“Your Highness, the Crown Prince.” Yan Yunning rested her head on his shoulder, carefully choosing her words. “The sun has set in the west, the evening breeze has drifted far away, and the flowers in the Imperial Garden are slowly wilting…”

“What are you trying to say?” The man raised an eyebrow slightly.

“Xuan Yanyu.” Yan Yunning smiled warmly. “What I mean is, thank you — ever since I met you, for all, all the kindness you’ve shown me. I’m so, so, so happy to have met you, and yet, helplessly, I too must follow the evening breeze and drift far away.”

“Yan Yunning, what nonsense are you talking about? Where do you think you’re drifting off to? Helplessly following the evening breeze? This Palace fears you’d weigh the evening breeze down so much it couldn’t even carry you.”

“……” Yan Yunning reached up and pinched his ear in dissatisfaction. “Xuan Yanyu, are you saying I’m too heavy?”

“No, to this Palace you are not heavy — but to the evening breeze, aren’t you rather heavy? So,” the man raised the corner of his brow, “you’d better stay obediently by this Palace’s side, so as not to burden the evening breeze.”

Yan Yunning: “……”

——

The following day, as dawn barely broke, Qiuci pushed open the door to the sleeping chamber and saw that Yan Yunning had already washed and dressed. Surprised, she said, “Crown Princess, why have you risen so early today?”

Yan Yunning gritted her teeth, and after a long moment said, “Perhaps I went to sleep a little early last night.”

Even saying it made her angry. Xuan Yanyu had been insufferable first thing in the morning — making a fuss before sauntering off unhurriedly to morning court, leaving her unable to sleep properly at all.

“Is that so?” Qiuci was visibly unconvinced.

“Yes!!” Yan Yunning said flatly.

“Oh.” Qiuci bent slightly at the waist and leaned close to Yan Yunning, whispering, “Crown Princess, yesterday when this servant went to the Crown Prince’s residence to fetch your embroidered pillow, she ran into the Second Madam at the entrance of the residence — and she appeared perfectly well.”

“What was she doing at the Crown Prince’s residence?” Yan Yunning dipped a little of the spiral indigo pigment and touched up her eyebrows, studying the soft and delicate features reflected in the bronze mirror. She muttered, “Qiuci, if Xuan Yanyu weren’t the Crown Prince and saw me every day, do you think he’d feel unworthy of me?”

Qiuci’s mouth twitched slightly, and she answered honestly, “He wouldn’t. If His Highness the Crown Prince were of low station, a man with his looks would have been swept away by noble ladies long ago — it wouldn’t have been your turn, my lady.”

“Ah……” Yan Yunning draped herself over the dressing table and pouted. “No taking Xuan Yanyu’s side today.”

“Why not?” Qiuci crouched down and straightened the cosmetic boxes on the dressing table.

Yan Yunning closed her eyes. “Because he disturbed my morning sleep.”

“Crown Princess,” Qiuci said in an oddly secretive tone, “didn’t you just tell this servant that you woke early because you went to sleep early last night? Have you forgotten already?”

Yan Yunning opened her eyes and shifted the topic. “You said the Second Madam went to the Crown Prince’s residence? What did she go there for?”

That day at the General’s residence, Lu A’Niang had kept urging her to return to the Crown Prince’s residence — without asking for any reason — insisting she simply must go back. She and Xuan Yanyu had only had a minor falling-out; if it weren’t just a falling-out, if Xuan Yanyu had truly done something she could not accept, and Lu A’Niang spoke to her like that, she would have been devastated.

Lu A’Niang’s concern for her was only out of deference to her mother’s instructions, after all……

“Crown Princess, the Second Madam said she hoped you would find a way to ask His Highness the Crown Prince to have the Chancellor brought to Xuanzhao.” Qiuci said softly.

Yan Yunning raised an eyebrow and smiled. So that was why Lu A’Niang had been so insistent that she return to the Crown Prince’s residence?

Xuan Yanyu had said long ago that when the time was right, he would have her father brought to Xuanzhao.

“Crown Princess, the Chancellor has a physician attending him — he’ll be all right. You needn’t worry. Just mention it once to His Highness the Crown Prince; if he doesn’t agree, you don’t need to press the matter.”

