“Your subject…”

The voices of passersby grew sparse, making the rustling of fabric particularly distinct.

Light filtered through the carriage curtain, casting a narrow strip upon Wenren Lin’s eyes.

“Your Highness is so sharp-tongued, are you that eager?”

He held Zhao Yān’s fingers, his voice somewhat deep. He touched his nose to hers, his cool breath barely perceptible as it mingled with hers, looking at her with a deep, amused expression.

Who was the eager one?

Zhao Yān panted: truly a classic case of the villain accusing first.

“Get up, you’re… you’re pressing against me.”

Zhao Yān’s head was still a bit dizzy as she lay reclined on the fur-covered bench. Her half-open eyes sparkled with tiny fragments of moisture.

Wenren Lin supported himself with his palm at her side, his bent knee resting shamelessly between her legs. Seeing the blush spreading at the corners of Zhao Yān’s eyes, he chuckled knowingly, grasped her wrist to pull her up, and embraced her to sit on his lap.

Her loosened hair fell in strands, covering her flushed white cheeks and obstructing her vision annoyingly.

…

…

She simply reached back to undo her loose bun, attempting to re-secure it with a hairpin. But her hands and feet were still weak, and she hadn’t tied a maiden’s bun for too long. Even holding her hands up until they grew stiff, she couldn’t get it right, frowning as she inhaled.

“Let me.”

Wenren Lin took the hairpin from her hand, slowly made a gesture, and managed to tie a simple, proper bun.

Zhao Yān raised her hand to feel it, then turned her head away: “Is this a man’s bun or a Daoist nun’s hairstyle?”

Her cherry lips were still swollen, alluringly red. Wenren Lin’s gaze unconsciously fell on those deeply kissed lips. He inserted the pearl hair ornament and golden hairpin for her, adjusting the angles with artful precision.

“This prince has no experience in styling women’s hair. Your Highness will have to make do for now. This prince will learn when he returns.”

He had always been a man of his word; if he said he would learn, he certainly would.

Zhao Yān’s lips unconsciously curved upward as she smoothed her crumpled cloak and complained: “You’ve surely left red marks on me.”

“Let me see.”

Wenren Lin turned her body slightly and examined her up and down, then raised his fingers to retie the knot of her cloak.

His knuckles were a bit cold. The pearl-colored silk ribbons flew back and forth between his frost-like slender fingertips as he smiled, his thick eyelashes lowered: “This prince didn’t use force; it’s Your Highness who is too delicate.”

As usual, his appearance was perfectly proper, without the slightest disorder. Zhao Yān recalled the image of their tongues battling moments ago and, disagreeing with his assessment, reached out to grasp his high-quality lapel several times, adding a touch of disheveled allure to his handsome appearance.

Wenren Lin focused on arranging her cloak and tying the knot, allowing Zhao Yān to rumple his lapel. He only calmly said, “Once these clothes come off, they cannot be put back on. Your Highness should be careful. This prince doesn’t mind, but considering the carriage’s cramped space and that Your Highness’s monthly affairs have not yet passed, it might be uncomfortable for Your Highness.”

Zhao Yān hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly withdrew her hand, leaning back on the bench: “You just like to scare me.”

Though her words were reproachful, she spoke with a smile, her curved eyes hiding a soft hook.

Wenren Lin also laughed lightly: “Whether what I said is the truth or just ‘scaring you,’ Your Highness knows in your heart.”

Recalling how he had nearly lost control in his demands earlier, Zhao Yān uncomfortably moved her body away a little, changing her posture to sit properly.

Wenren Lin leaned his head back against the carriage wall, his arm loosely encircling Zhao Yān’s waist. His eyes were like deep pools, but beneath the calm surface, one could glimpse the passionate undercurrents within.

Zhao Yān very much enjoyed this quiet mutual leaning, like a leaf boat retracing its path in a torrent, not questioning its origin or destination. In the vast world, only they remained.

Leaning against Wenren Lin’s shoulder, Zhao Yān unconsciously fell asleep.

