Answer:
"But the emperor's affection for her only grew and gave him courage to pursue his love despite what others thought."
Step-by-step explanation:
The fictional novel "The Tale of Genji" by Murasaki Shikibu talks about the life of a young son of an emperor and his low-class concubine. The tale delves into the aristocratic lifestyle of 11th century Japan and how class plays a huge role in the lives of the people.
As given in the excerpt from the text, the emperor fell in love with a lady who "was not of a high rank, nor was she of a low rank." This made the other ladies jealous and resulted in the illness of that particular lady. But the emperor was determined to pursue her "despite what others thought." This determination to do things that may not seem 'acceptable' in the eyes of others supports the central idea that people should follow their own hearts and not be conscious of what others may think.
Thus, the correct answer is the last/ fourth option.