Prince Xuan’s eyes narrowed. He said suddenly, “Eunuch Feng — has every word of this one’s conversation with the Qilan Emperor just now been recorded in full?”

Eunuch Feng smiled, eyes crinkling. “Your Majesty, it has been recorded in full, every single word without omission.”

“Then have it brought to the Qilan Emperor to affix his seal — otherwise this one truly wouldn’t dare bring the good nephew back to Xuanzhao.”

He knew Yanyu’s temperament well. If Qilan’s imperial offspring provoked his displeasure, he might very well give the Qilan Emperor’s son a thrashing — and though Xuanzhao currently held the advantage over Qilan in strength, once war broke out, the common people would suffer.

He had given consideration to that very point, which was why he had refrained from making any moves against Qilan.

Even if the Qilan Emperor feared Xuanzhao to whatever degree, having his son beaten would not be something he could swallow quietly — after all, he was an emperor too.

If the tables were turned, and someone had struck his own Yanyu, he wouldn’t even bother asking for a reason — he would strike back immediately.

With an affixed seal, however, everything changed — should Qilan’s imperial son come to any harm while in Xuanzhao, he would have proper grounds to argue the matter with the Qilan Emperor.

The Qilan Emperor stared at the line written on the parchment: “Noted — injuries are of no consequence.” His brow furrowed deeply.

He hadn’t been listening carefully earlier — what exactly did “injuries are of no consequence” mean in this context?

“If the Qilan Emperor refuses to affix the seal, then this one cannot bring the good nephew to Xuanzhao. This one still has affairs to attend to in Xuanzhao, so this one will take leave first.”

The Qilan Emperor’s eyes sharpened, then he smiled pleasantly. “Affix it — Eunuch Jiang, bring this one’s seal and stamp it.”

Prince Xuan stared at the stamped parchment and felt his head begin to ache. He had brought back a source of trouble for Yanyu, and now he still had to coax that insufferable brat into tolerating the Qilan Emperor’s son for a few days — and that brat was not necessarily going to agree.

On the road back to Xuanzhao he would have to think carefully about how to persuade Yanyu — what a headache!

“Prince Xuan has come all this way to Qilan — why not stay for the midday meal before departing? This one will have that unworthy third son summoned, so he can travel back to Xuanzhao with you at the same time.”

“Very well.” Good — this gave him time to think through how to convince Yanyu to tolerate the Qilan Emperor’s insufferable third son for a few days.

“Escort Prince Xuan to the dining hall. This one shall personally receive him.” The Qilan Emperor smiled and instructed his maidservants.

The maidservant dipped into a curtsy before Prince Xuan. “Prince Xuan, please follow your servant.”

Prince Xuan followed the maidservant out through the palace doors. The moment he was gone, the Qilan Emperor’s expression darkened completely. “Investigate — find out whether the Grand Counselor’s residence had any knowledge of the Xuanzhao Crown Prince’s visit to Qilan. Find out every inn and lodging where the Xuanzhao Crown Prince stayed while he was in Qilan — and once you’ve found them, those inns needn’t remain open.”

“Also, summon the Third Prince. This one has several words to say to him.”

That Xuanzhao Crown Prince’s bearing must have been unmistakably extraordinary — and for the inn not to have reported it was inexcusable — they deserved to be dealt with accordingly.

“Your Majesty, if the Grand Counselor’s residence knew — what should be done?” Eunuch Jiang’s expression grew grave.

The Grand Counselor’s residence had two daughters — one was Xuanzhao’s Crown Princess, and the other was the Third Prince’s principal consort.

“Then find some pretext and throw every last soul in the household into the imperial prison.” The Qilan Emperor’s eyes hardened.

The Grand Counselor knew a great many of Qilan’s state secrets — if he harbored any traitorous intentions, he could not be kept.

If Prince Xuan wished to protect him, the only option would be to tear away all pretense.

He had a premonition that Xuanzhao would eventually fall at Yanyu’s hands — it was only a matter of time.

……

The Grand Counselor’s Residence.

Chu Wantang stared at the betrothal gifts and dowry that overflowed the pavilion beyond any capacity to contain, and felt her head might burst with fury.

Several times over — several times over what her Yaoyao had received — and yet the master of the house had actually predicted it correctly. Yan Yunning had married into a far better situation than her Yaoyao.

Xuanzhao’s Crown Prince!

Prince Xuan himself had come to deliver the betrothal gifts in person!

The Qilan Emperor had only sent Eunuch Jiang to deliver Yaoyao’s betrothal gifts, whereas Yan Yunning’s betrothal gifts had been delivered by Prince Xuan personally!

