It wasn’t that Xuan Yanyu wanted to sit there — it was that Prince Xuan, seeing his complexion was rather poor, had yielded the golden dragon throne to him.

“My son, are you unwell?” Prince Xuan reached out with concern to feel his forehead.

He had only this one precious child — nothing could happen to him.

Xuan Yanyu flipped through the memorials on the imperial desk, frowning without a word.

“My son, regarding the Crown Princess……”

“Imperial Father.” Xuan Yanyu interrupted him with a low voice. “What is the matter with Pei Shutong and Mu Xue?”

“My son, they are your side consorts — consorts that your Imperial Father selected for you.”

Xuan Yanyu leaned back slightly. The ever-perceptive Eunuch Feng circled around behind him and began kneading his shoulders.

“My son, your Imperial Father wishes to use this opportunity to invite Emperor Qi to Xuanzhao, to propose a marriage alliance with the Chancellor’s residence. If he refuses, your Imperial Father will hold him here.”

Eunuch Feng’s hands paused in their kneading. Did His Majesty not have any intention of attacking Qilan?

Xuan Yanyu set down the memorial in his hand and said seriously, “Imperial Father, issue a decree to annul the betrothals.”

Prince Xuan drew a deep breath. “My son, you also don’t wish to marry Yan……”

“I do not. If Imperial Father will not issue the decree, then I will draft it myself.” Xuan Yanyu picked up a piece of silk and turned it over in his palm.

Prince Xuan gritted his teeth. “You ungrateful wretch, don’t come begging me in the future. Even if you beg me, I will not agree.”

“I won’t.”

Xuan Yanyu picked up his writing brush and dipped it in ink. Before he could put brush to silk, Prince Xuan snatched it away and threw it into the bamboo waste basket.

“Get out, get out, get out. You come back and give me nothing but worry.” Prince Xuan gave his hand a light tap. “Go back to your Crown Prince’s residence. I don’t want to see you right now. Come see me again tomorrow.”

Xuan Yanyu raised his hand slightly.

A maidservant immediately brought over a cup of water.

The young man lazily blew on the cup. “Imperial Father, since you won’t let me draft the decree, tomorrow during morning court you can issue a verbal edict to annul……”

“Xuan Yanyu!” Prince Xuan shot him a sidelong glance. “How are you still unhappy about the side consorts I chose for you?”

Before going to Qilan he was already disobedient, but not like this. Since returning from Qilan, why was he so utterly impossible to deal with?

“I have no intention of taking side consorts.”

“What do you mean you have no intention? When exactly do you plan to?” Prince Xuan angrily snatched the teacup from his hand.

“Imperial Father, I have no intention of taking side consorts at all.”

Prince Xuan gripped the teacup so tightly his vision went dark. “Get out!”

“Your Majesty, please don’t be angry.” Eunuch Feng, no longer able to attend to kneading Xuan Yanyu’s shoulders, hurried to steady Prince Xuan.

“Imperial Father, taking consorts is ultimately for the purpose of consolidating Xuanzhao. I have no need of that. As for the matter of heirs — Imperial Father, I will see to it that you hold a royal grandchild as soon as possible.”

“A royal grandchild?” Prince Xuan’s eyes flickered. “You’re not deceiving me?”

“Imperial Father, ten months from now……”

“Ten months from now, I’ll be able to hold a royal grandchild?” A smile visibly spread across Prince Xuan’s face.

Xuan Yanyu raised an eyebrow. “Imperial Father, if you allow me to marry Yan Yunning right now, I will make you a royal grandfather immediately.”

Prince Xuan’s expression cooled. Wanting to marry the second daughter of the Yan family, refusing to take side consorts — without even thinking about it, he had clearly been bewitched by the second Yan daughter. If Yanyu truly married her……

He needed to reconsider the matter of Yanyu taking the second Yan daughter as his consort.

“Imperial Father, what do you say?”

Prince Xuan let out a chuckle. “My son, even if you take side consorts now, I can still become a royal grandfather all the same.”

“Imperial Father.” Xuan Yanyu’s brow furrowed.

Prince Xuan was quiet for a moment, then said with gravity, “My son, are you truly being this willful? You have the whole of Xuanzhao behind you. Are you going to act rashly all for the sake of the second Yan daughter?”

“I can protect Xuanzhao well.” Xuan Yanyu promised with a serious expression. “Imperial Father, you can trust me.”

