Lord Suo Jing was waiting for Situ Jiuyue in the hall.

Situ Jiuyue walked over.

In fact, her surname was not Situ, but merely a surname she had used to hide her identity and conceal her name while traveling the jianghu to avoid pursuit. But over time, as the past accompanied her, even the name had become a habit. Now she had become “Princess Jiuyue,” yet sometimes she would recall the times in Yanjing City when people called her “Physician Situ.”

Suo Jing bowed to her in greeting. “This minister Suo Jing pays respects to Your Highness the Princess.”

“Sit,” Situ Jiuyue said.

Her expression was indifferent. Suo Jing felt somewhat emotional looking at her. This Princess Highness was born beautiful, but her temperament was truly not likable. No wonder even the common people felt fear. He thanked Situ Jiuyue for granting him a seat and sat down, saying, “Your Highness… the matters for the grand ceremony have all been prepared properly.”

In the royal family, only Situ Jiuyue remained now, and with the Yan Emperor backing her, this realm should naturally be Situ Jiuyue’s. It would be the enthronement ceremony of the royal daughter. Henceforth, the ruler of Molan City would be Situ Jiuyue.

Suo Jing was not someone left behind by the new King. On the contrary, he had always been suppressed by the new King. After Situ Jiuyue returned to the palace, she promoted Suo Jing. If Suo Jing wanted to preserve his position, he had to firmly grasp this lifeline that was Situ Jiuyue. Thus during these days, Suo Jing had been sincerely working hard for Situ Jiuyue.

“Good,” Situ Jiuyue replied.

“These past few days, Lord Zong has raised a matter with this minister… which is the matter of Your Highness selecting a husband.”

As soon as these words fell, Situ Jiuyue gave Suo Jing an icy look. Suo Jing was frightened by her gaze into silence and dared not continue.

Situ Jiuyue was a royal daughter. At the time of the royal daughter’s enthronement ceremony, a royal consort should be enthroned as well. But Situ Jiuyue remained unmarried to this day, so the ministers below had begun urging her. After all, Situ Jiuyue was a woman, and in Molan’s past history, there had actually never been a woman serving as ruler. Even with the Yan Emperor backing her, the Jinwu Army would not remain in Molan for a lifetime. In the end, it would still be Situ Jiuyue herself dealing with the troubles ahead.

And among all the troubles, this was one that could not be avoided at all. Even if Suo Jing did not speak of it now, others would speak of it in the future. If Situ Jiuyue never chose a royal consort and bore her own heir, then this throne might have to be given to someone else.

These were Molan’s longstanding rules, and Situ Jiuyue had to conduct affairs according to the rules.

Seeing Situ Jiuyue silent, Suo Jing boldly asked, “Your Highness, if Your Highness continues to delay making a decision, I fear the outer palace will have to conduct a selection.”

Molan’s selection was similar to Northern Yan’s selection of palace ladies. However, selecting men as royal consorts would probably be an unprecedented first. Within the Molan royal family, the marriages of princesses and princes were all decided very early. When Situ Jiuyue was young, she encountered sudden upheaval, and afterward had been wandering and displaced, which was why her marriage had never been arranged.

“If there’s really no other way, then conduct a selection,” Situ Jiuyue finally said.

Suo Jing was startled and couldn’t help but look toward Situ Jiuyue. He saw this cold-expressioned young woman reveal a smile that was neither quite a smile nor not. She said, “The so-called royal consort is just a puppet anyway. Since we must select someone, in the end it’s better to choose someone obedient and easy to manipulate. You need not tell me of these trivial matters. You handle it, Lord Suo.”

The way she said “Lord Suo” truly made Suo Jing’s heart shudder.

Suo Jing could not figure out what exactly Situ Jiuyue was thinking. This was, after all, Situ Jiuyue’s lifelong matter. Why was she so unconcerned about it? Ordinary daughters would at least harbor some expectations for the person who would accompany them through life as their pillow companion. But listen to what Situ Jiuyue had just said—puppet? Obedient and easy to manipulate? If this spread to the ears of Molan’s people, who knew how much criticism this Princess Highness would suffer.

