Forced to Love (GL) - Chapter 37

A faint breath brushed past her ear. As Zhao Qingsui finished speaking, a sudden electric current rushed up from the base of Lingxi’s spine. A tingling sensation spread through her, making her body tremble slightly.

The fingers resting on her chin gently stroked her skin, bringing a faint, ticklish feeling.

Lingxi instinctively turned her head to look at her, and something soft brushed against her cheek.

Before she could process what that sensation was, a voice beside her ear once again drew her attention away.

“It’s not just a bow of courtesy between ruler and subject.”

“It’s more than that. Everything about you—I want it all.”

Zhao Qingsui’s voice softened inexplicably, yet the words carried a deep intensity.

Her dark eyes gleamed with a light so dazzling that it seemed to fill Lingxi’s entire vision.

That brightness—so intense that one would instinctively look away—yet in that moment, even as if pierced by a thorn in her heart, Lingxi found herself unable to avert her gaze.

For the first time, Lingxi felt a kind of clarity. She faced herself in the mirror without hesitation, facing the deepest, most hidden corners of her heart.

“So, what exactly are you afraid of?”

As Zhao Qingsui leaned closer, even the light seemed to grow warmer, shining hotly against Lingxi’s cheeks.

Lingxi looked at her, feeling that warmth, and answered after a moment of thought:

“Your Highness and I are both women. In this court, in all of DatTai, this will be the greatest obstacle. I do not want Your Highness to be subjected to gossip, nor do I want you to trouble yourself over this.”

“You do not want that, but you are willing to let me suffer the torment of not having you?”

Zhao Qingsui’s gaze sharpened as she studied her closely.

“…No.”

“Then what is it?”

Zhao Qingsui pressed one hand against the stone pillar behind Lingxi while the other traced the curve of her jaw, the back of her fingers brushing lightly over her earlobe.

The faint ticklish sensation on her chin instantly intensified. Lingxi instinctively tilted her head, trying to escape this teasing torment.

Sensing her movement, Zhao Qingsui pressed down, pinching her earlobe lightly between her fingers.

“You fear nothing, yet you fear mere words of gossip?”

“I don’t care for myself, but if it concerns you, then it matters.”

Lingxi looked at her upon hearing this, her voice soft yet firm.

Zhao Qingsui met her gaze. They stared at each other for a long moment before Zhao Qingsui suddenly chuckled. “So all your worries come down to this?”

“Yes.”

Lingxi swallowed down the real, unspoken reason in her heart and chose the most justifiable one instead.

“We are already married. Your true identity—only I know it in all of DatTai.”

“If there are no heirs for a long time, it may be difficult to explain to His Majesty.”

The warmth from Zhao Qingsui’s fingers seeped into her skin. Under her gentle caress, Lingxi’s earlobes slowly turned red.

“My father is not a concern. As long as Sheng’er exists, the royal bloodline will not be severed.”

“But the people…”

“The people? As a princess, I must choose my words carefully. But I believe everyone understands this.”

Lingxi wanted to say more, but Zhao Qingsui suddenly applied a little more pressure.

“As for what is said behind our backs, that is beyond our control.” Zhao Qingsui paused, her lips curving into a teasing smile. “Or… does my consort wish to have an heir?”

Lingxi felt her face grow hot under her teasing gaze.

“In that case, I shall send people to find an ancient remedy.”

“No, no, that’s not it!”

“Then does my consort have any other concerns?”

The warmth of her fingers brushed against Lingxi’s cheek. Looking at Zhao Qingsui, bathed in golden sunlight, there was nowhere to hide. Even the deepest feelings in her heart seemed to be uncovered and exposed under that golden glow.

Lingxi was at a loss for words. As she faced everything so openly and sincerely, a forbidden desire sprouted within her heart, breaking through the fallen leaves, the stones, and flourishing under the nourishing sunlight.

She silently shook her head.

Zhao Qingsui’s smile deepened. Her warm fingers rested against Lingxi’s lips as she leaned in even closer. Lingxi finally heard her whisper with a soft chuckle:

“Good. Then we can have a more thorough discussion on how you will fulfill my wish.”

“…What?”

A shadow loomed over her. Lingxi was momentarily stunned. Only when the warmth of Zhao Qingsui’s fingers was replaced by soft lips did she realize what was happening.

The shadow pressed down, sealing away the words she was about to say, slowly and intimately erasing them.

Softness met softness, and in an instant, brilliant sparks ignited. A nimble tongue traced the shape of her lips before slipping inside, brushing past tightly sealed teeth. As her body trembled, a slight gap opened.

Though fleeting, it was enough for the other to seize the opportunity. Zhao Qingsui’s tongue slipped in smoothly, tracing circles within, brushing against the inner walls, enticing her to respond.

Breath was taken away, rhythm dictated.

A hand slid along her back, another grazing down her spine, moving up and down in slow, teasing motions. The sensations at her back, coupled with the kiss, overwhelmed her senses.

Their intertwined silhouettes were cast on the wall, a clear image of closeness. If one looked down, they would see Lingxi’s slowly loosening grip.

The kiss lasted a long time. Only when Zhao Qingsui pulled back slightly, catching her breath, did Lingxi’s eyes cloud with a thin mist. She reached out, gently stroking Zhao Qingsui’s back to steady her breathing.

“Your Highness, you…”

“Shut up.”

The words “Are you alright?” caught in Lingxi’s throat and were swallowed back down.

Once Zhao Qingsui’s breathing steadied, she grabbed Lingxi’s hand and led her to the bed.

