Xuan Yanyu lounged lazily back against the wooden chair, raising his eyebrows with a look of cheerful amusement.

Yan Shiyao looked at Qi Qingchen, who was on the verge of fainting from rage, and pursed her lips. Had she not just told him not to get involved?

He simply wouldn’t listen.

“You want this Palace to give you an explanation? You struck Young General Pei — shouldn’t this Palace punish you for that?” Qi Qingchen’s voice trembled slightly with anger.

“Your Highness the Third Prince, I did no such thing — please do not make false accusations against me.” The man chuckled softly. “Your Highness the Third Prince, could it be that you are trying to punish me based solely on Pei Qingyan’s account of events? Even Yan Yunning knows that one cannot make a decision based on someone else’s one-sided account alone — how are you still not as good as Yan Yunning?”

Yan Yunning discreetly pinched his thigh. Just let Qi Qingchen beat him to death!

Xuan Yanyu gave an ambiguous smile and caught her hand, cradling it in his palm and playing with it.

“It wasn’t you who did it? Who else would dare lay a hand on this General?” Pei Qingyan’s cheek twitched and twitched.

“I had only just arrived at Yuanjing Villa today — what reason would I have to hit you?” Xuan Yanyu looked at him, genuinely puzzled. “You tell me — why would I hit you?”

Rather than argue with him, Pei Qingyan turned to look at Qi Qingchen. “Your Highness, Ruoyi witnessed it — it was him, beating me within an inch of my life.”

Xuan Yanyu raised an eyebrow. “Young General Pei, Your Highness the Third Prince — you are welcome to go and ask Miss Shen.”

Qi Qingchen’s jaw was taut. What was the point of asking?

If this man spoke with such confidence, Shen Ruoyi would in all likelihood pretend she had seen nothing!

“Your Highness the Third Prince.” Xuan Yanyu gave Yan Yunning’s fingers a squeeze and said with a smile, “It seems you and Young General Pei truly did want to fabricate some excuse to punish me. If you cannot give me a reason, I will go to the palace gates to file a formal complaint against you.”

Qi Qingchen held his temper in check with great effort. This was an obvious threat — if this were taken to the palace gates, how would Emperor Qi, the ministers, and his Imperial Brothers and Imperial Brothers-in-law look upon him?

“Furthermore, Young General Pei claims I beat him — yet why are there no injuries on me? Surely it cannot be that Young General Pei willingly let me beat him without fighting back?” The man added one more insufferably smug remark.

Pei Qingyan’s face flushed scarlet. To explain would make him look incompetent; not to explain would leave Xuan Yanyu free to talk nonsense.

Xuan Yanyu condescended to offer, “Six hundred taels. Your Highness the Third Prince, Young General Pei — I will forgo seeking an explanation. Six hundred taels is the amount I can just barely accept as compensation for the slander you have subjected me to.”

Yan Yunning maintained an outward appearance of composure and took a sip of water. Six hundred taels? He could “just barely accept” that??

Qi Qingchen gripped the jade thumb ring on his finger, forced a smile onto his face, and said, “This matter was this Palace’s fault for not inquiring thoroughly. Master Xuan, for the sake of Ningning and Yaoyao, how about we……”

“No. She holds no sway with me.” Xuan Yanyu lowered his eyes with a slight smile. “Your Highness the Third Prince, if you have not produced the silver for me before this evening’s meal, I will go to the palace gates this very night to file my complaint against you.”

Qi Qingchen’s eyes darkened. Who was it that held no sway with him? By saying it like this, he simply wanted him to follow along with his words and let the matter drop without further pursuit.

He truly hadn’t even a shred of sense. He had offended him, and yet gave no thought to the consequences.

Yan Shiyao couldn’t help but stand up and pat Qi Qingchen on the shoulder. She said with unconcealed delight, “Elder Brother Qi, I told you — don’t get involved with him. How would Yanyu possibly have beaten Young General Pei?”

“And yet you insisted on giving Yanyu one hundred strokes. There was a misunderstanding — quickly give Yanyu some silver as an apology.”

Qi Qingchen shot her a glare.

Ye Chen raised his eyes to look at Yan Shiyao. He was finding the First Young Miss Yan rather agreeable at this particular moment.

