Prince Xuan let out a disgruntled snort.

Xuan Yanyu stared at the pastries on the plate for a moment, then held the plate out to Ye Chen. “Go and set them down before the Imperial Father.”

He would have the imperial kitchen prepare another portion when he left the palace later.

Ye Chen took the glazed plate and respectfully placed it on the imperial desk.

“Imperial Father, if there is nothing further, your son takes his leave.”

“Stop.” Prince Xuan softened his tone. “My son — just one day. Would that not do?”

One day would at least be enough to give the Emperor of Qi an acceptable answer.

“It would not.” Xuan Yanyu said reluctantly. “Half an hour is possible.”

Prince Xuan ground his back teeth and yielded. “Half an hour it is, then.”

Better than nothing at all.

Which generation of Xuanzhao’s rulers had ever been this put-upon?

“Then your son takes his leave.”

“Stay in the palace tonight. I will have the Prince of Qilan brought in, and you will go entertain him.” Prince Xuan said in advance. “Surely you cannot expect me to entertain him myself?”

Xuan Yanyu raised an eyebrow. “Imperial Father, your son fears that Qi Qingchen will be unable to eat his meal in peace upon seeing your son. Would it not be better to forgo the entertainment?”

“Do not make excuses for me. On the first day, you must at the very least receive him properly.” Prince Xuan picked up a pastry and held it out to him. “Would you like one?”

Xuan Yanyu said not a word and waved his hand.

Prince Xuan gave a cold snort and took a fierce bite of the pastry in his own hand.

Watching Xuan Yanyu turn and walk out of the Imperial Study, Prince Xuan narrowed his eyes at Chief Eunuch Feng. “Go and summon the Crown Princess to the palace as well. Have her accompany the Empress of Xuan to a meal.”

With the Yan girl in the palace, that little brat would not abandon the Prince of Qilan and walk away midway.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Chief Eunuch Feng set down his teacup and withdrew.

Prince Xuan sighed and casually picked up a memorial to flip through. His gaze fell upon the blank margins — covered in the man’s arrogant, unbridled brushwork — and he trembled with rage from head to toe.

“Xuan Yanyu! Unfilial wretch!!”

What was this about secondary consorts being useless in greater numbers — kindly refer to his own Imperial Father?!

He dared to mock him?!

“Your Majesty.” A maidservant’s hand trembled as she held the tea.

“Get out.” Prince Xuan flung the memorial in his hand across the room.

If an imperial grandchild did not come soon, that little brat would be the death of him!

……

Summoned to the Empress of Xuan’s bedchamber, Yan Yunning stood properly to one side, listening to Prince Xuan lodge his complaints against Xuan Yanyu before the Empress of Xuan.

The Empress of Xuan was also rather put out — after all, it was His Majesty who had raised Yuner from childhood, and now he was pointing the blame at her again.

“Do you know what that little wretch Yuner has been doing?”

Every single memorial submitted regarding secondary consorts had been annotated in a manner that was entirely out of order.

“If Your Majesty does not tell me, how would this consort know?” The Empress of Xuan’s tone was gentle.

Prince Xuan shot a glance at Yan Yunning. Yan Yunning pressed her lips together. Was he not supposed to be talking about Xuan Xixi? Why was he glaring at her?

The Empress of Xuan helplessly soothed Prince Xuan’s temper. “What has Yuner done this time to put Your Majesty in such a state?”

Prince Xuan’s brow furrowed sharply. “I asked him to humor the Prince of Qilan for a few days, and he refused. As for the memorials the ministers submitted regarding the selection of secondary consorts for the Crown Prince — the annotations he wrote were complete nonsense.”

He truly did not know whether having Yuner marry Yan Yunning had been the right decision.

Which ruler of Xuanzhao had ever been without consorts?

Since the founding of Xuanzhao, there had never been such an outrageous matter!

Yan Yunning was jealous and possessive, wanting Yuner to favor only her — and yet Yuner indulged her in this.

The reason he had agreed to Yuner and Yan Yunning’s marriage was also because he had known that sooner or later, with only one person at his side, Yuner would grow weary. He needed only to wait.

But now, with his nonsensical annotations in the memorials, he would certainly stir the ministers’ discontent.

The Empress of Xuan smiled softly. “Your Majesty, please do not be angry. Allow this consort to have a proper talk with Yuner. And Ningning — when you return, speak to Yuner as well.”

Yan Yunning’s eyes grew faintly distant. What was she to say?

