After Yelu Chenyi left, he’d left behind no small number of guards and maidservants, ostensibly to serve and protect Jun Beiyue—but anyone could see at a glance that every single one of them was a formidable martial artist!
“Prince Yao, there’s a carriage shelter over there.” A senior attendant said respectfully, having already grown suspicious watching Jun Beiyue lead the carriage himself into the courtyard.
Yet Jun Beiyue paid them no attention whatsoever. Yingzi stepped forward instead to drive them off. “No need to attend us. All of you, go.”
As he spoke, he tossed over a pouch of silver. “This is a reward from my master for all of you. No need to serve us these next few days—wait outside the gates instead!”
“Yes!” The senior guard looked delighted, quickly leading everyone away.
A cold smile curved at the corner of Yingzi’s lips—he could tell perfectly well these people hadn’t actually gone far at all, but were hiding somewhere nearby.
At this point, Jun Beiyue finally lifted the carriage curtain, revealing a massive bathing tub inside, its rim quite tall, making it impossible to see clearly from a distance exactly what lay within. Yet the thick scent of medicinal herbs proved impossible to fully conceal.
Several men carefully carried the tub into the house together. Once the door closed, Jun Beiyue never emerged again, while Situ Haonan and Yingzi personally handled arranging the rest of the luggage.
Watching all this unfold, the senior guard exchanged a few quiet words with the men beside him, then immediately turned and headed straight for the main palace.
At that very moment within the main palace, Yelu Chenyi was reporting back to his father in the imperial study, while Yelu Qianqian, back in her own chambers, had grown restless the instant news reached her.
She’d been placed under house arrest within the main palace by her father the emperor, with her own brother, the Crown Prince, assigned to watch over her—otherwise, she’d have already rushed straight to East Splendor Palace to find Ziqing.
“Princess, Princess, fresh news!” A maidservant suddenly burst in.
Yelu Qianqian shot up from her seat at once, exclaiming, “What is it!”
“The Crown Prince has already brought the group to East Splendor Palace, but the Princess Consort of Prince Yao wasn’t among them. According to the guards, when the Crown Prince asked, Prince Yao said the Consort hadn’t come!” The maidservant blurted this out in a single breath, nearly running out of air entirely.
It wasn’t the maidservant who was anxious—it was Yelu Qianqian.
Hearing this, Yelu Qianqian finally slowed down. “Didn’t come? Why not?”
The maidservant had no breath left to answer, collapsing to the side, gasping heavily. Yelu Qianqian, growing increasingly anxious, seized the servant’s arm and wouldn’t let go. “Why didn’t she come? She said she’d be coming! Go find out right away, hurry!”
“Prin… Princess, this servant…” The maidservant couldn’t catch her breath at all and simply fainted on the spot.
“You! You there!” Yelu Qianqian pointed at another maidservant. “Go find out immediately.” The maidservant turned and dashed off, nearly colliding head-on with Yanzi, who was approaching from the opposite direction!
The moment she recognized who it was, Yelu Qianqian brightened at once. “Rouge, why did it take you so long to get here? Is everything all right? My brother hasn’t found out, has he?”
Yanzi’s face was veiled, her water-bright phoenix eyes brimming with apology—the kind of look that made anyone who saw it forget all her faults and forgive her instantly, even feel sympathy for her.
Even Yelu Qianqian found herself unconsciously softening her tone at the sight. “So… how did it go?”
“Princess, I’ve weighed the risks, and I really think it’s best not to take the chance—after all, the Xiliang envoy is present as well! If we were to be discovered, it wouldn’t end well.” Yanzi said, appearing genuinely troubled.
“What does ‘wouldn’t end well’ even mean? I just want to see them—I’m not sneaking off for some secret rendezvous!” Yelu Qianqian said coldly at once.
Ever since returning from Nanzhao, she’d been confined to the main palace, forbidden from taking even a single step outside!
All she wanted was to visit East Splendor Palace to see Ziqing—and, incidentally, catch a glimpse of Situ Haonan.
