ARE YOU WILLING TO BRAVE ANYTHING FOR HIM?
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Long Yinlian was too shocked to the point that he ended up coughing. He had expected that Qin Yijun has a certain level of care and adoration towards Lin Xiao. But he did not expect that Qin Yijun would actually want Lin Xiao’s heart and even went as far as asking him.
“Your Majesty… the Emperor’s love is as heavy as the mountain. I don’t think that Lin Xiao would be able to stand the pressure in the Imperial Harem alone,” Long Yinlian said after a while.
“He won’t be alone! And there will be no Imperial Harem. Zhen is not interested in any other person other than Lin Xiao!” Qin Yijun replied with a hint of annoyance. His officials had always egged him to hurry and establish his own harem, but he didn’t think he would also hear it now. Especially not by a person who is Lin Xiao’s guardian.
Unfortunately for him, Long Yinlian merely frowns when those words left his lips.
“Your Majesty, as a monarch, Your Majesty has the responsibility of producing an heir to be the future Emperor…” Long Yinlian stated.
“Are you also saying that Zhen should establish the Imperial Harem? Sleep with some woman just to give the throne an heir?”
The unwillingness in Qin Yijun’s voice could be heard clearly. And if Long Yinlian could be honest, he understood Qin Yijun’s feeling very clearly. But he didn’t want for Lin Xiao to be in any danger at all. He, himself is the best example.
“Your Majesty, please forgive this humble subject… But if Your Majesty is unwilling to do so, then please, give up in pursuing Lin Xiao.”
BAM!
A loud sound resounded through the main hall of Tianlong Palace to the point that even the servants outside the hall could hear it. The Emperor had slammed his fist against the nearby table in his anger. “Long Yinlian… you dared…” Qin Yijun uttered in a seething voice.
The Emperor was beyond furious and Long Yinlian understood this fact. He had already surrendered himself to his fate if the Emperor ever decided to punish him, but he had to make the Emperor understand.
“Your Majesty, this humble subject understands Your Majesty’s anger. But please hear me out first. If Your Majesty decides to have this subject’s life later, then I will not resist,” Long Yinlian told him.
“And suffer from being hated by Lin Xiao?!” Qin Yijun snapped. “Zhen will not have that!”
Taking several deep breaths, Qin Yijun tried to calm himself down. Long Yinlian also didn’t say anything, allowing Qin Yijun to cool down his head. After a while, Qin Yijun finally speaks up again.
“Speak. What is it that you want Zhen to hear?”
“Before that, Your Majesty… For Lin Xiao’s sake, will Your Majesty be willing to brave all dangers? Even if it means Your Majesty has to make sacrifices?” Long Yinlian asked.
“For him, even if you ask Zhen to carve out his heart now, Zhen is willing!”
“Then please establish the Imperial Harem,” Long Yinlian once again brought up this point. But this time, Qin Yijun was able to stop himself from lashing out again. Hearing that the Emperor is staying quiet, Long Yinlian assumed that the Emperor is waiting for him to speak out his mind.
“Your Majesty, if you don’t establish the Imperial Harem and openly pursue Lin Xiao, people will speak. And Lin Xiao will be in an even greater danger… Your Majesty can take me as an example…” Long Yinlian said before he then shared his past experience with the Emperor.
Qin Yijun listened quietly, and the more he listened, the more he understood Long Yinlian’s line of thought.
“Does Your Majesty understand now?” Long Yinlian asked after he finished his narrative. “Xia Yuanfeng is merely the heir to the Xia Family back then, the future patriarch. Even that, their family member are willing to kill just so they could force Xia Yuanfeng to marry and produce an heir…” Long Yinlian murmured in a soft voice.
“Your Majesty is the Emperor. The scale of dangers would be larger. If Your Majesty doesn’t establish the Imperial Harem then, who knows how many hidden blades are aimed at Lin Xiao. A small family cannot be compared to an entire country. Please, think this through,” he added, wanting to convince Qin Yijun.
Qin Yijun clenched his hands into a tight fist. Indeed, he had been impulsive. What Long Yinlian said, all of them has truth in it. “Very well,” Qin Yijun finally said after giving it a deep thought. “Long Yinlian, Zhen will issue a decree that Zhen is looking for fresh flowers to fill up Hua Baihe Palace.”
Hearing this, Long Yinlian felt relieved.
“If this is a sacrifice that Zhen has to do, then Zhen is willing. Because be it Lin Xiao or Li Fangming, or whoever he wished to identify himself as… Zhen refuse to give him up,” Qin Yijun said out loud. “Zhen will continue to pursue him. So will you, as Lin Xiao’s father, please give me your consent?”
To think that there will be a day where Long Yinlian would hear the Emperor beg him. Just the thought would make Long Yinlian fearful, but it happened. If this was in any normal situation, Long Yinlian would probably already be on his knees. ‘But… for His Majesty to address himself normally, does this mean that he is currently asking not as the Emperor, but as a man himself?’
Long Yinlian couldn’t help but feel touched. A smile formed on his face. Just with this question alone, it was clear as day just how serious Qin Yijun was in wanting to pursue Lin Xiao.
‘Although the Emperor is far from the ideal man to spend your life with… At the very least, I know he will keep Lin Xiao safe. This way, when the time comes, I can leave this world in peace.’
“Your Majesty, please forgive me. I do not have control over Lin Xiao’s life. So, Your Majesty is asking the wrong person. As long as Lin Xiao is willing, does Your Majesty still need for this subject’s consent?” Long Yinlian asked back. Then, without waiting for Qin Yijun’s reply, he continued: “As long as Lin Xiao is happy, then whoever it is, I will give them my consent.”
It was not a direct answer, but Qin Yijun could sense that Long Yinlian is no longer as opposed to him pursuing Lin Xiao. This meant a lot to him.
“Zhen will do all to make Lin Xiao happy.”
Long Yinlian nods his head in satisfaction. He felt that since he had said all that needed to be said; it is now time for him to leave. He was just about to excuse himself when he heard the Emperor ask him again.
“How was Lin Xiao last night…? Zhen admits that Zhen has done wrong to Lin Xiao…” Qin Yijun said as he looked down on the floor. After talking to Old Pan, and also after hearing what Long Yinlian said about Lin Xiao’s suffering in waiting, he felt extremely guilty. ‘I should’ve done everything to look for him…’
But unfortunately, Long Yinlian misunderstood his meaning. “Lin Xiao… is too inexperienced, so he was… merely shocked,” Long Yinlian said. This made Qin Yijun sported a befuddled look, but since Long Yinlian couldn’t see, he simply continued. “Your Majesty will need to be patient with him. Please don’t rush him. There are many things in terms of relationship that Lin Xiao doesn’t know so Your Majesty will need to teach him slowly.”