The people of Anguo welcomed the visiting princes and crown princes from various countries.
When the Crown Prince of the Snow Country, clad in white and riding a horse, slowly approached, the crowd was filled with astonishment and sighs, along with endless admiration.
Unmarried women, upon seeing the Crown Prince of the Snow Country's countenance, exclaimed in unison, marveling that such a breathtaking individual could exist in this world.
"Your Highness, look, that is the Crown Prince of the Snow Country," Rong Cui, standing beside Anning, pointed to the man in white approaching on horseback.
Anning nodded, a slight frown on her brow.
Perhaps her gaze was too intense, as the Crown Prince of the Snow Country, riding his horse, seemed to sense it and turned his gaze in their direction.
Their eyes met.
Anning nodded faintly.
Composed and self-possessed.
In contrast, the Crown Prince of the Snow Country's reaction was more pronounced; his gaze lingered on her.
But, he quickly regained his composure and uttered just two words.
From such a distance, she could not hear, but she knew what he had said.
He had said, "Wait for me..."
Her heart leaped. She placed a hand on her thumping heart; it was beating so fast.
"Your Highness, let us return!" Rong Cui said.
She nodded. "Alright."
What Anning did not know was that a person also stood by a window in an adjacent courtyard.
"Your Highness, it's time to go back," a palace maid said cautiously from behind.
The young woman turned and said, "Let's go!"
The image of the man in white remained etched in her mind.
Crown Prince of the Snow Country, I, An Ping, will have you.
At the foot of the Imperial City, the Emperor of Anguo, accompanied by his important ministers, waited. When a man in white appeared on horseback, the Emperor of Anguo rode forward, dismounted, and took a few quick steps. "Your Highness the Crown Prince of the Snow Country, your arrival is a great honor to me."
The Crown Prince of the Snow Country dismounted, his movements elegant and noble. He approached the Emperor of Anguo and said slowly, "Your Majesty is too kind."
Following them were the Empress of Huangze, the Crown Prince of Huaguo, Prince Xixia of Hangguo, and the eldest prince of Xueguo, Xue Yuanzhao.
The Emperor of Anguo personally led the Crown Prince of the Snow Country and the others to reside in the Imperial Palace. Da Feng Novels.
Xue Song, looking at the sleeping quarters designated for his Highness, clicked his tongue twice. "Indeed, one cannot compare it to Xueguo. This place is probably no larger than my residence in Xueguo."
Xue Yan, standing beside him, couldn't help but say, "When traveling abroad, there's no need for so much fuss."
Xue Song replied, "I'm just complaining a little."
As Xue Yan was about to return to rest, a palace maid entered. "My princess requests the Crown Prince of the Snow Country to visit."
Xue Song asked, "May I ask who your princess is?"
"Princess An Ping," the maid replied.
Upon hearing this, Xue Song directly refused. "His Highness the Crown Prince is tired and likely cannot accept the invitation. Please forgive Princess An Ping."
The maid left.
Xue Song looked at Xue Jingyun, who had emerged, with a mischievous grin. He stepped closer, laughing, "Your Highness, your charisma is as potent as ever. Princess An Ping sent someone to invite you, and I refused."
Xue Jingyun glanced at Xue Song and said calmly, "You did well. You will be rewarded upon our return."
The next day, the fact that Princess An Ping had invited the Crown Prince of the Snow Country for a meeting, and was refused, somehow spread throughout the entire Anguo Imperial Palace.
In Ping'an Palace, the Imperial Noble Consort looked calmly at An Ping, who was sitting quietly, and said earnestly, "I know you like the Crown Prince of the Snow Country, but was your action yesterday too obvious? Now, the entire palace is discussing that your invitation to the Crown Prince of the Snow Country was rejected."
An Ping raised her eyes, her face devoid of any displeasure. She picked up the teacup in front of her and said calmly, "So what?"
The Imperial Noble Consort frowned. "This damages your reputation, don't you know that?"
"Mother Consort, I like the Crown Prince of the Snow Country and wish to become his Crown Princess, and even the future Snow Empress. This is an undeniable fact."
"I know, but do you realize that the entire palace is now making a spectacle of you, An Ping?" the Imperial Noble Consort sighed.
"Mother Consort, let them laugh. I don't care. What does it matter if the process is utterly humiliating? As long as I achieve the result I desire." Princess An Ping put down the teacup and said slowly.
"An Ping, you are usually so shrewd; how can you say such a thing?" The Imperial Noble Consort looked at Princess An Ping with some bewilderment.
Princess An Ping touched the golden hairpin on her head, finding nothing amiss. She continued, "Now everyone in the palace knows that I invited the Crown Prince of the Snow Country yesterday and that my heart is set on him. This way, my father will not arrange any hasty marriages for me. The only ones of marriageable age in the palace are me, An Ru, and An Ning. Father only cares about An Ning. I've simply given them a preview."
"Mother Consort, I know what I want, and I will never let it go to anyone else." An Ping looked at the exquisite maiden in the bronze mirror, then stood up, curtsied gracefully, and walked out.
Never before had she felt she understood her daughter so well; to achieve the position of Empress, she was willing to go this far, even at the cost of her own reputation.
"Your Highness..." Baozhu followed her.
"Have you found out where the Crown Prince of the Snow Country is staying now?" An Ping asked.
Baozhu replied, "Qingfeng Palace."
"Good, take me there." An Ping said calmly.
Baozhu was stunned. "Your Highness, this..."
"What?" An Ping stopped and looked at Baozhu, her gaze faint.
But only Baozhu knew that beneath that faint gaze lay a chilling frost.
"Isn't this somewhat improper?" Baozhu mustered the courage to ask.
An Ping heard this and smiled a non-smile. "Since when do my actions require the instruction of a mere palace maid?"
Baozhu, terrified, immediately knelt on the ground. "Your Highness, forgive this servant; I know I was wrong!"
"It's alright. I'll let it pass as it's your first offense."
Baozhu rose, trembling. "Thank you, Your Highness, for not punishing me."
Qingfeng Palace.
An Ping immediately spotted a tall, slender figure standing in the courtyard.
Clad in a snow-white brocade robe, spotless. From his back alone, she could imagine how breathtaking his front must be.
Just like when she was ten years old, she had seen a portrait of the Crown Prince of the Snow Country from outside the palace.
It was then she learned that such a youth truly existed, one who could inspire such awe.
He could bravely fight and rescue the Snow Emperor, he could relieve the suffering and hardship of the people of Xueguo, he could repel the invaders.
And he could possess a peerless and magnificent appearance, like a peerless young master.
Only someone with such a combination of appearance and intellect should be worthy of her.
Now she was seventeen. She had waited for seven full years to have this opportunity to stand here.
She walked forward. Baozhu behind her hesitated, but remembering their previous exchange, she held back.
Xue Jingyun had known someone was standing there all along but felt no threat and paid no attention.
As he felt footsteps approaching, he smelled a faint, lingering fragrance.
But it was not the scent of his A'ning.
"Crown Prince of the Snow Country..." Her voice was soft and charming.
He frowned slightly, turned, his expression cool, "You are..."
An Ping felt that everything around her became a mere backdrop, with only his astonishing beauty present.
While surprised, she did not forget to present herself in the most beautiful way, curtsying with an elegant posture. "Your Highness the Crown Prince, I am Princess An Ping."