Xuan Yanyu’s heart was gripped by waves of stinging, bitter pain. “It is not your fault. You did nothing wrong. Ningning, you blame yourself for wandering off alone, for not bringing your maidservants. You’re so clever — think about it. Even if you had brought your maidservants, even if you hadn’t gone wandering off, if Pei Shi had the intention to harm you, she would have found another way.”

“It wasn’t your fault at all — it was Pei Shi. It was her malicious nature. Don’t blame yourself. You did nothing wrong.”

“No, Xuan Xixi, that’s not right…” Yan Yunning trembled all over. “If I hadn’t wandered there, Pei Shi never could have reached me. She simply… simply could never have reached me…”

The man was silent for a long while before he said, “It was this lord who brought you into the palace, and this lord who failed to stay by your side. The fault is mine.”

“No… it’s not…” Yan Yunning was becoming somewhat incoherent.

“Ningning!” Xuan Yanyu set her down, then turned and pulled her into his arms. He said, his voice muffled, “You didn’t wander anywhere. Wherever you go is not wandering. In Xuanzhao, there is nowhere you are not permitted to go.”

“Xuan Xixi… I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry…”

Yan Yunning sobbed without restraint, clutching Xuan Yanyu tightly, the words “I’m sorry” falling from her lips in an unbroken murmur.

A look of pain flashed through Xuan Yanyu’s eyes. He soothed the girl who was crying herself toward unconsciousness with soft, gentle words. “It’s alright now. It’s alright.”

Yan Yunning’s emotions collapsed entirely. She cried until she couldn’t catch her breath, her chest suffocatingly tight, and an aching pain began to radiate through her abdomen.

Xuan Yanyu cupped her small tear-drenched face in his hands, his voice soft. “Ningning? Ningning?”

Before he could even begin his words of comfort, Yan Yunning’s vision went black, and she wept herself into unconsciousness in his arms.

——

When she opened her eyes again, Yan Yunning stared up at the brightly lit sleeping chamber. She… had fainted again?

“Ningning.”

“Xuan Xixi…”

Both spoke at the same moment. Taking in the red-rimmed, bloodshot eyes of the man, Yan Yunning turned her face away.

Xuan Yanyu leaned against the edge of the bed, his voice hoarse and raw as he pleaded, “The child has gone, and he’s gone. But can you… can you stop frightening this lord? Don’t be sad anymore — please. Please.”

Hearing the man’s barely restrained sobbing, Yan Yunning’s heart gave a sharp pang. “Alright.”

In the weeks that followed, Yan Yunning did not shed another tear. She spent her days with a smile, just as she had been before. After staying by her side for those weeks, Xuan Yanyu gradually set his heart at ease and began attending court again.

He threw himself into the preparations for their grand wedding ceremony.

Yan Yunning had just finished selecting her bridal garments when Xuan Yanyu, who had returned from court, walked into the chamber carrying Xuetuán.

“Xuan Yanyu!” Yan Yunning “rescued” the little thing from the man’s grasp and soothed it gently.

“Woof.” The little thing grabbed at Yan Yunning’s sleeve, wagged its tail, and barked furiously at Xuan Yanyu.

“Oh?” Xuan Yanyu grabbed the little thing up by its ear again. It squirmed and wriggled, licked its paw, then looked toward Yan Yunning with pitiful, imploring eyes.

Yan Yunning laughed and tapped it on the head. “Today I won’t take your side. Who told you to be fierce to Xuan Xixi?”

Xuetuán seemed to understand — or perhaps it was simply because Yan Yunning hadn’t taken it into her arms right away — but it drooped its head and rubbed its nose against the man’s palm as a gesture of goodwill.

“Tsk.” Xuan Yanyu picked Xuetuán up and looked at the little thing staring back at him with wide round eyes. “Wherever did Ye Chen find a dog pup smarter than him?”

Behind them, Ye Chen’s lip twitched. It seemed he had just been insulted by His Highness…

Yan Yunning broke into peals of laughter. She took the little thing from Xuan Yanyu, rubbed its fluffy little belly, and glanced toward Ye Chen with a teasing look. “Keep it up. Work hard so that next time His Highness the Crown Prince praises you for being smarter than Xuetuán.”

Ye Chen: “……”

He had the distinct sense that the Crown Princess’s barb had cut even deeper than His Highness’s.

“Ningning, the wedding date is set for mid-next month.” The man sat down, accepted the cup of tea that Ye’an handed him, and took a sip.

