“Xuan Xixi, give me a response.” Yan Yunning laughed softly.

“Mm.” The man’s voice came out low and slightly rough.

“Xuan Xixi.” Yan Yunning’s voice was bright with laughter she couldn’t conceal.

She felt the name did not quite match Xuan Yanyu’s appearance, and for some inexplicable reason found herself wanting to say it again and again.

Xuan Yanyu flicked her nose in an exasperated but amused way.

……

In the room next door, Ye Chen sat with the look of a man who had given up on life.

“What are you hiding from?” Leng Yuqian’s fair fingertips brushed along Ye Chen’s cheek.

Ye Chen was backed against the doorframe, gritting his teeth. “Move.”

She had her hands propped against the doorframe on either side of him. He couldn’t very well reach out and push her away — it would be highly improper.

“I won’t~” Leng Yuqian smiled, coy and full of mischief.

“You……” Ye Chen raised an eyebrow and deliberately lowered his voice. “If my master finds out that you have me cornered here, he will certainly make you suffer for it.”

Leng Yuqian looked at him with amusement. “Your stony-faced master is probably thinking right now about how to make you suffer.”

He really was hopeless.

Ye Chen frowned and couldn’t help asking, “Why would my master want to make me suffer? I haven’t done anything to displease His Highness.”

He would just apologize to His Highness over the business with Second Miss Yan — that would be the end of it.

Why would His Highness want to make him suffer?

Leng Yuqian rose onto her tiptoes, her red lips close to his ear, and told him plainly, “Why? Because you’re dense and slow, of course.”

Ye Chen’s face flushed crimson. He shoved her aside and bolted in a panic to Xuan Yanyu’s room.

“Your Highness, that Leng Yuqian said I was dense and slow.” The moment he was through the door, Ye Chen launched into his grievances.

Yan Yunning barely managed to press her lips together and hold back her laughter.

Xuan Yanyu did not even lift an eye in his direction. His long, lean fingers peeled a dark purple cherry and held it out to Yan Yunning.

Ye Chen stared at his master carefully peeling the skin from the cherry, then rubbed his eyes without thinking.

Was this really his master?

Second Miss Yan was stretched out comfortably on the daybed, and his master was attentively tucking a cushion behind her and feeding her dark purple cherries!

Had His Highness been completely bewitched by Second Miss Yan?

“Your… Your Highness.” Ye Chen called out in a small voice.

Xuan Yanyu showed not the slightest inclination to look his way, as though Ye Chen did not exist.

Ye Chen’s heart sank. His Highness was angry with him.

“Xuan Xixi, Ye Chen is talking to you — didn’t you hear him?” Yan Yunning patted Xuan Yanyu’s arm.

Ye Chen was so startled he nearly left his own skin. He had specifically told Second Miss Yan not to say anything to His Highness — and she had sold him out???

Xuan Yanyu lifted an eyelid and gave Ye Chen a sidelong look. “You have something to say?”

“Your… Highness.” Ye Chen dropped to his knees with a thud.

His kneecaps struck the floorboards and he hissed through his teeth — the floor was so hard, it was painful enough to kill him.

“This subordinate knows his error.” Ye Chen admitted his fault without hesitation.

Xuan Yanyu let out a cold snort.

“Your Highness, this subordinate should not have told Second Miss Yan Your Highness’s childhood nickname.” Ye Chen spoke with his heart hammering.

“What else?” Xuan Yanyu glanced up lightly, the curve of his lips carrying a smile as his eyes swept briefly toward Yan Yunning.

Yan Yunning pressed her lips together. Should she find an excuse to leave right about now?

“This subordinate also should not have told Second Miss Yan that Your Highness has always disliked women who cry and whimper.”

Yan Yunning parted her lips, just on the verge of speaking, when Xuan Yanyu raised an eyebrow and covered her mouth with his large palm, pushing the words she was about to say right back. Yan Yunning tried to pry away his hand, but Xuan Yanyu extended his long arm and pulled her into his arms, setting his chin against her hair and laughing softly a few times.

