Xue Yu smiled softly and said, "Your Majesty, did you not abandon Xue Yu first?"
The maiden narrowed her eyes, "When did I abandon you?"
"Ever since I withdrew from Fengyin, there are things you no longer let me do, even hiding them from me. Isn't that abandonment?" Xue Yu looked up, his gaze filled with unwillingness.
"Xue Yu, I never thought of abandoning you or hiding things from you..."
"It's useless to say that now. I've already taken the first step, and the second. There's no turning back."
"Xue Yu, why did you kill Yinshou? He treated you so well, like a son..." Feng Wu stepped out, questioning him repeatedly.
Xue Yu turned his face away and said, "He stopped me and was even going to report me. I couldn't let him leave alive."
"Xue Yu, you are truly ungrateful!" Feng Wu said angrily, gritting her teeth.
"Ungrateful? Whatever you say!" Xue Yu replied calmly.
"In that case, Xue Yu, accept your death. I will avenge Yinshou." Feng Wu lunged forward and engaged Xue Yu in battle.
Xue Zining stepped forward, looking at the tens of thousands of troops behind Xue Yu, and said coldly, "I am the Empress of Huangze. Do you not react to my presence?"
As she spoke, she tore off her flowing robe of "water and sky in one color," revealing the bright yellow dragon robe beneath.
Someone behind her held the dragon crown and placed it on her head.
She felt that familiar aura and turned to see Yan Zhao, pausing for a moment.
Yan Zhao lowered his head and whispered, "Let me place the dragon crown on you, my Empress..."
Xue Zining smiled, "Okay."
In an instant, the world was filled only with a touch of yellow.
The noble and radiant maiden walked step by step towards the generals, her every move exuding an innate kingly aura.
At this moment, the maiden was high and mighty, looking down on them as if they were insignificant ants.
One person couldn't help but look up and saw the majestic and stern maiden. A powerful pressure was exerted upon him, and in that moment, only submission filled his heart. He slowly knelt on the ground, "Your Majesty..."
Immediately after, person after person knelt, "Your Majesty..."
"Long live my Empress, for ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand years..."
Everyone, except for Xue Yu and Feng Wu who were locked in a fierce and inseparable battle, knelt wherever she went.
She scanned her surroundings, and when she saw Yan Zhao kneeling on one knee, she paused, "You..."
"My Empress..." Yan Zhao uttered each word clearly, his bright starry eyes shining with dazzling brilliance.
She curved her lips into a smile, "Rise!"
Yan Zhao stood up, and the maiden turned, extending a hand behind her.
Yan Zhao saw this, his lips curving upward slightly. He reached out, and their hands intertwined.
"Rise!" The maiden's voice resonated across the northern frontier.
Yan Zhao, I invite you to see the magnificent landscapes of Huangze. Will you accompany me on the road ahead?
Her response was the slowly tightening of fingers.
Fingers intertwined, lingering in affection!
"Your Majesty, I am guilty. Xue Yu has escaped." Feng Wu said, gritting her teeth in anger.
Feng Wu had not expected Xue Yu to slip through the net and wished she could slap herself twice.
"It is alright," Xue Zining said.
"Your Majesty..." a slightly choked voice called from a distance.
Xue Zining looked up and saw the person running towards her, smiling, "Xue Yan, it's good that you're safe."
Xue Yan choked back tears, "Your Majesty, it's wonderful to see you. Your servant thought she would never see you again."
"Silly girl, how could you not see me?"
Xue Yan smiled.
Night fell, and the northern frontier returned to its usual peace, but tonight was more lively than usual.
Xue Song, Xue Yan, and Xue Feng drank together. Xue Song clicked his tongue and said, "It's a shame Feng Wu took five thousand troops back first, otherwise the four of us could have gathered again."
Xue Yan rolled her eyes at him, "There will be many more opportunities to gather. There's no rush for this one."
Consort Chao, having been frightened, did not appear at the banquet. Xue Zixuan raised his wine cup and said to the maiden at the head table, "Your Majesty, thank you for coming to the northern frontier."
Xue Zining raised her cup and said, "Zixuan, call me Imperial Sister."
Xue Zixuan trembled all over. He had thought that outside the city, she had allowed him to call her Imperial Sister to accommodate his emotions.
Seeing Xue Zixuan frozen, she walked forward and took his hand, "Come, accompany me out to see how the northern frontier is under your governance?"
Xue Zixuan was stunned for a moment, then nodded. As he stepped out the door, he felt a gaze. He looked back and saw Yan Zhao looking at him.
He smiled slightly, then took Xue Zining's hand, "Imperial Sister, be careful..."
Little brat.
Yan Zhao thought only these three words.
The northern frontier nights were cool. Xue Zixuan looked at Xue Zining, who was wearing only a thin dress, and took off his outer garment, draping it over her, "The weather in the northern frontier is cold. Don't catch a cold."
Xue Zining only then realized that the small boy who had been shorter than her a year ago had now grown to be almost her height.
"Zixuan, you've grown up..."
"Mother Consort says the same. Thank you. I have learned a lot this year."
Looking at the most prosperous street in the northern frontier, bustling with people, unaffected by the day's events, Xue Zixuan felt an indescribable joy.
"Zixuan, you have governed the northern frontier very well. Thank you."
Xue Zixuan trembled all over, "You..."
"Call me Imperial Sister..."
Looking at the maiden's clear eyes, Xue Zixuan smiled, showing the innocent expression he had as a child, "Imperial Sister..."
She reached out and stroked his head, "That's right."
Xue Zixuan twitched his mouth, but seeing that she seemed very happy, he no longer bothered.
"My Lord, this is for you..." A maiden pressed something into Xue Zixuan's hand and ran off.
People on the street saw Xue Zixuan and greeted him one after another, "My Lord, you're out?"
"My Lord, take a look, how about buying this for the maiden by your side?"
"My Lord..."
Xue Zining watched Xue Zixuan, who was surrounded by the common people, being pushed aside, and felt a mix of amusement and helplessness.
"Your Majesty, would you like to chat with your humble servant?"
Xue Zining turned and saw Consort Chao, dressed as a commoner, and nodded, "Of course."
They arrived at a quieter spot, and Consort Chao suddenly knelt.
Xue Zining was startled and quickly reached out to help her up, "What are you doing?"
"Thank you for coming to save my Lord, he..."
Consort Chao gritted her teeth, they had been prepared to perish together with the northern frontier.
"The northern frontier belongs to Huangze. As the true ruler of Huangze, it is I who should thank you for guarding the northern frontier and protecting my nation."
Consort Chao chuckled softly and looked up, "You are very much like your father."
Xue Zining also smiled, "After all, I am his child."
Consort Chao sighed, "I always knew I was a sacrifice for the Emperor to win over his family. The Emperor did not like me. He only sat in my palace for a short while. Don't laugh, but I was still a virgin before I became involved with Xue Yunjie."
Xue Zining trembled all over, "You..."
Consort Chao gave a bitter smile, "Don't you find it incredible? But that's the truth. There was simply no room for me between the Emperor and the Empress."
"Actually, the Emperor already knew about my affair with Xue Yunjie..."