Out on the main street, Xuan Yanyu pressed his hand to his chest, drawing in great gulping breaths, yet unable to stop the burning, crushing ache at his heart.

“Crown Prince Brother, what’s wrong?” Ling Mianmian spotted Xuan Yanyu and was startled.

She hadn’t expected to ever see Crown Prince Brother again.

Xuan Yanyu did not spare her a glance. He turned and ran in long, urgent strides back toward the Crown Prince’s Residence.

Ye’an and Ye Chen exchanged a look and, not understanding, ran after him.

He ran back to the bedchamber in a state of dread. Xuan Yanyu stood motionless, staring at the maids who knelt across the floor, and at the girl lying on the bed — still, soundless, utterly at peace.

He frowned, displeasure edging into his voice. “Did this Prince not say — when Ningning is sleeping, no one is to enter the bedchamber and disturb her?”

“Wuu~” Xue Tuan, as though he had understood Yan Yunning’s instructions, wagged his tail at the man who had furrowed his brow.

“All of you, out.” Xuan Yanyu crouched down and picked up Xue Tuan.

“Crown Prince… Crown Prince, the Crown Princess… she…” Qiuci turned her face aside, weeping softly.

“Out. All of you, get out.”

Fearful that any louder sound would disturb Yan Yunning’s sleep, the man kept his voice pressed low.

“Yes, Your Highness.” The maids in the chamber retreated one by one and drew the chamber doors shut behind them.

“Ningning, this Prince brought back the lotus leaf chicken. Do you want to eat while it’s still hot?”

“…”

No familiar voice answered him. The man’s hand trembled as he unwrapped the oil paper, peeled back the lotus leaf. The scent of the tender, soft-cooked chicken drifted straight to him.

“Ningning, do you… do you want to eat?”

“…”

“Wuu~” Xue Tuan’s small paw patted Xuan Yanyu’s sleeve.

“Ningning.” The lotus leaf chicken in his hands — its fragrance had turned into needles, each one driving into his chest.

“Yan Yunning? You deceived this Prince? How dare you deceive this Prince?” The man’s eyes burned, and tears fell before he could stop them.

“You promised you would never leave this Prince. Why did you go back on your word? Why? Why — tomorrow… tomorrow was to be our wedding day…”

“Crown Prince, most esteemed Crown Prince, won’t you forgive me?”

“Xuan Xixi, I was wrong — please don’t hold it against me.”

Xuan Yanyu’s head snapped up. He stared at the girl’s bright, smiling face, his throat working with terrible effort. “This Prince forgives you. Come back to this Prince and this Prince will forgive you.”

“Crown Prince, but I cannot come back…” The girl smiled and gave a little wave. “Xuan Xixi — promise me. You have to take care of yourself.”

The man reached out, trying to grasp her. “Yan Yunning, you dare leave.”

“Yan Yunning!” Xuan Yanyu’s voice broke into a shout, raw and shattered. “Don’t you want to eat this Prince’s lotus leaf chicken? This Prince bought it back. Just have one bite…”

“Just have one bite…”

“Your Highness, are you all right?” Ye’an tapped gingerly on the chamber door.

“Get out!” Xuan Yanyu drew the dagger from his waist and drove it into the lotus leaf chicken again and again, tearing it apart.

“Why. Why.” The man sobbed and laughed at once, the sound wrenching and broken. “Didn’t the imperial physician say she was all right?”

“Your Highness.” Ye’an steeled himself and pushed open the chamber door.

Xuan Yanyu, dagger in hand, his eyes red at the corners, turned a look on Ye’an. “Bring all the imperial physicians here.”

“Your… Your Highness.”

“Are you refusing?” The man’s voice was flat.

“Your Highness, His Majesty is in the main hall — will you go to receive him?” Ye’an dropped his gaze and quietly eased back a few steps.

“There is no hurry.” Xuan Yanyu gave a low, hollow laugh. Murderous fury radiated from every inch of him. “The imperial physicians were negligent in their duties, misdiagnosed this Prince’s Crown Princess — shouldn’t they all accompany this Prince’s Crown Princess to the next life?”

