Yan Yunning’s brow furrowed. [A’Jie is from Qilan. Xuan Yanyu is from Xuanzhao. If Prince Xuan designated A’Jie as the Crown Princess of Xuanzhao, then why did Qiuci say that the Chancellor’s wife has been looking for a match for A’Jie?]

[And could it be Qi Qingchen? Qi Qingchen is a prince of Qilan. How bold would someone have to be — to introduce a Crown Princess already betrothed to Xuanzhao to Qi Qingchen? That makes no sense.]

Fafa: [You’re right, Master. The novel wasn’t clear on this point. There’s no way we could possibly guess our way to the answer.]

In the time it had taken to exchange those few words, Yan Yunning looked up to find that Qi Qingchen and Luo Xuan had already left.

The hidden chamber.

Luo Xuan pressed the switch. A muffled thud resounded, and a black wooden case slowly rose into view.

“A’Chen, will you remember me?” She curved her lips into a smile.

Qi Qingchen’s expression remained detached. His voice held no inflection. “Probably.”

Luo Xuan couldn’t hold back a sardonic laugh. “A’Chen, have you grown so indifferent you won’t even offer me a hollow comfort anymore?”

“A’Xuan, you’re reading too much into it.” Qi Qingchen’s brow furrowed slightly.

Luo Xuan lifted her face, a faint smile playing at the corners of her mouth, and murmured to herself, “Is it worth it?”

She picked up the dagger she had prepared in advance, and without hesitation drew it across her arm. Blood trickled down her pale wrist.

Gritting her teeth against the pain, Luo Xuan opened the black wooden case.

Inside the case, a white medicinal pill was entwined by a jet-black venomous worm.

The worm caught the scent of blood drifting through the air and began to stir slowly, writhing in a manner so bizarre it inspired a deep and inexplicable revulsion.

Luo Xuan raised her arm and brought it gradually closer to the worm. Sensing the presence of the Mother Worm within Luo Xuan’s body, the Offspring Worm crawled up along her arm and burrowed inside.

Luo Xuan picked up the pill — whole and unharmed — and walked to Qi Qingchen with a smile. “A’Chen, look.”

Qi Qingchen looked at her with a complex expression.

Luo Xuan took Qi Qingchen’s hand and pressed the pill into his palm.

The moment Mother Worm and Offspring Worm were reunited, a violent pain tore through her. Luo Xuan bore it, biting down hard on her lip — but in the end she could not contain it. A mouthful of blood burst from her lips.

“A’Chen.” Luo Xuan clutched his sleeve. “I know you’ve been using me.”

The Clan Leader of Taoyuan Manor had guarded the medicinal pill for generations. Each Clan Leader would pass the title to the next, along with the Mother Worm implanted within them — suffering its torment month after month — all to ensure the pill never fell into the hands of evildoers.

The Offspring Worm was wound around the pill, and only the Mother Worm could draw it away. If the Offspring Worm were killed, the pill would be stained with the worm’s blood and rendered useless — so it could not simply be stolen by force.

Now she had violated the sacred duty of Taoyuan’s Clan Leader, drawn out the Offspring Worm, and given the pill to A’Chen.

Would every Clan Leader who had come before her blame her for this?

Qi Qingchen reached out to steady her, his voice coming out slightly rough. “You knew? Then why did you still help me?”

Luo Xuan smiled through her tears, clinging to the last thread of her strength. Her trembling hand reached up to touch Qi Qingchen’s face, and she said softly, “Just now I asked myself whether it was worth it. But then I thought again — yes. It’s you, A’Chen. I do this of my own free will.”

Qi Qingchen wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, his voice thick and subdued. “Thank you.”

Luo Xuan’s fingertip brushed over his lips, lingering with tenderness and reluctance. She struggled to speak. “A’Chen, could you… could you…”

The words never came. A mouthful of black blood spilled from her lips. Her hand fell limp and powerless. Her breathing grew fainter and fainter. “A’Chen, I’m so cold… and it hurts so much…”

Qi Qingchen’s arms tightened around her.

“A’Chen, I’m tired. I want to sleep a little…” Luo Xuan’s eyes drifted shut, and her breathing faded away with them.

Qi Qingchen’s throat worked with great difficulty. He gathered Luo Xuan in his arms and carried her out of the hidden chamber.

Nuonuo had been waiting outside. The moment she saw Luo Xuan, her lips parted and quivered, and she gasped in great shuddering heaves of air.

Luo Xuan lay with her eyes closed, a faint smile at the corners of her mouth, her face utterly serene.

The Clan Leader’s sudden passing spread quickly. A tide of grief swept over all of Taoyuan Manor, and weeping filled the air.

