After Jian Hu finished her trembling explanation, Xiaoying thought for a moment, then quickly exchanged her clothes with those of the dead palace maid.

Jian Hu just stood there dumbfounded, until Xiaoying called for her help to move the old palace maid onto the bed, arrange her hair, smear blood on her face, and extinguish the candles in the room.

After giving Jian Hu a few instructions, Yan Xiaoying hid under the bed.

Soon, footsteps approached, and someone knocked on the door.

Jian Hu said in a trembling voice: “The person is on the bed. Come in quickly and take her away!”

The main door opened, and two guards swiftly entered, lifted the person from the bed, and headed out. One of them asked where the deceased palace maid had gone.

Following Xiaoying’s instructions, Jian Hu said: “I… I was scared, so she… she said she wouldn’t return to the Empress yet, but would stay with me for the night.”

The figure lying on the bed had poison blood smeared all over her face, making her features indistinguishable.

In the darkness, the two men lifted her and placed her in a large chest at the doorway, then quickly carried the chest away.

Afterward, those two, along with the few others dispatched today, hurriedly left with the chest.

Once everyone had gone, Xiaoying crawled out from under the bed, quickly changed into the Crown Prince’s attire, and gathered a few things.

Turning around, she saw Jian Hu sitting in a daze, as if waking from a dream, her face full of regret.

She wondered how she had become so confused, allowing this fake Crown Prince to lead her by the nose.

Now she had helped this girl kill the Empress’s person—how could she salvage the situation?

Xiaoying unhurriedly fastened her belt and reminded Jian Hu: “Sister should be grateful. Had you not told me the truth earlier, it would be you lying in that chest now!”

Jian Hu couldn’t help but shudder. She understood Xiaoying’s meaning—if she had remained obstinate, that bowl of poison would have entered her mouth.

With a dejected face, she wandered anxiously: “Even if we get through this crisis, Her Majesty the Empress won’t let you go! What… what should I do? I miss my father, I want to go home…”

As she finished, Jian Hu was about to break into loud sobs.

Xiaoying smiled, went over, embraced Jian Hu, and patted her back: “I’m here. I promise that my sister can continue enjoying her comfortable life in the palace! Don’t worry!”

Jian Hu sniffled, and somehow, she found herself believing Xiaoying’s words again.

Although this fake Crown Prince was younger than her, there was always an inexplicable aura about her that made people feel she was reliable…

Xiaoying then asked if the old palace maid had given Jian Hu any instructions for the next day.

Jian Hu honestly replied: “She told me to wait in the Eastern Palace overnight, then report to the guards early tomorrow morning, saying the Crown Prince had gone to the garden for a night stroll and never returned. Then I should return to the Empress’s sleeping palace, and Her Majesty would reward me…”

What that reward would be, Jian Hu could now understand with Xiaoying’s enlightenment. She couldn’t help but choke up again.

Xiaoying smiled and told Jian Hu to find some wine to drink, assuring her the night would soon pass.

She tucked away the poison powder Feng Yuan had given her and quietly left the Eastern Palace, heading toward the Buddhist hall.

At this hour, palace servants delivering late-night snacks were moving about on the path to the Buddhist hall.

Having lived in Fengming Palace for a time, Xiaoying naturally knew that Empress Tang habitually drank a cup of blood swallow’s nest soup before retiring each night.

As the palace servant walked forward, Xiaoying strode over, stopped the servant from the imperial kitchen, and asked: “Is this soup for Mother Empress?”

The palace maid quickly knelt with her tray and greeted the Crown Prince.

In the instant the servants bowed their heads, Xiaoying swiftly removed the lid and sprinkled the poison powder into the soup.

When the servants rose, Xiaoying waved her hand, indicating they should continue their delivery.

The people from the imperial kitchen wouldn’t know about palace intrigues—even encountering the Crown Prince on their way was a minor incident they wouldn’t mention to others.

Blood swallow’s nest soup was precious, just a small cup, not to be shared with others. The Empress usually tested it with a silver needle before consuming it.

Reciprocity was expected in all matters. Since the Empress had treated her to a fine drink, she must return the favor.

Having done all this, Xiaoying knew she couldn’t return for the time being. She was now effectively a missing person in the palace.

