"What news?" An Ning asked.
An Ru whispered, "The Empress of Desolate Marsh favors the Crown Prince of Snow Country."
"Isn't that obvious?"
An Ru was stunned, looking at An Ning and saying, "An Ning, how did you know?"
"Why is the Empress of Desolate Marsh relentlessly pursuing An Ping? Isn't it because An Ping publicly confessed his love for the Empress of Desolate Marsh?"
An Ru suddenly understood, "So, anyone who likes the Crown Prince of Snow Country will be targeted by the Empress of Desolate Marsh?"
"You could say that."
Thinking of Xue Chang'an's ferocious face, An Ru felt a chill down her spine.
"This woman is too terrifying," An Ru couldn't help but shudder.
"It would be best if the lesson from just now could be learned by the Eldest Princess, otherwise..."
An Ning did not finish her sentence...
An Ru also roughly understood what she meant, and said with a shiver, "The Empress of Desolate Marsh is not to be trifled with. We should stay far away from her in the future!"
"Yes."
An Ning nodded.
"Your Highness, His Majesty summons you!" The head palace maid, Shu Mo, who served Emperor An, entered from outside the door.
"Sister Shu Mo, I'm coming right away." An Ning got up and said to An Ru, "Sister, you should go back first!"
An Ru nodded.
An Ning left, and as An Ru was about to leave, she suddenly saw a hairpin on the table. The hairpin was exquisite, and the patterns on it were unfamiliar to her.
"Rong Cui, tell An Ning to tell her that I've taken the hairpin to study for a few days."
Rong Cui heard the voice and came out, only to find that Princess An Ru had disappeared. She went back to her work.
Imperial Study
An Ning walked in and saw Emperor An in deep thought, "Father, did you summon An Ning?"
Emperor An looked up and saw her. His previously expressionless face softened slightly, "My little An Ning is here."
"Father, what are you looking at?" An Ning walked forward and saw a painting spread on the table. Leaning closer, she saw it was a portrait of a man.
"Finding a husband for my little An Ning," Emperor An said with a smile.
"Father, I'm still young. Eldest Princess hasn't even been engaged yet, do you have to be so anxious?"
Emperor An heard this and said, "You are not young anymore. Your mother passed away early. If not for me worrying about you, who would truly care about your marriage?"
An Ning was stunned and looked at Emperor An, feeling warm in her heart. It turned out that Emperor An was afraid that because she didn't have a mother, no one would plan for her.
"Father, you are still young, and An Ning wants to stay by your side for a few more years. So please don't marry me off so early, okay?"
Emperor An sighed, "An Ning, it's not that Father doesn't want to keep you by his side, but Father cannot be so selfish."
Seeing that Emperor An had not changed his mind, An Ning did not insist further. She asked, "Father, who do you think is suitable for An Ning?"
Emperor An pushed the portrait forward and said, "The Eldest Prince of Snow Country, Xue Yuanzhao."
An Ning was stunned. To be honest, she had some impression of the Crown Prince of Flower Country, the Crown Prince of Snow Country, and even the Empress of Desolate Marsh and Prince Xi Xia of Han Country. But the Eldest Prince of Snow Country, Xue Yuanzhao, had no impression at all.
"Father thinks he's good?"
Emperor An nodded, "Yes. Father has been observing him for several days. He is calm and steady. Although he is not as outstanding as the Crown Prince of Snow Country, he is someone you can entrust your life to. An Ning, a person is not good just because they have handsome looks and a sharp mind. As long as he is devoted to you, that is enough."
Emperor An's words were profound and heartfelt.
"If Father says so, then so be it!"
Emperor An was surprised, "An Ning, you agree?"
An Ning looked up at Emperor An's expectant eyes and said slowly, "Father's judgment will not be wrong."
Why did her heart ache faintly after she said this? Why did it ache?
"Good, Father will announce it tomorrow." Emperor An was very happy.
"If Father has nothing else, An Ning will take her leave!"
She walked out of the Imperial Study and headed towards An Ning Palace.
Her heart was in turmoil, very much in turmoil.
She looked up at the sky. Was her decision wrong?
"Your Highness, you've returned!" Rong Cui walked up.
An Ning walked in and asked, "Has Eldest Sister left?"
Rong Cui nodded, "Yes, Princess An Ru has left."
Suddenly, Rong Cui remembered something and said, "Your Highness, Princess An Ru said when she left that she was borrowing your hairpin for a few days."
An Ning nodded, "I know."
Xue Feng walked in and saw a man of peerless grace sitting in the courtyard, sighing softly in his heart.
Xue Song walked up to Xue Feng and whispered, "How is it?"
Xue Feng shook his head, and Xue Song sighed deeply, "Will Princess An Ning really be Xue Zining?"
Xue Feng was startled, then said, "I don't know, but she doesn't look like it at all."
"Indeed, she doesn't. Otherwise, why would she abandon His Highness and choose the Eldest Prince?" Xue Song gritted his teeth, "If she were really Xue Zining, how could she not know what His Highness endured for her?"
Why is she so heartless?
"She is..."
Xue Feng and Xue Song exchanged a look. Xue Feng said, "Your Highness, your subordinate personally heard that Princess An Ning agreed with Emperor An's opinion and chose the Eldest Prince as her husband."
Xue Jingyun raised his eyes, and the starlike brilliance in his eyes dimmed at this moment, "I understand."
Seeing this, Xue Song said unwillingly, "Your Highness, this Princess An Ning is not her. She would never let Your Highness be sad."
"It's her, I won't mistake her." Xue Jingyun stood up. He knew it was her, but she had forgotten everything that had happened between them.
"If Princess An Ning chooses the Eldest Prince, then Your Highness should let go," Xue Song said, bracing himself.
Xue Jingyun's back straightened, stiffly, "Is that so?" he said softly.
As if asking Xue Song, and also asking himself.
The next day, Emperor An said with a smile, "I am very grateful to all the Crown Princes and Princes for attending the coming-of-age ceremony of my Princess An Ning. I intend to choose a husband for Princess An Ning, and now, the Emperor and Princess An Ning have reached an agreement."
At this point, Emperor An walked down and stopped in front of the Eldest Prince of Snow Country, Xue Yuanzhao, and said, "Your Highness, the Eldest Prince, if I were to..."
"Emperor An..." a voice interrupted Emperor An's words.
Emperor An turned around and saw the Crown Prince of Snow Country slowly stand up.
"Does the Crown Prince of Snow Country have something to say?" Emperor An asked.
"I am fond of..."
"The Crown Prince of Flower Country, Hua Yunjin, is willing to marry Princess An Ning as his Crown Princess, and from this day forth, they shall be one forever," Hua Yunjin stepped forward and bowed slightly to Emperor An.
Emperor An frowned and was about to speak when an eunuch hurried in from outside the door and whispered a few words in his ear.
Emperor An looked astonished, "What did you say?"
The eunuch whispered, "Princess An Ru is missing, and Consort Shu wishes to see you."
Emperor An's gaze turned cold. He turned to look at the Crown Princes and Princes of various countries and said, "I have some matters to attend to, please excuse me!"
With that, Emperor An left hastily.
Hua Yunjin stood up and met Xue Jingyun's clear and cold eyes.
He appeared calm and said lightly, "This time, I will not let go."