As I watched him approach, my heart grew colder and colder. In an instant, I felt a deep fatigue seep into my bones, leaving me powerless to argue or resist anything.

  Even if I were to resist, what could I do? He can enter my residence with ease and composure, and casually reveal confidential military reports. It's likely that the entire government of Ye City is already under his control.

  I slowly stood up, and a wry smile involuntarily appeared on my lips: "It's actually you."

  He didn't say anything, just looked at me with a complex and unfathomable gaze.

  I couldn't help but laugh at myself: "So, it turns out that from the capital to the north of the desert, everything was just a setup? I had been grateful to have met someone as chivalrous as Lord Dong, but it seems I was too naive. You knew my true identity all along, didn't you?"

  Dong Ye quietly looked at me, nodded and openly said: "Yes, I and the merchant group waited for three whole days at the post station before we finally met the princess. Unexpectedly, the princess actually took the initiative to ask to join us, which was quite unexpected, but it's a pleasant surprise."

  I suppressed a smile and looked at him lightly: "Since you went to the trouble of waiting for me, you must have known why I was going to Mo Bei. Why didn't you just seize my letter directly? Why bother gaining my trust and sending me all the way here?"

  He gazed at me quietly for a while, then smiled faintly: "The princess has actually guessed it already, hasn't she? It's just that you still harbor hopes and don't want to believe that Dong is truly so sinister and evil."

  I closed my eyes slightly and didn't say anything.

  From the capital to the north of the desert, on the long journey, the merchants' various attentions to me and Shuying, scene after scene, emerged in my mind, I didn't expect that all this was done on purpose.

  I thought of the flute under my pillow, smiled self-deprecatingly, and then asked: "Until now, I still don't know Mr. Dong's full name, may I ask if you can tell me?"

  Although he was slightly puzzled, his actions did not hesitate. He picked up the pen and wrote two words on the rice paper in front of him - "Dong Di".

  Dong Di, "Di" and "di", it turns out to be so, indeed it is so, everything has become clear as day, only, I know that getting to the bottom of it is still too late.

  In my heart, a chill spreads. Now it seems that every move I made on this trip to the north was under Nan Chengyuan's control. He didn't stop me, but instead arranged for someone to escort me all the way to Shangjing. The purpose of this was today, and what he wanted was Nan Chengyao's life.

  I had no idea that beneath Nan Cheng's warm and gentle face, he actually hid such a meticulous and ruthless mind. He promoted Nan Chengyao to go on an expedition to the north of the desert, wanting to use the northern barbarians' hands to get rid of him, and also let Xuan'er spread the news to me, leading me all the way to the north of the desert, waiting for today. In case the northern barbarians couldn't succeed, then holding me in his hand, with Ye City already in his grasp, he would necessarily make Nan Chengyao stay forever in the north of the desert.

  By then, no matter who he died under whose sword, this crime would be pushed onto the Northern Barbarians.

  But I don't know, Xiaoyu, my sister, what kind of role she played in this incident.

  Whether Nan Chengyu deliberately let her know and then spread these messages through her mouth to me, or she was involved in this game from beginning to end, I really don't know.

  I looked at Dong Ye and spoke softly: "When I was on my way to Mo Bei with Dong Ye, I heard the brothers in the merchant group condemn the Northern Hu people's looting behavior. Their faces were filled with righteous indignation, I didn't think it was fake. But now, isn't what you're doing unintentionally helping the Northern Hu people? What about the brothers in the merchant group, your family members, and the tens of thousands of border civilians?"

  Dong Ye's gaze changed, and he said in a deep voice: "The Northern Hu have retreated, the border troubles have been resolved. What does Dong have to do with the Crown Prince and the tens of thousands of border people on this trip?"

  I smiled faintly and shook my head: "The Northern Barbarians are naturally arrogant and fickle, this point, I'm sure Lord Dong is more aware of than Murong Qing. Although they have retreated to the north of Mount Yin for now, with winter snow still falling, they still don't have enough food to last the winter. How can you be certain that they won't regroup and return, catching our army off guard, then directly attacking Ye City, invading the Southern Dynasty, and slaughtering countless innocent people?"

  When I spoke, Lord Dong's expression was constantly changing. He looked at me for a long time and finally smiled slowly: "It's no wonder that the Crown Prince told me that the Third Princess is extremely intelligent and should not be underestimated. This speech is reasonable and emotional, and it's rare for a woman to have such courage. Unfortunately, I, Dong, have received great kindness from the Crown Prince, but following his orders, even if it means dying, I can only apologize to the Third Prince and the Princess."

