“I am, after all, Mother’s reluctant choice. I fear Mother may not…” Yan Shiyu’s nose reddened, her voice trembling.

She had heard that Nanny Liu, the wet nurse who attended at her mother’s side, had inexplicably lost the power of speech. With her own wedding drawing near, her mother likely had no mind to spare for her.

Xuan Yanyu’s eyes narrowed, his voice barely containing his irritation. “Do not overthink things. When a legitimate daughter of the Chancellor’s estate takes her leave to be married, the Chancellor’s wife, however unwilling, will not skimp on the dowry. You have said your piece — now go.”

Beneath her sleeve, Yan Shiyu’s hand balled into a fist. Was this his way of mocking her for her shallow understanding — for knowing nothing at all?

“Second Young Miss, Young Master Xuan — Eldest Young Miss invites you to dine at Bixiang Garden.” A young manservant stepped into the room, folding his hands in a bow. “Third Young Miss is there as well, which saves me the trouble of finding her separately. Eldest Young Miss has instructed that Third Young Miss should come along too.”

The corner of Yan Shiyu’s mouth lifted in a gentle smile. “Very well.”

Bixiang Garden was Yan Shiyao’s private kitchen, with a cook personally engaged by their mother — a cook of considerable skill.

Yan Yunning pulled her hand free of Xuan Yanyu’s grip with a light tug and walked out.

She was never letting Xuan Yanyu apply medicine again — he was far too slow.

The weather outside was neither too warm nor too cold — wonderfully pleasant. The setting sun stained the horizon in shades of deep orange and red, and the air was threaded with a faint fragrance of flowers mingled with the smell of earth. Yan Yunning drew in a breath despite herself. It smelled wonderful.

The three of them arrived together at Bixiang Garden and settled into their seats.

“Eldest Sister.” Yan Shiyu bent in a bow.

Yan Shiyao gave a small nod.

The table was set with West Lake vinegar fish, braised shark fin, good-fortune cakes…

The aromas swept straight into one’s nose. Yan Shiyu swallowed, running her tongue lightly along her lower lip. The food she ate at ordinary times was nothing like this.

But Yan Shiyao had not yet lifted her chopsticks, so she dared not either — she could only sit and stare.

When she became mistress of the Marquis’s household one day, all within would answer to her. She would raise her chopsticks whenever she pleased.

Yan Yunning picked up her chopsticks and helped herself to a piece of shark fin.

Yan Shiyu bit her lip. Yan Shiyao had not moved yet, and neither had Xuan Yanyu — yet Yan Yunning had simply started eating. Should she follow suit?

Yan Yunning had just bitten into her shark fin when a thought suddenly struck her — she had forgotten to ask whether Xuan Yanyu had eaten the noodles she made him.

“Xuan Yanyu, did you eat the noodles I made for you this morning?”

Xuan Yanyu cast a languid glance at her, his tone laced with amusement. “Had I eaten them, I doubt I would be sitting here sharing supper with you right now.”

Yan Yunning: “?”

Was she capable of poisoning him?!

Yan Shiyao covered a smile with a quiet press of her lips.

Yan Yunning’s cheeks puffed up. “What a waste of my good intentions!”

“Your good intentions were not fully cooked.” Xuan Yanyu curved his lips, lazily amused.

“…” Yan Yunning fell silent, lowered her head, and quietly ate her meal.

“Yuyan-gege, Qing-gege said we are going to Qingyu Stronghold tomorrow. I have already agreed.” Yan Shiyao’s eyes were soft with a smile.

Xuan Yanyu’s expression cooled slightly. A vein pulsed at his temple. “You are following him again?”

Yan Shiyao lowered her gaze, her lashes quivering.

“What is there about him that is worth an unmarried young lady trailing after him all day?” Xuan Yanyu suppressed his rising irritation.

“Everything about him is worth it,” Yan Shiyao murmured under her breath.

Xuan Yanyu let out a cold, sharp sound. A dangerous light flickered in the depths of his eyes as he repeated slowly, “Everything about him is worth it?”

Yan Yunning pressed a hand to her forehead. The man’s frigid tone sent a chill straight down her spine.

The atmosphere had grown unbearably tense. Yan Shiyu stared at the food on the table, fingers twisting tightly in her sleeve. It seemed she would not be eating today after all.

“I am going back to my room to rest.” Yan Shiyao rose from her seat and left.

Xuan Yanyu’s throat shifted. He spoke evenly. “Get ready tomorrow morning. We go together.”

Yan Yunning pretended not to hear.

