"What is this?" Xue Zining looked at the medicine bottle placed on the table and asked the Prince of Xuefu in front of her.
"Chuan Chang Poison," said the Prince of Xuefu.
He saw the girl smile faintly, her clear and beautiful face becoming exceptionally radiant with this smile.
"What are you smiling at?" The Prince of Xuefu became somewhat displeased.
"Your Highness, do you think the Crown Prince is too foolish, or do you think I am too silly?"
The handsome face of the Prince of Xuefu turned ugly.
Xue Zining said without restraint, "What is the difference between me poisoning the Crown Prince and sending myself to my death?"
"Miss Feng, you were the one who proactively offered to help this Prince solve his troubles."
"I did, but I never said I would go to my death."
The girl's eyes were clear and held a hint of coldness.
Like the heavy frost of late autumn, it chilled one to the bone.
The Prince of Xuefu narrowed his eyes, turning cold. "Miss Feng, are you planning to cross the river and tear down the bridge?"
"Not to that extent, but I will not go to my death through such a base and detectable method."
Upon hearing this, the Prince of Xuefu smiled. "Indeed, Miss Feng is no ordinary person. Then, how can Miss Feng help this Prince solve his troubles?"
"All Your Highness desires is the supreme position, while I desire what is in the Divine Temple."
The Prince of Xuefu looked at her, his gaze deepening. "You want to go to the Divine Temple?"
Xue Zining nodded. "Yes, I need what is in the Divine Temple."
The Prince of Xuefu was stunned. After a long moment, he said, "It is not impossible. As a member of the royal family, one can enter the Divine Temple, but only the threshold."
"That is enough. Tomorrow, I will lure away the people around the Crown Prince, and Your Highness can make your move."
The Prince of Xuefu nodded. "Very well, after this matter is settled, this Prince will not go back on his word."
After the Prince of Xuefu left, Xue Yan walked out. "Your Majesty, have you forgotten? Young Master Qiao said that the Prince of Xuefu also wants the things in the Divine Temple."
"I have not forgotten, naturally."
"Then you... are you not afraid that the Prince of Xuefu will break his promise?"
Xue Zining chuckled softly at this. "The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind."
Xue Yan looked at the girl, not understanding. The girl said softly, "To stand out among the many princes of the Xue Kingdom, no one is a fool."
Xue Yan suddenly understood. "Your Majesty, please be careful tomorrow."
The next day.
The Crown Prince was returning to the temporary palace, and Xue Zining naturally accompanied him. Along the way, she pondered how to lure the Crown Prince out alone.
She lifted the carriage curtain and noticed a desolate hill not far away.
Xue Zining turned her head and saw that the Crown Prince, who had been closing his eyes, had now opened them.
"Your Highness, I'd like to get down and walk around," she said, forcing herself.
The Crown Prince did not speak, but simply looked at her with his star-like eyes, which were very bright, very bright.
Just as she was about to pretend not to go, a gentle voice sounded, "You may."
She looked up and feigned shyness. "Your Highness, would you like to get down and walk around?"
"You may," the Crown Prince replied quickly this time.
"Stop the carriage," the Crown Prince uttered two words plainly.
The carriage stopped, and the curtain was lifted. Xue Lan stood outside. "Your Highness, what is it?"
"Let's walk around," the Crown Prince said plainly, dismounting from the carriage. However, he did not leave but extended a hand.
His fair and slender fingers appeared before Xue Zining, impossible to ignore.
Under a scrutinizing gaze, she placed her hand on it.
She knew that gaze was from Xue Lan.
Walking past Xue Lan, she forced herself not to look at him. At this moment, Xue Lan was probably staring at every inch of her, as if she had hundreds of holes.
Arriving at the desolate hill, the Crown Prince stopped and asked plainly, "Here?"
Xue Zining looked up, only then realizing that this hill was an excellent vantage point for viewing the distance.
Xue Lan and a few others followed behind.
"Shall we walk inside?" Xue Zining said.
The Crown Prince glanced at her plainly. "You don't need to follow."
Xue Zining was startled. This Crown Prince actually knew she didn't want anyone to follow.
Xue Lan was about to speak when Xue Song stopped her.
Xue Lan looked coldly at Xue Song and said chillingly, "Aren't you afraid that this Feng Ning has ulterior motives?"
Upon hearing this, Xue Song chuckled. "Sister Xue Lan, do you not trust His Highness's skills?"
Xue Lan was stunned and bit her lower lip. "Even the most skilled can slip, and horses can stumble. His Highness is not a god."
"Sister Xue Lan, we must obey what His Highness says, have you forgotten?" Xue Song's jovial smile disappeared.
Xue Lan was taken aback.
Xue Song sighed. "Sister Xue Lan, men cannot be controlled. If his heart is not with you, it never will be."
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Xue Lan was flustered and angry.
"I'm speaking the truth, even if the truth is unpleasant," Xue Song shrugged.
Xue Lan turned away angrily and left.
Xue Song breathed a slight sigh of relief and looked in the direction the Crown Prince had gone, sighing.
"Here?" The Crown Prince asked, looking at the barren surroundings.
Xue Zining also hadn't expected there to be nothing here.
Suddenly, a snowflake landed in her outstretched palm. "It's snowing."
She exclaimed excitedly.
Although the barren land had distinct seasons, winter was very short, and snow was scarce.
The snowflakes grew larger and larger, falling on her head and body.
The Crown Prince gazed at the girl, who was excitedly enjoying the snow, his eyes extremely bright.
"Do you like snow?"
Xue Zining was startled. She realized she might have gotten too carried away. In the perpetually snowy Xue Kingdom, behaving like this would surely tell the Crown Prince that she was unusual.
"I..."
Before she could finish her sentence, a group of black-clad figures descended from above.
Xue Zining roughly counted; there were over a hundred people.
The Prince of Xuefu had truly made a grand gesture.
"Your Highness, be careful!" Xue Zining shouted in feigned terror.
She prepared to escape in the chaos.
The Crown Prince looked at her plainly and said, "Come here."
Xue Zining was startled and shook her head. "Your Highness, focus on dealing with these people, I can..."
A white figure landed in front of her, blocking the wind and snow, and also blocking her line of sight.
Who else could it be but the Crown Prince?
Xue Zining twitched her eye. Was this Crown Prince foolish? Bringing her along to fight their way out?
The black-clad attackers surged forward, while the Crown Prince calmly faced them, unmoving. Only when they were close did he slowly extend his hand, and a jade light flashed.
The first black-clad attacker to rush forward fell to the ground.
Xue Zining clearly saw the weapon in the Crown Prince's hand: a jade flute, emitting a faint luster all over, made of fine jade.
What a pity, such fine jade.
Xue Zining lamented inwardly.
Suddenly, she felt a cold wind approaching from behind. She turned her head and saw a black-clad attacker wielding a large saber, hacking at her.
She frowned, contemplating whether to act, when a jade light flew out.
The black-clad attacker's saber flew away.
And the black-clad attacker himself had a bloodstain slashed across his neck.
Blood splattered out.