“Yanyu, rest assured — Elder Brother Qi will definitely have the silver delivered to you before this evening’s meal. Elder Brother Qi is His Highness the Third Prince. He would not stoop to the level of a scoundrel, so don’t worry that Elder Brother Qi will go back on his word.” Yan Shiyao bowed her head slightly to conceal her amusement.

Qi Qingchen exhaled, feeling as though his head might explode.

It was better when Yan Shiyao was a bit more foolish!

“I know. I trust that His Highness the Third Prince will not go back on his word.” Xuan Yanyu smiled with the corner of his mouth hooked up.

Qi Qingchen, his face impassive, swept a glance over them, then turned and left the dining hall. The moment Qi Qingchen and Wu’an departed, Pei Qingyan hesitated for a moment and then followed them out as well.

“Yanyu, why did you leave for so many days so suddenly?” Yan Shiyao sat down, smiling, poured a cup of water, and slid it in front of Xuan Yanyu.

Xuan Yanyu glanced at her, clearly displeased. “Mind yourself in the future, and stop causing trouble.”

If she hadn’t picked up the Prefect’s grandchild, how would she have driven Murong to madness and set off everything that followed?

He truly regretted it — had he known, he would have kept Yan Yunning at his side. Just thinking about Yan Yunning spending over ten days in Pei Qingyan’s company made him sick with jealousy.

Yan Shiyao pressed her lips together. “Yanyu, it was I who got injured from the trouble.”

‘You don’t need to lecture me — it has little to do with you.’ Those words Yan Shiyao kept to herself. Xuan Yanyu was even less someone to provoke than Qi Qingchen.

Xuan Yanyu was truly unpredictable. In the fragments she had seen, the lengths he had gone to in order to marry her had been ruthless. Qi Qingchen was different — he was still afraid of this and that, and no matter how much she provoked him, he didn’t dare act against her at this stage.

Xuan Yanyu was different. If she pushed him too far, he would have no qualms whatsoever.

Xuan Yanyu drummed his fingertips on the table, a sardonic smile forming on his face. “You got hurt — fine. But why did you drag Yan Yunning into it and get her hurt as well?”

Yan Shiyao was momentarily speechless.

The man tapped a finger into his tea. “In the future, can you think before you act? Before you do whatever someone tells you to do, can you use your head? And don’t drag Yan Yunning into it.”

“You cause trouble every single time.” Xuan Yanyu’s tone was harsh.

Yan Shiyao unobtrusively raised her head slightly and caught sight of Xuan Yanyu’s hand beneath the table, holding Yan Yunning’s. She also recalled the gold bracelet on Yan Yunning’s wrist, and her eyes shifted slightly.

She didn’t dare talk back to him, but she could still make him feel stifled.

“Ningning.” Yan Shiyao’s eyes instantly reddened. “Can you come outside for a walk with Elder Sister?”

“Go for a walk?”

Yan Shiyao nodded with reddened eyes.

“All right.” Yan Yunning moved her hand, but the man held on tighter. “Have a meal with me.”

“Ningning.” Yan Shiyao looked at her imploringly.

Yan Yunning’s heart gave a start. Why was everyone suddenly depending on her??

Xuan Yanyu spoke unhurriedly. “Stay and have a meal with me, and all six hundred taels that Qi Qingchen gives me will go to you.”

Yan Yunning instantly bloomed into a smile. If only her elder sister weren’t still here, she would have kissed him right then and there.

“Elder Sister, you barely ate anything just now either — eat a bit more.” The young woman’s smile was exceptionally bright.

Yan Shiyao deflated and grudgingly picked up her chopsticks to poke at the rice in her bowl.

“What would you like to eat?” Yan Yunning proactively served food to Xuan Yanyu.

Yan Shiyao pursed her lips. So attentive?

Well, it was six hundred taels — if it were her, she’d be just as attentive.

“Have some tea.” Yan Yunning refilled his cup. Xuan Yanyu was just about to take the teacup when Yan Yunning smacked his hand away, the smile never leaving her face. “You don’t need to lift a finger.”

Xuan Yanyu looked at her with amusement. “Yan Yunning……”

Before he could finish, the teacup was pressed to his lips. The man had no choice but to cooperate and take a sip of tea.

“Yan……”

“Eat your vegetables.” Yan Yunning set the teacup down and busied herself bringing a piece of vegetable to his lips.

Xuan Yanyu cooperated again and ate the vegetable she had brought him.