“State Preceptor, you must tell me — what exactly are you planning to do?” The Emperor of Qi’s eyes darkened.

Judging by his words, he had no intention of swapping Prince Xuan’s imperial grandson. So what exactly did he want to do?

What was the point of having Yan Shiyao be with his imperial son?

The State Preceptor stretched lazily and asked in return, “Your Majesty, do you truly believe this plan is feasible?”

Why would the Emperor of Qilan come up with such an unreliable scheme?

How could he even think of swapping Prince Xuan’s imperial grandson for his own??

Prince Xuan was no fool. When the child was small it might be manageable, but as he grew older and bore no resemblance to the Crown Prince or Crown Princess, would Prince Xuan not grow suspicious after time??

Furthermore, the Crown Prince was sharp-witted as well — could he really fail to sense whether a child was his own?

“Does the State Preceptor find it unfeasible?” The Qi Emperor curled his lips in a cold smile. “Is the State Preceptor afraid that Prince Xuan and Crown Prince Xuanzhao will discover it?”

The State Preceptor raised an eyebrow.

“This, I have considered. If the eldest young miss of the Yan Family gives birth to a concubine-born son of A’Chen’s, then we make the swap. Before Prince Xuan and Crown Prince Xuanzhao notice anything, my imperial grandson will be established as Crown Prince Xuanzhao — at which point, the State Preceptor can deal with Prince Xuan and Crown Prince Xuanzhao.”

The Qi Emperor’s eyes dimmed slightly. “Give them no chance to notice.”

The State Preceptor clicked his tongue. He was being held in rather high regard.

Those who held him in such esteem were few — Prince Xuan was one, and the Qi Emperor was another. He truly felt honored.

“State Preceptor, do as I say. Otherwise, I will send someone to bring you before Prince Xuan, and your fate will not be a pleasant one.” The Qi Emperor picked up his teacup with a light smile, blowing on it in a contented mood.

“Oh?” The State Preceptor lounged indolently in the sandalwood chair, completely at ease. “Your Majesty, send me back to Xuanzhao to see Prince Xuan right now — I’d rather like to see how he’d deal with me.”

“You——” The Qi Emperor’s smile froze.

“Your Majesty, it is you who must listen to me now. How is it that you can still give me orders?” The State Preceptor tilted his head and rapped on the imperial desk.

“I am the Emperor of Qi. With this attitude of yours, I can issue an edict——”

“Stop. Your Majesty the Emperor of Qi, if you do not wish to cooperate with me, say so plainly. If you do wish to cooperate, then drop all that ‘I decree’ business.”

He had come to the Qi Emperor’s palace and said nothing, deliberately concealing his identity — and the Qi Emperor had filled in the rest himself, assuming he had come to help Qilan seize Xuanzhao. Whatever the Qi Emperor chose to believe, so long as it served his own purpose.

The Qi Emperor drew a sharp breath and pressed down his fury again and again. “Very well. Then tell me as soon as possible, State Preceptor — what do you intend to do?”

Everyone from Xuanzhao was so infuriating.

Once Qilan had taken Xuanzhao, he would deal with this man then!!

“Very well.” The State Preceptor replied perfunctorily. “Arrange a residence for the eldest young miss of the Yan Family. When Xuanzhao’s people come to retrieve her after some time, do not let the Third Prince obstruct them.”

The Qi Emperor nodded hesitantly.

——

Morning — Residence of the Third Prince.

Having finished washing up, Yan Shiyao lay limply across the round table, listless.

“Yan Shiyao?” Qi Qingchen stepped into the hall, his gaze falling on her pale face. He pressed his hand to her forehead. “Are you unwell?”

“Headache,” Yan Shiyao said without energy.

For some reason, she had woken that morning with a severe headache.

Qi Qingchen’s eyes flickered slightly. He bowed his head and moved around behind her, pressing his fingers to her temples in a massage.

Yan Shiyao was startled. She tilted her head back and looked up at the man massaging her temples, his expression layered with complex emotions.

Qi Qingchen was so strange today…

“Your mother — the Emperor has had her released from the imperial prison and arranged for her to stay in a separate residence,” Qi Qingchen said evenly.

Yan Shiyao suppressed the surge of emotion within her. She clasped Qi Qingchen’s hand, the corners of her eyes curving with a smile. “Third Prince, thank you.”

Qi Qingchen smiled and sat down. “Yan Shiyao, wherever you end up from now on, I hope you will be sensible.”

He had no way to defy the Emperor and could only obediently follow the Emperor’s arrangements.

