When he ascended as Prince Xuan, there would be thousands of subjects behind him — he could not act on caprice and do as he pleased without restraint.

She had never entertained any notion of a future with him — and beyond all that, he was still going to marry her A’Jie.

She suspected his intention to marry her A’Jie was driven by some reason he could not refuse.

And that reason was compelling enough to require him to take her A’Jie as his wife.

“Xuan Yanyu, have you found out where Nan Chu’s parents are?” Yan Yunning smiled and changed the subject.

Xuan Yanyu laced his hands behind his head and tilted his chin ever so slightly. “Answer me first.”

“I’d rather not.” Yan Yunning caught sight of Xuan Yanyu’s expression shifting and, ignoring it entirely, continued: “I won’t be staying in Xuanzhao. I want to be with my maternal grandmother and grandfather.”

When the day came that she could free herself from the Chancellor’s residence, she would go back to keep them company.

Xuan Yanyu’s expression eased; he gave a quiet, dismissive hum. “If you want to be with them, then have them brought to Xuanzhao.”

Yan Yunning: “……”

“Why do you want me to stay in Xuanzhao?” Yan Yunning crouched down beside him, resting both hands on the arm of the chaise longue, and looked up at him with a serene smile.

Xuan Yanyu ruffled her small head and said unhurriedly, “Your courage is so meagre — if I’m not beside you, what will you do when someone bullies you?”

“Why do you concern yourself with whether or not someone bullies me?” Yan Yunning was determined to get a clear answer today.

She did not want to keep questions bottled up inside her.

Xuan Yanyu’s eyes narrowed slightly. After a long pause, he said quietly, “There is no reason.”

He perhaps harboured a small fondness for her — but only a small one.

“If you don’t give me a clear answer today, I won’t stay in Xuanzhao.”

Xuan Yanyu’s throat tightened, and he said in a flat, calm voice: “Yan Yunning, whether or not you wish to stay in Xuanzhao, you will stay — this Crown Prince will not allow you to leave his side.”

Yan Yunning pursed her lips. “You’re this overbearing?”

Xuan Yanyu fixed his gaze on her, then asked without warning: “Yan Yunning — would you mind if this Crown Prince were to have secondary consorts in the future?”

It was perfectly ordinary for a man of his standing to have secondary consorts. He didn’t know quite why, but the urge to ask her had come from nowhere.

Yan Yunning studied him with a slight frown and slowly shook her head.

What concern was it of hers whether he had secondary consorts or not?

Xuan Yanyu pressed his lips together. An answer he had anticipated — so why did it sit so heavily and restlessly in his chest?

“And if I were to share a bed with a secondary consort — would you still not mind?”

Hearing the implication behind his words, Yan Yunning smiled faintly. “Your Highness, I am not going to marry you — why would I mind?”

Hmph!

Xuan Yanyu’s eyes darkened slightly; he said with displeasure: “Then you may as well not marry anyone at all.”

If she wouldn’t marry him, no one else deserved her either.

Yan Yunning gave a light nod and a placid “mm.”

She was going home. She had no intention of marrying anyone within the pages of this book.

Xuan Yanyu shot her a sidelong glance. Something unpleasant was pressing against his chest; he bore it and bore it, then finally snapped: “Do you know how many people want to marry this Crown Prince?”

“What does that have to do with me?” Yan Yunning smiled serenely.

Xuan Yanyu’s brow creased with vexation; he ground out through his teeth: “Yan Yunning, do you not understand what this Crown Prince is trying to say?”

Yan Yunning’s smile did not reach her eyes. “Your Highness, I will not share one husband with another woman. Do you understand?”

Xuan Yanyu’s eyes widened with faint astonishment. “What did you say?”

“I said — I will not share one husband with any woman.” Yan Yunning held his gaze and enunciated each word with deliberate care.

She could understand his bewilderment. In this era, her words would genuinely be beyond the scope of his comprehension — and regardless, whether as Crown Prince or as the future Prince Xuan, he would never have only one woman. If it were not for the Prince Xuan insisting he marry his chosen Crown Princess, a man of his age would probably already have secondary consorts — much like Qi Qingchen — and perhaps even children.

