The Sacred Mark had manifested!
At those words, Liu Xun could no longer sit still. He immediately asked, "If a daughter of your house married an outsider, could her child also manifest a Sacred Mark?"
He said an outsider, but what he really meant was the imperial family. If a Sacred Mark could manifest, having only one partner for a lifetime was entirely acceptable!
Luo Qing shook his head. "Of course not. It must be a member of the Luo Clan.
"The manifestation of a Sacred Mark requires both an ancestor who possessed one and the blessing of our ancestor, the Sage King. Neither can be absent.
"Over the years, quite a few daughters of the Luo Clan's legitimate line have married outside the clan, especially in our marriage alliances with the Lü Clan in years past. When have you ever heard of someone from another clan possessing a Sacred Mark?"
Rather disappointed, Liu Xun sat back down. He gazed twice with envy at the Sacred Mark shining between Luo Qing's brows and sighed softly.
Only then did he gather his thoughts and say, "Since your house has made preparations, I will ask no further. With the Marquis of Unshuang State in the Western Regions, and loyal subjects such as the Marquis of Anyang, I can rest easy.
"Zizheng, draft an edict appointing the Marquis of Anyang as Great Protector of the Western Regions. He is to take up his post immediately. I leave all subsequent arrangements to you and Zimeng.
"That will be all. You may withdraw."
His enthusiasm somewhat dampened, the emperor dismissed them. The four men left the hall, and as they reached the foot of the steps outside, the atmosphere abruptly grew heavy.
As one, they glanced back at the palace, where they seemed still able