Regarding the question of why the Empress would send guards to "protect" the Princess of Dali, Wang Yu Yi deliberated for a long time but ultimately did not voice it.
If he were to ask, he would only receive perfunctory answers or lies.
He, being sensible, rose to take his leave.
After Wang Yu Yi departed, Hui An picked up a tea pastry and placed it into her mouth. After chewing and swallowing, she smiled and asked her, "Your Highness, do you truly believe that the assassination attempt before the New Year and the current one were carried out by my incompetent brothers and sisters?"
Lü Wan refilled Nan Shi Ying's teacup and cleared away the cup that had been for Wang Yu Yi. She then brought in freshly washed fruit. Nan Shi Ying picked up an orange, peeled it, and as she listened to Hui An, she slightly raised her head. Her long, curled eyelashes lifted, revealing a pair of deep, luminous eyes. Hui An's fingertips pressed against her palm, unconsciously applying a bit of force. She suddenly felt a pang of unease, as if she were in a silent, dark forest, the darkness pulling her into an abyss like tentacles.
A bead of cold sweat broke out on her temples, and the smile on her lips froze. Her facial muscles, strained by tension, struggled to remain placid. Nan Shi Ying gazed at Hui An for a full minute, until Hui An's back slightly hunched. Only then did she lower her head again, continuing to peel the orange. Once it was peeled, she pulled Hui An's hand, thrusting the peeled orange into Hui An's grasp.
"What, is it cold?"
Touching Hui An's icy fingers, Nan Shi Ying asked with concern. It was as if the chilling gaze from before was merely Hui An's illusion. She smiled gently, her deep pupils shimmering with reflected light, devoid of any trace of the sharpness and coldness from moments before.
Hui An tugged at the corner of her mouth, her smile a little strained.
"It must be that I did not rest well last night. It's nothing," she replied.
"Relax, I will surely protect you," Nan Shi Ying said, patting the back of Hui An's hand, signaling her to eat the orange in her palm. Hui An lowered her head, looking at the orange. She stood up and knelt to express her gratitude, "Thank you, Your Highness." Nan Shi Ying quickly helped her up, chiding, "Between us, why must you be so formal?"
Hui An said no more. She sat back down, peeled the orange, and placed the segments into her mouth one by one. The orange was sweet and fragrant, yet Hui An found it somewhat bitter.
She felt a sense of trepidation and fear, akin to accompanying a tiger, from Nan Shi Ying. Even when facing her own father, the Emperor of Lin Yuan, she had never experienced such imposing might.
Hui An felt a flicker of panic, yet a surge of reverence also welled up within her heart. She considered herself no less than any man in this world, which was why she dared to contend for the throne. She had once believed herself capable of looking down upon all women in the world, but it was only after arriving in Lin Yuan and meeting Nan Shi Ying that she understood the meaning of "there are always people better than you."
Previously, she often lamented that she had not been born three hundred years ago to personally witness the grace of Empress Nan Feng Luan. Now, after seeing Nan Shi Ying, she felt fortunate that she had not been born three hundred years ago. Even now, when facing Nan Shi Ying, she felt ashamed of herself. How could she possibly shine under the Empress's brilliance?
"If you believe the masterminds behind these two assassination attempts are not from your Dali, then who do you think it could be?"
Nan Shi Ying's casual question fell upon the somewhat dazed Hui An's ears. She paused for a second, and the juice from the orange choked her throat, causing her to cough violently, "Cough, cough, cough..."
Nan Shi Ying brought her teacup to her. Hui An took it and drank the tea down in large gulps, finally stopping her cough. She took out a handkerchief from her怀, wiping the corner of her lips stained with tea.
She set down the teacup and replied, "I don't know."
Shaking her head, she explained her previous words, "I just feel that my brothers and sisters do not possess the strength to extend their reach into Lin Yuan, except for..."
"Except for the victim of the previous assassination, Yu Cheng Xuan," Nan Shi Ying naturally picked up the conversation. She pursed her lips and smiled at Hui An, "Then why don't you suspect your father, Yu Wen Yi?"
Hui An opened her mouth.
She had simply overlooked this possibility.
But even if her father feared the powerful Yu Cheng Xuan, he wouldn't rashly assassinate him.
Could it be that her father wanted to use Yu Cheng Xuan's life to offset the twelve cities that Lin Yuan desired? It wasn't that she looked down on Yu Cheng Xuan, but an imperial prince of Dali, what consequence would his death in Lin Yuan bring? Facing the Demon Hunting Army that could break through the gates of Wei Cheng at any moment, what options did Dali truly have?
That assassination attempt had cost the lives of three thousand Dali border troops.