Where to hide until dawn became a difficult question.

Uncle Hai lived with a group of miscellaneous workers, making it inconvenient to go to him.

The study wouldn’t work either—it was currently being painted and aired out, with doors and windows wide open, risking discovery by night patrols.

All things considered, only her ally, the Grand Prince’s place, was spacious and quiet enough!

With this in mind, Xiaoying decided to take temporary refuge with her ally, the Grand Prince, for the night.

Feng Yuan’s sleeping palace was as empty as it had been during the day—still no servants attending inside.

It was said that madness liked to manifest at night. If, in a sleepy daze, one’s neck were seized by a madman, wouldn’t that be the end?

The Grand Prince was taciturn, his future uncertain. Palace servants didn’t want to approach him and risk death, leaving the inner palace utterly deserted.

In the misty moonlight, Xiaoying saw that the man on the bed didn’t even remove his clothes or use a blanket, just lying there stiffly asleep.

When Xiaoying coughed lightly as she approached the bedside, the man who had been lying still on the bed suddenly moved like an agile leopard, reaching under his pillow for a dagger and quickly grabbing Xiaoying’s wrist.

Xiaoying said softly, “Grand Brother, it’s me. I didn’t mean to startle you! I deliberately coughed twice to warn you.”

Even after recognizing her, Feng Yuan didn’t release his grip, still firmly holding her wrist as he asked: “What is it?”

Xiaoying kicked off her shoes, confidently pushed him aside, lay down, and yawned: “I angered Mother Empress, and she sent people looking for me everywhere. I might get beaten. With nowhere to go in the middle of the night, I thought I’d hide here!”

Feng Yuan released her hand but stared at her with an odd expression.

Xiaoying was a bit tired. She hadn’t slept well for several nights and had no heart for banter: “I haven’t slept well for days, and my waist is sore. I can’t sleep on the floor anymore. Why don’t you make do—I’ll let you have the blanket, and you can sleep on the floor?”

After saying this, she shamelessly turned over, adjusted to a comfortable sleeping position, and prepared to usurp the nest.

But the person beside her showed no intention of getting off the bed.

Xiaoying lifted her eyelids to glance at him.

In the night, Feng Yuan appeared somewhat handsomely alluring, with his loose black hair giving him a wild, languid air as he remained motionless. His thin lips beneath his high, straight nose were tightly pressed together, seemingly annoyed that his Fourth Brother had disturbed his peaceful dream.

Xiaoying half-reclined, propped up her head with her hand, raised an eyebrow, and smiled sweetly: “Why are you looking at me like that! Or… do you find something inconvenient?”

She was deliberately testing him. She had revealed too many flaws in the desolate palace and didn’t know how much this fellow had noticed.

It was a good opportunity to probe and see if he knew she was a woman.

However, Feng Yuan slowly lay down and said mildly, “The bed is big enough. Why sleep separately?”

Palace beds were indeed spacious, designed for nobles who could roll about and play freely on them.

Even with two people lying side by side, there would still be ample space between them.

It seemed Feng Yuan truly thought she was the Fourth Prince, and her somewhat effeminate manner was considered normal.

Xiaoying had often squeezed in with soldiers to sleep in military camps. Ordinarily, she wouldn’t mind squeezing in with men in an emergency, making do for a night.

However, she was somewhat wary of this man and had no desire to get too close to him—she just needed to test him.

Since the owner of the bed wouldn’t yield, she planned to grab the blanket and make a bed on the floor.

Just then, footsteps approached from outside the hall, clearly about to enter the inner chamber.

Xiaoying quickly exchanged a glance with Feng Yuan. There was no time to hide under the bed. So she pulled the blanket and quickly ducked under it, tugging at Feng Yuan’s sleeve for him to help provide cover.

Feng Yuan raised his eyebrows slightly but lay down with her, conveniently using the blanket to thoroughly conceal his Fourth Brother hiding beside him.

In the dim night, the palace lanterns hanging in the outer hall faintly illuminated the dragon-patterned brocade on the visitor’s clothes.

The visitor was Emperor Chunde!

He reached out to lift the bed curtain, looked down at the sleeping Feng Yuan, and sighed softly.

