"You are finally back." Feng Wu stepped forward and knelt on one knee.
Xue Zining nodded, "Feng Wu, I am back."
The young girl looked at him with bright, shimmering eyes.
Behind her was that slender figure. Feng Wu breathed a sigh of relief, the Emperor could finally rest assured.
Suddenly, footsteps sounded from not far away. Xue Zining looked up and saw a person riding a horse towards her. At a distance of less than a step, they pulled the reins tight and dismounted.
The man's tall figure blocked the morning light that was about to rise.
"Who exactly are you?" the man blurted out.
Xue Zining looked up at the man in front of her and said slowly, "I'm sorry, Prince Xi Xia, I deceived you..."
Han Xi Xia was stunned. When she and her seventh brother entered the Han Palace, shouldn't he have guessed it then?
But he still didn't want to admit that her主动 closeness was for the treasure of the Han Palace.
It wasn't until the person he sent to investigate her background returned with a report that he finally knew that this young girl was the one who, by herself, had killed the regent who had occupied the court for years.
"Empress of Huang Ze?" Han Xi Xia looked up at the girl and asked.
The young girl nodded slightly, "Yes."
"Has your target always been the items in the Han Palace?" Han Xi Xia asked again.
The girl's gaze paused, and after a long time, she said, "Yes..."
"I really..." Han Xi Xia didn't finish speaking, only sighed.
"Prince Xi Xia, I apologize..."
"Enough, don't say anymore. Take your people and leave immediately, otherwise, I can't guarantee I won't stop you," Han Xi Xia interrupted Xue Zining coldly.
Xue Zining paused. She reached out to take his hand, and he turned his head. Yan Zhao shook his head at her.
She saw Yan Zhao step forward. Han Xi Xia looked at the man in front of him, his clean and handsome face, and his graceful demeanor exuding an unparalleled elegance.
Only such a man could be worthy of the Empress of Huang Ze.
"Prince Xi Xia, the Empress of Huang Ze and the Crown Prince of Xue Country owe you a favor. If possible, we hope to repay it in the future."
Han Xi Xia trembled all over, "You... you are the Crown Prince of Xue Country who made Father Emperor suffer setbacks?"
Yan Zhao said lightly, "Prince Xi Xia flatters me, it was merely a small trick."
A small trick? Han Xi Xia didn't believe it. Years ago, his father had already imprisoned the Xue Emperor. It was this Crown Prince of Xue Country who, through his schemes, not only rescued the Xue Emperor but also made his father lose utterly.
"Father Emperor said he lost wholeheartedly. Your Highness the Crown Prince need not be modest."
"Prince Xi Xia, what Ning'er and I say is absolutely valid."
"Very well!" Han Xi Xia did not refuse. To receive the promise of both Huang Ze and Xue Country, he was not a fool. He would not refuse such a good thing.
Xue Zining breathed a slight sigh of relief. It was best that he agreed. She felt somewhat indebted to Prince Xi Xia, after all, she had used him to obtain the treasure of the Han Palace.
"Prince Xi Xia, it is inconvenient to stay long, we shall take our leave!" Yan Zhao bowed slightly and cupped his hands.
Han Xi Xia nodded, "Take care!"
He looked at the young girl slowly walking towards the carriage, a sorrow he had only just realized filling his heart.
"Return to the palace!" Han Xi Xia withdrew his gaze without mercy, mounted his horse. Some people, once lost, are not worth clinging to. Farewell!
Getting into the carriage, Xue Zining leaned into Yan Zhao's arms, feeling the hard-won tenderness.
Yan Zhao's embrace was warm, so warm that she wanted to sleep.
Seeing the young girl asleep in his arms, he gently placed her on the fox fur that Feng Wu had spread.
He gave her a light kiss, then walked out.
The carriage continued to move. In the carriage behind, Yan Zhao's expression was not good. He was cold and distant, a stark contrast to the tenderness moments before.
Xue Song couldn't help but think to himself, indeed, the Empress of Huang Ze was his true love. They were all leaves that could be discarded at will, unwanted.
"Your Highness, we must grasp the reins of Xue Country immediately." Xue Feng spoke.
Yan Zhao said lightly, "No hurry. Let's go to Xueling Pass first. I shall pay a visit to the Elder General."
Northern Frontier
"My Lord, according to reports from spies, the army will reach the Northern Frontier in one day."
Looking at the still peaceful surroundings from the city wall, the young boy couldn't help but feel a surge of grief and indignation.
Would the Northern Frontier he protected become a battlefield?
"Brother Guard, this is the melon my mother asked me to send to His Highness. Please be sure to let His Highness eat it." A tender childish voice came from below the city wall.
The boy's gaze was a little lost. Would the place he protected be flooded with blood?
"Mother said that with Your Highness here, we feel at ease."
The boy was stunned by the childish voice. He smiled, and a hint of resolve appeared in his brows. Even if he had to die fighting here, he would protect the people of this land.
He descended the city wall. On the streets, many people were stuffing melons and vegetables into the hands of the guards behind him.
The guards refused while thanking them, but they still received a pile of produce at the Prince's mansion.
"Send them to the kitchen. We'll eat these tonight," the boy said.
Arriving at Cui He Garden, the boy saw a woman sewing clothes. He hurried forward and took the clothes, saying, "Mother Consort, why not let the servants do it? Don't tire your eyes."
The woman shook her head, "Mother Consort wants to do something for you personally."
"Mother Consort, you have already done more than enough." The boy saw that the woman's hair ornament was only a single jade hairpin. He remembered his mother saying that this jade hairpin was a gift from his grandmother before she got married.
"Mother Consort, are you missing Grandmother? Shall I take you to Jiangnan then?"
The woman was slightly startled. She looked up at him, and after a long moment, she said, "Very well. This way, you can act without any reservations."
"Mother Consort, I'm sorry..."
"Xuan'er, why speak as if we were from different families? Although you don't say it to Mother Consort, Mother Consort knows the severity of the situation. Mother Consort asks for nothing else, only that you must protect yourself."
"Mother Consort, rest assured, your son understands."
"It's been almost a year since we came to the Northern Frontier. Speaking of which, we are truly grateful to the Empress. If it weren't for her, why would we have had over a year of peace?"
"Mother Consort, there will be peace in the future." The boy said with conviction.
"Go, you have many things to do."
The boy nodded, "Mother Consort, please rest early."
After the boy left, the woman put down the clothes in her hands. A letter fell out from her sleeve.
She opened it, read it, and placed the letter on the candle flame, burning it until it turned to ashes.
"Wu Mei, pack some clothes," she called out.
In the study, the boy asked Xue Yan, "Have there been any replies?"
Xue Yan shook his head, "None."
Xue Zining nodded, "No news is good news."
Xue Yan knew that Xue Zining's reasoning was not sound, but he was a little worried. "I heard that Xue Yu's army is close to arriving here."
Xue Zining nodded, "Yes. I will defend this place to the death and advance and retreat with the people here."
"I will also help you," Xue Yan said.
"Xue Yan, there is something I would like to ask of you."
Xue Yan was startled and said, "Why are you being so polite? Just give me your orders."
"Can you escort my mother Consort for me?"