“Yes, I heard they are already searching for a residence in the capital for you and the Second Miss Yan.” Ye Jian picked up the shattered fragments of the cup that had been smashed on the ground and tossed them into the bamboo basket.

The smile at the corner of Xuan Yanyu’s lips could not be suppressed. “That eager, are they.”

Ye Jian held back the urge to comment. He had not known before that his Highness had such a talent for pretending.

“Your Highness, the Prime Minister is presently occupied with taking a second wife. Your matter with the Second Miss Yan, I am afraid, will not be settled for some time…” Watching Xuan Yanyu’s eyes shift from warm amusement to cold indifference, Ye Jian’s voice grew quieter and quieter. “Will not be… settled…”

“At his age, what is he doing taking a second wife?” The man’s voice was utterly flat.

Ye Jian swallowed nervously. “Indeed, this Prime Minister truly lacks good judgment — how can he not tell what is more important from what is less?”

Being a guard like this was no easy task. Not only did he have to serve his master well, he also had to flatter him.

He envied Ye Chen somewhat, who had escorted the Fifth Princess back to Xuanzhao.

Counting the days, Ye Chen ought to be returning soon.

“Your Highness, your subordinate has also learned that the poison Qi Qingchen suffered was administered by Nuonuo, a maidservant who formerly served Luoxuan.”

Xuan Yanyu narrowed his eyes slightly. “The newly appointed clan leader of Taoyuan Manor, poisoning an imperial prince? What is this — tired of living?”

“Your Highness, will you not lend a hand? As long as Qi Qingchen does not recover, the First Miss Yan will keep hovering around him.” Ye Jian probed cautiously.

The man’s gaze swept past him with calm indifference, and he said unhurriedly, “Let her hover.”

“Your Highness, do you truly not mind at all?” Ye Jian frowned.

Could there really be a man who minded not in the slightest that his future wife spent her days circling around someone else?

Xuan Yanyu curved the corner of his mouth. “Ye Jian, before you came to Yuanjin Manor, did you thoroughly investigate everything about this estate?”

“Your Highness, rest assured, your subordinate investigated it thoroughly.” On this point, Ye Jian dared not be careless. Every time they arrived at an unfamiliar place, he would make careful inquiries, for fear of encountering danger and allowing His Highness to come to harm.

“Pick out the key points and tell this Highness.” Xuan Yanyu leaned lazily against the soft couch, his eyes half-closed.

“The Manor Mistress was originally the Second Miss of the Shantang. Later, when Shantang met with misfortune and both her parents passed away, she alone managed to escape. Afterward, she encountered Yuanjin Manor and its master, Jiang Zhibai. The two fell in love, and this manor master loves the Manor Mistress very much.”

“Half a year ago, upon learning that her elder sister was still alive, he rescued the Shantang’s First Miss, Shen Ruochu, who had been at death’s door.”

“Shantang? Everyone there understands the art of antidotes. Even if the Manor Mistress is not very skilled in it, she would not have reduced Qi Qingchen to a state of stupefied idiocy. There is no reason for her to deliberately make Qi Qingchen into a fool.” Xuan Yanyu’s fingertip tapped the armrest of the soft couch, one knock at a time.

“Your Highness, you do not suspect the First Miss Yan…”

The man’s brow arched slightly. “Who else could have gotten close to Qi Qingchen besides her?”

“Your Highness, could it be that this First Miss Yan has discovered your identity and is deliberately conspiring with Qi Qingchen, waiting for you to bring the Imperial Physician Wen here, so that when he fails to effect a cure, she can use the pretext that you deliberately harmed Prince Qilan to detain you and negotiate terms with His Majesty the Xuan King?” The more Ye Jian thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.

Xuan Yanyu opened his eyes and rubbed his temple. “Yan Shiyao could not possibly discover this Highness’s identity, unless…”

“The Second Miss Yan told her.” Ye Jian finished the thought.

“Mm.” The man gave a mild nod.

“Yu-gege, Yu-gege.” There came a knock at the wooden door, and Yan Shiyao’s anxious voice drifted in.

Xuan Yanyu’s brow creased.

“Your Highness, your subordinate will go and send her away.” Ye Jian bowed and stepped out of the side chamber.

“Is Yu-gege in?” Seeing Ye Jian emerge, Yan Shiyao stood on her toes and peered inside.

