The Empress retreated several steps, her face shocked, "You... you say I am being wild?"
His Highness the Crown Prince said lightly, "Empress, everything in the East Palace belongs to me. Please return to your palace, Empress."
After speaking, His Highness the Crown Prince bowed with cupped hands.
The Empress's face turned pale, and she smiled, "Good, good, I am being meddlesome. Crown Prince, you do as you please. Do you think Miss Feng is a good person? I'm telling you, she is from the Desolate..."
Xue Zining's heart suddenly clenched. She knew Xue Yan had told her that someone had sent people to Binzhou to inquire about her.
"Empress, I naturally know whether she is a good person or not. You don't need to worry, Empress. Please return!" His Highness the Crown Prince interrupted the Empress's words lightly.
"Good, truly my good son." The Empress angrily flicked her sleeves and left.
Sun Yuezhu glanced at the Crown Prince who was still bowing, and her heart bloomed with joy. She had not expected that after not seeing him for a few years, the Crown Prince had become such a radiant, handsome, and boundless man.
"Miss..." Sun Yuezhu's attendant reminded her.
Sun Yuezhu left reluctantly.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, this subordinate takes his leave!" Qin Zhaohui bowed and retreated.
The Imperial Guards who had just gotten up all knelt down, "Your Highness the Crown Prince."
His Highness the Crown Prince said coldly, "Next time, I do not wish to see you in the East Palace."
The Imperial Guards quickly withdrew from the East Palace.
Xue Li felt a prickling sensation on his back. He stepped forward and bowed, "Your Highness, this subordinate failed to protect Miss Feng."
"Let there be no next time," His Highness the Crown Prince's voice was exceptionally cold.
"Thank you, Your Highness." Xue Li did not dare to delay and quickly withdrew.
"Miss, I remember I have something to do, so I'll leave first." Xue Yan also left unceremoniously.
Xue Zining twitched the corner of her mouth and looked up, her eyes meeting a pair of dark, deep pupils, no longer as bright as stars as before.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince..." she couldn't help but call out.
"Didn't I say I didn't want to see anyone? I don't have to see anyone."
A cold voice rang out. Xue Zining was stunned, looking at the Crown Prince whose expression was tinged with coldness. She was somewhat surprised. Was this Crown Prince angry?
"I mean, I'm not someone who can't be seen. Why not see me? Moreover..."
She raised her head, her clear eyes shining brightly, "Didn't His Highness the Crown Prince say that he would give me absolute freedom and rights? If they suit my intentions, I'll greet them with a smile. If not, my whip will not agree."
The girl before him had clear and bright eyes, making her already peerlessly beautiful face even more stunning.
He averted his gaze; the girl was too dazzling at this moment.
He couldn't look directly at her.
"Do as you please," His Highness the Crown Prince said slowly.
"Crown Prince, I want to go out of the palace tomorrow," the girl said.
"Alright, I'll send Xue Li to protect you."
The girl did not refuse, "Good, I feel at ease with him around."
His Highness the Crown Prince's gaze paused slightly but he said nothing more.
Seeing that the girl looked a little sleepy, he said, "I still have some matters to attend to, so I will take my leave first."
The girl nodded, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, please take care!"
After the Crown Prince's figure disappeared, Xue Zining breathed a sigh of relief. A moment later, Xue Yan walked in, looking at her with a smile, "Miss, did it develop further?"
Hearing this, Xue Zining raised an eyebrow, her gaze showing a hint of coldness.
Xue Yan realized belatedly that her words were inappropriate and quickly changed her tune, "This servant knows her mistake. Please forgive me."
"Let there be no next time!" Xue Zining said faintly.
Xue Yan breathed a sigh of relief. She had forgotten that Her Majesty was already married. Although it was a marriage for a dying person, if His Majesty acknowledged this marriage, she had to acknowledge it.
The next day
Xue Li arrived at Xue Zining's courtyard in high spirits and said to Xue Zining, who was about to go out, "Miss Feng, I will be protecting you today."
Xue Yan looked behind Xue Li and asked, "Where is Xue Song?"
Xue Li's lips curved slightly and he said, "He is feeling unwell and cannot come today. Don't worry, Miss, I am very experienced in bodyguard work."
Xue Song, who was feeling unwell, lay in bed, covered by the quilt.
Xue Feng walked in and looked at Xue Song, who was still in bed, "As His Highness the Crown Prince's guard, His Highness the Crown Prince has returned from morning court, and you are still not up. Is this not against the rules?"
Xue Song, buried under the quilt, shouted, "Whether it's against the rules or not, I'm not getting up today no matter who it is. Take me to ask His Highness the Crown Prince for leave, and say I'm feeling unwell."
"How can you be unwell if I don't see it?" Before Xue Feng finished speaking, he grabbed a corner of Xue Song's quilt and tried to pull it open, only to find Xue Song holding it tightly.
Xue Feng's eyes flickered, and he suddenly said, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, why are you here?"
Xue Song was startled. In his moment of confusion, Xue Feng had already pulled open the quilt. The Xue Song under the quilt was unrecognizable, clearly a swollen Xue Song.
"Xue Feng, you tricked me?" he asked angrily.
Xue Feng, amused, couldn't help but ask, "Who beat you?"
There were only a few people who could beat Xue Song.
"That scoundrel Xue Li." Mentioning Xue Li, Xue Song was furious. Was it because he had kicked him out yesterday that he was retaliating like this?
Xue Zining stood before the most prosperous street in the capital of Xue Kingdom.
Before her were throngs of people, the shouts of merchants, and the endless stream of citizens buying goods – a scene of great prosperity.
It seemed that Desolate Marsh was still far behind this.
"Does Miss Feng want to buy anything?" Xue Li asked.
"I'll just look around," Xue Zining said, looking at everyone's smiling faces.
"How many years has it been since Xue Kingdom drove out foreign enemies?" Xue Zining asked.
Xue Li was startled. Although he didn't know why Xue Zining asked, he answered truthfully, "Five years. If it weren't for His Highness back then, all of this would not exist today."
"Five years ago, the Crown Prince was only thirteen, wasn't he?"
Xue Li nodded, "Yes, but this is nothing. I heard that the Empress of Desolate Marsh killed the Regent who had been dominating the court, and she was only thirteen."
Xue Zining was stunned and looked up at Xue Li, "Driving out foreign enemies is not something anyone can do."
Xue Li smiled, "If Xue Kingdom and Desolate Marsh formed an alliance through marriage, this continent would likely be in their grasp."
Xue Zining was startled, her gaze turned cold, "The Empress of Desolate Marsh already has a husband."
Xue Li paused, clicked his tongue twice, "What a pity."
"The Crown Prince deserves someone better," Xue Zining said.
Xue Li shook his head, "His Highness has always had someone in his heart, but he refuses to say it. I suspect His Highness might remain single for life."
The Crown Prince has someone in his heart? Xue Zining heard this for the first time.
However, the Crown Prince was eighteen this year, so it wasn't strange for him to have a sweetheart. No wonder there were no concubines in the East Palace, not even a bed warmer.
"I heard that the Divine Temple is not far from here. What is inside?" Xue Li asked.
Xue Li was taken aback and said, "There is nothing inside. The peach blossom cakes at this shop are very delicious, and His Highness loves them."
Xue Zining's gaze paused, and she turned towards the peach blossom cakes.