The Whole Dynasty Spoils the Tyrant's Beloved Youngest Daughter-Chapter 330 - 240: Tell Lan Xihe After We’ve Set Up Defenses
She had promised Lan Xihe so earnestly, and now that her own background had some clues, she was racked with worries, unsure whether to tell her.
What a dilemma!
Jun Ning ruffled her hair, which was slightly messy, but she still couldn’t think of a good solution.
Jing Shu was still giggling, and Jun Ning still didn’t know what she was laughing about.
The sky darkened, and Jun Ning watched as the last rays of the sun disappeared, plunging the world into total darkness. She got up, dusted the dirt off her clothes, and prepared to head back.
Little tail Jing Shu followed along!
Halfway back, Jun Ning instructed the guard who came with Jing Shu to take her back first, while she stayed to calm down and figure out these matters.
Today, she must come up with a solution. Tomorrow, she’ll start investigating the cause of Uncle Qi’s death by poisoning.
Judging from the demeanor of the Crown Prince, he must only know the true cause of Uncle Qi’s death and somewhat suspects the Eldest Prince. But, there’s no concrete evidence linking Uncle Qi’s death to the Eldest Prince.
Otherwise, given the Crown Prince’s feelings for Uncle Qi, he would have acted long ago.
The world around Sairu City is vast, without as many buildings as the Imperial City, nor its bustling splendor. There’s a sense of desolation here, especially when night falls, making this feeling even stronger.
Jun Ning walked on the empty path, looking at the cattle and sheep in the distance, and called out, "Ye Ying!"
Ye Ying appeared immediately.
Ye Ying had been protecting her closely, just without showing up.
Now that no one was around, he could reveal himself.
Jun Ning looked at the stars slowly emerging in the sky and asked, "Ye Ying, you must know my identity by now, right?"
Since she came out, so long ago, everyone around her addressed her as they should, and saluting and greetings were inevitable. She never deliberately concealed her identity, and Ye Ying must know everything by now.
Ye Ying nodded, lowering his eyes, and said, "Yes!"
"Since you know, then let me ask you something." Jun Ning stopped and turned to look at Ye Ying, "My Crown Prince brother says Sister Xi He might be from Bei Xia’s Beast Taming Clan. What do you think about this?"
"There has always been conflict between Bei Xia and Dong Chu, never fully settling down. Both countries often place spies in each other’s lands to gather information, making relations tense."
"And Lan Xihe knows too much about you and Dong Chu. Your Crown Prince brother is right; her true identity cannot be revealed to her. Otherwise, if she sides with her family, it would bring a devastating blow to Dong Chu."
Ye Ying had always stood by Jun Ning’s side, considering everything for her sake. Even though Lan Xihe was personally taught by him.
Jun Ning said, "I understand your concerns, but the truth can’t be hidden forever. What if, just what if, the traces Sister Xi He left in the Black Forest are discovered by the Beast Taming Clan, and they follow this trail?"
Jun Ning was troubled, "By then, Sister Xi He would still learn her true identity."
Ye Ying sighed, "Hide it as long as we can! During the days we keep it from her, we can make preparations and minimize damage once the truth inevitably comes out."
You must not harbor intentions to harm, but you must stay vigilant against potential harm from others!
Ye Ying had gone through so much, and he was afraid!
Afraid of betrayal, afraid that what he had painstakingly built over time would vanish in an instant because of misplaced trust.
"I think so too, focus on defense first, and don’t reveal the truth to Sister Xi He yet."
The reason Jun Ning thought this way was the fear that as an Imperial Family princess, who was supported by the people, her misplaced trust could lead to irreversible losses and betray that trust.
So even if she trusted Lan Xihe in her heart, she couldn’t let her emotions sway her judgment.
Seeing Jun Ning’s serious expression from making such a decision, Ye Ying said, "Ah Ning, after we’ve done everything for defense, we can tell Xi He about her background and let her seek her parents. You needn’t feel guilty for it."
"I hope so!"
After settling this matter, they continued to move forward.
As they walked, Ye Ying suddenly asked Jun Ning a question, "Ah Ning, you worry that your most trusted Lan Xihe might one day turn against you for her country’s interests. Are you not afraid that I might also betray you one day?"
The reason for this question was that Ye Ying noticed the lack of trust Jun Ning had towards those around her during critical moments.
Jun Ning answered frankly, "I am not afraid of anyone’s betrayal, because I would have already prepared for any possible betrayal, leaving them with no opportunity to act."
"Do you not trust anyone at all?" Ye Ying said, "Some people might betray you, but others will be loyal to you for life, never turning on you."
"I have been betrayed before, by those closest to me, so I dare not trust people easily again. I can’t tell who will truly be loyal to me for life without ever betraying me. So, I can only trust myself." Jun Ning said these words somewhat sorrowfully.
In her previous life, she had no family, nor any particularly close friends, only a master who raised her from young, taught her survival skills, and meticulously trained her.
Though he was strict, often assigning her life-and-death tasks, she still trusted him and regarded his words as doctrine.
Yet, for the last mission she took, he personally sent her to die just because she learned things she shouldn’t have known.
When even the most trusted master betrays you, she really doesn’t know who else she could trust.
"You don’t trust anyone? Do you truly have no feelings for the people around you? Your Emperor father, your Empress mother, your Sister Xi He, Crown Prince brother, Jing Shu, and... and..." him.
Ye Ying didn’t dare to include himself.
After saying this, he looked at Jun Ning expectantly, wanting to know if her heart only held interests, or perhaps a bit of sentiment as well.
Jun Ning said, "How could there not be? The Emperor and Empress spoiled me since childhood, the Crown Prince brother risked his life to save me, Jing Shu filled my otherwise dull childhood, Sister Xi He devoted herself to me wholeheartedly—I truly regard her as a sister... they all mean a lot to me!"
But this doesn’t stop her from protecting herself!
Because having feelings for them is one thing, and safeguarding herself is another.
Hearing these answers, Ye Ying smiled contentedly. The Pavilion Master he admired wasn’t entirely heartless, just heavily guarded.
Like him, she had been betrayed and was afraid, which is why she was so cautiously protecting herself and those she wanted to protect.
In his heart, Ye Ying said, "Ah Ning, you can always trust in me; I will never betray you."
