Hua Yunjin glanced at Hua Yundan upon hearing this and said, "This is my imperial command."
Hua Yundan's gaze flickered slightly as she lowered her eyes. "Your subject obeys!"
Xue Zining followed Hua Yundan to the courtyard prepared for her. Before they even reached the courtyard gate, Hua Yundan's voice stopped her. "You stay outside!"
She was stunned. Outside? She wasn't even allowed into the courtyard?
"Do you have an objection?" Hua Yundan asked, her eyes cool.
"No... no objection," she replied, lowering her gaze.
Hua Yundan said nothing more upon hearing this and turned to enter the courtyard.
Xue Zining gazed at the somewhat desolate figure, her eyes dimming considerably.
Prince Jing hosted a banquet to celebrate Hua Yunjin's arrival.
As the appointed time arrived, Hua Yundan had still not emerged from her room.
Hua Yundan had previously refused the service of the mansion's servants, so she was alone in the vast courtyard, while someone waited outside.
After about half an incense stick's worth of time, she could no longer resist and entered the courtyard, stopping at Hua Yundan's room. "Prime Minister Hua."
There was no answer from within. She called again, "Prime Minister Hua, are you there?"
Still no answer. Hua Yundan had not come out since entering the room. Even if she had secretly left, she wouldn't have been able to sense it.
"Prime Minister Hua, if you don't make a sound, I will enter."
There was no reply. She reached out and pushed open the door.
"Prime Minister Hua... I'm coming in." Upon entering the room, she discovered it was empty. If the outer chambers were unoccupied, she would have to check the inner chambers.
Suddenly, a faint murmur came from within, "Ning'er."
Her body trembled. After a moment, she regained her senses. Hua Yundan couldn't possibly recognize her in her current state. Thus, there was only one possible explanation. Thinking this, she walked towards the inner chambers and saw someone lying on the bed. Who else could it be but Hua Yundan?
She quickly went forward and found Hua Yundan lying on the bed with her eyes closed, her cheeks flushed. She reached out and touched Hua Yundan's forehead, which was alarmingly hot.
"Prime Minister Hua, Prime Minister Hua," she whispered.
"Ning'er, Ning'er," he murmured, suddenly reaching out and tightly gripping the hand she was about to withdraw.
"Prime Minister Hua, please wake up," she called softly.
"Don't... don't leave me, Ning'er." He held her hand very tightly.
Her body stiffened. After a moment, she said, "Prime Minister Hua, you've mistaken me for someone else. I am Ning'an."
She used a little internal energy to transmit her voice into Hua Yundan's ears.
As expected, Hua Yundan's eyelids twitched. When she opened her eyes, she said, "Prime Minister Hua, you are ill. Shall I send for a doctor?"
Hua Yundan looked at her. After a long pause, she said, "No."
"Yes," she stood up, looking at Hua Yundan's hand.
Hua Yundan frowned and followed her gaze, realizing he was holding her hand.
Hua Yundan released her hand with lightning speed and said coldly, "How dare you enter my room without my permission?"
Xue Zining had never known Hua Yundan to be so cold. That was true; in front of her, he had always been gentle. Perhaps this demeanor was his true nature.
She quickly knelt on one knee and replied, "Prime Minister Hua, please do not be angry. The banquet is about to begin, and I informed you from outside, but you did not respond. I had no choice but to knock and request permission. You still did not respond, and I worried about Prime Minister Hua's safety, so I entered Prime Minister Hua's room without your permission. I beg Prime Minister Hua for forgiveness!"
Hua Yundan glanced coldly at the person kneeling on the ground and said indifferently, "Since that is the case, I shall not blame you further. However, let this not happen again. Withdraw!"
"Yes, Prime Minister Hua. But the banquet..."
"Give me half an incense stick's time, and then withdraw!" Hua Yundan said.
"Yes, Prime Minister Hua." Xue Zining withdrew.
Once she was out the door, Hua Yundan quickly went forward, closed the room door, and then went to the water basin to wash her hands. However, thinking of how she had just held a man's hand, she found it disgusting no matter how she thought about it.
Xue Zining stood outside the door and clearly heard the sound of water from within. She felt a mix of amusement and exasperation.
Half an incense stick later, the door opened, and Hua Yundan emerged. He was dressed in a jade-green brocade robe, with a jade belt at his waist adorned with a jade pendant, and a jade crown on his head. His face was refined and extraordinary.
"Let's go!" Hua Yundan said without even looking at the guard, as he feared he might be unable to suppress the urge to vomit.
The banquet was held in the imperial garden of the palace. She followed Hua Yundan into the imperial garden. "You wait outside," she said.
After speaking, Hua Yundan entered the imperial garden directly without waiting for her reply. Xue Zining had no choice but to wait outside the imperial garden.
"Ning'an."
She turned towards the voice and saw Jiang Bei looking at her somewhat unnaturally, with a hint of unease in his eyes.
"Jiang Bei."
Jiang Bei was startled and seemed flustered. "Are... are you alright?"
"Jiang Bei, some things should be forgotten once they are."
Jiang Bei's body stiffened, and he quickly said, "Ning'an, don't worry, I won't..."
"Jiang Bei, forget that matter, otherwise you will be in great danger."
"You... you're genuinely worried about me?" Jiang Bei's eyes brightened considerably.
She looked at Jiang Bei and said, "Yes, I'm afraid your carelessness will implicate me. Jiang Bei, you know our situation, you don't need me to state it explicitly, do you!"
Jiang Bei's gaze flickered slightly and dimmed. However, he quickly raised his head, his gaze firm. "Ning'an, don't worry, I won't hurt you, nor will I betray you. Besides me, no one will ever know that secret."
"Jiang Bei, there is nothing more reliable than a dead man's mouth. If such a day truly comes, I will not show mercy." She felt it was better to be upfront about everything. Everyone must die, but not now.
"Don't worry, if that day comes, I won't make things difficult for you, Ning'an, I won't." Jiang Bei looked up at her. His gaze was so bright that she felt her words earlier were somewhat heartless.
"Hua Yunjin has arrived!" As the voice from outside sounded, Xue Zining's entire being was drawn to it.
Hua Yunjin. She looked up and saw him in a deep purple brocade robe, his face like fine jade, handsome and refined.
Hua Yunjin. Her eyes became slightly moist. It had probably been half a year since she last saw Hua Yunjin. And during the day, when she followed Prince Jing to greet Hua Yunjin, she couldn't see him clearly due to the distance.
Now, she was only a few feet away from Hua Yunjin, but she couldn't call out to him.
"Hua Yunjin," Prince Jing walked out and said.
Hua Yunjin nodded. Prince Jing said, "Hua Yunjin, please."