Nearby, Li Quan said quietly: “This servant will wake the Grand Prince now.”

Emperor Chunde sighed: “…No need. If he were awake, I wouldn’t know what to say. All these years, I have indeed neglected him.”

Li Quan quickly consoled in a low voice: “Your Majesty has lost appetite and sleep these past days, truly harming the imperial health!”

Emperor Chunde looked at the young man on the bed in the moonlight, momentarily choking up: “These days, I close my eyes and dream of Zhanxue. Is she blaming me?”

Li Quan whispered: “This matter truly cannot be blamed on Your Majesty! Your Majesty was wholeheartedly assisting the late Emperor in securing the Dafeng royal family’s foundation—how could you attend to household matters? If not for that incompetent physician’s mistake, Your Majesty wouldn’t have misunderstood for so many years. This servant saw that the Grand Prince was respectful and reasonable in his speech and behavior that day. He surely won’t blame Your Majesty…”

At this point, Li Quan paused, looked at the motionless Grand Prince, and continued softly: “Although that incompetent physician died early, Your Majesty has already decreed severe punishment for his family, sending them all to serve in the army as slaves. This at least provides some justice for Princess Ye and the Grand Prince…”

Xiaoying, hiding under the blanket, listened to the master and servant’s back-and-forth dialogue and thought: If you want to cry at a grave and pour out your heart, you should find the right headstone! Coming to your son’s bedside in the middle of the night to ramble on like this—do you think talking it out will make you feel better? This is more exhausting than performing on stage!

While she was silently criticizing, suddenly, a pair of python-like arms tightened around her with tremendous force.

The strength was so great that she was nearly suffocated, almost crying out in pain.

Xiaoying grabbed the tensed arm but couldn’t struggle.

If the blanket were lifted now, it would cause the biggest scandal in Dafeng’s history.

The delicate Crown Prince and his long-lost elder brother embracing so intimately in sleep could hardly be considered brotherly affection!

The infamy of Feng Qiyuan’s preference for men hadn’t yet dissipated. Given Emperor Chunde’s temperament, if he encountered such a scene, she would likely not even make it to Yiyuan but be directly relocated to the desolate palace to catch rats and mold.

As for Feng Yuan’s behavior, he certainly wasn’t trying to take advantage of her.

Xiaoying understood that a wild beast was now raging against the man’s rationality. In Emperor Chunde’s self-righteous confession, he needed to control his resentment to avoid going mad…

Thinking of this, she reached out and pressed her hand on his chest, gently soothing his nearly out-of-control anger through the thin garment.

Don’t lose your rationality, she thought. Escaping from the Five-finger Mountain wasn’t easy. He had climbed out with injuries all over, covered in filth.

He should understand most clearly the suffering of those ten years in the desolate palace…

As for Emperor Chunde’s belated and useless confession at the bedside, it might as well be ignored like flatulence.

Perhaps her silent comforting brought Feng Yuan back to his senses, as the arms gripping her gradually loosened.

Emperor Chunde’s midnight play of mourning the deceased finally concluded after half an incense stick’s time.

His Majesty’s voice wasn’t loud, but it wasn’t low either. Such whispering with an old servant would be heard even by someone in the deepest sleep.

However, Emperor Chunde seemed to think that such an indirect apology to his estranged son preserved his imperial dignity.

So Feng Yuan’s pretense of remaining asleep spared both father and son from awkwardness.

After finishing, Emperor Chunde even thoughtfully pulled up the blanket for his son before leaving Xuanqing Palace with Li Quan.

Once the hall outside was quiet, Xiaoying finally poked her head out from under the blanket to breathe deeply.

Earlier, when Emperor Chunde had pulled the blanket, Xiaoying had even considered how to explain to him if discovered.

Would “sleepwalking due to night wandering syndrome, wandered into Royal Brother’s bed” be convincing enough?

When she emerged, she found Feng Yuan still with his eyes tightly closed, his brows seemingly locked in distress.

It appeared that Emperor Chunde’s self-proclaimed moving confession had instead stirred up unnamed resentment in Feng Yuan. That kind of forcibly suppressed pain was rather distressing to witness…

She sighed, unsure which identity to adopt to comfort him, and could only be tactful by quickly getting off the bed to let him sleep peacefully.

