Yan Yunning: “……”

“I’m right.” The man said with certainty.

Yan Yunning declared with complete self-assurance, “You’re not. I’ll raise them both.”

Xuan Yanyu frowned and looked at Xuetuan, who was licking his own paw, and said with a speechless expression, “You’re going to raise my child alongside that thing?”

Yan Yunning followed the man’s gaze. The puppy spotted her and wagged its fluffy tail, the picture of adorable.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, may I hold Xuetuan just for a moment?” The girl asked with wide, dewy eyes.

“No.” The man refused without even looking at her.

“Alright.” Yan Yunning understood.

She would wait until the little one was born before playing with Xuetuan. After all, this was not the modern era — the puppy had not been dewormed, had not been vaccinated. At the moment, it truly was not suitable for her to hold or play with it.

Xuan Yanyu was somewhat surprised. “I expected you to keep pleading with me. How is it you’re being so obedient right now?”

Yan Yunning pressed her lips to one side.

Xuan Yanyu: “……”

“Your Highness the Crown Prince.” Yan Yunning rested her head on the man’s arm, narrowing her eyes as she asked, “Do you think our baby will take after you more, or me more?”

The man curved his lips in a faint smile. “I hope she takes after you a little more.”

“Hm?” Yan Yunning slipped the writing brush from between the man’s fingers and placed her own hand in his palm, smiling contentedly. “If she takes after me more, aren’t you afraid that the two of us will gang up and make you angry together?”

“Tsk, no matter. I’ll throw you both out.” Xuan Yanyu said languidly. “If I can’t see either of you, I’ll naturally stop being angry.”

“Then just you wait — when you’re old, I’ll let the baby throw you out too.”

“She wouldn’t dare.”

“How would she not dare!!”

Xuan Yanyu pulled Yan Yunning in by the waist and scooped her up, his low, husky voice carrying a smile. “Right now, I’ll throw you out first.”

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, I was wrong — please have mercy!” The girl blinked, looking like a pitiable little puppy.

“Too late.” The man walked forward with unhurried, easy strides.

“This humble one knows her mistake. Could His Highness not find it in his heart to be magnanimous?” Yan Yunning mumbled.

“No.” The man gave a captivating smile.

“Then could I at least be hungry, Your Highness? Might you permit me to finish a meal before being thrown out?” Yan Yunning wheedled pitifully.

“No.”

“Ah…… Xuan Yanyu, you’re so heartless — you won’t even let me eat.”

“That’s right. I plan to starve you.” Xuan Yanyu laughed under his breath.

Ye’an opened the hall doors. Xuan Yanyu carried Yan Yunning and walked steadily away, the sound of Yan Yunning’s indignant protests gradually fading into the distance.

——

Ever since Yan Yunning’s morning sickness had mostly subsided, she had begun to sleep excessively. Having just now woken from a muddled half-doze, Fafa was already urging her along: [Master, you’ve had people watering the ground for two or three days now — aren’t you going to dig it up already?]

Yan Yunning rubbed her eyes. [Mm, in a bit.]

Fafa let out a quiet breath of relief.

One hour later, Yan Yunning set out with Qiuci, Xiao Wan, Xiaoyue, and a whole group of maidservants, making her unhurried way toward the ancient locust tree.

When they were still some distance away, Yan Yunning said with a smile, “You all wait here. I want to go take a look at the locust blossoms on my own.”

“That won’t do, Crown Princess,” Xiao Wan refused.

“Then we’ll all go together.” Yan Yunning had no desire to waste words on it. She was sleepy and wanted to go back and rest. Once she slept, Xuan Yanyu would be back when she woke, and she had asked him today to bring her lotus leaf chicken — she couldn’t let that get away from her. At the thought of it, Yan Yunning licked her lips. She was so hungry.

Fafa said urgently, [No, Master — you can’t let anyone else notice. If they do, you’ll never be able to leave!]

