Xue Xingchen was quickly carried into the sleeping chambers. Eunuch Wei stopped Xue Xingyue from following.
"Eunuch Wei, Your Highness..."
"Princess, please wait outside. His Majesty is blessed with good fortune and will be alright. This old servant will go in and check," Eunuch Wei said.
Xue Xingyue nodded. "Alright. Eunuch Wei, if anything happens, please notify me immediately."
"Princess, rest assured!" Eunuch Wei left.
Xue Xingyue felt as if she were a kite with a broken string, without direction.
"Princess."
She slowly raised her head and saw Feng Tian. She suddenly remembered Feng Jiu and couldn't help but ask, "Have you found Feng Jiu?"
Mentioning Feng Jiu, Feng Tian's face filled with anger. "Consort An is too cruel. She actually tortured Feng Jiu."
Xue Xingyue narrowed her eyes upon hearing this. "Feng Tian, take my token to the Imperial Hospital and have a physician examine Feng Jiu."
Feng Tian received the order. "Yes, your subordinate understands."
Consort An, she would get back at her for all of this.
Sitting there, Xue Xingyue gazed into the distance and involuntarily recalled childhood memories. Back then, her imperial brother was robust and his martial arts were progressing. Her mother empress and father held great hopes for him. After giving birth to her and her imperial brother, her mother empress's health had not been good, so for a long time, there were only the two imperial siblings.
Those were the happiest days for her and her imperial brother, with their mother empress and father accompanying them every day.
Later, her mother empress's health deteriorated further. Her father took her mother empress away to travel, leaving only her and her imperial brother to rely on each other. It was then she realized that she and her imperial brother were the closest people to each other.
Could it be that she could not even keep the closest person to her now?
Her father, the Emperor, and her mother, the Empress, were also like this. Was her imperial brother also going to leave her?
"Princess..."
Xue Xingyue's thoughts returned. She looked up and saw Eunuch Wei. She quickly asked, "How is my imperial brother?"
Eunuch Wei said, "Princess, please do not worry. His Majesty has already fallen asleep."
Xue Xingyue breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good."
"Princess, you should also return to rest quickly!" Eunuch Wei urged.
Xue Xingyue shook her head. "I will stay here with my imperial brother."
Eunuch Wei heard this. "Princess, please don't. His Majesty, before falling asleep, repeatedly instructed this old servant to persuade you to return and rest. His Majesty also said that if you do not go back to rest, and he finds out later, he will not see you again."
Xue Xingyue understood her imperial brother's good intentions. He must have known she wouldn't leave, which was why he said that.
"Eunuch Wei, take good care of my imperial brother."
Eunuch Wei said, "Princess, rest assured!"
Xue Xingyue nodded and left the imperial palace. A young maidservant walked towards her and curtsied. "Your servant greets Princess Xingyue."
Xue Xingyue recognized the young maidservant as Consort Jiang's personal attendant. She asked, "Where is the madam?"
The young maidservant replied, "The madam is waiting for Your Highness at the Wanjun Restaurant."
"Lead the way!" Xue Xingyue said.
The carriage stopped at the Wanjun Restaurant. Xue Xingyue alighted from the carriage and was led by the young maidservant into a private room within the restaurant. The maidservant stopped at the door. "Please, Your Highness, enter."
Xue Xingyue pushed open the door and saw a man sitting by the window. She was slightly stunned, for it was not Consort Jiang, but Meng Jiangming.
She walked in, and the door behind her closed. Meng Jiangming stood up and bowed. "Greetings, Princess Xingyue."
"Young Master..." She stopped after saying just two words, because her imperial brother had already revoked his title of Young Master, so...
She looked up at the bowing Meng Jiangming, her gaze growing cold. She walked directly to a seat and, after a long pause, asked, "Does Young Master Meng intend to hold me accountable?"
Meng Jiangming was taken aback. He then said, "Your Highness misunderstands. I caused this matter, so this punishment is what I deserve."
"Do you have no complaints?" To be honest, Meng Jiangming's words made Xue Xingyue look upon him with a bit of newfound respect.
"It was originally my fault. How dare I have complaints?" Meng Jiangming said.
"Sit," Xue Xingyue said.
"Thank you, Your Highness." Meng Jiangming sat down.
Xue Xingyue looked up and saw Meng Jiangming's still swollen left cheek. It seemed Feng Jiu had indeed struck hard. "Young Master Meng, regarding Feng Jiu's actions, this princess will punish her severely."
Meng Jiangming quickly said, "There is no need for that. It was my fault, and Guard Feng Jiu was justified in striking me."
"Since Young Master Meng is not here to question me, then what is the matter you wished to discuss with me?" Xue Xingyue asked.
Hearing this, Meng Jiangming's expression shifted. He glanced at Xue Xingyue, then lowered his head. Xue Xingyue did not rush to question him but patiently waited for his answer.
After a long while, Meng Jiangming seemed to have made up his mind. He suddenly looked up. Perhaps the movement was too large, as he knocked over the teacup in his hand. The tea quickly spilled. As he stood to pick up the fallen teacup, he reached for something to wipe the tea from the table.
His foot suddenly slipped, and he fell backward. In his panic, he pulled down the white silk curtain behind him. A dull thud was heard as it crashed to the ground, passing through the screen of the private room.
Meng Jiangming secretly cursed his clumsiness as he went to help up the screen. However, he saw a pair of cloud boots appear in his vision, embroidered with intricate patterns in golden thread. Anyone who could wear such cloud boots was undoubtedly no ordinary person.
He looked up and heard a low, clear voice from above. "Young Master Meng, what are you doing here?"
Meng Jiangming was startled. He looked up, also with some surprise. "Wu Ran, how is it you?"
Hearing the name Ji Wu Ran, Xue Xingyue looked up and saw a man dressed in a moon-white brocade robe. Suddenly, a pair of clear, cold eyes met hers.
After a long moment, the man in the moon-white brocade robe walked out from behind the screen that had collapsed with a thud. His tall, slender figure, handsome face, and the elegance in his every move were all captivating and astonishing.
"I am Ji Wu Ran. Greetings, Princess Xingyue."
Xue Xingyue heard this and said faintly, "Lord Ji, please rise."
"Wu Ran, you still haven't answered me. Why are you here?" Meng Jiangming turned to Ji Wu Ran and asked.
Just as Ji Wu Ran was about to speak, a woman's voice rang out. "This commoner, Wen Jingyi, greets Princess Xingyue."
Xue Xingyue heard this. "So, Princess Jing'an is also here. I suppose I have disturbed your pleasant gathering."
Wen Jingyi's face flushed slightly, and she curtsied. "Your Highness, please do not say such a thing. It is my honor to encounter Your Highness. If you do not mind, perhaps..."
"I do mind," Xue Xingyue coldly interrupted Wen Jingyi's words.
Not only was Wen Jingyi stunned in place, but Meng Jiangming and Ji Wu Ran were also quite taken aback, as Princess Xingyue was not typically someone who showed no mercy to others.
However, today, she had shown a complete lack of mercy to Princess Jing'an, which surprised Meng Jiangming and Ji Wu Ran.