"Xue Jingyun, I entrusted the Empress to you, and now she's gone missing again. If I had known this, I wouldn't have..."
"Wouldn't have what?" Xue Jingyun looked up and asked Wen Yuxi coldly.
Wen Yuxi was stunned, then sighed. "Even my Qianjin Tower can't find A Ning's whereabouts now..."
Xue Jingyun's gaze turned cold. "Dig three feet into the ground to find A Ning."
Wen Yuxi gave a wry smile. "We've already dug three feet. Unless A Ning is in the deep mountains and old forests, it's impossible for there to be no clues at all."
"Lord Wen, Your Highness, Changping Wang of Ancheng is here to visit."
Xue Jingyun's gaze chilled. "Isn't it decreed that no one is to enter the capital without a summons?"
"Changping Wang claims to have the whereabouts of His Majesty."
Xue Jingyun's eyes paused. Wen Yuxi couldn't help but click his tongue twice. "It seems you're more useful when you return. Someone's automatically sending clues your way. I just wonder how much this knowledge of clues will cost?"
"Hush," Xue Jingyun said coldly.
Wen Yuxi leaned closer, sizing up Xue Jingyun. He clicked his tongue. "I think only your looks could make her take a liking to you!"
"Wen Yuxi..." Xue Jingyun gritted out each word.
Wen Yuxi spread his hands and shrugged. "Don't think I'm being alarmist. What I'm saying might just be the truth."
Xue Jingyun knew that what Wen Yuxi said was likely true.
"I won't see them!" Xue Jingyun said coldly.
Wen Yuxi replied, "That's not advisable. If there are really clues to A Ning's whereabouts, won't you miss the opportunity?"
"Let her in!" After much hesitation, Xue Jingyun still invited Changping Wang in.
An Ping, dressed in splendid attire, walked in. Her eyes immediately fell upon the peerlessly elegant, stunningly beautiful Crown Prince Xue Jingyun, whom countless maidens admired.
Her heart trembled inexplicably. Her father was right; only by standing at the highest point could she look at him levelly.
"Xue Jingyun," she couldn't help but utter the three words.
Before, she could only look up to him. Now, she could meet his gaze.
All of this was thanks to the change in her status. She was now the sole heir of Ancheng, the next An Wang.
"Changping Wang, His Majesty previously decreed that no one is to enter the capital without a summons. Your entry into the capital this time has violated the decree. Do you know your crime?" Xue Jingyun said coldly.
An Ping smiled upon hearing this. "Whether I have committed a crime cannot be determined yet. Shall we discuss it later?"
Xue Jingyun glanced at An Ping indifferently. She didn't refuse. An Ping continued, "Are you going to make this King stand the entire time?"
"Grant her a seat!" Xue Jingyun said indifferently.
An Ping sat down. Xue Jingyun's indifferent voice reached her. "May I ask why Changping Wang has come here?"
An Ping had expected Xue Jingyun to eagerly question her about Xue Zining's whereabouts, so she could use this opportunity to set conditions and threaten him. However, she never expected that from the moment she entered until she sat down, Xue Jingyun wouldn't mention Xue Zining at all, and even had the mind to ask her why she had come to the capital.
"This is interesting," she said with a smile. "Your Highness isn't perfectly clear about why this King has come?"
Xue Jingyun's gaze was placid, so indifferent that her entire being seemed as calm as clouds and wind, unlike someone who had been through anything. It was as if the one who had gone missing wasn't Xue Zining, but someone else.
If she didn't know that the missing person was undoubtedly Xue Zining, she would have suspected it was someone else.
"If I knew, why would I ask Changping Wang?" Xue Jingyun retorted.
An Ping gritted her teeth and said coldly, "Doesn't Your Highness want to know Xue Zining's whereabouts?"
"To call His Majesty by name so casually, Changping Wang, you have quite the audacity." Xue Jingyun looked at her coldly, her eyes filled with icy chill.
