In the study of Qiushan Academy, the Chancellor bowed and said, "Your Majesty, have you found any clues?"
Xue Zining shook her head, "None."
Upon hearing this, the Chancellor stated, "Your Majesty, though these students at the academy have just enrolled, I dare to stake my head as a guarantee that the person you speak of will absolutely not appear here."
Xue Zining nodded, "I hope he does not appear here either."
As evening approached and Xue Zining prepared to depart, a heavy rain began to fall, forcing her to stay at Qiushan Academy.
When Xue Song returned to his room, he found his master had not yet retired and felt inexplicably guilty.
"Did you see Xue Yan?" Yan Jin Chao said slowly.
Xue Song chuckled, scratching his head, "Master, you know everything?"
Yan Jin Chao glanced at him and gave a soft "Mm."
Xue Song quickly stepped forward, "Master, rest assured, Xue Yan promised me she wouldn't tell Your Majesty?"
"Not tell? You think the Empress doesn't know?" Yan Jin Chao sometimes wondered if Xue Song lacked a bit of sense.
Xue Song was taken aback, "Could it be that the Empress already knows?"
"I'm afraid she knows by now!"
As Yan Jin Chao finished speaking, footsteps approached the door. Xue Song looked at Yan Jin Chao and asked, "Master, this..." "You may withdraw," Yan Jin Chao said coldly.
Xue Song retreated. Yan Jin Chao then rose and walked to the door, opening it to find the woman in the aquamarine dress standing there.
He stepped forward, bowed, and said, "This commoner greets Your Majesty."
Xue Zining looked at the student before her, who bore no resemblance to Yan Zhao. If Xue Yan hadn't let slip, she truly wouldn't have known he had already arrived in the capital.
Having come to the capital, he didn't seek her out, but instead entered Qiushan Academy. She simply watched him.
Yan Jin Chao also watched her, their gazes meeting.
Xue Zining sighed and stepped forward, "What exactly do you want to do?"
She watched as he suddenly stepped forward, put an arm around her shoulder, and pulled her into his embrace.
Xue Zining's body trembled. She struggled to break free, but found his strength immense, so much so that she couldn't resist.
"A'ning..." his low voice echoed in her ears.
It had been a long time since she had heard the name "A'ning."
"A'ning, I'm sorry, I came back late."
Xue Zining's tears flowed. In the end, she wept uncontrollably, beating his back fiercely, "Why? Why did you pretend not to know me? Why?"
He wanted to say he hadn't pretended not to know her, but he knew that even if he said it, she might not believe him.
He pulled her out of his embrace and kissed her.
Xue Zining didn't push him away. In truth, she had been waiting for a very, very long time.
He suddenly swept her into his arms and carried her towards the room, the door closing behind them.
Outside the door, Xue Yan sighed, "It seems Lord Wen is to be pitied."
Xue Song was displeased, "If Wen Yuxi is to be pitied, isn't my master also to be pitied?"
"Your master is merely heartbroken, but Lord Wen is wounded in every way this time."
Xue Song did not reply.
Xue Zining woke to find the bed empty. She got up, too rushed to put on her shoes, and ran out of the room. Under the tree, which had lost all its leaves, stood a tall, slender figure.
Elegant and peerlessly graceful.
As if hearing footsteps, he saw her and quickly walked over, lifting her up and draping his cloak over her. "The autumn frost is heavy, why aren't you wearing shoes, or clothes?"
Xue Zining wrapped her arms around his neck and said, "I miss you."
He paused slightly, pulling her closer. "A'ning, I miss you too, very, very much..."
"Don't leave again, okay?" Xue Zining asked.
Yan Jin Chao said, "A'ning, if I return like this, it won't be accepted by the court."
Xue Zining frowned, looking at him, "Yan Zhao, what are you going to do?"
"I am going to participate in the imperial examinations," he said, word by word.
"Yan Zhao, are you serious?" Xue Zining asked.
He nodded, his brilliant eyes flowing like a starry river. "Yes, I know now what I need to do."
"If that's the case, then work hard. I will wait for you at the final imperial exam," Xue Zining said.
"Alright, A'ning, rest assured, you will definitely wait for me."
"I believe you." The once brilliant Crown Prince of Xueguo would surely dominate and crush all his rivals.
Therefore, Xue Zining had no worries about him failing.
However, Wen Yuxi was becoming a headache.
"Are you worried about Wen Yuxi?" he immediately guessed what the Empress was troubled by.
"Yes, I feel I'm being rather unfair. Wen Yuxi is the one person I least want to hurt."
"It's all my fault, A'ning. You've done nothing wrong," he said softly, holding the Empress.
"At this point, I must give Yan Zhi an explanation. Yan Zhao, Yan Zhi is not just anyone, he is my kin, my friend. I cannot simply use him and then cast him aside."
"A'ning, why don't you take him into your harem?"
Xue Zining trembled and looked up at him, "Yan Zhao, you..."
"A'ning, I am not angry or jealous. This is something I've also considered. Yan Zhi has done so much that I cannot repay."
"Let me think about it again," Xue Zining lowered her gaze. In her heart, she wished for only one person, and that was Yan Zhao, for her entire life.
But both morally and logically, Wen Yuxi had done so much for her, and she couldn't bear to refuse him any longer.
"Your Majesty, the Chancellor requests an audience," Xue Yan announced from outside the door.
Xue Zining said, "I must leave."
With that, Xue Zining departed. He watched her retreating back and then suddenly said, "Xue Song, I will be studying late tonight."
Xue Zining went to the study. The Chancellor said, "Your Majesty, the carriage is ready, and you can depart at any time."
Xue Zining nodded, "Good."
Exiting Qiushan Academy and getting into the carriage, Xue Yan leaned closer and asked, "Your Majesty, when will you bring His Majesty Yun back?"
"He is going to participate in the imperial examinations," Xue Zining replied.
Xue Yan blinked, twitching his lips, "Participate in the imperial examinations? Is he alright? At his age, competing with those students?"
Hearing Xue Yan's words, Xue Zining felt that it was indeed the case. She chuckled, "You're right, he's of a ripe age to be taking the imperial examinations."
"Your Majesty, what about Lord Wen..."
"I will speak with him when I return." Xue Zining fell into silence.
Returning to Channing Palace, she saw Xue Xingyue and Xue Xingchen clinging to Wen Yuxi. Upon seeing her return, they both abandoned Wen Yuxi and exclaimed, "Mother, Mother..."
Xue Zining picked up the two little ones, saying, "Don't bully your Uncle Wen."
"Mother, I didn't," Xue Xingyue quickly retorted.
Wen Yuxi stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the two young highnesses are very well-behaved."