"Who...who says I don't dare?" Anping, stubborn as a dead duck, lifted her eyes.
Anping bit her lower lip and was about to make her move. Just as she was about to reveal her arm, Xue Changan, who was beside her, held her hand. "Although the customs are open now, it might be inappropriate for a princess of a nation to undress in front of everyone. How about we go behind that screen?"
"Let's do that!" the Empress spoke.
With the Empress's permission, Anning said no more.
Xue Changan pulled Anping behind the screen, pulled up her sleeve, revealing her arm, where the scar was clearly visible.
Anping bit her lower lip. Xue Changan whispered, "Endure it."
Anping was stunned. In that moment of stupor, a sharp pain struck her. She almost cried out. Looking down, she saw that Xue Changan had actually removed her scar.
"This..."
"The effect lasts for only an hour. You can use an excuse to leave later!" Xue Changan said.
Anping nodded. At this moment, the palace maid sent to examine Anping's arm walked over. Seeing the smooth skin on Anping's arm, she walked away.
"There is no scar," the palace maid replied.
Anning's eyes flickered slightly. Suddenly, her hand was held, and a warm current, as warm as spring, flowed into her body from her palm.
She turned her head and saw his eyes, which were as bright as stars, and breathtakingly beautiful.
At this moment, she calmed down instead and smiled faintly, "I never expected my elder sister to find a way to remove the scar after so many years. I wonder if the scar on my elder sister's other place has also been removed?"
Anping trembled all over at her words. Her gaze turned cold, and anger appeared on her face. "Anning, what do you mean?"
"Elder sister finally admits I am Anning."
Anping was stunned and suddenly realized, "Didn't you say your name was Anning? This consort never said you were Anning."
"It doesn't matter if elder sister doesn't admit it, the scar on that place..."
"Enough! Crown Prince, you let her make a scene here?" the Empress berated.
"If she wishes, this consort will not object." Xue Jingyun looked up at the Empress, his gaze calm but carrying a chill.
The Empress was slightly stunned, "You..."
"Never mind, Yan Zhao, I am tired." Anning said.
Xue Jingyun was startled. He looked at her, her gaze shifting from its previous calmness to one filled with tenderness. "Good, this consort will escort you back."
"The Crown Prince still has guests," the Empress said, her anger uncontrollable.
"Mother Empress is enough," Xue Jingyun said, pulling Anning away.
As they walked out, Anning followed behind him and couldn't help but ask, "Is this alright? I see the Empress is very angry."
"Ning'er, I am also angry." He stopped and turned to look at her.
His eyes, bright as stars, were filled with her image.
"Crown Prince..."
"Call me Yan Zhao," he interrupted her.
"Yan Zhao."
He reached out and gently stroked her hair. "Ning'er."
His expression was very gentle, and his smile made her heart flutter uncontrollably. However, she always had a feeling that he was looking at the soul within her body, and that soul was also looking at her.
"I am tired, I want to go back and rest." Anning lowered her gaze.
"Alright," he said.
After escorting her back, she pretended to be asleep, and then he left.
Anning knew that even though Xue Jingyun had said that in the hall, he must have gone back.
He doted on her, but this doting felt somewhat unreal.
"You're awake?"
Anning looked up to see Xue Lan. She sat up. "Sister Xue Lan, do you resent me?"
Xue Lan shook her head. "I have come to terms with whether or not I have a place in the Eastern Palace. Even if there were no other women, it wouldn't be me. Therefore, I have forgotten that idea. Apart from the former Empress of Huangze, I have truly never seen the Crown Prince take interest in any woman."
"The former Empress of Huangze?" Anning had heard of her, heard of her countless times.
That capable and formidable empress.
Alas, she had perished.
"Yes, the Crown Prince truly poured his heart out for her, but he never got to grow old with her," Xue Lan sighed.
"How did she die?" Anning asked.
"I don't know. The Crown Prince has never mentioned it. If anyone knows about this, Xue Yan, who was by the Empress's side at the time, would know best." Xue Lan said.
"Thank you," Anning said.
Xue Lan smiled and said, "Don't think too much about it. You are now the one the Crown Prince cares about. As long as you seize the present, does what happened in the past matter?"
Anning was stunned. Did it matter? It truly didn't.
But she wanted to know.
Because deep within her soul, there was unease, a fluttering.
Flower Country
"Crown Prince, Xue Changan's words cannot be trusted." Hua Yun couldn't help but remind Hua Yunjin, who was holding a letter.
"This Prince naturally knows, but this Prince wishes to try."
"Your Highness the Crown Prince..." Hua Yun looked at Hua Yunjin in disbelief.
Hua Yunjin turned to Hua Yun and said, "Do you know that this Prince missed my past and present life? If I could have a chance to do it all over again, I want to seize this opportunity."
"She is my obsession, my demon."
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, there are many women in the world."
Hua Yunjin chuckled softly at his words. "There are many, but none of them are her."
"Your Highness the Crown Prince..."
"Stop talking. I have finally waited for this opportunity, and I will not let it go. In my past life, I missed my chance because I trusted others. This time, I will not lose this opportunity."
Hua Yun sighed at his words. The world said that the Crown Prince of the Xue Kingdom was devoted, but who knew how many years their Prince had waited for this opportunity.
Hua Yunjin took out two jade stones that had already turned into crystals from his embrace and handed them over. "Send them to the Crown Prince of the Xue Kingdom. He needs these to activate that formation."
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, these are your treasures." Hua Yun was astonished. For that woman, the Crown Prince had gone mad.
"The curse on the Hua family has been lifted, and this Prince no longer needs these," Hua Yunjin said.
"But..."
"There is no 'but,' go!" Hua Yunjin said without the slightest hesitation.
"Yes, Your Highness." Hua Yun had no choice but to accept the gems and left.
Hua Yunjin gazed into the distance. Soon, we will meet.
He truly looked forward to it.
Anning had felt an unprecedented sense of unreality in the past few days. Xue Jingyun treated her exceptionally well, prioritizing her in everything.
Moreover, he ordered the Imperial Observatory to select an auspicious date for their wedding, making her the Crown Princess.
When her father and An Ru came to visit.
During such happy times, she had never truly experienced such happiness.
"Do you think the happiness you have now is real?"
Anning turned to look at Xue Changan. She had heard from Xue Lan that this person before her was the one who caused the death of the former Empress of Huangze.
"Is something the matter?" she asked.
Xue Changan chuckled softly and repeated his previous question, "Do you think your happiness is real?"
"Does it matter if it's real or fake?"
"It doesn't matter, but what if the person you love has deceived you?"