Xue Zining looked at Han Xixia and poured him a cup of tea, pushing it towards him.
Han Xixia did not touch the teacup. Instead, he looked at her, his gaze sharp.
Xue Zining picked up the teacup. The tea that entered her mouth was ice-cold. The chill seeped into her body bit by bit. She put down the teacup and said faintly, "In less than a year, Prince Xixia no longer recognizes me? That truly shows you've put someone else on your mind."
Han Xixia's hand moved slightly, touching the teacup in front of him. The tea spilled out. His expression became somewhat agitated. "You... you are truly..."
"Prince Xixia, is that very important?"
Han Xixia looked up at her eyes, which were incredibly clear. He suddenly smiled. After a long while, he retracted his smile, his expression more solemn than ever. "Important, very important!"
Xue Zining smiled. This time, she laughed heartily. Her delicate and beautiful face bloomed like a thousand flowers in full bloom, exuding charm and allure.
Han Xixia's heart skipped a beat. Such beauty made him want to remember this moment forever, her smile was for him.
"Thank you!" Xue Zining was happy. At least at this moment, she would not have cared as much as she did now in the past.
After so long, someone still said she was important, that she, Xue Zining, was important!
She thought someone might have forgotten her.
Han Xixia wanted to say that he had always remembered her, always kept her in his heart. But some words were better left unspoken to maintain a comfortable relationship. Those feelings could be stored deep within.
"You want to reclaim Huangze?" Han Xixia asked.
Xue Zining nodded. "Yes, Xue Changan is no longer fit to be a monarch. Under her rule, Huangze will inevitably perish."
"Father will not agree," Han Xixia shook his head. His father was ambitious, very ambitious, and would absolutely not do nothing at such a good opportunity.
"Prince Xixia..."
"Call me Xixia..." Han Xixia looked at her, his gaze intense.
Xue Zining was startled. Han Xixia then said, "May I call you Ning'er?"
Thinking it was just a title, she nodded. "Xixia."
Han Xixia's gaze softened, and he continued, "Father's ambition is not small."
"And you?" Xue Zining asked.
Han Xixia was taken aback. He looked up and saw her clear eyes shining with starlight.
"You have no ambition?" Xue Zining asked again.
Han Xixia smiled. "Ning'er, you ask very directly."
"Xixia, we both understand what kind of people we are, why beat around the bush?"
Han Xixia's smile vanished, and his expression became unusually serious. "Yes."
"I can help you," Xue Zining said slowly.
"Conditions?" Han Xixia knew that Xue Zining was not a pushover. Although her past reign had not eroded her true nature, now they represented Han Kingdom and Huangze respectively. National interests came before personal grievances.
"Send troops to help me eliminate Xue Changan and her people."
Han Xixia looked at the young woman before him and then chuckled softly. "Ning'er, you have finally grown up."
Xue Zining looked at him and asked, "Was I not grown up before?"
"You are now a qualified monarch. You act decisively. If someone stands in your way, they must be removed. This is the way of a ruler."
"I don't know the way of ruling for others. I only know that she will ruin Huangze. Huangze is what Father wanted to protect, and what I want to protect. Too many people have perished for this war. Let me end it. It began with me, and it must end with me."
Han Xixia was stunned. Although the young woman sat there, she exuded a sense of being eternally out of reach, of being high above.
"Father is a cautious man. Countless people have tried to assassinate him, but he has evaded them all."
Xue Zining nodded. "I will think of a way. I won't rush."
Han Xixia glanced outside and said, "It's getting late. I'll escort you to rest."
Xue Zining nodded. "Alright."
As they left the imperial palace, a person walked over and immediately took Xue Zining's hand. Han Xixia frowned at this, looking up to see his ninth brother, who had been of no significance before. To be honest, he had never paid much attention to his ninth brother and never expected him to openly try to snatch the person he cared about.
"Seventh Imperial Brother, Princess Anning is someone I brought back." Han Xiwen held her soft hand tightly, not backing down even in front of his seventh imperial brother.
Just as Han Xixia was about to speak, he saw the young woman behind him shake her head. "I am an old acquaintance of Princess Anning. Ninth Brother, you are mistaken."
"It's late. Whatever it is, Seventh Imperial Brother can discuss it tomorrow."
With that, Han Xiwen pulled Xue Zining into a nearby carriage.
Han Xixia's gaze deepened. His ninth brother indeed seemed somewhat of an eyesore.
In the carriage, Han Xiwen released Xue Zining's hand and said, "Stay away from my seventh imperial brother. He is not as good as he appears on the surface. His ambition is great."
Xue Zining said faintly, "Does Prince Xiwen have no ambition?"
Han Xiwen was slightly taken aback.
Xue Zining continued, "Don't you want to possess that supreme position?"
Han Xiwen looked up at her. She did not shy away at all, her eyes as clear as water gazing at him.
He turned his face away. "If I possess that position, can Mother return?"
"No," Xue Zining said.
He smiled, a hint of sadness in his voice. "Then what use do I have for it? Everyone in the world desires the throne, but I don't. I just want everyone who cares about me to live well. Besides..."
He looked up, his dark eyes seeming to hold a deeper abyss. "Once you have that position, you will want more, have more ambitions, and in turn, lose more, because you will be worn out until you die. I don't want that kind of life."
"Mother only wants you to live well, to live a long, good life..."
"I'm sorry..." Xue Zining said.
Han Xiwen shook his head. "You have nothing to be sorry for. Everyone has different thoughts. What I want is very simple, not much."
He dared not want too much, for fear of losing even more.
Just like now, him being here and looking at the young woman before him was enough.
"Prince Xiwen, I will help Prince Xixia to seize the throne."
Han Xiwen trembled all over. After a long while, he said, "Why tell me?"
Xue Zining stood up and looked into the distance. After a long time, she said, "Perhaps it is my selfishness. I hope you will not object."
"I will not," Han Xiwen shook his head. "It doesn't matter to me who becomes the Emperor of Han."
"Thank you!"
Han Xiwen smiled. "It's getting late, you should rest early!"
Xue Zining nodded.
Han Xiwen walked out of Xue Zining's room.
After a few steps, he turned back to look at the room behind him. The lights had already been extinguished.
He smiled and shook his head, then walked out.
The servants waiting outside stepped forward and asked, "Your Highness, which madam's room will you be going to tonight?"
"I'm going back to my room to sleep!" Han Xiwen said, then left.
The servants were stunned. When had their prince become so virtuous and abstinent?