CHAPTER 649: CHAPTER 636: THE DOOMED PRINCESS (PART 4)

Back then, when Anning was taken to the temple to practice and her days were unspeakably miserable, Xue He was her glimmer of light in the dark times.

At that time, Mr. Xue who protected Xue He had already passed away, and Xue He was taken by his family to live in a separate courtyard in the mountains.

His days were also very hard, but perhaps because he was a little slow to respond, he seemed to find joy in his own way.

Later, when Anning met Xue He, the two of them clung to each other for warmth. When Anning was hungry, Xue He would save his own food for her and keep her company to alleviate her boredom.

Others called Xue He a fool, but Anning never thought him foolish.

He simply didn’t overthink like others and wasn’t as quick to react.

At that time, Anning was scorned by everyone, criticized for being shameless, a Princess stealing someone else’s husband, accused of losing the face of the Royal Family.

But Xue He really liked her, and even said he wanted to marry her.

Back then, Anning also agreed to Xue He; she thought that if she could return to the palace, she would ask Emperor Xiande to let her marry Xue He.

Unfortunately, she never got the chance to go back; a cup of poisoned wine wasn’t enough, and after discovering she had been poisoned and fleeing to seek help, she found that someone was still attempting to kill her.

Xue He, seeing someone trying to kill her, ran over like a madman trying to protect her.

In the end, Xue He died under the knife, holding Anning in his arms.

Afterward, Anning remembered the boy who died protecting her in countless lifetimes she traversed.

This time, she was finally able to come back, and she wanted to fulfill her promise to Xue He, to marry him.

Outside the palace, the Liu Family.

The imperial decree reached Prime Minister Liu’s residence, and after Liu Ruolan received it, she lay in bed, refusing to get up.

She cried incessantly, her tears were heartbreakingly miserable.

Upon returning home, Prime Minister Liu went to visit Liu Ruolan first.

Seeing his daughter crying so sadly, Prime Minister Liu gritted his teeth in anger: "Princess Anning, you and I are irreconcilable."

With red eyes, Liu Ruolan asked Prime Minister Liu: "Father, why has it come to this? I, I want to marry Brother Jingxing; I don’t want to marry that Top Scholar Zhao, Father, can you help me?"

Liu Ruolan appeared fragile and helpless, like a delicate white flower swaying in the wind, which made Prime Minister Liu even more distressed.

He paced anxiously in the room, but was at a loss for a solution.

With the imperial decree issued, if Liu Ruolan refused to marry, it would be seen as defying the Emperor’s order – not just Liu Ruolan, but the entire Liu Residence would likely face repercussions.

Princess Anning could do as she pleased, deciding to marry if she wished, or if not, shift the blame onto others, but Liu Ruolan could not.

Because, Liu Ruolan’s father was only the Grand Secretary, not the Emperor.

Liu Ruolan cried for a while, and seeing Prime Minister Liu remaining silent, she also became somewhat desperate.

At that moment, a servant girl brought Zhou Jingxing in.

Zhou Jingxing’s expression was very somber.

He and Liu Ruolan were mutually in love, and had already promised each other their lives. They were planning to get married after the new year, but an imperial decree unexpectedly engaged Liu Ruolan to Top Scholar Zhao.

Zhou Jingxing did not understand what was going on and wanted to ask for an explanation.

Prime Minister Liu took Zhou Jingxing outside and told him the situation in a low voice: "Princess Anning held a knife to her throat and threatened His Majesty. His Majesty has only that one precious daughter; how could he bear to see Princess Anning suffer? But since he had already announced Princess Anning’s marriage to Top Scholar Zhao, His Majesty couldn’t very well go back on his word, so he pulled Ruolan in to fill the gap."

Zhou Jingxing was so angry on hearing this that his eyes turned bloodshot: "Princess Anning, she... what a Princess Anning."

He truly loathed Anning now, initially because she had repeatedly insulted him, but now his hatred was even greater because Anning had shifted the blame onto Liu Ruolan.

Zhou Jingxing was deeply in love with Liu Ruolan, and the thought of her marrying someone else was akin to gouging out his own heart.

Yet he was now at a loss for solutions; he couldn’t forbid Liu Ruolan from marrying, as doing so would be defying the Emperor’s decree. He was too powerless to protect the one he cherished.

Zhou Jingxing paced in circles, then asked Prime Minister Liu, "How about, we fetch that woman surnamed Zhao from the countryside?"

Prime Minister Liu shook his head: "No, the Emperor has just granted the marriage. If news of Zhao Hongwen’s wife and child were to be exposed immediately after, His Majesty would become suspicious of us."

"Are we really going to let Ruolan marry a man surnamed Zhao?"

Zhou Jingxing couldn’t bear this.

Prime Minister Liu sighed helplessly: "The best course of action for now is simply to delay the wedding. If we reach a point where it’s unavoidable, we’ll have to let Ruolan marry him, but rest assured, I will find a way to ensure they don’t consummate the marriage. You must bear with it for a while longer as I think of another solution."

"Fine."

Zhou Jingxing clenched his teeth as he said this.

He and Prime Minister Liu cursed Princess Anning together.

Yet they never considered who was to blame for all this.

Had it not been for their own scheming against Princess Anning, how could they have brought this plot upon themselves?

This was nothing but the result of their own doing.

Xue Mansion

Xue He rose from his bed, rubbed his aching forehead, and as he surveyed his surroundings, long-sealed memories returned to him.

He suddenly laughed.

He had finally come back.

After so many lifetimes, he had finally made his return.

Thinking of the woman who died in his arms, Xue He’s eyes darkened, a fierce look within them.

This time, no one would even dream of harming his Princess. He would do everything in his power to protect his Anning, ensuring a life of peace and joy for her.

Striding to the window, Xue He saw the brilliant spring light outside and thought of Anning, a hint of joy curling at the corners of his mouth.

He had exhausted every means to follow in Anning’s footsteps, but never truly touched her heart. Perhaps this time, he and Anning could genuinely connect.

And that scoundrel Zhao Hongwen won’t get to marry Anning this time.

Xue He clenched his fists, eyes closed, contemplating how to leave the mansion to gather information when he heard two servants talking beneath the wall outside.

"Have you heard? The daughter of Prime Minister Liu has been made a Princess, and His Majesty has even decreed a marriage between her and Top Scholar Zhao."

"I know, I’ve heard too. It’s said... The Princess even held a knife to her throat, absolutely refusing to marry Top Scholar Zhao. Left with no choice, seeing that Prime Minister Liu’s daughter was also unmarried, His Majesty simply granted them marriage."

"Who told you this? I haven’t heard of such a thing."

"I have a relative who works in the palace. She was on duty in Tianji Hall that day. Many court Ministers know about this, but everyone discusses it in private, without bringing it up openly. But I say, this Princess Anning is truly willful. To say she won’t marry and then cause an uproar in Tianji Palace, how dare she."

"What doesn’t she dare? To His Majesty, she is his only treasured daughter. Even the slightest harm to her pains him deeply. Even if she upturned the heavens, do you think His Majesty would bear to scold her even once?"

"That’s true too, if I had only one daughter at home, I too wouldn’t bear to scold her."

These fragmented conversations reached Xue He’s ears, stirring great excitement within him.

He had just been pondering how to cause an incident for the man surnamed Zhao, to abort the marriage between Anning and Zhao, and also considering how to recover from his illness, aim to pass the imperial examinations, and then formally propose to the Princess. Yet, Anning seemed to have already settled the matter.

It looked like Anning had also returned.

Xue He’s eyes brimmed with laughter, murmuring softly: "Thinking you can leave me behind, seal me in another world? Don’t even think about it."