Five years after her death, she awoke on the dragon bed.

Chapter 343 What does it feel like to like someone?

Consort De could not hide her disappointment upon receiving Murong's answer.

How come he can make arrangements for other women so early on, but he has no such plans for her at all?

Undeterred, she asked again, "Then, Your Majesty, could you spend the whole day with me today?"

Murong looked at Ji Qing, who immediately understood and stepped forward to reply, "The cabinet ministers are still waiting for Your Majesty to discuss state affairs. What do you think, Your Majesty?"

Consort De glared at Ji Qing, feeling that Ji Qing was a complete spoilsport.

"You stay here and accompany Consort De. She will grant you any requests she may have," Murong ordered Ji Qing.

Ji Qing quickly agreed.

After instructing Ji Qing, Murong said to Consort De, "Today is my beloved consort's birthday, please be happy. I have other matters to attend to, so I will return to Qianqing Palace first."

Consort De knew that she could not keep Murong at this moment. Her eyes welled up with tears, and she confessed to Murong without hesitation, "Your Majesty, do you know that I love you?"

Murong was taken aback by Consort De's bold and direct actions, and he was momentarily at a loss for how to react, his brows furrowing slightly.

Seeing that Murong remained silent, Consort De continued, "I just wanted to tell Your Majesty that I like you, and to let you know my feelings for you. If one day Your Majesty will also like me, that would be a blessing I earned in my past life."

Murong met Consort De's loving eyes, but his mood remained unchanged.

He saw passion and admiration in Consort De's eyes. If this is what love is, if loving someone means being moved by that person, then he clearly did not have this kind of passionate and pure feeling for Consort De.

"I'm leaving now. Jiqing, accompany my beloved consort for a stroll." Murong didn't give Consort De any response and rode away in his palanquin.

Consort De watched Murong walk away, her heart sinking. She didn't expect Murong to reciprocate her feelings, but Murong's lack of emotion only served to further demonstrate the cold-blooded ruthlessness of this man.

Her birthday today is destined to be unhappy.

She looked at Ji Qing and said, "Go back to serve His Majesty. If His Majesty asks, just say that you cannot replace His Majesty."

What she wanted was Murong's company, but she didn't care if he sent his servants to accompany her.

Ji Qing bowed his head in agreement, then turned and left.

Murong remained silent on his way back to Qianqing Palace, still thinking about Consort De's feelings for him.

Consort De seems to like him a lot, but he doesn't feel any particular liking or dislike towards her. Besides, it's Consort De's birthday today, and the only thing he can do to compensate her is with money.

Just then, Jiqing returned and repeated what Consort De had said.

Murong Jing was silent for a moment before saying, "Go and select some rare treasures and send them to Changqiu Palace."

This is all the compensation he can offer.

"This servant obeys the order." Jiqing responded and left.

Murong caught a glimpse of Jinli out of the corner of his eye and said to her, "Come here, I have something to ask you."

Jinli followed the instructions and walked up to Murong, respectfully asking, "What are your orders, Your Majesty?"

"Do you know what it's like to like someone?" Murong asked calmly.

His emotions were always a bit more detached than most people's. He didn't have any particular favorite people or things when he was a child, and he wasn't interested in matters between men and women in the past.

This is the second person he asked. Last time he asked Jiqing, Jiqing also asked someone else. Jinli is intelligent, so perhaps she has a different perspective.

Jinli looked at her master blankly. Didn't His Majesty like the Empress? Why was he asking her this question?
Seeing that her mistress seemed very serious, she pondered for a moment and then asked, "Has Your Majesty never loved anyone?"

Murong replied firmly, "No."

Jinli wondered if she had misunderstood. Did His Majesty not actually like the Empress? Was it only because the Empress was His Majesty's wife that His Majesty treated her better?
Or is it that His Majesty is not actually sure if his feelings for the Empress are romantic love?

The problem is that she has never had any romantic experience, so how would she know what it's like to like someone?
She thought that liking someone was like how His Majesty treated His Majesty the Empress, giving her the best of everything, and even when buying a birthday gift for the young prince, he would not forget to prepare one for His Majesty the Empress.

"This servant isn't really sure either," Jinli replied truthfully.

Well, how could a mere maid like her presume to fathom her master's feelings?
For the sake of your life, it's best not to speak carelessly, lest you bring about your own demise.

Murong was displeased with Jinli's answer: "I thought you were a clever person."

"This servant is foolish and has disappointed Your Majesty," Jinli replied, lowering her eyes.

Murong felt he was worrying unnecessarily. So many government affairs were still unresolved, and several cabinet ministers were waiting for him in the Southern Study to discuss state matters. Why waste his time on such trivial matters?

He immediately put the matter aside and went to the South Study.

Xie Zhijie and several other cabinet ministers waited for Murong for a long time in the Southern Study.

It was only because Ji Qing reminded Murong that it was Consort De's birthday today, and many people were waiting for him, that Murong left them behind to celebrate Consort De's birthday. They couldn't leave the palace any longer and could only wait for Murong to return.

At that moment, Xie Zhijie thought that Murong had so many concubines in the harem, while Lou Suying's wish was to marry a husband who would only marry her. She didn't care if he was poor or not; if he only had her, her life would be complete.

Lou Suyi wanted to marry him at the time, and that was the only reason she had this idea.

He is no longer poor and can have only her, yet she shares the same man with so many concubines in the harem.

So what's so good about Murong?
Even if we take a step back and consider the worst-case scenario, Lou Suyi knew that Murong was no good, yet she still became empress, simply because Murong held a high position and power, and a single sentence from him determined her fate.

When Murong entered the South Study, he immediately saw Xie Zhijie.

For some reason, he could always spot Xie Zhijie in a crowd at a glance. One reason was his youth, and the other was his outstanding appearance. He had bumped into Lou Suyi more than once when she was chasing after Xie Zhijie.

He hadn't really liked or disliked Xie Zhijie before, but he just couldn't understand what Lou Suying saw in him. Xie Zhijie was clearly very popular with the Lou sisters, yet Lou Suying was still chasing after such a man; her taste was truly terrible.

Later, after spending time with Xie Zhijie, he came to acknowledge his abilities.

But now, looking at this minister's face again, I find it somewhat irritating.

Xie Zhijie noticed that Murong kept staring at him, and he felt uneasy, wondering if he had offended the emperor.

But you can't just ask directly.

After discussing the important matters, everyone said their goodbyes and left.

Just as Xie Zhijie was about to leave, Murong called out to him, "Minister Xie..."

Xie Zhijie stopped upon hearing the voice: "Does Your Majesty have any other instructions?"

The way Murong looked at him today made him wonder if he had done something wrong without realizing it.