He could never bear to truly flick her ear.

“It was too.”

“Then This Seat was wrong.” The man tilted his head lazily and presented his own ear to her. “Take your revenge yourself.”

“Never mind.” Yan Yunning curved her lips. “This Consort is magnanimous and will not bother arguing with you.”

“Oh?” Xuan Yanyu hooked the corner of his mouth. “This Seat is petty, and wants you to bother.”

“…Are you ill?” Yan Yunning gave him a sidelong glance. “Your Highness the Crown Prince, once the portrait session is done later, I will accompany you to the Imperial Medical Bureau to have the Imperial Physicians treat this raving affliction of yours!!”

The man waved it off with a dismissive hand. “There is no need. But This Seat thanks the Crown Princess for her kind concern, nonetheless.”

“No need for what? Xuan Yanyu, you simply must see an Imperial Physician!!”

Xuan Yanyu raised an eyebrow. “This Seat will not argue the point with you.”

“Xuan Yanyu, you might as well exasperate me to death.”

“Do not say such things. How could This Seat bear to?”

“Be quiet.”

Xuan Yanyu: “…”

By the time Xuan Yanyu and Yan Yunning had bickered their way to the Portrait Hall, Prince Xuan and the Empress had already been seated for quite some time.

The painter sat upright before his sandalwood drawing board, repeatedly mixing gamboge yellow to capture the luster of the fabric.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, Crown Princess, please follow me this way.” A maid smiled and performed a curtsy. “His Majesty would like to have a portrait done with the Empress first. In the meantime, please have yours done as well.”

“Alright.” Yan Yunning nodded and followed the maid into the adjoining chamber.

The window was broad, and morning light spilled across the entire wall. Yan Yunning looked at the two sandalwood chairs ahead — both were bathed in gold from the light. Seen in that light, when she and Xuan Yanyu sat in them, the gold thread along the edges of their formal robes would catch the glow.

Once the painter had paid his respects, he asked the two of them to be seated.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, am I beautiful?” Yan Yunning smoothed a strand of hair, then patted down her garments.

Before having a photograph taken, she always made a habit of tidying up — afraid of not looking her best. A portrait even more so required careful preparation. She worried the painter might render her unflatteringly.

The man looked her over carefully. She adjusted her phoenix hairpin and blinked at him, asking, “Do I look nice?”

“Tch — you can pass.”

“Xuan Yanyu!!” Yan Yunning ground her teeth and twisted his ear, warning him, “Say it properly!!”

“You asked This Seat, yet you will not permit This Seat to speak the truth?” The man smiled as the corner of his lip curved.

“Move away. I refuse to be in the same frame as you.” Yan Yunning turned her head aside, and inexplicably her side profile carried a hint of grievance.

“You look beautiful. This Seat will stop teasing you.” Xuan Yanyu circled his arm around her, his voice dropping to a soft, low register. “In This Seat’s eyes, no woman can compare to you. To This Seat, you are the most beautiful.”

Yan Yunning squinted her right eye and stole a glance at him, then said with deliberate provocation, “In my eyes, Your Highness the Crown Prince is not the most beautiful.”

“Who do you think is more beautiful than This Seat?” The warmth in the man’s eyes dimmed.

“Naturally, the person in my heart who matters more than you.” Yan Yunning said with a slight air of defiance.

“Did you not say This Seat was the most important? Who in your heart matters more than This Seat? Is it a man?” Xuan Yanyu’s fingers curled around the dagger at his waist.

The painter set down the two rough sketches he had just completed, his hands trembling as he placed them on the tray.

He did not know if these two outline drafts — one of the Crown Princess tugging on His Highness’s ear, the other of His Highness encircling the Crown Princess to coax her — would make His Highness angry when he saw them. If so, he simply would not apply color.

Yan Yunning did not answer, deliberately intent on provoking Xuan Yanyu.

Xuan Yanyu stared at her in silence.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, sit properly. Once the portrait is done, we must still go have one done together with Father Emperor and Imperial Mother.” Yan Yunning acted as though she had not seen the man’s expression, smiled, pushed him aside, and settled herself primly in her seat.

Xuan Yanyu sat with a dark expression and glanced toward the direction of the drawing board.

The painter’s fingertips trembled. He quietly removed the paper, and replaced it with a fresh sheet.

