How many days had it already been? His Imperial Father had still not made any explanation to the Xuan Wang. Had he utterly abandoned him?

Not far away, Yan Yunning, who had been watching them, nudged Xuan Yanyu’s arm. “Xuan Xixi, this is the first time I have ever seen Qi Qingchen so dispirited.”

He was slumped despondently in the wooden chair, head lowered, looking quite pitiable.

“What a careful observer Crown Princess is of other people,” the man said, his voice low and husky. “When this Highness was dispirited because of your provocations in the past, why did Crown Princess never think to show any concern?”

Yan Yunning looked at him with a smile. “When have I ever provoked you?”

The man’s lashes lowered slightly, his expression somehow looking even more dispirited than Qi Qingchen’s. “When we quarreled.”

“Xuan Xixi, after every single quarrel we have had, when have I ever not coaxed you?”

“Have you?” Xuan Yanyu raised his lids slightly. Their gazes met — the girl’s smiling eyes locked with the man’s deliberately darkened ones. Her lashes curved into crescents with her smile. “Yes. Every single time, I coaxed you.”

Xuan Yanyu pressed his lips together. “……”

That was only because, every single time, she was the one who had deliberately started the quarrel with him. Without exception.

Yan Yunning pinched his chin and turned his head to face forward. “Look quickly — Qi Qingchen is about to cry. Xuan Xixi, when are you going to cry for me to see?”

“……” Xuan Yanyu removed her hand, gave a cold harrumph, and said, “Back to the residence. What is there worth watching about Qi Qingchen?”

Yan Yunning: “……”

Inside the teahouse, the dispirited Qi Qingchen had been so provoked by Yan Shiyao that his eyes were rimmed red — and from a distance, he did indeed look as though he were about to cry.

“If not for you refusing to dissolve the engagement, would I have splashed tea on you? What kind of act is that you are putting on, and for whose benefit?!” Yan Shiyao felt vexed and unsettled.

“Your younger sister is the Crown Princess now, is she not? Why do you not ask your brother-in-law to help?” Qi Qingchen’s cheek stung where the tea had scalded it.

Yan Shiyao was momentarily at a loss for words. Had she not tried?

Xuan Yanyu had refused to help her. She could not enter the Xuan Wang Palace. The imperial decree had already been issued. Her father and brother were powerless to do anything. What could be done?

Did she truly have no choice but to marry Qi Qingchen?!

A thought stirred in Yan Shiyao’s eyes. No one in Xuanzhao knew her identity. Perhaps she could find a like-minded man here in Xuanzhao, and then her father and mother would be beyond worry.

After all, Ningning was now Xuan Yanyu’s Crown Princess. He could not stand by while His Majesty the Qi Emperor used her to implicate the Chief Counselor’s residence. Thinking this, Yan Shiyao pressed her lips together into a smile.

She had endured quite enough of the bitter days alongside Qi Qingchen. Those days in the visions had felt far too real. Every few days she would dream of Qi Qingchen using her and then discarding her in a decrepit palace.

Letting the maidservants bully her — no matter what, she would never marry a man like him.

Marrying him was worse than marrying the indifferent Xuan Yanyu. At least that would have come with a prestigious standing and a life of comfort.

“What? You tried? And he would not help?” A flicker crossed Qi Qingchen’s eyes. “Yan Shiyao, it was you who brought Xuan— “

Becoming aware of the Xuanzhao guards still trailing behind, Qi Qingchen changed course and said, “It was you who brought His Highness the Crown Prince back to the Chief Counselor’s Residence all those years ago. And now he will not help you. Does that not suggest it has something to do with the Crown Princess?”

“The Crown Princess was sent away from home when she was young, while you were raised from childhood in the pampered affections of Madam Counselor and the Chief Counselor. Could it be that she is jealous of you, and so forbids His Highness the Crown Prince from helping you? If this Highness is not mistaken, then we cannot dissolve our engagement.”

Qi Qingchen abruptly rose to his feet, leaned forward close to Yan Shiyao, his voice dropping very low. “Only if you marry this Highness, and this Highness ascends the throne, will you be able to stand on equal footing with Yan Yunning. This Highness pledges to you on the imperial throne — the position of Empress of the Qi Realm will be yours.”

