Xue Zi Ning looked up at the person before her. If it were anyone else, she wouldn't have felt anything particular, but this person was An Qin, and she found it very strange.
"You… aren't you with Sun Hao…"
An Qin smiled upon hearing this and said, "I am indeed always with Sun Hao, but so what? Even if he were here at this moment, I would still say the same."
"Thank you," Xue Zi Ning said.
An Qin then added, "In any case, you should still be cautious of Sun Hao!"
With that, he left.
Xue Zi Ning paid no mind to what might happen with Sun Hao, thinking, what could Sun Hao possibly do to her?
However, she was mistaken. Petty people are indeed petty, and they will resort to any means necessary to achieve their sinister schemes.
In the afternoon, Xue Zi Ning received word that His Highness Prince Jing had summoned her. Upon arriving at Prince Jing's study, she happened to see Sun Hao emerging from within. When Sun Hao saw her, his face was filled with mockery. As he passed by her, she heard his voice say, "Ning An, from this moment on, good luck to yourself!"
Xue Zi Ning was startled. She didn't understand the meaning of Sun Hao's words. Could Sun Hao possibly have something on her? Yet, she couldn't recall him knowing any of her weaknesses.
Entering the study, she bowed her head towards the person directly in front of her and said, "Your subordinate greets Your Highness."
"Rise," he replied.
Xue Zi Ning heard Prince Jing's voice, which did not seem to carry any anger.
She stood up and moved to the side, trying her best to appear as if she had no presence.
She could feel Prince Jing appraising her. She remained motionless, her head bowed, allowing Prince Jing to scrutinize her. After a long while, she finally heard Prince Jing's voice, "Where were you the day before yesterday?"
The day before yesterday? Xue Zi Ning's mind rapidly sifted through her actions from the previous day. Soon, she remembered. The day before yesterday, she had spent the night at the graveyard and had a slight entanglement with Mr. Li.
Mr. Li, graveyard.
She quickly connected these two pieces of information. Prince Jing disliked his subordinates colluding with others, and if discovered, he would show no leniency. She surmised that her private meeting with Mr. Li might have already been discovered by Prince Jing, and with Sun Hao adding fuel to the fire, Prince Jing might now harbor suspicions towards her and dissatisfaction towards Mr. Li.
"Reporting to Your Highness, the day before yesterday, your subordinate was tracking Mr. Li. Later, I was discovered by Mr. Li and trapped in the graveyard for one night. Everyone in the manor knows about this matter. I wonder if Your Highness has any further questions? This humble one will answer truthfully and without reservation," Xue Zi Ning said respectfully.
"Everyone in the manor knows?" Prince Jing asked.
Xue Zi Ning nodded. "Yes, because of this matter, your subordinate was ridiculed."
"Why did they ridicule you?"
"Reporting to Your Highness, they believe your subordinate has killed before and yet was still afraid of the dead people in the graveyard."
Upon hearing this, Prince Jing chuckled softly and suddenly looked up, asking, "Are you afraid?"
Xue Zi Ning nodded. "Your subordinate is afraid. Your Highness can imagine, being alone in a graveyard, surrounded by the dead."
"Enough. If you continue speaking, I will also feel uncomfortable. You may withdraw," Prince Jing said, waving his hand.
"Yes." Xue Zi Ning, not daring to delay, quickly withdrew.
"Mr. Li, who do you think is lying?" Prince Jing asked the person in the corner.
A person emerged from the corner, completely cloaked in a large black robe, concealing even their face.
"Hasn't Your Highness already made a decision?" Mr. Li looked up at Prince Jing.
Prince Jing smiled, but his eyes did not convey the amusement. "This Prince has not yet made a decision. What does Mr. Li think?"
"Your Highness, if you were to ask me, it would be best to condemn that Guard Ning," Mr. Li said.
Prince Jing laughed heartily upon hearing this. "Mr. Li, you were not someone who held grudges in the past."
Mr. Li replied, "Your Highness, as you said, that was in the past. This is not the past."
"Mr. Li, Guard Ning is this Prince's favored guard. Mr. Li is magnanimous, let it go."
"Since Your Highness says so, this humble one can only obey out of respect!"
"Mr. Li, don't bicker with a mere guard. If you feel uncomfortable, perhaps this Prince could bestow Guard Ning upon Mr. Li?"
Mr. Li's voice turned cold upon hearing this. "Is Your Highness asking me to vent my anger?"
Prince Jing paused, then burst into laughter. "Then it's best to forget it. This Prince has finally found such a skilled individual, and I cannot let you kill them."
"Since that is the case, Your Highness should not say such things again. If there is nothing else, this humble one shall take his leave!" Mr. Li said, his face stern, and departed.
Seeing this, Prince Jing let out a few hearty laughs. Only after Mr. Li had disappeared did he suppress his smile.
Leaving the Prince's manor, Mr. Li entered his carriage. Just as he was about to drift into a light sleep, he suddenly opened his eyes and coldly commanded, "Come out."
A figure landed before Mr. Li. This person was none other than Xue Zi Ning.
"Mr. Li."
Mr. Li snorted coldly. "What? Did you not sleep comfortably in the graveyard?"
"It was naturally very comfortable, which is why your subordinate has come to give Mr. Li a gift."
As she spoke, Xue Zi Ning quickly sprinkled something towards Mr. Li's face.
But she was fast, and Mr. Li was even faster. The powdery substance did not reach Mr. Li's face; instead, it landed on her own.
With a bout of violent coughing, Xue Zi Ning was relieved that she had only gotten some pepper powder. However, it was enough to make her choke.
"Guard Ning, to treat me in such a manner, I will certainly remember this!" Mr. Li said coldly.
Xue Zi Ning retorted, "Mr. Li, one day you will fall into my hands. At that time…"
"At that time, what?" Mr. Li asked.
Xue Zi Ning curved her lips into a smile. "I will strip you bare and hang you outside my bed, to admire day and night. I think that would be quite satisfactory."
Before her words had even finished, for some unknown reason, she felt a chilling aura. In an instant, the air within the carriage seemed to thin.
The cold permeated her body.
She could feel that the young Mr. Li was angry. He suddenly grabbed her wrist. She then realized that her fingers were icy to the bone and lacked any flesh, only protruding bones that made her wrist ache.
"You…"
Suddenly, in just a moment, Mr. Li pushed her away, reverting to the wise and calm Mr. Li he was before. Everything that had just happened seemed like a mere illusion.
"Leave," Mr. Li said coldly.
Xue Zi Ning was startled. Then, without a word, she exited the carriage. She felt that this Mr. Li was unwell, and quite seriously so.
Gazing at her departing back, a slight softening appeared in Mr. Li's eyes.
Xue Zi Ning returned to the entrance of the Prince's manor. Just as she was about to enter, she spotted a figure lurking suspiciously at the gate.
She quickly stepped forward, grabbed the suspicious person, and demanded, "What are you doing lurking suspiciously in front of the Prince's manor!"