"Your Majesty,"
She looked up, a glimmer of uncertainty flashing in her eyes:
"Although this subordinate does not understand, Lan Xing might know a little."
"Lan Xing knows?"
Empress Ling Shuang raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Yes."
Lan Ling nodded and explained:
"That girl Lan Xing has always been quick-witted; she loves reading storybooks and miscellaneous texts, and is more resourceful when dealing with others."
"Perhaps she can offer some insight."
Empress Ling Shuang was silent for a moment before speaking softly,
"Summon her."
"Yes."
Lan Ling acknowledged the order, her figure disappearing silently from the room.
A moment later, a slightly hurried sound of footsteps approached from afar.
Lan Xing, that more lively Female General, stepped into the room with slight trepidation under Lan Ling's signal.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!"
Lan Xing knelt on one knee, her voice crisp.
She was a bit confused at this moment.
It was already late at night, and Her Majesty the Empress had summoned her suddenly. With only her and Lan Ling present, it did not seem like a routine meeting.
"Rise, and sit."
Empress Ling Shuang's voice remained cold and detached, revealing little emotion.
Lan Xing rose as instructed and sat on the other jade chair beside Lan Ling.
Her gaze could not help but sneakily glance toward Her Majesty and Lan Ling, trying to find some clues on their faces.
However, Her Majesty's expression was calm, and Lan Ling was focused and composed; she could only suppress the curiosity and unease in her heart.
The room fell into silence once more, with only the moonlight flowing outside the window.
After a long while, Empress Ling Shuang spoke slowly, her voice seemingly deeper than usual,
"Lan Xing."
"This subordinate is here!"
Lan Xing responded immediately.
"I have a question for you,"
Empress Ling Shuang's gaze fell upon her, her eyes deep and unfathomable,
"If a person constantly and unconsciously pays attention to another person's every word and action, and feels displeased upon seeing them close with others..."
She paused, seemingly weighing her words, her fingertips unconsciously tapping on the armrest:
"And this person is different from anyone you have seen before, making you feel curious, wanting to get closer, wanting to understand, and even..."
Empress Ling Shuang's voice paused slightly, and in those eyes that were always cold and majestic, a rare, extremely subtle trace of confusion flashed by:
"Even, unwilling to let others get too close to her."
"What... does this mean?"
As her voice fell, the room was so quiet that a pin drop could be heard.
Lan Xing froze, her eyes widening slightly, and she subconsciously looked at Lan Ling beside her.
Lan Ling gave her an extremely slight look, carrying a sense of encouragement and a reminder.
Lan Xing's heart rate accelerated instantly.
These words from Her Majesty... this description...
Combining the subtle atmosphere between the two Empresses over the past few days, and Her Majesty's seemingly unusually different attitude toward that Yaochi Empress...
A shocking guess exploded in her mind like a thunderclap!
Her Majesty... is Her Majesty asking about matters of affection?!
And asking about that Yaochi Empress?!
Lan Xing felt her throat go dry, her mind racing.
She did indeed love reading storybooks and had privately discussed matters of romance with her sisters, but those were just jokes during leisure time!
Now, the one asking this is Her Majesty the Empress, who has ruled the Northern Region for tens of thousands of years!
And the object is another Empress!
This... how was she supposed to answer this?
If she spoke too lightly, she might be suspected of being perfunctory.
If she spoke too heavily, what if...
Just as Lan Xing's thoughts were racing and she was feeling restless, Empress Ling Shuang's cold voice sounded again, carrying a hint of unquestionable authority:
"Speak the truth. I absolve you of any guilt."
This sentence was like a calming pill, making Lan Xing calm down instantly.
Since Her Majesty had spoken, she truly wanted to hear it.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, and quickly organized her thoughts in her mind.
"Replying to Your Majesty,"
Lan Xing's voice carried a hint of imperceptible trepidation, but it was still clear,
"This subordinate... this subordinate believes that the state of mind Your Majesty described usually means..."