Yan Shiyao’s eyes darkened. It did indeed seem that ever since Ningning had been brought back, Xuan Yanyu had been distancing himself from her bit by bit. Before Ningning returned, he would not have been like this — he had gone out of his way to accommodate her requests.

Could it truly be that Ningning had driven a wedge between her and Xuan Yanyu?

In the visions, during the time in Qilan before he had married her, Xuan Yanyu had still been patient with her. It was only after he brought her back to Xuanzhao that he became indifferent toward her. And yet now Xuan Yanyu had changed……

Yan Shiyao’s mind was in a tumult. Ever since Ningning had been brought home, she had always been the one thinking of Ningning’s best interests. When her mother administered family discipline, it was she who pleaded with her mother to spare Ningning.

She, Qi Qingchen, and Xuan Yanyu had left the Chief Counselor’s Residence together, and Ningning had followed right on their heels, saying she was afraid of their mother.

She had worried for Ningning, and so let Ningning come with them. When Ningning said she admired Qi Qingchen, she had stepped aside and given way.

There was not a single thing she had done to wrong Ningning. So why would Ningning prevent Xuan Yanyu from helping her?

Or could it be that Ningning had also come to know that in the end, she would be the one to bring harm upon her, dragging her into suffering at Xuan Yanyu’s hands?!

But should that not be Xuan Yanyu’s fault?

Why was she still with Xuan Yanyu?!

Unable to make sense of it, Yan Shiyao shook her head to clear her thoughts.

“Yaoyao.” Qi Qingchen gazed at her with deep feeling. “Think it over carefully. This Highness will not fail you.”

The man’s alluring and melodious voice brushed past Yan Shiyao’s ear. Yan Shiyao’s gaze drifted slowly to Qi Qingchen’s face. She gave a coy smile. “Third Highness, you said the Empress of the Qi Realm would be me — you have not deceived me, have you?!”

“No. It must be you.” Qi Qingchen curved the corners of his mouth.

It mattered little if his Imperial Father abandoned him. So long as he had the Chief Counselor and Vice Censor Yan on his side, once he returned to Qilan, his chances of contending for the position of heir apparent were still very favorable.

Yan Yunning was now Xuanzhao’s Crown Princess. Yan Shiyao was her elder sister. As long as Yan Shiyao went before Yan Yunning and wept her grievances, Xuan Yanyu would release him back to Qilan.

With Yan Yunning interceding, he refused to believe Xuan Yanyu would not release him.

“Then I shall think it over carefully.” Yan Shiyao smiled with a peculiar air.

A queen could be deposed too. She would rather probe Ningning first. If Ningning was not the way she had imagined just now, she could have Ningning help her speak to Xuan Yanyu and dissolve the engagement.

From then on, she could remain at Ningning’s side. Ningning was the future Xuan Empress — staying by Ningning’s side, would her days not be far better than anything she had in the Chief Counselor’s Residence?

This was far superior to the queen’s position Qi Qingchen had pledged with mere words!

The more Yan Shiyao thought, the more she felt like smiling.

Seeing the smile Yan Shiyao could no longer suppress, Qi Qingchen raised a brow. “Yaoyao, where are you staying now? Why not come and stay with this Highness at the inn?”

Yan Shiyao instantly composed her expression, feigning indignation. “Elder Brother Qi, I need to go and see Ningning — to find out why she is unwilling to let His Highness the Crown Prince help me dissolve the engagement. Of course, at this point I am not looking to dissolve the engagement with Elder Brother Qi. I simply want to ask Ningning why she treats me this way.”

Taking advantage of him just once was not too much to ask — after all, he would be the one to use her in the future!

Qi Qingchen’s brow creased slightly. “Yaoyao, do not go and pick a quarrel with the Crown Princess. Otherwise, His Highness the Crown Prince will not let you off.”

He did not want his future Third Prince’s Consort to be sent away by Xuan Yanyu before he had even left Xuanzhao himself.

“Elder Brother Qi, have no worry — it will not come to that.” Yan Shiyao reassured him.

Qi Qingchen pressed his lips together. “Yan Shiyao, why will you not listen to reason?”

He had best not end up escorting her on yet another farewell before he himself had departed Xuanzhao!

Yan Shiyao inwardly clenched her teeth. “Then I will not go to find Ningning.”

Why listen to reason?!

What gave him the right to tell her what to do?!

“Good.” Only then did Qi Qingchen give a nod. “When are you returning to Qilan?”