Xuan Yanyu looked toward her, the corners of his mouth curving involuntarily. “This Highness finds it rather pleasing.”

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, do tell me — which part exactly looks pleasing?” Yan Yunning’s gentle tone carried a distinct warning.

Xuan Yanyu’s eyes curved with amusement. The gold and diamond-encrusted wine cup spun idly between his fingers as he half-reclined with languid elegance against the rosewood chair, inviting trouble as he said, “Every part looks pleasing.”

Yan Yunning raised a brow. “If Your Highness has not had his fill today and cannot say exactly which part looks pleasing, then stay in the palace and take your time looking. Do not bother coming home.”

The man leaned back further against the sandalwood chair and laughed quietly. “Yan Yunning, it is this Highness’s Crown Prince Residence — you are forbidding this Highness from returning. Is that appropriate?”

“What is inappropriate about it?” Yan Yunning snatched the wine cup from his hand and kicked him lightly. “Your Highness the Crown Prince, do sit up properly and watch the performance attentively.”

“Never mind watching. This Highness will not watch anymore.” The man reached out and draped an arm around her shoulder, casting a glance below. “Every palace banquet is the same jumping about. This Highness has long grown tired of it. This Highness was only teasing you.”

“……Jumping about?” Yan Yunning’s mouth twitched slightly.

“Is it not?”

Bouncing here and there across the floor — he had disliked watching it since childhood. And yet his Imperial Father adored it, so no palace banquet was ever without it.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, if they were to jump about for you in a different manner, would you never grow tired of it?” Yan Yunning’s bright eyes held a smile.

The man lowered his gaze and studied the girl teasing him. “If you were the one jumping about for this Highness, this Highness might not grow tired.”

“Might not grow tired?” Yan Yunning pursed her lips. The music was rather loud, so fearing he could not hear clearly, she deliberately raised her voice. “Your Highness need not force yourself — even if you begged me, I would never jump about for you!!”

Xuan Yanyu: “……”

The flute and xiao music came to an abrupt halt. In the great hall, only Yan Yunning’s words — “Your Highness need not force yourself — even if you begged me, I would never jump about for you!!” — echoed through the air.

The bewildered gazes of everyone present turned toward Yan Yunning. She lowered her head in discomfort.

This was mortifying!!

Why did the flute have to stop at exactly that moment?!

Xuan Yanyu cleared his throat with a fist, visibly ill at ease under the collective stare as well.

Xiao Wan clenched her fingers tightly. How could the Crown Princess, in front of His Majesty the Xuan Wang, Her Highness the Xuan Empress, and all the consorts of every palace, create such an embarrassing scene?!

“What is this about Yanyu begging you, and jumping about what?” The Xuan Wang turned his gaze to ask.

Yanyu had even begged her, and she still would not agree?!

Yan Yunning said nothing, her finger secretly tapping the back of Xuan Yanyu’s hand, signaling him to respond to the Xuan Wang.

“Imperial Father.” Xuan Yanyu picked up the wine vessel from the table and poured a cup for the Xuan Wang. “Your son offers you a toast.”

Seeing through Xuan Yanyu’s attempt to change the subject, the Xuan Wang shot him a look, but his hand had already unconsciously accepted the cup he held out, and the two clinked cups.

“Fifth Elder Sister, somehow I feel that Elder Brother Crown Prince is very indulgent toward Crown Princess Sister-in-Law,” the Ninth Princess said, tilting her head to look at Xuan Zhao Ran.

Just now, what Crown Princess Sister-in-Law had said to Elder Brother Crown Prince was clearly very brazen — yet her mother had told her that the Crown Princess was chosen by Imperial Father to be beneficial to Elder Brother Crown Prince, that there was not much love between them.

Without love, could he be so indulgent toward Crown Princess Sister-in-Law in such a brazen manner?

She did not believe it. Had not Noble Lady Wu been punished precisely because she offended Crown Princess Sister-in-Law?

Her mother had said that was Imperial Father deliberately putting on a show for the outside world.

“Mm. Yueyue, Elder Brother Crown Prince cares very much for Ning — for Sister-in-Law.” Xuan Zhao Ran took a bite of soy-braised beef. At noon, Jiang Xian had said he was choosing a gift for his elder sister and had called her out of the palace.

They had finally finished choosing, and she had wanted to eat, but then a guard informed her to return to the palace for the banquet. By now she was nearly starved.

