"How much further to the Northern Frontier?" Xue Yu asked coldly, suddenly opening her eyes inside the carriage.
"Your Excellency, less than half a day's journey."
"Any movements from the Northern Frontier?"
"Your Excellency, according to scouts, the Idle King is still in the Northern Frontier, but he has dispatched people to escort Consort Chao to Jiangnan."
Xue Yu narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "Dispatch people to capture Consort Chao without fail."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
"Xue Yu, why are you capturing Consort Chao?"
Xue Yu looked at the woman in the corner and said coldly, "The Idle King values his mother very much. If we hold Consort Chao, the Northern Frontier will be captured with ease."
"Xue Yu, I truly see you now. In terms of methods, perhaps Hua Yunjin is not as good as you."
Xue Yu said lightly, "Princess, you jest. How could I, who was pulled into this midway by you all, possibly compare to you?"
Xue Yunlan looked at Xue Yu before her, was this truly the case?
"Xue Yu, tell me, is my child really dead?"
Xue Yu looked at her and said slowly, "I know you don't believe it. You can ask Hua Yunjin, he saw it too, it was stillborn at birth."
Xue Yunlan fell silent. At that time, she had only wanted to get rid of a burden, but when she heard it moving inside her, a trace of maternal love had surfaced. She had even begun to harbor a thought of watching it be born and grow up.
But all of that was gone. Suddenly, a hand covered the hands on her knees. "Princess, we will have children in the future."
Xue Yunlan looked up and asked, "Will we really?"
"We will," Xue Yu said word by word.
Xue Yunlan walked over and leaned into his embrace, "Xue Yu, if we win in the end, can we retire to a quiet life in the countryside? Let's stay away from these palace struggles and deceptions."
"Alright, I promise you, Princess," Xue Yu agreed readily.
Father, you would surely agree with your daughter's choice, wouldn't you?
Xueling Pass
The old general, accompanied by a host of soldiers, knelt in two rows.
The scene, while not grand or magnificent, was still soul-stirring.
Xue Zining tried to break free from Yan Zhao's hand, but Yan Zhao did not let go. He simply said in a low voice, "Do you want the soldiers of Xueling Pass to see us pulling and tugging like this?"
"Yan Zhao..." she spat out each word through gritted teeth.
Yan Zhao's expression was tinged with a smile, making him incredibly handsome. She turned her face away, angered, "Don't use your charm on me."
"Ning'er, I used to smile like this in the Imperial Palace of Huangze. You showed me no mercy back then."
Xue Zining gritted her teeth upon hearing this, "You weren't as shameless as you are now back then."
"Being shameless to hold a beauty is worth it."
Xue Zining snorted in anger and walked straight ahead. Yan Zhao, being pulled along, stumbled slightly, but he still looked at the young girl before him with a gentle expression.
Xuesong behind them shook his head and sighed, "Feng Wu, my prince is completely controlled by your Emperor. He might not even have any dregs left."
Feng Wu said proudly, "That's because my Emperor is charming."
"Tsk tsk, you're praising so much you don't know north from south anymore? I'm telling you, my prince has many admirers, his confidantes..."
Xuesong's words were cut short when Xue Feng pushed him. "Xuesong, do you want to die?"
Xuesong, realizing belatedly, felt that he might have said something he shouldn't have.
Feng Wu, however, had heard clearly. She stepped forward and asked, "Confidantes? Who?"
"Feng Wu, you misheard. My prince has no confidantes, and his heart's desire is your Emperor." With that, Xuesong quickly left.
Xue Feng did not dare to linger and followed suit.
Feng Wu snorted, "What confidantes? The Emperor wouldn't allow them to exist."
"Brother Yuan Zhao, isn't that Sister Feng?" Chu Ling'er exclaimed, looking at the young woman being held by the Crown Prince.
"Ling'er, speak with caution!" Yuan Zhao said coldly.
"Old General Yuan, please rise quickly." Yan Zhao stepped forward to help Yuan Guan up.
"Your Highness, you must not." The old general waved his hands quickly.
"What is there not to do? If you had not been guarding here, the enemy forces would have attacked countless times." Yan Zhao held the old general firmly.
Yuan Guan said, "That is all due to Your Highness's wise and valiant leadership."
Yan Zhao chuckled lowly, "General, do we still need to exchange such pleasantries between us?"
Upon hearing this, Old General Yuan laughed heartily, patted Yan Zhao's shoulder, and said, "Young man, you are indeed still yourself. Come, accompany this old man for a few drinks."
Yan Zhao smiled, "Ning'er, come and meet Old General Yuan."
Old General Yuan said, "Enough of that. Your little wife is as bold and strategic as you are. This old man admits defeat."
Xue Zining smiled and curtsied, "Old General Yuan praises me too much."
"Alright, come and have a drink with this old man." The old general burst into hearty laughter.
Soon, a simple yet lavish banquet was prepared. Watching Yan Zhao and Old General Yuan drink cup after cup, Xue Zining couldn't help but tug at his sleeve and say in a low voice, "Drink a little less. You only woke up a few days ago, your body is not yet fully adapted."
"Don't worry, even if I drink myself unconscious, won't you still be here?" Yan Zhao exhaled a puff of wine towards her.
"You..." Xue Zining turned her face away, gritting her teeth, "Continue drinking. I'm going out for a walk."
Saying that, she got up and left.
Yan Zhao, who had seemed tipsy moments before, now had clear eyes. He watched the retreating back, then slowly withdrew his gaze.
"Your Highness need not worry, it is very safe here," said Old General Yuan.
Yan Zhao turned back and raised his cup, "General, please."
Xue Zining walked out of the large tent. The evening breeze was pleasant.
She walked forward and suddenly heard the sound of a sword cutting through the air not far away.
Who was practicing swordsmanship so late at night?
She walked towards the sound. As the sound grew closer, she saw the flickering silhouette in the bamboo forest.
Suddenly, a cold glint came towards her. She dodged and said, "It's me."
The sword was moved aside, and she saw the young man before her, exclaiming, "Young General Yuan!"
Yuan Zhao was startled. He had never expected to meet her here.
After a moment, he quickly knelt on one knee, "Your Majesty, this subject was reckless."
"Young General Yuan, it was I who intruded recklessly, not you..."
"Your Majesty... this is not a place to talk," Yuan Zhao suddenly interrupted her.
She was startled, and looking down, she realized Yuan Zhao's back was exposed.
She quickly turned away, "I'll wait for you ahead."
Saying that, she quickly exited the bamboo forest.
A moment later, footsteps appeared behind her. She slowly turned around, and the young man's face was still covered in sweat.
She took out a handkerchief and offered it to him, "Wipe your sweat."
The young man was slightly stunned and did not reach out to take it.
She said lightly, "Have all our past friendships vanished just because my identity has changed?"