Chapter 332: This King Came Here to Find Someone

The next morning.

Inside the Xuan Zheng Hall, camphor incense rose from the gilded bronze crane incense burner. Xie Zhen, wearing his ochre-yellow uniform with twelve emblems, sat firmly on the dragon throne.

Xie Lan and Xie Zhan stood beside him, swords drawn.

"The Regent Prince of Tianqi, Xiao Nanyan, comes to see you!" The eunuch in charge of ceremonies' voice pierced through the numerous palace gates.

Before he finished speaking, a mysterious figure passed through the red door and walked straight in.

Xie Zhen leaned forward slightly and looked carefully. The person coming was a young man.

He was tall and graceful, dressed in a dark satin brocade robe with dark patterns. The corners of the robe were embroidered with python patterns in silver thread, and the jade belt around his waist was inlaid with black jade as a buckle. The black jade was as black as lacquer, and it seemed to have absorbed the candlelight in the hall into the stone.

Her long black hair was not tied up with a royal crown, but was only held up with a cold jade hairpin.

Xie Zhen's gaze fell on the man's face, and he was slightly stunned.

He originally thought that the powerful Regent Xiao Nanyan must be cunning and greasy, but he didn't expect that he was so young and so... handsome.

He was gifted with a bewitching face: sword-like eyebrows reaching his temples, eyes like a cold pond soaked in snow, a sharp nose, and lips the color of frosted red maple leaves. Yet, his features were as deep and sharp as a knife's, combining to create a breathtaking elegance. At this moment, he stood beneath the red steps, his black robe fluttering, his figure towering like a solitary peak against the snow, yet he carried a sense of arrogance that looked down upon the world, as if the carved and painted Nanzhao Palace were but a piece of landscape within his sleeve.

"Xiao Nanyan, I'm honored to meet the Southern Emperor!"

Xiao Nanyue bowed slightly, his voice was like cracking ice, clear but carrying tremendous pressure.

Xie Zhen was originally shocked by his stunning appearance, but now he regained his composure.

In terms of appearance and demeanor, Xiao Nanyan is indeed a rare talent. Judging from his appearance and temperament, he is worthy of his daughter. However, when he thought of how he had reduced his daughter to a servant, made her pregnant before marriage, and humiliated her in every way, his anger surged like a smoldering fire.

But there was still a faint smile on his face:

"So it's Prince Xiao of Tianqi. Heroes are truly born young. However, Prince Xiao, you haven't sent a letter from your credible lord yet, and you've suddenly come to Nanzhao. As the host, I'm at a loss as to how to entertain you."

After saying this, he waved his hand and ordered the eunuch to place a red sandalwood chair under the Danbi:

"sit."

Xiao Nanyue did not refuse. He waved the corner of his robe and sat down with his posture like a pine tree standing in the deep pool.

Xiao Nanyan's eyes were like a hawk, passing over Xie Lan's clenched fist, Xie Zhan's hand on the sword, and finally fixed on Xie Zhen's face:

"Southern Emperor, it is indeed presumptuous of me to come here, but I have an important matter that requires me to come."

"Oh? What an important matter that requires Prince Xiao to travel thousands of miles in person?" Xie Zhen stroked the imperial dragon pattern on the table with his fingertips.

Xiao Nanyan's lips curled slightly, as if smiling:

"This king has come here to look for someone."

"Looking for someone?" Xie Zhen picked up the teacup, the heat blurring his stern eyes.

"Anyone who can be personally sought out by the Regent of Tianqi must be someone extraordinary. I wonder who that person is?"

Xiao Nanyan narrowed his eyes slightly and uttered softly with his thin lips:

"My future wife, Xiyan."

With a click, Xie Zhan's sword was about an inch out of its sheath, but was stopped by Xie Lan's sharp look.

Xie Zhen just tapped the teacup lightly:

"If she is Prince Xiao's unmarried wife, why did you come to Nanzhao to look for her? Could it be that she is a Nanzhao citizen?"

"Exactly."

"Although Nanzhao is not as vast and populous as Tianqi, it still has a population of over a million. Prince Xiao's search alone is like looking for a needle in a haystack."

Xiao Nanyan's eyes darkened:

"Although Nanzhao is a vast territory, I have the good fortune to have discovered her whereabouts, and therefore have come to seek an audience with Your Majesty."

"Oh?" Xie Zhen seemed to be interested.

"Prince Xiao, please tell me where this girl named Xiyan is. If I can help, I will do my best."

"As far as the horizon, yet as close as the eye."

Xiao Nanyan suddenly raised his eyes, his gaze piercing Xie Zhen like a cold star:

"The person this king is looking for is currently in the Nanzhao Palace!"

Xie Lan sneered:

"Is Prince Xiao missing his wife so much that he's lost his mind? How could there be a fiancée of yours, the Regent Prince Tianqi, in my Nanzhao Palace?"

"Then I'll have to ask your country's Second Prince!" Xiao Nanyan turned to Xie Zhan, a cold glint in his eyes:

"But Second Prince, are you taking my woman back to Nanzhao?"

"Xiao Nanyan, how dare you!" Xie Zhan shouted angrily and drew his sword, but Xie Zhen raised his hand to stop him.

Xie Zhen still stared at Xiao Nanyan,

"Prince Xiao, please be clear. Who exactly are you looking for?"

Xiao Nanyan slowly stood up, and every word he uttered seemed to be tempered by ice:

"Your Majesty's beloved jewel, Princess Zhaoning—Xie Tian!"