The carriage moved very slowly; the rumbling of the wheels, though somewhat noisy, was reassuring.

In her drowsy state, she seemed to hear Wenren Lin’s light, steady voice drifting from afar: “…if it must eventually be destroyed, Your Highness can simply regard this prince as the blade in your hand, the steps beneath your feet, to ascend the towering heights.”

Destroy what?

Zhao Yān’s heavy eyelashes trembled slightly as she opened her eyes hazily. In the dim lamplight, Wenren Lin sat with his eyes closed, his expression leisurely and composed, as if the soft words just heard were only in Zhao Yān’s dream.

The lantern light was like the embers of prosperity, recklessly scattered throughout the city.

The carriage took a detour, not entering through the Penglai Gate but directly through the small door beside Hegui Pavilion into the pathway—this was Prince Su’s shortcut in and out of Taiji Palace. The imperial guards were his men, saving the trouble of questioning and inspection.

Zhao Yān was already awake when Wenren Lin carried her down from the carriage. Opening her eyes drowsily, she heard Wenren Lin stop in his tracks and greet someone in the distance: “Empress Dowager.”

Behind the drooping flower gate, Shi Lan and Liu Ying supported the Empress Dowager, either strolling there by chance or having waited for some time.

Zhao Yān hadn’t expected that at this hour, the elderly lady would still be awake. She suddenly became alert and jumped down from Wenren Lin’s arms, but her knee gave way, and she nearly fell to her knees.

Wenren Lin reached out to steady her, frowning slightly.

Zhao Yān secretly pinched his knuckle, signaling him not to act improperly in front of the elderly lady, and then said seriously: “My leg injury makes it difficult to walk. Thank you, Prince Su, for your gracious care.”

Wenren Lin raised the corner of his eye, watching her attempt to cover up, and unhurriedly replied: “It is this subject’s duty. As it should be.”

The old lady remained impassive. Her gaze passed over Zhao Yān’s re-tied bun and stopped on Wenren Lin, examining him quite thoroughly.

“The last time I saw you, you were still a young man,” the old lady’s voice was hoarse but clear.

Wenren Lin rarely bowed, but he sincerely performed a subject’s salute: “Years ago, I was grateful that the Empress Dowager allowed the road to be cleared for the coffin. I’ve carried that gratitude in my heart.”

The Empress Dowager accepted his salute and nodded: “Over these years, there have been many rumors about you.”

Zhao Yān recalled the fear and hatred the court officials had for Wenren Lin over the years. Alarmed, she quickly took the glass lantern from the attendant and stepped forward to change the subject: “I’ve brought back the glass lantern. Grandmother, please see if it’s this style?”

The Empress Dowager took the lantern with her hand adorned with Buddhist beads, examined it carefully, and the warm light made the deeply wrinkled face of the elderly lady appear warm yet blurred.

“It’s much more innovative than the style from decades ago.”

The Empress Dowager didn’t expose Zhao Yān’s little trick and simply said lightly, “Since you’re back, rest early.”

“I’ll escort Grandmother to bed.”

Zhao Yān responded with a smile, gesturing Liu Ying to withdraw, and supported the old lady’s arm herself. Her other hand remained at her side, secretly waving at Wenren Lin, signaling him to go rest quickly.

The Empress Dowager rolled the Buddhist beads in her hand and suddenly sighed lightly: “You girl, you seem not to care about anything, but your heart is the most meticulous. When you act coquettishly like this, it’s probably truly irresistible.”

Watching Zhao Yān’s small hand gesture, Wenren Lin narrowed his eyes and picked up the conversation: “Indeed, this subject has experienced it.”

The Empress Dowager glanced at him: “Oh?”

“There are many ways to act coquettishly; crying works, smiling works too.”

Wenren Lin maintained a humble and courteous demeanor as his gaze moved to Zhao Yān’s face. “This subject rather hopes that the young princess can always smile when being coquettish.”

