“Xuan Xixiu, are you angry with me?”

Xuan Yanyu turned his face to one side, leaning back against the wooden chair, his entire bearing radiating grievance.

Yan Yunning studied his profile and made a great effort to hold back her laughter.

“Xuan Xixiu?” The girl’s lips curved slightly. “Ye Chen was right — you are so much better than certain people, by far.”

“Too late!” The man let out a low, disgruntled hum.

Yan Yunning: “……”

Was “too late” the only thing he had learned?

“I did not even hold it against you for slamming my door, and you are still cross with me?” Yan Yunning muttered under her breath.

Xuan Yanyu turned to look at her and said with complete justification, “This prince slammed your door — was that not because you wanted to drive this prince away and refuse to pay this prince any mind?”

“Why did I drive you away?” Yan Yunning pressed a fingertip to his chest. “Why? Was it not because you went to keep Ling Mianning company? I came back injured and you were still with her — I nearly did not want you anymore.”

“Then why would you not let this prince go find Xiao Shi?” Xuan Yanyu took her hand, his thumb tracing over the wound on her finger.

“Xiao Shi has nothing to do with this. Even if I had not been injured — if you went off to keep someone else company, I still would not want you.”

Xuan Yanyu looked downward. “I was not keeping her company. I was only checking on her.”

Ling Mianning had coughed up blood and fallen unconscious — she was someone A’Cheng could not stop worrying about. Out of consideration for A’Cheng, he could not simply ignore it.

“Fine, fine — you were only checking on her.” Yan Yunning gave an indifferent nod.

Xuan Yanyu tilted his head slightly. “You do not believe this prince?”

“I do believe you.” Yan Yunning cupped his face in her hands, her lashes curving upward. “Not angry anymore?”

The man narrowed his eyes. “You are deliberately trying to change the subject — just to cover up the fact that you said this prince was not as good as certain people?”

“I already said you are so much better than certain people, by far — do you not believe me?” Yan Yunning looked directly into the man’s pitch-black eyes. “I believe you — do you not believe me?”

Xuan Yanyu was at a loss.

What did one thing have to do with the other?

“Very well — if you will not believe me, then you will not.” The girl turned her lips down slightly and blinked her bright eyes several times with great effort, unable to squeeze out a single tear, and lowered her head.

“I believe you. This prince believes you.” The corner of Xuan Yanyu’s mouth pulled into a smile.

If he had not spoken, she would have acted her way into genuine tears.

Yan Yunning’s brow arched. “Then you are not angry anymore…”

“When you handed the honey cake to Ye Chen and said you envied his future wife — why did you say that?” The man cut her off, his words drifting past as lightly as air.

Yan Yunning: “……”

Was he never going to let it go!!

Xuan Yanyu leaned toward her. “Why give him the honey cake? Why not give it to this prince??”

Yan Yunning spared him one glance, then looked away, perfectly composed. “Is it not because Ye Chen poured me tea? Am I not even allowed to give him a honey cake in return?”

“Is it not only right and proper that he pour you tea?”

Yan Yunning pressed her lips together. “Whose fault is it then? Was it not you pushing your luck? I only misspoke one tiny little sentence, and you kept pressing and pressing and would not let it go.”

The man’s throat shifted almost imperceptibly. “Saying you would not pay this prince any mind — that is one tiny little misstatement?”

Remembering it brought another wave of irritation. Yan Yunning raised her hand and gave his shoulder a firm smack. “Is it not because you said I was a puppy? Is that not why I said I would not pay you any mind??”

Xuan Yanyu suppressed his laughter with some difficulty. “Did this prince say that? Did you not imagine it yourself?”

“Xuan Yanyu, you truly deserve a beating.”

A low, unhurried laugh reached Yan Yunning’s ears. The girl slanted a glance at the man.

“Enough,” Xuan Yanyu said, ruffling her hair. “I will let the matter of Xiao Shi go — stop making excuses and take the elixir pill like a good girl.”

“My nose has not been bleeding anymore,” Yan Yunning frowned, eyeing the elixir pill the man held out toward her lips.

