She recalled now — it had been Fafa who told her that her elder sister was injured. That was why she had run to the medical hall.

She told the man a half-truth. “I just wanted to get out of the palace for a bit, and right as I reached the long street, I spotted Qi Qingchen carrying my sister and rushing in a great hurry toward the medical hall. So I followed.”

Xuan Yanyu pressed his lips together. Yan Yunning could not tell whether he believed her or not. She was about to try and cover the story a little more when the man suddenly said, “Then why were you in such low spirits when you returned?”

After quite a long pause, Yan Yunning finally managed to produce an answer. “Because my elder sister was hurt, and I was upset…”

She could no longer remember why she had been sad…

Xuan Yanyu gave a soft laugh. “Is that so? Crown Princess?”

“It is.” Yan Yunning held her ground and shifted the subject. “So what you’re saying is — the Grand Commandant’s wife is my elder sister.”

“Mm.” The man ruffled her hair gently. “I am sorry, Ningning. Your identity cannot be made public for now. When Father made his promise to your mother before all the ministers — that he would not allow you to marry into the Xuanwang Palace — he…”

“If it cannot be made public, then it cannot.” Yan Yunning said with a smile.

Xuan Yanyu pressed his forehead to hers. His long lashes swept down against Yan Yunning’s cheek; the man blinked, and Yan Yunning, tickled by the sensation, let out a sneeze.

The man, whose face had just received the full impact, underwent a subtle shift in expression.

Yan Yunning swallowed and said in her softest, most endearing voice, “You cannot blame me. I am entirely innocent in this matter.”

Xuan Yanyu lowered his head and wiped his face on her outer robe.

Yan Yunning pressed her lips into a line. “…”

Aware of his gaze resting on her, Yan Yunning leaned against his chest and asked with a bright-eyed smile, “Your Highness the Crown Prince, Father is now trying to bestow upon my elder sister the title of Princess or Commandery Princess — does that mean he is still operating under the same mistaken belief?”

The man’s voice dropped low and quiet. “Yes. Let Father go on believing it.”

Yan Yunning pursed her lips. Father had made a promise before all the ministers not to let her marry into the Xuanwang Palace. Xuan Yanyu was likely afraid that, given Prince Xuan’s existing displeasure over the matter of the side consort, if he were to learn her true identity, he might reveal it publicly — and then her being together with Xuan Yanyu would bring all manner of complications.

The Emperor breaking his word… it was a matter that could be made large or small as suited the moment.

If they were to argue that Prince Xuan had not known her true identity and use that to deflect the ministers’ objections, the ministers would be even more displeased. That the Crown Princess’s identity had not been properly verified before being brought into Xuanzhao — His Majesty Prince Xuan would certainly be accused of incompetence.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, why does Father want to confer a title upon my elder sister? And you went so far as to anger him into leaving.” Yan Yunning reminded him gently, “Now that you have an imperial younger brother on the way, you had best stop provoking Father to anger.”

Properly speaking, since Prince Xuan had made that promise to her mother, the two families’ marriage arrangement should have been dissolved — so why was Prince Xuan insisting that Xuan Yanyu marry her elder sister, and if not as a wife then conferring her a princess title?

Xuan Yanyu’s lips tugged slightly. “In Father’s eyes, Yan Shiyao is the lucky star of Xuanzhao — and of this Crown Prince.”

He had mistaken the wrong person. Ningning was the one meant to be Xuanzhao’s lucky star — his lucky star.

Yan Yunning was taken aback. Did His Majesty Prince Xuan know that her elder sister was the story’s female lead with a touch of golden fortune around her?

Why only a touch? Because after spending all this time with her elder sister, she had never actually witnessed much of that golden fortune in action.

“Why would Father think that?” Yan Yunning could not work it out.

“The Crown Princess has asked far too many questions. That small bribe from before is no longer sufficient — this Crown Prince intends to collect interest.” The man lifted her into his arms and rose, walking in long strides toward the bed.

The attending maidservants, reading the room, withdrew from the inner chamber.

“Xuan Yanyu!!” Yan Yunning gritted her teeth in indignation. It was still light outside, and these were not the Crown Prince’s own quarters — she absolutely did not want to end up drifting, lightheaded and dazed, to the evening meal again!!

“This Crown Prince is here.” The man saw her reddening face and answered with great contentment.

