Yan Yunning spoke up at just the right moment. “Don’t worry. I’ll cooperate.”
She wasn’t foolish. Fighting back against them right now would only put herself at a disadvantage — crying and making a scene would be the most foolish thing of all.
Besides, she still had the incense fragrance Warmth Sister had given her. At worst, she would use it to knock them all unconscious.
Liuzi scratched his head.
“Aren’t we going? Lead the way then.” Yan Yunning’s tone was unhurried and nonchalant.
Liuzi: “…”
Panghu: “…”
Xuan Zhaorang curved her lips. “I’ll cooperate with you too.”
Liuzi: “…”
Panghu: “…”
A short while later, Yan Yunning and Xuan Zhaorang were sitting comfortably in the carriage.
Xuan Zhaorang’s eyes curved gently. Her voice was soft as cotton. “Big brother Liuzi, where are you taking us?”
Liuzi hesitated for a good while. “Young miss, that… that…”
He had accepted silver for this — he couldn’t say.
Yan Yunning hooked her lips slightly, reached up to unclasp the purse at her waist, loosened the cord, took out some silver, and extended it to Liuzi. “Big brother Liuzi.”
Liuzi accepted the silver with a cheerful grin. “I’m sending you ladies to the border between Qilan and Xuanzhao. Young miss, could I trouble you both to find an inn there and stay for a few days before coming back? It would make it easier for me to explain myself.”
Yan Yunning looked at the silver in Liuzi’s hand and gave a nod. The silver she had wheedled out of Xuan Yanyu — the silver he had said she didn’t need to return…
The monthly allowance from the Prime Minister’s residence had been withheld by the Prime Minister’s wife, and her father, inattentive as he was, had not noticed she had no money. She hadn’t had the nerve to ask him for it either — they weren’t all that familiar with each other yet.
She realized she had no way to repay Xuan Yanyu’s silver now. She would have to go back and shamelessly ask her father for it. Otherwise, she would have to find some kind of work to earn it back.
“Big brother Liuzi, take us to Xuanzhao.” Xuan Zhaorang blinked her large eyes and said with a smile.
The border between Xuanzhao and Qilan was still some distance from Xuanzhao itself. She needed to return to the palace and inform Crown Prince Brother’s trusted people not to worry about them.
Following Yan Yunning’s example, she reached into her own purse and placed all the silver within it into Liuzi’s hand.
Liuzi stared at the silver poured into his palm, his mouth falling open in astonishment, unable to utter a word for a long moment.
He… he had encountered benefactors. He would never have to be a beggar again.
“Big brother Liuzi?” Xuan Zhaorang raised her voice and called again.
Liuzi tore his gaze from the silver, looked at Xuan Zhaorang with an earnest, simple grin — the excitement still glowing in his eyes. “Young miss, Xuanzhao is impossible for us to enter.”
Xuan Zhaorang pressed her lips into a smile. “Big brother Liuzi, just send us to the entrance of Xuanzhao. That’s all we need.”
The guards at the city gate were Crown Prince Brother’s Imperial Guard. She had seen them a few times during the imperial family’s ceremonial rites. Besides, she had Imperial Mother’s token — when she left the city, they had respectfully escorted her out. How could it be impossible to enter?
“Young miss, Xuanzhao’s screening of outsiders is very strict. For two young women like yourselves to enter the city unannounced — it won’t be easy.” Liuzi sighed.
“Big brother Liuzi, rest easy. I have a way.”
After some time on the road — it was unclear how long — the first faint light began to edge the horizon. Persuasion having proven useless, Liuzi told Panghu to bring the carriage to a stop at the gates of Xuanzhao.
They stepped down from the carriage, and Yan Yunning and Xuan Zhaorang waved goodbye to Liuzi and his companion.
Before the imposing city gates, four guards stood watch to the left and right, clad in dark armor, long sabers hanging at their waists, their expressions stern as they patrolled.
Xuan Zhaorang took Yan Yunning’s hand and stepped forward. The four Imperial Guards dropped to one knee in unison. “We salute Your Highness the Princess.”
“Rise.” Xuan Zhaorang tilted her chin upward.
