Yunyi thought for a moment and said, “That’s fine. After I speak with the Second Young Master, we’ll go out.”

After finishing her morning toilette, Yunyi planned to see Li Shimin. Who would have thought that upon opening the door, she would see him standing outside? Their eyes met, and both were startled for a moment, then spoke simultaneously, “I…”

Seeing their words collide, both stopped speaking. After a moment, they tried again, only to collide once more, making them both laugh. After laughing, Li Shimin said, “You speak first.”

“I want to leave the manor to walk around the city.” Speaking thus, Yunyi smiled and asked, “What about you? What brings you to see me?”

“I’ve come on behalf of the Acting Emperor. He wants to meet you and see if you’re willing.”

Hearing this, Yunyi recalled the youth who had stood atop the city walls before the attack on Chang’an, and joked, “If I said I wasn’t willing, would you plan to tie me up and drag me to the palace?”

Li Shimin laughed openly, “You know I’m not that kind of person.”

Yunyi smiled with pursed lips, “Are we to enter the palace now?”

“The carriage is already prepared. We can depart at any time.” Hearing this, Yunyi nodded and said to Ruyi and the others, “I’ll go alone. You wait here.”

After Ruyi and the others agreed, she departed with Li Shimin. The carriage waited beside the manor’s gate. Seeing them emerge, it slowly approached and carried the two toward Daxing Palace.

After traveling for about half an hour, the carriage gradually slowed down. When it came to a complete stop, the driver lifted the curtain and respectfully said, “Second Young Master, Princess, we have arrived.”

Yunyi stepped down from the carriage with Li Shimin’s assistance. Looking at the magnificent and imposing palace before her, she was filled with emotion. Since Yang Guang had moved the capital to Luoyang years ago, she had never set foot here again. She never expected that today she would return to Chang’an, return to Daxing Palace, through the power of the Li clan.

Li Shimin walked to her side and smiled warmly, “I’ll accompany you inside.”

“Mm.” Yunyi responded softly, lifting her lotus steps to enter the long-absent Daxing Palace. Although they had been separated for many years, her memory remained. She quickly reached the sleeping quarters where Yang You now resided.

After asking Li Shimin to wait outside the hall, she walked in alone. Upon entering, she saw Yang You sitting by the window in thin clothing, gazing at the trees outside whose green leaves were withering. Cold wind howled and occasionally rushed in from the window. Although charcoal braziers burned in the room, it was hardly warmer than outside. The palace servants all avoided the window, hunching their shoulders.

Yang You turned his head to see Yunyi, and his dull eyes gradually gained some vitality. “Seventh Aunt.”

“Why do you have the window open on such a cold day, and wearing such thin clothes? Aren’t you afraid of freezing yourself?” Yunyi spoke while quickly walking over to tightly close the window. After blocking out the biting cold wind, she turned her gaze to the nearby palace servants and said coldly, “How are you caring for the Acting Emperor? How could you allow him to sit by the window in the wind? If the Acting Emperor falls ill from the cold, can you bear the responsibility?”

The palace servants hurriedly bowed to ask forgiveness, “Princess, forgive us. We tried to persuade the Acting Emperor, but he insisted on doing so. We truly had no choice.”

Yang You also said, “Seventh Aunt, it’s not their fault. I felt stifled and wanted to open the window for some air. It’s nothing.”

“Even so, you should at least put on thicker clothing. You suffered plenty from wind-cold illness as a child.” As she spoke, Yunyi had already taken a thick cloak and draped it over him.

A faint smile appeared on Yang You’s pale face, “Seventh Aunt still remembers?”

“Of course I remember.” Yunyi tied the cord at his neck and said, “Although you’ve grown up now and don’t get sick as easily as when you were small, you still need to be careful. In half a month, it will be the enthronement ceremony. Do you want to ascend the throne while ill?”

Yang You’s expression darkened, and he said to the nearby palace servants, “You’re not needed here. All of you, go out.”

When only the two of them remained in the hall, Yang You said bitterly, “Seventh Aunt, I don’t want to be this emperor.”

Yunyi hadn’t expected him to suddenly say such a thing and asked in surprise, “What’s wrong?”

Yang You smiled bitterly, “Though I’m young, I’m not a fool. Chang’an has long been under Li Yuan’s control. He supports my enthronement only to make me a puppet in his hands. Since he wants the realm, he should just become emperor himself. Why go through this charade? Moreover… I don’t feel I’m worthy of being this Son of Heaven.”

“Why do you say that?” Meeting Yunyi’s puzzled gaze, Yang You vigorously rubbed his face and said hoarsely, “That day on the city wall, if I had been more resolute and hadn’t listened to Yin Shishi’s words, there wouldn’t have been a siege battle, and so many people wouldn’t have died. I’ve asked – at least ten thousand died in that siege battle, and that’s just the death toll for Chang’an. Now whenever I close my eyes, I see those soldiers missing hands and legs, covered in blood, questioning me why I refused to open the city gates, why I forced them to die.” With these words, Yang You’s eyes filled with terror.

Yunyi stroked his gently trembling back to comfort him, “This matter was Yin Shishi’s fault, not yours.”

Her words only made Yang You’s bitter smile deepen, “Everyone says that, but I still feel terrible. Actually, Imperial Grandfather is already dead, and the realm no longer belongs to the Yang family. Why must Li Yuan force me to be this emperor? I’d rather be a common citizen, striving for nothing, fighting for nothing.”

Yunyi could naturally guess Li Yuan’s intentions for this move but found it inconvenient to explain in detail to Yang You. She only said, “For now, we can only do as Duke Li says.”

“I know.” Yang You smiled bitterly, “I was just thinking, if I fell ill, could the enthronement ceremony on the fifth of next month be canceled?”

Hearing his somewhat childish yet helpless words, Yunyi sighed, “Aunt knows this matter is difficult for you, but…” Before she could think of how to continue, Yang You had already taken up the thread, “But we have no choice, right?”

“That’s right. Since we cannot avoid it, we can only accept it calmly. Aunt believes that someday, all storms will pass, and you too will live the life you want.” Although Li Yuan currently supported Yang You as emperor, she knew clearly that such days wouldn’t last long. Someday, Li Yuan would replace him.

Yang You said nothing. After a long while, he suddenly looked up, “Aunt, will Li Yuan kill me?”

Yunyi saw the fear hidden deep in his eyes and embraced his cold body, saying warmly, “No. If such a day truly comes, you still have your aunt. Aunt will do everything in her power to protect your safety.”

In her embrace, Yang You gradually stopped trembling, and his breathing became steady. Fortunately… fortunately he still had his aunt to depend on.

Outside the hall, Li Shimin stood with hands clasped behind his back, watching rainwater fall from the eaves. They say March weather is like a child’s face, changing at will, but this November weather was no less fickle. It had been fine just moments ago, but now it was raining.