"I understand." Xue Zining turned and left.
Hua Rong watched the girl's retreating figure and sighed.
"Your Majesty, please don't worry. The Prime Minister is a benevolent person with his own destiny; he will surely get better slowly," Xue Yan said, unable to help but comfort Xue Zining, who had been silent.
"Xue Yan, I never believed in fate. I only know that effort determines success. Besides, heaven is so busy; how would it know what my needs are?"
Xue Yan was taken aback. Looking at the girl beside her, her eyes held a hint of mist.
"Therefore, I want to conquer heaven with human effort." The mist dissipated at this moment, revealing a brilliant, clear radiance.
"Your Majesty…"
"I am going to Snow Country, and no one can change that," the girl said slowly.
"But you promised the Prime Minister you wouldn't go to Snow Country," Xue Yan said.
"Yes, I promised. But I didn't promise."
Xue Yan was stunned. "Your Majesty, you…"
"I am going as Feng Ning, not as Xue Zining."
Xue Yan: "..." Can that be done?
Xue Zining saw someone standing by her room door. Xue Yan whispered, "It's Miss Zhou."
"Miss Zhou, what do you want with my lady?" Xue Yan said coldly, without any politeness.
Zhou Shiyin's face turned pale, and she bit her lower lip, saying, "Feng... I'm sorry..."
Her face was even paler now, and her lips, bitten, had lost all color.
Xue Yan was about to retort when Xue Zining stopped her. "Miss Zhou, is there something?"
Zhou Shiyin took out a token from her embrace and said, "Miss Xue asked me to give this to you, saying you could use it."
Xue Zining took it and found it was a pass for Fenzhou.
Fenzhou in Snow Country was very close to the Snow Country Divine Palace.
Xue Zining couldn't deny that she was excited. She looked up at Zhou Shiyin and said gratefully, "Miss Zhou, thank you!"
Zhou Shiyin was stunned. "You... you don't blame me for deceiving you?"
"You didn't succeed in deceiving me, did you?"
She saw the girl smile sweetly, her smile exceptionally bright, almost dazzling.
"You..." Zhou Shiyin felt she was losing her grip. This Feng Ning truly had different ideas.
"In the past, I disagreed because I felt no one loved the Eldest Young Master more than I did, or could do more for him. But now I know there is. Feng Ning, I admire you, and I withdraw." After saying this, Zhou Shiyin felt her whole being relax.
It turned out that letting go could also make a person so relaxed.
"Miss Zhou, thank you, but I'll have to trouble you to take care of him during this time."
Zhou Shiyin was stunned, then chuckled softly. "Aren't you afraid I'll poach him?"
Xue Zining also smiled. "Those who leave are never the best."
Suddenly, she froze. This sentence... it was so familiar.
He had said it.
"You are right, those who leave are not the best. I will take good care of the Eldest Young Master for you, and I will wait for your return," Zhou Shiyin said.
"Thank you," Xue Zining replied.
"Your Majesty, with this token, you will at least be able to move freely in Fenzhou."
Xue Zining looked at the token in her hand, clenching it tightly.
As night fell, Wu Dakang sent ten carefully selected guards with good martial skills.
The next day
Hua Rong approached her and found her a guide. At the entrance of the Hua Residence, Xue Zining saw the person guiding her. The silver mask made her entire being freeze. Wasn't this the person who had rescued her from trouble yesterday?
Hua Rong stepped forward and said, "Miss Feng, this is Bai Jingyun, the captain of the Nanfeng Escort Agency."
"Young Master Bai." Xue Zining nodded faintly at the man.
Bai Jingyun, just like yesterday, only gave a slight nod and then moved ahead to lead the way.
Seeing this, Hua Rong explained, "Although he speaks very little, his skills are extraordinary."
Xue Zining, having witnessed Bai Jingyun's skills before, knew Hua Rong's words were true.
"Elder Hua, I hope Yun Jin can be kept in the dark about this," Xue Zining said.
"I will do my best, but you know that child is also very intelligent," Hua Rong said helplessly.
"Then, as long as we can hide it, we will hide it for that long."
Hua Rong twitched his lips, likely unable to hide it for even a second.
The carriage departed.
Hua Rong sighed, hoping the Empress would have a smooth journey.
Turning around, he saw the young man standing there and walked over, saying, "I tried to persuade her, but the Empress wouldn't listen."
The young man smiled bitterly upon hearing this. "I know. No one can stop what she wants to do."
"Since you know that, go back and recuperate properly. Don't let the life-saving medicine you've obtained go to waste because you can't use it," Hua Rong said coldly.
Entering Snow Country required passing through Dongling Pass. Xue Zining politely declined Wu Dakang's offer to escort her.
Although Snow Country and Huangze were forbidden from having direct contact, border trade was not as strictly controlled.
Snow Country was covered in ice and snow year-round, thus requiring a large amount of cotton. Xue Zining was escorting cotton.
They arrived at Xue Lan City, a border city in Snow Country.
Seeing that they were merchants, the guards checked their documents. Finding nothing unusual, they granted them passage.
Even from inside the carriage, Xue Zining could feel the chill entering.
"It's really cold here," she couldn't help but say.
Xue Yan stoked the stove, making the fire burn brighter, and handed Xue Zining a hand warmer. "It's perpetually icy and snowy here, so it's normal for it to be cold."
"Huangze is better, with its distinct four seasons," Xue Zining sighed.
Xue Yan heard this and whispered, "Now that you have entered Snow Country, do not mention Huangze again."
"I know," Xue Zining nodded.
Before nightfall, Xue Zining's party arrived in Fenzhou.
They entered the Prince of Xuefu's manor.
As the Prince of Xuefu was not present, the steward arranged a room for Xue Zining.
After washing up, a servant from the manor came to report that the Prince had returned and wished to see her.
"My lady, should you dress up?" Xue Yan asked.
"No need." Xue Zining wore a simple, plain colored long dress, with only a jade hairpin in her hair, very understated.
Prince Xuefu, Xue Jingzhao.
He was a full sibling of the current Crown Prince, the elder brother, and both were born to the Empress.
Unfortunately, the Snow Emperor had enfeoffed his younger brother as the Crown Prince, while he was merely a Prince, and sent him to Fenzhou upon reaching adulthood.
How could he be content?
Clearly, the Crown Prince should have been him, the elder brother.
That was why, in his previous life, he had colluded with the Regent. He intended to be the mantis, with the cicada unaware of the oriole behind. The Regent had not expected that Prince Xuefu would renege on the deal and cooperate with Xue Zixuan.
With these thoughts, Xue Zining stepped into the main hall of the Prince of Xuefu's manor.
She looked up and saw the man seated above. Although she couldn't clearly discern his features, he exuded an aura of handsomeness.
It was rumored that the Crown Prince of Snow Country was even more astonishingly talented and exceptionally handsome.
Judging by Prince Xuefu alone, the Crown Prince couldn't be far behind.
"This commoner greets the Prince," Xue Zining said, bowing slightly.
Xue Jingzhao looked down at the girl below. Although she was pretty, she appeared young and still quite immature.
"Rise!" Xue Jingzhao said.
Xue Zining stood up. With a look from Xue Jingzhao, someone immediately brought her a chair.
"Sit," Xue Jingzhao said.
Xue Zining sat down.
Xue Jingzhao chuckled softly and said, "This Prince has heard that the Regent is dead, is that correct?"