She would never let Pei Shutong’s petty-hearted mother choose a husband for her — she would choose for herself!

And she wanted someone who could hold his own against the Chancellor’s household!

She had already set her sights on a candidate. Now it was simply a matter of arranging an “accidental encounter” to become acquainted.

——

Xuanwang Palace — Crown Prince’s Bedchamber.

After bathing, Yan Yunning lay listlessly on the bed, a faint discomfort in her abdomen. The maidservant Xiao Wan was gently rubbing her belly for her. Xiaoyue was crouched beside the bed, holding a bowl of congee, from which Yan Yunning sipped in small spoonfuls with a wooden ladle. As for the man who had refused to let her go just moments ago, he had wrapped his arms around her after she bathed before heading off to the imperial study.

“Crown Princess, are you feeling any better? Should this servant fetch a physician, or shall I inform His Highness the Crown Prince?” Xiao Wan asked with worry.

“No need.” Yan Yunning swallowed a mouthful of congee. The discomfort had already eased somewhat.

It was probably because she had not eaten properly, and her energy had been greatly depleted, which was why she had felt unwell.

Having finished the bowl of congee, Yan Yunning wiped the corner of her mouth, then suddenly thought of something. [Fafa! Fafa!! Fafa!!!]

Fafa replied with a touch of exasperation: [What is it?]

Yan Yunning cleared her throat. [Fafa, can you detect whether I am with child?]

If the month was too early for a physician to read her pulse, Fafa surely could!

Counting the days since her first night with Xuan Yanyu, it had been roughly twenty-odd days. Her monthly cycle was not due until the end of the month, so there was no way to determine anything yet.

Fafa: […]

[Fafa???] Yan Yunning casually pulled the brocade quilt over herself.

Fafa hesitated for a moment, then said, [Mistress, I cannot detect that.]

Yan Yunning turned over contentedly. [Then what exactly can you do?]

Fafa: […?]

“This servant greets the Crown Princess. Noble Consort Pei has sent someone with an invitation for you to join her for a meal.” The maidservant waiting outside came in to report.

“Noble Consort Pei?” Yan Yunning closed her eyes. “Go out and tell her I have already retired for the night.”

“Crown Princess, the head attendant who came to deliver the message said the Empress of Xuanzhao is also present.”

Yan Yunning’s brow furrowed slightly. “Is that so?”

“That is what the head attendant told this servant.” The maidservant answered honestly.

“Crown Princess, will you be going?” Xiao Wan tidied Yan Yunning’s fine robe.

“No. Say that I have retired for the night. I will go to the Empress’s chamber first thing tomorrow morning to pay my respects.”

“This servant understands.” The maidservant set down the potted plant she was holding and prepared to withdraw.

“How unusually vibrant this flower looks today.” Xiaoyue murmured to herself.

Yan Yunning glanced sideways at it — dark crimson petals, the stems dyed black, with flecks of dark violet at the pistil.

Placed by the window, when the breeze came through, a faint fragrance drifted through the room. It was not an unpleasant smell, but the appearance of the flower was rather unsettling.

“The people from the Bureau of Internal Affairs said this is a new variety, and it was sent to His Highness the Crown Prince first.” The maidservant explained.

After all, within the Xuanwang Palace, even His Majesty himself had said he was less important than the Crown Prince, so any new and novel item was delivered to the Crown Prince’s residence first.

“Take it out and place it in the main hall.” Yan Yunning looked at the flower and gave an inexplicable shudder. “When the Crown Prince returns, ask him if he likes it. If he does not, have it thrown out entirely.”

“Yes, Crown Princess.” The maidservant lifted the potted plant and slowly withdrew.

——

Imperial Study.

The Xuanwang glanced sideways at Xuan Yanyu. “That day I mentioned I had something important to discuss with you, then you fell ill, so I never brought it up again. The Qi Emperor, citing Chancellor Yan’s mistaken counsel and the significant financial losses that resulted for Qilan, has issued a decree to have the Chancellor’s household raided.”

“He has had Chancellor Yan and his wife imprisoned in the Detention Tribunal, and along with them, the Chancellor’s eldest son has been stripped of his title and rank and is forbidden from leaving Qilan.”

Xuan Yanyu’s expression turned cold. “Mistaken counsel? What advice did Yan Ruijing give the Qi Emperor? And has the Qi Emperor lost his mind? If the proposed strategy seemed unsound, why would he implement it according to Yan Ruijing’s suggestion anyway?”

