Tsk tsk!
Such words, once spoken, felt so good!
Hahaha!
Seeing Princess Ningde almost choked with anger by her own words, Xie Jin burst into laughter, feeling utterly exhilarated!
Today had truly been full of twists and turns!
Look at how arrogant Princess Ningde and her group had been just a moment ago! As if he and Yun Shu were about to become their prey, to be toyed with as they pleased.
And now, hahahaha!
What a thrill!
"Don't leave yet, let's catch up properly. I still have so much to say. Princess Ningde, with so many identities you have, you're quite attractive. Why don't you shift your affections and fall for me? A wise person knows when to adapt. I, for one, guarantee I can show you what true love feels like." Xie Jin winked and nudged his eyes at Princess Ningde.
This enraged Princess Ningde even further, her face turning a greener shade. Her eyes, as if spitting fire, glared at Xie Jin with utter disgust.
Fortunately, Princess Ningde's face was covered by a veil at this moment.
But her gaze could not be concealed.
"Young Master Xie, perhaps say a little less. We have children here." Qiu Lu was truly speechless.
Look at the words Young Master Xie was spouting, they were utterly embarrassing!
And "true love"?
Qiu Lu's face flushed red.
Xie Jin then realized Yun Xiaojing was present. He immediately smiled at Yun Xiaojing and said, "Uncle Xie's words were just meant to annoy people. Let them go in one ear and out the other. Don't remember any of them, understand?"
Yun Xiaojing, seeing Xie Jin treating him like a child, huffed and said, "Uncle Xie, I'm not a three-year-old child anymore. I'm already five. I remember everything you say."
He hated it the most when people treated him like a gullible child.
Even though he had already grown up.
While the two, one big and one small, were conversing, Princess Ningde had already swiftly departed.
The assassins from the Sha Gong also withdrew rapidly.
After all, this was the capital of Western Xia, their territory. Their withdrawal was not difficult.
As Jing Heng and the others prepared to give chase, Yun Shu's gaze, as calm as an ancient well, swept over the departing Princess Ningde. He said in a deep voice, "No need to pursue. Chasing after them will bring us no benefit."
Jing Heng and Qiu Lu could only abandon the idea upon hearing this.
They hadn't fought enough.
Finally, they had unleashed their full strength in a battle, and they hadn't yet experienced that frenzied feeling, only for their opponents to escape.
"Tsk tsk, they ran off." Xie Jin produced a comb from somewhere and meticulously combed his disheveled hair.
His peach-blossom eyes stared into the distance, emitting a chilling, cold light.
How many years had it been?
This was the first time he had been so disheveled!
He truly, damn it, hated Princess Ningde.
Yun Shu glanced around the scene. It was quite chaotic, with the corpses of Sha Gong assassins lying scattered on the ground.
These assassins likely never imagined they would meet their end here today.
"Let's go."
...
Pingyang King's Mansion.
Princess Ningde submerged herself in a bathtub.
Only when the last wisp of air left her nostrils did she rise from the tub.
She then walked directly out of the bathtub.
Completely unclothed, she approached the bronze mirror on her dressing table.
She tightly pursed her red lips.
Her entire being was filled with a look of madness.
"In Zhan Tianye's eyes, am I truly no different from a man? Does he really not see me as a woman? Is my body not enough to captivate him? Is he truly so deeply in love with Yun Shu? Even the people around him are all fixated on Yun Shu."
She stared at herself in the mirror, questioning herself with a frenzied gaze.
Today's failure had cast immense doubt upon herself.
It was a blow that could almost destroy her.
A voice from outside the door sounded, "Zhen Lin."
Princess Ningde's eyes turned crimson. The moment she heard Zhen Lin's voice, a tear trickled down from the corner of her eye.
She raised her hand and lightly wiped her eye.
Looking down at the moisture on her fingertip, she softly replied in thought, "Brother."
"You today..." Zhen Lin's voice, tinged with urgency, came from outside the door.
Princess Ningde let out a self-mocking light laugh. "Brother, you know she can never like you, so why do you still worry about her like this? Moreover, if I had succeeded today, I had already planned to send her to your bed, to fulfill your desires. But Heaven itself is on her side, and I failed. You can rest assured now, she is not in great danger."
The outside fell silent for a moment.
Princess Ningde suddenly felt somewhat pathetic at this moment.
Her brother, who had always doted on her, now only had eyes for Yun Shu.
And she, who had genuinely liked a man for the first time, found that man had never looked at her from beginning to end, only at that woman, Yun Shu.
Why did they all like Yun Shu?
She was Princess Ningde, loved and respected by so many. She controlled the entire Sha Gong, holding the fate of countless people in her hands. Even the Emperor treated her with special consideration.
Yet, Zhan Tianye ignored her.
Yet, she couldn't even deal with a mere Yun Shu.
Yet, today she had been defeated so miserably.
"Ningde, some things cannot be forced. Prince Jin has no regard for you in his eyes. He made it clear from the very beginning. Why do you persist in being stubborn? Why do you continue to force it? Let go, set yourself free." Zhen Lin earnestly persuaded.
She was his sister.
He and his sister had relied on each other, facing countless wicked individuals over the years.
Now, these wicked individuals posed no threat to them.
But to put oneself in a whirlpool due to greed would be unwise.
There was no response from Ningde in the room.
Zhen Lin let out a long sigh. "Ningde, you are my sister. In this world, I wish for you to live a happy and joyful life, not to be tormented by pain. That man... he can only bring you boundless suffering."
On the day of the palace banquet, he had clearly seen Zhan Tianye's feelings for Yun Shu.
It was a love that no one in this world could replace.
Even if Ningde employed all sorts of schemes and tricks, she could not replace it.
It would be better to withdraw now.
There was still no response from Ningde in the room.
Zhen Lin sighed helplessly.
Just as he was about to turn and leave, a response came from the room.
"Brother, it's not over yet. I haven't surrendered, and I never will. Unless... unless that moment truly arrives, and I am utterly defeated, otherwise, I will do everything in my power to obtain what I desire!"
Upon hearing this, Zhen Lin's face paled. He sighed helplessly, "Ningde, why must you do this?"
"This is what I've learned since childhood. Some things require one to give their all. Until the very last moment, no one knows the outcome. Brother, don't say those things again. You know I won't listen. You might as well wish that I will succeed one day." Princess Ningde's words were filled with unwavering resolve.
Even after such a defeat today, she remained the same.
...
In the Imperial Palace.
A figure silently appeared in a certain palace.