"Your Highness, you may not mind, but I cannot help but mind. My face is not worthy of you." Anning looked up, knowing that now, with her mask removed, she was terrifying, dreadful.
She watched him walk slowly towards her, his gaze avoiding hers, filled only with eyes that shone brighter and brighter, like a galaxy.
His refined and handsome face held emotions she couldn't comprehend.
"I have never cared about your appearance," he said, stopping less than a step away, his voice filled with deep affection.
"I care, and the people of Xue Country will care."
"I will heal your face. Will you trust me?"
At this moment, he was so affectionate and gentle, such a peerlessly handsome man, that even she couldn't help but be captivated.
"Why are you so good to me? Why, Xue Jingyun?" she asked softly.
"Only because it's you..."
His deep voice was like an ancient chant, stirring the soul.
Anning felt a sense of unreality being held in his arms, but his strong heartbeat told her it was all true.
"Xue Jingyun, I never knew what feelings were, but I know that as long as your heart remains true, mine will too. If you betray me, I will hunt you down and kill you with all my might..."
She spoke the most venomous words in the softest whisper, and his response was a tight embrace.
"I'm so tired." She hadn't had a moment of ease these past few days. Only now, in his arms, did she find a moment of peace.
He placed her on his bed and said softly, "Sleep!"
Soon, she fell asleep.
Exiting the East Palace, he said in a low voice, "Xue Feng."
A figure descended, "Your Highness."
"Go to a place and bring me back something."
Xue Feng nodded, "Yes, Your Highness."
As he was about to leave, a voice called from behind, "Let no one else know of this."
Xue Feng paused. Never before had his Highness given him such an instruction regarding a mission.
"Go!" his voice held a hint of boundless desolation.
Xue Feng departed.
He stood in the center of the East Palace courtyard, unmoving for a long time, exuding an infinite sense of desolation and bleakness.
"What? You're saying that Anning has taken up residence in the East Palace?" Anping could never have imagined that Anning would arrive, let alone be a step ahead of her.
"Ah..." Anping, furious, hurled a teacup from the table onto the ground, as if only this could bring her a moment's relief.
"Even if you smash everything here to pieces, Xue Jingyun will not look at you differently. Why debase yourself like this?"
Anping looked up to see Xue Changan entering. She gritted her teeth, suppressed her recent anger, and stepped forward, "Your Majesty, are you not angered?"
"I am angered," Xue Changan admitted without hesitation.
Anping was surprised by Xue Changan's quick admission. "Does Your Majesty accept this?"
"I do not accept it, but I am not worried, because she will not become the Crown Princess."
Seeing Xue Changan's confident expression, she couldn't help but ask, "Why?"
Xue Changan gave a mysterious smile. "You don't need to know. Just do as I say, and don't worry about anything else."
Anping replied, "Yes, Your Majesty."
The banquet welcoming the Empress of Huangze and Princess Anping began. The Queen of Xue Country personally came to oversee it, hands-on.
The Empress of Huangze and Princess Anping arrived, but the Crown Prince had not yet appeared.
The Empress looked somewhat displeased and asked Xue Lan, "Where is the Crown Prince?"
Xue Lan's expression was not very good. "The Crown Prince..."
"The Crown Prince arrives!" the voice from outside announced.
A slender figure in an immaculately clean, moon-white brocade robe strode in.
His every movement exuded peerless elegance and noble bearing.
Everyone seemed to forget to breathe.
This was the Crown Prince of Xue Country, the astonishingly talented Xue Jingyun.
But soon, everyone's gaze was drawn to the young girl behind the Crown Prince.
The girl, in a flowing dress the color of water and sky, approached slowly. Though she wore a mask, her exposed eyes were clear to the depths, like the firmament, without a trace of impurity.
As she walked, the girl exuded an aura of noble, aloof beauty.
Xue Jingyun took the girl's hand and walked step by step to the center. He bowed slightly to the Empress at the head of the table and said, "Mother, this is the person I wish to spend my life with."
"Crown Prince," the Empress uttered the words one by one.
"It is this young lady," Xue Jingyun stated.
"The position of Crown Princess is not for just anyone," the Empress said coldly.
"She is not just anyone. She is Princess Anning, the Third Princess of An Country," Xue Jingyun replied calmly, looking up.
The Empress was stunned, and everyone was shocked.
Xue Jingyun led Anning to Anping. "Princess Anping, this is Princess Anning. Did I not speak correctly?"
Anping trembled all over and looked up at those eyes she had known since childhood. Even if her face was disfigured, with those eyes alone, she could be certain this was Anning.
The beloved Anning.
But only she here recognized Anning. If she denied it, would no one else acknowledge Anning's identity?
With this thought, she raised her head and smiled, "Your Highness, you know I have always missed my sister Anning, but you cannot simply find someone and tell me this is Anning."
Everyone was astonished, their gazes falling upon Xue Changan.
The Empress became even more furious. She never imagined that her proud son would so carelessly bestow a noble identity upon a woman he favored, merely to elevate her.
"Crown Prince, that is enough!" the Empress finally exploded in anger.
"Elder Sister, others may not know if I am Anning, but how could you not?" Anning asked Anping, word by word.
"You are not Anning. Young lady, although you resemble my third sister, royal bloodlines cannot be faked." Anping believed that if she adamantly denied she was Anning, then no one could prove her identity.
The young girl was not hurried, nor angry, but merely sighed. "I know my elder sister has harbored dissatisfaction towards me for a long time, but I never expected the resentment to run so deep."
"Young lady, speak with caution..."
Before Anping could finish, Anning interrupted her. "It doesn't matter if you don't acknowledge me, Elder Sister. I have a way to prove myself."
Anping was startled. "You..."
"I remember when Elder Sister was young, you were mischievous and fell into an old palace well. When you were rescued, you had a wound on your arm. Elder Sister cried so much that you delayed applying medicine, leaving a scar there that is still visible today. Princess Anping, would you mind showing your arm to see?"
Anping trembled and instinctively covered her arm. She did indeed have a scar on her arm.
Seeing Anping's reaction, Xue Changan couldn't help but admire her opponent's intelligence and Anping's foolishness.
"Elder Sister, do you not dare to show it?" Anning stepped forward, approaching Anping, speaking word by word.