She couldn't let Zhan Tianye and the Emperor become enemies.
They were father and son, after all.
If they became enemies, it would bring no benefit to Zhan Tianye, nor to her. Things were far from that dire.
She could still salvage the situation.
If Zhan Tianye lost his identity as the Night King of Dongning, then it would be easy for the Emperor and Li De to execute him.
At that time, Zhan Tianye would be alone, with only Yun Shu to accompany him to the underworld as a pair of ghosts.
She wouldn't let that happen!
Upon hearing Princess Ningde's words, the Emperor's expression improved slightly.
"Very well, I shall give you a chance. Tell me why you insist on believing you are not Prince Jin," the Emperor asked Zhan Tianye.
Ultimately, his heart still leaned towards Zhan Tianye, his own son.
Thinking about it carefully, everything he was doing now was merely being infatuated by a woman's charm.
Zhan Tianye coldly replied, "There is no reason. This is the fact. This King is the Night King of Dongning."
He wanted to be his father?
A foolish dream.
The Emperor's face turned completely dark. "A fine Night King of Dongning you are!"
"Your Highness Prince Jin, please calm yourself. Think carefully. If this matter escalates, you will suffer the consequences. It will bring you no benefit whatsoever!" Princess Ningde made a last-ditch effort, trying to persuade Zhan Tianye to realize the gravity of the situation.
Zhan Tianye raised an eyelid and coldly swept his gaze over Princess Ningde. "Are you trying to force this King to become a subject of your Xixia Kingdom?"
"I..." Princess Ningde trembled at his gaze. Her brother's words, which she had just dismissed, echoed in her ears.
Then, her conviction wavered, and she stood frozen in place.
"It seems you won't give up until you hit rock bottom. Wait another half an hour. The Emperor of Dongning has already sent a message, and the letter will be delivered to the palace soon. By then, you will regret not leaving yourself a way out. What happened today will be etched into your very bones, a memory you will never forget." The Emperor lost all patience.
The outcome was imminent.
Early this morning, a carrier pigeon had returned, stating that the Emperor of Dongning had agreed to his request and had sent a personal letter via pigeon.
It was only a matter of hours until the personal letter arrived. According to the timeline, he would receive the young Emperor's personal letter within half an hour at most.
Li De looked coldly at Zhan Tianye, as if looking at someone he had personally trained, only to see them become a good-for-nothing.
"Half an hour? This King will wait with you," Zhan Tianye said coldly.
He then turned to Yun Shu and said, "Waiting for half an hour might be a bit boring. Would you like to take a walk?"
His tone was filled with concern, showing how much Zhan Tianye valued Yun Shu.
His affectionate gaze...
It was as if he was looking at the most cherished treasure in the world.
This infuriated the Emperor and Li De.
It also made Princess Ningde's face turn even paler.
Silence fell once more.
A terrifying silence, so profound that not a needle could be heard.
Time seemed to slow down, each moment feeling like an agonizing wait.
An excruciating anticipation.
Princess Ningde secretly observed Zhan Tianye and Yun Shu from the corner of her eye. They were too calm, completely unbothered by the eerie and oppressive atmosphere. Instead, they leisurely enjoyed tea and exchanged glances, communicating their thoughts silently.
Silence was more eloquent than words.
It made her feel utterly humiliated.
She had truly brought herself to dust, only for Zhan Tianye to step on her face and insult her.
No, even if she presented her face to Zhan Tianye, he might not step on it, as it might waste his time, or he might even find her feet dirty.
Princess Ningde thought more and more about it, filled with self-mockery.
How could she, Ningde, have fallen into such a humble and miserable state?
She should be a figure of high status, admired by all.
Not someone the world now spoke of with pity, saying she was abandoned by Prince Jin and far inferior to the Night Queen.
In the strange silence, Princess Ningde seemed to have understood all the things she couldn't comprehend before.
Just as she stood up, intending to ask the Emperor for leave, a palace attendant entered, holding a carrier pigeon. "Your Majesty, this is a letter from Dongning."
The Emperor first cast a cold glance at Zhan Tianye, then said to the attendant, "Present it."
"Yes."
The attendant immediately brought the pigeon to the Emperor.
Yun Shu and Zhan Tianye also raised their eyes, looking at the carrier pigeon.
Excellent, they wouldn't have to waste any more time in the capital of Xixia.
Li De and Princess Ningde put away their mixed emotions and looked at the carrier pigeon in the Emperor's hand.
All the answers lay within this pigeon.
As the Emperor removed the letter from the pigeon, he looked at Zhan Tianye. "Are you sure you have nothing to say now?"
Zhan Tianye found the Emperor to be unnecessarily hesitant. His expression turned cold. "No."
The Emperor snorted, no longer expecting Zhan Tianye to come to his senses.
He directly took out the letter, unfolded it, and read the words.
As he read the text, before even examining it closely, he wanted to throw the letter at Zhan Tianye's face, forcing him to see it.
Some truths needed to be forcefully presented for one to truly break free from their delusions and realize the direness of their situation.
However, when the Emperor's eyes scanned the words, his eyes widened.
Then, with disbelief and incredulity, he finally looked at Zhan Tianye in shock.
His hand holding the letter trembled uncontrollably. Although he tried to suppress it, the letter still quivered in his grasp.
"Your Majesty?" Li De frowned, sensing a hint of unease. The Emperor's expression was somewhat off. Could there be something wrong with the letter?
Princess Ningde involuntarily stood up, her eyes fixed on the letter.
She felt as if she could hear her own heartbeat.
It was beating too fast to be her own.
Yun Shu took a final sip of tea, put down the cup, and looked at the Emperor, who was utterly stunned by the truth.
Zhan Tianye took Yun Shu's hand. They stood up together, and he looked at the Emperor with a blank expression. "It seems the matter is clear. I hope Your Majesty will let all the people know the truth. This King's lineage should not be slandered or distorted."
With that, he and Yun Shu walked out of the hall together.
It was as if lingering in the hall for another moment would be torture.
Princess Ningde abruptly turned her head to look at Yun Shu and Zhan Tianye.
Li De suddenly understood something, his entire face covered in shock, paler than the Emperor's. He had been tricked?! He looked at the Emperor in disbelief, hoping for an answer other than the one he had just realized.