"Xuesong, why did you disappear after being asked to pour a cup of tea?" Xue Yan said as she walked out from inside, seeing Xuesong standing there. She spoke in annoyance, "Xuesong, are you listening to me?"
Seeing Xuesong not reply, she walked forward and a glimpse of a watery-sky colored skirt appeared in her sight, followed by a slender and tall figure. Her heart began to race. Looking up further, she saw a clear, beautiful face with eyes as clear and transparent as the cloudless sky.
She slowly uttered a single word, "Your Highness..."
"Is the Crown Prince here?" Anning, for some reason, found these two people looking at her strangely, especially this woman who seemed on the verge of tears.
However, she didn't find her unpleasant.
"Yes, yes, Your Highness, please wait a moment. I'll go report to His Highness..." Xuesong nodded, pulling Xue Yan towards the inside.
Xue Yan refused to leave. Xuesong whispered, "She doesn't remember us now. Anything you say is useless."
Xue Yan was taken aback and lowered her gaze. She knew Xuesong was right; His Majesty didn't recognize her now.
Even though she knew this, her heart still felt a pang of disappointment.
"She will recognize us in the future, don't rush," Xuesong comforted her.
Xue Yan nodded, then looked up with a smile, saying, "I know she doesn't remember. After all, His Majesty has been found now, and remembering us is just a matter of time."
After a short while, Anning saw a tall figure emerge, clad in an immaculate moon-white brocade robe. His every movement exuded peerless elegance.
Not to mention the stunning, refined, and handsome face.
Every time she saw him, she felt he was the most perfect creation of heaven.
Without a single flaw.
"Crown Prince, please forgive my presumptuous visit," Anning said, bowing.
Xue Jingyun let out a low laugh. His already striking face was made even more captivating by this smile, eclipsing all other beauty in the world.
Anning couldn't help but praise him, truly a handsome person.
"Princess Anning, I am delighted you could come."
His voice was deep and pleasant to the ears.
"Are we talking while standing?" Anning asked.
Xue Jingyun smiled faintly, "Your Highness, please."
Anning didn't stand on ceremony and sat down on a chair. A long, porcelain-white finger offered her a cup of tea.
"Just tea?" she asked again.
"Peach blossom cake?" Xue Jingyun looked at her and said faintly.
"Good," she nodded.
Soon, the peach blossom cakes were served. Anning looked at the exquisite cakes, and for some reason, her heart skipped a beat. She picked up a peach blossom cake, and its taste was a subtle peach fragrance, sweet but not cloying, exceptionally delicious.
"Your Highness, does your old acquaintance also like peach blossom cakes?"
Seeing Xue Jingyun's eyes flicker slightly, she asked in a soft voice, "Yes, she likes them!"
"It's awkward for me to eat alone, you have some too." She picked up a peach blossom cake and offered it to him.
Xue Jingyun's eyes widened slightly as he looked at her, his gaze sparkling like stars, brilliant and profound.
She smiled, "What? Do you dislike it?" As she spoke, she started to withdraw her hand holding the cake.
Unexpectedly, a hand gripped hers. She thought this porcelain-white, well-defined hand would be cold, but to her surprise, it was warm, like bathing in the spring breeze.
She even felt a sense of lingering warmth.
"So Princess Anning is also here," a voice drifted over, tinged with a hint of displeasure.
Anning looked up at the person who had arrived, knowing the one she was waiting for had finally come.
Xue Jingyun was about to withdraw his hand but found his fingers held tightly. He looked up, his gaze gradually deepening.
The young girl before him smiled, radiating pure innocence.
"Crown Prince, would you like some?"
Xue Jingyun's dark eyes were exceptionally deep. He slowly opened his mouth.
Anning was startled. Did he want her to feed him?
Just as she was about to accuse him of taking advantage, her gaze fell upon the other person's somber expression. Her lips curved upwards slightly, revealing a bright smile as she placed the cake into Xue Jingyun's mouth.
"I like them too?" As she spoke, Xue Changan snatched the peach blossom cake from Anning's hand.
As he snatched it, Anning had already crushed the cake and thrown it to the ground. She tilted her head and grinned at Xue Changan, saying, "I'm so sorry, Your Majesty can't have any."
Xue Changan looked at the girl before him with a chilling gaze, then after a moment, he smiled faintly, "It's alright, there's still some, isn't there?"
Anning poured tea onto the peach blossom cake and said with a smile, "I'm truly sorry, Your Majesty cannot eat them now."
Xue Changan's expression turned very displeased, "Princess Anning, what do you mean by this?"
"Your Majesty, I don't understand your words. I am having tea and snacks with the Crown Prince."
Xue Changan's face was already ashen. She laughed in anger, "Am I not allowed to have tea with the Crown Prince of Xue?"
"I'm sorry, isn't there always a matter of first come, first served? Crown Prince, what do you say?" Anning looked at the Crown Prince of Xue, who had remained a bystander, and didn't want him to watch any longer.
Xue Jingyun let out a low laugh, "Yes, Princess Anning is right."
Xue Changan's face was extremely displeased. Xue Jingyun had never smiled at her before, and now he was smiling at this Princess Anning, which made her immensely jealous.
"Your Majesty, perhaps you could come another day? Today is for the Crown Prince and me," Anning said.
"Good, very good..." Xue Changan, furious, turned and left.
Watching Xue Changan depart, Anning straightened her posture, moving very close to Xue Jingyun, and said, "I have matters to attend to, farewell!"
With that, she turned and left.
Xue Jingyun heard this and watched the girl's retreating back, murmuring, "Use and discard, that truly is your true nature."
"Mo Yuan, unless I call for you, do not appear no matter what happens," Anning instructed in a low voice.
"Yes, Mo Yuan obeys!" Mo Yuan's voice came from her ear.
"Your Highness..." a voice called from behind.
Anning turned and saw an unfamiliar palace maid. She couldn't help but ask, "Is there something?"
The palace maid stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, this servant knows where the Second Princess is."
"Where?" Anning asked.
"Your Highness, please follow this servant." The palace maid said.
Anning nodded, "Alright, lead the way."
The palace maid nodded and walked in a certain direction. Anning saw this and quietly said, "Mo Yuan, knock her out and bring her to my palace."
With that, she turned and headed towards her own palace.
A basin of cold water was poured onto the palace maid. The maid woke up and looked up to see a noble young girl sitting before her, smiling, but with no warmth in her eyes. She trembled all over, "Your... Your Highness..."
"Who sent you?" Anning asked coldly.
The palace maid's gaze darted away, "Your Highness, what are you saying? This servant doesn't understand."
"Don't understand? That's good. The Ministry of Justice has many torture devices. Perhaps you'd like to try them?"
The palace maid trembled all over, scared, and quickly kowtowed, begging for mercy, "Your Highness, spare me! Your Highness, spare me! This servant will speak, this servant will speak..."
"Speak..." Anning said coldly.
The palace maid said, "This servant was newly admitted into the palace not long ago. Yesterday, someone approached this servant and asked me to do something. After it was done, I would receive a sum of money, and this servant could leave this place."