“Your Highness, Qiuci just… just told this subordinate — it was the Crown Princess who asked the physicians to say what they said. The Crown Princess was afraid you would grieve, so she wanted to keep it from you.” Ye’an got the words out in one breathless rush.

“Is this Prince not grieving now?” Xuan Yanyu’s eyes darkened. The curve that rose on his lips was a cruel one. “Unless the Crown Princess herself tells this Prince in person, every physician who gave her that false diagnosis will go to the underworld today.”

“Your Highness…”

The man’s gaze was ferocious, merciless. “The Crown Princess’s attendants must go too — to keep her company. The Crown Princess is timid. She needs company. She needs company…”

Ye’an stood rigid, his mind spinning frantically.

“Wuu~” Xue Tuan nuzzled against Xuan Yanyu’s boot, trying to offer what comfort he could.

Xuan Yanyu lifted him with one hand, his low and hoarse voice carrying a faint, unsettling softness. “Then let’s start with you.”

“Wuu wuu~” The little creature kicked his stubby legs desperately.

“Your Highness.” Ye’an stumbled forward in panic and seized the hand Xuan Yanyu held the dagger with, trembling. “Your… Your Highness, this is the Crown Princess’s. It… it’s called Yan Xue Tuan. Have you forgotten? If you harm it, the Crown Princess will be heartbroken.”

He had been a fraction too slow — and Xue Tuan would have been…

The man’s lips curved into a smile. “He belongs to Ningning, so he ought to be with Ningning. And this Prince must go to Ningning too. Isn’t that right?”

Ye’an shuddered. “That’s not right, Your Highness…”

“Get out of the way.” Xuan Yanyu shook Ye’an off with one sweep of his arm, his voice utterly still. “Obstruct this Prince again, and you too will go down and watch over Ningning.”

Ye’an’s pupils shook. He drew up every ounce of his courage. “Your… Your Highness, are you not afraid the Crown Princess will blame you?”

The man tilted his head to look at him, his smile growing colder. “She promised she would never leave this Prince. She left. This Prince has not even blamed her — how dare she blame this Prince?”

Ye’an stared, his eyes wide. Right now, unless the Crown Princess herself woke up, there was no one in this world who could talk His Highness back.

“Yu’er.” Prince Xuan gazed at Xuan Yanyu — every line of him radiating a murderous cold — and strode quickly toward him, reaching out to comfort him. “Yu’er, Ningning is only tired. One good sleep and she will be fine.”

“Father.” At the sight of Prince Xuan, all the strength went out of Xuan Yanyu at once. His voice came in broken fragments, helpless and bereft. “Ningning… Ningning still… still left this son behind.”

Prince Xuan ached for him and wiped the tears that had spilled from the corners of his eyes. “Yu’er, Ningning had the physicians keep it from you because she did not want you to suffer. For Ningning’s sake — shouldn’t you find the strength to stand up? You still have Xuanzhao behind you. Yu’er — think of Xuanzhao, too.”

“Father — why, why didn’t you deal with the Pei Clan from the very beginning? You let her harm Ningning. Why… why, even if you had only told this son — even just told me — at least that would have been something…”

Xuan Yanyu’s breathing lost its steadiness. He put distance between himself and Prince Xuan, and in a raw, fractured voice, he cried out, “This son is to think of Xuanzhao — why did you not think of this son? What is this son to do?”

“Ningning has left this son. The imperial physician told this son she was fine. We were supposed to be married tomorrow… we were supposed to be married tomorrow…”

Xuan Yanyu bent over, barely able to breathe.

“Xuan Xixi, if I were to leave you, you must wait for me right where you are.”

“Xuan Xixi, are you angry with me?”

“Xuan Yanyu, you know, Ye Chen was right — you are so much better than certain people, so much better, so much…”

“Xuan Yanyu, just be angry with me. Make me furious. No one else will be willing to coax you the way I am.”

“Xuan Yanyu, I want to eat the peach blossom cakes.”

“Xuan Yanyu, just one — can you get me one?”

“Xuan Yanyu, you’re the best. Get me one, please?”

“Where are you going? You’re not allowed to leave.”

“Let go.”

“No, didn’t you hear my elder sister? She said the two of us should go eat together.”