She had never thought to change his thinking. If he were an ordinary man, perhaps things could be different — but he was not. To put it plainly: his marriage must serve to bind the court and consolidate his rule.

This was the ancient era. She would not be so naive as to demand that a Crown Prince of a nation take no wife but her — if such feelings curdled with time, he might come to resent her, grow distant from her, and that was not something she wished to see.

Not to mention she did not love him yet. Even if she had fallen in love with him at this very moment, she still would not marry him.

She could see clearly that Xuan Yanyu held some fondness for her — but perhaps not much love. And precisely for that reason, she was even less inclined to marry him.

Xuan Yanyu’s eyes dimmed slightly.

She would not share one husband with another woman? Very well then — she would not marry anyone else at all. Staying by his side suited him perfectly.

“Ningning.” Outside the palace doors, Yunze’s voice drifted in.

Yan Yunning glanced at Xuan Yanyu. The latter’s expression dimmed.

She rubbed her legs, which had grown a little numb from crouching so long, and went to open the palace doors.

“Ningning, didn’t you say you wanted to experience what it felt like to spend a night in a palace worth eight million six hundred thousand taels of silver?” Yunze said with a certain self-satisfaction. “I heard the Crown Prince has returned, so I’ll go speak to him and have you stay a night.”

It wasn’t as though the Crown Prince ever stayed in the palace himself.

Yan Yunning raised an eyebrow. “And he listens to you?”

“Of course — I’m his elder cousin. Why wouldn’t he listen to me?” Yunze lifted his chin.

What a joke — what did the Crown Prince ever listen to? He only listened to the Empress his aunt and the Prince Xuan his father, and even then, the Prince Xuan’s word he sometimes ignored. But he couldn’t lose face in front of Ningning, of course. By the time he actually went to ask, there was probably an overwhelming chance of being refused — or not even being granted an audience at all.

“Oh~” Yan Yunning drew out the sound.

“You don’t believe me.” Yunze’s eyes widened.

Yan Yunning stepped aside and tilted her head. “He’s right there — go and tell him yourself.”

It had only been a passing remark; if she actually went and stayed the night, she’d become the prime topic of palace gossip by morning. And Prince Xuan had built that palace for his precious son — if the Prince Xuan ever found out, he’d have her neck for it.

Yunze spotted Xuan Yanyu reclining on the chaise longue and was so startled that the folding fan in his hand nearly tumbled to the floor.

Propriety could not be neglected. Yunze bowed respectfully. “Greetings to the Crown Prince.”

What had he just been saying? And how was the Crown Prince here in Ningning’s chambers? Lying at his leisure on the chaise longue, no less?!

Xuan Yanyu gave a cool, dismissive scoff. “Why are you permitted inside the inner palace?”

He had not been told to rise; Yunze did not dare stand. He replied with deference: “Your Highness, the Empress my aunt has permitted me to enter and leave the side halls of Ranle Palace.”

Xuan Yanyu raised his eyes and curved his lips in a cold smile. “Oh? Does Mother Empress intend to make a match between you and Yan Yunning?”

Yunze swallowed. “It… yes—”

“I think that sounds wonderful.” Yan Yunning grabbed Yunze’s sleeve. “Come — I’ll go out of the palace with you.”

She had not managed to see the person she had wanted to see, and had no wish to remain in the palace any longer.

Yunze’s eyelid twitched. He murmured under his breath: “Propriety — propriety — the Crown Prince is still right here.”

He wasn’t a fool. For the Crown Prince to be here in Ningning’s chambers, the two of them must share a relationship that was no simple matter — otherwise the Crown Prince would never have bothered coming to a side hall of Ranle Palace for no reason.

He had no intention of competing with the Crown Prince over a woman.

He still wanted very much to live.

“Yan Yunning — come here.”

The cold, sharp voice cut across the room. Yan Yunning closed her eyes for a brief moment, then turned with a composed smile. “What are your instructions, Your Highness?”

Xuan Yanyu gave a scornful laugh. “Let go of him — or this Crown Prince will break his arm off.”