Forgotten Legend of the Bloodied Flower

Long Qian Xing really wanted to pry open Empress Dowager Mei's head to find out just what was inside this woman's head. He felt that just because he was close to Emperor Yang Zhou, it meant that Empress Dowager Mei would try to go against him at almost every turn.

"Your Highness, I'm not even an adult yet." Long Qian Xing smiled.

He was only 17 years old. If he was already an adult, his mother would have long pestered him to make Nan Hua become his bride right away.

"Is that so? In that case, Aijia will help you out."

Empress Dowager Yan furrowed her eyebrows. "Imperial Sister, don't you think it would be inappropriate for you to meddle?"

"The two youths like each other very much. Why can't I help them be together?" Empress Dowager Mei countered.

Like?

It was clear that it was only one sided.

However, not a single one of them dared to offend Empress Dowager Mei. They knew that Empress Dowager Mei was known to be unreasonable and because of her humble birth, many people didn't like her either.

Her reputation was not the best.

And she often made things difficult for others like this.

The previous times, she had already caused a lot of troubles for some other nobles, but they couldn't do anything. They could only try to twist the meaning of her words when they followed the edict.

Empress Dowager Mei is not the smartest person anyway and as long as they keep things within the line, she wouldn't be able to nitpick.

That was far better than having her give edict again and again towards them.

That would be annoying.

"Imperial Sister had to remember that they're from Long Family and Shangguan Family. If they're not satisfied with the arrangement, it might be difficult," Empress Dowager Yan reminded with a faint smile.

Empress Dowager Mei looked at Empress Dowager Yan as she wished to slap the other party. Being of humble birth, the person whom she had been compared with has always been Empress Dowager Yan.

It was to the point that she felt sick whenever she saw the other party's face and yet, they still had to act like the closest sister.

It was disgusting.

Empress Dowager Yan was an expert of winning the public opinion. It was easy for her to turn the tide in her favor as long as she could say some words that seemed to be the most suitable in any occasion.

"There's no need to worry. Aijia will help Second Young Miss Shangguan since she's eager to enter Long Family Residence. Hear my words, Second Young Miss Shangguan, Shangguan Mi will be Long Qian Xing's concubine after Lantern Festival. He didn't need to prepare any bride price as he only need to welcome a new woman into his residence."

The words Empress Dowager Mei selected was very crude and unbefitting of her status. However, the people around didn't say anything.

Long Qian Xing took a deep breath. He glanced in Nan Hua's direction but couldn't see anything on her face. It seemed as if she had no emotion. Seemingly sensing his gaze, Nan Hua raised her head and looked in his direction. Her pitch black eyes were very calm and clear.

There was not even the slightest ripple.

'It seems that there is still a long way to go.'

Long Qian Xing chuckled to himself in his heart. He knew the indifference that Nan Hua always projected and even now, he felt a bit helpless at the thought that she didn't even feel anything when a woman was thrown to him.

However, he didn't mind taking his time.

There was nothing that could be achieved instantly. Everything needed progress and even if it would be slow, he would make sure to savor each step carefully.

"Your Highness, this subject still had something to say."

"Speak."

"After Miss Shangguan enters Long Family Residence, Your Highness will not try to interfere with my personal matters again, right?" Long Qian Xing asked with a smile, yet the coldness in his eyes almost materialized into killing intent.

Empress Dowager Mei furrowed her eyebrows. For some reason, she felt that Long Qian Xing had something else in mind when he spoke that, but she couldn't pinpoint just what it was.

"Yes." She could only agree.

Long Qian Xing smiled and nodded. "Long Qian Xing accepts Empress Dowager Edict. Long Family Residence will welcome Miss Shangguan after Lantern Festival." In which he would have long departed to the frontline.

Long Qian Xing felt a bit bad for leaving another troublemaker in the hands of his grandmother, but he was confident that he could kick this woman by the time he came back again in the future. He had no interest of taking a concubine at all in the first place. if not because his current standing in this kingdom was not strong enough for him to blatantly reject an Imperial Family, he wouldn't have agreed.

It seemed that he had to strengthen his position to the point that no one would be able to force their will towards him anymore.

He hated being oppressed like this.

But if he made a scene here, it would only put his best friend in a difficult position. How annoying.

Prince, Princess and Empress Dowagers could make their own edict. However, they were not as powerful as Emperor's edict. If what they said was not suitable to the one that an Emperor wanted, it could be easily overruled.

But there was no way Long Qian Xing would trouble Emperor Yang Zhou for this matter. He understood that Emperor Yang Zhou was trying to bid his time.

And during this time, his people were tasked to stay low and not clash head on either.

It was vexing.

Long Qian Xing lowered his head, hiding the killing intent within his eyes. If he had the chance, he really wanted to kill this woman in front of him. But he didn't want to do that because he also knew that Emperor Yang Zhou had some feelings for his mother.

It was not deep.

But it was there.