Yan Yunning’s color drained from her face. Composing herself, she walked to the man’s side with a smile, blinking at him. “Your Highness the Crown Prince, that soon? I’m not prepared at all.”

“You need not prepare a thing.” Xuan Yanyu hooked his arm around her waist and pulled her into his embrace. He pressed a scorching kiss to the side of her face and said languidly, “All you need to do is get up a little earlier that day. This lord has only one requirement: you are not to sleep in on that day.”

“……” Yan Yunning tugged at Xuetuán’s ear, pouting. “Xuan Yanyu, I’m nervous.”

“What are you nervous about?” The man raised an eyebrow. He pressed his lips close to her ear, his voice ambiguous. “The wedding night of candles and joy — there’s no reason to be nervous about that, surely?”

“……” The tips of Yan Yunning’s ears flushed faintly.

“What the imperial physicians advised, this lord has not forgotten. In the future, this lord will make it up to you with a proper wedding night of candles and joy.” Xuan Yanyu took a strip of dried meat and used it to tease Xuetuán.

Yan Yunning: “……”

“Woof, woof.” Xuetuán jumped about restlessly in Yan Yunning’s arms.

“Xuan Yanyu, it’s only right that Xuetuán doesn’t like you. If I were Xuetuán, I’d be even worse.” Yan Yunning watched as Xuetuán desperately wanted to snatch a bite of the dried meat strip, while the man deliberately refused to let it succeed.

“You are indeed worse than Xuetuán. Xuetuán merely barks at this lord a couple of times. You, on the other hand…” The man touched his throat, his voice carrying a hint of laughter. “Does Your Highness still remember what the Imperial Princess said — about some audacious little insect that dared to bite this lord?”

“……” Meeting the man’s half-lidded gaze, Yan Yunning pretended she hadn’t heard a thing.

Xuan Yanyu let out a soft laugh. He held the strip of dried meat right up to the little thing’s mouth. The little thing, which had been hopping about eagerly for that very meat just a moment ago, wagged its tail and turned its head away, full of dignity.

Yan Yunning looked toward Xuan Yanyu in amusement. “Your Highness the Crown Prince, you’ve gone and made it angry.”

Xuan Yanyu raised an eyebrow. His gaze slid slowly to Xuetuán. The little thing bared its teeth. Without a moment’s hesitation, he reached out and flicked it on the forehead.

“Woof, woof woof…”

The little thing raised its paw and glared at Xuan Yanyu with fierce, babyish indignation.

“Make peace with it.” Yan Yunning, her eyes curved with amusement, passed Xuetuán over to Xuan Yanyu’s arms.

The little thing looked up at Xuan Yanyu, and immediately settled down. It obediently lay in his arms and nuzzled against the back of his hand in a bid for favor.

Yan Yunning clicked her tongue.

It really did know how to read a room better than Ye Chen.

Xuan Yanyu patted its head. The little thing stopped barking and was entirely well-behaved.

Yan Yunning: “……”

“Take it away.” The man tossed Xuetuán over to Ye Chen.

The little thing kicked its stubby little legs in fright as it flew through the air, landed in Ye Chen’s arms, and immediately barked again at Xuan Yanyu.

Ye Chen pinched Xuetuán’s mouth shut. It really was all bark and no bite — but it was leaning on the wrong person for support!! He was not the Crown Princess!! You can’t just lean on anyone!!

Xuan Yanyu shot Xuetuán a glance. He picked up a damp handkerchief and carefully wiped Yan Yunning’s hands clean, then wiped his own hands as well, looking rather disdainful of Xuetuán’s antics.

“Woof…”

Xuetuán, who had been about to bark again, had its mouth pressed shut by Ye Chen, who quickly carried it out at a brisk pace.

“Ha ha ha, why does Xuetuán always put on that fierce little act with you?” Yan Yunning curled up in Xuan Yanyu’s arms, laughing heartily.

“How would this lord know.” The man smiled and tapped the tip of her nose, then added, “Probably spoiled rotten by you.”

“Have I done that?” Yan Yunning tilted her head and looked at him.

“Mmm.” Xuan Yanyu rested his chin on her shoulder, his voice dropping considerably lower. “Yes. If it weren’t for the fact that you adore it, and it spent all day barking the moment it laid eyes on this lord — this lord would have long since thrown it out.”

“Crown Princess, the medicine has gone cold. Would you like to take it now?” Xiao Wan quietly interrupted the two of them.

She still felt deeply, deeply regretful…

If only the Crown Princess had not miscarried — when the little young master was born in the future, would he, too, have taken advantage of the Crown Princess’s favor to bully His Highness?

——