Why did she keep changing the subject every time the name Yu’er came up?

Xuan Zhaonan rubbed the tip of her nose. “Mother Empress, I… I didn’t see the Crown Prince brother.”

Ningning had the Crown Prince’s token, but she wasn’t entirely sure whether Ningning actually knew his identity. If she didn’t, it was better not to let it slip ahead of time — she didn’t want to make her Crown Prince brother angry. Come to think of it, she probably didn’t know — that day when she entered the city she had said, “I never expected his token to be this useful in Xuanzhao.”

Though it still didn’t quite add up — if Ningning didn’t know, then why had she produced the Crown Prince’s token at all?

Yan Yunning raised an eyebrow.

The Empress sighed. She had no idea when her Yu’er would return.

……

Elsewhere, Yan Shiyao had learned that Yan Yunning had gone missing, and she could not suppress her rising anxiety. Yanyu-brother was nowhere to be found either — after he and Elder Brother Qi had brought her back the previous night, he had left again without resting a moment.

She had known Yanyu-brother for over a year now. Nothing had ever made him so urgently restless — except Ningning. She rushed in a panic to Ningning’s room and found it just as she feared: Ningning was gone.

She had only asked them to take Zhaonan away — how had her Ningning disappeared too? If something had happened to Ningning, how could she ever forgive herself?

What should she do? What should she do?

Right — the border crossing between Qilan and Xuanzhao. She had to go find Ningning there. Ningning had such a timid heart; she was probably frightened out of her wits at this very moment.

Yan Shiyao wiped her tears and ran out to hire a carriage.

By midday, the carriage reached the border between Xuanzhao and Qilan.

Wilderness stretched along both sides of the road. Yan Shiyao searched from noon until dusk — not a single soul in sight.

She had left in such a hurry that she had not eaten; her stomach now ached with hunger.

“Ningning.” Yan Shiyao’s eyes brimmed with helpless, misty tears.

The sky darkened gradually. In the shadows, faint footsteps drew closer. Yan Shiyao peered into the empty wasteland around her and swallowed with difficulty.

The footsteps grew nearer. Yan Shiyao’s heart leapt to her throat. Teardrops rolled down her cheeks with each shuddering breath.

“Why are you crying?” A cool, pleasant male voice sounded close to her ear.

Yan Shiyao lifted her head. Her lips moved without sound. The man before her wore a mask — she could not make out his face.

“One doesn’t go looking for someone alone.” The man sighed with resigned exasperation.

Yan Shiyao pressed her lips together and stuttered, “You… who are you?”

How did he know she was searching for someone?

The man did not answer; instead he changed the subject. “It’s getting late. I’ll take you to an inn.”

Yan Shiyao’s lashes fluttered. She did not know who he was or why he had appeared so suddenly — she could not simply follow a stranger.

“I won’t hurt you. Don’t be afraid.” His voice was gentle.

Yan Shiyao hesitated.

The man spoke again: “Unless you’d rather spend the night out here?”

Yan Shiyao shook her head.

“Then follow behind me.”

A glimmer moved through Yan Shiyao’s eyes. After a moment’s hesitation, she slowly lifted her foot and fell in step behind the man.

Hearing the footsteps behind him, the man gave a soft, quiet laugh.

Watching Yan Shiyao step through the inn’s entrance, the man called out to her one last time: “The one you seek is unharmed. Don’t go looking again.”

Yan Shiyao was startled — she had just begun to ask how he knew, when the man had already vanished. Why did his voice sound so strangely familiar?

……

In the solemn grandeur of the great hall, Prince Xuan sat upon his throne — carved from rosewood in the form of nine golden dragons. Along both sides of the hall, ministers in formal ceremonial hats stood in rank according to their office.

The Chancellor stepped forward to memorialize: “Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince has been absent from Xuanzhao for over a year. This subject implores Your Majesty to issue a decree recalling the Crown Prince.”

The Minister of Finance stepped forward in turn. “This subject implores Your Majesty to issue a decree recalling the Crown Prince.”

“We implore Your Majesty to issue a decree recalling the Crown Prince.” A sea of ministers knelt to the ground.

Prince Xuan’s face darkened. He said in a low, grave voice: “We have tasked the Crown Prince with a matter of great importance — one that bears upon Xuanzhao’s future. There is no need for further discussion.”

