Crossing the Palace Fighting Fox Harem

Chapter 408: Heartache

From Ji Anni's somewhat lazy voice, Yun Zhen could tell that she had just woken up and had probably not yet dressed. Yun Zhen, who was not allowed to enter, stood outside the door and continued to ask, "Are you hungry, Madam? Do you want the maid to bring you some porridge?"

Ji Anni thought for a moment and said, "I'm not hungry, but I feel a little dizzy... Can you talk to me?"

After the words left my mouth, I realized that I had made a bold request.

"Then let's talk through the door. What do you want to ask, my lady?"

Yun Zhen seemed to have long been accustomed to Ji Anni's somewhat willful requests. Not only did he not find it strange, but he also had a sense of familiarity. But he never pushed the door open, consciously maintaining the proper distance between the two of them, and refused to cross a step.

Ji Anni said slowly: "My memory is confused and I can't remember my own affairs. Why don't I talk about you..."

Yun Zhen heard voices getting closer and closer outside the door. Before he could react, he suddenly heard a soft "creak" and the door was opened by Ji Anni from inside the room.

Yun Zhen was a little surprised when Ji Anni suddenly appeared in front of him.

"My lady, you are not well yet, why did you get out of bed?"

Ji Anni shook her head, her distracted eyes made her look very haggard.

"have no idea……"

I don't know why I suddenly opened the door, I just know there is a voice in my head, nagging me to go see him. I want to see him, want to hear his every word, want to see his every expression. This is an inexplicable fascination, a panic-inducing inability to help myself.

"Empress..." Yun Zhen looked at her with pain.

Being too good to her, he was afraid that she would have expectations of him; being too mean to her, he couldn't bear it. Every time he faced Ji Anni, Yun Zhen didn't know how to handle the relationship between them. Seeing her happy because of his expression, and frustrated because of his eyes, the guilt in his heart would always increase a little. Unrequited attachment was just a heavy burden for Yun Zhen.

and……

The current Ji Anni is no longer pure Ji Anni, her mind is filled with Zhao Ji's memories.

It's time to draw a line, it's time to cut off the ambiguity...

"Your Majesty, please go back to your room and rest. I'll let the palace maids take care of you." Yun Zhen deliberately avoided Ji Anni's gaze. As long as Ji Anni nodded, he would immediately turn around and leave.

"No, wait, don't go..." Ji Anni stepped forward and grabbed him. It was a completely subconscious action.

In the confused memory, several images of Yun Zhen suddenly flashed.

His smiling face, sad face, painful face, sympathetic face...

The scenes flashed by one after another quickly. Every scene that passed before my eyes left a slight pain in my heart.

"Why..." Ji Anni's eyebrows were deeply furrowed, "Why do I always feel heartbroken every time I see you?"

He is obviously a stranger, who is he...

Why could he force his way into her heart, making her chest always heavy when she recalled the days with Long Mohan and Prince Ming in the Qi Palace, as if she was pressed by a huge rock and couldn't let go?

"My queen, Yun Zhen is just someone who will protect you." Yun Zhen gently brushed away Ji Anni's hand that was clutching his sleeve.

"Is that so, is that so..." Ji Anni could no longer say anything else and murmured the same word.

The moment Yun Zhen brushed his hand away, he felt as if his heart was stabbed hard.

Without saying anything more, after saying goodbye with her eyes, Ji Anni watched Yun Zhen leave.

Who is he and why does he occupy my heart?

Kang Xiaorong discussed with Long Mohan about what happened last night. Long Mohan was one of the few people who knew that the real Princess Tianning was hiding in the Kang Mansion, and one of the few people who knew that the fake Princess Tianning was a fox demon. Kang Xiaorong told him the former, and Concubine Gan told him the latter.

Kang Xiaorong cannot send the real princess back to the palace on his own, so he hopes that the emperor can secretly help Tianning return to the palace.

However, after hearing the whole story, Long Mohan not only did not nod, but also firmly opposed it.

Kang Xiaorong asked him why he refused, and he just said that he didn't want to fall into the fox demon's trap, and asserted that the fox demon would not be able to exchange with Tian Ning obediently, and there must be a conspiracy. But in addition to this, Long Mohan has another hidden reason that he didn't say. He couldn't let the real princess return to the palace because he couldn't let Yan Niang, the fox demon who could take all the blame for three years ago, escape.

If the real princess returned to the palace without anyone noticing and Yan Niang disappeared, where could he find Yan Niang to take the blame?

Although Yanniang's identity cannot be revealed now, as long as she stays in the palace as a princess for one day, she will stay under Long Mohan's nose for one more day. Only in this way can Long Mohan think about other things with peace of mind.

However, the initial plan to use Ji Anni to force Yan Niang to confess is no longer feasible. Because Ji Anni has turned back into Zhao Ji, Long Mohan, who does not want Zhao Ji to be involved in the dispute three years ago, decides to keep this secret hidden and not mention it in front of Zhao Ji.

