Xue Zi Ning noticed that her vomiting grew more severe, as if she wouldn't stop until she had emptied her stomach.
Qi Xiu watched, but his anxiety was of no use. He secretly asked an experienced woman who had traveled on the ship. The woman said it was normal.
"Sister A Ning, eating a sour plum might make you feel a bit better," Qi Xiu offered the sour plum he had obtained.
Xue Zi Ning didn't stand on ceremony, taking one and putting it in her mouth. It seemed to offer some relief.
Seeing this, Qi Xiu breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness it helped."
Xue Zi Ning looked at Qi Xiu, smiling, "Qi Xiu, thank you."
"Sister A Ning is being polite again. It's what I should do." If it weren't for Sister A Ning, Grandfather wouldn't have come back to life.
Xue Zi Ning reached out and stroked Qi Xiu's head. "When we get ashore, if you have the chance, you should escape."
Qi Xiu shook his head. "No, I want to stay with Sister A Ning."
"Qi Xiu, the person who saved us doesn't know where we are now. You are helping Sister A Ning, do you understand?"
Qi Xiu didn't want to leave Sister A Ning, but Sister A Ning's reasoning was sound. He could only reluctantly nod. "Alright, but Sister A Ning, you must take good care of yourself."
"I will," Xue Zi Ning said. She didn't want Han Xi Chen to use Qi Xiu to threaten her.
Moreover, An Cheng was even more dangerous. She didn't want Qi Xiu to be put in peril.
The ship finally docked. Xue Zi Ning asked Qi Xiu to find the woman who had given her the sour plum, and then disembarked with the woman.
Han Xi Chen's gaze was fixed on her. He wouldn't pay much attention to Qi Xiu.
As expected, she saw Qi Xiu disembark safely with the woman. She breathed a sigh of relief.
"How is it? I let Qi Xiu go." A voice from behind suddenly startled Xue Zi Ning.
Since she became pregnant, all her senses had become dulled. How could Han Xi Chen have stood behind her before without her knowing?
Child, you must be strong. You've absorbed so much of your mother's strength; you will surely be safe.
"To see the Prince of An?" Xue Zi Ning asked.
Han Xi Chen nodded. "Yes."
Xue Zi Ning didn't struggle and followed him off the ship. There was a carriage by the shore.
She walked directly onto the carriage. The carriage was lined with soft material. As she sat down, she felt like sleeping.
And indeed, she did. She hadn't had a peaceful sleep for days.
Now, she could have a good sleep.
She didn't wake up until the carriage stopped.
The carriage curtain was lifted, and she stepped out. Han Xi Chen extended his hand outside the carriage, and she didn't hesitate to let him help her down.
Raising her head, she looked at the palace before her. Although her memories were her own, she had never erased An Ning's memories.
This was where An Ning had lived.
"Do you have her memories?" Han Xi Chen suddenly asked.
Xue Zi Ning looked up at Han Xi Chen and said faintly, "Does it have anything to do with her?"
Han Xi Chen remained silent. Outside the palace gate, a palace maid stood there. Seeing her, she was initially taken aback, then approached and curtsied. "This servant greets Your Majesty."
Xue Zi Ning was stunned. An Ning's memories flooded back. "Rong Cui."
Rong Cui smiled. "Your Majesty still remembers this servant?"
"Take A Ning to rest," Han Xi Chen said.
Rong Cui stepped forward. "This servant will help you back to the palace."
Xue Zi Ning nodded. "Good."
Along the way, Xue Zi Ning looked around. Her memories became clearer and clearer.
"Rong Cui, where is Princess An Ru?"
Upon hearing this, Rong Cui's expression became a little blank.
"You can't say?" Xue Zi Ning asked.
Rong Cui replied, "It's not that I can't say, it's just that no one dares to say it now."
Xue Zi Ning was surprised. "Why don't they dare to say?"
Rong Cui moved closer to her and whispered, "After Princess An Ru returned, she threw a huge tantrum. Some palace maids heard Princess An Ru questioning the King, asking why he didn't treat her as well as he treated the Prince of Chang Ping. Later, Princess An Ru severed ties with the King. As for where she went, no one knows."