Yan Shiyao laughed. “Is the Third Prince saying he intends to drive me out of his residence?”

That was fine with her. Her mother was safely out of the imperial prison — she no longer needed to remain at Qi Qingchen’s side.

“Yes. In three days, you will go and live elsewhere.” Qi Qingchen turned his face away and looked at her no more.

From the Chancellor’s mansion being raided, to using him to secure the Chancellor’s release — all of it had been within the State Preceptor’s predictions. The State Preceptor had long foreseen that Xuan Yanyu and Yan Yunning would not involve themselves over the Chancellor’s wife, but Yan Shiyao could not possibly stay out of it.

She was bound to do something foolish that would anger Prince Xuan and Xuan Yanyu. For reasons unknown, the State Preceptor was certain that Prince Xuan would spare Yan Shiyao’s life.

And indeed, the State Preceptor had been right — Prince Xuan spared her, then expelled her back to Qilan. With no other option, Yan Shiyao had come to his residence seeking his help, and every step after that had unfolded within the State Preceptor’s plan…

The trap had clearly been set for Yan Yunning and Xuan Yanyu — so why had the State Preceptor seen fit to entangle Yan Shiyao in it?

What would become of Yan Shiyao??

She still carried his child in her womb. What exactly did the State Preceptor intend to use Yan Shiyao for???

“Oh.” Yan Shiyao smiled faintly. She was neither particularly saddened nor particularly pleased.

She had not expected that she and Qi Qingchen would end up bickering and squabbling together for over a month.

“Go and eat breakfast. After the meal, I’ll take you out for a walk.” Qi Qingchen turned back to her, a faint smile pulling at his lips.

“Third Prince, are you unhappy?” Yan Shiyao leaned toward him, her smile carrying a hint of mischief. “Were you scolded by the Emperor?”

“Nonsense.” Qi Qingchen wrapped an arm around her waist and said carefully, “Yan Shiyao, wherever you go in the future — no matter how uncomfortable you feel — you must obtain Yan Yunning’s forgiveness.”

If Yan Yunning forgave her, her life in Xuanzhao would be somewhat easier.

“Third Prince.” Yan Shiyao scoffed. “I am not going to Xuanzhao.”

How would Prince Xuan and Xuan Yanyu ever allow her to set foot in Xuanzhao again?

Qi Qingchen’s lips shifted, as though he wished to say something further, but held back.

“Your Highness, Eunuch Jiang has come to read an imperial edict.” Wu’an had not yet entered the hall when his voice carried inside.

Qi Qingchen released Yan Shiyao and said in a low voice, “Come — let us receive the edict together.”

By custom, everyone in the residence was required to receive the imperial edict. Wishing to avoid trouble, Yan Shiyao followed behind Qi Qingchen and went out to the courtyard. There, Jiang Jin and a crowd of maids and guards were already kneeling.

Yan Shiyao did not step forward. She knelt behind the maids. Qi Qingchen’s brow moved slightly, but he said nothing, stepping forward to kneel on the ground.

Eunuch Jiang caught sight of Qi Qingchen and began reading the edict in good cheer: “By imperial decree, the Third Prince Qi Qingchen, resolute and decisive in all matters, astute and reverently respectful, has earned the deep admiration of his subjects and the people…”

Hearing this, Yan Shiyao’s mind began to buzz. Why was Qi Qingchen being established at this moment??

“He is hereby established as Qilan’s next Crown Prince. The enthronement ceremony shall be held in three days.”

“Your son receives the decree.” Qi Qingchen swallowed his bitterness.

What he had done was right. Had he refused the Emperor, the Emperor — swayed by Xuanzhao’s State Preceptor — would have found another prince, and established that prince as Crown Prince instead…

“Congratulations, Your Crown Prince.” Eunuch Jiang smiled pleasantly and placed the imperial edict into Qi Qingchen’s hands.

“Mm.”

“Congratulations, Your Crown Prince.”

“This servant congratulates Your Crown Prince.”

Jiang Jin and the other members of the prince’s household offered their congratulations to Qi Qingchen.

Qi Qingchen looked past the crowd and glanced at Yan Shiyao. She stood quietly in place with her head bowed, obedient and still. An inexplicable discomfort stirred in his chest.

————

Author’s Note: I’m back! Just a note — the countdown to little Yunning returning home has begun, and the separation is going to be full of heartache!!

Everyone stay calm!!

Because there are still things I want to explore, I’m thinking of writing a historical-era bonus story, followed by the tale of little Yunning returning to the modern world — or perhaps no bonus story at all. What does everyone think?