Ye Jian quickly pulled the chamber door shut. “First Miss Yan, the young master has retired to sleep.”

“I have something to discuss with Yu-gege.” Yan Shiyao moved to push the door open and enter.

“First Miss Yan, the young master has already undressed. It would be improper for you to go in.” Ye Jian said without changing his expression.

Yan Shiyao bit her lip. “Ningning suddenly coughed up blood. Can you go inside and inform Yu-gege, so that he may summon Physician Wen to take a look at Ningning?”

Ye Jian’s eyelids twitched. “Suddenly coughed up blood??”

The Second Miss Yan was perfectly fine — why would she suddenly cough up blood?

This was probably a pretext to get His Highness to go and fetch the Imperial Physician Wen.

“Ye Jian-gege.” Yan Shiyao pressed her lips together lightly, and said urgently, “Please hurry and inform Yu-gege.”

Ye Jian let out a long sigh. “First Miss Yan, let me be frank with you. The truth is, Physician Wen, he… he has already…”

Ye Jian lowered his head and closed his eyes in a show of sorrow.

“Physician Wen has passed away?” Yan Shiyao’s thoughts grew somewhat muddled.

Ye Jian raised an eyebrow. He had said no such thing — how could she jump to conclusions like that?

“I will go and find Miss Shen to take a look at Ningning.” Yan Shiyao gave Ye Jian a nod and turned to leave.

Ye Jian furrowed his brow. Was it real? Or was it an act?

After a moment of silence, Ye Jian walked briskly to Yan Yunning’s side chamber.

Yan Yunning was sitting in the courtyard with Qi Qingchen.

“Ningning, why hasn’t Yaoyao come back yet?” Qi Qingchen was sprawled over the round table, listless and dejected.

Yan Yunning was nibbling on a piece of fruit, and said offhandedly, “Soon. Don’t be impatient.”

Ye Jian, watching from a distance, halted in his steps. He had said as much — she had a scheme going.

The Second Miss Yan was perfectly well, sitting leisurely in the wooden chair and still eating fruit. How could she have suddenly coughed up blood?

His Highness was the esteemed Crown Prince, pampered and privileged from birth. And yet, all for the sake of the Second Miss Yan, he had slept on the soft couch, carried the Second Miss Yan up the mountain, and peeled fruit for the Second Miss Yan — treating her with such care. How could she conspire with Qi Qingchen against His Highness?

And this Qi Qingchen — to fabricate a reason to detain His Highness, he had actually taken medicine and made himself into a simpleton?

He was probably waiting for His Highness to walk into the trap, then taking the antidote afterward. What a well-devised scheme, truly.

……

The following morning.

Shen Ruoyi had waited for Jiang Zhibai the entire night, and yet he had not returned.

“Madam, you still carry a child in your womb — you must rest well.” Yuncai gazed at the dark circles beneath Shen Ruoyi’s eyes and felt her heart ache.

“Yuncai, where has A’Bai gone? He has never stayed away the entire night before.” Unease was plain in Shen Ruoyi’s eyes.

“Madam, perhaps the manor master has not yet finished his business.” Yuncai offered soothingly.

Shen Ruoyi shook her head, the corners of her eyes reddening. “That cannot be. No matter how busy A’Bai is, he always keeps me company at night.”

He knew that, because of what had befallen Shantang and the passing of their parents, she would suffer nightmares in the night — and so, every night without fail, he kept her company.

Yuncai’s eyelashes trembled. Could it be that last night, the manor master had gone to Miss Shen’s courtyard?

With tears glistening in her eyes, Shen Ruoyi said in a subdued voice, “When A’Bai returns later, I’m going to give him a good beating. Abandoning me and the child like that, and not even sending someone to let me know.”

“Yes, Madam should certainly give the manor master a lesson.” Yuncai smiled.

She could only hope she had guessed wrong.

“Never mind, if it happens again, I’ll give him a beating then.” Shen Ruoyi dabbed at her tears with a handkerchief.

“Madam, even if it happens again, you would not go through with it, would you? Could you bear to?” Yuncai teased.

“Yuncai!” Shen Ruoyi cast her a coy glare. “Of course I could bear to!”

A light tap was all she would give, at most.

“All right, all right — yes you could. Madam could certainly bear to.” Yuncai pressed her lips into a smile. “Madam, hurry and go rest, so that when the manor master comes back, you’ll have the energy to give him that lesson.”