Chapter 56: The Enemy in My Heart

  Three imperial physicians were so frightened that they ran out of the Eastern Palace with their pants wet, while Xue Qiufeng behind the beaded curtain laughed almost to tears.

  He gave a thumbs up and kept praising An Mingzhu "You're indeed a princess, awesome, just awesome!"

  An Mingzhu glared at him, then turned to Xuan Yuan Mu and smiled: "Tomorrow I'll go find Empress An, I must make these few old imperial physicians suffer a bit, so they won't rely on the emperor's support and look down on the Eastern Palace."

  Xuanyuan nodded slightly, with a face full of gratitude.

  I didn't expect this matter to be so easily resolved in An Mingzhu's hands.

  Anmingzhu stayed until very late before returning to her own dormitory, she was sunny and beautiful in appearance, cheerful and lively in personality, often making us laugh loudly. She had traveled to many places, originally on this continent, apart from the three major powers of Tiān Cāng, Fèng Yǔ, and Nán Qiáo, there were also many tribes and island nations hidden deep in the forest.

  An Mingzhu was well-versed in music, chess, calligraphy and painting, and her martial arts skills were also top-notch. Although she was the third princess of Nanzhao Kingdom, she didn't have any airs about her.

  The next day at breakfast time, Xuan Yuan Mo had someone go invite An Ming Zhu over.

  "Ling Xue, we must give the people in the palace an illusion, let everyone think that An Mingzhu is the future crown princess, then we will avoid a lot of trouble!" Xuan Yuan explained to me, fearing I would misunderstand.

  "Uh-huh, I see!" I nodded while setting the dinner table, but my heart wasn't feeling right. I knew I was being too petty, but I couldn't help it - I envied An Mingzhu for being able to bring a smile to Xuan Yuanmu's face.

  After breakfast, Xuan Yuan announced that An Mingzhu would be in charge of everything in the East Palace, with a status second only to that of the Crown Prince, meaning her status was higher than those of the consorts.

  Although everyone knows, An Mingzhu is the crown prince's fiancée designated by Empress An and the Emperor, but the Crown Prince disagrees, and the Emperor has not issued an imperial edict, so even if everyone knows, it is not proper to mention it.

  Now, Xuan Yuan has given the order, An Mingzhu is in charge of all matters in the East Palace, and it's as if she has acknowledged her position in front of everyone.

  Inside the palace, there was no lack of women's jealousy and rivalry. Soon, some women found fault with An Mingzhu, but she was after all a princess of Nanzhao Kingdom. With just a few words, she could shut them up and make them speechless, defeated.

  Watching the disheveled and dejected Liang Wan and Liang Yu leave, An Ming Zhu turned back to give me a triumphant smile.

  "I'm going out for a bit..." As I spoke, I lifted my leg and was about to head outside.

  "The prince didn't tell you not to go out?" An Mingzhu blinked her big eyes at me.

  Looking at her blocking the doorway, I felt anxious: "I really have something urgent!"

  Last night I had a dream again, I dreamed that I was pregnant, the child in my belly grew very fast, they tore open my belly with their sharp claws and rushed out of my body. The small, blood-covered baby lay on my belly, eating the blood flowing out of my body, it was terrifying.

  I have to resolve this matter, or else I don't know how much longer I can hold on. When I wake up, I even feel like I'm really pregnant, and it's that kind of contradictory feeling of excitement and fear that makes me very anxious.

  At this time, life and death may no longer be important, what's important is the meaning of living. Those ghost babies make you have a kind of thought that makes you want to give up everything for them.

  I didn't tell Xuan Yuan Mo about these things, he's been too busy lately. The eldest prince Xuan Yuan Xu is coming back and another force in the court will soon rise to support Xuan Yuan Xu as the crown prince. With all the messy things happening in the palace, he already has enough trouble on his mind, I don't want to add more chaos for him.

  "Can you tell me? What's going on?" An Mingzhu still blocked me, not letting me leave.

  "You're so curious about me?" I looked at her strangely, with a hint of hostility in my eyes.

  "What really happened on the day of the Ghost King's selection of his queen? Why are you still alive, while everyone else is dead?" An Mingzhu asked in a low voice close to my ear.

  I took a step back, frowning at the woman in front of me. "Am I the only one who escaped from Ghost Bamboo Forest besides you? No way, every year when the Ghost King chooses his concubine, there are people who escape from Ghost Bamboo Forest, what makes you say that I'm the only one alive?"

  "What about Xuan Yuan? The one who disappeared for ten years, is he really the Ghost King?" An Mingzhu looked at me cautiously.

  "He's the Crown Prince, how could he be the King of Ghosts?" I continued to say, not caring about her gaze: "If you're so curious, you can go to the Ghost Bamboo Forest yourself, why ask me? But what's your reason for going to the Ghost Bamboo Forest? What's your purpose in coming to Tiancang Kingdom? Is it just to be the Crown Prince's consort? Impossible!"

  She stood there in a daze, without answering, I walked out, completely ignoring her obstruction.

  "Mei Lingxue, you don't like me, I'm not your enemy, I'm not interested in Xuan Yuanmu."

  "What are you interested in?" I turned back to her, Guī Wáng? Hei Zhú Lín? Or something else?

  "I want to help you, you look too much like my good friend, I know you're not her, but I hope you don't misunderstand people's kindness!" An Mingzhu's eyes were bright and clear, looking at me with a hint of helplessness.

  I took a deep breath and found that I was indeed a bit sensitive, but who can I trust when I've never had family since childhood? Xuan Yuan Mu has been through life and death with me, but what about her? I really don't believe it!

  I walked out of the East Palace and headed towards the washing room. An Mingzhu's words still lingered in my ears, "Friend? I really don't have one."

  Not having arrived at the destination yet, I saw Aunt Su hastily passing by from behind the fake mountain. Seeing her, I secretly followed up.

  She ran quickly towards the front hall, I followed closely behind her. She came to find Old Man Su, put a package in his hands, then turned around and headed back the way she came.

  Mr. Su held something in his hand, wrapped tightly in a large red silk cloth. I hid at the corner and looked at it strangely, really wanting to get closer to see what it was, wondering if it had anything to do with those ghost babies?

  I was intently looking forward when I suddenly felt a pair of eyes tightly staring at me from behind, with a hint of danger.

  It's broad daylight, it can't be a ghost. I hold my breath and slowly turn around to see a man standing right behind me. He stares at me intently, then his facial expression changes, his eyes widening in shock: "Lan Xue? You... you're still alive!"

  As he spoke, he rushed up and hugged me tightly in his arms.

  I struggled with all my might, but I was no match for him at all.

  "Wooo..." I wanted to struggle and argue, but my entire face was buried in his chest, and he held me so tightly that I couldn't say a word.