As the maiden offered a smile as bright as a blooming flower, Yan Zhao couldn't help but curve her lips. She was triumphant.
"Young Master Yan, you truly have remarkable skill…" Xue Wenjie gritted out the words through clenched teeth.
Yan Zhao leaned down and said faintly, "It is the Prince's excellent cultivation."
Xue Wenjie: "..."
Cultivation? When had he ever cultivated Yan Zhao to poach his corner?
"Hmph…" Xue Wenjie coldly flicked his sleeves and departed.
Seeing Xue Wenjie leave, Noble Consort Chao approached Yan Zhao and said condescendingly, "Where am I to sleep tonight? Should Young Master Yan not arrange it for me?"
Yan Zhao bowed and stated calmly, "Your Highness, please be patient."
"I do not wish to wait," Noble Consort Chao said coldly.
"Your Highness, if you do not mind, you may stay in my room first," Yan Zhao replied.
Just as Noble Consort Chao was about to refuse, Xue Zixuan, standing nearby, spoke up, "Mother Consort, please do not trouble Young Master Yan."
Finally seeing the formidable Noble Consort Chao off, Yan Yi breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at Yan Zhao standing there and walked up to him, asking, "Young Master, where will we sleep tonight?"
Yan Zhao looked at Yan Yi faintly and said, "You only need to consider your own sleeping arrangements. Do not worry about me."
Yan Yi was taken aback. "Young Master, this is not right. How can you not care for Yan Yi?"
Yan Zhao said faintly, "I recall I did not bring you and Yan Er. How did you follow?"
Yan Yi was speechless, his smile a little awkward. "Yan Er and I will find a place to sleep."
This night was the best night of sleep for Xue Zining. Although Yan Zhao was also one of the Regent Prince's people, she felt more at ease than ever before.
She slept until dawn, until Xue Yan woke her.
The temporary palace had been burned and could no longer be inhabited. Therefore, after breakfast, Xue Zining and the others made preparations to return to the palace.
Upon entering the carriage, Xue Zining noticed Yan Zhao in the corner. He looked somewhat tired.
As she entered the carriage, he had opened his eyes.
His dark eyes flowed with hidden starlight.
"Rest if you are tired," she managed to say.
She had expected Yan Zhao to say no, or to refuse.
However, she did not expect him to softly hum in agreement and close his eyes again.
The starlight was hidden, leaving only his perfect face.
Xue Zining withdrew her gaze, lifted the carriage curtain, and looked outside.
Green trees lined the path, and fragrant grass swayed.
She breathed in the scent of the grass.
She let out a long sigh.
She hoped that every day thereafter would be as relaxed as this.
Suddenly, her relaxed expression tightened.
She lowered the curtain and looked at Xue Yan, whose expression was subtly serious.
Yan Zhao, standing nearby, also suddenly opened his eyes. "Your Majesty, be careful!"
After saying this, he lifted the curtain and alighted from the carriage.
Immediately after Yan Zhao exited the carriage, it began to rush forward uncontrollably.
Xue Zining was thrown about by the sudden rapid acceleration, her head swimming.
Xue Yan, sitting by the lifted curtain, discovered a knife lodged in the horse that was pulling the carriage.
The horse, in pain, galloped forward frantically.
Xue Yan attempted to pull the reins to stop the horse from bolting, but it was to no avail.
Xue Yan called back, "Your Majesty, this servant must sever the reins."
"Alright," Xue Zining replied.
Xue Yan drew her dagger and sliced through the rope connecting her to the horse with one swift stroke.
The immense momentum, unchecked, propelled them violently forward.
Xue Zining felt her body being flung out.
A sharp pain hit her, and she couldn't help but gasp. It truly hurt.
However, before she could cry out in pain, she saw several black-clad figures descend from the sky into her line of sight.
They were truly persistent.
Xue Zining's heart turned cold.
She and Xue Yan were no longer together; she was alone here.
Getting up from the ground, she brushed the dust off herself. Looking at the approaching black-clad figures, she asked coldly, "People from Thousand Gold Tower?"
The black-clad figures did not answer.
Xue Zining narrowed her eyes and said, "Is it too much to ask to die with understanding?"
Still, no one answered.
Xue Zining sneered, "I know your leader."
As she spoke, she took out a token from her懷, saying, "Do you not retreat upon seeing this token?"
This time, the black-clad figures reacted. "Speak, who sent you?"
The leader of the black-clad figures spoke, his hoarse voice asking, "You know the leader?"
Xue Zining retrieved the token and said coldly, "Of course, I know them. That is why I wish to ask who it is that wants my life?"
The black-clad figures pondered for a moment. "Please show us the token."
Xue Zining faltered for a moment, then, with a poker face, said, "Alright."
She took out the token, suddenly threw it towards the black-clad figures, and then turned and bolted.
Her actions were smooth and executed in one fluid motion.
The black-clad figures looked at the token in their hands, a piece of shoddy wood, and were so angry they almost stomped their feet.
Another black-clad figure leaned in. It turned out to be a green token.
"Chase…" the leader gritted out the word through his teeth.
Xue Zining ran forward with all her might. Without Feng Yin, without Xue Yan, she was nothing. At this moment, she could only rely on herself to get out of trouble.
It seemed someone was catching up. Xue Zining spotted a dense tree and scrambled up it in seconds.
She concealed herself within the thick foliage.
When the black-clad figures reached an open area, the woman was nowhere to be seen.
He scanned the surroundings. Trees were everywhere. The buyer had said the Empress was frail and could not run far.
This was considered "not running far"? They were all out of breath.
"Leader, there's no one," a black-clad figure behind him said.
"Go…" the leader said coldly.
The black-clad figures left. Xue Zining breathed a small sigh of relief, but she did not rush to descend the tree.
After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the black-clad figures reappeared.
"Leader, there is no one. Why are we returning here?" the black-clad figure behind him asked.
The leader said coldly, "There is no one ahead, and we have already passed the area behind us. The only place to hide is here."
Upon hearing this, the black-clad figure raised an eyebrow, seemingly disbelieving. "Leader, the other party is a delicate young lady. Would she climb a tree?"
The leader chuckled coldly. "One can never tell. The buyer did say that this Empress is resourceful."
Xue Zining, hearing the conversation between the black-clad figure and the leader from the tree, gasped. Was this a compliment?
"What do we do now? There are so many trees," the black-clad figure said with some difficulty.
The leader smiled coldly, his eyes filled with murderous intent. "Each person takes a few trees and chops them down."
Saying this, the leader leaped into the air and made a gesture. Xue Zining watched helplessly as a tree as thick as her waist beside her was cut in half from the middle.
She gasped. If this continued, she would inevitably be exposed.
Following the leader's demonstration, the black-clad figures also began to imitate him.
Tree after tree fell with a crash.
Finally, only a few remained.
The leader's gaze suddenly fell upon the tree where Xue Zining was hiding.
Even with the foliage concealing her, she could sense the killing intent directed at her.
She felt him raise his sword and swing it towards her tree.
She felt a force pulling her, about to send her plummeting to the ground.
Heaven, her face would hit the ground first.