Xue Zi Ning had not expected to see the person she wanted to see so soon.
He was still wearing Xue Yu’s skin, standing below.
“Grand Princess, you have unilaterally broken our agreement,” Xue Yu said coldly.
“Agreement? What agreement? I only know that Han country cannot allow outsiders to interfere in state affairs. What do you say, Xue Yu or Xue Wen Jie?”
Xue Yu was slightly taken aback, his expression changing slightly. “Grand Princess, do you know what you are saying?”
He saw the young girl leaning against the dragon throne, looking completely at ease. “Of course, I know what I am saying. Xue Wen Jie, when you allied with me, you did not do so with your true identity. I do not consider it a unilateral breach of contract.”
“You…” Xue Yu narrowed his eyes. He had never expected that by supporting a Grand Princess who had the least chance of ascending the throne, this Grand Princess would harbor such great ambition.
“What’s wrong? Are you unconvinced?” the young girl asked, her gaze clear and cold.
In that instant, he seemed to feel it was that girl.
A frail, slender figure, a girl not yet of age, had shattered his plans, causing him, the regent who once had absolute power, to fall from grace and become a prisoner.
“Your subject dares not…” He was no longer as arrogant as before, thinking that no one was inferior to him.
Facts proved that many people were more scheming than him.
Just like the Grand Princess before him, he thought she would be a timid and easily manipulated princess, but instead, she had given him the greatest shock.
Therefore, acting according to circumstances had become his most frequent behavior over the years.
As long as the green hills remain, there will be wood to burn.
“If that is the case, I order you to immediately cease your attack on An country.”
Xue Wen Jie slowly raised his head and looked at the young girl on the dragon throne, saying coldly, “Do you know what you are doing?”
The young girl smiled. “Of course, I know. I also hope that Xue Wen Jie, you know what you are doing?”
Seeing his silence, the young girl continued, “Using my troops to pursue your desires. Xue Wen Jie, you have played your hand very well. Do you think I am a fool?”
Xue Wen Jie chuckled softly. “Grand Princess, I never thought that you could endure such humiliation and hide your brilliance. I truly admire you from the bottom of my heart.”
“The same to you,” the young girl replied.
“May I ask what the Grand Princess plans to do next? Will you be confined to this small country of Han?” Xue Wen Jie asked, looking up.
The young girl shook her head. “Of course not. As for that small country, An, I do not take it seriously.”
“Then what does the Grand Princess intend to do?” Xue Wen Jie asked, looking up.
“You do not need to worry about that,” the young girl said.
“Then I shall await the Grand Princess’s good news.” Xue Wen Jie then left.
Watching Xue Wen Jie leave, Xue Zi Ning breathed a sigh of relief. Battling wits with Xue Wen Jie reminded her of the past, but in the past, she had been cautious and careful; now, she did not need to be.
“Your Highness Xi Xia, how many trustworthy guards do you have?” Xue Zi Ning asked Han Xi Xia, who was in the corner.
Han Xi Xia looked at him and said, “Fewer than a hundred. Ah Ning, what are you planning to do?”
“We do not know who is behind Xue Wen Jie now, otherwise, we could capture him.”
Han Xi Xia said, “We still need to ascertain his background.”
Xue Zi Ning nodded. This was also why she had not acted rashly just now.
Without knowing Xue Wen Jie’s background, she dared not make a move.
Otherwise, that would have been a good opportunity.
Perhaps Xue Wen Jie had also sensed his own safety and had been in seclusion for the past few days.
The longer it took, the more Xue Zi Ning feared that Xue Wen Jie would see through her disguise as the Grand Princess.
“I have decided to hold a hunt,” Xue Zi Ning’s proposal was met with immediate opposition from Han Xi Xia.
“Ah Ning, doing this is too risky,” Han Xi Xia disagreed.
“If you don’t enter the tiger’s den, how can you catch its cubs? If I don’t personally give him an opportunity, how will he fall into the trap? Han Xi Xia, the longer the time drags on, the easier it will be for Xue Wen Jie to discover my identity, and then it might truly be impossible to kill him.”
“I agree with Your Majesty’s opinion,” Wen Yu, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke.
Xue Zi Ning did not expect Wen Yu to be the one to agree with her daring idea.
“Nonsense, Ah Ning, you will put yourself in a very dangerous situation.” Han Xi Xia still disagreed.
“Your subordinate will protect Your Majesty,” Wen Yu said.
Hearing this, Han Xi Xia said somewhat angrily, “With what will you protect her?”
“With my life!” Wen Yu suddenly raised his head, his gaze becoming exceptionally sharp.
Seeing this, Xue Zi Ning quickly said, “Alright, it’s decided. You should trust me.”
She looked at Han Xi Xia.
Han Xi Xia was slightly stunned and lowered his gaze. “On that day, I may not be able to protect you by your side.”
“Naturally, the remaining grand scheme will be entrusted to you.”
The hunting day was set for the ninth of the following month.
Xue Zi Ning returned to her sleeping quarters. Wen Yu followed closely behind her. Suddenly, she stopped, and Wen Yu also stopped.
“Were you serious about what you said just now?”
“Yes,” Wen Yu replied without hesitation.
Xue Zi Ning chuckled softly. Why did she think of Yan Zhao?
Yan Zhao, what are you doing now?
Time flew by, and the hunting day arrived.
After a simple hunting ceremony, Xue Zi Ning, accompanied by Wen Yu and a small team of guards, headed towards the hunting grounds.
Xue Wen Jie narrowed his eyes, whispered a few words to the person beside him, and then also followed in Xue Zi Ning’s direction.
Along the way, Xue Zi Ning symbolically hunted a few rabbits, hanging them on her horse.
“Your Majesty, someone is coming,” Wen Yu whispered from the side.
Xue Zi Ning nodded. “Head inside.”
She galloped her horse towards the trap they had set earlier.
Upon reaching the location, she stopped. Behind her was a bottomless abyss. Once one fell in, there would be no possibility of survival.
Soon, Xue Wen Jie arrived with his men.
“What a coincidence, you’ve come here to hunt too?” Xue Zi Ning looked at Xue Wen Jie.
Xue Wen Jie chuckled softly. “Grand Princess, your mission ends here.”
Xue Zi Ning was slightly stunned. A trusted subordinate of Xue Wen Jie tore off the mask from his face, revealing a visage that was identical to the Grand Princess.
Xue Zi Ning’s heart sank, a vague sense of unease growing within her.
Xue Wen Jie said, “Are you surrendering to Empress Huang Ze, or should I call you my dear imperial niece?”
Xue Zi Ning chuckled softly. “So you know everything?”
Xue Wen Jie sneered. “If I hadn’t done this, how could you have come here?”
“This is all a trap you set for me,” Xue Zi Ning realized, but it was a little too late.
From the attack on An country, it was all a scheme.
Xue Wen Jie knew that she would not let him attack An country and would definitely intervene. To intervene, she would have to come to Han country and cut off his escape route, so he used her plan against her.
He thought he had grasped everything she knew, only to be destroyed in person.
“Xue Zi Ning, the bottomless abyss behind you is what you prepared for yourself. Die!”
Xue Wen Jie’s gaze turned cold, and with a wave of his hand.