She paused, carefully choosing her words:
"It means that for Your Majesty, this person is no longer an ordinary Fellow Daoist or opponent."
"But occupies a rather special position in Your Majesty's heart."
"Special?"
Empress Ling Shuang's eyes narrowed slightly,
"What kind of special?"
Lan Xing gritted her teeth, knowing she could no longer be vague:
"Your Majesty unconsciously pays attention to her because she has attracted Your Majesty's gaze, making Your Majesty care."
"Feeling displeased when seeing her close to others is perhaps the first sign of a desire for possession, being unwilling for her to be too close to others."
"As for feeling curious and wanting to get closer to understand..."
Lan Xing's voice lowered a bit, carrying an almost certain judgment:
"That is a sign of developing affection, or even the secret budding of romantic feelings."
The last four words, she said very softly, yet they were like a heavy hammer striking Empress Ling Shuang's heart.
Secret budding of romantic feelings?
Empress Ling Shuang's pupils contracted imperceptibly.
She was not entirely unaware of the meaning of this term, but she had never imagined that these words would be associated with herself.
Nor had she imagined that the object would be a woman, would be Gu Han.
But now...
"Then if that is truly the case, what should I do?"
Empress Ling Shuang spoke again, her voice still cold, but with less confusion and more inquiry.
The moment her words fell, Lan Ling and Lan Xing looked at each other, full of disbelief.
Lan Xing thought of Her Majesty's usual cold and rigid style, and then thought of that Yaochi Empress's cold and peaceful nature.
Although the other party was also a woman, she was still an Empress, and her strength was so great.
If Her Majesty really had this intention, as Her Majesty's personal guard, she should naturally offer advice.
Thinking of this, she gathered her courage and said:
"Palace Master Gu appears cold, but she is actually very perceptive."
"If Your Majesty truly likes her, perhaps there is no need to rush."
"Treating her with sincerity and proceeding slowly might be more appropriate."
After Lan Xing finished speaking, she let out a long sigh of relief, lowering her head, not daring to look at Her Majesty's expression again.
These words of hers were already an extremely bold speculation and advice.
The room fell into a long silence once again.
Empress Ling Shuang sat upright on the jade chair, the cold aura around her body seemingly much more restrained.
Lan Xing's words were like a key, quietly opening some tightly closed doors in her heart.
Unwilling to let others get close to her is a desire for possession?
Had she developed feelings for Gu Han?
Treating her with sincerity, proceeding slowly...
These words were completely at odds with her past principles of conduct.
She was the Empress of the Northern Region, always decisive and sharp in her actions; if she wanted something, she would just take it directly—why would she need to do this?
But the other party was Gu Han.
She couldn't beat her; if she forced it, it clearly wouldn't work...
Perhaps... Qingxuan was right.
She really didn't understand.
She didn't know how to express care, didn't know how to treat someone gently, and didn't even know how to distinguish between the desire for victory and true attraction.
But if she didn't understand, she could learn.
Since she had clarified her feelings, she would act on them.
But she could no longer be as straightforward and reckless as before.
Gu Han did not like being forced and did not want them to fight.
Then she would restrain her sharpness and treat her with sincerity.
She slowly raised her eyes, her gaze sweeping over Lan Xing and Lan Ling who were waiting with lowered heads.
"You may withdraw."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The two felt as if they had been granted amnesty, bowed respectfully, and quietly withdrew from the room.
The door closed gently.
Empress Ling Shuang sat alone in the silence, the moonlight streaming through the window lattice, flowing over her ice-blue palace attire.
She raised her hand, a wisp of cold Qi flowing at her fingertips, gradually condensing into an ice lotus about to bloom.
Ice... can also be a source of life.
Gu Han's words seemed to ring in her ears again.
Empress Ling Shuang gazed at the ice lotus in her palm, a faint but real warmth flashing in her eyes.
"Gu Han..."
She silently recited this name, her fingertips gently brushing over the petals of the ice lotus.
"We have a long future ahead."
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