“First Young Miss, little Ningning is already with child. She and His Highness the Crown Prince have had a quarrel — should we not be encouraging her to return to the Crown Prince’s residence? Surely we cannot be encouraging her to leave His Highness the Crown Prince altogether?”
Lu Jin’an spoke with earnest deliberation. “That is His Highness the Crown Prince we are speaking of, First Young Miss. Things are perfectly fine as they are right now. Ningning carries his child in her womb — how could His Highness ever permit Ningning to leave him?”
Yu Zhi let out a faint, contemptuous laugh. “Nanny Lu, as you yourself said — he is the Crown Prince. How many children could he not have? Today he lets Ningning suffer a grievance; tomorrow he may do the same again.”
“First Young Miss!” Lu Jin’an said evenly. “Do ordinary married couples never suffer grievances? Whether it is Ningning being formally invested as Crown Princess, or the child she now carries — you are well aware of the extraordinary honours His Highness the Crown Prince and His Majesty King Xuan have bestowed upon Ningning.”
“First Young Miss, if Ningning were to lose the title of Crown Princess, and given the state the Grand Commandant is in right now — have you considered whether that might bring trouble upon you as well?”
“As for the Censor, Su Rouqia’s father — why has he not come to the Grand Commandant’s residence to make trouble for you? Is it not because His Highness the Crown Prince has been intervening on your behalf? And why would His Highness do that? Is it not because of Ningning?”
Lu Jin’an let out a long breath. “I once tried to stop things, as the Madam had instructed. But since Ningning herself was willing to marry His Highness the Crown Prince, now we can only…”
“Nanny Lu!” Yu Zhi clenched her fists and fixed her gaze upon her. “I am not afraid of trouble.”
In the past, being bullied by Su Rouqia and Xiao Cheng had been because she could not find Shiqing or Ningning, and she had seen no hope.
She had thought that perhaps one day she would simply go and join their father and mother, and so she had been far too cowardly to make a sound when they wronged her.
But that timid nature was never truly her own. Looking back on it now, she realised how foolish she had been.
Now, seeing little Ningning suffer a grievance, she absolutely could not be so weak and yielding as before. What did it matter that he was the Crown Prince? As long as she could protect Ningning, she was not afraid to die.
Qiuci had said that in a few days, Shiqing would bring the child and Wanyu to Xuanzhao. Even if she herself were gone, Shiqing would be able to look after Ningning.
“First Young Miss, what are you thinking of doing? You must not act rashly.” Lu Jin’an said sternly. “A woman with child always tends to throw little tempers. Wait until tomorrow, when Ningning returns to the Crown Prince’s residence and has a proper talk with His Highness — everything will be fine. Do not meddle.”
Now she understood clearly why the Madam had told her to send Ningning away rather than allow her to marry His Highness the Crown Prince. Even if Ningning suffered a grievance, she could not make a scene with His Highness — she could only endure it alone.
Things had already come to this pass. If Ningning left His Highness the Crown Prince, what would become of her?
Would the imperial family permit Ningning to remarry someone else?
Absolutely not.
Since the founding of Xuanzhao, there had never been a Crown Princess who could dissolve her marriage with the Crown Prince — only Crown Princesses who had been deposed.
First thing tomorrow morning, she would speak with Ningning again. Return to the Crown Prince’s residence, apologise to His Highness, and fulfil her duties as Crown Princess properly.
Ningning still carried His Highness’s child in her womb. His Highness would forgive her.
If it were up to her, Ningning ought to have returned tonight — yet the First Young Miss was glaring at her, forbidding her to say another word.
Yu Zhi knitted her beautiful brows and said coldly, “Ningning has been out all this time. Has His Highness the Crown Prince come looking for her even once? The Crown Princess left the residence, and not a single person noticed?”
Lu Jin’an was a half-beat slow to respond. “Perhaps His Highness knows Ningning is safe, and is simply waiting for her to return on her own.”
Yu Zhi’s eyes were filled with disbelief. “Nanny Lu, you ought to remember your place. You are not a nanny of the Crown Prince’s residence — do not keep speaking on His Highness’s behalf at every turn.”
“First Young Miss, should I be like you instead? What if His Highness the Crown Prince is unwilling to part with Ningning? Would your behaviour not displease him?” Lu Jin’an said with a half-smile. “First Young Miss, be sensible — speak with Ningning first thing tomorrow morning.”
