Chapter 152: Do You Want to Be Emperor?

"Jingxuan, I have something to discuss with you." Su Jingluo's solemn expression prompted Xiao Jingxuan to instantly straighten his posture.

"I agree, we will send Lin Feifei away at an auspicious date. From now on, I will not let you suffer any grievances." Xiao Jingxuan eagerly stated his position. Now that he had won back both his wife and child, life was simply wonderful and deserved to be carefully cherished.

"That's not it. I want to talk about our future." Su Jingluo had never taken Lin Feifei to heart; whether she stayed in the estate or left was entirely inconsequential. She hadn't cared about Lin Feifei when she was at loggerheads with Xiao Jingxuan, and she cared about her even less now.

"Then I can move into the Luojing Pavilion instead." A rare, faint flush appeared on Xiao Jingxuan's face as he gazed ardently at Su Jingluo.

...

My good man, can you stop constantly obsessing over inner-courtyard rivalries and domestic romance? Or do you really think that's the only petty thing on my mind?

"You've misunderstood. I want to talk about our long-term plans, something that concerns the days to come." Perhaps she hadn't made herself clear. She meant a much more distant plan—like how Xiao Jingxuan was constantly locking horns with the Emperor. Was he planning to seize the throne himself, or what was his endgame? He needed to fill her in so she could figure out her next move.

"Any number of children is fine, though Yunbai is a bit lonely. Wouldn't it be better if he had more brothers and sisters? How many do you think we should have?" Ah, so that was what she meant! Xiao Jingxuan suddenly saw the light. Su Jingluo was thinking about how many children to have. Xiao Jingxuan deeply felt that he had underestimated the situation. What woman wouldn't want a few more children to secure her position?

"Xiao Jingxuan, will you please be serious? Can you stop letting your imagination run wild?" Su Jingluo was so angry she felt smoke coming out of her ears.

"I am not letting my imagination run wild. I know you are different from other women, so in this matter, I will absolutely respect your opinion." Xiao Jingxuan had no idea why Su Jingluo was getting angry. Not to mention noble and prestigious families, even in ordinary merchant households with numerous concubines and children, the mistress of the house had very little say. Xiao Jingxuan was handing all this authority entirely over to Su Jingluo, yet she didn't seem to care about any of it.

"Xiao Jingxuan, if I am with you, it must be on terms of absolute equality. I am devoted heart and soul, and you cannot harbor any other intentions either. As for everything else, we let nature take its course. The future I am speaking of concerns our family, concerns Yunbai." Su Jingluo glanced at the attendants waiting nearby and waved her hand, dismissing them all before leaning in close to Xiao Jingxuan with a mysterious air.

A blush crept across Xiao Jingxuan's fair, handsome face. The faint, lingering fragrance of rouge from Su Jingluo's cheek playfully teased his senses, and involuntarily, he leaned his head slightly closer, gently taking in her scent.

"Do you want to be the Emperor?" Su Jingluo whispered softly right into Xiao Jingxuan's ear.

The breath exhaled by Su Jingluo lightly brushed against Xiao Jingxuan's ear, plucking at his heartstrings and sending a tingling, electric sensation through him. Yet, her single sentence instantly jolted him back to reality.

Xiao Jingxuan stared at Su Jingluo in disbelief. Was this something an ordinary woman could ever dare to ask? In moments of romantic infatuation, he had always felt this woman was extraordinary and even cherished her deeply, but this sudden question instantly cleared his mind. After all, she was a spy sent by the Emperor.

"What are you staring at? Did you not hear me clearly? Come closer and I'll ask you again." Seeing Xiao Jingxuan sizing her up, Su Jingluo assumed he simply hadn't heard her over the quiet whisper, and prepared to lean toward his ear once more to repeat the question.

Xiao Jingxuan raised a hand to block Su Jingluo's approach, the warmth in his eyes gradually fading as a biting chill spread through them, freezing over in an instant.