“Xiaoxiao, your little brother doesn’t know better. In a moment, Imperial Mother will have him apologize to you. Whether you forgive him or not is entirely up to you — Imperial Mother won’t interfere.” Yan Yunning ruffled Xuan Yuncheng’s hair and said quietly, “Xiaoxiao, don’t let him get away with things. Next time he pulls something like this, just give him a good beating.”

“I already beat him, and Ruirui already apologized. Imperial Mother doesn’t need to make Ruirui apologize again — otherwise he’ll get worked up and cry.” Xuan Yuncheng watched in amusement as the little bundle trotted back and forth packing his little bag.

Ruirui hadn’t meant anything by it. He had thought it didn’t matter, so while he was bored waiting, he’d started doodling everywhere. He had already reprimanded him. Next time he wouldn’t dare.

He had ignored him simply to impress upon him the importance of it — one cannot just casually draw and scribble on official documents.

“Good.” Yan Yunning nodded.

“This Prince is leaving now. No one needs to stop this Prince.” The little bundle swung his little bag and lost his footing, and Ye’an grabbed him just in time, sparing him a mortifying tumble.

“Who’s stopping you? Second Prince, please.” Xuan Yanyu gave a contemptuous laugh and proactively held the chamber door open for him.

The little bundle puffed out his cheeks. “Fine, this Prince is really leaving!!”

“Hey, hey, hey.” Yan Yunning saw that the little bundle was genuinely worked up, and quickly stretched out her arm to block his way, saying gently, “Imperial Mother absolutely cannot be without Ruirui. Why doesn’t Ruirui stay for Imperial Mother’s sake?”

“Then Imperial Mother should come with me.” The little bundle was perfectly serious. “Imperial Mother, let me go pack your bags.”

Xuan Yanyu raised an eyebrow lightly. “The Second Prince may leave on his own. Your Imperial Mother will not be going with you.”

The little bundle looked at his Father and his Crown Prince elder brother — each seated in their own sandalwood chair, each holding an identical teacup in hand, their refined and similar features separated only by size — and not a trace of an intention to hold him back.

He couldn’t help it when a little sniffle crept into his voice. “Then I’ll go by myself!!”

Yan Yunning gave Xuan Yanyu a glare, then turned back and coaxed gently, “If Ruirui goes alone, he’ll be leaving Imperial Mother behind. Won’t that make Imperial Mother terribly sad?”

The little bundle gripped his little bag tightly, conflict flickering across his childlike face.

Imperial Mother was so very, very, very good to him. Could he just leave Imperial Mother behind like that?

“For Imperial Mother’s sake, Ruirui will stay — reluctantly. All right?” Yan Yunning took the little bundle’s small bag and tossed it to Ye’an.

The little bundle knit his little brows together and gave a reluctant nod.

Yan Yunning very obligingly broke into a bright smile. “Ruirui is so good — willing to stay here for Imperial Mother.”

“Imperial Mother is good too.” The little bundle looked toward Xuan Yanyu and Xuan Yuncheng, who had struck up a conversation in their sandalwood chairs. He muttered under his breath, “This Prince is absolutely never saying another single word to Father and Crown Prince elder brother, ever again!!”

“You were being naughty and drew pig heads on every single memorial your elder brother had finished reviewing. Your elder brother, without holding any grudge, came to your bedchamber to see you — how could you ignore him?”

The little bundle pursed his lips. “But Crown Prince elder brother came to my bedchamber and didn’t say anything to me either.”

He had made up his mind — if his Father and Crown Prince elder brother did not come to coax him, he would never speak to them again!!

Yan Yunning: “……”

“Imperial Mother, I’m hungry.” The little bundle pressed a hand to his rumbling tummy.

“Alright, let’s go eat.” Yan Yunning took his small hand, then waved at Xuan Yuncheng. “Come, Xiaoxiao — time for dinner.”

“Mn.” Xuan Yuncheng had just set down his teacup when Xuan Yanyu caught his hand.

He twitched the corner of his mouth. His Father was afraid that Imperial Mother would take his hand and leave him behind, so Father always made a point of reaching for his hand first, then going to take Imperial Mother’s hand after.

