"Hush," the King of Minnan shushed her.
Xue Xingyue swallowed her words. She saw a woman in palace attire, with a delicate and beautiful face, searching all around.
Seeing this, she looked at the King of Minnan beside her. His handsome face wore an expression of impatience, as if he strongly disliked the woman in palace attire.
Noticing this, Xue Xingyue couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Is she looking for Your Highness?"
The King of Minnan turned and looked at her. His handsome face, with those captivating peach blossom eyes, asked, "Miss, are you jealous?"
Xue Xingyue almost rolled her eyes at the King of Minnan. She had no prior connection with him, so why would she be jealous? "Your Highness misunderstands. This commoner feels that since she is looking for Your Highness, yet Your Highness avoids her, it is not the act of a gentleman."
The King of Minnan smiled upon hearing this, "This king is not acting like a gentleman, don't you know that?" As he spoke, he took a step forward. Their already close distance became even closer.
She could even feel his breath.
Xue Xingyue furrowed her delicate brows. If they were not in the imperial palace, she would have already kicked him.
Unfortunately, this was the imperial palace, and she dared not make too much of a stir. Otherwise, the Empress Dowager would be delighted to find fault with her and punish her.
"Your Highness, please mind yourself, or this commoner will have to commit insubordination," Xue Xingyue narrowed her eyes, her gaze chilling.
The King of Minnan chuckled at this, his peach blossom eyes narrowing. "This king wishes to know how you would commit insubordination?" he said, taking another step forward.
"Your Highness, this commoner is not someone who rigidly adheres to conventions, nor do I believe that because you are of noble status, I must obey. This commoner only knows that I do not offend others unless they offend me. If they offend me, they will surely be utterly destroyed."
Her once clear, watery eyes were now filled with murderous intent, exceptionally cold. The King of Minnan frowned, "You..."
"Your Highness, do not think this commoner is joking. This commoner disdains to joke." Before the King of Minnan could react, the person before him had already flashed away. By the time he looked for her, she was already a hundred meters away.
The King of Minnan's peach blossom eyes now held a trace of danger. He curled his lips, a smile flashing across his face.
Stepping outside, Xue Xingyue saw Qin Er Niang rushing towards her. "Miss, I'm sorry. I was careless, I actually..."
"Alright, we'll talk about this later. Let's wait for Ninth Princess here!" Xue Xingyue found a pavilion in the imperial garden and sat down inside.
Suddenly, she heard a sound from that direction. She stood up, about to leave, when she unexpectedly saw a corner of a robe. Clearly, her location had also been spotted by the other party. And in the imperial garden, one could only be a royal.
Therefore, she could only walk out of the pavilion and bow, waiting for the person to pass.
As the person drew closer, she could see the person's boots in her lowered gaze. The black boots were embroidered with golden patterns. She even saw the dragon patterns embroidered on them.
Besides a prince, she couldn't think of anyone else who could afford to embroider dragon patterns.
"This commoner greets Your Highness." She didn't know who it was, so addressing them as Highness was not impolite.
"Who are you?" The person who spoke had a gentle voice, and didn't seem like an arrogant or overbearing person.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, this lady is accompanying Ninth Princess to the palace to celebrate the Empress Dowager's birthday," a eunuch said to the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince? Xue Xingyue's heart sank slightly.
First, she encountered the King of Minnan, and now the Crown Prince. Her opportunities were truly constant.
"So it's the Prime Minister's wife. Please rise quickly!" the Crown Prince said.
Xue Xingyue breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, someone unlike the rogue King of Minnan had appeared. She stood up and bowed, "Thank you, Your Highness the Crown Prince!"
"Prime Minister's wife, where are you going?" the Crown Prince asked.
Xue Xingyue replied, "This commoner is waiting for Ninth Princess."
Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince said, "Then don't wait for Ninth Imperial Sister. I just saw her with Father Emperor. She went to Consort Wan's place and might not come out for a while."
Xue Xingyue's heart seemed to understand. It appeared Ninth Princess had done this intentionally. And she couldn't leave first, as Ninth Princess had previously said to let her accompany her to the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet. If she left first, wouldn't that be disobeying Ninth Princess's orders?
Clearly, Ninth Princess might have had this idea, putting her in a difficult position. Now, she was truly embarrassed. Would she have to stay in the imperial garden until the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet in the evening?
The Crown Prince seemed to sense her embarrassment and thus asked, "This prince is going to the Tianlu Pavilion. Would you care to accompany me?"
Xue Xingyue was slightly startled. She knew Tianlu Pavilion was the imperial library. Clearly, going to the library now was better than waiting in the imperial garden, as the Crown Prince appeared very gentle. She nodded, "Then this commoner accepts your kind invitation."
The Crown Prince nodded and said to the little eunuch beside him, "Go to Tianlu Pavilion."
The little eunuch seemed taken aback and whispered, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, aren't you going to see the Emperor..."
"Go to Tianlu Pavilion," the Crown Prince interrupted the little eunuch.
Seeing this, the little eunuch said, "Go to Tianlu Pavilion."
Following behind the Crown Prince, Xue Xingyue dared to slowly lift her head. She saw the imperial yellow figure, tall and straight, gentle and elegant. She thought of this phrase.
About the time it takes for one stick of incense to burn, they arrived at Tianlu Pavilion. The eunuchs had already stepped forward to open the door to Tianlu Pavilion.
The female official inside came out. Seeing the Crown Prince, she was quite surprised. "Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince."
The Crown Prince nodded and then said, "Each of you attend to your duties. Just inform this prince if anything is needed."