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

"You are the most noble princess of the Yuan Kingdom, the most beloved princess of His Majesty. No ambition in this world can compare to that of the princess. How dare Fu Qingbai disregard the princess?!" Xiao Ru said indignantly.

Xiang An's eyelids trembled slightly as scenes of the marriage alliance flashed through her mind. A tear slid down her cheek and disappeared into her black hair, never to be seen again.

She turned her head away, facing the carriage, unwilling to let Xiaoru see her unsightly state.

She spoke calmly: "Xiao Ru, I am not the Emperor's favorite. The Yuan Kingdom and its people are."

"This..." Xiao Ru hesitated for a long time before finally managing to utter, "Princess, this is different."

"If someone offered to exchange me for a city, would the court agree? Would Father Emperor agree?"

Xiao Ru's face changed drastically, her lips trembled, and she could no longer utter a sound.

"I know I think too much and take things too seriously, and I shouldn't compare myself to all the people of the world, but the princess was born with these burdens on her shoulders. I can't help but think about them, I dare not think about them, and I can't do it if I don't think about them."

Xiao Ru's mouth was tightly closed, and her face was deathly pale.

"But it's too fast to think about these things now. I haven't even reached the age of marriage yet. I was just kidding you. Look at you, so silly."

Xiang An opened her eyes, leaned against the cushion, and smiled slyly, her eyes and mouth full of laughter.

"Princess, you can't say these things carelessly, it's bad luck." Xiao Ru turned her face away in anger and ignored her.

Xiang An was at a loss; she didn't know how to comfort people, which was really bad.

She casually picked up an orange from the fruit plate on the table, but before she could peel it, Xiao Ru snatched it away, saying, "Princess, please don't do anything to offend this servant."

"That doesn't count..." Xiang An had only said three words when Xiao Ru interrupted her to continue. She lowered her head and peeled an orange as she said, "If it weren't for the princess back then, I would have been a skeleton in a mass grave long ago. I sincerely wanted to serve the princess and follow her. No matter what happens in the future, I swore an oath the day the princess took me back to her residence: I will never leave the princess and will follow her to the death."

Her soft voice carried an unwavering determination.

Xiang An believed her.

If Xiang An hadn't tricked her into giving him 100,000 taels of silver to bribe a non-existent but powerful official in the capital who could greatly help Xiang An during their first marriage alliance, she would have been kneeling at the entrance of the princess's residence, crying until she vomited blood.

Fortunately, they managed to get her away in time. Otherwise, if the news of her vomiting blood had reached the emperor's ears, he would have been grateful for her loyalty and would have ordered her to accompany Xiang An on the marriage alliance. On the way to the marriage alliance, the two of them would have been bound together by life and death.

Lost in thought, Xiang An fell asleep without realizing it. When Xiao Ru shook her awake, her mind was completely muddled.

She stumbled off the carriage in a daze, almost slipping and falling. Luckily, a hand reached out to steady her, otherwise she would have fallen flat on her back, making a complete fool of herself.

"Thank you, thank you so much." Xiang An was so sleepy and dizzy that he could only say thank you in a string.

"This time, I successfully caught the princess."

"Yes Yes Yes."

"Greetings, General Anwu." Xiao Ru deliberately raised her voice to greet him, successfully waking Xiang An from his drowsiness.

Fully revived, Xiang An sized up the seemingly extremely excited Fu Qingbai before her, then adopted a princess-like demeanor and asked in a serious tone, "General Fu, where are you headed in your full military uniform?"

Fu Qingbai, unable to conceal his excitement, froze. His eyes regained their clarity, and he took a step back, bowing: "Greetings, Princess. I have just settled the military camp in the suburbs and am about to enter the palace to meet Your Majesty."

The princess's residence happens to be located on the main road of the imperial palace, which is the fastest and shortest route to the palace. Presumably, the two of them meeting here is just a coincidence... Wait, is he going to say his famous line, "I am not worthy of the princess," here?

Looking around, everyone present was from the princess's own household. Strike first, or suffer the consequences.

Xiang An directly told him to go to the palace: "General, please go to the palace. Important matters are at hand, you don't need to worry about me." He turned around and went back to his residence without any mercy.

Fu Qingbai wanted to stop him, but it was too late. Watching Xiang An's departing figure, he had no choice but to give up, lead out the horse standing under the wall, smoothly turn over and ride straight to the palace.

Hearing the receding hoofbeats behind her, Xiang An's deliberately straight back suddenly relaxed. Xiao Ru beside her supported her and whispered, "Princess, shall I go and warn General Fu for you? So that he won't be so shameless."

"No need. Isn't he in the palace now? It's a good opportunity for Father to teach him a lesson."

Debunking rumors by starting with the emperor is a thousand times more effective than trying to explain yourself.

Xiao Ru seemed to be thinking, "The princess doesn't like him?"

"The Fu family has served the country and the court for generations, guarding the border. Fu Qingbai is just like his name and his ancestors, never wavering in his loyalty. Why should I not like such a loyal minister?"

"Then what you just now..."

"If I don't speak up, and deliberately let Father punish him, does that mean I dislike him?"

He Tao, who barged in unruly, suddenly interrupted: "Since the princess likes General Fu, why did you let your aunt beat up the servants today?"

Xiao Ru's gaze swept over the guards who had chased He Tao in, and she shouted sternly, "Can't even guard a gate! Have you been eating for nothing all day? Guards! Drag them away! Twenty strokes of the cane! And fine each of them half a month's wages! As a warning to others!"

He Tao was stunned on the spot. The guards who were only a few steps behind her knelt down and kowtowed loudly.

"Fine, I won't deduct your monthly pay this time. But if it happens again, you'll be fined both times." Xiang An softened.

Xiao Ru had no objection: "The princess is kind."

The guard was overjoyed. Even after being dragged onto a bench and beaten, he still shouted, "Thank you for the princess's reward!"

"Princess, spare me! Princess, spare me! I was so eager to make a name for myself and wanted to get home as soon as possible. My three-year-old child is waiting for me. I was so eager to get home that I forgot my manners and heard and said things I shouldn't have. Please, Princess, spare me! Please, Princess, spare me..."

The guard's piercing cries once again made He Tao feel as if the King of Hell had sent her a summons. Tears streamed down her face, and her hair was disheveled.

Xiang An looked down at the person kneeling at her feet, her heart filled with complex emotions. In the end, her emotions overcame her reason, and she impatiently said, "Shut up. What did you just say about liking me? What did you mean I shouldn't have hit you? Explain yourself clearly."

"Yes Yes."

He Tao forced herself to shut up, suppressing a sob: "Young Master Su said at the teahouse that the princess and General Fu are a perfect match. The princess is greatly favored by His Majesty, and General Fu is greatly trusted by His Majesty. Moreover, the two are a handsome couple and a beautiful woman. Standing together, they are a perfect match, a match made in heaven."

However, the eldest son of the Qi family strongly disapproved, saying that young master Su should not be so arrogant and ruin the purity of the princess and General Fu. Young master Su had a bad temper, and the two sides started arguing.

Just then, General Fu returned from the border and rode alone past the teahouse. Young Master Su, quick-witted and agile, ordered his servant to stop General Fu's horse.

General Fu was intercepted, and he immediately claimed that he needed to enter the palace to meet the emperor and could not delay. However, Young Master Su refused to let him go, insisting that General Fu give him the truth and ask him whether he and the princess were a suitable match.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, General Fu said: "Princess Miankang is exceptionally beautiful; I adore her."