"Your Highness..." Xue Song quickly supported Xue Jingyun from behind.
Xue Song was heartbroken. During their search, His Highness had not rested at all. After finally finding this place, they received such news, which was unbearable for anyone.
Xue Jingyun stood up. If his expression had been gentle moments ago, it was now icy cold, like the heavy frost of late autumn, chilling to the bone.
"Who?" Xue Jingyun asked coldly.
His voice carried a chill.
Wei Dong looked up, his eyes filled with hatred. "It was Prince Changping."
"This Prince knows." Xue Jingyun leaped into the air and flew towards the village entrance.
Xue Song followed closely. Xue Yan did not follow but went to Wei Dong, taking his hand. Her voice trembled slightly, "Can you tell me how His Majesty jumped into the sea?"
Wei Dong nodded.
Why? Had he been late again? Why?
At this moment, Xue Jingyun only hated himself. He was too slow. He needed to be faster, much faster.
Behind him, Xue Song was extremely worried. His Highness refused to rest, and upon hearing such news, how could his body endure?
Watching the fishing village turn to ashes, An Ping's lips curved slightly. Those who opposed her never ended well; these people were examples.
"My King, there were no survivors."
She nodded. "Is the ship repaired?"
"Replying to My King, it has been repaired."
"Set sail back to the country."
Before she could finish speaking, she watched the person in front of her being beheaded, blood splattering her face.
Warm liquid trickled down her face little by little.
She looked up, gazing at the figure slowly approaching her from the snow.
The white moon-white brocade robe was so familiar to her. His tall figure was silhouetted against the sea by the emerging morning light.
She didn't know when that refined and handsome face had entered her eyes and mind. She could recognize him at a glance.
She remembered him being so gentle when facing Xue Zi Ning, and cold to everyone else.
And those eyes, bright as stars, shone with dazzling brilliance when he looked at Xue Zi Ning.
But when he faced her, there was only coldness, and more coldness.
Even frost that could freeze everything.
As he approached, the surrounding air seemed to thin.
For some reason, a trace of unease welled up in her heart.
His approach brought not only coolness and coldness, but an aura that could freeze everything, along with a hint of anger. He was angry.
She took a step back. "Xue... Xue Jingyun..."
"You are not worthy to utter my name!" His clear voice, laced with extreme coldness, reached her ears.
Her whole body trembled. It was this sentence that made her shiver.
Her body trembled uncontrollably.
Closer, closer. At this moment, he stood less than two steps away from her, and he stopped.
Yet she felt as if she were in a world of ice and snow, so cold she shivered all over.
"A Ning, was she forced to jump into the sea by you?"
She heard his extremely cold voice utter the question.
Her heart turned cold, a chill that spread from the soles of her feet to every part of her body.
"You misunderstand. How could His Majesty be forced by me to jump into the sea?"
The next moment, she felt her chin being gripped tightly. Yet she saw that he hadn't moved, but an invisible hand seemed to be grabbing her throat.
Making her suffocate slowly.
"You... even if you choke me to death, it wasn't me who forced her to jump into the sea. She jumped herself," she said with great effort.
"Is that so? Then you can die too."
Her entire body trembled. She looked up and saw his deep, dark eyes, like a bottomless abyss, devoid of the former starlight.
She felt difficulty breathing. Was she really going to die like this?
"Your Highness, show mercy..."
Xue Jingyun regained his senses, moved his hand, and An Ping fell to the ground. The hand that had been choking her had vanished without a trace.
"Your Highness, now is not the time to kill her," Xue Song rushed over and whispered.
Xue Jingyun said, "This Prince knows."
He had only had a momentary murderous intent. Xue Song was right; now was indeed not the best time to kill the Prince of Changping. Such matters were for A Ning to judge.
"Your Highness, your subordinate found this by the sea."
Xue Song handed a token to Xue Jingyun. He took it. It represented the identity of the Princess of Anguo. He flipped it over. Although it was difficult to see clearly, he still saw some words engraved on it, which read, "Wait for me..."
His heart inexplicably relaxed. His A Ning was alright. His A Ning wanted him to wait for her.
Seeing that their master's ferocity had finally dissipated, they breathed a sigh of relief. As expected, only the Empress could save His Highness.
His Highness had been too terrifying just now, completely as if possessed, exuding ferocity. It was a side of His Highness he had never seen before.
Xue Zi Ning swallowed several mouthfuls of seawater and finally reached the shore. She wanted to get up, but she had no strength left.
She was so tired, so very tired...
"Someone ahead..." she heard voices not far away.
She fainted.
A soldier in uniform walked over, checked, and then approached an official, whispering, "Sir, it's a woman, still breathing."
"Silence." The official rebuked the prisoners whispering behind him.
"Pay no mind. Set forth," the official said.
The prisoners could only watch as that person lay there. Amidst the crowd, one person stared at that person, then suddenly turned his head to look at that face. After thinking for a long time, he finally remembered where he had seen her.
"Sir, that person seems to be the criminal's wife."
The official looked back at the speaker, who was the second young master of the Shen family, who had fallen into trouble.
The third young master Shen had once instructed him to look after this second young master. Now that the third young master Shen was favored by His Majesty, anyone he asked to look after must be taken seriously.
He quickly said, "Why aren't you bringing the person up?"
Shen Yun Xiu looked at the person being brought up. The more he looked, the more certain he became. He was somewhat confused as to why the Empress was here.
After a full half-year of travel to the place of exile, upon arrival, Shen Yun Xiu was assigned to a room alone. Other criminals were crammed together, several to a room, but he was given preferential treatment. Not only did he have his own room, but he also did not have to work.
He knew that all of this was done for him by Shen Yun Xuan.
He did not want any favor and would not feel grateful.
"Second Young Master, your wife has been brought to you."
Shen Yun Xiu nodded. Xue Zi Ning's clothes had been changed and she had been tidied up. Now he was even more certain that it was the Empress.
When Xue Zi Ning woke up, she was momentarily dazed. Where was she?
"Her Majesty has finally woken up."
A voice reached her. Xue Zi Ning looked up towards the owner of the voice.