Fafa: 【I don’t know, My Lady. Something puzzles me — he is not someone who is inclined to meddle. So why has he been helping you?】

Yan Yunning pressed her lips together.

Fafa: 【In the book, not long after Yan Yunning was brought back to the Prime Minister’s Manor, Yan Shiyao, Xuan Yanyu, and Qi Qingchen all set off traveling together. During the few days Yan Yunning spent around Xuan Yanyu, he found that version of Yan Yunning deeply unpleasant — always timid and cowering, prone to breaking into tears at the slightest thing.】

Fafa: 【But now — why doesn’t he dislike you?】

Yan Yunning rolled her eyes. 【You very much want him to dislike me?!】

Fafa: 【My Lady, how could I! I’m simply curious~】

Yan Yunning tapped her chin thoughtfully. 【Is it possible that since my relationship with my elder sister is decent right now, and he wants to marry her, he’s been helping me as a way to get on my elder sister’s good side?】

Fafa: 【Hmm? That’s not entirely out of the question.】

……

“Your Highness, the antidote you requested.” Ye Jian raised the jade vial in both hands and spoke respectfully.

The man lay on the couch, a blanket draped loosely over him, eyes closed in feigned rest.

Ye Jian pressed his lips together and nudged Ye Chen beside him with his elbow.

Ye Chen met his gaze and lowered his voice. “It’s no longer needed.”

Ye Jian’s mouth twitched. He had received word and rushed to Qi Lan without a moment’s delay — and now he was being told it was no longer needed?

“Throw it away.” The man on the couch slowly opened his eyes.

“Your Highness, I don’t think we need to throw it away — what if it’s needed again someday?” Ye Chen clasped his hands and offered.

Xuan Yanyu pressed his fingers to his brow, his voice dropping. “This palace says, throw it away.”

Keep it, and have it serve as a constant reminder of just how prone he was to meddling?

Ye Jian stole a careful glance at Xuan Yanyu’s expression. “Th-throw it, throw it — Your Highness, I’ll throw it right away.”

“Xuan Yanyu, are you in there? I’m coming in.” Outside the door, Yan Yunning let out a breath and pressed her ear to the door, listening for any sound within.

Ye Jian grabbed Ye Chen in one swift motion. Both figures darted away and hid.

Ye Chen frowned. “Why did you drag me? I don’t need to hide.”

“Quiet.” Ye Jian kept his voice pressed low.

“Xuan Yanyu.” Yan Yunning pushed the door open and poked her head inside to look around.

The furnishings of the room were the same as those in her own chamber. The candle on the writing desk flickered. The man leaned against the couch with unhurried ease, his gaze cast downward as he turned the jade thumb ring on his hand — not the least bit inclined to acknowledge her.

Yan Yunning smiled and moved closer to him, blinking lightly. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have misjudged you.”

“……”

“Esteemed Young Master Xuan, please don’t hold it against me.” The young woman bit her lip with a pitiful look.

【What a petty man!!】

Fafa: 【My Lady, he’s ignoring you — let’s go!】

【I can’t. If I make a point of being around him every day, maybe over time he won’t use me to threaten my elder sister anymore — and then I won’t have to die.】

Fafa: 【My Lady, perhaps this is a viable approach. Let me give you a hand.】

Yan Yunning had just begun to wonder what Fafa meant by that when she suddenly felt her legs give way. Her whole body pitched forward and landed right against Xuan Yanyu.

Her cheek pressed against Xuan Yanyu’s warm chest. Feeling his heartbeat beneath her, Yan Yunning’s own heart leapt straight to her throat. 【Fafa! Are you helping me, or trying to finish me off?!】

Fafa: 【Helping… helping you, of course.】

Xuan Yanyu’s throat bobbed several times. The young woman in his arms radiated a faint and delicate fragrance, her body soft as she tumbled into him — and his own heart gave an involuntary shudder.

“Yan Yunning is far too bold — I’ll go pull her away.” Ye Chen, hiding in the shadows, kept his voice barely above a breath.

Ye Jian raised an eyebrow and murmured back, “Go where? His Highness hasn’t even pushed her away — who are you to interfere?”

Ye Chen: “……”

“Get up.” Xuan Yanyu licked his lips, his voice low and husky.

Yan Yunning obediently stood.

“Out.”

“Kicking me out again — it wasn’t as though I did it on purpose.” Yan Yunning lowered her gaze and fidgeted with her fingers.

Xuan Yanyu paused, his eyes shifting slightly. “I know. You may go first.”

Yan Yunning pursed her lips, said nothing, turned, and left.