Unable to best him, Yan Yunning gave up all resistance. Like a falling leaf with no say in the matter, helplessly yielding to the autumn wind — chasing the autumn wind, and in the end having no choice but to go wherever it pleased to carry her.

Outside the inner chamber, the maidservants attending their Crown Princess listened to the muffled, trembling sounds drifting through the door, and kept their gazes trained steadily forward without a flicker of expression.

——

At the first quarter of the Dog Hour, within the Taiyi Hall — Prince Xuan, the Empress Xuan, Noble Consort Tong, Noble Consort Lang, and Noble Consort Pei were all waiting for Xuan Yanyu to arrive for the evening meal.

It was not as though they were there by choice — it was simply that if Xuan Yanyu did not come, Prince Xuan would not lift his chopsticks. And if Prince Xuan did not lift his chopsticks, naturally none of them could either.

The Empress Xuan caught the eye of the senior attendant standing behind her and gave a look. The attendant inclined her head and slipped quietly out of the hall.

Prince Xuan sat at the head of the table, brow furrowed in self-reflection. Had he perhaps been too harsh with Yanyu today, and Yanyu, displeased with him, refused to look at him — and so would not come to Taiyi Hall for the evening meal?

“Your Majesty, why do we not go ahead and eat? Yanyu has likely not yet recovered from the chill and does not feel like stirring from his chambers.” The Empress Xuan smiled and made an excuse for Xuan Yanyu.

“Even if he has not yet recovered from the chill, he ought at least to have sent someone to inform Your Majesty.” Noble Consort Pei adjusted the hairpin at her temple and said gently, “Your Majesty, please forgive this consort for being presumptuous — but truly, you have been far too indulgent with the Crown Prince.”

She thought privately that Responding Attendant Wu’s pregnancy had come along at just the right moment. It might just be what was needed to temper the Crown Prince’s arrogance — with something to be wary of, he might finally behave himself and listen to His Majesty.

Otherwise, His Majesty now had more than one imperial son. If the Crown Prince managed to displease His Majesty, he might find the position of heir slipping from his hands.

The Empress Xuan glanced coolly sideways at Noble Consort Pei. “Yanyu told me himself that he was unwell and might not come to Taiyi Hall this evening. How can you say there was no word sent?”

Noble Consort Pei raised her handkerchief to her lips and gave a light laugh. “A moment ago, the Empress Xuan was saying the Crown Prince was too unwell to stir from his chambers, and now you say the Crown Prince told you himself that he would not be coming to the meal. The two of these…”

The Empress Xuan took a composed sip of tea. “Did this Empress not just say as much? Yanyu told this Empress that he might not come to Taiyi Hall for the meal — so naturally the reason must be that the chill has not passed and he is too tired to move about.”

Noble Consort Pei’s smile stiffened.

“True enough — as the Empress Xuan says. When you are ill, you do not feel like moving about.” Noble Consort Tong laughed and picked up the thread of conversation.

Noble Consort Lang also chimed in, “Exactly right — one truly does not feel like stirring when one is unwell.”

Noble Consort Pei clenched her fist beneath the table. One by one they all knew nothing but flattering the Empress Xuan.

“If not indulging Yanyu, should I be indulging you?” Having grown thoroughly tired of hearing it, Prince Xuan fixed Noble Consort Pei with an impatient look. “Whether Yanyu sends word to me or not is not for you to weigh in on.”

“Your Majesty, this consort knows she was wrong.” Noble Consort Pei said pitifully.

Prince Xuan pressed his fingers wearily to the bridge of his nose.

Noble Consort Lang curved her lips inwardly. After all these years, and she still had not learned her lesson.

She had dared to speak against the Crown Prince right before His Majesty’s face — was she not simply inviting His Majesty’s displeasure?

“This subordinate pays his respects to His Majesty and the Empress Xuan — and to the noble consorts of each palace.” Ye’an stepped over the threshold and knelt on one knee, relaying Xuan Yanyu’s message as instructed: “Your Majesty — His Highness is not feeling well. The Crown Princess is keeping him company for the evening meal in the chambers, so they will not be attending the meal at Taiyi Hall.”

“Has a physician been seen?” Prince Xuan asked with concern.

Ye’an answered without missing a beat. “Your Majesty, the physician has already been seen. There is nothing of great concern.”

“I will go and look in on him.” Leaving the evening meal unattended, Prince Xuan rose and made to leave at once.

Without laying eyes on him, he truly could not put his mind at ease.