[Hm?] Yan Yunning looked at Qiuci and the others softly, then said, “One quarter of an hour. Come find me after that. Right now I just want to go look at the locust blossoms by myself. If you stay here and I get into any danger, I only need to call out once and you’ll be close enough to hear.”

At this distance, one shout would bring them running. She didn’t dare let them stay too far away.

She had observed this spot over the past few days — no one ever came here, so she could proceed with ease.

Though she wasn’t planning on going home yet, now that the opportunity had presented itself, she still wanted to get her hands on the treasure first.

That way she wouldn’t have to live on tenterhooks, wondering whether she might suddenly be sent home without warning. With the treasure in hand, she could go back whenever she chose.

Xiao Wan hesitated.

“There’s nothing to worry about — what could possibly happen inside the Prince Xuan’s Palace?” Yan Yunning pointed ahead. “It’s very close. If I call out, you’ll hear me.”

Xiao Wan was still uneasy. She singled out two of the more soft-footed maidservants. “You two — go stand beneath the ancient locust tree and each call out twice.”

“Yes.” “Yes.”

The sound reached their ears in no time. Xiao Wan then directed two more maidservants to run back and forth at full speed, and they returned quickly with the first two. Yan Yunning watched them run back and forth several rounds, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly.

“Crown Princess, you may go now. If there’s any danger, remember to call out for us.” Xiao Wan reminded her.

“I know.” Yan Yunning smiled with a touch of resignation.

She walked slowly to the foot of the ancient locust tree, glanced at the wet ground, and immediately turned and walked back.

Fafa asked in bewilderment, [Master, you’re not digging?]

[I’m not digging. If I dig, my hands will be covered in mud.] Yan Yunning moved to take a step and leave — and found herself rooted to the spot. She immediately tried to call out for help and found that not a single sound would come.

Her mind suddenly went back to one time when Fafa had claimed to be helping her, and ended up making her stumble and fall right into Xuan Yanyu’s arms.

[What are you trying to do? Let me go — I’ll go dig.] Yan Yunning could adapt to any situation.

Fafa did not answer. A chill crept through Yan Yunning’s heart.

[I’m not deceiving you. I’ll go dig.]

Fafa: [Master, if you hadn’t brought the maidservants along, I wouldn’t be doing this. I’m helping you get home.]

Its intention had been for her to come alone, but she hadn’t listened, so it had no choice but to do this.

[Fine. Tell me what to do, and I’ll do it immediately. I’ve wanted to go home for such a long time.] Yan Yunning said in a coaxing, placating tone.

Fafa: [The child in your belly cannot stay. Are you willing to part with it?]

Yan Yunning froze, then said, [Of course. Nothing and no one can stop me from going home — you know better than anyone how desperately I’ve wanted to go back.]

Fafa hesitated for a moment.

Yan Yunning continued, [You should have said so sooner. I would have gone to the imperial physicians’ hall and gotten miscarriage medicine long ago. What was the point of tricking me all the way out here with talk of some treasure?]

[But I’m rather curious — does the baby actually affect my ability to go home? There’s no one else here, so the baby wouldn’t be in any danger, would she?]

Fafa admitted honestly, [Master, do you remember how I said at the beginning that if you were gone, you’d be able to go home?]

As for saying there was no one else here — had Pei Shi not been spending these past days looking for an opportunity to punish Master on behalf of Pei Shu Tongtong and strike a blow against His Majesty? Was this not precisely the right moment?

It had given Pei Shi the opportunity. This place was near the cold palace. It told Master there was a treasure under the ancient locust tree, and that she could only come to dig it herself. But the ground was too dry, so Master would naturally have people water it. Someone came to water it every day — Pei Shi only had to ask around to find out. And she could naturally guess that after the ground was watered, Master would come again. She would be watching every single day.

Yan Yunning understood Fafa’s meaning at once. A miscarriage would cause serious damage to the body — and in this ancient era, she might very well……