Convince Xuan Yanyu to take secondary consorts?

Prince Xuan shot a glance at the Empress of Xuan. “There is no need. What I have said today must not reach Yuner’s ears. Those who violate this order will be dealt with according to palace rules.”

If the Empress Dowager also went to speak with him, and his Crown Princess as well, Yuner would certainly resent him as a father for being loose-tongued.

Moreover, it was Yan Yunning herself who had told Yuner not to take secondary consorts — sending Yan Yunning to persuade him would yield who-knew-what results.

“This consort understands.” The Empress of Xuan turned her gaze gently and softly instructed the matron, “Serve the meal.”

The matron who received the order curtsied and withdrew from the palace.

“Your Majesty, Ningning — let us go be seated.” A smile spread at the corners of the Empress of Xuan’s lips.

Yan Yunning nodded and followed behind Prince Xuan and the Empress of Xuan into the main hall.

……

In the side hall of Taide Hall — the place within the Prince of Xuan’s Palace specially reserved for receiving honored guests — Qi Qingchen sat with all the will to live drained from his face, staring at the man in the main seat who held a wine cup, savoring his wine in resplendent imperial yellow robes.

Xuan Yanyu… he was actually His Highness the Crown Prince of Xuanzhao?!

How could he be the Crown Prince?!

How could a person like him be the Crown Prince?!

“Is the Third Highness dissatisfied with Xuanzhao’s cuisine?” Xuan Yanyu watched his stunned expression with a sidelong gaze.

“No. I am very satisfied.” Qi Qingchen took a sip of wine, concealing the astonishment in his eyes.

“Good.” Xuan Yanyu raised his wine cup toward him with elegant grace, his tone languid and pointed. “Third Highness, I hear from the Imperial Father that you wish to study under this Crown Prince? Tsk — has Qilan run out of tutors, that the Third Highness must come all the way to Xuanzhao to study under this Crown Prince?”

“Or perhaps there is no one in all of Qilan who can surpass this Crown Prince, so you had no choice but to come?”

Qi Qingchen clenched his teeth and forced his breathing steady. “Your Highness the Crown Prince jests. Qilan’s tutors are all exceptionally accomplished. Coming to Xuanzhao is simply a matter of mutual exchange.”

Xuan Yanyu’s eyes drooped to half-mast as he took a light sip of wine. “There is no need for that. This Crown Prince spent over a year in Qilan — there is no reason for further mutual exchange with you.”

Qi Qingchen let out a soft scoff. “Your Highness the Crown Prince concealed your identity while in my Qilan. What was your purpose?”

The man’s voice carried a casual smile at its tail. “Naturally, it was for this Crown Prince’s Crown Princess.”

Qi Qingchen laughed quietly. “Your Highness, before your Crown Princess was brought back to the estate, you were already residing at the Prime Minister’s manor. What was your true reason for condescending to come to our Qilan?”

Xuan Yanyu swallowed his wine, his throat moving in a leisurely roll. “Being at the Prime Minister’s manor early — that was simply this Crown Prince waiting for the Crown Princess to return home, taking the opportunity to acquaint myself with the Crown Princess’s family first.”

Qi Qingchen’s voice turned cold enough to cut bone. “Your Xuanzhao is truly despicable — and you most of all. Infiltrating the Prime Minister’s manor with impure motives — how can a person like you govern Xuanzhao properly?”

He dared to speak this way knowing that Xuan Yanyu could not touch him here in Xuanzhao. Otherwise, he would have no way to answer to his father. After all, he had been brought to Xuanzhao by Prince Xuan personally — they could only receive him with deference.

The man’s knuckle-prominent fingers gave the wine cup two slow turns. The next instant, the cup flew from his hand and struck Qi Qingchen squarely on the forehead.

“And what purpose did you come to Xuanzhao for? Purely to study? Do you not also have ulterior motives?” Xuan Yanyu took a fresh cup and raised it to his lips with unhurried indifference.

Qi Qingchen braced himself against the sandalwood table, squinting against the pain. Wu’an stepped forward and dabbed at the blood at the corner of his brow.

“Xuan Yanyu — you dare to injure this Highness?” Qi Qingchen made no effort to conceal the murderous intent in his eyes.

Xuan Yanyu looked at him with genuine puzzlement. “Third Highness — why would you believe that after you insulted this Crown Prince and Xuanzhao, this Crown Prince would simply endure it?”