“My wife.” Shen Hai was flushed red with drink, the corners of his mouth pulling into a smile laden with ill intent.

A terrible premonition welled up in Yan Shiyao’s heart.

Shen Hai grabbed her arm and, heedless of her crying and struggling, began undoing the elaborate fastenings of her ceremonial dress.

“Don’t.” Yan Shiyao yanked the embroidered quilt over herself, tears rolling down in great drops.

What was she to do?

Brother Yuye was not here. There was no one to protect her.

Shen Hai fixed his eyes on her fair arms clutching the quilt and swallowed.

Yan Shiyao wept as she shrank back.

Shen Hai let out a strange laugh and wrenched the quilt from her arms with one pull.

Yan Shiyao’s heart sank to the very bottom.

“My wife.” Shen Hai looked her over without restraint.

Having married such a fine woman, the money had been well spent.

“Miss Yan.” A’ci kicked the wooden door open. Before Shen Hai could even make out his face, a single punch sent him crashing to the floor, knocked senseless.

“A’ci.” Yan Shiyao’s tears of grievance streamed down her cheeks.

A’ci glanced at Yan Shiyao on the wedding bed, turned away in a hurry, and said haltingly, “Miss Yan, get dressed. I’ll take you out of here.”

He had meant to appear a little later — to let Miss Yan understand that not everyone in this world is kind, to teach her a lesson. But he hadn’t expected things to nearly go so wrong.

Yan Shiyao scrambled to grab her clothes and put them on.

……

Xuan Zhaoran crouched at the edge of a thicket, drawing idly in the dirt with a stick out of boredom.

“Why isn’t A’ci back yet?” The girl rested her chin in her hands, her eyes filled with worry.

He had said he was going to rescue Yan Shiyao and told her to wait here. Why wasn’t he back?

“Zhaoran.” Qi Qingchen caught sight of Zhaoran and could barely contain the joy welling inside him. He walked quickly toward her.

He had come looking for Lingning, but had unexpectedly found Zhaoran again.

Xuan Zhaoran closed her eyes. Why was he here? If A’ci misunderstood, what then?

“Zhaoran?” Qi Qingchen felt as though a clump of cotton had been stuffed into his chest when Zhaoran treated him like he was invisible.

“A’ci.” Xuan Zhaoran caught sight of A’ci out of the corner of her eye and ran toward him with a bright smile.

Qi Qingchen pressed down the anger rising in his heart.

“A’ci, are you hurt?” Xuan Zhaoran took hold of his arm and scrutinized him carefully.

“No.” A’ci was a little helpless.

“A’ci? Aren’t you……” Qi Qingchen stared at A’ci, the words dying in his throat.

Hadn’t he been struck by the Manzhu Shahua poison and died at Taoyuan Manor?

Why had he turned up again in Pingshi Town, and on such close, familiar terms with Zhaoran?

“Brother Qi, A’ci is fine — it was Brother Yuye who saved him.” Yan Shiyao spoke up.

Qi Qingchen’s eyes stirred. Xuan Yanyu saved him?

He had been able to find a physician to save Yaoyao, and now he had also saved A’ci, who had been all but beyond help.

Just who was he?

Was he really the useless person Yaoyao had found and taken in — a man good for nothing but trailing along at Yaoyao’s side?

“A’ci, First Miss Yan is all right now. Can we go?” Xuan Zhaoran’s voice was laced with tension.

She was afraid A’ci would refuse. She didn’t know why A’ci was so concerned about Yan Shiyao — her Imperial Father had asked the Crown Prince to marry Yan Shiyao, and A’ci also cared about Yan Shiyao. She couldn’t see what was so exceptional about Yan Shiyao.

“Yes.” A’ci nodded.

With Qi Qingchen here, Miss Yan no longer needed his protection.

“Zhaoran.” Qi Qingchen spoke in an unhurried tone, as though calling her name in passing.

Xuan Zhaoran pretended not to hear. She took hold of A’ci’s hand and pulled him away at a quick pace.

Qi Qingchen watched the girl take A’ci’s hand of her own accord and narrowed his dark eyes.

Playing games with him?

Zhaoran was something else. He wondered if she would regret it once she learned his true identity.

The corner of Qi Qingchen’s mouth curved slightly. He would settle accounts with Zhaoran once his father had installed him as Crown Prince. For now, he still needed the backing of the Chief Minister’s residence.

