Seeing Feng Jun Yi"s smile, Lin Xulian was caught off guard and her heart felt a little itch. She cannot deny that he really looked exceptionally handsome with that smile. For some reason she cannot find any words to say to break the awkward atmosphere so she chose to divert her attention towards the view the lake. But her eyes caught the sight of a grave that is facing the cliff."That grave….." Lin Xulian didn"t finish her words. She herself found it improper to ask about someone"s grave.
Feng Jun Yi followed her line of sight. "My empress mother"s."
Lin Xulian looked at him in confusion. "Then what about the imperial grave? If I remember correctly, we always visited her grave there."
"I secretly moved her here when I ascended to the throne. This place was made for her after all. This is where she truly belongs." Feng Jun Yi said with a nostalgic look on his face.
"So it was her." Lin Xulian is referring to the person that Feng Jun Yi"s master dedicated the place to.
"My master met my mother during her trip from Fanrong towards the Gonglu country. Their entourage was attacked by some bandits and my master coincidentally pa.s.sed by and saved them. He is always travelling in his pursuit of strength and that"s how they met. My master fell in love with my mother but they never saw each other again. He wasn"t even able to get her name.
He built this place for her hoping that one day he will be able to see her again and confess his love. But unfortunately he wasn"t interested in the imperial family that is why he never knew that the woman he"s been seeking was actually the empress. Not until he met me.
Growing up, that is the kind of love I deemed true. He never got married too. But unfortunately, as the emperor I cannot have the luxury of having such kind of love."
Feng Jun Yi gathered his courage and took Lin Xulian"s hands in his. This gesture shocked Lin Xulian and she didn"t know how to react. "Should I let him or should I pull my hands back?" She thought.
"But these four years made me realize something. When I thought of you ever meeting someone else you"ll fall in love with and leave me for him, I find it unbearable. So I decided that even if I am the emperor, I shouldn"t hold myself back anymore. And even though I have a lot of wives, I can still be like my master and dedicate myself for only one woman. And I want it to be you, Lian"er. I want us to be together forever and build a family." Feng Jun Yi delivered his confession in one breath.
Lin Xulian looked at him with wide eyes and stupefied look. "Y-you mean you want us to be like a real husband and wife?"
"We are a real husband and wife." Feng Jun Yi said coolly stating the fact.
"W-what I mean is, you want us to be intimate with each other and do this and that then be parents?" Lin Xulian said with evident uncertainty in her eyes. She herself cannot believe what she is saying.
Feng Jun Yi blushed with her choice of words. "It is basically like that. But if you put it that way it really does sound a bit presumptuous of me. I"m sorry." He then stood up from his seat on the other side of the small round table and half kneeled in front of Lin Xulian while still clasping her hands. Xu Yichen said that the ladies like this kind of gesture when they were confessed to. "What I wanted is for you to give me a chance to be your husband and open your heart to the possibility of developing good feelings with me."
"Wait! Wait! Is he really serious?!" Lin Xulian"s mind keeps running wild. "C-can I think about it?" She finally said. She decided to consult her mother or sister-in-law first.
Feng Jun Yi expected this response. But he still felt disappointed. "Do you have someone you like?" Feng Jun Yi asked nervously.
Lin Xulian shook her head in denial. "It"s not because I like someone or anything. It"s just that I haven"t thought about stuff like that yet. You see my parents met and married each other in the later years of their lives so I thought there is no need to rush on these things." What Lin Xulian said made sense.
"Then what about Rui?" Feng Jun Yi added.
"Why? What"s with big brother Rui?" Lin Xulian is visibly confused why Feng Jun Yi mentioned her big brother.
Seeing her reaction, Feng Jun Yi heaved a sigh of relief. "Good. It seems she still had no idea. Rui hasn"t overtaken me yet." "It"s nothing relevant. I just felt like he hates me for some reason."
"Now that you mention it, you two had a really thick hostile air around you earlier."
"It baffles me too."
He lied.
Noticing that their topic diverted away from his mission, Feng Jun Yi looked intently into Lin Xulian"s eyes. "Lian"er, I really do hope you will consider what I said. I really do like you. Not just as my savior and my ideal empress but also as a woman."
His piercing stare made Lin Xulian"s heart itch and beat faster than normal. She never felt this way before so she is at loss on what to do or what to say. "I will. Just give me some time. I"m not going anywhere anyway. And as you said, I am your wife already. A real one." But deep inside she was thinking. "I need to consult someone about this quick. Anyone will do!"
Hearing her confirmation Feng Jun Yi finally felt relieved. He also doesn"t want to rush her but Rui"s presence is starting to become a threat.