After a prolonged standoff, Prince Xuan relented. “Then bring Shiyao back to Xuanzhao with you, and I will agree to let you marry the second Yan daughter. As for the matter of taking consorts, that can be discussed later.”

Shiyao was a benefactor to Yanyu and to Xuanzhao. Besides, she was originally from Xuanzhao — she ought to come back. She couldn’t pass away in Qilan.

“Imperial Father, what is the point of bringing Yan Shiyao to Xuanzhao?”

Prince Xuan’s gaze darkened. “Then get yourself back to Qilan and wait for Shiyao to……”

“Your Majesty, Your Highness the Crown Prince — Noble Consort Lin has come, carrying the little Princess.” A maidservant lifted the bead curtain and came to announce.

“Let them in.” Prince Xuan pinched the bridge of his nose tiredly.

A moment later, Noble Consort Lin walked in with a smile. “This consort pays her respects to Your Majesty.”

“Rise.”

“Your Highness the Crown Prince.” Noble Consort Lin spotted Xuan Yanyu on the golden dragon throne and her brow tightened.

His Majesty was still present, yet His Highness the Crown Prince was carrying himself as though he had already ascended to the throne.

Though it was understandable, she supposed. His Highness the Crown Prince attended morning court in His Majesty’s stead and handled the imperial memorials, and Xuanzhao had only this one Imperial Prince — no one competed with him for Prince Xuan’s position.

All of His Majesty’s other children were Princesses. She even suspected that the Empress of Xuanzhao might have been unfaithful, and that the Crown Prince had been fathered by someone else.

Xuan Yanyu propped his cheek on one hand and cast her a sidelong glance.

Noble Consort Lin withdrew her gaze, her eyes curving into a smile. “Your Highness the Crown Prince, you haven’t yet met the little Imperial Sister, have you? Today is a good opportunity to meet her.”

With that, Noble Consort Lin took the little Princess from the maidservant’s arms. The little girl waved her tiny hands in the air, then scrunched up her face and began to cry.

Prince Xuan glanced at Xuan Yanyu’s expression and turned to instruct the maidservant. “Take her out.”

Noble Consort Lin’s expression stiffened. Since the little Princess was born, His Majesty had bestowed no small number of rewards. But the moment the Crown Prince returned, everything had to defer to the Crown Prince’s mood.

“No need. I’ll return to the Crown Prince’s residence.” Xuan Yanyu stood and walked toward the door. As he passed by the little Princess, he gave her tiny hand a gentle squeeze. The little girl tilted her head and stopped crying, breaking into a wide grin.

Xuan Yanyu had barely stepped out of the Imperial Study before the little Princess was bestowed with rewards again. Noble Consort Lin’s mouth twitched. His Highness the Crown Prince had done no more than give the little girl a gentle squeeze of her hand, and His Majesty had been so moved that this batch of rewards was larger than any before.

Ordinarily, His Highness the Crown Prince paid little mind to these Imperial Sisters of his. This time he had proactively given the little Princess a squeeze of her hand, and His Majesty was overjoyed.

Because of His Highness the Crown Prince, her little Princess had received these rewards — she wasn’t sure whether she ought to feel pleased about it.

……

After spending a few days in Xuanzhao handling matters, and with his injuries largely healed, Xuan Yanyu immediately set off for Yuanjing Villa in Qilan.

Outside Yuanjing Villa.

Pei Qingyan was carrying Jiang Yanche, Yan Yunning was holding his little shoe, and the three of them were walking back side by side.

At the gate of the villa, they came face to face with Xuan Yanyu, Ye Chen, and Ye’an, who had just arrived in haste.

“Ningning, why have you stopped?” Pei Qingyan raised an eyebrow and smiled at Yan Yunning, who had frozen in place. “What’s the matter? Are you like little Yanche — tired? Do you want this General to carry you?”

Pei Qingyan extended one arm and raised his eyebrows. “Come on, this General gives you permission.”

“Yan Yunning, come here.” The other man’s voice held not a trace of gentleness.

Yan Yunning gazed into his eyes and pursed her lips. He had been gone so long, and the moment he came back, he was snapping at her.

Pei Qingyan raised his eyes and looked at Xuan Yanyu across from him. The man was strikingly handsome, though his expression right now was very cold. Pei Qingyan’s brow twitched — could this be the person Ningning had said she admired?

“Yan Yunning!” Xuan Yanyu’s brow furrowed slightly, his tone hardly pleasant.