Although the desert in this area is not particularly dangerous, with no bandits to speak of, dangers are still present everywhere.
For instance, there are occasional encounters with wolf packs roaming the desert's periphery, or unfortunate weather incidents, and so forth.
Deserts are unlike other places. If one is not familiar with them, they can be very dangerous, especially at night.
"Yadair, we should go back now."
Ning Beichen checked the time and said to her. It was late, and he wondered how much chaos had erupted in the hotel due to Yadair's disappearance.
"I don't want to go back. I haven't had enough fun yet."
Yadair was unwilling, as the hotel felt like a cage to her.
At this moment, the roar of a helicopter suddenly echoed from the sky.
Ning Beichen spread his hands helplessly and said, "See, they've found us. If you don't go back now, the entire Gudong might be in an uproar tonight."
"Fine, fine. What a spoilsport."
Ayadair replied reluctantly.
When the two returned to the hotel, there was, as expected, another commotion.
However, Yadair was still a princess, so they dared not do anything to her. She could neither be beaten nor scolded. They could only intensify their surveillance and replace the negligent bodyguards at the entrance with their more elite personnel.
By the next day, Yadair had even less time to spend with Ning Beichen.
This was because countless court etiquette masters had surrounded her, attending to her hair, beauty treatments, makeup, selection of clothing, jewelry, and explaining various protocols. They were busy from morning until night.
Ning Beichen, on the other hand, was not at the hotel. He had gone out for the day and returned in the evening. No one knew where he had gone.
Yadair was not in danger, so Ning Beichen did not need to stay to protect her. His mission was solely to disrupt her engagement to the prince; other matters were of no concern to him.
However, Ning Beichen had a few plans for how to disrupt it, none of which were perfect.
He had even considered whether he should beat up the prince, turn him into a bruised mess, and then warn him to stay away from Yadair.
But Ning Beichen quickly dismissed this idea. After all, they were both important figures representing the royal family's dignity. Beating him up would be equivalent to slapping the face of the Gudong royal family.
While Ning Beichen didn't care, he didn't want to invite unnecessary trouble upon himself.
Beating up the prince would be simple, and Ning Beichen was confident he could make the prince give up. However, the aftermath would be complicated, and he might even end up antagonizing the Gudong royal family, which would clearly be a losing proposition.
Ning Beichen pondered for a moment and decided to assess the situation first. If it could be resolved simply and discreetly, he would handle it that way. If not, then he would consider other options.
It wasn't until the engagement banquet began that Ning Beichen saw Yadair.
Yadair was adorned beautifully by the court etiquette masters, draped in various precious jewels. Yet, Ning Beichen could see no hint of happiness on her face.
But this was not the most unfortunate part. The most tragic aspect was that even though she was unhappy, she had to maintain a facade of a princess's grace and etiquette for outsiders.
Ning Beichen gave her a calming look and whispered to her, "Are you ready? Once it starts, you can't turn back."
What Yadair was about to do was somewhat treasonous to the royal family. If Ning Beichen succeeded in disrupting it, Yadair might never be able to return to her former life.
Or perhaps, even her princess status might be revoked.
If she was unlucky, she might even be imprisoned, subjected to various punishments, or even expelled from the royal family to fend for herself.
Ning Beichen knew that such situations were not uncommon.
Especially in more closed-off nations, some princesses who made mistakes were sometimes confined for life, living a fate worse than death.
Therefore, Ning Beichen was unsure of the consequences Yadair would face after this. It would depend on the royal family's attitude towards her. As for familial affection, it was a luxury in royal courts.
"I'm ready."
Although Yadair hesitated slightly, her eyes were firm as she said to Ning Beichen.
Ning Beichen nodded, saying no more. The primary decision lay with her, not with him.
Soon, Ning Beichen and Yadair appeared at the royal banquet. The atmosphere was lively, and the Gudong royal family had invited many celebrities from around the world to grace the occasion.
Ning Beichen was among them but did not stand with Yadair. Instead, he sat in a corner, holding a wine glass, appearing somewhat furtive.
It wasn't that he was planning anything nefarious. It was simply that among the international celebrities present, many were familiar faces to him.
As a melodious violin tune began to play, the banquet hall quieted down. Clearly, the main event was about to commence.
At this moment, the prince of the royal family appeared, clad in traditional royal attire.
Ning Beichen glanced at the prince, which made him involuntarily purse his lips.
The prince's eyes were vacant, his complexion sallow, and his spirit weak. It was evident at a glance that he was someone whose vitality had been depleted. Such a person was unlikely to live long.
"It is my great honor that you are all here tonight to witness a momentous occasion for the Gudong royal family. Today marks the joyous engagement of Prince Blake of the Gudong royal family and Princess Yadair. I hope you will all offer your blessings to this destined couple."
The royal master of ceremonies announced loudly from the stage, followed by enthusiastic applause and well wishes from the audience.
"We now invite Prince Blake and Princess Yadair."
As the announcer's voice faded, two spotlights fell upon Princess Yadair and Prince Blake.
Prince Blake was the first to walk up, then looked towards Yadair in the audience.
However, after waiting for a long time, Yadair showed no inclination to ascend the stage, causing faint murmurs to ripple through the crowd.
"Princess Yadair, please come to the stage."
The announcer had no choice but to call her name again. The royal family members were also urging her, their expressions growing grim, as this was a considerable breach of etiquette.
"I'm sorry, I don't want to be engaged to him. I don't like him."
Yadair stood up and walked onto the stage, but instead of going to Blake's side, she took the microphone from the announcer and declared loudly.
Her words were like a depth charge, exploding through the entire venue, including Ning Beichen.