Yan Yunning: “……”

“The second Miss Yan is greeting you — did you not hear?” Ye Chen’s voice was cold and sharp.

“Your subjects pay their respects to the second Miss Yan.” The Imperial Guards bowed with respectful deference.

Yan Yunning leaned against the side window, her chin resting on the back of her hand, a smile spreading across her delicate face. “Hello.”

“The second Miss Yan need not stand on ceremony.” The Imperial Guards on their knees spoke in unison.

“……Would you like to stand up?” Yan Yunning scratched her head.

The Imperial Guards on their knees did not move a muscle.

“Since the Crown Princess has asked you to rise, you may rise.” The man’s low, resonant voice drifted out through the side window.

“We thank the Crown Princess.” “We thank the Crown Princess.”

The Imperial Guards, momentarily stunned, replied in an uneven chorus.

Yan Yunning quietly let the cotton curtain fall back into place.

Xuan Yanyu curved his lips into a light smile. Meeting the man’s laughing eyes, Yan Yunning picked up a pastry and lowered her head, taking small bites.

For no particular reason, she felt just the tiniest bit nervous again!!!

Xuan Yanyu moved to sit beside her, draping an arm around her waist. He lowered his head and took a bite from the pastry in the young woman’s hand.

“Have you not already met Mother? There is nothing to be afraid of.” The man’s fingertips brushed away the pastry crumbs at the tips of the young woman’s fingers.

Yan Yunning looked up at him. Was it really the same?

Last time, she had been brought into the Xuan Royal Palace by Ranran.

This time, she was being brought in by him!!!

“Once inside the palace, have Ye Chen take you to find little Ranran.”

He had originally planned to bring her along to see his Imperial Father, but it was better to set that aside for now — he did not want his Imperial Father to frighten her.

“Alright.” Yan Yunning nodded, then asked, “What about my A’Jie?”

“I had Ye’an take her to the Grand Commandant’s residence. She will stay there during her time in Xuanzhao.”

“Hmm? Didn’t you say Grandma Lu is also at the Grand Commandant’s residence? If A’Jie shows up there, won’t Grandma Lu get scared off?”

Xuan Yanyu pressed a light kiss to Yan Yunning’s lips. “She won’t. I had Ye’an instruct the Grand Commandant to keep her confined to the residence. The Grand Commandant would not dare let her leave — there is no need to worry.”

“Then should I also go to the Grand Commandant’s residence? I……”

“In a few days. In a few days I’ll take you there to see Lu Jin’an.”

Yan Yunning hooked her thumb around the end of his hair. The fingers twined around his dark locks bent slightly in response.

……

The Xuan Royal Palace.

Having learned that Xuan Yanyu was returning to Xuanzhao today, the Xuan King — who had already received word — dismissed court and went straight to his bedchamber to wait. Within a quarter of an hour, the Xuan Queen arrived at Jingyi Hall together with the Elder Princess, who had just entered the palace.

When Xuan Yanyu arrived, he found his Imperial Father seated at the head of the room, his Imperial Mother seated at his father’s side, and his Imperial Elder Sister standing on tiptoe, craning her neck to look behind him.

“This subject-son greets Imperial Father and Imperial Mother.” After completing his bow, Xuan Yanyu gave the Elder Princess Xuanzhao Yang a small nod.

“Little Xier, have you come back alone?”

Xuan Yanyu shot her a sidelong glance, his brow furrowing slightly.

The Xuan King’s gaze grew stern. “Zhaoyang, leave the palace and return to your Princess’ manor.”

Xuanzhao Yang pressed her lips together and said softly, “I simply won’t call him Little Xier then.”

The thing her Imperial Father hated to hear most was “Little Xier” — and of course, that little rascal Xuan Yanyu disliked it just as much.

For the Imperial Father, it was because he harboured a faint hope of having more sons someday, and feared that if he called the name too often, the very title might come true and he truly would end up with only one precious one.

As for that little rascal, he simply and purely disliked the nickname she had given him.

Aside from herself, who occasionally braved his cold stare to call him by it a few times, from what she knew, their Imperial Father almost never used it — and their Imperial Mother never used it at all, for she did not care for it either.

“Imperial Father, Imperial Mother, there is something this subject-son wishes to say.”

The Xuan King’s expression broke into a smile. “Speak, my son. Whatever you have to say, say it.”

Xuanzhao Yang shook her head. Her Imperial Father and his shifting moods.

