"This time I don't want to act, next time... it will be life and death..."
Xue Zining suddenly woke up from her dream, the sentence still echoing in her mind.
Who is it? Who is saying this to her?
Why does her chest ache a little?
"Your Majesty, what is wrong?" Xue Yan walked in from outside, her face full of tension.
"I'm fine," Xue Zining shook her head.
"Did you have a nightmare?"
Xue Zining shook her head, "No."
Xue Yan breathed a slight sigh of relief, stepped forward to tidy the quilt for her, and said softly, "You should sleep quickly. You have to set off back to the capital tomorrow."
Xue Zining nodded, "Alright."
Seeing that she had fallen asleep, Xue Yan walked out of the room, closed the door, and turned to see a tall figure shrouded in moonlight. At this moment, the silver mask had been removed, revealing a face identical to Hua Yunjin's. The only difference, perhaps, was his eyes.
Bright as stars, exceedingly brilliant.
She was stunned and stepped forward, curtsying slightly. "Your Highness, why are you here?"
"I came to see her."
"Your Majesty just fell asleep," Xue Yan said.
"Did she just have a nightmare?"
Xue Yan shook her head, "This servant does not know, but it seems she did have a nightmare. However, Your Majesty refused to tell this servant."
Xue Jingyun said lightly, "I know. I will go in and see her."
"But..." Xue Yan's words were cut short by Xue Song, who arrived behind her.
Xue Song whispered, "My Highness would never take advantage of someone's vulnerability. Rest assured!"
Xue Yan twitched her lips at his words. Those who do bad deeds never admit they are bad people.
Xue Jingyun pushed open the door and saw the young girl lying on the bed by the moonlight.
As he approached, he saw the girl's brows were furrowed and her expression was uneasy. He wondered what she had dreamt of.
"Don't be afraid, I am here."
He whispered these words softly into her ear. The girl's brows relaxed slightly, and her expression gradually became peaceful.
When Xue Zining woke up, the sky was bright. "Xue Yan," she called out to the outside.
Xue Yan walked in from outside, "Your Majesty, you are awake?"
Xue Zining nodded and asked, "What time is it now?"
"Chen Shi,"
Xue Yan replied.
Xue Zining finished breakfast and walked out of the room. It was almost noon. She arrived at the study where the Hua family members were all present. Seeing her arrival, they all knelt and paid their respects.
"Rise. I am away from the palace, so these formalities can be dispensed with," Xue Zining said softly.
"Where is Yunjin?" she asked, looking around and not finding Hua Yunjin.
Before her words had even fallen, she saw a tall figure walking against the light.
A handsome face, bright and dazzling eyes.
She slowly smiled and walked out of the room, "Yunjin."
The young girl's face was filled with gentleness and a blooming smile.
The young man's gaze flickered slightly. This radiant smile at this moment was not for him.
"Your Majesty..." he stepped forward and bowed.
The young girl helped him up by the arm, "As I said, we don't need so many formalities between us."
The young man looked up, his eyes as brilliant as starlight. His eyes seemed familiar, as if she had seen them somewhere before, yet she couldn't recall where.
"Your Majesty, etiquette must be observed," the young man said slowly.
The young girl shook her head, "This is the Hua family's residence."
The young man was slightly taken aback, then acquiesced.
"Your Majesty, the carriage is ready," Hua Rong stepped forward to break the silence.
Xue Zining nodded, "I have troubled everyone in the manor these past few days."
The Hua family members felt ashamed and quickly knelt, "It is the Hua family's honor that Your Majesty graced us with your presence."
Leaving the Hua family, Xue Zining suddenly grabbed the young man's hand and said, "Yunjin, I have finally taken you away safely."
The young man's eyes trembled slightly, but he remained silent.
After bidding farewell to the Hua family, they embarked on the journey back to the capital.
At the edge of Binzhou, the carriage stopped. Just as Xue Zining was about to ask what was happening, Xue Yan lifted the curtain and said, "Your Majesty, it is General Wu and Madame Wu. Do you wish to summon them?"
Xue Zining was slightly taken aback and turned to the young man, "Yunjin, will you accompany me down?"
The young man was startled, then nodded, "Alright."
Wu Dakang saw two young people, a boy and a girl, step out of the carriage.
The girl was delicate and beautiful, the boy handsome and elegant.
The two of them together were truly a match made in heaven.
It was Li Fanghua beside him who looked somewhat dazed, "This... this is Hua Yunjin?"
She still vividly remembered yesterday's events. She had witnessed Hua Yunjin's cold ruthlessness and his unwavering demeanor yesterday. So what was happening now?
Wu Dakang also saw them, but recalling the letter he had received from the Crown Prince of Xueguo that morning, he said in a low voice, "Try to speak less later."
Although Li Fanghua didn't understand why Wu Dakang said that, she was not stupid. Thinking that something must be amiss, saying less was appropriate.
Seeing the young girl approaching, Wu Dakang and Li Fanghua knelt and paid their respects.
"Get up quickly. The ground is cold. Your wife just gave birth, you must not catch a chill," Xue Zining stepped forward to help Li Fanghua up.
Li Fanghua dared not let the Empress help her and quickly rose, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Wu Dakang stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, this subordinate has prepared a troop of soldiers. We hope you will accept them."
Xue Zining nodded, "Very well, I shall not refuse your kind offer."
With the soldiers sent by Wu Dakang, Xue Zining resumed her journey back to the capital.
There was silence all the way.
They arrived at a post station.
As they had made prior arrangements, there were no other people at the post station.
However, this was not a secluded area, and there were passing commoners. Two young people in splendid attire emerging from the carriage immediately attracted the attention of the bystanders.
Especially since their appearances were of the highest caliber.
After dismounting, the young man who had been following behind strode forward a few steps, coming to the girl's side and shielding her figure.
Upon entering a room, Xue Song, disguised as a随行侍卫 (escorting guard), went to a room and knocked. Only after a voice responded from within did he look to see no one outside the door before entering. He bowed to the person standing by the window, "Your Highness."
"Go and check the surroundings of the post station."
The guard-disguised Xue Song felt aggrieved. Not only did he have to pretend to be a guard, but he also had to walk all the way, and now he had to clear out any tail behind them. He truly had a difficult fate.
However, he dared not complain. He left the room.
In a dilapidated temple less than a hundred meters from the post station, a man with a sharp mouth and a sallow complexion said to a burly man eating roasted chicken and drinking white wine, "Boss, today I saw two people like celestial beings."
The burly man put down the roasted chicken in his hand and asked, "Celestial beings? With your eyesight?"
As the burly man spoke, his gaze shifted towards a corner. A small boy was curled up, his face disfigured and his appearance unclear, but his eyes were indeed dark and bright.
"Boss, I really didn't lie to you this time. They were truly like celestial beings."
The burly man said, "Xiao Wu, let me tell you, if you're lying to me, do you believe I'll sell you to Nanjiang?"