Yan Ruijing stared at the betrothal gifts that couldn’t fit in the hall, and the words Lu Jin’an had spoken flashed through his mind — under any and all circumstances, never move against Xuan Yanyu.

Now he finally understood!

Jin’an had known Xuan Yanyu’s identity all along — that was why he had warned him.

Today, when he saw Ye’an and Ye Chen following behind Prince Xuan, it had all become clear at once — but why would Xuanzhao’s Crown Prince have been rescued by Yaoyao? And why had he stayed by Yaoyao’s side?

And now he had gone ahead and had Ningning invested without so much as informing him, her own father?

Going straight to the investiture — his guess was that informing him would have risked him reporting the matter to the Qilan Emperor, which could have disrupted the investiture or even led to a refusal, making it impossible for Xuan Yanyu to simply take Ningning away. If that had happened, it would have been an open confrontation with Qilan.

It was far better to act first and report after, leaving the Qilan Emperor with no room to drag his feet.

Chu Wantang’s eyes burned red as she fixed her gaze on the betrothal gifts. Prince Xuan had brought many treasures to give the master of the house this visit, saying it was to apologize on behalf of Xuan Yanyu’s inconsiderateness.

She was also Yan Yunning’s “mother” — why had she received nothing?

What she didn’t know was that Prince Xuan had prepared gifts for her as well, but Xuan Yanyu had held them back and refused to allow Prince Xuan to bestow a single item upon Chu Wantang. Prince Xuan had no recourse but to present the gifts to Yan Ruijing alone.

Her Yaoyao had rescued that Xuanzhao Crown Prince — that Crown Prince ought to have married her Yaoyao. How could the Third Prince, who hadn’t even been formally declared heir apparent, compare to Xuanzhao’s Crown Prince? The Qilan Emperor had many sons — even if one were made heir apparent, it counted for nothing until the throne was actually taken. Xuanzhao’s Crown Prince was different — he could only ever be the future Prince Xuan, with no one to contest him.

If she had known Xuan Yanyu’s identity earlier, she would have found some way in that year and more to arrange for Yaoyao to spend the night with him — once Yaoyao was with child, he would have had no choice but to marry her. At least then Yaoyao would have been the one to fare well, made Crown Princess of Xuanzhao.

How had it come to this — how had it come to this?

If only she had treated Yan Yunning as her own flesh and blood.

Chu Wantang’s head was spinning. Nanny Liu steadied her and gestured, “Madam, you still cannot let your emotions run too high in your condition.”

Chu Wantang drew a deep breath and forced down her regret and fury.

……

Xuanzhao — the Crown Prince’s Palace.

Qishan Hall.

“Xuan Yanyu!” Yan Yunning glared at the man who was leisurely twirling his teacup.

“Hasn’t this Crown Prince been perfectly behaved?” Xuan Yanyu raised an eyebrow with a smile.

Yan Yunning trembled as she lifted her hand. “Behaved? Get out!!”

There was a full table of dishes and she couldn’t lift a single one to her chopsticks!

What exactly had he done that was behaved?

“Crown Princess, whatever you’d like to eat, this servant will help.” Xiao Wan smiled at the corner of her lips.

Yan Yunning shrank her hand back and tucked it into her sleeve. How mortifying.

“Shall we go to the Grand Commandant’s residence?” Xuan Yanyu couldn’t suppress a smile.

“Go where? I only want to rest.” Yan Yunning replied with irritation.

Xiao Wan caught a glimpse of the marks on Yan Yunning’s neck and pressed her lips together. The Crown Princess was truly in no condition to venture out of the palace right now — her voice hadn’t fully recovered either, still somewhat hoarse.

“Xuan Yanyu, I prefer the way you used to be.” Yan Yunning met the man’s teasing gaze and furrowed her brow. “Do you hear me?”

At the Garden Estate she had even undressed him herself, and he hadn’t so much as batted an eye — how had he changed so drastically since coming to Xuanzhao?

From the moment the investiture was complete, he hadn’t behaved even once!

Not a single time!

The man took a sip of tea, turned his gaze sidelong, and said nothing.

“Crown Princess, have some autumn pear cake — His Highness the Crown Prince specifically instructed the kitchen to make it. It’s good for your throat.” Xiao Wan picked up a piece of autumn pear cake and held it out toward Yan Yunning.

Yan Yunning’s expression stiffened with embarrassment, a flush creeping up her face.

“Does the Crown Princess not care for it?” Xiao Wan asked in puzzlement when Yan Yunning made no move to take it.

Yan Yunning: “……”

It wasn’t that she didn’t care for it — it was simply that for the foreseeable future, she had no intention of trying to pick anything up with her hands.