“Ranran, you… you’re actually a princess?” Yan Yunning covered her mouth, her handkerchief slipping from her fingers, words stumbling out of her.
Fafa: 【Master, you’re overdoing it — it looks so fake~】
【…Quiet.】 It wasn’t as if she’d ever studied acting!
Fafa: 【Save some acting chops for in front of Xuan Yanyu — for the dramatic “shock” of finding out he’s the Crown Prince.】
Yan Yunning: 【…】
Xuan Zhaorang pressed her lips together, picked up the fallen handkerchief, and patted the dust from it. “Ningning, don’t let my identity trouble you. We’re the same as before.”
Yan Yunning blinked, and said softly, “Alright.”
Watching Xuan Zhaorang take Yan Yunning’s hand and move to enter the city, the lead guard’s expression sharpened. “Fifth Princess, you may enter — but this young lady may not. His Highness the Crown Prince has instructed that all non-Xuanzhao nationals must undergo a strict identity verification.”
Yan Yunning: “…”
“Even someone this Princess has brought along won’t do?” Xuan Zhaorang fixed him with a cold stare.
The general dropped to one knee, respectful and yet helpless. “Fifth Princess, these are the Crown Prince’s orders — please do not make things difficult for us.”
“What about a token? Would Her Majesty the Empress’s phoenix token work?” Xuan Zhaorang produced the Empress’s phoenix token and held it out for him to see.
“Fifth Princess, please permit me to ask this young lady a few questions.”
Xuan Zhaorang gave a slight nod.
“Young lady, may I ask your surname? Where are you from? And what is your reason for coming to Xuanzhao?” The general clasped both hands together in a respectful bow.
“Yan Yunning, of the Prime Minister’s residence in the capital city of Qilan.”
“You are the daughter of the Prime Minister’s household?” The general was mildly surprised. “What brings you to Xuanzhao?”
“…” Yan Yunning fell silent.
What brings her? She should ask her older sister that — why did she hire people to send Ranran away, only to sweep her along in the process?
“Miss Yan, if you wish to enter the city, you will need travel credentials. Without travel credentials, you cannot enter.” The general remained unfailingly courteous.
“Why not? Even Her Majesty’s token won’t work?” Xuan Zhaorang narrowed her eyes, furious.
The general’s voice grew ever more deferential. “Fifth Princess, these are the Crown Prince’s orders.”
Nobles or scions of distinguished families without travel credentials — if something were to befall them in Xuanzhao, it would inevitably affect relations between the two nations. Not even the Empress herself being present would change that — let alone a phoenix token. If they were to let someone in privately, they would have no way to answer to the Crown Prince.
“Then what about this token?” Yan Yunning reached into her purse and slowly produced a token, waving it casually before the general.
He kept saying “the Crown Prince’s orders, the Crown Prince’s orders” — then surely his token ought to work?
The front of the token was carved all over with elaborate dragon patterns; the back bore the noble insignia of the imperial family.
The general’s pupils constricted the instant he saw it. “This subordinate greets Miss Yan.”
The other three Imperial Guards dropped to their knees all at once. “This subordinate greets Miss Yan.”
Even Xuan Zhaorang went down on one knee.
Yan Yunning clicked her tongue. This token was that effective?
“Ningning, where did you get this token?” Xuan Zhaorang looked up at her.
Yan Yunning helped her to her feet, smiling prettily. “I thought it looked impressive, so I asked Xuan Yanyu for it. I never imagined his token would be this useful in Xuanzhao.”
During those days when she had been looking after Xuan Yanyu, she had seen this token and found it striking — the carved patterns were exquisite and she had liked it very much, so she had asked if she could have it. He wasn’t carrying it anyway — it was just sitting in a cabinet.
The four guards knelt on the ground drew a sharp, collective breath.
What exactly was this woman’s relationship with the Crown Prince?
She not only addressed His Highness by his given name directly — she had somehow gotten His Highness to give her this token?
Xuan Zhaorang looked at her with a complicated expression, and moved her lips to say, “Ningning, put that token away. Don’t take it out again while you’re in Xuanzhao.”