Li Yanyan’s pupils dilated, her face turning deathly pale. She froze in terror, and whether because Xiao Changzhen loosened his grip or not, she wrenched free from him. The cup flew out and crashed to the ground with barely any wine left.

“Spit it out, spit it out!” Li Yanyan lunged forward, roughly pressing one hand against Xiao Changzhen’s neck while forcing two fingers into his mouth, clawing at his throat as if possessed. “Spit it out, quickly spit it out!”

Xiao Changzhen offered no resistance, letting her do as she wished. Under her forceful actions, he did spit something out, but it wasn’t the poisoned wine.

Large tears spilled from Li yanyan’s eyes: “Xiao Changzhen, spit it out, hurry and spit it out—”

“Summon the Imperial Physician,” Emperor Youning commanded coldly.

Having tormented Xiao Changzhen until he coughed up blood, Li Yanyan finally stopped, holding him tightly: “Xiao Changzhen, I hate you, I hate you—”

“Keh keh keh keh…” After a fit of coughing, Xiao Changzhen endured the burning in his throat and smiled at her, tears in his eyes along with infinite sadness. “I know… I know you hate me keh keh keh… we won’t have to torment each other anymore.”

“No, I won’t allow it!” Li Yanyan clutched him tightly, screaming, “By what right? By what right do you decide everything? You decide to marry me, you decide to stop tormenting me – what does that make my half-life worth? Xiao Changzhen, if you dare die, I’ll make sure you have no peace even in death!”

Xiao Changzhen wearily lowered his eyelids slightly, a bitter smile on his lips. All these years, she hadn’t changed – she always liked to order him around, threaten him. He didn’t need her to yield to him, he only wished she could speak to him calmly just once.

Perhaps his tolerance and forbearance had made her so unrestrained that she had never once considered his feelings.

“Yanyan… you are wonderful. I’ve never regretted meeting you, falling for you, making you my wife,” Xiao Changzhen raised his hand to caress her face, gazing at her intently. “But if there is a next life, I don’t wish to meet you again…”

Too exhausting, too painful, too bitter – such suffering and fatigue, he didn’t want to bear it again.

I don’t regret meeting you in this life, but I don’t wish to meet you again in the next.

Li Yanyan’s entire body stiffened as she stared at Xiao Changzhen, watching his blurry smile become one of release and liberation before he finally fainted in her arms.

As his weight settled in her arms, tears instantly fell. Li Yanyan’s throat made a hoarse sound as if someone was choking her, cutting off all sounds.

“Your Highness, Prince Dai is critically ill,” Before Xiao Changzhen had even left the Imperial Clan Court, Tianyuan delivered the news to Xiao Huayong.

“Why?” Xiao Huayong asked.

“His Majesty granted poison wine to Princess Consort Dai, but Prince Dai drank it instead,” Tianyuan reported.

“Oh?” Xiao Huayong’s tone lifted, smiling with unclear meaning. He stood and said to Shen Xihe, “I’m returning to the palace.”

Shen Xihe nodded – with such events occurring in the palace, it was only right and proper for Xiao Huayong to return.

“Is Prince Dai just… gone like that?” Biyu sighed softly.

“Prince Dai won’t be gone,” Shen Xihe turned her head with a faint smile.

“Didn’t they say he drank poison wine?” Biyu and Hongyu exchanged glances.

Shen Xihe smiled and shook her head. Xiao Huayong’s attitude showed that His Majesty hadn’t given poison wine – he would know something about his own son’s situation. Moreover, since last year His Majesty had lost two princesses and two princes.

Princess Changling and Princess Yangling were dead, while Xiao Changyu and Xiao Changtai had faked their deaths, but four funeral ceremonies couldn’t be avoided. Adding Consort Liang would make it five – His Majesty wouldn’t want another royal funeral.

Though Li Yanyan couldn’t escape punishment, her crimes didn’t warrant death.

Since ascending the throne, His Majesty had ruled with benevolence and righteousness. He wouldn’t execute Li Yanyan just for offending imperial dignity, and there was no concrete evidence for her other crimes.

Emperor Youning indeed hadn’t given real poison wine – he only wanted to pressure Li Yanyan, knowing she wanted to live. He hadn’t expected Xiao Changzhen to drink it instead. Though it wasn’t poison, it was still medicinal wine that would cause severe stomach pain.

When Xiao Huayong returned to the Eastern Palace, Xiao Changzhen had awakened and been sent back to his residence. Emperor Youning returned to the palace and issued two imperial edicts – one stripping Xiao Changzhen of his princely title, the other conferring the title of Prince Yan on the Twelfth Prince Xiao Changgeng.

Xiao Changgeng could hardly believe such fortune had suddenly fallen from heaven onto him. He was currently just a prince without rank, and though he had established his household with chroniclers and guards, he had no strategists or retainers seeking his patronage.

Being made a prince of the first rank would change everything – not only could he increase his guards, but people would also seek to align with him.

While Xiao Changgeng was still rejoicing, he received his first congratulatory gift from the Eastern Palace, personally delivered by Tianyuan, the commander of the Eastern Palace Guard: “By command of His Highness the Crown Prince, I come to congratulate Prince Yan. His Highness has words for me to convey to Prince Yan.”

“Please speak, General Cao,” Xiao Changgeng’s elation instantly vanished.

“Does Prince Yan like his new title?” Tianyuan relayed Xiao Huayong’s words exactly.

Xiao Changgeng’s gaze focused slightly, his breath catching before he replied: “Please convey to His Highness the Crown Prince that Little Twelve is grateful for his brotherly guidance.”

“Yan” carried the meaning of peace and pleasure – peace first, then pleasure.

Xiao Huayong was telling him that if he kept to his proper place, he could naturally enjoy life.

Xiao Huayong didn’t need to warn him – since catching this brother’s eye until now, how could he dare harbor other thoughts?

Xiao Changgeng being made a prince was indeed a happy occasion. With recent successive misfortunes, having one joyous event naturally called for everyone’s congratulations. Led by Xiao Huayong, all the princes, royal clan members, and officials congratulated Xiao Changgeng.

Shen Xihe also had to send a congratulatory gift. Without Xue Jinqiao, and with Bu Shulin’s every move closely watched by Cui Jinbai who was staying at the Bu residence, few people came to visit her normally. Yet in this scorching summer, Xiao Huayong wished he could visit daily.

If not for government affairs and court sessions, he might have tried to stay at the Princess’s residence.

“Your Highness’s daily visits will arouse others’ suspicions,” Shen Xihe couldn’t help but advise.

“One day without seeing Youyou drives me mad with longing – I can barely focus on duties and politics,” Xiao Huayong started being frivolous again.

Shen Xihe glanced at him before looking away, somewhat lazily leaning against the beauty rest, one hand on the railing, her chin resting on her arm as she watched the lotus pond beside them, her expression weary.

Xiao Huayong noticed her lack of energy today and sat beside her with concern: “What’s wrong with Youyou? Are you ill?”

He noticed that she, who usually sought coolness, hadn’t placed any ice today.

“I’m not ill, Your Highness need not worry,” Shen Xihe spoke with some impatience.

But Xiao Huayong didn’t believe her: “Youyou appear unwell.”