“Brother Qi.” Yan Shiyao sniffled.

She had suffered terribly today.

“Yaoyao.” Qi Qingchen wiped the tears from her face and asked gently, “Where is Lingning? Why don’t I see Lingning?”

Yan Shiyao’s voice trembled slightly. “Lingning hasn’t come back yet.”

Qi Qingchen’s brow tightened. “Where is Xuan Yanyu? Is Xuan Yanyu by her side?”

Yan Shiyao rubbed her reddened nose. “Yes, Brother Yuye is with her.”

Qi Qingchen clenched his jaw. “Just the two of them, together every day now?”

Was this the way of the Chief Minister’s residence?

Yan Shiyao’s lips quivered. Why did Brother Qi’s expression look so terrible?

“Did the Chief Minister’s wife not teach her that she should not be alone with a man who is not her……” The words broke off mid-sentence. Qi Qingchen’s expression grew darker still.

Yan Ruijing had said he had privately made arrangements for Lingning and Xuan Yanyu.

The two of them being together — that was proper enough, by any measure.

Yan Shiyao pressed her lips together and murmured quietly, “Mother never really taught Lingning much of anything, Brother Qi — surely you knew that as well? Lingning had only just come home a few days before and had been with us the whole time.”

Qi Qingchen: “……”

……

After spending several days at the inn, Yan Yunning and Xuan Yanyu made their unhurried way back toward Pingshi Town.

Yan Yunning kicked at a small stone by the roadside and let out a sigh. She felt sorry for Ye Chen, left behind at the inn to play the role of a son-in-law who had married into his wife’s family. During these past few days, Xuan Yanyu had been annoyed with him and had no interest in dealing with him — so he hadn’t bothered to look after him either. Leng Yuqian had asked Xuan Yanyu whether she could have Ye Chen, and Xuan Yanyu had nodded.

At the sight of that, Ye Chen had wailed with streams of snot and tears running down his face. Xuan Yanyu had grown even more irritated. What a state to be in!

Poor Ye Chen — he had even warned her not to cry in front of Xuan Yanyu, and in the end he was the one who went and cried, got abandoned by Xuan Yanyu, and was left weeping his heart out at the inn.

It had all been because of that day, when he insisted on telling Xuan Yanyu the embarrassing story about how the Prince Xuan used to carry him to morning court. How foolish!

If he hadn’t brought that up, how would Xuan Yanyu have gotten so angry with him?

She had gotten a proper lesson in just how impossibly difficult Xuan Yanyu was to appease when angry.

Before they had even reached Nanhua’s house, they spotted a heavyset man with a group of people blocking another man whose face was mottled with bruises.

“I gave you the money. The wedding night came — and Yan Shiyao ran off. Tell me: will you give me my money back, or will you hand Yan Shiyao over to me?” Shen Hai was so furious his teeth ground together audibly.

He had spent good money and come away with nothing.

“I’ll… I’ll pay it back.” Nanhua’s eyes were blood-red, his face twisted in pain.

Yan Shiyao, you fool!

Because of her, he was beaten. He was absolutely going to make her pay for this.

He could not understand it — his younger sister was perfectly happy with Xie Yan. Why did Yan Shiyao have to meddle? If Yan Shiyao hadn’t interfered, perhaps given a few more years, his younger sister might have changed her heart.

Shen Hai took back the money, gave Nanhua one last kick for good measure, and left with his men.

Yan Yunning tugged at the hem of Xuan Yanyu’s sleeve and asked in a low voice, “Is that Nanhua — South’s elder brother? He used my elder sister as a bargaining chip for money, and then when it fell through, he had to give the money back?”

Xuan Yanyu patted her on the head and smiled lazily. “You’re not as slow as you look.”

Yan Yunning pursed her lips.

“Your Highness, Second Miss Yan — since First Miss Yan doesn’t appear to be here, why don’t we first find an inn to rest?” Ye Jian suggested.

Xuan Yanyu looked toward Yan Yunning and waited for her answer.

Ye Jian followed Xuan Yanyu’s gaze and also looked toward Yan Yunning.

Yan Yunning cleared her throat in mild discomfort. “That’s fine.”

How was it that Xuan Yanyu was suddenly deferring to her now — when just a few days ago he had driven her and Ye Chen out of his room?