Xue Zi Ning sighed softly upon hearing this. However, her departure might not be a bad thing.
Arriving at An Ning Palace, Xue Zi Ning felt an unprecedented sense of security.
"Is this where An Ning lived?" Xue Zi Ning asked.
Rong Cui nodded. "After the Princess left, the King did not have the palace demolished and rebuilt. He only ordered this servant to continue serving here and keep the place clean. Even when the Prince of Chang Ping repeatedly desired this place, the King refused."
"I'm a bit tired and want to rest. You may go now!" Xue Zi Ning said.
Rong Cui nodded, curtsied, and withdrew.
Xue Zi Ning lay on the bed. She thought it would take a long time to fall asleep, but to her surprise, she drifted off to sleep in no time.
She found herself in that spatial void again, walking aimlessly, with no end in sight and no turning back.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."
Only when she heard the voice by her ear did she slowly open her eyes. Seeing Rong Cui, she couldn't help but ask, "How long have I slept?"
Rong Cui replied, "Five full shichen."
"So long," Xue Zi Ning couldn't help but say.
Rong Cui nodded. "Your Majesty, the King has requested your presence."
Xue Zi Ning was taken aback. To be honest, she didn't want to see the Prince of An.
"Help me get ready!" Xue Zi Ning said. After all, in An Cheng, it was unlikely she could avoid seeing him.
"Your Majesty, you are ready." Rong Cui said.
Xue Zi Ning looked into the bronze mirror and felt a sense of daze. An Ning truly resembled her, and after being dressed, she looked even more so.
"Your Majesty, you truly resemble Princess An Ning," Rong Cui said, then realized she had spoken incorrectly and quickly corrected herself, "Your Majesty, this servant did not mean to."
Xue Zi Ning shook her head. "It's alright. Even I feel a resemblance."
"Let's go!" Xue Zi Ning stood up.
Led by Rong Cui, she arrived at the King of An's imperial study.
She saw Han Xi Chen and the King of An.
"You've arrived," Han Xi Chen said.
Xue Zi Ning walked forward, came before the King of An, and said word by word, "You've collaborated with Han Xi Chen?"
She saw the King of An looking at her, but his eyes lacked the warmth she had expected.
"Your Majesty, one must have evidence when speaking," the King of An said slowly.
"Evidence? Isn't Han Xi Chen's presence here the best evidence?" Xue Zi Ning said coldly.
The King of An chuckled softly. "Is it not Your Highness who brought Prince Han back?"
Xue Zi Ning looked at him. "Doesn't the Prince of An know how I got here?"
"A Ning, since you're here, don't say things that spoil the mood. If you get angry so easily, be careful of the child in your belly," Han Xi Chen suddenly spoke.
Hearing Han Xi Chen mention the child in her belly, Xue Zi Ning fell silent. Han Xi Chen was warning her, reminding her.
She subconsciously touched her stomach. She knew that without this child, Han Xi Chen wouldn't have been able to capture her.
But, even so, she still wanted to do her best to protect this child, to protect the bloodline of her and Xue Jing Yun.
"Don't worry, he's very well-behaved," Xue Zi Ning said.
Han Xi Chen let out a cold laugh. "He may be well-behaved, but his mother is not."
Xue Zi Ning's gaze turned cold. "Han Xi Chen, you holding me hostage is a crime punishable by death."
"Death penalty? With you here, who would dare touch me?" Han Xi Chen sneered.
"Alright, everyone sit down," the King of An interjected, breaking the argument.
Xue Zi Ning sat down without any pretense. "May I ask why you summoned me here?"
Han Xi Chen said, "Naturally, there is a matter."
"What matter?" Xue Zi Ning asked.
Han Xi Chen looked at the King of An, who then said, "Your Majesty, you may not know, but the Prince of Chang Ping is currently trapped in the capital. We implore Your Majesty to show mercy and release the Prince of Chang Ping."