“Yan Yunning, your life matters greatly to this Palace. Can you understand that?” Xuan Yanyu’s voice was very calm.

This time, a single kiss to his cheek was not enough to dispel his anger.

Yan Yunning’s heart sank. If she suddenly returned home one day, would Xuan Yanyu lose his mind?

“Xuan Xixi — let’s have a child.” Yan Yunning cupped his face in her hands and looked at him earnestly.

The man licked his lips, unable to make sense of how she had so abruptly brought up having a child.

“Are you serious?”

Yan Yunning didn’t answer. She leaned in and kissed him on the lips.

Her fingers tugged at his collar. Xuan Yanyu hurriedly caught her hands, his voice dropping low and rough. “We can’t.”

He would wait until he had properly married her.

Why did she seem even more impatient than him?

Just a few months more until the new year. They could wait.

“Why not?”

Xuan Yanyu pushed her away and strode quickly out of the room.

Yan Yunning: “?”

……

Mu Shiqing’s chamber.

After exchanging a few perfunctory words with Xiao Shi, Mu Shiqing sent her out of his room.

“Chief, when are we taking the young lady back?” A young manservant handed him a cup of tea. “Madam must have been waiting a long while.”

Mu Shiqing sat in silence on the wooden chair. Xiao Shi’s intentions were far too transparent — targeting Yan Shiyao and Lingning like that. There was no way she was his sister. Most likely she was using him.

And it just so happened that he himself had no favorable impression of Yan Shiyao. Still — who exactly had sent Xiao Shi?

He had observed carefully. Xiao Shi’s face was somewhat stiff — her features had likely been altered.

Just how many enemies had Yan Shiyao managed to make?

“Chief?”

“Go back and tell A’Yu that I’ll be accompanying Lingning to the Chancellor’s household. Tell her not to worry.” Mu Shiqing turned his cup in his hand.

“Understood, Chief. I’ll head back to Qingyu Stronghold right away.” The manservant nodded.

“Mu Brother, Mu Brother, Mu Brother!” The wooden door shuddered under Yan Yunning’s knocking.

Mu Shiqing pressed his hand to his forehead. This wretched girl had come to chase him off again.

“Mu Brother!! May I come in?”

Mu Shiqing had no choice but to get up and open the door, beating her to it: “I still have business to discuss with Proprietor Jiang. I can’t leave yet.”

“If you won’t leave, can you at least keep your sister in line?” Yan Yunning pinched his sleeve between her fingertips and dragged him outside.

Mu Shiqing said nothing by way of explanation. He still hadn’t figured out Xiao Shi’s motive, and it was better not to stir the waters further.

Yan Yunning hauled Mu Shiqing all the way to the pavilion.

Mu Shiqing looked up at the scene before him, brow furrowing.

Yan Yunning hadn’t expected that the moment she stepped away, her elder sister’s face would already bear the mark of a slap. Xiao Shi sat weakly on the ground, weeping, while Yu Xi stood nearby trying to comfort her.

“A’Jie, are you all right?” Yan Yunning released Mu Shiqing’s sleeve and took hold of Yan Shiyao’s arm, looking her over.

“I’m fine.” Yan Shiyao shook her head.

She had come to the pavilion to clear her head, and to her surprise, Xiao Shi had still managed to find her and cause trouble.

“Brother.” Xiao Shi cast a subtle glance in Yu Xi’s direction.

Yu Xi lowered her eyes. She still needed Second Miss Yan’s help, and if she sided with Xiao Shi and helped her frame Yan Shiyao, Second Miss Yan would certainly wash her hands of her. But if she didn’t help Xiao Shi, Xiao Shi would surely notice something was off.

“Brother, please take Xiao Shi back to the stronghold. Xiao Shi can’t bear to be bullied by Yaoyao Jiejie anymore.” Xiao Shi’s cries were so wrenching her voice had gone hoarse.

Yan Shiyao drew in a sharp breath. She hadn’t done anything, yet still she was being framed. She might as well have finished her off while she was at it.

With that thought, Yan Shiyao stepped forward, shoved Yu Xi aside, grabbed Xiao Shi by the collar, and struck her across the face several times in quick succession.

The cheeks that had already been red grew redder still under Yan Shiyao’s hand.