She had decided Xuan Yanyu was unlikely to be rid of her now — she certainly was not going to involve herself in the plot’s progression with him.

She wanted to stay at the Chancellor’s estate.

“Yan Yunning.”

“I do not want to. I am not going.” Yan Yunning poked absently at the grains of rice in her bowl.

“You must go.” There was a thread of displeasure in the man’s voice.

Leaving her here at the Chancellor’s estate was something he could not bring himself to do.

“I do not want to go. I am not going.”

“As you wish.” His voice came out cold, his expression darkening by a shade.

“I am going back to my room to rest as well.” Without waiting for Xuan Yanyu to speak, Yan Yunning dashed out of the room.

Xuan Yanyu, furious, kicked the leg of the table. Then he swept his sleeve and strode out in long, heavy steps.

“Clang!” The sound startled Yan Shiyu, who flinched and shuddered.

Bixiang Garden fell into a sudden hush.

Yan Shiyu steadied herself, hesitated for a moment, then picked up her chopsticks and helped herself to a piece of shark fin, chewing it slowly and carefully.

“Your Highness, you wished to see me?” Ye Jian pushed open the door of the side chamber.

“Tomorrow, stay close to A’Yao. Follow her to Qingyu Stronghold and ensure her safety.” Xuan Yanyu pinched the bridge of his nose with a weary irritation.

“Your Highness — and you?”

“This Palace remains at the Chancellor’s estate.” The man’s eyes dropped slightly as he turned the jade archer’s ring on his finger.

Ye Jian dropped to his knees with a thud. “Your Highness, forgive this subordinate for speaking out of turn — but please, you must consider what matters most.”

His Highness was staying at the Chancellor’s estate. One hardly needed to ask why — it was none other than Second Young Miss Yan who remained in the household.

Xuan Yanyu’s hand stilled. His deep eyes narrowed slightly.

“Your Highness, if you are not by Eldest Young Miss Yan’s side, would that not give Qi Qingchen an opening?” Ye Jian ventured carefully.

“It matters not.”

Ye Jian felt a chill settle in his chest. “Your Highness, if Eldest Young Miss Yan and Qi Qingchen were to form a match, how would you explain it to His Majesty Prince Xuan?”

Xuan Yanyu’s throat worked with some difficulty.

“Your Highness, moreover — in the future, you will inevitably return to Xuanzhao, and Second Young Miss Yan is a person of Qilan. In the end, the two of you must part ways.”

Xuan Yanyu’s brow creased. Without a moment’s pause, the words spilled from his lips: “Bring her back to Xuanzhao with us. Confer upon her the title of Princess or Commandery Princess.”

Whatever the arrangement, she would remain at his side.

“Your Highness — Second Young Miss Yan will eventually need to marry.”

Xuan Yanyu’s gaze darkened. “If she wishes to marry, she may marry this Palace. If she does not wish to marry, this Palace will provide for her for a lifetime.”

He would not permit her to marry any other man. He would not permit her to act coy with any man but him. And he would not permit any other man to lay a finger on her.

Ye Jian’s mind rang like a struck bell. He pressed down the shock surging through him. “Your Highness — what if Second Young Miss Yan does not wish to marry you?”

“If she does not wish to marry, then she need not. So long as she remains at this Palace’s side.”

He did not particularly mind whether she married him or not. He found things perfectly agreeable as they were.

“Your Highness — what if Second Young Miss Yan has a man she loves, and she is determined to marry him?” Ye Jian asked with a tremor of apprehension.

The man’s expression turned ice-cold in an instant. A low laugh rose from his chest. “A man she loves? This Palace will not permit her to marry any man who is not this Palace. If she is to marry, she can only marry this Palace.”

Ye Jian stood rooted to the spot as though struck by a freezing spell.

The sky had fallen.

This time it was real.

His Highness was the future heir of Xuanzhao. If he were to show exclusive favor to Second Young Miss Yan in the future, it would certainly provoke the discontent of the great ministers — and there would be trouble.

Should he go and inform His Majesty Prince Xuan? While His Highness had not yet sunk too deep, settle the matter of Second Young Miss Yan before it went further?

“Your Highness, I have been thinking — what if we arranged things like this: I remain at the Chancellor’s estate, while Your Highness accompanies Eldest Young Miss Yan to Qingyu Stronghold?” Ye Jian ventured with caution.

Xuan Yanyu shot him a careless sidelong glance.

“Your Highness, this subordinate swears — not a single hair on Second Young Miss Yan’s head shall come to harm.” Ye Jian’s voice rang with conviction.

A faint glimmer passed through Xuan Yanyu’s eyes.