“Your Majesty, what matter requires the Crown Prince’s personal attention? We, your ministers, are willing to undertake it in his place, to spare His Highness and relieve Your Majesty’s concerns.” The Chancellor bowed respectfully, his tone sincere.

“We are willing to act in His Highness’s stead, to relieve Your Majesty’s concerns.” The ministers bowed in unison.

“I want a royal grandson — how do you propose to help me with that?” Prince Xuan’s fist struck the armrest of the dragon throne with a thunderous crack.

Every minister in the hall bowed their heads and held their breath.

This… there was truly nothing they could do about that.

The Chancellor summoned his courage to speak: “Your Majesty, is there any woman in our Xuanzhao who is not superior to the women of Qilan? Your Majesty, why must you…”

Prince Xuan swept his sleeve wide, his entire bearing radiating icy displeasure. “Are you questioning Our judgment?”

He saw through it immediately — all this elaborate preamble was simply the man trying to push his daughter into the Crown Prince’s residence.

“Your Majesty, this subject would never dare.” The Chancellor’s expression shifted abruptly, his face flooding with alarm.

Prince Xuan pressed his fingers to his brow. They would truly be the death of him with their incessant pestering.

“Your Majesty — Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince has returned.” A guard stationed outside the hall rushed in to report.

Prince Xuan leapt to his feet, barely able to contain his excitement. “My son has returned?! Where is he now?! Did he come to see Us first?!”

The guard’s spine went rigid; his already bowed head sank even lower. “Your Majesty… His Highness has gone in the direction of Ranle Palace.”

“Quickly — quickly — set out for Ranle Palace at once!” Prince Xuan strode outside at an urgent pace.

Eunuch Feng trotted close behind the Prince, pausing just long enough to call back at the assembled ministers: “Court is dismissed!”

“We respectfully send off Your Majesty.” The ministers dropped into a full ceremonial bow in unison.

“Chancellor, what are we to do?” The Minister of Finance sighed.

He wanted to place his daughter in the Crown Prince’s residence — but His Majesty had made it clear that the Crown Prince would not take any secondary consorts until his principal consort had entered the residence. His daughter was already past twenty. If she waited much longer, all the desirable matches would be taken, and she would only be fit to become a concubine. Yet waiting for the Crown Prince was no guarantee he would ever choose her.

The Chancellor’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Why the panic?”

The Minister of Finance bit down on his back teeth. That was easy for him to say — throughout the generations, the Princes of Xuanzhao had always chosen a daughter from the Chancellor’s household to enter the palace as a consort, to consolidate the throne.

“Now that the Crown Prince has returned, the Crown Prince’s residence will become lively indeed.” The Chancellor spoke with deliberate implication. “If the Crown Prince himself takes a liking to someone, what would His Majesty have to say about that?”

The Minister of Finance’s eyes flickered. “My thanks for the Chancellor’s counsel.”

Quite right — if His Highness were set on someone, what could His Majesty do? He only had one son, after all.

Before Xuan Yanyu could even reach Ranle Palace, he caught sight of his father with a procession of eunuchs and maidservants rushing toward him from a distance.

“This servant/subject pays respects to His Highness the Crown Prince.” (The eunuchs said “servant,” the guards said “subject.”)

“Mm.” Xuan Yanyu gave a languid wave of his hand.

“My son.” Prince Xuan drew near and studied him intently.

Dressed in a bamboo-green brocade robe, his hair bound high with a golden crown — the style only made his bearing appear taller and more upright. His features were sharp and handsome, his dark eyes narrowing slightly against the sunlight. From whatever angle one looked at him, his son was of incomparable grace and distinction.

“Father.”

“Subordinates Ye Jian and Ye Chen pay their respects to Prince Xuan.” Ye Jian and Ye Chen crossed their hands at the front, dropping to one knee on the ground.

Prince Xuan gave a nod. Ye Jian and Ye Chen rose and took their positions behind Xuan Yanyu.

“My son, why did you return so suddenly?” Prince Xuan spoke in a mild, warm tone.

Xuan Yanyu gave a light cough. “Father, I simply… missed you and Mother Empress, and came to visit.”

Prince Xuan let out a scoffing laugh. “You missed your father — yet you didn’t come to see your father first upon returning?”

Xuan Yanyu: “……”