Suo Jing sighed. He truly did not know what to do.

…

As the days passed in the busyness of preparing for the grand ceremony, Haitang discovered that Situ Jiuyue was becoming increasingly cold.

Although Situ Jiuyue had not been someone with an innocent and carefree temperament when she was at the Duke’s Manor before, she would help the Xue family whenever she could. Xue Zhao had also said that Situ Jiuyue was someone cold on the outside but warm on the inside. But now that she had returned to Molan, it was as if even her last trace of warmth had evaporated. From inside to out, she had truly become a heartless person.

The selection specially held for Situ Jiuyue also gradually began. Among the Molan ministers, aside from Suo Jing, the other ministers were forced to choose to support Situ Jiuyue due to Emperor Hongxiao’s authority, but inwardly they were quite unwilling. Suo Jing alone found it difficult to counter the power of the other ministers. However, the matter of the selection itself gradually began to develop some problems.

Situ Jiuyue was beautiful in appearance, but unfortunately her methods were vicious and she was skilled in poison. Although she was a royal daughter, even if one were selected as royal consort, one might not necessarily have much power and would likely be controlled by Situ Jiuyue. Who knew where one might displease Situ Jiuyue and even lose one’s life.

Therefore, among those ministers’ families, any sons and young masters with somewhat good reputations learned of the selection early. Noble youths around Situ Jiuyue’s age had long been betrothed, and those not betrothed had immediately been arranged by their families in these past two days.

Thus in the end, those remaining for selection were either pampered at home to the point of being unruly and incapable, frivolous and fickle wastrel sons, or those from families that had fallen on hard times, hoping to find a royal daughter to freeload off of, to support their whole family, wanting to take advantage—fallen households.

In short, looking across them all, they were all completely worthless. Even if there were truly the kind that Situ Jiuyue had told Suo Jing she needed—obedient and easy to manipulate—they themselves were extremely cowardly. Forget about being able to shoulder any responsibility, they looked simply like adding another servant, and the most humble kind of servant at that. If Situ Jiuyue truly chose such a person as her royal consort, it would likely become a laughingstock and make her the most ridiculous royal daughter in Molan’s history.

Suo Jing was also helpless. The better young masters from good families, upon hearing it was for Situ Jiuyue, couldn’t hide fast enough. How would they voluntarily come forward for selection? Speaking of it, it truly felt incredible. Situ Jiuyue was not poorly born either. How had she fallen to the point where no one from a good family was willing to marry her?

Haitang was also anxiously worried.

Situ Jiuyue herself did not think there was anything wrong. She had also looked over those worthless candidates and surprisingly did not get angry, but instead seemed as if she had guessed it would be this way all along, revealing an expression of “just as expected.”

If a royal consort was to be chosen before the enthronement ceremony, then it had to be during this period that Situ Jiuyue must make a decision. But there was not a single reliable person. Suo Jing looked at those people and could not bear it in his heart. He made indirect inquiries, asking Situ Jiuyue which one she thought was acceptable. Situ Jiuyue deliberated for a long while, then pointed at a civil official’s son and said, “That one is not bad.”

Suo Jing looked and nearly fainted. That one… indeed looked acceptable, at least his background was neither good nor bad, and he had no particularly bad habits, but he was just too utterly unremarkable. Whether it was appearance, bearing, talent, or temperament, if you threw him into a crowd you couldn’t find him. Such a person was to be the future royal consort of the Molan royal daughter? Suo Jing found it difficult to accept.

“He looks very docile, and his courage is small too. He probably couldn’t do anything like murdering his wife,” Situ Jiuyue said.

Murdering his wife? Suo Jing’s heart chilled. What was this? Had the Princess Highness’s requirements for choosing a royal consort already dropped to merely “as long as he has no murderous intent toward me”? Moreover, who would murder their wife for no reason?