Zhao Yān trembled, as if the strings of her heart had been plucked, producing a gentle, tremulous sound.

She knew that although Wenren Lin’s words were a statement to the Empress Dowager, they seemed more like they were meant for her to hear—his belated Lantern Festival wish spoken under the lanterns.

The Empress Dowager, having weathered many storms, showed little surprise on her face, maintaining her calm and composed manner.

“I am also tired, not as energetic as you young people.”

The Empress Dowager leaned on her cane with one hand and rested the other on Zhao Yān’s hand, walking slowly and with difficulty toward the sleeping quarters.

The old lady hadn’t looked at the glass lantern, and Zhao Yān remembered what Liu Ying had mentioned: Twenty years ago, Prince Xuan and Prince Rui jointly reported that the Crown Prince was secretly storing a large number of armor and weapons, suspected of plotting rebellion, and was consequently stripped of his title and banished to Fangling by the late Emperor…

Logically, since her son died because of this, Grandmother should not reminisce about the late Emperor.

Tonight’s mention of the glass lantern was perhaps just a beautiful excuse fabricated to let her leave the palace.

Zhao Yān hesitated for a moment before finally speaking: “Granddaughter dares to ask Grandmother a question.”

“You want to ask why I was able to protect you from the Emperor’s hands using the old case of the deposed Crown Prince from the eleventh year of Yuankang, right?”

“Grandmother already knows.”

Zhao Yān was surprised, then became accepting. “Was there an untold story behind that old case?”

“The child I gave birth to, what kind of character he had, I know best in my heart.”

A layer of sadness covered the Empress Dowager’s aged face, but her gaze remained strong. “He was most filial and benevolent. Even on his way to exile, he constantly thought of me. He would never have committed suicide by drinking poison.”

It was said that the deposed Crown Prince had quite a good reputation and numerous supporters. After he was demoted to a commoner, the princes Xuan and Rui both suffered defeat, and Father Emperor succeeded to the Eastern Palace. Shortly thereafter, the deposed Crown Prince committed suicide while in exile. Thinking carefully, the coincidences were hair-raising.

Zhao Yān did not dare to assert anything based solely on Grandmother’s side of the story, but the Empress Dowager’s departure from the capital to Huayang years ago was certainly not as simple as the court rumors suggested—”The Empress Dowager worships Buddha, going against the Heavenly Son who reveres Taoism”…

In the corridor, Zhao Yān casually looked back, unconsciously seeking the figure that brought her peace.

Wenren Lin still stood in the same place, his figure tall and slender, a layer of fuzzy warm light falling on his dark cloak.

The Empress Dowager concealed her grief and said meaningfully, “That young man might be useful to you, helping you escape your predicament. However, he carries too many burdens; he is sharp yet dangerous. If you wield this blade for self-protection, be wary of being wounded by it.”

Zhao Yān thought for a moment, then composed herself and earnestly replied: “Granddaughter understands Grandmother’s meaning. Indeed, I could use his partiality to pave my way, but I don’t want to do that. Whether villains or good people, every sincere heart in this world deserves to be treated seriously, rather than being met with exploitation and mistreatment.”

“Sincere heart…”

The Empress Dowager sighed as she repeated these two words, raising her deeply wrinkled face. Her aged, cloudy eyes held a dignified and benevolent insight that seemed to see through everything. “Since you don’t want to make him your subordinate, then why are you so close to him, trusting him? What is the reason?”

The cold night wind blew past, the lanterns swaying overhead. Zhao Yān’s eyes widened slightly, clearly caught off guard by this sudden question.

Past moments flashed before her eyes.

“This prince is not a good man. Your Highness can act coquettishly toward this prince as usual or even use him, but do not have too many expectations of this prince.”

No, it’s not like that.

“Your Highness, guard this clear mind well, don’t let her be disappointed and hurt.”

No, he has never disappointed her.

Zhao Yān heard her heartbeat’s defiance, from slow to fast, pounding against her chest.

In an instant, the answer was on the tip of her tongue.