"Why?" Chu Qianli asked.
Princess Ling smiled, "Of course, it's to create opportunities for the young ladies, to capture the Emperor's favor. You, my dear, are likely one of the targets the Empress Dowager has set her sights on."
Chu Qianli was stunned, utterly bewildered.
To find beauties for the Emperor of Nanming, and she... was one of them? What a joke!
"Your Highness..."
"You needn't be so nervous, my dear. Our Empress Dowager means no harm. She's simply been anxious for over a decade."
Princess Ling finished speaking and couldn't help but sigh softly.
Her sigh was filled with helplessness.
"The Emperor is the Empress Dowager's own son. Naturally, she fears for his... and the empire's future."
"Your Highness!" Chu Qianli's brows furrowed. Princess Ling's words were rather inappropriate.
This was completely unlike Princess Ling's usual demeanor.
She was always so gentle and cautious; how could she not know that such words should not be spoken lightly?
Especially to an outsider like herself.
But at this moment, Princess Ling seemed truly unrestrained, speaking of these matters without any reservation.
She continued, "Although these words cannot be spoken, within the royal family, they are hardly a secret."
"The Emperor has no harem, nor any heirs. If, in the future, he... in short, an Emperor without heirs cannot secure his throne."
Chu Qianli remained silent, merely listening.
She still couldn't fathom why the usually sensible Princess Ling would dare to speak so carelessly now.
But Princess Ling gave her no chance to ponder. She continued, "The Empress Dowager has worried for over ten years. Anyone else would have, by any means necessary, forced the Emperor to take concubines and leave behind an imperial heir."
"The Empress Dowager tried every method, but unfortunately, our Emperor is impervious to both persuasion and coercion. He simply refuses to take concubines, a stance that has led to much wild speculation among officials."
The nature of that speculation, even without Princess Ling saying it, Chu Qianli understood.
It was likely about his impotence, his inability, or perhaps his sexual orientation.
After that, the Empress Dowager was almost in despair.
While she still refused to give up, each selection of beauties felt like a mere formality.
She couldn't muster enthusiasm, yet she couldn't completely abandon her responsibility.
This led to the current situation: holding banquets whenever possible, and being content if the Emperor could be persuaded to glance at them.
For some reason, Princess Ling suddenly looked at Chu Qianli and smiled faintly, "The Empress Dowager is quite fond of Princess Feiyan of the Yu Prince's mansion."
Chu Qianli turned her head to look at her, unsure of Princess Ling's intention in bringing this up now.
The smile on Princess Ling's lips faded slightly. She sighed softly, "It is also my fault for not teaching Qianqian well. She is indeed not as adept at pleasing people as Princess Feiyan."
"Of course, the Empress Dowager only dares to be kind to the Princess. Towards the young lords, she still harbors reservations..."
"Actually, Your Highness, you don't need to tell me these things. I am, after all, not from your Nanming Kingdom," Chu Qianli reminded her.
Princess Ling was being too talkative today.
Loquacity often led to mistakes; Princess Ling couldn't possibly not understand this principle.
Princess Ling seemed to recall something, and smiled faintly, "Yes, I have said too much, ruining your mood."
But she glanced at Chu Qianli again, her gaze still so complex that Chu Qianli couldn't decipher it.
What did that look mean?
Ever since Chu Qianli first met Princess Ling, she felt that Princess Ling's gaze towards her was somehow off, just as it was now.
Before Chu Qianli could unravel the mystery, two figures hurried towards them from ahead.