——

Ten days later, Xuan Yanyu ascended the throne, bringing Xu Mochen to remain by his side.

Prince Xuan did not pay it much mind. So long as Xuan Yanyu’s emotions no longer collapsed, he let him keep the child close.

After ascending the throne, Xuan Yanyu first deployed his forces to conquer Qilan, then systematically took down every territory that could pose a future threat to Xuanzhao, ensuring the kingdom would face no danger in the years ahead. He then issued a decree relinquishing the title of Prince Xuan to Xu Mochen, who had not yet reached his tenth year.

By the time Prince Xuan received the decree, Xuan Yanyu had long since departed for Taoyuan Manor. He pushed open the door of the familiar guest room, and in his ears rose Yan Yunning’s laughing voice:

“Xuan Yanyu, let me borrow a room for the night, won’t you?”

“Or else you could lend Ye Chen to me.”

“Xuan Yanyu, are you asleep? Keep me company and chat a while.”

“Xuan Yanyu, I’m hungry…”

A girl crouching beside the bed, her gaze settled on the man lying quietly on it — and he heard his own voice, resigned and helpless: “What do you want to eat?”

His chest constricted with pain. Xuan Yanyu stepped back out of the guest room, tilted his head toward the clear blue sky, and could not control the trembling that seized him.

He steadied his emotions and made his way to Qingyu Village, gazing at the rugged mountain path, where he seemed to see Yan Yunning’s look of utter disbelief.

“Ningning, we’ll climb the mountain ourselves.”

The girl moved her lips speechlessly.

“Xuan Yanyu, I’m tired. I don’t want to walk anymore.”

“I’ll carry you on my back.”

“I’ll carry you on my back,” the man murmured quietly to himself.

He watched the girl smile brightly and leap onto his back, asking him over and over, “Xuan Yanyu, are you tired? If you’re tired, just put me down.”

The day he pulled her down the mountain, a woman with a deathly pale face lay in the middle of the mountain path. The hand the girl had been holding tightened around his by several degrees.

“Xuan Yanyu, I’m scared.”

“Don’t be afraid. I’ll go ahead to take a look. You wait here.”

“Alright.” The girl had obeyed and stood quietly in place.

Xuan Yanyu smiled, wiping the tears that fell unbidden from the corners of his eyes, then turned and made his way to Yuanjin Manor.

At the marketplace, he seemed to see again the old woman selling tiger-head shoes, blessing their child — “May the young master and young miss’s child know no disaster, no illness. May each year bring peace, and may their life be smooth and carefree from beginning to end.”

The girl had smiled gently and said, “Thank you, Grandmother.”

Xuan Yanyu pressed his hand over his heart, struggling to draw each laboured breath.

“Young master.” The old woman selected a pair of tiger-head shoes and walked smiling toward Xuan Yanyu. “I won’t take any silver. These are a gift for you and the young miss’s child. That day the young master gave too much silver. Since we have the fortune to meet again today, this old woman will give them to you both.”

“Thank… thank you.” The man clutched the tiger-head shoes tightly, his heart aching so much he could barely breathe.

“Didn’t the young miss come to the market today?” the old woman asked, smiling warmly.

Xuan Yanyu stuffed the tiger-head shoes back into the old woman’s hands, staggered, and turned to run.

Having walked once more through every place they had visited together, Xuan Yanyu finally made his way to Chaxi Town.

It was the place where Yan Yunning had first arrived. The rice paper said she would find a way to come back to see him, and so here he would wait — wait for her to return to see him…

He would wait for her just this once. If she came back, he would not hold it against her that she had slipped away without a word.

The afternoon sun fell across the man’s figure. He clutched the crumpled rice paper tightly in his hand, his fingertips ceaselessly tracing over the words “Xuan Xixi, I will find a way to come see you.”

Day after day, he did not know how long he waited. He waited until his eyes closed at last, and still his little young woman never came.

The rice paper was carried away by the wind. Within the sound of the wind, the faint shadow of the man’s aggrieved complaint could be heard: “Yan Yunning, you truly were heartless enough to never come to see me even once…”

After the darkness of night, the sun slowly rose. The long street began to fill with liveliness again. Today was another fine day.

——End of Ancient Storyline Main Text——