Situ Jiuyue seemed to think of something and suddenly smiled. She knew what Suo Jing found strange, but was murdering one’s wife so strange? At least in the Xue family she knew, Xue Zhao’s older sister Xue Fangfei had died at the hands of her own husband. Between husband and wife, those closest yet most distant, couples who could grow old together hand in hand were too rare. Most people became resentful spouses. She did not wish to become a resentful spouse, nor did she hope for growing old together. Then being a pair of strangers treating each other with icy respect was not so bad either. At least they could coexist peacefully, with body and mind at peace.

Suo Jing still wanted to say something, but seeing that Situ Jiuyue did not wish to discuss further, he could only give up. Just as they were speaking, suddenly a palace servant came from outside to report that the guards outside the palace had captured an assassin, but this assassin insisted on seeing the royal daughter.

“There’s certainly no shortage of assassins in this palace,” Suo Jing said irritably. Just counting those he knew of, they came every two or three days. Fortunately, this royal daughter herself was formidable, otherwise who knew how many times she would have died.

“Don’t see him. Kill him,” Situ Jiuyue said casually.

However, the palace servant seemed somewhat hesitant and said, “Royal daughter, this assassin… says he met you in Northern Yan. Although we don’t know who he is, he is a cripple. The guards have checked and it’s not fake. If he’s truly an assassin… a cripple… seems to pose no threat. Could there be a mistake?”

Hearing this, both Haitang and Situ Jiuyue were stunned. Haitang said excitedly, “Young master! It must be young master who has come!”

Situ Jiuyue asked sternly, “Where is he?”

Suo Jing had never seen Situ Jiuyue like this before. The palace servant was also startled and replied hastily, “He’s in the garden in front of Siyin Hall. The guards have captured him.”

Situ Jiuyue turned and walked away. Haitang hurriedly followed. The palace servant looked helplessly toward Suo Jing, who was equally bewildered. Haitang had called that person young master? So it was a man? But why was Situ Jiuyue’s reaction so extreme? From the looks of it, this person was extremely important to her.

Suo Jing made up his mind and decided to go take a look, to see what kind of divine being this person who could stir the Princess Highness’s emotions truly was.

…

Situ Jiuyue arrived at the garden in front of Siyin Hall. On the ground, held at sword point by two guards, sitting on the ground, was none other than Xue Zhao.

Haitang cried out, “Young master!”

Xue Zhao looked toward the sound. Seeing Situ Jiuyue and Haitang, he immediately revealed a smile and said, “Miss Jiuyue, Haitang.”

The surrounding guards and Suo Jing who had followed behind were all greatly shocked. This youth actually called the princess “Miss Jiuyue.” If the Princess Highness had been traveling in Northern Yan before, concealing her identity, by now, as long as he was not a fool, he should know the princess’s true identity. How could he still address the princess this way?

Situ Jiuyue angrily said to the guards, “What are you doing? Release him at once!”

The guards hurriedly withdrew their swords and bowed in apology. Haitang ran over to help Xue Zhao up. His wheelchair had been cast aside and was overturned on the ground. Haitang settled him into the wheelchair and said, “Young master, when did you arrive? How did you come to Molan?”

When they parted, Xue Zhao had still been in Yanjing. The distance between Molan and Yanjing was not close. Had he come… alone?

Suo Jing had originally seen this youth born handsome with extraordinary bearing and was beginning to have some thoughts, but then he saw Xue Zhao’s wheelchair. He immediately felt regretful. He truly was a cripple, and the kind who couldn’t even walk. What a pity, what a pity.

Situ Jiuyue said, “Let us speak inside.” She said to Suo Jing, “You may withdraw. If there is anything, I will summon you again.”

Suo Jing withdrew.

Situ Jiuyue brought Xue Zhao to her own palace. After dismissing everyone, Haitang went to bring tea. Situ Jiuyue sat at the table and asked Xue Zhao, “How did you come here? Where are the others?”

“I came alone. There are no others,” Xue Zhao answered with a smile.

His smile was as open and bright as ever. With him here, it seemed as if the gloom of these past days had dispersed quite a bit in an instant.

“This is not a place you should have come to,” Situ Jiuyue said after a long while. “You took too great a risk, Xue Zhao.”

The youth was slightly stunned, then gently shook his head and said earnestly, “I came for you.”