Seeing the person approach, Xue Song had no choice but to make a move.
Xue Song hadn't expected this person's martial arts to be so formidable. After a few exchanges, he found himself at a disadvantage.
He retreated in a panic, but hadn't anticipated this person sticking to him like a shadow, as elusive as a ghost.
Xue Song had no intention of fighting him. Suddenly, his foot slipped, and he fell heavily towards the ground.
His face hit the ground directly. Normally, he would have cried out in pain for a while, but at this moment, he felt a cold wind approaching from behind. He turned his head and saw a palm rushing towards his face.
In that instant, he could only cry out, "Your Highness, if you don't come out now, Xue Song will be waiting for you in the underworld..."
The cold wind hit his face, but did not land. Xue Song nervously opened his eyes and saw two slender fingers blocking the palm wind directed at his face.
Looking up, a man in a white robe made of moon silk appeared before him.
As if descended from the heavens, he gave him the hope of survival.
Xue Song felt that if he were a young girl, he would have hugged this heavenly god's leg and wailed.
Now, he got up and said hoarsely, "Your Highness, you finally came out. If you hadn't come out sooner, you wouldn't have seen Xue Song."
Xue Jingyun used his internal energy to flick away the Xue Wei who had been attacking Xue Song.
The Xue Wei dared to be disrespectful to anyone, but they could not be disrespectful to the Crown Prince.
"Crown Prince," the Xue Wei bowed.
"Leave," Xue Jingyun said coldly.
The Xue Wei did not leave, but said, "This is the rule of Qing Xue Palace."
Xue Jingyun looked at the Xue Wei coldly, his voice as clear and cold as frost, "The rule was set by me. Are you sure you want to discuss rules with me?"
The Xue Wei trembled all over and quickly retreated.
Xue Jingyun turned to Xue Song and asked, "What is it?"
Xue Song quickly said, "The Empress has been given medicine, tomorrow..."
Before he could finish, the person had already vanished, leaving only a gust of cold wind behind.
Xue Song twitched his lips. Did it have to be this fast?
Suddenly, he remembered a fact: Xue Feng was still engaged in a life-or-death struggle over there. Was it appropriate for the Crown Prince to act like this?
Xue Song could only get up from the ground and head towards Xue Feng's direction.
Xue Yan was suddenly startled awake by a voice. She realized that she had fallen asleep without realizing it. She quickly got up and saw the Empress in the wooden tub, her face pale and devoid of blood.
She stepped forward and saw that the ice in the wooden tub had already melted into water. She whispered, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."
Xue Zi Ning opened her eyes and asked, "What time is it?"
Xue Yan replied, "It's already Yin Shi."
"Help me up," Xue Zi Ning said.
Xue Yan reached out to help her. As she stood up, she felt her body was extremely weak. The moment she stepped out of the wooden tub, her legs gave way. Xue Yan, startled, quickly picked her up.
After placing her on the bed, Xue Yan said with concern, "Your Majesty, your body cannot withstand this. This servant will call Imperial Physician Li for you."
Xue Zi Ning shook her head, "Don't. If you go, everyone will probably know."
"Your Majesty, this will truly cost you your life," Xue Yan said indignantly.
Xue Zi Ning said softly, "Don't worry, I can do it."
Xue Yan, anxious, shed tears. "This servant truly feels heartbroken that you don't cherish yourself like this."
Xue Zi Ning took Xue Yan's hand and said, "I know you are doing this for me, but I don't want to be unfair to Yan Zhao."
Xue Yan paused and lowered her eyes, "Is there no other way?"
"No, that's why I must persevere until he comes."
Only for Yan Zhao was she willing.
"Your Majesty, why must you do this? You are the Empress of Huang Ze. You cannot be devoted to only the Crown Prince," Xue Yan knew that saying this was unfair to the Crown Prince, but there were priorities. The Crown Prince was not by her side.
"Xue Yan, I cannot selfishly let him pay the price alone while I do nothing. I will not."
Hearing this, Xue Yan could only nod, "Then tell me if you can't bear it anymore, and this servant will replenish your internal energy."
Xue Zi Ning nodded and said, "Do my makeup for me. Make it bold. I don't want them to see through any flaws."
Xue Yan stepped forward and began to do her makeup.
"Your Majesty, it's done. Should you wear the sacrificial attire?" Xue Yan asked softly.
Xue Zi Ning opened her eyes, her clear gaze now filled with a cold, heavy frost, making her look extremely alluring.
"Wear it," she said.
Xue Yan helped her up and put on her clothes one by one, finally placing a crown on her head.
On the altar for the sacrificial ceremony, Wen Yu Xi gazed into the distance. He did not know if Xue Zi Ning would come for the ceremony today. He had sent people to inquire, and the response was that it would proceed as scheduled.
San Ri Chun was not something an ordinary person could endure.
Today was the most difficult to bear.
Wen Yu Xi's hand trembled. Xue Zi Ning's appearance last night was imprinted in his mind.
He took a deep breath and lit the incense.
Chen Shi had arrived.
The sacrificial ceremony should have begun, but the Empress had not yet appeared.
In the crowd, Nan Gong Yue spoke to a man wearing a veiled hat beside him.
"Can't Xue Zi Ning come?"
The man whispered, "San Ri Chun is not something an ordinary person can endure. However, she will come."
How could such a resilient Empress not come?
Nan Gong Yue laughed softly, "If she doesn't come, how can we make her lose face in front of everyone?"
"Lord Wen, why hasn't His Majesty arrived yet? The ceremony has already begun," some officials began to inquire.
Just as Wen Yu Xi was about to speak, he heard a voice from afar, "His Majesty has arrived!"
Following the voice, all the court officials and the watching populace knelt down and shouted in unison, "Long live Your Majesty, long live, long live forever!"
Wen Yu Xi knelt on one knee and looked up to see the young girl striding towards them, bathed in light.
A bright yellow dragon robe adorned the young girl, with the pattern of a soaring dragon on her chest, showcasing her nobility and majesty.
She walked towards him step by step, the tassels of her crown swaying with her movements. He could even hear the crisp sound of them colliding.
Her face beneath the tassels was different from before. Previously, she was pure and refined, like a lotus in mud, unstained by the mortal world. But now, her heavy makeup gave her a cold, noble beauty.
As she walked, she was like a king ruling the world, majestic and awe-inspiring.
And at her feet were crawling ants.
"Rise!" Xue Zi Ning said word by word.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
The voices echoed across the land.
"Let the sacrificial ceremony begin!" Xue Yan, who was beside her, announced.
Wen Yu Xi handed over the lit incense. Xue Zi Ning reached out to take it, and the scent of the incense rushed to her nostrils.
Xue Zi Ning trembled all over. Seeing Wen Yu Xi's changed expression, her heart sank, and she whispered, "There is something wrong with this incense."
Xue Zi Ning did not answer but took it and walked towards the altar.
Wen Yu Xi clenched his fist tightly within his sleeve. He had never expected someone to cause trouble right under his nose.
He looked up at Xue Zi Ning walking towards the altar, feeling not only shock but also an inexplicable sadness.
She would rather harm herself than do anything that would betray Yan Zhao.