During the morning court, His Highness the Crown Prince of Xue Kingdom announced that his wedding ceremony with the Empress of Huangze would take place in five days.
"Your Highness, isn't five days a bit short? After all, preparing for the wedding will take some time."
The ministers were surprised that the first one to object was Wen Yu Xi, as Lord Wen was considered a loyal supporter of the Crown Prince.
Following his lead, the rest of the court officials also voiced their opinions.
Upon hearing this, Xue Jing Yun's gaze was indifferent, and his tone grew colder. "Preparing for the wedding is your concern as ministers, not mine. If it cannot be prepared in five days, it simply means you are incompetent." Da Feng Xiao Shuo Wang
With that, he stood up and left.
The ministers exchanged bewildered glances, and Wen Yu Xi gritted his teeth so hard they creaked.
He knew Xue Jing Yun's words were clearly directed at him. Did he think he couldn't understand?
Very well, if he wanted to make things difficult, he wouldn't let the wedding with the Empress proceed smoothly either. He had to cause some trouble.
"Wen Nuan..." Wen Yu Xi said softly.
Wen Nuan entered and asked, "Sir, do you need something?"
"Go write the invitations. The Empress's wedding should be a lively affair, shouldn't it? By the way, I recall Princess An Ping seems to have feelings for the Crown Prince, doesn't she?"
Wen Nuan's mouth twitched upon hearing this. "Sir, I advise you to know when to stop. The Crown Prince is not someone to be trifled with."
Wen Yu Xi sneered, "He's not to be trifled with, but is your master here easily provoked?"
Not only did he openly declare his intention to marry A Ning, but he also specifically asked him to prepare the wedding ceremony for them, and with only five days. Was this not deliberately making things difficult?
He was already feeling terrible, his A Ning, a precious flower, was being planted in dung.
And he wasn't even allowed to vent his anger?
Regardless, Princess An wouldn't cause much of a stir. He just wanted to annoy someone.
"Invite them all. After all, she is the Empress's former elder sister," Wen Yu Xi said.
Wen Nuan offered no further persuasion. She was merely an executor of tasks. As long as the task was done well, anything else was beyond her consideration. If her master wished to dig his own grave, let him.
At worst, she would clean up the mess for him.
She knew her master's feelings for the Empress and that he was simply upset right now.
Not only could he not have her, but he was also being ordered around by a love rival. Anyone in his position would be enraged.
"Master, send invitations to Hua Kingdom and Han Kingdom as well?" Wen Nuan asked uncertainly again.
"Yes, send them. And also send one to the eldest prince of Xue Kingdom," Wen Yu Ti said.
Since he was feeling bad, they shouldn't feel good either. Let them all come and be envious and jealous!
Wen Nuan truly hadn't expected her master to be so petty.
She couldn't help but smile.
After smiling, she felt a pang of sadness. Her master would never have a place for her in his heart.
It didn't matter; she was content to simply stay by his side.
Once the invitations were sent out, guests arrived quickly.
Xue Zi Ning hadn't expected the Emperor of An to come. Although An Ning had completely disappeared from her body, An Ning's memories had not.
Regarding the Emperor of An, she still held feelings of warmth from the past.
Wen Yu Xi had shown her all the guests he had invited. She had no objections to others. After all, she had matters to discuss on her wedding day. However, when it came to the Emperor of An, she hesitated. She was no longer An Ning, but Xue Zi Ning.
Would the Emperor of An come?
When the Emperor of An actually arrived, her heart leaped with joy.
Outside the city, she rode her horse, waiting for the Emperor of An's carriage to arrive.
Xue Jing Yun was supposed to accompany her, but she had not agreed. She brought only Xue Yan.
After all, if Xue Jing Yun were to come, the Emperor of An would surely pay his respects to her, and she did not want the Emperor of An to do so.
"Your Majesty, the Emperor of An's carriage has arrived," Xue Yan said, looking at the approaching people and horses in the distance.
Xue Zi Ning nodded. As the carriage drew closer and stopped, she rode her horse slowly forward.
The curtain was lifted, and a girl in red emerged. Upon seeing her, she showed joy and waved, "A Ning!"
Xue Zi Ning smiled upon seeing the girl in red and said, "An Ru."
In fact, she had exchanged many letters with An Ru privately. An Ru had said that even if she wasn't her sister An Ning, she would still be her A Ning.
An Ru jumped down from the carriage. Xue Yan led the horse from behind and handed it to Princess An Ru.
An Ru mounted the horse and said with some nostalgia, "It seems I'm still suited to riding horses. A Ning, you have no idea how much my bottom hurts from riding in a carriage."
"An Ru, do not be disrespectful," a voice suddenly came from the carriage.
An Ru stuck out her tongue at her. Immediately after, Xue Zi Ning saw a man emerge from the carriage. Who else could it be but the Emperor of An?
The Emperor of An saw her and, with the assistance of his attendants, alighted from the carriage. He then bowed as if to pay his respects.
Xue Zi Ning couldn't possibly let the Emperor of An truly bow to her. She quickly dismounted and hurried over, supporting the Emperor of An and saying, "You don't need to do this."
The Emperor of An shook his head stubbornly. "This禮 must be accepted by Your Majesty."
"No, you cannot," she shook her head. Anyone else could pay their respects to her, but not the Emperor of An.
"Your Majesty, you will be the Empress who unifies the world..."
"No matter what I am, there is no reason for you to pay your respects to me," she insisted.
"Father Emperor, you said when you came that you had seen your little A Ning. Why are you being so stubborn now?" An Ru said.
The Emperor of An was slightly stunned. Xue Zi Ning helped him up, looked at him, and said word by word, "Father Emperor, have you forgotten A Ning?"
Tears welled up in the Emperor of An's eyes. "I remember, Father Emperor remembers."
Xue Zi Ning's tears turned into a smile. "Father Emperor."
"Good, A Ning..." The Emperor of An also smiled.
At this moment, whether before him was An Ning or Xue Zi Ning, he no longer cared. She was his little A Ning.
"Father Emperor, let's go home," Xue Zi Ning said.
The Emperor of An nodded. "Alright."
"Now that Father Emperor and sister have recognized each other, shouldn't you also recognize your elder sister?"
Xue Zi Ning was taken aback and looked up to see another person emerging from the carriage.
An Ru said angrily, "I told you to get out of the carriage earlier, and you refused. Now you're eager to come forward."
An Ping approached Xue Zi Ning and said, "Since you have recognized Father Emperor, do you recognize me, your elder sister, A Ning?"
Xue Zi Ning smiled faintly. "I do."
An Ping smiled. "It is truly a great honor."
An Ru stepped forward. "Stop being sarcastic here."
An Ping glanced at An Ru. "In what way am I being sarcastic?"
"You..."
"Enough, why are you arguing? A Ning, ignore them. Let's go home," the Emperor of An said, taking Xue Zi Ning's hand and walking towards the carriage.
An Ru snorted at An Ping and followed them onto the carriage.
An Ping's gaze turned cold, and she tightly clenched the handkerchief in her hand.
She looked into the distance, a mysterious glint in her eyes.
The arrival of the Emperor of An and An Ru brought joy to Xue Zi Ning. Upon returning to the palace, she immediately began arranging a banquet, only to find that Yan Zhao had already made the arrangements for her.
As it was a family banquet, Xue Zi Ning did not invite anyone else, not even Wen Yu Xi.
During the banquet, Xue Zi Ning pulled Yan Zhao to the Emperor of An and said, "Yan Zhao, pay your respects to Father Emperor."