After paying his respects before Luo Xuan’s bier, Qi Qingchen did not linger a single moment longer. He rode hard for the capital at full speed.

Yan Shiyao’s wounds had not yet healed, and she walked with an unsteady gait. Yan Yunning tried to dissuade her gently. “A’Jie, your injuries haven’t recovered. Please go back to the manor first. I’ll bring A’Chen home by myself.”

Xuan Yanyu leaned to one side, squinting slightly against the sun, lifting his eyelids with lazy indolence, but saying nothing.

“Miss Yan, I’ve come — could you tell me where A’Chen is?” Ye Chen came jogging over.

Yan Shiyao turned, her brow creasing lightly. “And you are?”

Ye Chen’s face broke into an open, cheerful smile. He folded his hands in a respectful bow. “I am Ye Chen. I have been hired by the young miss to accompany her and A’Chen back to the manor.”

Yan Yunning’s expression went blank. When had she hired him?

She looked up and stole a glance at Xuan Yanyu. The latter caught her eye and curved his lips in a small smile.

Yan Yunning felt a faint tremor run through her.

“Eldest Young Miss, Second Young Miss.” A young manservant came hurrying over, calling out as he went.

“Afu, why have you come?” A flicker of surprise crossed Yan Shiyao’s eyes.

“In reply to the eldest young miss — the Madam has sent me to request the second young miss to return to the manor.” Afu bowed deeply, his manner respectful.

Yan Yunning lightly moistened her lips. “Did she say why?”

“Second Young Miss, the Madam only said it was urgent and asked you to return to the manor. The specific matter, I do not know.” Afu’s tone was cool, laced with a certain dismissiveness.

“I cannot return just yet.” Yan Yunning gave him a brief glance.

“Second Young Miss, the Madam said that if you are unwilling to return to the manor, she will invite the Old Madam to come to the manor herself.” Afu’s brow instantly knitted together, and his voice grew heavier.

Yan Yunning pulled her lips into a thin, tight smile.

The Old Madam he spoke of was her maternal grandmother. Her grandmother was not Chu Wantang’s biological mother but had been born of her maternal grandfather’s secondary wife and was placed under her grandmother’s care. The two women had never gotten along.

Her grandmother was elderly and could not withstand the exertion of making the journey back and forth.

To say that her grandmother would be brought to the manor was, plainly and simply, a threat.

“Ah—!” A piercing cry. Afu stared at the dagger embedded in his shoe. His legs buckled, and he crumpled to the ground.

A bone-deep agony shot straight from the sole of his foot to the top of his skull. Afu’s pupils dilated instantly, and cold sweat rolled from his forehead.

“Afu.” Yan Shiyao’s expression shifted.

Yan Yunning stared at Xuan Yanyu in a daze, a split second of confusion flashing through her.

Was he venting her anger on her behalf?

The man’s posture was unhurried. He lifted his eyelids at an almost imperceptibly slow pace, as though he had nothing whatsoever to do with the dagger that had just been thrown.

Ye Chen’s gaze moved subtly. He ventured, “Miss Yan, shall I bring A’Chen back while you return to the Chancellor’s Manor?”

Yan Yunning pressed her lips together. “I’ll trouble you, then. A’Chen is still in the room.”

If Chu Wantang wanted her back and she delayed, there was every chance she would send someone to bring her grandmother.

Ye Chen smiled easily, his tone casual. “Think nothing of it.”

He was following His Highness’s instructions in any case.

“E— Eldest Young Miss.” Afu’s face had gone the color of chalk, his voice rattling with shivers.

Xuan Yanyu languidly brushed a hand over his robe. His voice came out faintly cold. “Well then, get up. Were you not sent to escort the second young miss back to the manor? Why are you sitting on the ground?”

“Young Master Xuan, what has Afu done to offend you?” Cold sweat poured from Afu in the agony of his wound.

All it takes is a handsome face to win the eldest young lady’s favor, and suddenly he gets to look down on the rest of us?

Xuan Yanyu curved his lips slowly, and with deliberate ease drew the dagger out of Afu’s foot. He tapped the bloodied blade against Afu’s cheek. “Hmm? I don’t like what you’re saying. What should we do about that?”

“Ahhh—!” The moment the blade was pulled free, Afu screamed. His body convulsed beyond his control, the pain driving him almost to unconsciousness.

Yan Yunning looked at the blood on Afu’s face and wrinkled her nose slightly. She felt a little sick.

Yan Shiyao took one look at Xuan Yanyu’s ruthless expression and instinctively stepped back a large pace.