Chapter 353: A Scam

"Oh right, I remember now, his name is Si Fangming."

Nalan Yujie paused for a moment, then said, "If you ask me, he was also a devoted lover. But a mere fake back view was enough to lure him into a trap."

Yuan Siyin stared intently at her, finally realizing where that sense of unease came from.

Nalan Yujie was constantly imitating her, both in demeanor and figure; if one didn't look closely...

She clenched her fists. "Where is he now?"

"Naturally, they'd be taken hostage in the northern border region. Otherwise, why would they stay there?"

"Then wouldn't this princess have made a wasted trip?"

As she spoke, Nalan Yujie stroked her fair face and sighed to herself, "But this round trip is indeed quite tiring."

Moreover, your unpredictable temperament and capricious nature have caused this princess considerable distress, and you appear quite haggard lately.

Yuan Siyin suppressed the urge to kick Nalan Yujie into the water and turned away from her. However, those words kept echoing in her ears, and she could no longer appreciate the beautiful scenery.

There's been no news from the North yet, so how can we know if this is a scam?

Everything still depends on a definite message from my father. If there's no news, that might be the best news. If it really is as she said...

"The princess still doesn't seem to believe it. It seems the only way is to show her this."

As she spoke, Nalan Yujie took out a dried-out grass rabbit from her sleeve and slowly waved it in front of her: "Counting the days, he has been locked up in the dungeon for five or six days, and has been subjected to all kinds of tortures, including whipping and branding."

If he doesn't send a message back to the north soon, his men will sever his tendons.

Yuan Siyin suddenly felt breathless and clutched her chest, taking two steps back.

"If you are willing to go back with your brother, I will immediately send a message to make them stop. Once you step into the northern frontier, you will be able to see your brother with all four limbs intact. Apart from some whip marks and branding marks on his body, you will be returned to your rightful owner."

If it gets too late, there's nothing I can do. The longer it drags on, the more dangerous it becomes for him. What do you think?

Seeing that Yuan Siyin remained silent, Nalan Yujie smiled even more brightly: "Princess, rest assured, I will take care of this matter for you."

"To forge an eternal alliance between Qin and Jin, safeguarding the stability of both nations, for the Central Plains, situated beneath the northern borders, could never have such a fortunate outcome."

"Greetings, Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager—"

Hearing the palace servants on the shore bowing in unison, Yuan Siyin looked over in a daze and found that Yu Shiyan was also among them.

When the emperor and empress dowager arrived, everyone on the boat immediately had their servants use bamboo poles to paddle ashore. Yuan Siyin and her two companions were the last to arrive, naturally being the last to reach the shore.

The emperor seemed to have known about Nalan Yujie's plans all along. When he saw her coming, he embraced Chu Wan and immediately stroked his beard with a smile: "The princess of the northern frontier looks so happy. Could it be that something good has happened?"

"Your Majesty, there is indeed good news."

Nalan Yujie smiled and raised her head, repeating what she had just said to Yuan Siyin in a different tone. To everyone's ears, it meant that the Northern Frontier wanted Yuan Siyin to go there for a marriage alliance.

The Emperor glanced at the Empress Dowager, feigning anger, and said, "Even if the Prince of the Northern Frontier wants to form a marriage alliance, my mother and I have never met the Crown Prince. How can I feel at ease sending my beloved Princess Leping to marry so far away to the Northern Frontier?"

"Your Majesty, please rest assured. It's not that my elder brother is unwilling. We had originally agreed to enter the palace today, but unexpectedly, he developed a high fever again last night, so we had to cancel."

Nalan Yujie explained calmly and unhurriedly.