The moment Lingxi was pushed onto the bed, the sash around her waist came undone. Her robe slipped open and slid down.

Zhao Qingsui leaned over, bracing herself above her. Her deep eyes carried a hint of laughter as her fingers traced from Lingxi’s brow, down her nose, stopping at the lips she had just tasted.

Her smile widened as she murmured, “Your so-called habit of rolling off the bed—I will personally check if you’ve changed it.”

Lingxi’s eyes widened slightly, her breath unsteady, landing against Zhao Qingsui’s fingertips.

Before she could fully grasp the meaning behind the words, Zhao Qingsui had already laid down beside her, resting her head against Lingxi’s chest.

Her already fast heartbeat was completely exposed.

The person in her arms smiled slightly and whispered, “Sleep.”

…

The next morning at court, Lingxi received Zhao Cong’s decree: she was to accompany Zhao Qingsui in the upcoming hunt. The chancellor would also be attending.

Later, Lingxi returned to the Court of Justice to discuss matters with Li Cai. She had a painter sketch out the faces of the white-fan man and the short, stout man she had described, distributing the portraits among her subordinates. Carefully folding one, she tucked it away to bring to Zhao Qingsui later.

That afternoon, Lingxi visited the Ministry of Works, using Zhao Qingsui’s name to look around. Finally, at the ** factory under the Imperial Bureau, she spotted the short, stout man.

On the day of the hunt, Lingxi helped Zhao Qingsui onto the carriage, lowered the curtains, then took the reins from a guard and mounted her horse.

The hunting party set off in grandeur, banners filling the sky.

Ling Xi carried a quiver on her back. One hand held the reins, the other held a bow.

This hunt wasn’t a large one. Zhao Cong had ordered all officials to join. The person who hunted the most within the time limit would win.

After arriving at the royal hunting grounds, the group rested briefly before the competition began.

When Ling Xi received the message, she was just about to leave Zhao Qingsui’s tent. But Zhao Qingsui suddenly called out to her.

“Your Highness?”

Ling Xi turned to look at her.

Zhao Qingsui stepped forward and gently brushed Ling Xi’s robe. Her fingertips smoothed the collar and tightened the bandage on Ling Xi’s injured finger. Only then did she say, “Be careful.”

A faint fragrance drifted to Ling Xi’s nose. Just after a few breaths, a soft smile appeared on her face.

“All right. Your Highness, please rest easy.”

Ling Xi rode through the forests and grasslands. Horses neighed wildly. Animals scattered, crashing through the leaves. Cheers and shouts echoed nearby.

The wind blew past her ears. Ling Xi spotted a fast-moving animal, quickly nocked an arrow, and shot. The moment the arrow hit the target, another arrow also struck its fur.

As Ling Xi approached on horseback, she happened to meet the Prime Minister, who also came to collect the prey.

“Prime Minister Li.” Ling Xi put away her bow and saluted.

“Oh? Did Lord Lu also aim for this prey?”

“Your arrow was faster than mine, Prime Minister. This prey should be yours.”

Ling Xi got off her horse, pulled out her arrow, and picked up the prey to hand it to him.

He stroked his beard and smiled. “Lord Lu, you are too polite.” Then he lowered his voice, “Looks like after becoming Princess Consort, your view has changed.”

“Prime Minister, I am humbled.” Ling Xi bowed.

The Prime Minister dismounted and held his reins. “I was just speaking casually. Don’t take it to heart. There are many animals left in the woods. Shall we go together?”

“All right.”

The two walked side by side, horses in hand, stepping on broken branches and fallen leaves that made crisp sounds.

“Did you observe the stars a few nights ago during your rest day, Prime Minister? When I was in the city, I met a
fortune-teller who said the Tianshu star in the Big Dipper shined brightly that night—a rare event that signals good
fortune for Great Tai.”

The Prime Minister kept his eyes ahead, still searching for prey. “I didn’t. That night I drank too much wine and went to bed early. What did you see, Lord Lu?”

Ling Xi carefully watched his expression but noticed nothing strange. “It really was bright and easy to see in the sky.”

“Is that so? Then I missed it.”

He didn’t seem focused on the conversation. His eyes stayed fixed on prey ahead, calm and unreadable.

“Maybe that fortune-teller tricked me. There might be another such night soon. But I also saw a red light on the
horizon.”

“A red light? A sign in the sky?”

“Maybe not. It looked more like firelight.”

“Firelight? Then maybe there was a fire somewhere, so you saw the red glow.”

As he finished speaking, the Prime Minister raised his hand, signaling her to be quiet. Then Ling Xi saw a wild boar
run across the path. He told her to circle from the other side, and the two of them moved to trap it.

That night, Ling Xi handed her prey to the servants and then entered the tent to find Zhao Qingsui.

Zhao Qingsui sat behind a table, her hand supporting her forehead, looking at something. Without any announcement, she assumed it was Su Rui returning when she heard the sound.

The hunting camp was deep in the woods, and the temperature had started to drop in the evening. Ling Xi brought over a newly changed hand warmer from Su Rui and crouched in front of Zhao Qingsui’s table.

Just then, Zhao Qingsui looked up at her. The coldness in her eyes melted instantly, like the first thaw in early spring.

“Your Highness, you should replace your hand warmer.”

Zhao Qingsui nodded slightly, seeming thoughtful. Her eyes wandered to the hand warmer in Ling Xi’s hand. Then she looked at Ling Xi and slowly said, “Yes. I think the incense burner in the bed should also be changed.”