After escorting Feng Guang to the door, Gu Yan was about to leave when he heard the girl ask in a tone filled with mischief, “King Shu, don’t you want to sleep with me?”
Gu Yan replied seriously, “We have to leave early tomorrow, Your Majesty. You should rest early.”
With that, he stepped into the moonlight and left.
Feng Guang shook her head in regret. Once again, she hadn’t gotten to sleep with the handsome man today.
The next day, as they were preparing to leave, County Magistrate Ke, along with his family, bowed and said, “We humbly send off Your Majesty.”
By his side stood a delicate wife and a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy, but the young man from last night under the parasol tree was absent.
Just before Feng Guang got into the carriage, she changed her mind. She gently waved her fan and casually asked, “County Magistrate Ke, where is your eldest son?”
“Your… Your Majesty…” At this question, County Magistrate Ke was greatly surprised. “Ke Huai is feeling unwell. I was worried that his illness might pass to Your Majesty, so I didn’t call him out.”
To be honest, if Feng Guang hadn’t mentioned it, he would have completely forgotten about his son.
Feng Guang clicked her tongue and shook her head, not believing County Magistrate Ke’s words, but rather, she was puzzled as to how such an unremarkable father could have a son with such grace. Then, looking at his younger son, the fifteen or sixteen-year-old Ke Sa, she could only describe him as delicate and handsome.
She pretended not to notice Gu Yan’s gaze beside her and smiled, saying, “Yesterday, by chance, I had a brief encounter with Lord Ke. I was quite taken aback by his elegance. I wonder, if I made the unreasonable request to take Lord Ke with me, would County Magistrate Ke agree?”
Just by her words alone, she was asking to take someone’s son, a rather unreasonable demand. But County Magistrate Ke couldn’t refuse—after all, she was the Empress!
Under the glare of his delicate wife, County Magistrate Ke grits his teeth and says, “It would be my son’s great fortune to be taken by Your Majesty. Steward, why don’t you call out for Lord Ke?”
“Y-yes.” A middle-aged man hurriedly ran off to fetch him.
Before long, Ke Huai appeared, holding a flute. Seeing the bowing crowd, he was momentarily surprised but then calmly performed his greeting. “Ke Huai greets Her Majesty the Empress.”
“Ke Huai, from now on, you are mine.”
Ke Huai paused, a bit stunned. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Good. Let’s set off. You will ride in the same carriage as me.”
“Yes.” Ke Huai stood and looked back. His father and stepmother were anxious, while his half-brother, Ke Sa, glared at him unwillingly. When their mother noticed, she clutched her son and looked at Ke Huai with pleading eyes.
Ke Huai remained silent, not even offering a single word of farewell. He simply boarded the Empress’s carriage.
The once forsaken young master, now in a single morning, had become an honored person.
Gu Yan absentmindedly fiddled with the ring on his finger. How many unexpected things would Feng Guang say? How many surprises would she cause? Since the time she became aware, there had been countless moments. She liked handsome men, and more than that, she enjoyed teasing them. But today, she called a man “hers.”
The harem might be lacking people, and the Empress might be of the right age, but that didn’t mean just anyone could stand by her side. At least in Gu Yan’s eyes, the son of a county magistrate was far from qualified.
In this world, only someone of Lan Tingrong’s status could truly be worthy of her.
Gu Yan seemed to forget that Feng Guang had once said she didn’t like Lan Tingrong. In terms of status, few could compare to Lan Tingrong.
Lucien On ABRWF Chapter 34.1