Ye Chen pressed his forehead to the floor and continued, “This subordinate also should not have told Second Miss Yan that when Your Highness was young, His Majesty the Prince Xuan used to carry you to morning court……”

“Enough.” Xuan Yanyu’s expression darkened and his face went cold enough to be frightening.

Yan Yunning’s lashes trembled. What a fool — couldn’t he just have said there was nothing more?

Cold sweat soaked through the back of Ye Chen’s robes and his heart plummeted.

He had said the wrong thing again!

His Majesty had cherished His Highness since he was small. When His Highness was young, His Majesty would often carry him to morning court.

On one occasion, His Highness had apparently been in a foul mood from waking up too early, and had demanded to know why His Majesty didn’t carry the Prince Consort to morning court — why he always carried His Highness instead. He had pestered His Majesty relentlessly until the man had no way to save face in front of all the assembled ministers.

His Majesty had patted His Highness on the backside right there in front of everyone.

He had attended His Highness’s side for years and had often heard the Prince Consort tease His Highness about that incident.

“It’s not that I wanted to know — Ye Chen just insisted on telling me.” Yan Yunning murmured under her breath.

Knowing this embarrassing story about him — would she be silenced?

Ye Chen abruptly lifted his head and explained urgently, “No, Your Highness — it was Second Miss Yan who kept asking. I was the one who was wronged here!”

Yan Yunning rubbed her fingers together and did not dare to say a single word.

A short while later.

Yan Yunning and Ye Chen stood side by side at the door of the room and looked at each other.

Yan Yunning counted on her fingers. How many times had she been driven out by Xuan Yanyu now?

“Second Miss Yan, why did you tell His Highness that I was the one insisting on telling you things?” Ye Chen gritted his teeth.

Wasn’t she getting him into trouble?

“If you hadn’t told me, would I have known?”

Wasn’t it him who told her he would reveal a secret of Xuan Yanyu’s if she helped him?

Ye Chen was driven to laugh despite his indignation. “If you hadn’t asked, would I have told you?”

He only said he would tell her one secret. How was he to know she would never let it rest?

Yan Yunning pressed her lips together. “If I asked, couldn’t you have just said you didn’t know?”

Who knew he was so guileless — whatever she asked, he answered!

Ye Chen’s throat bobbed. He couldn’t win an argument with her!

He was going to find Ye Jian to help him get justice!!!

……

Pingshi Town.

Yan Shiyao stirred and opened her eyes in a daze. Before her was nothing but darkness. She pulled off the red veil draped over her head and looked around at her surroundings.

Red silk hung from the ceiling beams. Red paper cuttings covered the window panes. The bed was spread with a deep red embroidered quilt.

She looked down at herself — she was also dressed in a red ceremonial robe embroidered with mandarin ducks. Yan Shiyao’s eyelashes fluttered faintly. She braced herself and rose from the wedding bed.

Hearing the commotion and noise coming from outside, Yan Shiyao felt her head throb even harder. She could not understand it — hadn’t she just been having a casual chat with Brother Nanhua?

How did she end up here?

“My wife.” Shen Hai pushed open the wooden door. His body swayed and lurched as he stumbled toward Yan Shiyao.

Yan Shiyao trembled inside. “I’m not… I’m not your wife.”

Her voice shook against her will.

Shen Hai picked up the wedding cup from the ceremonial table, let out a belch, and slurred, “Drink it… and you will be……”

Yan Shiyao’s heart clenched tight, and she cried out through her tears, “No, I don’t want to.”

Why wasn’t Brother Yuye here yet to save her?

Every time she was in danger, Brother Yuye would appear. Why hadn’t he come now?

Shen Hai raised the cup, tipped up her chin, and poured a large mouthful in.

Yan Shiyao’s face twisted in misery. She felt so wretched she wanted to retch.

Shen Hai tipped back his head, poured the rest of the wedding wine down his own throat, and announced in a thick, slurred voice, “Done… it’s done. You’re now… the wife of Shen Hai……”

Yan Shiyao’s stomach lurched violently and her head buzzed and rang.

Shen Hai?

Who was he?