Although asked such a private question by his unfamiliar mother, he still answered without hesitation, "Yes, I like her."
"But, she was married before." Yin Lihua frowned, appearing displeased, but she didn't want to scare her newly recognized son, so she could only maintain a smile, her expression looking strange.
"I don't care." How could he care? At first, she didn't mind his humble background, and later she even put all her effort into helping him find his origins.
To be able to bring the Empress of Fengming Kingdom here, she must have put in a lot of effort.
How could he dislike such a princess, and how could he bear to dislike her?
"A'Su, Mother knows she has been kind to you, but marriage is not a child's play. Your liking her now is just gratitude. When you see the outside world and meet various noble ladies, you won't think like this. Mother would never harm you, so listen to Mother, okay?" Yin Lihua saw her son like this and patiently guided him.
"Whether my liking her is gratitude or not, I know it better than anyone. If you're just here to interfere with my feelings... then, please leave." For some reason, seeing her didn't feel as good as he expected. He disliked being controlled, especially when it came to his emotions.
After all, he had been like a floating duckweed for so many years, and the only thing he could control was his own feelings.
When he first learned that he might be a prince, he was full of anticipation to return and be with the princess openly. Now that the truth had arrived, he was filled with panic. If this person claiming to be his mother forcefully took him away, what would he do if he never saw the princess again...
"A'Su, how can you speak to Mother like that?" The aura of a superior, maintained for a long time, manifested instantly. Even though it was her own son, her majesty as Empress was not to be violated.
"First, ask why you lost me. Although I was sensible at ten years old, after losing my memory, I wandered to Tenglong Kingdom. Clearly, you had long given up searching for me. Otherwise, with the royal family's power, how could you not find your own prince after seven years?" To see him alive, or to see his body, but neither was found, he had completely disappeared from their lives.
If it weren't for the Grand Princess helping him search for his origins, perhaps he would never have known that his biological parents were actually the King and Queen of a country.
Regret and sadness began to fill Yin Lihua's eyes again: "At that time, Mother was pregnant. Fearing it would affect the fetus, your father persuaded me day and night, saying that he had been investigating your whereabouts all along."
"Oh." Li Su only responded faintly.
Yin Lihua felt that she indeed owed him, and her tone softened, "Let's not talk about these for now. You've suffered all these years."
Li Su remained silent.
Seeing that he was ignoring her, Yin Lihua sighed, "Why don't you return to Fengming Kingdom with Mother first? When you've seen various noble ladies and still like her, Mother will ask the Emperor of Tenglong Kingdom to propose marriage to you for Qiao Ci, how about that?"
"I don't need to see other noble ladies. If I can propose marriage to the Grand Princess, and she is unwilling to go to Fengming Kingdom, I will stay with her." Li Su was quite moved when he heard that Yin Lihua was willing to let him propose marriage to Qiao Ci.
"How can that be?" Yin Lihua's expression immediately turned grim, and she directly played her trump card, "Fengming Kingdom has not yet established a Crown Prince. As the saying goes, the eldest should be established. You were exceptionally intelligent since childhood, and although you lost those ten years of memory, it's not too late.
Perhaps you have a chance to contend for the throne, this is also my and your father's intention, and a compensation for you. If you stay here, without power or influence, do you just want to be her consort, unable to protect your own woman at critical moments?"
Seeing his infatuation with Qiao Ci, Yin Lihua couldn't help but be angry, but she still used her as a pawn to provoke Li Su.
As for if Li Su truly became the Crown Prince, it wouldn't be too late to deal with Qiao Ci.
After all, neither the Crown Princess nor the Empress was suitable for a princess from another country.
Li Su pondered for a moment, "I need to ask the Princess for her opinion."
Yin Lihua looked at him with regret that he wasn't living up to expectations, but she was helpless. She waved her hand, letting him go, and then said, "I have something to tell Qiao Ci. Call her in."
Her high-and-mighty attitude, calling Qiao Ci as if she were a servant, made Li Su's eyes dim, "I will call you Mother for now. The Grand Princess is not your enemy. On the contrary, she saved me and took care of me for so long. If you're not grateful, at least don't be so presumptuous. It's better to be low-key in other countries."
Without looking at her expression, he continued, "I'll go ask the Grand Princess if she's willing to see you."
"A'Su, you!" Yin Lihua couldn't continue speaking. She felt that years of life among the common people had changed her obedient and well-behaved son!
When they returned, she would arrange the most rigorous etiquette and filial piety for him!
Qiao Ci was in a nearby pavilion, sitting on a lounge chair, eating snacks while admiring the moonlight.
Seeing him come out, she smiled slightly, "How was it?"
"She wants me to go back with her and said that after returning, she would ask the Emperor to propose marriage to you. But, I..." Li Su's emotions were quite complex at the moment, and he didn't know how to say it.
"I understand. Just follow your heart. If you're willing to go back, then go. If you're not willing to go back, then stay here as my consort, and I will protect you." Qiao Ci's expression was unrestrained.
"En!" Li Su nodded. "She wants to talk to you. Are you willing to talk to her? If not, I'll refuse her."
"Talk to me?" Qiao Ci was a little confused. What was there to talk about with her? She went to see, after all, she was the cub's birth mother. "Alright, I'll go take a look."
"By the way, her attitude might be a bit problematic. You don't need to pay attention to it, and you don't need to feel wronged. I will always stand on your side. Wherever you are, I will be there." Li Su reminded her.
"En." Feel wronged? Her?
Qiao Ci was completely unafraid. She got up and entered the room.
"I heard you have something to discuss with me?" Qiao Ci did not give Yin Lihua any preferential treatment just because she was Li Su's mother, especially when she felt her cub was in low spirits.
Standing firm, she spoke directly, her eyes smiling but not reaching the depths.
"I want Li Su to return to Fengming Kingdom with me. I hope you can persuade him," Yin Lihua's tone was haughty, as if Qiao Ci was no different from the princesses born to other concubines in the Fengming imperial harem.
"Persuade him about what?" Qiao Ci's face showed no emotion.
"Persuade him not to be sentimental. Only by returning to Fengming Kingdom with me will he have the chance to compete for the throne and become the supreme being." Yin Lihua looked at this woman who was expressionless and extremely indifferent. She really couldn't understand what her son liked about her.
"That's his business. If he's willing to go back, he can go back. If he's not willing to go back, I'll support him, whatever he likes." Qiao Ci was completely unfazed by her words.