The Xuanwang’s eye twitched slightly.

Xuan Yanyu continued coldly, “Did the Qi Emperor deliberately fabricate a pretext in order to get Qi Qingchen back? Or was it because I had been staying at the Chancellor’s household, and he mistakenly assumed the Chancellor was colluding with Xuanzhao?”

“Both.” The Xuanwang took a calm sip of tea. “The Qi Emperor did not implicate anyone else in the Chancellor’s household — only the Chancellor and his wife were imprisoned. The common people of Qilan are now all praising the Qi Emperor as a virtuous ruler.”

“Furthermore, before I had even conferred the title upon Youle, the Qi Emperor had already issued a decree annulling her betrothal to Qilan’s Third Prince. It appears he has no intention of letting Chancellor Yan off lightly.”

He had avoided involving others — not out of restraint, but out of fear. Had he done so, the Yan Chancellor’s lineage would not have let it rest. This way, he preserved a fine reputation while keeping the other ministers in check.

Then, in due time, some other “discovered” charge would be brought against Chancellor Yan, and he would be sentenced accordingly.

Xuan Yanyu’s expression darkened. “Use Qi Qingchen to exchange for Yan Ruijing’s release.”

Yan Ruijing had treated Ningjing well enough. For that reason alone, she could not be left to his fate.

The Xuanwang was mildly startled. “That is precisely what I wanted to discuss with you — who to exchange. If you secure Yan Ruijing’s release, what of the Crown Princess’s mother? I will not agree to you using Xuanzhao as a bargaining chip with the Qi Emperor.”

None of the others in the Chancellor’s household had been implicated. Only the Chancellor and his wife had been thrown into the Detention Tribunal. The Qi Emperor would not be treating them well in there — they had likely already suffered considerably.

The day the Chancellor and his wife were sent to the Detention Tribunal, he had received word of it. He had deliberately not rushed to negotiate with the Qi Emperor, precisely because he wanted to leave the Qi Emperor to stew for a few days.

He wanted the Qi Emperor to understand that even locking away the Crown Princess’s father and mother would not move him in the slightest.

There was no need to use this matter to negotiate terms with Xuanzhao.

He had sent word of Qi Qingchen’s insults toward Yanyu to the Qi Emperor, and within a few days, the Qi Emperor had found a pretext to imprison the Chancellor and his wife — a direct provocation against Xuanzhao.

So he had also moved without hesitation to confer the title upon Shiyao, without so much as informing the Qi Emperor beforehand.

“No. Yan Ruijing shall be exchanged using only Qi Qingchen.” Xuan Yanyu said calmly.

The Xuanwang sighed. “My son, even if Yan Ruijing is released from the Detention Tribunal, the rest of his life in Qilan will not be easy.”

A Chancellor who had committed errors and been imprisoned — one could only imagine.

Finding any sort of livelihood would be exceedingly difficult.

Without a salary, and even if Yanyu were to provide him with a monthly allowance, could he endure the pointing fingers and whispered judgments of others?

“Father, this son will personally travel to Qilan and bring Yan Ruijing back to Xuanzhao.”

Yan Ruijing had treated Ningjing as his own daughter. For that alone, she could not be abandoned.

Going openly was out of the question — the Qi Emperor would never permit it. But he could use the same method by which Lu Jin’an had come to Xuanzhao and bring Yan Ruijing across the border.

“Absolutely not.” The Xuanwang’s eyes darkened. “The Qi Emperor now knows your identity. If you go to Qilan again, your father will not allow it.”

If something were to happen to Yanyu, what would become of Xuanzhao?

“Father, I would not go in the near term. I will wait some time, until the Qi Emperor’s guard has relaxed, and then retrieve Yan Ruijing and bring him back to Xuanzhao.”

The Xuanwang’s gaze deepened, his expression darkening. “No. Send several of the Imperial Guards instead. Your father will absolutely not permit you to go to Qilan again.”

“Very well.” Xuan Yanyu relented.

The Xuanwang exhaled in relief — he had truly feared that this unruly son of his would dig in and argue.

“As for the Chancellor’s wife, what are your thoughts? If you ignore her, won’t the Crown Princess make trouble for you?” The Xuanwang asked.