  He paused for a moment, hesitated for a while, and then continued: "As for the tens of thousands of border people, His Highness the Crown Prince only ordered that three princes and three princesses be left behind. Dong Mou would not make things difficult for others. If the Northern Barbarians dare to invade again, there will naturally be many brave generals and soldiers who will resist with all their might. This is something that Your Highness does not need to worry about."

  I wanted to say something else, but was stopped by his decisive gesture. He looked at me and said in a sharp tone: "Your Highness doesn't need to waste your breath, Dong has received great kindness from the Crown Prince and will not change his mind. As for offending Your Highness, I can only repay it in my next life!"

  I saw the cold and hard expression on his face, knowing that saying more would be useless. At this moment, I only heard the panicked voice outside the door: "Let me go, where are you taking me? Miss, miss, where are you...?"

  I suddenly turned my eyes towards Dong Ye and said in a cold voice, "You just want to use me to threaten Nan Chengyao. I'll go with you, don't make things difficult for the people below."

  Dong Ye glanced at me and called out towards the door: "Chen San, be gentle, don't be rude."

  The sound of shouting and struggling gradually faded away, Dong Ye got up and opened the door, making a please gesture: "Please let Wang Fei stay with Dong Mou at Dongji Commercial House for a few days to wait for San Gongzi's return."

  I smiled: "Isn't the official residence of Ye City all under Master Dong's control now? Is this still necessary?"

  He turned to me: "The princess is too clever, and the people here are not as reassuring as those in my own Dongji Merchant House. It's inevitable that they would be swayed by a few words from the princess. So please, Princess, condescend to follow me, Dong, on a trip. The sedan chair is already waiting outside the door."

  I still curled up the corners of my lips, and my eyes didn't hide the mockery: "Dong Ye has been so deeply thoughtful, why not directly take me down at the beginning? What's the point of going through all this trouble again?"

  Now, he no longer avoids it and looks directly into my eyes, saying: "The Crown Prince has ordered that the Third Prince is cunning and suspicious by nature, so it's necessary to let him see the Princess first before he will believe. Besides, since I dared to let the Princess go, naturally I also have the confidence to invite the Princess back."

  I smiled faintly, my eyes growing colder: "Did the Crown Prince ever tell you that the Third Prince would not give up everything he has in hand just for me? Not to mention surrendering willingly. He's not that kind of person. Did the Crown Prince ever tell you that what the Third Prince lacks the least is beautiful women? One woman, especially one who was married into the manor out of necessity and without emotional foundation, would never be a threat to him."

  I gazed intently at the changing light and shadow in his eyes, his voice growing softer and more gentle, yet dragging on indefinitely: "Has His Highness the Crown Prince ever told you that the Third Highness would never hold back because of me being in your hands, fearing to make a move? I won't survive, but, Master Dong, your situation is also extremely precarious..."

  "Enough!" Master Dong suddenly waved his hand to interrupt me: "Master Dong naturally knows the danger of this mission, but people like us are originally beheading and running in the rivers and lakes. Living one more day is a gain, and what's there to fear about death? The princess doesn't need to be too modest either. If you can't threaten the Third Prince, why would the Crown Prince go to great lengths to invite you from the Upper Capital to here?"

  I smiled faintly, looking at the white jade flying swallow pendant in my hand, and said indifferently: "Doesn't Lord Dong understand yet? The Third Prince is what kind of person, the Crown Prince is afraid that he will be clearer than you and me by ten times. How can he be easily removed? This time, it's a big deal to lure me here, if we can coerce the Third Prince and succeed in one move, naturally it's best. If not, there are still more powerful things prepared behind this knife."

  I glanced at Dong Ye with a puzzled and perplexed expression, and spoke word by word: "That is to say, rumors and people's hearts are turned against each other."

  Dong Ye took a cold breath, I knew he was gradually coming to his senses, but he didn't care about him, just smiled coldly and continued speaking.

  "Even if the Crown Prince can't get rid of the three of them, he has to make it seem like he's willing to abandon his wife for the sake of power. This will give him a ruthless and heartless image, which is more appealing to the people than the kind-hearted Eastern Palace. So, when he told you to let me enter Ye City first, it wasn't so that I could gain the trust of the three of them, but rather so that everyone in the north would know that I've arrived, and so that everyone in Ye City would see that the person the Crown Prince is willing to abandon for his own sake is none other than his wife, the true and rightful Third Princess of the Southern Dynasty!"

  He stared at me with shocked eyes, unable to speak for a long time.

  I also looked into his eyes and smiled very lightly: "So, in the chess game of the Crown Prince, you and I are both sacrifices."

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