, at present, I do not wish for anyone to enter the Duke of Ning’s estate. Not only those you have bestowed upon me, but I have also refused those from His Majesty," Meng Jiang Ming stated.
The Empress Dowager looked at him, and after a long sigh, she said, "Jiang Ming, is it still because of Princess Xing Yue?"
Meng Jiang Ming was slightly taken aback. Seeing this, the Empress Dowager said, "Jiang Ming, regardless of whether Princess Xing Yue is found in the future, you and Princess Xing Yue can never be together. I advise you to forget her!"
Meng Jiang Ming lowered his gaze and said, "This matter has nothing to do with Princess Xing Yue. I simply find women troublesome, and after all, I do not wish to experience another Jiang Xiu Yi."
The Empress Dowager froze and asked reflexively, "How is Miss Jiang?"
"She has gone mad," Meng Jiang Ming replied.
The Empress Dowager said regretfully, "A pity."
"Therefore, I still ask Your Majesty not to bestow any more women upon me. I cannot accept them."
"Jiang Ming, you are my nephew, the closest person to me. Do you want to see the Duke of Ning’s estate barren of descendants?" the Empress Dowager sighed.
"I implore Your Majesty to give me one year. After one year, whoever Your Majesty wishes to bestow upon me, I will not refuse," Meng Jiang Ming said.
The Empress Dowager’s eyes lit up and she said, "Really?"
"Yes, I will not deceive Your Majesty."
"Very well, I will wait this year. Jiang Ming, you must not refuse my gifts then," the Empress Dowager said. "Yes, if there is nothing else, this subject will take his leave."
"You may go!"
Meng Jiang Ming retreated, breathed a sigh of relief, and looked into the distance. He murmured to himself that he would give himself one more year. If he still couldn't find Princess Xing Yue after a year, he would give up completely.
Back in the carriage, he saw that figure still waiting obediently inside.
Meng Jiang Ming felt a sense of fullness in his heart. He saw those eyes looking at him, and he felt like a child who had done wrong and been caught. He coughed lightly and said, "What are you looking at? Aren't you coming down? Must this consort go and help you?"
Xue Xing Yue quickly alighted from the carriage and followed behind Meng Jiang Ming.
Finally entering the imperial palace, Xue Xing Yue kept her gaze lowered. However, even so, she recognized every detail of the palace’s scenery. After all, this was where she had grown up since childhood; no one was more familiar with it than she was.
She just hadn't expected to return in such a manner. Suddenly, the figure in front stopped, and she also stopped. She looked up and found a begonia tree in front of her.
She had held back since entering the palace, but at this moment, seeing this begonia tree, she couldn't help herself.
She seemed to recall her father holding her hand and planting this begonia tree for her. Her father had told her, "Luo'er, Father is like this begonia tree, always protecting you, never leaving."
Now the begonia tree had grown into the most prominent and tallest tree in the palace, but her father was gone.
The scenery remained the same, but people had changed.
"Xiao Yue, look how big this begonia tree is?" Meng Jiang Ming walked forward and reached out to stroke the begonia tree, very gently, very gently, as if caressing someone's cheek.
Xue Xing Yue lowered her gaze and said faintly, "Consort, it is merely a begonia tree."
Meng Jiang Ming shook his head, "No, it is more than just a begonia tree."
Xue Xing Yue did not interrupt Meng Jiang Ming. Regardless of whether Meng Jiang Ming was testing her or for some other reason, it was not important. What was important was that she was standing here now.
"At that time, when I heard I was to be forced to marry an unwanted ogre, I was devastated. I refused, I protested, but under the Emperor's coercion and temptation, I still agreed. I thought then, why did the person disliked by everyone fall upon me?"
Meng Jiang Ming sat under the tree and smiled, saying, "Then one day, I saw her under this tree, and I realized that all the rumors outside were wrong. She was a fairy, incomparable to anyone. That's why people were jealous of her, distorted her image, making everyone afraid to marry her. At that moment, I felt somewhat fortunate that I had agreed."
"Is the Consort speaking of you and Princess Xing Yue?"
Meng Jiang Ming turned to look at her and asked, "How do you know?"
Xue Xing Yue said, "The Consort currently has no concubines or maids, and the only person you would marry besides Princess Xing Yue is none other than her. Moreover, Princess Xing Yue was said to be very unattractive before."
Meng Jiang Ming smiled, "Yes, actually, she was very beautiful."
Xue Xing Yue’s eyes flickered slightly. Meng Jiang Ming continued, "It’s a pity she’s missing now, and I can’t find her."
"Consort, perseverance prevails. Iron rods can be ground into needles. You will surely find her."
Meng Jiang Ming smiled upon hearing this, then stood up, "Let's go!"
If he couldn’t find her in a month, he would search for two months. If he couldn’t find her in two months, he would search for three months. One day, he would find her.
In the grand hall, Xue Xing Yue saw that the youth who once possessed clear eyes had changed. Now he was a high and mighty emperor, possessing the aura of a king.