“Your Highness, what’s gotten into Yan Yunning? How dare she take such liberties with you? Why didn’t you push her away?” Ye Chen emerged from the shadows.

Xuan Yanyu shot him a cool, indifferent glance.

Ye Jian’s eyelid twitched. He chose his words carefully. “Your Highness, Elder Miss Yan is to be our future Crown Princess. It would be prudent to keep a somewhat appropriate distance from Miss Yan the Second.”

“What of it?” Ye Chen said offhandedly. “If His Highness fancies her, simply bring her back to Xuanzhao as a side consort. Simple as that.”

Ye Jian’s brow creased slightly. “With anyone else, perhaps. But knowing Elder Miss Yan’s temperament, she would refuse to marry His Highness for the sake of Miss Yan the Second.”

“All of you — out. Insufferable noise.” Xuan Yanyu’s gaze turned displeased, and he waved them off with impatience.

“Your Highness, you haven’t actually taken a liking to Miss Yan the Second, have you?” Ye Jian steeled himself and ventured the question.

The man let out a derisive laugh. “You’re both overthinking it. The Crown Princess of Xuanzhao can only be A’Yao. That will never change.”

Ye Jian exhaled with relief.

With a wet sound, Yan Yunning, who had been leaning against a tree outside, coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood.

【Fafa! What’s happening to me?!】 Yan Yunning pressed a hand to the tree trunk for support. She pressed her handkerchief to her mouth — and before long, blood had soaked through it entirely and was dripping onto her hand.

Fafa: 【My Lady, this is from the medicine you drank that day. Once it’s purged, you’ll be fine — you’ll simply be quite weak for a while. As long as you rest properly, there’s nothing to worry about.】

Yan Yunning stumbled. 【Why didn’t you say so sooner? I thought I was over it!】

Fafa: 【……】

【I can’t— I’m going to faint.】 Yan Yunning clung weakly to the tree trunk, her vision going dark.

“Miss Yan, what’s the matter with you?”

“Luo…” Yan Yunning’s body went limp.

Fafa: 【My Lady! My Lady! My Lady!!】

Luo Xuan’s expression shifted. She reached out and caught her, then freed one hand to grip her wrist and press two fingers to her pulse. She murmured softly, “Nothing seriously wrong — so why has she fainted?”

She furrowed her brow, bent down, and lifted her in her arms. “You’re Qingchen brother’s friend. You simply cannot fall ill here in my Taoyuan Manor.”

Yan Yunning strained to lift her eyelids, then let them fall shut once more, too weak to keep them open.

“Elder Brother Qi, I’m tired. I’m heading back.”

Luo Xuan’s steps came to a halt. She looked up ahead.

“Yaoyao, what’s wrong?” Qi Qingchen reached out and caught Yan Shiyao by the arm, stepping in front of her.

“I’m fine.” Yan Shiyao bit her lip, the corners of her eyes reddening.

“Yaoyao, do you still remember what I once told you? I hope every day you smile as freely as you did that day.” Qi Qingchen raised a hand and gently wiped the tear from the corner of her eye.

Yan Shiyao lifted her damp eyes. “Elder Brother Qi.”

Luo Xuan watched from a distance, her gaze cooling with an icy stillness. “Yan Shiyao.”

The night was deep and heavy, the sky dark and dense — not a single star in sight.

Xuan Yanyu had just pulled open the door to his chamber when he nearly walked into Ye Chen, whose expression was urgent.

“What is it?” Xuan Yanyu frowned.

“Your Highness, Elder Miss Yan has gone missing.”

Xuan Yanyu’s eyes narrowed. “Come with me.”

In the quiet of the forest, towering trees thick with green pressed in on all sides, their canopy blotting out the sky in an unbroken shadow. Yan Shiyao lay on the ground in a wretched state, her eyes wide with terror.

“Don’t — stay away.” She pushed herself up with both hands, her voice trembling.

“You smell so wonderful.” A man in ragged clothing leaned in close and drew in a long, deep breath.

“I… I have silver — please let me go.” Yan Shiyao’s tears spilled over and down.

The man looked at her with naked greed, letting out a depraved laugh. “Pretty lady — I want you and the silver both.”

“You—”

The man threw his head back in raucous laughter and reached out to tear open her robe. Yan Shiyao closed her eyes in despair.

“Your Highness, just ahead—” Ye Chen’s voice cut off abruptly.

Xuan Yanyu’s gaze turned to ice. He drew his sword and sent it flying. The blade drove into the man’s back. The man’s eyes went wide, the grin on his face freezing in place — and he collapsed forward onto Yan Shiyao.

The overwhelming terror sent Yan Shiyao’s mind ringing into silence. She fainted dead away.