The surrounding air seemed to freeze. An Ping couldn't help but shiver.
"Xue Jingyun, Xue Zining's life or death is unknown, yet you are here, completely unconcerned about her fate. In this King's opinion, you aren't that loyal to her, are you?"
"How loyal I am to His Majesty is not for Changping Wang to worry about. If Changping Wang cannot convince me today, then the decree of no entry without a summons is enough to have you charged."
Xue Jingyun's eyes were icy, exuding a piercing, cold wind.
An Ping trembled but still showed some unwillingness. "Don't you really want to know Xue Zining's whereabouts?"
Xue Jingyun said indifferently, "Since Changping Wang cannot convince me, guards, seize Changping Wang for disrespect and attempted rebellion. Take her away to await sentencing."
An Ping was startled and rose abruptly. "Xue Jingyun, you..."
Before she could finish, Xue Song and Xue Feng, the leaders, had already entered.
An Ping shook her head in disbelief. "How is this possible?"
Xue Song stepped forward. "Changping Wang, will you follow me willingly, or must I drag you out?"
"What right do you have to touch this King? Scram..." An Ping said angrily.
Xue Song sneered upon hearing this. "I dare not disobey the orders of Your Highness. If Changping Wang insists on defying Your Highness's command, then I must offend Changping Wang."
An Ping laughed, first a low chuckle, then increasingly maniacally. "I thought you loved Xue Zining so much. Now it seems you've been wishing for her to disappear all along, so that this world would be yours? Xue Jingyun, Xue Jingyun, I never thought you'd have such thoughts. I wonder if Xue Zining, upon knowing, should laugh at her own blindness or regret her misplaced trust in you?"
"Take her away!" Xue Jingyun said coldly.
Xue Song stepped forward to grab An Ping's arm. An Ping fiercely shook her hand away and said angrily, "Don't touch this King. This King will go..."
"Xue Jingyun, you will never know Xue Zining's whereabouts..." An Ping roared as she was led away.
Wen Yuxi, who had watched the entire scene unfold, looked at Xue Jingyun blankly. "It's over just like that?" "What else?" Xue Jingyun retorted.
"You didn't even ask about A Ning's matters?" Wen Yuxi asked.
Xue Jingyun said indifferently, "Would she have said anything if I had asked? I doubt it."
"So, you deliberately didn't ask?" Wen Yuxi asked, looking at Xue Jingyun.
Xue Jingyun said lightly, "If she wanted to say, she would have said it. Why should I be led by the nose?"
"But, A Ning's whereabouts? Don't you want to know?" Wen Yuxi knew that Xue Jingyun was the most anxious and impatient person right now.
"I want to know, but I know that even if Changping Wang wanted to say, her conditions would be something I couldn't accept. Since that's the case, it's better not to ask and let her become impatient and speak up herself."
Wen Yuxi heard this and said, "Shall I go and ask?"
"As you wish..." Xue Jingyun turned and left.
Wen Yuxi curled his lips into a smile, clearly understanding that Xue Jingyun wanted him to interrogate An Ping.
And saying it so righteously?
Truly a petty person who has achieved their ambition.
However, for A Ning's sake, he would endure it for now. When A Ning returns, he would definitely ask for a favor.
"Wen Nuan..."
As the words fell, a charming voice appeared at the door. "Has the楼主 finally remembered your subordinate?"
Wen Yuxi's mouth twitched. "Wen Nuan, I saw you recently getting along quite well with the Feng Guards Feng Wu and Feng Yun, and I thought you were eighteen years old and it was time to consider your own lifelong event. I haven't instructed you on many things, yet you're blaming your master. Truly ungrateful for good intentions."
Wen Nuan snorted. "I don't believe you. It's just that the楼主 has been in a bad mood lately and doesn't want to see your subordinates."
Wen Yuxi's gaze darkened considerably. "That's right. This楼主's mood hasn't been very good lately. Shall I take you to interrogate someone for fun?"