The next day, the snow finally stopped. The golden sun broke through the clouds and slanted down.
The royal banners in dark yellow fluttered noisily in the howling wind that cut through the bones.
The imperial guards escorted Empress Dugu's phoenix carriage and the envoys from the Southern Chu Kingdom out of the city. She deliberately wore a long phoenix - and - luan robe in the palace red of the Southern Chu's eldest princess and a phoenix crown with five strings of eastern pearls as she waved goodbye to the Southern Chu envoys.
Aunt Meijiang said in the carriage, "Princess, don't be so sad. We'll have a chance to return to the Southern Chu."
Dugu Lanyue nodded slightly with her phoenix - like head, even biting her lips as she replied, "Definitely."
Suddenly, the phoenix carriage stopped. Dugu Lanyue's body lurched forward. She steadied her phoenix crown and quickly asked, "What's going on?"
Aunt Meijiang nimbly jumped out of the carriage to check but didn't come back with any news for a long time.
Huo Wei lifted the curtain of the carriage and got in. "The carriage got stuck in the snow. I came up specifically to see if Your Majesty was startled."
The man slowly took out a dagger from his bosom and played with it. His long, cold - white fingers were dexterous. The dagger flashed in front of her eyes, and the cold glint of its blade passed across her jade - like pupils.
Dugu Lanyue looked a bit flustered at first but quickly composed herself. She leaned closer to him, her fox - like eyes looking at him affectionately.
"It's so cold today, yet you still came to escort me. I'm so touched. Aren't you cold? Let me warm you up?"
Huo Wei tilted his chin, his fierce eyes staring up at her. He placed the dagger across Dugu Lanyue's fair neck.
"Weren't you trying so hard yesterday to stop me from coming? Are you afraid I'll kill you?"
Dugu Lanyue didn't dare to move, but she reached out her hand and held Huo Wei's. "Do you really have to treat a woman who loves you whole - heartedly like this?"
Huo Wei's eyes remained as cold and cruel as ever. "Did you act so pitiful and spout nonsense like this to His Majesty in bed too?"
Dugu Lanyue drooped her eyes dejectedly.
"I had no choice with His Majesty. You know I'm not respected by the concubines in the harem. If I don't gain His Majesty's favor, my days will be even harder.
Huo Wei, before I die, could you give me a hug? It's my last request."
Huo Wei put away the dagger, spread his arms, and smiled wickedly at her. "Come on."
Dugu Lanyue leaned over and hugged him. She kissed his cheek with her red lips.
"Huo Wei, why do you always want to kill me? Am I really that disgusting to you?"
Her fingers had already reached up to her coiled hair and quietly pulled out a gold hairpin. The hairpin was specially made, filled with powder in the middle.
As long as she stabbed it in, Huo Wei would faint and wouldn't wake up until she returned to the palace.
A sweet and charming fragrance wafted into Huo Wei's nostrils. It was rich and intense, a unique scent of this evil empress.
Men were naturally attracted to such scents and would have an urge to hold her in their arms.
He slightly raised his evil - looking eyebrows and said indifferently, "If you're trying to end my life with that hairpin, you're really stupid."
Dugu Lanyue let go of the hand that was about to take the hairpin and hugged him even tighter. She whispered,
"After I bid farewell to the envoys, won't Prince Yuzhang stay with me alone? This is such a good opportunity for us to be together."
Huo Wei pushed her away. Dugu Lanyue looked at him with a smile in her bright red and charming eyes, not feeling shy at all. Then he coldly said,
"Stop playing your tricks, Dugu Lanyue. If I kill you, the war between the north and the south will break out immediately, and my goal will be achieved."
Dugu Lanyue pulled down one side of her phoenix robe, revealing her snow - white shoulder. She winked at him with her amorous eyes.
"Look at you always fighting and killing. You're so full of hostility. Will you be a bit gentler if you hold a beauty in your arms?"
Huo Wei narrowed his eyes. "What are you up to again?"
Dugu Lanyue knew that Huo Wei wanted to kill her, so she might as well strike first. Her jade - like hand slowly climbed up his cheek.
"If you make a move now, I'll scream and say that Prince Yuzhang molested me. The Second Prince is just outside and can be the first witness."
Huo Wei's face darkened. He pushed her away with his arm, and Dugu Lanyue's phoenix crown hit the carriage with a thud. Her charming eyes turned a bit red, and she softly complained,
"Huo Wei, you're really so cruel to women."
Huo Wei got off the carriage and mounted his black horse. Then he shouted, "Is the wheel of the phoenix carriage fixed? If it is, continue on the journey."
The imperial carriage of the Northern Yan's empress continued to move forward in the icy and snowy land of the north. Snowflakes began to flutter in the sky again.
On a small hillside outside the city, Dugu Lanyue walked alone to the envoy group and stretched out her arm.
"Gentlemen, please get up. You're all the pillars of the Southern Chu. On your way south, please be careful and stay safe."
Lord Zhang of the envoy group was a confidant of the Southern Chu's emperor. He knew Dugu Lanyue's identity. He knelt on the ground and kowtowed heavily.
"Your Highness, the Southern Chu is waiting for your return. Please take good care of yourself!"
Close ministers of Dugu Lanyue would address her as Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess.
When it came to the marriage alliance with the Northern Yan, no suitable princess could be found in the whole palace. The beautiful ones were stupid, and the smart ones lacked charm.
Helplessly, only the Crown Princess herself came.
The Southern Chu couldn't afford to lose. Only Dugu Lanyue's beauty and wisdom could increase the chances of winning in the game between the court and the harem.
Dugu Lanyue tightly clutched the pearl - covered sleeve. She tried hard to hold back her tears, but they still welled up in her eyes. She rarely really shed tears in the Northern Yan. Usually, she just pretended for Murong Min.
She gritted her teeth and said, "I will surely keep the people of the Southern Chu away from the war and fight for a chance of survival for my homeland until my last breath."
She responded to the envoys in the name of the empire's heir, then watched the Southern Chu ministers leave. She didn't turn away until their scarlet official robes finally disappeared in the snow.
She turned around and walked towards the phoenix - carriage convoy. Just as she was about to get on the carriage, she looked back in surprise at Huo Wei sitting on his black horse.
Aunt Meijiang asked, "Your Majesty, do you have any instructions?"
Dugu Lanyue said in a hushed voice, "Aunt, don't you think this trip has been too smooth?"
Aunt Meijiang also secretly glanced back at Huo Wei, then turned around.
"Yes, I've been on tenterhooks for most of the day. You're right. The calmer it is, the more scared I am."
Dugu Lanyue sat back in the imperial carriage, reached out and lifted the bright - yellow curtain. Just then, she saw Huo Wei's thick, slanting eyebrows raising strangely at her.
Dugu Lanyue suddenly dropped the curtain, her heart pounding.
By now, the phoenix carriage was steadily on its way back. Nothing strange happened on the road. All the way, she remained vigilant. As they were almost through this desolate stretch of road, she finally let out a sigh of relief.
Maybe Huo Wei was just scaring her.
On top of the bright - yellow phoenix carriage, there was a golden phoenix carved on it, shining brightly against the snow.
The convoy had reached a mountain bend when suddenly, the neighing of horses came from behind.
"Get out of the way! Get out of the way! Hurry up!"