V2C144

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Sumo was trapped in that ancient well, caught between life and death, uncertain of where he was. Little did he know that Zhu Yan, whom he was searching for, was also caught in a whirlwind at the same moment, shocked by a sudden blow out of the blue.

“Have you heard? The Crown Prince has already chosen a Crown Princess!”

“The Crown Prince? Wasn’t he went missing?”

“Blah, blah, of course I’m not talking about the former Crown Prince! Who cares about that person anymore…? I’m talking about the emperor’s newly appointed Crown Prince, the firstborn son of Empress Bai!”

“Ah? Is that the Great Priest? Didn’t he just return to the Imperial Capital? Is he crowning a consort already?”

“Quick as a flash, as expected, he rushed to claim a new advantage. And hey… yesterday evening he went to the White King’s residence in the Imperial Capital to choose a consort, and I heard that the decision was made on the spot.”

“Alas, which Princess of the White King’s household did he choose then? Surely it can’t be Xueying… Was it Xue Yan?”

“Then you would have failed to guess right. He has chosen his brother’s woman instead… Hehe.”

“Ah! No way? Oh heavens…”

“Really, is the truth. I was told this by Yu’er at the White King’s residence, and I was shocked too!”

“God forbid… the new Crown Prince isn’t going crazy, is he?”

Early in the morning, Zhu Yan had just woken up when she overheard the usual sniggering and whispering of the maids outside, like a flock of birds gathered together. She was so used to this that she didn’t bother to open her eyes, wanting to sleep a little longer, but as she listened, the news she heard shocked her and made her jump up from the bed.

“What?” She rushed out and grabbed the maids who were chatting in low voices, fumbling, “What did you… you just say?”

“Princess, Your Ladyship?” The two maids outside were so startled by her coldness that the golden pot in their hands almost fell to the floor, and started stammering, “You… you’re awake so early?”

“What did you just say? The Crown Prince… went to the White King’s residence last night to choose a consort?” Zhu Yan grabbed a maid by the collar and almost lifted her up, sternly, “Who exactly did he choose as his consort? Quickly tell me!”

The maid replied with a trembling voice: “The selected… princess was Xue Ying!”

“Xue Ying?” Zhu Yan’s hand stiffened for a moment and subconsciously blurted out, “Nonsense! How could it be her?”

“Yes… it’s true!” The maid gasped for air and whispered, “The news came out from the White King’s residence last night, and everyone was incredulous… but early this morning the emperor issued an official edict and is preparing to have an imperial envoy send the jade scroll to the White King’s residence, so it’s all true!”

“What kind of joke is that!” Zhu Yan exclaimed, “Xue Ying is going to marry him? Impossible!”

Her face turned pale instantly and she jumped barefoot to the ground and ran outside without a word: “I’ll ask Xue Ying! What on earth is going on?”

“Princess…!” The maid was startled, “You haven’t even groomed yet!”

However who could possibly stop her? In just a blink of an eye, Zhu Yan had already vanished outside.

The maids stared at each other in confusion.

What in the world was this all about? Isn’t the Princess and Xue Ying very close sisters? Now that Xue Ying has been unexpectedly chosen by the Crown Prince, shouldn’t the Princess be happy for her closest friend? Why did she react in such a fierce and strange manner when she heard about it?

The distance from the Red King’s palace to the White King’s palace was more than ten miles, but Zhu Yan, in her anger, ignored the ban on the use of magic within the Imperial Capital and used her Earth Shrinking Spell to reach the palace in just an instant. She crossed the palace walls and appeared in Xue Ying’s room in an instant, ignoring all the formalities.

The room was scented, the curtains were lowered and there was silence.

She rushed inside with familiarity, lifted the curtain and spotted Xue Ying lying in bed in the dim light. Her bosom friend was obviously still asleep, and all that could be seen in the embroidered golden brocade was a pale, lifeless face, thin and haggard, with tear stains at the corners of her eyes, still murmuring Shi Yu’s name in her sleep.