Though taking the elixir had made her feel much better, it tasted awful.

The man’s brow lifted slightly. “Not going to take it? Then stop interfering with this prince going to find Xiao Shi.”

“Taking it.” Yan Yunning accepted the elixir from the man’s fingertip, and before she had even swallowed it, she heard Xuan Yanyu continue in an unhurried tone. “Yan Shiyao is to wed Qi Qingchen by year’s end.”

“Chu Wantang was with child, but miscarried. Word is spreading through the capital that it was Consort Lu who caused it.”

“Impossible — A’Niang would never go and harm Chu Wantang. And whether the child in Chu Wantang’s womb was even Father’s is still unknown.”

“This prince is aware. From the very beginning, when word of Chu Wantang’s pregnancy spread throughout the capital, to now, when news of the miscarriage has spread just as widely — this was all clearly premeditated.” Xuan Yanyu held the water cup to her lips. “Drink some water. Swallow it down.”

Yan Yunning took a small sip. “Xuan Yanyu, let us go back to the capital.”

“Your Highness.” Ye Chen did not bother knocking — he pushed straight through the wooden door. “Ye Jian says the Fifth Princess has gone missing.”

“Was she not meant to stay at Yuanjing Manor? How could she have gone missing?”

“Ye Jian says the Fifth Princess went out to buy accessories in town and went into the privy. When she did not come out for a very long time and he went to look for her, she was already gone.” Ye Chen said hurriedly by way of explanation.

The man’s expression darkened. “Where exactly did she disappear? How long ago?”

“Xuan Xixiu, the day Xiao Shi and I were on the street, we ran into two men who said a certain woman wanted someone clever. Could it be that they are the ones who took Ranran away?”

“Wait here in the manor. I will go find little Ranran.”

“You go,” Yan Yunning said, pressing her lips together. “I will go back to the capital.”

“No.”

He was not at ease with her going back alone.

“Xuan Xixiu, I cannot go back, I am worried about A’Niang.” Yan Yunning felt an inexplicable unease settle over her.

She could not shake the feeling that something was about to happen.

It was just like the last time — the same unsettling premonition she had felt when her A’Jie had taken Mu Rong’s child away.

“Ningning, this prince will find Ranran and then accompany you back to the capital together. Wait for this prince — all right?”

“Xuan Xixiu, it is fine. Find Ranran, then come meet me in the capital.”

Xuan Yanyu refused. “No. Stay close to this prince. Come with this prince to find Ranran.”

It was all too clear that what had happened to Lu Jin’an was connected to Chu Wantang. If Ningning returned to the Chancellor’s residence without him by her side, he would have no peace of mind whatsoever.

“Xuan Xixiu!”

No matter how Yan Yunning reasoned with him, Xuan Yanyu would not hear a word of it. He would not even trust Ye Chen or Ye’an to escort Yan Yunning back to the Chancellor’s residence — Yan Yunning had no choice but to be kept at his side as they went together to find Xuanzhao Ranran.

……

At that very moment, Xuanzhao Ranran was being led, in a daze, into an elegantly appointed private residence.

The design featured weathered black roof tiles in the classical style, and in the courtyard stood a small red bridge arching over a narrow stream. Lush green bamboo grew throughout the grounds, lending the place a feeling of natural tranquility.

“What is your name?” A woman dressed in emerald green robes lifted Xuanzhao Ranran’s chin.

The small face was strikingly pretty — fair-skinned and delicate. A true beauty.

Xuanzhao Ranran rubbed her temples and, reading the room with good sense, answered, “My name is Ranran. Father never gave Ranran a formal name.”

The woman regarded her with satisfaction and instructed the maid standing nearby, “Take her and Fen’er to the young master. From now on, these two are assigned to serve the young master. If the young master does not want them, send them away.”

Fen’er, on hearing the words “send them away,” gripped the hem of her garment tightly. She could not be sent away — working as a maid here meant good wages, good food and clothing, and the mistress would never punish the maids at random.

She looked up at Xuanzhao Ranran. This girl was prettier than she was.