"No one is suitable," the Emperor said, gnashing his teeth.
"Father, do you mean I am to be alone forever?" Xue Zi Ning asked him with a smile.
The Emperor almost broke his teeth in anger. "Nonsense, how could you be alone forever?"
Xue Zi Ning smiled. "I was wrong, Father. Please don't be angry."
The Emperor said angrily, "By making Father so angry, do you truly believe Father will keep you here forever?"
"If Father is willing to keep me for a lifetime, Ah Ning is willing."
The Emperor was slightly stunned. He truly hadn't expected Xue Zi Ning to say such a thing. "Nonsense, how could Father keep you for a lifetime?"
"Your Majesty... this unfilial son of mine will be taken back by this old subject and strictly supervised." Old General Yan knelt and said that taking him back to supervise was actually a disguised request for the person.
The Emperor waved his hand. "Go, go! Don't let me see him again."
Old General Yan quickly stepped forward to pull Xue Zhao away. Xue Zhao was unwilling to leave, and Old General Yan slapped him to make him obedient.
Xue Zhao looked up at Xue Zi Ning, the affection in his eyes evident.
Xue Zi Ning nodded at him, and only then did Xue Zhao obediently follow Old General Yan away.
After Xue Zhao left, only Hua Yun Jin remained kneeling there.
Hua Yun Jin did not believe the Emperor had not seen him; it was clear he wanted him to kneel there.
"Father, it is time for lunch," Xue Zi Ning said.
The Emperor heard this and tapped her forehead. "You only know how to eat. Come, let's go to your mother's place and see what she has prepared."
"Alright, let's go!" Xue Zi Ning took the Emperor's hand and left.
Xue Chang An watched as his Father and Xue Zi Ning left. Only then did he step forward and say, "Get up. Father is far away."
Hua Yun Jin stood up and looked at Xue Chang An. "Thank you, Princess Chang An."
Xue Chang An heard this and said, "You've also seen that Chang Ning has no other feelings for you. Even so, do you still intend to wait?"
Hua Yun Jin stood up and said, "My heart desires Princess Chang Ning. This will not change."
"You..." Xue Chang An gritted her teeth in anger.
"Thank you for taking care of me, Princess Chang An. As for what happens next, I hope Your Highness will maintain a distance from me, otherwise, others will misunderstand, especially Princess Chang Ning."
"Hua Yun Jin..." Xue Chang An squeezed these three words out through clenched teeth.
Hua Yun Jin remained unmoved and bowed. "I hope Princess Chang An will fulfill this."
Xue Chang An smiled, and a cold sneer flickered in her eyes. "Do you think that by saying this, I will give up on you? Don't even think about it. It's impossible. I will never give up on someone I desire.
As long as you are here, Hua Yun Jin, I will never let go, unless you die."
Xue Zi Ning trembled all over and looked up at Xue Chang An, seeing the unhesitating cold light in her eyes, the light of someone targeting prey.
"Princess Chang An, why bother?" Hua Yun Jin asked.
"For no other reason than you are the first man I have ever desired, so I will not let go."
"Your Highness, I have also told you that I will not have any admiring feelings for you."
"Who knows? Perhaps one day you will change, Hua Yun Jin," Xue Chang An said word by word.
Hua Yun Jin felt that she might not be able to persuade Xue Chang An. Rather than this, it was better to leave it to time.
After Hua Yun Jin left, Xue Chang An looked at his retreating figure, a trace of fierceness in her eyes.
"Your Highness, should we..."
Xue Chang An glanced at the person beside her and said, "No need. It's not time yet."
Xue Zi Ning and her Father went to the Empress. Xue Chang Jun was there, and she called her sister.
She hadn't seen Xue Chang Jun for several days. After lunch, Xue Zi Ning made an excuse and took Xue Chang Jun out.
"Sister, are you taking Chang Jun out to play?"
"Chang Jun, how can you go back?"
Xue Chang Jun looked at Xue Zi Ning in confusion and asked, "Sister, what are you talking about? Chang Jun doesn't understand."
"Xue Chang Jun, stop pretending. What exactly do you want to do by bringing me here?"
Hearing this, Xue Chang Jun's eyes filled with tears. "Sister, how can you say that to me?"
Seeing that Xue Chang Jun refused to mention the fact that she had brought her here, she had no choice but to let her go back.
Did Xue Chang Jun really not know?
Xue Zi Ning was a little confused.
That's right, she should go find Xue Zhao. He was so smart, he would surely find a way.
With this thought, she quickly asked Xue Lian to prepare the carriage and headed straight for the General's mansion.
She didn't know that all her actions were being reported to Hua Yun Jin by Hua Yun Jin's guards.
Hua Yun Jin frowned. Xue Zi Ning's recent whereabouts and actions were indeed somewhat unusual.
In the past, she would come to find him, even staying by his side constantly. Now, she could be infatuated with someone else.
What had she encountered to cause such a drastic change in her temperament?
"Continue to watch her. Report any situation to me immediately," Hua Yun Jin instructed.
When Xue Zi Ning arrived at the General's mansion, Xue Zhao was kneeling in the center of the courtyard, and Old General Yan was whipping him.
Just as Xue Zi Ning was about to go down to stop it, she heard Old General Yan speak, "Tell me, why did you do this?"
Xue Zhao replied, "Father, my son always thought that Princess Chang Ning did not like me, so..."
"So you refused the Emperor's arranged marriage at first not because you didn't like Princess Chang Ning?"
Xue Zhao nodded. "Yes."
"Foolish." Old General Yan said, angrily whipping him again.
"My son is foolish." Recalling being kissed by Princess Chang Ning in the tea house, Xue Zhao felt that these lashes were not in vain.
"Then are you asking the Emperor for an arranged marriage now because you feel Princess Chang Ning has feelings for you?"
Xue Zhao nodded. "Yes."
Old General Yan was so angry he almost died. He roared, "Do you think the Emperor is someone who will agree or disagree just because you say so?"
"Father, my son knows he was wrong," Xue Zhao said.
"I don't think you know you were wrong." Old General Yan, feeling he hadn't vented enough, swung the whip several more times.
"Oh, my lord, are you going to beat the only bloodline of the Yan family to death?" Old Madam Yan came out, supported by the household servants.
"I... I am just so angry," Old General Yan said angrily.
Old Madam Yan cried, "You don't think of us mother and son anymore, do you? Are you unhappy that I didn't give you more children?"
"You... what nonsense are you talking about?" Old General Yan berated Old Madam Yan.
Old Madam Yan became even angrier. "And you say it's not true? I was thirty when I had Zhao'er. If you want to beat Zhao'er to death, beat me to death first!"
Saying this, she hugged Xue Zhao, no longer letting Old General Yan hit him.
Old General Yan could only throw the whip aside. "Madam, why must you do this?"
Old Madam Yan cried, "I have only given you this one son in my life. If he is beaten to death by you, how can I face the ancestors of the Yan family? It would be better to beat me to death so you don't have to see me and be bothered."