After the system set its sights on the dragon throne, the princess started courting death every day.

Xiang An secretly observed him and found that he was taciturn and indifferent. He treated people with neither too much distance nor too little, and treated everyone equally. He handled all matters, big and small, with strict discipline and no faults whatsoever.

He was so serious that it was as if he wasn't the one who grabbed her wrist in the imperial study that day, questioning her with cold words and harshness, or the one who offered her advice on that rainy night.

It's no wonder that someone as decisive as him, who could let go so easily, won the emperor's favor.

Since boarding the carriage and embarking on the journey for the marriage alliance, Xiang An had rarely spoken. Now, when she suddenly had to speak, her voice was hoarse: "Where are we?"

The surrounding flowers and plants have lost their green color, turning withered and dry, as if summer has been stepped into autumn.

Fu Qingbai: "Your Highness, I do not know the name of this place. But judging by our pace, we should arrive at the border of Yan Kingdom by tomorrow afternoon."

Xiang An lowered her eyelids, her expression a mixture of sigh and lament: "So fast."

Fu Qingbai rode his horse and did not respond.

After more than half a month of riding and traveling, Xiang An's entire body ached as if it were about to fall apart; it was truly torturous. She had been looking forward to arriving every day, but now that she heard they were almost there, she felt no joy whatsoever. Instead, she felt a deep sense of loss.

Perhaps it was the hot weather, but Xiang An suddenly felt his mouth and throat were dry. He picked up a water bottle from the shelf next to him, took a small sip, and felt a little better. He then asked, "Is there a lack of water here?"

"I will go and ask the Third Prince." Fu Qingbai rode his horse to the front of the procession. Xiang An watched him go and thought to himself, "It's good to ask him. It would be best if he came to tell me himself. I've been agreeing to the marriage alliance for so long, but I've never seen the legendary Third Prince of Yan Kingdom. I don't even know if he's a man or a ghost."

The journey to the marriage alliance has lasted for more than half a month, and the bride and groom have not seen each other even once. There is nothing more unusual in the world than this.

Is it intentional?

Could it be that the Third Prince Di fell deeply in love with Ren Xueqing after only one meeting, and is unwilling to see her again? Did she break up the lovers?

Thinking about it, she couldn't help but murmur to herself, "I actually met a romantic in my lifetime? How strange."

After a long while, Fu Qingbai returned alone on horseback. He announced loudly, "Princess, it rarely rains around Yan Kingdom, but according to the national advisor, there will be a heavy rain this September."

Looking up at the sky, Xiang An saw a pure, azure blue, without a single cloud. The sun hung high, its blinding rays scorching the earth. The wind howled through the open carriage curtains, making it hot and dry, without a trace of coolness.

Xiang An: "It's only June now."

From June to September, only three months apart, a short period, yet enough to kill many people with thirst.

“Princess, there is no need to worry. The main city of Yan Kingdom is not short of water, and you will not suffer.” Fu Qingbai rode his horse alongside the carriage, his eyes always fixed straight ahead, not looking at her, as if he had already guessed her thoughts.

Xiang An: "..."

What does it matter to her whether Yan Kingdom lacks water or not? What she's worried about is that she'll die of thirst on her escape route and turn into dried human flesh.

Escaping without water would be a huge problem.

How long will you stay in Yan Kingdom?

Fu Qingbai: "The laws of Yan State stipulate that a wedding procession can stay in the city for a maximum of three days."

Three days... what should she do?

Xiang An glanced at him. The intense sunlight shone on him, but it couldn't make him feel any warmth. He was like a sword left to bake in the scorching sun. It seemed warm, but it was actually cold and distant. Its sharp edge made it impossible for anyone to rely on him.

Especially when she thought about how she had refused him that rainy night, she hesitated to ask him for help.

The carriage curtain was gently lowered, blocking the view of the outside world. The small carriage was so quiet that only the turning of the wheels and the clatter of the horses' hooves could be heard.

Xiang An found a few cakes in the box and swallowed them with water while chewing.

After finishing a pancake, I made up my mind: with thick skin, I can eat anywhere, what's there to be afraid of!

She opened the several small boxes in the carriage, took out the hundred-tael silver notes that she kept hidden away, folded them a few times, and put them into her wide sleeves to hide them—she would find an opportunity to give them to Fu Qingbai so that he could choose a secluded house in Yan Kingdom for her to stay in if she escaped in the future.

As night falls, the stars twinkle in the sky, and unknown insects chirp and squeak in the grass, needlessly disturbing the peace of mind.

The wedding procession gradually came to a halt, and the group chose an open plain to rest. Fires were lit in twos and threes, and the wedding processions from Yan Kingdom and Yuan Kingdom were clearly separated, each cooking their own food without disturbing the other.

Xiang An lifted the carriage curtain and took a deep breath of the rare, refreshing night air. A moment later, a Yan Kingdom nanny came over with a bowl: "Dinner's ready."

The bowl was thickly covered with a layer of mutton, with white oil foam floating on the surface of the soup. The soup was cloudy and had a strong muttony smell.

This bowl of mutton was served without any preparation; a few grains of salt were sprinkled on it, some water was added, and it was boiled.

It has a terrible color, aroma, and taste.

Xiang An can eat anything and isn't picky, but after a day of suffering from dryness and thirst, she really had no appetite for this stuff.

The strong smell of mutton made Xiang An feel nauseous and vomit.

“She won’t eat.” Fu Qingbai appeared, took the mutton soup from the carriage, and replaced it with a bowl of green vegetable porridge. “Princess, just drink the porridge.”

Inside the bowl, a few green vegetable leaves lay quietly on top of the white rice grains, the contrast between white and green extremely bland.

She didn't like it, but... it was better than the gamey smell of mutton soup.

If he had to choose one, Xiang An picked up the bowl of white porridge without hesitation and sipped it slowly.

The old woman from Yan Kingdom's face instantly turned ugly. Without saying a word, she coldly took away the mutton soup and walked straight towards where Ogihara Ao was resting.

Fu Qing raised an eyebrow, said nothing, and turned back to the bonfire of the Yuan Kingdom's wedding procession.

A moment later, a young soldier with a youthful face came over. He scratched his head, his eyes darting up and down and left and right on Xiang An's face. He blushed and bowed, saying, "Your Highness... Princess, General Anwu sent me to collect the bowls."

He handed the empty bowl to An and asked in confusion, "Why didn't your general come in person?"

The soldier's hand trembled as he held the bowl, and he stammered, "The general said... to let me see the princess, so that I won't have to stay in the camp for the rest of my life, never getting to see the emperor or the princess."

For a lowly soldier to see the emperor, without extraordinary luck, it's truly impossible to do so even once in a lifetime. But she wants to be able to see him whenever she wants?

So disrespectful.

Xiang An: "...How dare you!"

The soldier's face turned deathly pale instantly, and he knelt down with a thud: "Your Highness...Please calm down, I have killed enough heads."

"Quite capable for such a young age." Xiang An sincerely admired her. If she were truly ruthless, she wouldn't be forced into a political marriage today. "However, what does your killing have to do with me?"

"His Majesty once decreed: Anyone who completes a mission may have an audience with His Majesty once." The soldier knelt on the ground, trembling, but his words were clear and coherent.

Putting his words together, Xiang An understood: Fu Qingbai was putting the emperor's unfulfilled promises on her shoulders.

Although princesses are not as noble as emperors, both emperors and princesses are members of the royal family, so it is understandable for a daughter to fulfill her father's promise.

But why should she help the emperor fulfill his promise?