Zhan Tianye's cold gaze swept over.
It felt as if that gaze could freeze a person solid.
He blinked regretfully, "Uh, consider that I passed gas."
A true man knows when to bend and when to stand firm. In front of Zhan Tianye, he wouldn't be stubborn; it wouldn't do him any good.
"Uh, I just went for a stroll and found the rumors outside have become wild and varied. They're saying all sorts of things, and most of it was spread by Li De's people. This way, Night King, your identity as Night King is at risk. They're forcing you to have no other choice but to return and be their Prince Jin." Xie Jin reacted quickly, directly changing the subject.
Yun Shu chuckled softly, admitting Xie Jin was indeed sharp.
Suddenly, she wondered who would come out on top if Xie Jin and Ruan Xi were to meet.
Zhan Tianye raised his eyes again to glance at Xie Jin, then said to Qiu Lu, "Halve the two hundred thousand taels of silver notes prepared for Young Master Xie."
"What?!" Xie Jin's eyes widened, filled with regret. "Halved? Night King, oh Night King, you're so wise, you must see that what I said earlier was nonsense. Halved? This is worse than killing me!"
One hundred thousand taels!
That was one hundred thousand taels!
Every inch of his body ached!
An ache that pierced his very soul!
Regret for not having foreseen this!
Yun Shu spoke softly, "Young Master Xie has worked hard and put in a lot of effort during this time, truly exhausting."
Zhan Tianye looked at Yun Shu again, his gaze filled with tenderness, completely different from how he looked at Xie Jin. However, he changed his mind, "Since that is the case, then an additional fifty thousand taels."
"Huh?" Xie Jin stared, dumbfounded.
Was the plot twist happening too fast?
He couldn't quite process it for a moment!
Just because of Yun Shu's words, he not only didn't lose ten thousand taels, but gained fifty thousand more?
Having known Zhan Tianye for so many years, this was the first time he'd seen him so agreeable! It was truly an 'if you live long enough, you'll see anything' moment.
"Night King is generous! Thank you, Night King's Consort." Xie Jin's tune changed rapidly, knowing exactly who he needed to thank. Tsk, gaining another fifty thousand taels in the blink of an eye, it seemed this long journey to the Western Xia kingdom was destined to be a very profitable one!
Worth it!
Hahaha!
However...
Just as he was about to speak again, Yun Changfeng, who had been mostly silent, spoke up, "The situation outside is not optimistic. Li De is known for his cunning and will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. What are Night King's next steps?"
This matter originally wouldn't have required his intervention.
But concerning Shu'er's future safety, and whether they could spend the rest of their lives together with Night King, he had to step forward and ask.
Zhan Tianye understood Yun Changfeng's concerns. After exchanging a glance with Yun Shu, he replied gently, "I have already made arrangements in secret. Father-in-law, rest assured."
Hearing the address "Father-in-law," Yun Changfeng smiled, "Of course, I am at ease."
"Now we can see what they intend to do," Yun Shu glanced towards a nearby spot, where a pair of eyes were watching their every move from behind a tree.
It was undoubtedly Li De's order, making the people in their mansion monitor their every action with even greater intensity.
Since this play had already begun, they might as well perform it well.
...
Prince Pingyang's Manor.
Zhen Lin looked worriedly at Princess Ning De, her brow furrowed. "Ning De, the rumors outside are becoming more and more outlandish these past two days, but some are getting closer to the truth. Is this pressure on Night King not afraid of backfiring in the end?"
"I have a feeling Night King wouldn't be unprepared. And Night King's Consort, she is an extremely intelligent woman. Since they've decided to take this step, they should have anticipated some things. But now they've gone quiet, which is too unusual. It's not too late for you to stop now."
As long as it wasn't the very end, Ning De still had a chance to regret.
Princess Ning De's face was cold and clear, showing no sign of panic from Zhen Lin's words. However, she had been suffering from insomnia these past few days, sleeping at most an hour a night.
No one knew the internal struggle she endured through the long nights.
In fact, she hadn't made any moves these past two days, merely observing the situation.
It was easy to guess where these rumors originated. Compared to her, Li De would undoubtedly be more severely affected and would never allow Zhan Tianye to leave the Western Xia kingdom with the title of Night King.
He was trying to cut off all of Zhan Tianye's escape routes.
She pursed her lips, "Brother, what makes Yun Shu so special? How did she manage to make Zhan Tianye discard his life and position, and the power so many desire?"
She couldn't understand it!
Zhen Lin was momentarily speechless, but after recovering, he gave a bitter smile, "If it were me, I would also discard everything. As long as I could spend the rest of my life with her, what do external possessions matter? Ning De, he not only has Night King's Consort, but also their three children. They are a family and should be together."
Hearing Zhen Lin's words, Princess Ning De felt as if struck by lightning. She stammered, then weakly sat down.
As if to conceal something, she picked up a cup and took a sip of water.
The already cool water stung her throat.
Her already dry throat felt even more painful.
She said in a hoarse voice, "Brother, if I give up everything, then you and I will find it hard to establish ourselves in the capital in the future, and I am not in control of my own destiny. The true master of the Kill Palace is the Emperor."
Zhen Lin did not hesitate at all, "So what if we have nothing? So what if it's hard to establish ourselves? Why should we care about external possessions? You and I, brother and sister, can leave the capital, or even leave the Western Xia kingdom."
"No... I can't, Brother. Do you think we can truly leave the Western Xia kingdom? Would the Emperor spare those who betray him? No, he wouldn't, and he absolutely would not allow it," Princess Ning De let out a light laugh.
That laugh held too much unspoken emotion.
She was acutely aware of the current situation and their position as brother and sister.
"Don't worry, even if the Kill Palace suffers greatly in the end, nothing will happen to you and me. It's just... the worst-case scenario is that I become a laughingstock in the capital, the daughter abandoned by Prince Jin." Princess Ning De's hands clenched fiercely.
Zhan Tianye had never considered her from beginning to end!
Even without his memories, he didn't want to be near her.
Every time she thought of this, her heart felt as if it were being seared by boiling oil, tormented!
Zhen Lin's body stiffened, his heart filled with bitterness. "Ning De, you bear too much."
Watery light suddenly flickered in Ning De's eyes. "Brother, am I not good enough? How could he not even glance at me! His eyes are all on Yun Shu! I can't accept it, I can't understand why. If he just becomes Prince Jin, he will be the Emperor of the Western Xia kingdom in the future, able to look down on the world. But why doesn't he want it?"
"Alas! Ning De, why are you so persistent?" Zhen Lin sighed. She had asked him these questions countless times these past few days.
He had also persuaded her countless times, but she still couldn't let go.
However, he had made a decision in his heart. He would go and see Yun Shu, to leave a way out for Ning De.