Xiao Shi’s fists clenched tight. Were it not for Mu Shiqing standing right there, she would have kicked her flying already.

What was Mu Shiqing doing? Could he not see his own sister being hit??

Yu Xi swallowed hard. Hadn’t everyone in the capital been saying that Yan Shiyao was kind and easily pushed around?

Where had that rumor come from??

Yan Yunning stood there, stunned. [Fafa, Fafa — was my elder sister transmigrated too??]

Fafa: [No. The female lead has probably been driven mad.]

Yan Yunning: [……]

Ever since Xiao Shi appeared, her elder sister had been either quarreling with Qi Qingchen or, like today, slapping Xiao Shi.

Turning a female lead who had been gentle to a fault into this — Xiao Shi truly had quite the talent.

“Enough.” Mu Shiqing finally spoke.

Yan Shiyao shot Xiao Shi one last withering glare. Xiao Shi’s head rang from the blows, and the corners of her eyes turned crimson.

Yan Shiyao!

She would make her pay for this!

She absolutely would!!!

“Brother… Brother.” Xiao Shi buried the murderous glint in her eyes.

“Go and see a physician.”

These past few days it had been one thing after another — Xiao Shi getting injured, Yan Shiyao fainting — a physician had been stationed at the manor the entire time.

“Brother, I’ve been mistreated day after day here. Today you saw it yourself — Yaoyao Jiejie hit me. Why, Brother, why won’t you help me…”

“I’ll take you to the physician first.” Mu Shiqing brushed her off with a single line. “Once the physician has seen you, I’ll go to the Third Prince and demand justice on your behalf.”

Xiao Shi reluctantly followed behind Mu Shiqing and went with him to see the physician.

“Second Miss Yan.” Yu Xi turned with a smile. “My husband and I have reserved a private room at a restaurant. Would you and Yan Shiyao — and Ranran too — like to come and dine with us?”

Yan Shiyao heard the name Ranran and a flicker of surprise crossed her eyes. Was Zhaoran here again?

Then Qi Qingchen wouldn’t need to come bother her every day.

She could finally have some peace.

“There’s no need.” Yan Yunning smiled and declined.

Treating them to a meal was clearly a way of asking her to help with the matter of settling in Xuanzhao.

Why did they have to go to Xuanzhao so insistently?

Was Qilan not good enough?

The Crown Prince and the Princess of Xuanzhao were both still in Qilan!

“Second Miss Yan.” Yu Xi gathered her courage. “Second Miss Yan, if you can help my husband settle in Xuanzhao, I’ll pay you whatever amount of silver you ask for.”

Yan Yunning raised an eyebrow. “Your husband settling in Xuanzhao — but what about you?”

Yu Xi gave a bitter smile. “Second Miss Yan, I can’t go to Xuanzhao. I only want my husband to be safe.”

Yan Yunning frowned as she looked at her. What did she mean, her husband being safe?

Yu Xi glanced around, and then, holding nothing back, said, “Second Miss Yan, I am a maidservant of Fifth Prince Qi Qingxian. His Highness sent me to my husband’s side specifically to extract information about the Xuanzhao treasury from him. But… but every time my husband sees or hears anything about the treasury, he gets a terrible headache.”

“His Highness has given me little time remaining. He said that if I still haven’t found anything out, he will have us… I don’t want anything to happen to my husband. I have no other way — only in Xuanzhao, where His Highness would not dare go, could my husband be safe from harm.”

Yu Xi’s nose began to ache. She held back her sobs and told Yan Yunning everything about Duan Yunxuan’s parents, in careful detail.

Yan Shiyao listened, wiping away tears.

“Well… isn’t it quite simple for Brother Duan to take revenge?” Yan Yunning rubbed her chin. “Third Prince Qi Qingchen is right here at Yuanjing Manor. If he were to find out about this, wouldn’t he be thrilled to go and file a formal accusation against the Fifth Prince?”

At such a critical moment in the succession, with one fewer rival competing for the crown — which prince wouldn’t be delighted?

Why all the hiding and tiptoeing??

Yu Xi’s crying stopped abruptly. Right — but could she trust what the Third Prince said? Would he even listen to what she and her husband had to tell him?