“Princess, this time His Highness has tightened security to an extreme degree—not just here, but especially at East Splendor Palace. You know Prince Yao’s status is exceptionally noble, and if anything were to go wrong while he’s in Xijing, none of us could bear the consequences. This servant heard the guards at East Splendor Palace number twice those at West Splendor Palace!”
Hearing this, Yelu Qianqian’s small face fell dramatically, and she slumped down onto the couch, saying nothing further.
A flicker of cunning passed through Yanzi’s eyes as she smiled. “Princess, is that Situ Haonan a good friend of yours? Do you absolutely need to see him alone?”
“Who said anything about seeing him alone! Don’t go putting words in my mouth!” Yelu Qianqian said angrily, quite fiercely.
“Princess, tonight the emperor is hosting a banquet in honor of the Xiliang envoy and Prince Yao. You must attend, of course—won’t you see them there?” Yanzi probed carefully.
“That’s completely different! At a banquet like that, I’m nothing but a decorative vase sitting on display!” Yelu Qianqian’s tone remained just as fierce.
“Princess, this servant is truly at a loss on how to help.” Yanzi said, glancing at Yelu Qianqian’s furious little face, then continued, “The only real opportunities will be at the banquet and the Sand Worship Ceremony. At the banquet, you’ll barely get more than a bathroom break’s worth of time, but the ceremony should offer plenty of chances—only…”
Before she’d even finished speaking, Yelu Qianqian had already leapt up. “I’ve got it!”
Yanzi looked pleased, asking with curiosity, “Princess, got what?”
“I’ll meet them at the Sand Worship Ceremony! Since my brother’s in charge of the ceremony anyway, you’re sure to find a way—go arrange it. I absolutely must see him, no matter what!” Yelu Qianqian said earnestly.
“Him? You mean that Young Master Situ? Alone?” Yanzi deliberately lowered her voice, watching as Yelu Qianqian seemed on the verge of saying something further, her small face flushing slightly.
“Princess, could it be that you…” Yanzi left the thought unfinished, saying anxiously instead, “Princess, if that’s really the case, this servant absolutely cannot dare help you. If the Crown Prince ever found out, if His Majesty ever found out, if the Xijing envoy ever found out—this servant wouldn’t have enough heads to lose, even with a hundred to spare!”
Yelu Qianqian pouted, and Yanzi hastily stepped back, waving her hands. “No, no, Princess, this servant really must advise you…”
“Who said I wanted to see just him? I want to see all of them!” Yelu Qianqian immediately clarified. She’d originally intended to tell Rouge everything, but seeing this reaction, she decided against it after all.
“I want to see all of them—the Princess Consort, Prince Yao, Young Master Situ, everyone!”
This was exactly the answer Yanzi had been fishing for. “Princess, I heard the Princess Consort didn’t come, though!”
“Then everyone except her! Do you understand now? It’s not what you’re imagining. I’m not out of my mind—I’m practically about to be married off, how could I possibly go sneak off to see some man alone!” Yelu Qianqian said with displeasure. She’d never been skilled at lying, and the evasiveness in her eyes was obvious to anyone—let alone someone as sharp as Yanzi.
“This servant understands. I’ll go arrange it right away.” Yanzi said, turning to leave, but then hesitated. “Princess, you’ll need to give this servant some token, in case Young Master Situ and the others don’t believe me when the time comes—I’ll need proof.”
Yelu Qianqian hesitated for a moment, then drew a wolf-fang pendant necklace from within her robes. “Here—Situ Haonan will recognize this. Show it to him and he’ll understand.”
“Good. Princess, you absolutely must keep this a secret—this servant’s very life rests entirely in your hands!” Yanzi said earnestly.
“I know, I know, just go handle it quickly. Don’t worry, there’ll be an opportunity at tonight’s banquet—I’ll find a way to signal Situ Haonan first! Go on, hurry!” Yelu Qianqian urged anxiously, then added, “Oh, and ask her for me first—why didn’t Han Ziqing come?”