Xue Zining looked at the Seventh Prince and smiled faintly, "Yes, I'm afraid of losing, so my eighth brother and I won't participate in the poetry session."
The Seventh Prince was startled, as was An Ruyi. They hadn't expected her to be so provoked, yet she didn't fall into their trap.
"Miss Feng, today is my coming-of-age ceremony," An Ruyi said, unwilling to give up.
"It's your coming-of-age ceremony, not mine. What does it have to do with me?" Xue Zining replied indifferently, showing no concern.
An Ruyi bit her lower lip and was about to speak again when the Seventh Prince interjected, "Since Miss Feng is unwilling, I, your humble brother, will not press the issue."
Seeing that the Seventh Prince had also spoken this way, An Ruyi could only say, "Your Highness the Seventh Prince speaks wisely."
An Ruyi, along with the others beside her, went to the front to compose poetry and drink tea. At this point, only the Seventh Prince, Xue Zining, and Han Xixia remained.
"Miss Feng is truly sharp-tongued. My eighth brother has found a good princess consort," the Seventh Prince said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Thank you for your compliment, Seventh Brother. You will find one too," Han Xixia retorted without politeness.
The Seventh Prince left.
Han Xixia looked at the girl beside him and asked, "Why were you staring at the Seventh Brother just now?"
Xue Zining blinked, "Was I?"
Han Xixia nodded, "It was quite obvious. You are my eighth brother's princess consort now, so don't stare at other men."
"I just thought the Seventh Prince resembled an old friend of mine," Xue Zining admitted without hiding anything.
Han Xixia was taken aback, "An old friend?"
Xue Zining nodded, "His eyes and brows are somewhat similar, but I can't quite recall who it is for the moment."
"Miss Feng, may I speak with you privately?" An Ruyi approached.
Xue Zining looked at An Ruyi and knew that if she refused this time, An Ruyi wouldn't give up.
She nodded and was about to leave when Han Xixia's voice reached her ear, "Don't worry about anything. I'm here for you."
Xue Zining turned to look at Han Xixia, and Han Xixia looked back at her, smiling.
She silently mouthed "Okay."
An Ruyi led her to a secluded spot. "Miss An, there's no one here. You can speak now."
An Ruyi turned around and looked at her, her expression filled with an indescribable sorrow. "Do you know that if it weren't for you, it would be me, An Ruyi, standing beside the Eighth Prince right now?"
"I don't know."
"How could you not know? His Majesty was about to bestow a marriage upon the Eighth Prince and me."
"He refused the marriage."
An Ruyi gritted her teeth, her pearly whites almost shattering, "Without you..."
"Without you, there would be someone else. Miss An, instead of complaining about others here, it's better to forget those who are not worth your effort. What belongs to you is waiting for you elsewhere."
"Feng Ning, what right do you have to lecture me? You don't have my family background or my talent. What do you have that makes the Eighth Prince look at you differently?"
Xue Zining heard this and looked at An Ruyi, whose face had become contorted, and sighed, "Miss An, I think you should ask the Eighth Prince these questions. How can I answer you when you ask me like this?"
"Miss Feng, do you know that since childhood, I vowed to enter the royal family and assist a prince as his consort? But because of you, my hope has been dashed," An Ruyi shouted hysterically.
"Miss An, besides the Eighth Prince, there is also the Seventh Prince, the Sixth Prince..."
"But the first person I saw was the Eighth Prince. That time, he returned triumphantly, leading the charge with his men."
The armor on him, his bold and rugged features, made him look brave and fearless at that moment.
That single glance made her fall.
"Miss An, I can only offer my apologies. I cannot yield," Xue Zining said apologetically.
An Ruyi bit her lower lip, "Miss Feng, have you never liked someone very, very much?"
"Yes," Xue Zining replied.
"Then you should know that when you like someone, you will find ways to get close to them, no matter what."
Xue Zining froze. An Ruyi looked at her, and a hint of malice slowly surfaced in her eyes. "Since Miss Feng is unwilling to yield, I have no choice but to resort to this."
Under Xue Zining's gaze, An Ruyi threw herself into the lake beside them.
An Ruyi flailed, shouting, "Help! Help..."
"Help! My lady has been pushed into the river," An Ruyi's maid also ran out, shouting.
An Ruyi, struggling in the water, looked at the girl on the shore. She showed no fear at all; instead, she looked at her, her gaze unchanged.
The crowd that rushed over upon hearing the commotion looked at An Ruyi in the river and the unscathed future Eighth Prince consort on the shore. Everyone would naturally assume that this future Eighth Prince consort had pushed An Ruyi into the river.
An Ruyi was pulled ashore, shivering from the cold. She looked up at the girl and said pitifully, "Miss Feng, why did you push me?"
The crowd's ears confirmed their suspicions that the future Eighth Prince consort had pushed An Ruyi into the river.
"Didn't you jump into the river yourself?" Xue Zining retorted.
"Miss Feng, speak cautiously. Even if Ruyi were foolish, she wouldn't be foolish enough to jump into the river herself," one of the noble ladies beside An Ruyi said displeasedly.
"Exactly..." the other noble ladies chimed in.
"The Eighth Prince is here," someone shouted from the crowd.
The Eighth Prince hurried over and stood beside Xue Zining, asking with concern, "Are you feeling unwell?"
Xue Zining placed her hand on her forehead and leaned into Han Xixia's embrace, saying, "I'm very unwell."
Han Xixia scooped her up without a word, turned, and left.
"Eighth Prince, she pushed Miss An into the river. Shouldn't there be an explanation for this?"
Han Xixia replied without turning his head, "Whatever explanation Miss An desires, she can go and tell His Majesty."
Back in the carriage, Xue Zining opened her eyes, got out of Han Xixia's embrace, and sat in a corner.
Han Xixia couldn't help but laugh when he saw this. "You use me, and then you discard me."
"Thank you for saving me, Your Highness," Xue Zining said.
Han Xixia looked at the girl's expression, which was not good, and asked, "What's wrong?"
Xue Zining shook her head, "I'm fine."
Upon returning to the Eighth Prince's mansion, Xue Zining went to her room and summoned Feng Wu and others.
"Your Highness, do you have something for your subordinates to do?"
Xue Zining nodded, "I suspect this Seventh Prince is an old acquaintance of mine. Xue Feng, go and keep a close eye on the Seventh Prince."
Xue Feng nodded, "Understood."
Xue Feng left.
Shortly after, news arrived from the palace that the Seventh Prince had requested an imperial decree for a marriage alliance between himself and An Ruyi, the daughter of the Minister of War.
This news somewhat surprised Xue Zining. She had thought An Ruyi would continue to persistently pursue Han Xixia. She hadn't expected her to turn her attention to the Seventh Prince so quickly.
At the family banquet the next day, Xue Zining saw An Ruyi. An Ruyi's expression towards her was no longer filled with the previous day's sorrow; instead, she seemed resigned.
"Seventh Brother and Eighth Brother both have their princess consorts. I am greatly pleased," Emperor Han said, in a good mood, showing more smiles to the Empress.
"Father, I wish to visit the Han Palace," Han Xixia suddenly said.