“No.”

“Then why aren’t the two of you sitting together?” Xuan Zhaoarn was genuinely curious.

The man tugged lazily at his collar. “Go ask her what she did to me.”

Xuan Zhaoarn obediently turned her head and blinked. “Ningning, Elder Brother told me to ask what you did to him.”

Yan Yunning looked past Xuan Zhaoarn and glanced sidelong at the man sprawling lazily in his wooden chair. What did she do? She just helped him undress!!

Xuan Zhaoarn: “?”

Why wasn’t she saying anything???

Watching Xuan Zhaoarn’s thoroughly baffled expression, Yan Yunning raised an eyebrow mildly. “Your brother has a rather nice figure.”

Xuan Zhaoarn: “?”

Xuan Yanyu: “…”

Yan Shiyao had drunk a few mouthfuls of porridge and was about to leave when Qi Qingchen grabbed her by the arm, unhurried. “Eat a little more.”

In a few days she’d be returning to the family residence, and the turmoil there would rob her of her appetite.

When he had returned to the Garden Estate, all of the capital was already saying that the Chief Minister’s wife was with child — he had no idea how word had spread.

Xiao Shi silently continued eating. The Third Prince really treated Yan Shiyao well. If the Third Prince were to ascend the throne in the future, Yan Shiyao’s standing would be either Empress or Noble Consort.

With His Highness locked in the imperial prison, she had no one to lean on now — she ought to work hard at winning Yan Shiyao’s goodwill.

Find a way to make her forgive her.

“Yaoyao-jie.” Xiao Shi obediently took Yan Shiyao’s bowl, filled it to the brim with porridge, and set it back down. “Eat a little more.”

Yan Yunning watched Qi Qingchen holding Yan Shiyao’s arm and pressed her lips together. Could she really end up with an emperor for a brother-in-law?

Fafa: [Master, what brother-in-law? You should get Emperor Qi as your husband! ]

Yan Yunning: [?]

Fafa: [Have Xuan Yanyu conquer Qilan, let him be Emperor Qi as your husband for a few days, then Emperor Xuanzhao as your husband for a few days — wouldn’t that be fun?]

Yan Yunning: […]

Yan Shiyao frowned at Xiao Shi. “It’s not necessary.”

Xiao Shi didn’t press further and set the bowl back down on the wooden chair.

“Ningning-jie, have a pastry.” Xiao Shi smiled and picked up a piece of pastry, offering it across to Yan Yunning.

“No.” Yan Yunning showed not the slightest concern for appearances.

First she framed them in every way imaginable, then the Fifth Prince got thrown into the imperial prison by Emperor Qi, and now her whole personality had done a complete reversal — who was she trying to make feel awkward?

Xiao Shi let the smile fade from her face. She had just watched her eat several pieces a moment ago.

Yan Yunning raised an eyebrow, reached across in plain view, picked up a piece of pastry from right in front of her, put it in her mouth, and chewed with narrowed, pleased eyes.

Xiao Shi bit her lip. Fortunately it was Yan Shiyao whom the Third Prince had taken a liking to — even after all that framing, Yan Shiyao hadn’t treated her so coldly. By contrast, Yan Yunning, though she hadn’t been framed nearly as badly, still treated her like this.

If the Third Prince had taken a liking to her instead, she would likely have used his favor to take revenge on her.

“A’Jie, eat a bit more — after the meal, let’s go look for little Yanche.” Yan Yunning freed one hand and picked up a piece of pastry for Yan Shiyao as well.

Yan Shiyao shook off Qi Qingchen’s hand and, smiling, took the pastry Yan Yunning had picked for her, savoring it slowly.

Qi Qingchen pressed his lips together. Why wouldn’t she give him a pleasant look?

Xiao Shi’s fingertips trembled slightly with fury. She had filled Yan Shiyao’s bowl with porridge — she said no need. She had offered a pastry to Yan Yunning — she said no. Now the two sisters ate with great enjoyment, right before her eyes. Was this not deliberate humiliation?

One piece of pastry remained in the dish. Xuan Yanyu moved his chopsticks before Qi Qingchen could reach it. Qi Qingchen brought his wooden chopsticks down on the table with a sharp crack.

Yan Shiyao gave an instinctive shudder.

Xuan Yanyu didn’t deign to look at him. Reaching past Xuan Zhaoarn’s tray, he placed the pastry into Yan Yunning’s bowl.