Unexpectedly, although Feng Yuan had relaxed his force, he showed no intention of letting go, still holding her like a life-saving buoy, even burying his face in the crook of her neck…

Xiaoying was helpless. She initially thought of using her fist to bring him to his senses, but remembered her current identity as his dear Fourth Brother and restrained herself.

A brother should be considerate. She could only say: “Father Emperor is just like that. He doesn’t favor me much either. The palace lacks nothing, but some things simply can’t be obtained…”

As she spoke, she struggled to free one arm and offered a honey date to Feng Yuan’s lips.

This was her experience—when the heart was bitter, eating something sweet was more comforting than useless words.

But just as it was about to touch Feng Yuan’s thin lips, Xiaoying saw him slowly open his eyes and suddenly remembered his habit of testing for poison. She thoughtfully took a small bite of the date before offering it again.

Feng Yuan’s eyelashes were very long, and the moisture born of anger still lingered in his reddened eyes, not yet dissipated.

He looked down at the date Xiaoying had bitten, but didn’t open his mouth.

Seeing he wasn’t accepting her kindness, Xiaoying ate the date herself, then said vaguely: “Before, when Father Emperor didn’t like me, I felt troubled and sorrowful. But then I thought, in this life, rather than craving the affection of those who don’t look your way, it’s better to think of those who love you. Living solely on hatred is too bitter and exhausting—it’s unfair to yourself as a human being!”

Hearing this, Feng Yuan’s eyes revealed mockery, and the arms around her seemed to tighten again with brute force.

Xiaoying grew somewhat impatient and punched his chest: “Stop wallowing in self-pity endlessly! At the very least, your mother loved you wholeheartedly. If only for her sake, you should live properly as a human being!”

Feng Yuan laughed, his chest rumbling. That laughter in the quiet night seemed somewhat grotesque.

“I was a cursed, hated bastard from birth. If not for me, perhaps she wouldn’t have died so early. Yet you say she loved me…”

Feng Yuan had lost his mother at three. That blurry figure in his memory was so unclear he couldn’t even make out her face. Throughout his growth, he could only sketch her features through imagination, then further imagine how she had detested him.

Xiaoying didn’t want to further provoke this prince with unnatural strength, or else her ribs might be broken by his grip.

“Alright, alright, your mother didn’t like you. So despite suffering greatly in the enemy camp, she still gritted her teeth to survive. After returning to the residence, despite being dissuaded by everyone, she insisted on giving birth to a child who didn’t like her. Before dying, she entrusted her child to various people, ensuring the safety of this unloved child… Ouch, I was wrong! But if you strangle me now, how will you explain it to others tomorrow?”

At Xiaoying’s cry, Feng Yuan finally realized his impropriety and gradually loosened his grip.

Xiaoying caught her breath, rubbing her sore waist, and said frankly: “You don’t understand. If a woman truly detests the child in her womb, there are countless ways to deal with it. You were born out of your mother’s hope and expectation. She loved you even more than herself. You! You’re far from the misery you describe! Stop being so stubborn, or else, without anyone poisoning you, you’ll still be close to madness… You won’t eat? It’s so sweet!”

Saying this, Xiaoying took another date and bit into it.

Before she could take a second bite, Feng Yuan suddenly gripped her wrist and took the date from her fingers into his mouth. Yet he didn’t rush to eat it, just holding it, closing his eyes to savor the slowly spreading flavor.

He needed something to help suppress the irrepressible thoughts in his heart…

“Is it good? I had the imperial kitchen add wild honey and licorice powder to marinate them—much better than the standard palace ones!”

She offered another date to Feng Yuan. It seemed her wild rambling had successfully diverted the madman’s attention, preventing Emperor Chunde’s nauseating display from driving him insane.

Sweet things indeed soothed the heart. After eating two dates, Feng Yuan finally released his grip on Xiaoying’s arms and even asked her for the bag of dates, silently eating them one after another as if starving.

Seeing him eat so quickly, Xiaoying hurriedly popped a few into her mouth.

When the bed was covered with date pits, Xiaoying yawned and struggled to get off the bed.