They stepped out of the bedchamber. The sunlight was slowly sinking in the west. Xuan Yanyu and Yan Yunning walked side by side in the middle, hand in hand.

The hems of the imperial dragon robe and phoenix robe occasionally wove together. The stone path stretched long before them, and the dusk light fell in soft, scattered rays upon their shoulders.

On either side of them walked a little one. The shadows of all four were stretched long and slanting by the setting sun, overlapping in a heap against the palace wall — like an uncolored scroll painting.

By the time they reached Taiyi Palace, Qiuci had brought little Nuonuo over too. Because Yan Yunning adored little girls, Nuonuo came to stay at Prince Xuan’s residence every few days.

“Auntie.” The little girl saw Yan Yunning, broke into a smile that showed her little dimples, and reached her arms up for a hug.

A little girl carved from pink jade — Yan Yunning had no intention of refusing.

“Hmph.” The little bundle’s small mouth twisted.

“Eat.” Xuan Yuncheng picked up a piece of pork tenderloin and placed it in the little bundle’s jade dish.

“Elder brother, you’re willing to acknowledge me again.” The little bundle’s eyes lit up, his pupils reflecting Xuan Yuncheng’s image, his handsome little face brimming with anticipation.

Xuan Yuncheng raised an eyebrow slightly. “We’ll see — depending on whether you behave yourself from now on.”

“I knew it,” the little bundle said. He stared at the dishes on the imperial table and swallowed hard. Then he turned his head away and, still sulking, said, “Not eating, then. Father won’t come coax me, elder brother doesn’t want to acknowledge me, and Imperial Mother only loves Nuonuo elder sister — everyone has cast me aside.”

To make certain everyone could hear, the little bundle had not made his voice particularly small. Yan Yunning felt her head throb. Under the table, she kicked Xuan Yanyu.

Xuan Yanyu looked up at the little bundle sitting in the sandalwood chair, head hung low and little feet swinging. His brow creased — he had not the slightest desire to indulge this — “What are you making a fuss about every day? Not eating? Then get out.”

“Fine.” The little bundle jumped down from the sandalwood chair, quietly wiped his tears, his small milky voice soaked through with grievance. “Not eating — not eating! Leaving — leaving!!!”

Yan Yunning quickly handed the little girl to Qiuci, rose and caught the little bundle by the arm — his eyes had gone red all the way around — and lifted him, placing him into Xuan Yanyu’s lap.

Xuan Yanyu looked down at the little bundle with tears rolling down his face, grabbed his little arm, and gave his face a rough wipe.

“No more crying.” He warned from behind lowered eyelids.

“Alright.” The little bundle gave a sniffling nod.

Yan Yunning took a cloth and wiped the remaining tears from his face, picked up a bowl of egg custard, and held out a spoonful to his lips. “Didn’t Ruirui say just now he was hungry? Have a bite — won’t you?”

The little bundle had calmed down and ate the spoonful obediently.

“One more bite.” Yan Yunning’s voice was exceedingly tender as she coaxed him.

“You have to cause a scene to feel better, don’t you?” Xuan Yanyu pinched at the little bundle’s cheeks — plump and pale and puffed out with egg custard.

The little bundle tilted his head slightly, giving absolutely no sign that he intended to acknowledge Xuan Yanyu.

Yan Yunning picked out a few more soft, well-cooked, easy-to-digest dishes and fed them to the little bundle.

“Imperial Mother, elder brother doesn’t want to speak to me anymore. What do I do?” The little bundle chewed at the food in his mouth and spoke in a muffled voice.

“Then figure out a way yourself to get your elder brother speaking to you again. Imperial Mother has no solution either.” Yan Yunning picked up a cloth and dabbed at his small mouth.

“Imperial Mother, just put in a word with elder brother — ask elder brother to talk to me again.” The little bundle gave a slight tug on Yan Yunning’s sleeve and wheedled with a little shake.

“You were the one who made your elder brother angry. You are the one who must find a way to make him forgive you.” Yan Yunning fed the little bundle another spoonful of egg custard.