Qiuci added another word of caution: “Crown Princess, you absolutely must not go and make things difficult for His Highness the Crown Prince. The Chancellor is, after all, the Chancellor of Qilan. If he were to come to Xuanzhao, the Qilan Emperor would likely not let the matter rest.”

“I understand.” Yan Yunning pinched the tip of Qiuci’s nose and smiled, eyes narrowing. “You know quite a lot.”

Qiuci smiled a little sheepishly. “No, it’s just that when this servant went to visit the Chancellor, she told this servant herself. She said not to let you get involved, for fear it would implicate you.”

Yan Yunning felt a tug at her heart. Was her father saying this because she was Lu A’Niang’s “daughter”? Or was it purely for her sake?

“Crown Princess,” Xiao Wan entered the chamber with a smile. “Shall we go for breakfast?”

Yan Yunning pinched a piece of pastry, a faint smile in her voice. “Yes, let’s have breakfast — and then go meet Xuan Yanyu when morning court lets out.”

——

The bell drums rang out. Yan Yunning hid behind a round column in the corridor, stealing glances ahead. For Xuan Yanyu to return to the Crown Prince’s sleeping chamber, this long corridor was a necessary passage — the drums had been sounding for a while now, so why hadn’t he come yet?

The glaring sun rose at its own unhurried pace. Sharp-eared Yan Yunning caught the sound of footsteps gradually approaching and pressed herself against the side to hide.

As the footsteps grew closer and closer, Yan Yunning caught sight of Xuan Yanyu — and burst out from her hiding spot, tumbling into his arms. She waved her little fist at him. “Were you frightened?”

Xuan Yanyu’s lips curved upward. “No.”

Had he not spotted her in time, he would have kicked her to the ground right then and there.

“No?!”

“Ahem.” Prince Xuan, walking behind Xuan Yanyu, cleared his throat.

He had wondered why, mid-conversation, Yanyu had suddenly walked so quickly. So it was because of Ningning. What a commotion — if Yanyu hadn’t seen her in time and his sharp reflexes had caused him to hurt her, what then?

“Your Majesty.” Yan Yunning bent her knees in a bow. “This subject greets Your Majesty.”

How strange that there was no ceremonial escort — only Prince Xuan alone. Had she heard the footsteps of a procession, she wouldn’t have done this.

“No more of this reckless behavior in the future.” Prince Xuan looked at Yan Yunning, who stood with lowered eyes, and admonished her sternly. “It’s far too dangerous. What if Yanyu had taken you for an assassin and injured you?”

“Understood. It will not happen again.” Yan Yunning replied demurely.

“Once the child is born, go and study proper etiquette. You must comport yourself as befitting the Central Palace Consort — what kind of behavior is this?” Prince Xuan grew more agitated as he spoke.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Yan Yunning obediently complied.

“Just follow this Palace’s example,” Xuan Yanyu remarked leisurely.

“Follow your example for what?” Prince Xuan grew even more irritated. “What do you know about proper conduct? I think you should go and study etiquette as well.”

Yan Yunning quietly sidled a little closer to Xuan Yanyu.

“The two of you will go together. When I was your age, I had already taken my seat as Prince Xuan. And look at you?”

At this point they had no decorum whatsoever.

Xuan Yanyu replied with meaningful deliberateness, “Your Majesty, this son has not yet taken the seat of Prince Xuan — but that is only because you have not yet abdicated. If you were to abdicate now, would this son not then hold the position of Prince Xuan?”

Prince Xuan let out a low harrumph. “What I mean is that you are not as capable as I am — do not twist my meaning.”

What a vexation. When he had urged Yanyu to ascend to the throne, the boy had flatly refused, and all he was quibbling over was these few months — the truth being, after ascending the throne, there would be more trivial affairs to attend to, and it would cut into the time he spent with his Crown Princess!

Even getting him to attend morning court had required a great deal of coaxing.

He should have told Yanyu the duration would be shorter when he sent him to Qilan.

“Indeed — the fact that Your Majesty has a son like this one is proof of Your Majesty’s capability.” Xuan Yanyu replied coolly.

“You insolent son!” Prince Xuan slipped the jade thumb ring off his hand and tossed it lightly — it struck Xuan Yanyu on the body.