Zhu Yan only took one look at her best friend, and her heart settled, instantly subsiding her anger – Xue Ying didn’t look like she had just been appointed as the Crown Princess! How could she trust the gossips and slanders from outside?

She didn’t want to disturb her friend’s sleep and was about to withdraw quietly when her entire body suddenly froze.

The jade pendant! On Xue Ying’s pillow rested the jade pendant that she was so familiar with!

Zhu Yan trembled for a moment, bent down and took it from her, looking at it over and over again, and her face gradually turned pale – this valuable jade pendant had the emblem of the Imperial Family of Kongsang engraved on the front, and the word “Ying” engraved on the opposite side. She was certain that it was the item he was carrying around with him.

Zhu Yan’s body swayed for a moment, as if she had been scalded, and let go of her hand. With a ding, the jade pendant fell onto the edge of the bed, making a crisp sound.

“Who?” Xue Ying awoke startled, opening her eyes in a haze to get a proper look at the visitor, exclaiming out of breath, “Ah… Ah-Yan? What are you doing here?”

In the early morning light, she saw her best friend appearing from the ceiling, looking at her with a pale face, her lips trembling slightly, as if she wanted to say something but couldn’t, and suddenly the jade pendant slipped off from her hand and dropped onto her pillow.

Did she know? Xue Ying subconsciously gripped the jade pendant tightly, and her face went swiftly pale.

“Is it true?” After a long silence, Zhu Yan only asked that one question.

Xue Ying turned her head away, not daring to meet her friend’s eyes, and nodded.

“Is it true? You… you want to marry him?” Zhu Yan still couldn’t believe it, “Don’t you hate him a lot? What in the world is going on! Did you go insane?”

Xue Ying didn’t know what to say, her slender, white fingers gripping the jade pendant with a little spasm. The knife that she had cut herself with yesterday was still hurting vaguely in her chest, yet this question from her best friend was even more piercing than the sharp knife.

“Your Ladyship, it is already past the hour,” a servant girl whispered through the door in the silence, “The Queen Consort said that the Imperial Envoy is leaving early this morning to come and confer on the new Crown Princess, and will be arriving soon – there is still time, but you must get up and freshen yourself before you can receive him.”

When the words came out, Zhu Yan’s body trembled and the room grew silent.

So, that was actually true!

It was only after a good amount of time that Xue Ying murmured, “You can retreat.”

The chambermaid retreated, while Zhu Yan stood in the beautiful boudoir, looking at her best friend in front of her, with her face already so pale that she looked completely bloodless. Xue Ying turned her face away from her gaze, and her fingers trembled slightly.

“This… why exactly are you doing this?” It took a long time before Zhu Yan opened her mouth, and her voice was shaking slightly, “Don’t you hate him to death? Why do you still want to marry him! Don’t play games with such things!”

Xue Ying went silent for a while before she struggled a whisper and said, “I… am also desperate.”

“What do you mean, you’re desperate? You can obviously run away!” Seeing that her friend did not deny it, Zhu Yan could not help but shout out in anger, “I told you I would help you escape – you are clearly lusting after riches and fearing for your life! Is the name of Crown Princess, so magical?”

She spoke harshly and caustically, and Xue Ying blushed miserably as she listened, her entire body started shaking, but suddenly she looked up and glared at her, “Ah-Yan, why are you so angry?”

“…” Zhu Yan jolted for a moment, suddenly going mute for a moment, before muttering half-heartedly, “How can I not be angry when you’ve done something so absurd and messy! You aren’t thinking of marrying and then finding the opportunity to take revenge for Shi Yu, are you?”

“What does it matter to you whether I harm him or not, whether I marry him or not?” Xue Ying looked at her friend and her expression changed, “Why are you so tense? Could it be that… you happen to know that man?”

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