189: Do you... understand?

Ye Jingling knelt on the ground with a thud and kowtowed, saying, "It was the Imperial Grandmother and Your Highness who gave this Servant Girl a new life. I have long sworn in my heart to serve the Imperial Grandmother and Your Highness for the rest of my life, even unto death, without regret!"

Nangong Yu heard this but remained noncommittal.

"Get up!"

Nangong Yu said indifferently, "Your talent is good, and your appearance is exceptional. I may not be able to give you what you want!"

"This Servant Girl has nothing she wants. If I must say, I only wish to stay by the side of the Imperial Grandmother or Your Highness, to serve you for the rest of my life and repay your kindness!"

Ye Jingling did not rise. She prostrated herself and said respectfully, her voice sounding exceptionally firm.

Nangong Yu shook his head slightly. "I said, your talent is good, and your appearance is exceptional. You have better choices and a better future; there is no need to follow us. Is being a Servant Girl really what you want?"

"Yes!"

This time, Ye Jingling finally raised her head, her gaze firm. "Even if I only serve as a Servant Girl or even the lowest of menials by Your Highness's side, this Servant Girl is willing."

Nangong Yu was silent for a moment. "I can tell that you are not lying, and I have received your sincerity. But I will still give you some time to consider. When I leave, I will hear your answer then!"

Upon hearing this, Ye Jingling shook her head. "Your Highness, this Servant Girl does not need to consider. Or rather, I have already made my decision in my heart. I beg Your Highness to allow this Servant Girl to stay by your side forever and serve you!"

Hearing this, Nangong Yu shook his head slightly and waved his hand. "Do not be in such a hurry to make a decision. Go back and think it over before telling me!"

Ye Jingling's expression was slightly puzzled, but she did not press the matter. She rose and bowed. "This Servant Girl obeys!"

Afterwards, she bowed and exited the main bedchamber.

Nangong Yu watched her leave, his expression thoughtful, and whispered to himself, "She truly seems to want to follow me, but there is some hidden agenda. What are you thinking?"

He shook his head, stopped thinking about it, and turned toward the bath behind the screen—or rather, the bath in the next room.

Indeed! It was a bath!

The person who built this prince's mansion had thought quite well. They had built a bath in the main bedchamber that could accommodate dozens of people.

By connecting it to a clean water source for constant flow, and adding a specially treated heating system in the bath, it maintained a constant temperature. It could be said to be a man-made hot spring!

During the years he lived in the prince's mansion, this was always the place where he and his mother bathed!

Nangong Yu walked behind the screen, crossed the isolation Formation, and arrived in a sealed room.

This room had only one entrance and exit. The ceiling was decorated with various gems, making the room as bright as day even without an external light source.

Furthermore, some of the gems in the room emitted a warm light, filling the room with a slightly intimate atmosphere.

In the center of the room, in a circular bath covering two hundred square meters, wisps of heat clung to the water's surface, adding a touch of mystery to the entire room.

Around the bath was a smooth floor paved with white jade, and the walls were the same.

In the four corners of the room, there were even thoughtfully placed soft beds and some soft leather chairs, which were even more comfortable than sofas.

Nangong Yu looked at the familiar place, and his mood became more complex; he felt the comfort of returning home, as well as the longing for his mother.

He removed his clothes, stepped into the bath, and leaned quietly against the edge of the pool, eyes slightly closed, enjoying this quiet moment.

Qingyou Imperial Palace, Shouxian Palace.

Nangong Ruoxue lay on the bed, embracing her mother, Qin Anlan. It seemed there were thousands of words to say, yet she did not know where to start.

Nangong Ruoxue thought of something and said, "Mother, Little Yu and I plan to head to the Holy Domain in a while to find the Imperial Grandmother and the others. You should come with us!"

Hearing this, Qin Anlan shook her head and smiled, her gaze evasive, as if she did not want to discuss this topic.

Seeing this, Nangong Ruoxue's expression changed slightly. "Mother, you... are you unwilling?"

Qin Anlan pondered for a moment, took a deep breath, and bit her red lips lightly. "Xue'er, if I said I wanted to travel alone and did not want to see your Imperial Father again, what would you think?"

Upon hearing this, Nangong Ruoxue's eyes flickered. "How could Mother think that way?"

Qin Anlan smiled bitterly. "Xue'er, Mother was merely a sacrifice for the Qin Family to stabilize their status. Now that we are stepping into the Holy Domain, there may be a possibility to break away from the Qin Family and the Nangong Family. Mother does not want to be constrained any longer."

"Do... do you understand?"

Hearing this, Nangong Ruoxue's slender body trembled slightly, and she vaguely understood her mother's thoughts.

She took a deep breath and then said, "If Mother is unwilling, Xue'er will naturally support you!"

Hearing this, Qin Anlan's eyes brightened slightly.

However, she saw Nangong Ruoxue suddenly hug her tightly and whisper, "However, if I let Mother travel alone in the perilous Holy Domain, Xue'er would be uneasy. Xue'er does not want to never be able to find Mother again."

Hearing this, Qin Anlan felt a tightness in her heart and did not know what to say.

Silence! A long silence!

Nangong Ruoxue looked up and said, "Mother, how about this? You come with us to the Holy Domain. If we determine that the place we are going does not have Imperial Father, you can decide whether to stay or leave."

"Or, wait until you have enough self-protection ability, and then we can consider other things, how about that?"

Hearing this, Qin Anlan thought for a moment, then stroked Nangong Ruoxue's hair and said, "I know you are worried about me, Xue'er. I will listen to you, but if I decide to leave, you are not allowed to stop me!"

"Okay!" Nangong Ruoxue nodded.

Qin Anlan smiled and said, "Alright, now you should tell me about your experiences over these years, right?"

"Of course!"

Speaking of this, Nangong Ruoxue instantly smiled brightly, and memories appeared on her pretty face.

She parted her red lips and slowly recounted her experiences over the past six years, her pretty face full of smiles.

Fengxian Hall.

In the Imperial bedchamber, Nangong Jingqi lay on the bed, holding Dugu Jialuo. Both were panting slightly, their breathing a bit agitated.

In the room, a peculiar scent permeated the air—it was the smell of gunpowder.

Dugu Jialuo leaned into Nangong Jingqi's embrace. Thinking of what happened at the banquet earlier, she asked in confusion, "Your Majesty, this Concubine has a question. I do not know if I should ask it?"

Nangong Jingqi shook his head slightly. "Between you and me, why so much formality? Just speak plainly!"

Dugu Jialuo nodded slightly, burying her blushing face in Nangong Jingqi's chest, her breath as fragrant as an orchid. "Your Majesty, did you seem to have the intention of passing the throne to the Prince of Zhenbei today?"

Hearing this, Nangong Jingqi glanced at the beautiful woman in his arms and nodded slightly. "Father's original intention was to choose between the two of us. In fact, perhaps Father was even more fond of Little Yu."

Hearing this, Dugu Jialuo was somewhat surprised. She looked up at Nangong Jingqi. "How is that possible? The Prince of Zhenbei is not the late Emperor's..."