"Your Highness, what do you wish for me to do?" Yan Zhao asked, looking up at her.
What to do? Xue Zi Ning didn't know either. She didn't even know how to leave, let alone what to ask Yan Zhao to do.
"Your Highness, how did you get in?" Yan Zhao suddenly asked.
Xue Zi Ning's body trembled, and a flicker of light crossed her eyes. "I entered through the Imperial Mausoleum."
Yan Zhao nodded upon hearing this. "Your Highness can try her luck at the Imperial Mausoleum."
"You are not wrong, Yan Zhao. You are truly clever." She had been thinking of a way out all these days but couldn't find one. Now, Yan Zhao had given her inspiration.
How had she not thought of the Imperial Mausoleum?
She excitedly stepped forward and hugged Yan Zhao, instinctively kissing his cheek. "Yan Zhao, you are truly my lucky star."
Yan Zhao was startled. He looked at the happy princess, but his heart couldn't rejoice. If this were real, would he see the princess in the future?
"Yan Zhao, I will go to the Imperial Mausoleum in a few days," Xue Zi Ning said. Whether it was the way out or not, she had to try.
Xing Yue and Xing Chen were still waiting for her, and the future Yan Zhao was also waiting for her.
She turned to look at Yan Zhao. At this moment, his expression was a little hesitant. She walked up and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Yan Zhao, I'm sorry, I have to go back."
Yan Zhao forced a smile. "I know. May I accompany Your Highness?"
"Okay," Xue Zi Ning said without hesitation.
Upon returning to Chang Ning Palace, Xue Zi Ning saw that many scribbled talismans were pasted on the gate of her sleeping quarters. Xue Lian, who was at the entrance, was angrily tearing at the talismans.
"Xue Lian, what is happening?" Xue Zi Ning asked, walking over.
Xue Lian turned around, saw her, and walked over, saying aggrievedly, "Your Highness, this servant did not guard Chang Ning Palace well. Punish me!" As she spoke, Xue Lian was about to kneel.
Xue Zi Ning stepped forward to help the kneeling Xue Lian and asked, "What exactly is going on?"
Xue Lian said angrily, "It's all because Consort Yan, somehow, managed to persuade His Majesty and the Empress, saying that Your Highness... that Your Highness..."
Xue Lian dared not continue, but Xue Zi Ning understood. "You may speak freely; I will not blame you."
Xue Lian nodded. "They said Your Highness possesses a malevolent aura that has harmed the Third Prince, and these talismans are needed to suppress the malevolent aura of Chang Ning Palace."
Xue Zi Ning's eyes turned cold upon hearing this. "I will go see Father Emperor. Do not tear down these talismans."
With that, Xue Zi Ning headed for the Emperor's sleeping quarters.
"A Ning is here." The Empress was also in the Emperor's sleeping quarters.
"Father Emperor, Mother Empress," Xue Zi Ning said, bowing.
"A Ning, rise!"
Xue Zi Ning looked up at her Father Emperor sitting there. Her Father Emperor also looked at her and sighed. "Father Emperor knows why you are here. Consort Yan threatened to kill herself if you didn't let her paste talismans in your sleeping quarters. Father Emperor knows you are being wronged, so just..."
"A Ning, please bear with it for a little longer!" The Empress finished the Emperor's words for him.
The Emperor looked a little embarrassed. "A Ning, don't be angry with Father Emperor and Mother Empress. The stability of the harem is what Father Emperor and Mother Empress care about equally. Tell us what you want, and Father Emperor will satisfy you. How about that?"
"Okay," Xue Zi Ning agreed immediately.
The Emperor looked at the Empress with relief. They knew their child best. It was rare for her to be persuaded this way.
"Father Emperor, I will tell you what I want later, but you must remember this is what you promised me," Xue Zi Ning said.
"A Ning, don't worry. When has Father Emperor ever gone back on his word?" The Emperor was relieved. He could hardly believe that A Ning was not angry when it was resolved so easily.
As Xue Zi Ning came out of her Father Emperor's sleeping quarters, she happened to see Consort Yan approaching.
Consort Yan saw her and said, "Princess Chang Ning."
Xue Zi Ning nodded. She did not miss the fleeting trace of hatred in Consort Yan's eyes.
Consort Yan disliked her, she could guess, as she was born to the Empress, the legitimate daughter of the central palace. But she shouldn't hate her.
Even with her noble status, she would eventually be married off, posing no competition to Consort Yan's eldest son.
Why would Consort Yan hate her?
She didn't know why Consort Yan hated her; there was no reason!
She truly couldn't figure it out.
"Consort Yan, has the eldest prince recovered?" Xue Zi Ning asked instinctively.
Although there was some distance between Consort Yan and herself, there was none with the eldest prince. Moreover, it was the eldest prince who brought her here.
"The Third Prince is still in a coma," Consort Yan said, her eyes filled with even more intense hatred after this statement.
"I will go and see the eldest prince." Saying this, Xue Zi Ning left without waiting to see if Consort Yan was pleased or displeased.
Consort Yan watched Xue Zi Ning's retreating back, her gaze sinister and terrifying.
Upon arriving at Consort Yan's Shu Palace, Xue Zi Ning felt that the talismans in Chang Ning Palace were nothing compared to this.
In Shu Palace, almost all the talismans almost obscured the original appearance of the palace.
As she walked in, the palace maids in Shu Palace saw Xue Zi Ning and quickly paid their respects. "Greetings, Princess Chang Ning."
"I'll go in and see the eldest prince." Xue Zi Ning walked in and suddenly felt a pressure all over her body, forcing her not to go further.
This was the first time she had felt this way. She trembled all over. What was happening to her?
The palace maid beside her couldn't help but ask, seeing her strangeness, "Your Highness, what's wrong?"
"I'm fine," Xue Zi Ning said, taking another step. The feeling became even stronger.
But she did not retreat. She walked in step by step, and the pressure on her grew.
Finally, she reached the bed and saw Xue Chang Jun, pale and bloodless. His eyes were closed. If not for the breath in his nostrils, one would think he was already dead.
"The Third Prince has been in a coma for several days."
"Has he woken up in the meantime?" Xue Zi Ning asked the palace maid.
The palace maid shook her head. "Not at all." Thinking of the period...
Xue Zi Ning said, "You may leave. I want to talk to Chang Jun here."
The palace maid nodded and withdrew.
Xue Zi Ning squatted down and slowly said, "Chang Jun, I will be going to the Imperial Mausoleum in a few days. Tell me, is the Imperial Mausoleum the key to leaving?"
Xue Chang Jun, whose eyes had been closed, suddenly opened them and looked at her. "Even if Sister finds out, what of it? You cannot enter."
"It really is the Imperial Mausoleum." Xue Zi Ning thought of how she had been focusing on the wrong target during this time, feeling a pang of regret for the wasted time.
"How do I get in?" Xue Zi Ning pressed.
"Sister, isn't it good to stay here peacefully? Why do you want to go back? There are people here whom you like, as well as Father Emperor and Mother Empress. Chang'an hasn't changed. Why don't you like it here?"
"Chang Jun, I still have children. I have my friends. They are all waiting for me to return. I cannot be selfish and disregard them just because I want these things. I cannot."