“Father Emperor, what are you saying? How could the Crown Prince of Snow Country have any ill intentions towards Anping? It was clearly Anping herself who…”
“An Ru, shut your mouth,” the An Emperor was truly angered, scolding An Ru.
An Ru froze, looking at the furious An Emperor, and she too became angry. “Father Emperor, what do you mean by this? If you want to smear someone, I won’t object, but who is the Crown Prince of Snow Country? He already has Ah Ning, how could he…”
With a crisp “snap,” An Ru looked at the An Emperor, who had struck her, in disbelief. She bit her lower lip hard, almost tearing up.
“Get out…” the An Emperor pointed outside, his voice booming with anger.
“Do you think I want to stay here and watch you all?” An Ru covered her face and ran out.
“Ah Ning, An Ru spoke carelessly, please don’t blame her,” the An Emperor said.
Xue Zi Ning watched An Ru’s retreating back, and after a long while, she said, “I won’t.”
The An Emperor said, “Crown Prince of Snow Country, now it’s time to talk about you and Anping.”
“Talk about what?” Xue Jingyun asked faintly, his expression as cold as frost.
The An Emperor coughed lightly, “Your ill intentions towards Anping.”
Upon hearing this, Xue Jingyun said coldly, “Ill intentions? Does the An Emperor have proof?”
“What other proof is needed? Isn’t Anping’s current disheveled state proof enough?” the An Emperor asked.
Xue Jingyun chuckled softly, “So, from now on, if anyone appears disheveled before me, it will mean I have ill intentions?”
A hint of a smile, yet tinged with mockery, appeared on his refined and handsome face. Although it was sarcasm, it startled An Ping.
Such a man, she wanted him.
Why should Xue Zi Ning have him?
She was unwilling, so very unwilling.
“Crown Prince of Snow Country, don’t try to confuse the issue. Anping has indeed been violated by you, and this matter cannot just be let go,” the An Emperor said coldly.
“Indeed, it cannot be let go,” Xue Zi Ning, who had been silent since An Ru left, suddenly spoke.
The An Emperor, seeing this, seemed to gain confidence. “Ah Ning, you think so too?”
Xue Zi Ning looked up at the An Emperor and nodded, “Yes, it truly cannot be let go. We cannot let Anping’s purity be ruined.”
The An Emperor’s complexion improved significantly upon hearing this. He stepped forward, patted her shoulder, and said earnestly, “Ah Ning, you make your father Emperor very happy. You didn’t indiscriminately slander Anping just because you are about to marry the Crown Prince of Snow Country.”
“Then what does the An Emperor want to do? Let Yan Zhao take responsibility?” Xue Zi Ning looked up at the An Emperor, her expression as cold as frost.
“Ah Ning, Anping’s purity is ruined. No matter what, she cannot marry anyone else,” the An Emperor said regretfully.
“Indeed,” Xue Zi Ning nodded.
The An Emperor’s expression shifted, and he looked at her, saying, “Why not let Anping also marry the Crown Prince of Snow Country? You can rest assured that you will be the Crown Prince’s principal wife no matter what. Let Anping be a concubine. You sisters can also be together. You are too lonely, and with Anping around, you’ll have a companion.”
After speaking, the An Emperor looked at Anping and said coldly, “Anping, how about it?”
Although An Ping was unwilling to be a concubine, she knew that this was already difficult to achieve.
“An Emperor, wouldn’t that be a slight to Princess Anping?” Xue Zi Ning asked.
The An Emperor sighed, “This is a matter of helplessness. However, if Ah Ning cherishes sisterly affection, why not let Anping be a co-principal wife like you?”
“Co-principal wife?” Xue Zi Ning savored the words on her lips.
The An Emperor nodded, “Yes, Ah Ning, what do you think of this arrangement?”
“It’s quite good,” Xue Zi Ning said.
Xue Jingyun looked at her with a faint expression, his gaze distant. “Ah Ning…”
“Yan Zhao, do you trust me?” she responded to him.
“Yes,” he said without hesitation.
“Then just watch from the side,” she said slowly.
“Alright,” he nodded.
He believed, believed that his Ah Ning would never be shared with anyone else.
The An Emperor laughed heartily, “If that’s the case, then Father Emperor will go and prepare for Anping’s wedding.”
“An Emperor, don’t rush,” Xue Zi Ning suddenly said.
The An Emperor froze, looking up at her and asking, “Ah Ning has other requests?”
Xue Zi Ning did not answer the An Emperor, but instead walked towards Anping step by step. For some reason, Anping felt her heart skip a beat, her pulse quickening.
She saw the maiden, her skirt the color of water and sky, approach her. She subconsciously looked up. On the girl’s exceptionally beautiful face, her eyes were clear and cold, chilling to the bone.
Like the depths of winter.
Her body trembled inexplicably, and her voice began to shake, “Ah… Ah Ning, what do you want to do?”
The maiden looked down at her with disdain, her gaze now as cold as frost, so cold it seemed to freeze her.
“Princess Anping, do you wish to share a husband with me?” the maiden suddenly leaned down and asked coldly.
“Ah… Ah Ning, I… my purity is ruined, I can only marry the Crown Prince of Snow Country.” An Ping felt her heart about to leap out of her chest.
“Snap…” a clear sound rang out.
An Ping’s face was struck sideways, a deep red handprint imprinted on her cheek, showing the force of the blow.
An Ping was stunned by the slap, and it took her a while to react. She turned her head, looking at the maiden before her, “You… why did you hit me?”
“Because you deserve it,” the maiden said lightly, her red lips parting.
“Ah Ning, how can you hit your Imperial Sister?” the An Emperor was also stunned, his voice laced with anger.
“An Emperor, you should still call me Your Majesty!” the maiden looked up, her clear face now filled with nothing but icy coldness.
The An Emperor instinctively took a step back, “Ah…” He could no longer speak.
Because the maiden before him exuded a chilling aura, radiating outwards.
It seemed to envelop him completely, rendering him unable to move.
The maiden’s red lips parted, and she chuckled, “Just one side is not enough. The two sides need to be symmetrical.”
Before she finished speaking, An Ping received another slap on the other side of her face. Her face was now swollen.
“Xue Zi Ning, what are you doing?” An Ping was completely enraged. Only now did she realize that Xue Zi Ning had done this intentionally, deliberately hitting her.
Xue Zi Ning chuckled, her eyes filled with nothing but coldness and mockery. She stepped forward and kicked An Ping in the jaw. An Ping cried out in pain, but Xue Zi Ning didn’t let her continue crying. She stepped on An Ping’s shoulder and said coldly, “You dare covet my man? You overestimate yourself.”
An Ping trembled all over, “You…”
“From the beginning, you never intended to restore Anping’s purity?” the An Emperor finally understood everything.
“Purity? Is the An Emperor joking with me?” Xue Zi Ning’s eyes were now devoid of any warmth, as cold as midwinter.
The An Emperor took a step back, mockingly asking, “Then, your promise earlier was just a jest?”
Xue Zi Ning withdrew her gaze, looking elsewhere, and said coldly, “I never imagined that for a baseless accusation, the An Emperor would hold Yan Zhao responsible.”