"Your Majesty, are you just going to leave the fake princess alone? She said she wanted to leave the palace, so we should let her leave. Otherwise... the longer she stays, the more danger she will be in..." Kang Xiaorong persuaded earnestly.

Long Mohan had made up his mind and didn't want to hear what Kang Xiaorong said. He said flatly, "You don't have to say anything more. I will never agree. Major General, if there is nothing else, you can take your leave."

The order to expel him was so obvious that Kang Xiaorong felt like he was slapped in the face. If he continued to pester, he would only be asking for trouble.

"In that case, I will have to take my leave..." Kang Xiaorong's stiff tone could not be disguised as gentle even in front of the emperor.

After he left angrily, he went straight back to the small courtyard in the mansion where Tian Ning was hidden.

Although I was worried about Tianning, I didn't have the courage to go into the house to see her. She had gradually become familiar with me and was no longer afraid. But every time I saw her eyes filled with sadness, I felt that I owed her too much...

Suddenly, there was the sound of a door opening behind me.

Kang Xiaorong turned around and saw Tianning standing at the door, looking at him worriedly.

She was only wearing a thin coat, which looked very frail. Although it was a hot summer day, Kang Xiaorong was still afraid that she would be damaged by the wind, so he hurried forward and used his body to block the wind for her.

After resting, Tianning can get out of bed and walk around.

But Kang Xiaorong was worried that she would be discovered by others, so he told her not to go out.

Tianning is much more obedient than before, and she nods obediently no matter what Kang Xiaorong says.

Her bad temper disappeared without a trace, as if she had become a completely different person. Perhaps in the eyes of people who were not familiar with Tianning, this Tianning was more fake than the fake princess in the palace.

"I heard you walking outside the door, but you didn't come in. I was a little worried, so I came out to check..."

Tian Ning's voice was very soft, with a hint of frailty, as if she had just recovered from a serious illness. She went out without following Kang Xiaorong's agreement, and like a child who had done something wrong, she lowered her head and waited for the other party's punishment.

Kang Xiaorong held her shoulders and brought her back to the house.

"Tian Ning, don't worry, I will be able to take you back to the palace soon... so that you can be reunited with the Queen Mother."

"But someone doesn't allow me to return to the palace..." Tian Ning could not forget the masked man. The fear brought by that man had left an indelible shadow in her heart.

"Tianning, I can't hide you forever...you will be discovered sooner or later..." Kang Xiaorong could only hide Tianning for a certain number of days, and he didn't have the confidence that he could continue hiding.

"If we are discovered, will you chase me away?" Tian Ning asked worriedly. She no longer felt safe.

"I won't chase you away, but I can't explain your two identities. You are a princess, why don't you dare to stand up bravely and take back everything that originally belonged to you? Why don't you want to return to the palace?"

Given Tian Ning's vengeful character, it is impossible for her to be so tolerant towards the fake princess.

What happened outside the palace had already worn out Tianning's temper, making her timid and cautious in everything she did.

I don't dare to fight or compete, I just want to spend every day peacefully...

Kang Xiaorong wanted to say something, but at this moment, he keenly heard a strange noise coming from outside the window.

"Who is it!" He shouted softly and subconsciously stood in front of Tian Ning.

It was quiet outside the window, but a figure could be vaguely seen.

The figure didn't say anything, probably hesitating whether to show up. With his martial arts skills, it wouldn't be difficult for him to escape without a trace before Kang Xiaorong opened the door, but... he really didn't want to be a shady person...

"I seem to have seen something remarkable." The figure chuckled, pushed the door open and walked in slowly.

Kang Xiaorong recognized the man and called out his name with some surprise: "Liu Guang..."

After knowing that the person coming was Liuguang, Kang Xiaorong's vigilance was reduced. He and Liuguang have been friends for many years, and their relationship is much closer than that with the emperor. Since the princess's affairs can be told to the emperor, there is naturally no need to hide it from Liuguang.

"What on earth happened? Why are there two princesses?" Liuguang looked at Tianning behind Kang Xiaorong.

"It's a long story. I'll explain it to you slowly." Kang Xiaorong went forward and closed the doors and windows.

"Is this really the princess? Why did her expression become so strange?" Liuguang stared at Tianning, who was as fragile as a porcelain doll, and couldn't believe that this was the real princess he let go.

He was the culprit who planned the identity exchange between Yan Niang and the princess, and he should know who is real and who is fake. However, after seeing the princess in front of him, he subconsciously doubted the princess's identity.

In just a few days, what caused the princess's temperament to change drastically, from the proud daughter of heaven to the weak woman she is now?

"Why are you here? Aren't you injured?" Kang Xiaorong asked.

From Liuguang's complexion, there was no sign that he was injured.

Liuguang replied nonchalantly, "I've been resting for two days and I'm well now."

"Have you been following me secretly?" Otherwise, how could Liuguang find this hidden place.

Liuguang, who was familiar with the servants, could come and go freely in the Kang Mansion and no one would stop him.