It had not been a wasted trip out of the palace, though — Jiang Xian had chosen quite a few lovely items for her.

She would pick out some things another day and send them back to him. A kindness for a kindness.

“Oh.” The Ninth Princess, Xuan Zhao Yue, nodded, then continued, “Fifth Elder Sister, Mother told me……”

“Yueyue, let us eat. If we keep talking, your Fifth Elder Sister is going to faint from hunger.” Xuan Zhao Ran swallowed her food and cut her off.

In a little while Imperial Father would make a speech, and then she could no longer keep her head down eating. While Elder Brother Crown Prince and Imperial Father were drinking together, she had best eat as much as possible now.

“Your Majesty, Noble Lady Lin requests an audience outside.” A guard’s voice came from beyond the hall.

“Summon her.” The Xuan Wang’s brow and eyes barely concealed his delight. Today, his imperial son was drinking with him; his mood was good, so he would overlook Noble Lady Lin’s breach of propriety.

A moment later, Noble Lady Lin entered the great hall carrying a little princess, her face blossoming with a radiant smile. “This subject and the little princess pay respects to Your Majesty and Her Highness the Xuan Empress.”

Having said so, she then greeted each of the other consorts in turn.

“Your Majesty, the little princess made a fuss wanting to see Your Majesty. This subject spent half the day trying to soothe her and simply could not manage. Your Majesty must not blame this subject for not knowing the proper rules~” Noble Lady Lin’s voice was soft and sweet, the ending note especially alluring.

Today’s palace banquet was of a rank she had no standing to attend. The reason she had come to join in was precisely because she knew that with the little princess present, His Majesty would not fault her.

The Xuan Wang’s eyes deepened with amusement. “No fault. Add a seat for Noble Lady Lin and the little princess. Chief Eunuch Feng, bring the little princess up here for Us to see.”

“This subject and the little princess thank Your Majesty.” Noble Lady Lin smiled, handed the little princess into Chief Eunuch Feng’s arms, and followed a maidservant to take a seat at the far end of the great hall.

Yan Yunning looked at the deliberately adorned Noble Lady Lin, then glanced at the docile little princess in Chief Eunuch Feng’s arms, and leaned close to tease Xuan Yanyu softly, “Xuan Xixi, your imperial little sister is quite remarkable — still swaddled, and already knows to go looking for her father.”

Separated by Xuan Yanyu, the Xuan Wang, whose hearing was exceptionally keen, felt the smile on his face stiffen somewhat.

Noble Lady Lin’s little schemes having been laid bare, the Xuan Wang no longer had the heart to look fondly at the little princess.

Displeased, the imperial countenance darkened. Noble Lady Lin felt a flutter of unease in her heart. Had it not been perfectly fine just a moment ago?

Why had His Majesty’s expression changed so suddenly?!

“Take her down.” The Xuan Wang’s voice was slightly cool.

Yan Yunning pressed her lips together. Were all emperors so fickle in their moods?!

The bewildered Chief Eunuch Feng carried the little princess back to Noble Lady Lin.

Xuan Yanyu picked up the golden chopsticks and passed them to Yan Yunning, his expression one of helpless amusement. “Ningning, eat.”

Yan Yunning gripped the golden chopsticks. With the Xuan Wang’s face darkened and everyone sitting in perfect, rigid composure, how could she possibly dare to eat at a moment like this?!

She turned to look at Xuan Yanyu. He had already picked up a bowl of bird’s nest congee and was sipping it unhurriedly.

The Xuan Wang’s entire person radiated a frigid air. The great hall had fallen so silent it was uncanny — and he could still drink it?!

For a time, the only sound in the hall was the soft clinking of porcelain bowl against porcelain spoon.

Xuan Zhao Ran stared at the food before her and pressed her lips together. Had she known, she would have eaten a couple more bites just now — well, it was too late for that now.

Yan Yunning quietly set down the golden chopsticks.

Xuan Yanyu did not urge her. Even if he tried, she would not be able to eat in this tense atmosphere. He accepted the square cloth handed over by Ye’an, dabbed the corners of his mouth, and said, “Imperial Father, your son still has matters to attend to. Please permit Ningning to accompany your son as we return to the residence first.”

“What matters do you have? Are you busier than Us?” The Xuan Wang slapped his hand against the imperial table.

Xuan Yanyu shot him a glare.

“Give Us back Our imperial chefs!!” The Xuan Wang gave a cold harrumph.