After that, Qi Qingchen seemed to have set himself against Xuan Yanyu — whatever Xuan Yanyu picked up, he snatched away. Xuan Yanyu ran out of patience entirely. His chopsticks, glazed with broth, came flying at Qi Qingchen’s face.

Xuan Zhaoarn swallowed nervously. Did the Crown Prince still remember this was Qilan? Qi Qingchen was a prince. In Qi Qingchen’s eyes, he was an ordinary person with no official rank or title whatsoever — and yet he had the audacity to provoke a prince?

The greasy chopsticks had landed on his face, smearing him with broth. Qi Qingchen looked at Xuan Yanyu without a word, while the latter leaned lazily back in his chair and began sipping his tea at an unhurried pace.

Xiao Shi slowly edged her chair backward. Did Xuan Yanyu not know the Third Prince’s identity? Did he have a death wish?

She had witnessed the Third Prince in this humiliating state — would she be silenced for it??

Yan Yunning gripped Xuan Zhaoarn’s hand — she was closest — and quietly pulled back. With this many people watching, to humiliate Qi Qingchen so openly — could Qi Qingchen really endure it?

Yan Yunning had barely pulled Xuan Zhaoarn aside when Qi Qingchen drew the dagger at his waist and, just as Xuan Yanyu had flung the chopsticks at him, hurled it straight at his face.

Xuan Zhaoarn’s breath caught. Was Qi Qingchen going to kill the Crown Prince?

The man’s reflexes were quick — he snatched up a dining tray to shield himself. The dagger stabbed into the tray with a clang and clattered onto the round table, spinning.

This only made Qi Qingchen feel more insulted.

If he hadn’t blocked it, it would have been one thing — but by blocking it, it made it look as though he had…

Before he could finish the thought, the dagger he himself had thrown rebounded and drove itself into his own shoulder.

Qi Qingchen stared at the robe now soaked crimson with blood, his vision going dark in waves.

“Bro… brother.” Xuan Zhaoarn’s palms were damp with sweat.

In Qilan, to wound one of their princes — was that really not a problem? Even their Imperial Father would not act so recklessly! Wasn’t this just handing Emperor Qi a pretext to demand concessions from their Imperial Father?

Xuan Yanyu hooked up the corner of his mouth and, with practiced ease, opened Yan Yunning’s pouch, drew out her handkerchief, and wiped his hands clean.

Xuan Zhaoarn pressed her lips together. The Crown Prince had dared to wound Qi Qingchen — he must have the confidence to smooth it over.

“Xuan Yanyu!” Qi Qingchen swayed. “This hall won’t let you off this time.”

Time and again he had been disregarded. He had shown him more than enough tolerance. And now he had actually dared to wound him!

“Third Highness, what exactly are you going to do?” The man’s tone was utterly provoking.

“Wu’an! Get in here.” Qi Qingchen bellowed.

Wuan, standing outside the dining hall, heard the shout and pushed the wooden door open in a hurry, running inside.

Ye Chen and Ye’an exchanged a glance and followed him in.

If Qi Qingchen was shouting like that, ten to one it was their Highness who had driven him to it.

“Your Highness, how did you…” Wuan’s heart dropped.

“Xuan Yanyu stabbed this hall. Go notify the provincial magistrate, have him thrown in the county jail. When this hall’s wound heals, this hall will deal with him personally!” Qi Qingchen pulled the dagger from his shoulder and thrust it into Wuan’s hands.

Wuan, clutching the dagger, rushed out to find a physician.

“Brother?” Xuan Zhaoarn looked at Xuan Yanyu uneasily.

“We’re leaving.” Xuan Yanyu took Yan Yunning’s hand, tilted his head, and signaled Xuan Zhaoarn to follow.

Watching the group walk out of the dining hall without a care in the world, Qi Qingchen was enraged to his very limit. The blood from his shoulder flowed thicker and thicker. After a long struggle, he slowly maneuvered himself onto a wooden chair and sank down, spent.

“Qi… Qi Qingchen?” Yan Shiyao crouched before him and shook the man who had closed his eyes. “It was you who first tried to wound Xuan Yanyu. He dodged it, and you didn’t dodge your own blade — you can’t throw him in jail over this.”

Qi Qingchen opened his eyes and looked down at the girl crouching on the ground, pleading on Xuan Yanyu’s behalf.