The Xuan Queen let out a sigh. Even before the Crown Prince opened his mouth, she already knew what he was going to say.

“I ask Imperial Father to issue a decree: at the beginning of next year, I will wed Yan Yunning. The betrothal gifts shall be prepared at twice the standard befitting a Crown Princess, and in addition, a dowry shall be prepared at the standard befitting a princess of legitimate birth. Imperial Father shall personally carry the betrothal gifts and dowry to the Prime Minister’s residence in Qilan to formally ask for her hand.”

The Xuan Queen’s eyes went wide. She had guessed he would say something along these lines?

But she had not expected him to be this outrageous.

Twice the betrothal gifts was one thing — but why did he also want a dowry?

And prepared to the same standard as Zhaoyang’s and Zhaoran’s?!

Xuanzhao Yang swallowed, rose in a respectful bow, and quietly slipped out of Jingyi Hall.

“Xuan Yanyu!” The Xuan King slapped his hand on the imperial desk and said with a pained heart, “If only I had even one more son, I would give him the throne instead.”

He was genuinely afraid that this besotted little rascal was going to ruin all of Xuanzhao in the process.

A flicker of panic crossed the Xuan Queen’s heart. At that moment, she was truly worried that some concubine might manage to bear a prince.

Xuan Yanyu barely raised an eyelid and showed not the slightest concern. Setting aside the fact that his Imperial Father had no other princes besides himself — even if he did, his Imperial Father would not have the energy to raise another prince after having poured everything into raising him. What was more, if he chose not to yield, could a newborn prince really outmanoeuvre him?

Watching the expression of complete indifference on Xuan Yanyu’s face, the Xuan King worked his mouth helplessly. It was his own failing.

His own failing!!!

He had only this one precious child!!!

“Very well, I shall issue the decree. But I have one condition: you must let me hold a grandchild as soon as possible.” A subtle gleam came into the Xuan King’s eyes. “Preferably before the beginning of next year — I want to see my grandchild by then.”

He could no longer pin his hopes on the Crown Prince. As for himself, he was equally useless in that regard. His only hope was to personally raise a grandchild and put the grandchild forward to ascend the throne — a grandchild surely couldn’t compete with his own father, could he?

Yes, he couldn’t!!!

“Let Imperial Father issue the decree first. Once everything is in readiness, your subject-son will fulfil Imperial Father’s condition.”

From now until the beginning of next year, the timing would work out just right. A child born by then would not interfere with their wedding ceremony. If the wedding were held now, everything would be rushed and thrown together — far too hasty.

Once Imperial Father issued the decree and made the formal bestowal, her status would be recognised. Any child born would then be legitimate beyond question, and Yan Yunning would not be the subject of gossip.

The Xuan King took a slow sip of tea. “Once the decree is issued, I will announce it throughout all of Xuanzhao. When the betrothal gifts and dowry are prepared, I will personally go to the Prime Minister’s residence in Qilan to deliver them.”

“And while I’m there, I’ll speak to the Qilan Emperor as well. You just focus on giving me that grandchild.”

By selecting an auspicious date and first proclaiming the status of the second Miss Yan throughout all of Xuanzhao, the child — by the customs of Xuanzhao — would be legitimate without question.

“Your subject-son obeys the decree.”

The Xuan Queen watched the father and son settle everything between them and quietly closed her mouth.

Was there truly no need to ask the second Miss Yan of the Yan Family what she thought??

Then again — given the Crown Prince’s standing, and the fact that he was willing to forgo taking secondary consorts entirely for her sake — it was fair to assume the second Miss Yan had no objections either.

……

On the other side of the palace, Yan Yunning and Jing’er — a handmaid of Xuanzhao Ran — were admiring the flowers in the Imperial Garden.

A cluster of full-blooming pink roses, vivid and dewy, caught her eye. Yan Yunning bent down and just as her fingers brushed the petals, a sticky, oversweet voice called out.

The sound, so unnaturally shrill and strangled, made Yan Yunning startle with a shudder.

Goodness.

“My, what nerve you have.” Wu Guiren touched the hairpin at her temple. “How dare you pluck the petals?”

Yan Yunning glanced down at the petal resting on her fingertip and twitched slightly. If she had not heard that syrupy-sweet voice of hers, this petal would not have ended up in her hand.

“This servant Jing’er pays her respects to Wu Guiren.” Jing’er bowed in greeting.