Shocking! Five men are in love with the same woman!

When the Northern King saw that Ling Yan had no reaction at all, he felt a slight pang in his heart.

It felt as if a huge boulder was pressing on his heart, making it hard for him to breathe.

A hint of disappointment flashed in his eyes, but it quickly disappeared.

He continued, "It was then that I realized why I had been so obedient and accommodating to you before. You and I probably both thought it was because you were valuable that I had to cater to you. But even if you were so valuable, how could I possibly cater to you in everything? I would grant you whatever you asked for, and I would give you whatever you wanted. I even stood up against the officials of Grand Tutor Yao's faction for your sake. Everything I did went far beyond what I was supposed to do. After all, you were just a hostage, yet I went to such lengths."

“I have tried to resist this feeling, telling myself that you are just a hostage, a tool to be used. But whenever I see you or hear your voice, a strange impulse surges in my heart. I want to get close to you, protect you, and keep you by my side forever.”

His eyes were filled with deep affection and helplessness: "But I also know that you are the crown princess of another country, and you will never accept me, so I have never explained my feelings to you."

At this point, King Li of the North sighed deeply.

His gaze fell on Ling Yan again.

He hoped to see a response on her face, even just a slight change in expression.

However, Ling Yan remained expressionless, as if she didn't care about his words at all.

A bitter feeling welled up in the heart of the Northern King, and that bitterness spread wildly in his heart like a surging tide.

He closed his eyes slightly, seemingly trying to suppress the surging emotions within him.

When he opened his eyes again, his gaze was full of complex emotions. He continued, "And do you know what? When I saw you suffering terribly from the Gu worms that time, I thought I should be happy. I should have been unmoved by your torment, since you are my enemy and you have caused me so much trouble. But do you know what? I couldn't bear to do it."

His voice trembled slightly, as if recalling the struggle in his heart at that moment: "When I saw your painful appearance, my heart ached terribly. I couldn't ignore that pain, so I never used the Gu worms again, even though you had planned to escape before, and now you have destroyed my Northern Li."

A hint of pain and helplessness flashed in his eyes: "Everything you did to Bei Li is enough to fill me with hatred for you. You made me lose my power, my country, and everything I once had. So I should hate you to the bone, but I just can't bring myself to hate you. No matter how hard I try, that hatred can't take root in my heart. So I never used the Gu worms to torment you again, simply because I don't want to make you suffer anymore."

His gaze was fixed on Lingyan, as if trying to find a response on her face: "After you escaped, I could have used Gu to kill you, but I still couldn't bear to let you die. Didn't you know that I liked you, which is why you dared to run away?"

His voice carried a hint of self-mockery: "I am an emperor, and I should be ruthless and stop at nothing for power and the country. But in front of you, I have become so weak. I don't know why I am like this. I only know that in front of you, all my reason and principles have become vulnerable."

A hint of despair flashed in his eyes: "Perhaps this is the cruel trick of fate. I have fallen in love with someone I should not have, someone who is destined to bring me destruction. But I cannot extricate myself from this love, I cannot let go of this feeling, even if you overthrow my empire."

Ling Yan finally spoke.

Her voice was clear and firm, like a ray of moonlight in the cold night, falling into this atmosphere full of complex emotions.

She chuckled softly, a hint of mockery in her voice, and said, "I must correct you on one point, Prince Bei Li. The reason I dared to escape despite having Gu worms in my body was not because of your feelings for me. Although I know you love me, I don't know how deep those feelings are. I would never gamble with my feelings, especially when it comes to matters of state. Personal feelings mean nothing. So I didn't run away because I was relying on your feelings for me; I was just gambling."

Her eyes shone with a fearless light: "I bet that you, King Bei Li, still want to exchange my life for some conditions with Da Zhao, and won't just kill me recklessly out of spite. Fortunately, I bet right. Also, I would rather suffer the torment of the Gu poison than let you spare me just because you like me. I don't want your so-called reluctance, because I don't need it at all. So I would rather you don't like me than have you give me such charity. I would feel that it is an insult to me."

Lingyan's words struck the heart of the Northern King like a heavy hammer.

He stared blankly at Ling Yan, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

There was disappointment, helplessness, and a touch of unspeakable pain.

He silently looked at Lingyan and replied, "You're right. Even if I don't like you, I won't just kill you like that. After all, you have value, and great value at that."

His voice was low and slightly hoarse, as if it were a sigh coming from the depths of his soul.

Lingyan did not say anything more after hearing this.

She simply sat there quietly, yet her eyes conveyed a clear and powerful message.

See? Don't think you're so devoted, as if you've given up so much for her.

Actually, that's not the case; it's just a matter of self-interest.

Looking at Ling Yan, the King of Bei Li felt somewhat embarrassed.

However, he could not deny Lingyan's judgment.

He did make those decisions after considering many factors.

The King of Bei Li was silent for a moment, then continued speaking, as if he wanted to say everything he wanted to say to her.

“I knew you wouldn’t be so well-behaved during your time in Bei Li. So, although I didn’t realize what your purpose was in targeting the Yao family on the street that day, I really thought you were taking revenge on the Empress. But when I confronted the Yao family, I realized your true purpose.”

At this point, a complex look flashed in the eyes of the Northern King: "But at that time, I was already caught in the middle and had no choice but to continue down this path. After all, the Yao family and I were locked in a life-or-death struggle. But even so, I didn't feel angry at the time. I just thought you were really amazing. You are indeed the woman I like. I liked you even more."

Lingyan smiled sarcastically upon hearing this, and then replied, "Don't make it sound like I'm the one pushing you and forcing you. Suppressing the Yao family or even completely eliminating them is something you've always wanted to do. It's just that you've been preparing for it, or perhaps you've been working on it slowly. That's why you and the Yao family have maintained a superficial balance of power. But it won't last forever. You and the Yao family will eventually fight to the death. It's either you or them, it's just a matter of time. I'm just bringing this forward now."