An Ning showed no significant emotional fluctuation.
Xiao Jinxing had always taught her to write his na, and these three words were what she wrote best.
The palace maid couldn’t help but say, "Surely the Empress must have been thinking about sothing during the day, which is why she unconsciously wrote the Emperor’s na. Empress, the Emperor hasn’t visited our palace for two months now; should I ask Eunuch Ping..."
"Has the Emperor gone to other chambers?" An Ning asked nonchalantly.
As she spoke, she crumpled the Xuan paper with "Xiao Jinxing" written on it and tossed it aside.
She began writing other characters again.
"No, he hasn’t gone anywhere either," the palace maid thought for a mont and replied.
"So the Emperor is busy, don’t worry about it." An Ning looked indifferent.
She suddenly smiled.
In the apocalypse, there was hardly any need for handwritten notes, let alone calligraphy; she suddenly wanted to see how the characters "Fu Xingyi" looked when written by her.
Recalling the structure of the characters, she began to write.
The palace maid felt helpless.
Why doesn’t the Empress worry about the Emperor not coming here anymore?!
And she can still smile.
The palace maid didn’t dare say more, choosing to quietly accompany the Empress in practicing calligraphy.
An Ning spent quite so ti before writing the characters "Fu Xingyi," and they were terribly ugly.
She realized that she almost forgot how to write them.
Looking at them for a mont, she found them quite unattractive.
Using a fresh piece of Xuan paper, she wrote again.
Unbeknownst to her, she wrote for an entire morning, until her back was sore, prompting her to put down the brush and ink, and stretch her limbs outside when a Palace Attendant announced, "The Emperor has arrived!"
An Ning frowned.
Xiao Jinxing, who had disappeared for two months, suddenly appeared again in her palace.
An Ning remained calm.
The palace maid was not calm, she was visibly excited, "Empress, Empress, the Emperor is here."
"..." Was Xiao Jinxing here to see soone?
An Ning stood up.
Then she watched as Xiao Jinxing entered her inner chamber.
"I pay my respects to the Emperor," An Ning greeted.
She thought, after that day, their relationship would beco one of clear hierarchy.
Xiao Jinxing glanced at An Ning.
His eyes landed on the Xuan paper and ink on her inkstone.
An Ning’s eyes moved slightly.
She had forgotten to cover it up.
But she thought, there’s nothing worth hiding.
Doesn’t Xiao Jinxing already know everything?!
She let him see openly, avoiding the appearance of a guilty thief.
Xiao Jinxing rely glanced without much emotion.
He said, "In ten days, I will appoint Luming as Crown Prince, and he shall change his surna to Xiao."
An Ning was montarily stunned.
She knew Xiao Jinxing ca to tell her sothing important.
But she hadn’t expected that he would make a move on Luming.
She simply looked at Xiao Jinxing.
Suddenly, unable to speak.
Xiao Jinxing said, "Just letting you know."
"Is it to influence the Bai Family?" An Ning asked calmly.
Unable to resist, but wanting to understand the reason.
Xiao Jinxing looked at An Ning, silently.
Perhaps he hadn’t thought of sharing his sches with her.
"Even if I betray you, I would never cooperate with the Bai Family; I’m not that foolish," An Ning said candidly.
aning Xiao Jinxing need not worry about her informing the Bai Family.
Xiao Jinxing clearly understood An Ning’s point.
So, in An Ning’s mind, he was still as cunning as ever, distrustful to achieve his ends.
He didn’t tell her simply...
To avoid worrying her.
Nor did he want her to know that his move was intended for her to leave sooner.
An Ning was right; as long as the Bai Family existed, she was stuck beside him, unable to go anywhere else.
Only by swiftly and resolutely defeating the Bai Family could An Ning choose the life she wanted, a life as far from him as possible.
Xiao Jinxing replied, "Yes."
"Are you forcing the Bai Family to rebel?" An Ning asked.
"Hmm."
"Bai Mowan won’t be oblivious to your intentions; she might not fall for it." An Ning said straightforwardly.
"I know." Xiao Jinxing responded coldly, "Many things take ti."
An Ning frowned.
Was Xiao Jinxing implying that taking down the Bai Family indeed required ti, urging her to be patient?!
"The Bai Family currently holds significant military power; although I don’t doubt your ability, if you truly wish to act against the Bai Family, you must have considered it thoroughly, and won’t easily take risks, yet many unpredictable events can occur. For instance, you might succeed in defeating the Bai Family, but at great cost, so of which may be beyond our capacity to bear." An Ning spoke candidly.
Xiao Jinxing understood she referred to his manipulation of her and Luming to provoke Bai Mowan.
Bai Mowan would likely choose more extre ans for revenge when utterly desperate.
"I won’t let anything happen to Luming," Xiao Jinxing promised.
Even though, in her mind, his promise ant nothing.
He still insisted, if only to express his decision.
"I respect your choice." An Ning nodded, neither angry nor resigned, genuinely accepting.
Xiao Jinxing’s eyes showed a hint of surprise.
"I have only one request."
"Speak." Xiao Jinxing nodded.
All he thought was that after defeating the Bai Family, she could leave.
After that day, he hadn’t considered asking her to stay, knowing how painful remaining by his side would be.
This was also why he forced himself not to appear before her in the past two months.
He feared his presence would cause her imnse harm.
Today, he didn’t intend to stay long.
He planned to leave after informing her.
If not for An Ning’s proactive conversation.
"Let join your plan," An Ning said slowly and firmly.
Xiao Jinxing’s eyes flickered with surprise.
"Since dealing with the Bai Family directly concerns , I hope to be involved, or at least aware of your thods and progress, so I can protect myself and those important to ," An Ning spoke steadily, "I don’t want my fate in the hands of anyone else. Even if the outco is poor, I won’t bla you."
Xiao Jinxing didn’t imdiately agree.
"You need not worry about ; I have no interest in your rule, only wishing to survive." An Ning said again.
"Alright." Xiao Jinxing nodded.
His hesitation wasn’t due to distrust.
His silence arose from knowing An Ning distrusted him.
Disbelieved he’d keep her safe, disbelieved he would let her go.
Therefore, she needed personal involvent.
"From now on regarding the Bai Family, I hope you won’t hide anything from , whether beneficial or harmful," An Ning stated plainly.
"Yes."
"To facilitate discussions in the future, you should stay overnight at Fengqi Palace!"
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