“Nanny Lu, Ningning’s affairs are none of your concern.” A look of displeasure surfaced beneath Yu Zhi’s gentle gaze.
“First Young Miss?” Lu Jin’an furrowed her brows.
“It is late. Go and rest.” Yu Zhi turned her head away, unwilling to spare her another glance.
Lu Jin’an was still thinking of persuading Yu Zhi further, when — with a thunderous crash — the gates of the General’s residence were shoved open by a guard.
At present, only Lu Jin’an and a few maidservants were living in the General’s residence; there were no house guards. Startled by the commotion, Lu Jin’an instinctively moved to shield Yu Zhi.
Yu Zhi, however, cast an anxious glance toward the side chamber.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince?” Lu Jin’an recognised the visitor and pulled Yu Zhi down into a kneel. “We pay our respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince. The Crown Princess is resting in the side chamber; she will return to the Crown Prince’s residence first thing tomorrow morning. We humbly ask Your Highness to forgive the Crown Princess.”
She had also heard what had happened regarding Ruijing, and had been meaning to speak with Ningning about it — to find a way to ask the Crown Prince to bring Ruijing to Xuanzhao. Given her station, she had not been able to see Ningning directly, but this happened to be a good opportunity.
She planned to speak with Ningning first thing tomorrow morning, while the First Young Miss was away. Ningning absolutely had to make His Highness the Crown Prince forgive her.
For her own sake, and to find a way to help Ruijing.
The man’s anxiously held breath finally settled. He blinked his eyes — parched and aching as though raw — and from his throat came a faint, trembling sound. “Ningning… is she all right? Has she seen a physician? Is there anything still troubling her?”
Hearing the low, choked quality of Xuan Yanyu’s voice, Yu Zhi’s eyes went wide with shock.
Xuan Yanyu steadied his breathing, murmuring quietly, “This Crown Prince will go and look in on her.”
“Your Highness, the Crown Princess has only just fallen asleep. Please do not disturb her.” Yu Zhi moved to stop him.
Lu Jin’an secretly tugged at the hem of Yu Zhi’s garment.
Xuan Yanyu’s lashes lowered slightly. “This Crown Prince will be careful and will not wake her.”
Yu Zhi pressed her lips together and said nothing, watching as Xuan Yanyu gently, cautiously pushed open the door to the side chamber.
Inside, Yan Yuning had turned over in her sleep, her fair and rosy little face angled toward the doorway.
At the sight of the girl sleeping peacefully in the bed, Xuan Yanyu crept forward without a sound and crouched beside the bedside. His dark pupils were fixed upon her, unwilling to blink even once.
“This Crown Prince truly wants nothing more than to give you a good thrashing,” the man said, his throat dry.
“If this Crown Prince has displeased you, you ought to have driven this Crown Prince out of the residence — not left it yourself, you foolish girl.”
Xuan Yanyu’s fingertips hovered over Yan Yuning’s delicate face, murmuring softly, “Have you taken note of that? Foolish girl.”
“Never mind. Next time this Crown Prince angers you, if this Crown Prince cannot coax you back to good humour, this Crown Prince will be the one to leave — and you will stay put in the residence, properly.”
By the end, the man’s voice had dropped to a low, plaintive appeal. “You must never leave this Crown Prince behind and walk away on your own again…”
In her half-drowsy state, Yan Yuning felt as though a mosquito were buzzing beside her ear. She buried her face in the light blanket and said, muffled, “Go away.”
Xuan Yanyu froze for a moment, then relented. “This Crown Prince promises you — if you want the child to recognise Qiuci, then let Qiuci be the child’s godfather.”
“……”
Xuan Yanyu repeated it in a low voice once more.
The murmuring would not stop, and Yan Yuning, disturbed by it, opened her eyes slightly. She lifted the blanket and poked her head out. In the darkness, the man’s deep eyes brightened visibly.
Seeing Xuan Yanyu, Yan Yuning was momentarily dazed — unable to tell for a moment whether she was dreaming or awake. She simply turned over, her back to him, and closed her eyes again.
The man slipped off his brocade robe, carefully lifted the blanket, and lay down beside her.
Yan Yuning shifted onto her side and, on instinct, curled toward him. She caught the familiar scent of him, and suddenly her mind sharpened. She opened her eyes and met the man’s smiling gaze, and asked in bewilderment, “Xuan Yanyu, how did you end up here?”