"Xue Yan, it's been a long time." Xue Zi Ning sat in a chair.
Xue Yan trembled all over and quickly kowtowed, "This servant greets Your Majesty."
When she returned after rebirth, Xue Zi Ning had always believed that Xue Yan belonged to Yan Zhao. Later, after a series of events, she thought Xue Yan did not belong to Yan Zhao.
Then, did Xue Yan belong to Xue Zi Xuan? No, then whose was she?
"Xue Yan, I heard that you married a simple and honest man these years, gave birth to a son and a daughter, and are living well."
Upon hearing her finish speaking, Xue Yan trembled all over and quickly begged for mercy, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. This servant knows she has sinned. I beg you not to involve my family; they know nothing."
"I don't want to involve others, but Xue Yan, you need to answer some questions for me. If you don't hide anything, I'll let you go after I'm done asking. If you conceal..."
"Your Majesty, please ask. This servant will tell you everything without reservation." Xue Yan said urgently.
"Do you know that Aunt Yuan swapped the children of Consort Chao and Xue Wen Jie back then?"
Xue Yan trembled all over, her eyes showing a hint of panic.
Xue Zi Ning said indifferently, "Xue Yan, think carefully before you speak. You are no longer in the palace, and everything here has nothing to do with you anymore. Wouldn't it be good to settle this now?"
Xue Yan lowered her eyes and after a long pause, said, "This servant knows some things, but not very clearly."
"Tell me what you know," Xue Zi Ning said coldly.
Xue Yan said, "At that time, Consort Chao and the Regent's child had already died. Consort Chao was very sad, so the Regent ordered Aunt Yuan to find a newborn child to replace the dead one."
"As their master ordered, Aunt Yuan had no choice but to comply. Moreover, Aunt Yuan's nephew was a soldier under the Regent. Aunt Yuan could only do as commanded. In the end, Aunt Yuan found a newborn infant outside the city."
"That infant was Xue Zi Xuan?" Xue Zi Ning asked.
Xue Yan nodded, "Yes."
Xue Zi Ning fell silent. The information she had gathered through her investigations was mostly confirmed.
"I understand. You may withdraw," Xue Zi Ning said.
Xue Yan took two steps and then suddenly returned, kneeling on the ground, "Your Majesty, there is one more thing this servant does not know whether to say or not."
"Speak," Xue Zi Ning said.
Xue Yan said, "This servant feels that Xue Yu, who is by Your Majesty's side, is not right."
Xue Zi Ning's eyes narrowed. She looked at Xue Yan and asked, "What's not right?"
Xue Yan looked up in alarm, glancing around, "Your Majesty, this servant has seen him together with the Regent in a very abnormal manner."
"How abnormal?" Xue Zi Ning pressed.
Xue Yan trembled all over and whispered, "This servant... this servant saw their souls come out."
Xue Zi Ning trembled. She quickly summoned Feng Jiu and said, "Go quickly and investigate if Fan Min ever had contact with the Regent."
Feng Jiu was stunned, as if she had misheard. She repeated, "Regent?"
Wasn't the Regent dead?
"Yes, hurry..." Xue Zi Ning said.
Although Feng Jiu did not understand the intent behind Xue Zi Ning's command, she still followed orders and went to investigate.
"Feng Yuan, take me to where Xue Yu is imprisoned," Xue Zi Ning said.
"Your Majesty..." Xue Yan knelt on the ground, looking at her.
Xue Zi Ning said, "Xue Yan, stay in the palace for a while. I will have your family brought over. I believe he will not let you go, after all, you know his only secret."
Xue Yan nodded without hesitation and expressed her gratitude, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Upon arriving at the prison, Xue Yun Lan saw her and quickly lowered her gaze, no longer speaking.
Soon, a prison guard ran over with an anxious expression, kneeling and begging for mercy, "Your Majesty, please forgive me, the prisoner... the prisoner has escaped..."
Xue Zi Ning's gaze turned cold. The prison guard was so scared that sweat dripped from his forehead.
"Guard the other prisoners well. If any more prisoners escape, I will hold you personally accountable."
"Thank you, Your Majesty, thank you, Your Majesty..." The prison guard quickly expressed his gratitude.
"Heh, Xue Zi Ning, you're really incompetent. You couldn't even keep him locked up..."
Xue Zi Ning walked forward and looked at Xue Yun Lan, saying indifferently, "Instead of mocking me, you should mock yourself. Xue Yun Lan, you are also a joke."
Xue Yun Lan's face was very displeased. "Xue Zi Ning, what do you mean? The winner takes all, the loser pays. There's nothing to mock myself about."
"Do you truly understand Xue Yu? Xue Yun Lan..."
Xue Yun Lan trembled all over, "Xue Zi Ning, what exactly do you mean?"
"That's exactly what I mean. You don't understand Xue Yu..."
Xue Yun Lan frowned, "Do you know something?"
Xue Zi Ning stepped forward and said word by word, "I suspect that Xue Yu and Xue Wen Jie have undergone soul transference."
Xue Yun Lan trembled all over, her body sinking to the ground. Then she laughed, "How is that possible? Father is already dead; he committed suicide by poison. How can that be?"
"I also don't believe it. I hope it's just false information. After all, Xue Yu's betrayal of me is too unbelievable..."
Xue Zi Ning left the prison after speaking.
There were too many unresolved questions in her heart. If the current Xue Yu was the soul of Xue Wen Jie, then where had Xue Yu's soul gone?
An Country
"Your Majesty, Han Country has suddenly torn up the contract and invaded our territory. We implore Your Majesty to quickly write to Empress Huang Ze, requesting assistance."
In the imperial court, looking at the urgent dispatch from the border, all the officials implored the Emperor of An to write to Empress Huang Ze to send troops for support.
The Emperor of An was silent for a moment and said, "I will personally write the letter. During the time it takes to dispatch troops, Han Country must not advance another step."
"Father, this son is willing to lead the troops to resist the Han army." The First Prince stepped forward and requested to lead the troops.
The Emperor of An nodded upon hearing this. "Good, worthy of being my son. I hereby appoint you as the Great General and order you to lead fifty thousand troops to the border to resist the Han army."
After the court session, the Imperial Consort angrily cursed, "Are you an idiot? Why would you go to such a dangerous place?"
The First Prince looked at the Imperial Consort and said, "When the country is in danger, every man has a duty. As my father's eldest son, I should help my father resolve his difficulties. Moreover, they are all citizens of An Country. I cannot abandon them."
"Brother, if something happens to you, what will Mother and I do?" An Ping also felt that her brother was out of his mind. Why would he go to such a dangerous place himself?
"An Ping, I will protect myself well. You know what it's like to lose a loved one. What about the common people at the border? Don't they also know the pain of losing loved ones?"
"Brother, you are different from them. They are commoners, but you are the future Crown Prince of An Country." An Ping felt that she couldn't persuade her brother.
"An Ping, they are the people of An Country, not commoners." The First Prince said.
"An Ping, look at him, why is he like this?" An Ping said angrily, not wanting to bother with her brother anymore.
The Imperial Consort stepped forward and asked, "Do you have to go?"
The First Prince nodded, "This son has already requested it in the imperial court."
"If you must go, then I will kill myself by smashing into this pillar right now," the Imperial Consort shouted at the First Prince.