Yan Yunning curved her lips slightly. She took hold of Xuan Yanyu’s hand where it rested on his knee. He said flatly, “Release This Seat.”

“Oh.” Yan Yunning obediently let go.

“You…”

She was listening to him so readily now — how come when he had asked her just now, she had not listened obediently and answered him?

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the man sulking in brooding silence. Yan Yunning’s smile deepened.

For the better part of two hours, Xuan Yanyu did not exchange a single word with Yan Yunning.

He would, however, frequently turn his eyes toward her — passing her water, offering her fruit — yet refusing to speak to her.

The painter dipped his brush into indigo, tracing the fine lines of Yan Yunning’s brows and eyes with care, then dipped again into gold powder to outline the dragon robe on Xuan Yanyu. In the portrait, the man’s gaze rested on the woman with her brilliant, radiant smile.

The painter exhaled soundlessly. He had done his best — and could only render His Highness in a side profile.

His Highness had not once properly looked in his direction. His eyes had been fixed on the Crown Princess the entire time, so in the end he had simply painted His Highness as he was.

Once they had finished the portrait with Prince Xuan and the Empress, the hour for the midday meal had already passed. The portrait required color and shading to be rendered, and the hair ornaments of both the Crown Princess and the Empress were extraordinarily elaborate — at the earliest, a finished piece would be ready in just over a month.

So Yan Yunning did not feel pressed to rush the man while he was still simmering, to go before Prince Xuan and ask for their portrait to be hung in the Crown Prince’s manor.

“Who is the person in your heart more important than This Seat? Is it a man?” Xuan Yanyu could not hold back any longer and asked.

Yan Yunning tilted her chin up, gave a soft, sweet smile, and simply would not open her mouth.

“Did you not say that if you had something to ask, you would speak up in the future?” The man said with an air of quiet grievance.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, I do not wish to answer you right now. And whose fault is it? Yours, for saying I could barely pass!!” Yan Yunning held a grudge.

“That was not what This Seat truly felt.” Xuan Yanyu blurted out.

Yan Yunning raised an eyebrow. “And that was not what This Consort truly felt either. You are very important to me — very, very important. There is no one who matters more to me than you.”

The man clearly did not believe her. “You are just saying that to appease This Seat.”

Yan Yunning spread her hands open. “You do not believe me?”

“This Seat will look into it myself.” Xuan Yanyu tightened his grip on the dagger.

Yan Yunning caught his gesture. She took a slow, deep breath. If there truly were someone who mattered more to her than him in her heart, would he go and do away with that person?

“Come along for the midday meal, you two.” Prince Xuan turned and smiled at Yan Yunning, beckoning to her. “Ningning, are you very hungry?”

“I am alright.” Yan Yunning smiled and looked up, falling into step beside the Empress.

Xuan Yanyu had passed her some pastries just now.

“Come along — why are you still standing there?” Prince Xuan turned back and looked at Xuan Yanyu.

“I am not hungry. I will not go.” The man turned and walked at a brisk pace in the opposite direction from the Taiyi Palace.

“Absolutely spoiled!!” Prince Xuan was so incensed his chest heaved.

Yan Yunning touched the tip of her nose. She had made him angry — she would go and coax him in a little while.

“Your Majesty, Yueer likely has matters to attend to.” The Empress said gently, soothingly rubbing Prince Xuan’s back, and quietly winked at Yan Yunning.

“Yes, Father Emperor. His Highness the Crown Prince just told your son’s consort that he still has memorials left to review.” Yan Yunning explained.

“Him? Go back to review memorials?” Prince Xuan’s lips twitched. “He went in the direction of the Imperial Prison.”

Most likely he had quarreled with Ningning and, unable to let it go, gone off to the Imperial Prison — the prisoners locked up for serious crimes in there would be trembling in their boots the moment they saw Yueer.

Yan Yunning kept her expression perfectly composed. “His Highness the Crown Prince said he would go to the Imperial Prison first, and then go review the memorials.”

Prince Xuan made no move to expose Yan Yunning’s words. He sighed and said, “Let us go then. Time for the meal.”

“Yes.” Yan Yunning glanced in the direction Xuan Yanyu had gone and followed Prince Xuan and the Empress.