But Feng Yuan moved aside proactively, took a deep breath, and said with calmer emotions: “These autumn nights are getting cool. You’ll catch a cold sleeping on the floor. I won’t crowd you—go to sleep.”

With that, he turned his back on Xiaoying, seemingly ready to sleep.

The atmosphere was now natural. Since Feng Yuan wouldn’t leave the bed, if she insisted, it would seem affected.

As Feng Yuan had said, since they were both men, why be so reserved? Otherwise, it might make this meticulous madman suspicious.

So when Feng Yuan’s breathing deepened, she tilted her head and soon fell into a deep sleep.

Since entering the palace, she had needed eyes in the back of her head and ears alert in all directions every night—even an iron person couldn’t endure it.

Tonight, with everything arranged and only tomorrow’s confrontation ahead, having a temporary ally as protection, Xiaoying had no more worries and only wanted to thoroughly relieve her fatigue.

After all, the person beside her had his peaceful dreams disturbed by his father, and surely couldn’t sleep soundly, perfect for keeping watch for her.

Grand Prince, thank you for your trouble! I’ll sleep first!

The moonlight was rich, and the youth’s face was soft in sleep, with thin snores emanating in the silence.

Feng Yuan slowly turned around, tilting his head to look at the youth sleeping soundly not far away, his nostrils filled with the uniquely fresh scent of soap from the youth’s body.

He watched for a while, slightly closing his eyes, his long eyelashes covering his gaze, momentarily lost in unknown thoughts.

……

Xiaoying woke up early the next day, before dawn broke.

When she awoke, she found herself in an awkward sleeping position, occupying most of the bed, with one of her legs even pressing on the Grand Prince’s body.

This reversal of host and guest had inconvenienced Feng Yuan, who could only lie straight, seemingly not having changed his sleeping position all night.

Xiaoying comfortably stretched, lifted the blanket that had somehow been placed over her, and said to Feng Yuan, who still had his eyes closed: “I have to go now!”

Feng Yuan opened his eyes and asked: “Are you sure you want to go back now? Will your Mother Empress… let you off?”

Xiaoying didn’t want to reveal too much to him. Although they had formed a temporary alliance, they hadn’t reached the point of sharing their innermost thoughts. She merely raised an eyebrow and asked: “Why do you ask that?”

“You first sent Jin Zhong to me, then slept here at night. You must have gotten into big trouble.”

Xiaoying smiled without denying it, just casually waving: “I can handle it!”

With that, she slipped out of Xuanqing Palace, but her unique fresh soap scent lingered among the curtains and pillows…

After leaving Xuanqing Palace, Xiaoying followed a small path near the Eastern Palace and hid behind a tree. She saw Jian Hu, with a face showing lack of sleep and a dazed expression, walk out to speak with the guards at the entrance. She was likely following their agreement, reporting that she had discovered the Crown Prince missing and informing the guards.

The guard didn’t dare delay the Empress’s instructions but told her to report to the Empress first as a matter of procedure. However, Jian Hu suddenly clutched her stomach, cried out that she had a stomachache, and asked the guard to report on her behalf before returning to the lavatory.

This was what Xiaoying had instructed her to do earlier, and Jian Hu had remembered it all.

Xiaoying climbed a tall tree and hid in the dense foliage. Soon, palace servants were rushing back and forth, calling out for the Crown Prince, pretending to search everywhere.

After a while, the Empress, who had been kneeling in the Buddhist hall for several days, finally emerged.

The Crown Prince’s disappearance overnight was no small matter, so the Empress had found a dignified reason to come out.

The blood swallow’s nest soup from last night must have taken effect. The Empress was in poor condition today—not only were her steps unsteady, but her gaze and expression were somewhat unfocused. Even with Song Ao’s support, she still walked unsteadily.

However, Song Ao assumed the Empress was acting and also wore a worried expression, calling “Your Majesty, be careful” while supporting her all the way to see His Majesty.

Emperor Chunde hadn’t summoned any concubines to serve him last night. After crying at his eldest son’s bedside, he had dreamed of old acquaintances, and upon waking, his expression was still strained.

Seeing the Empress, who was supposed to be confined to reflect on her actions, emerge naturally put him in a bad mood.

When he heard that the Crown Prince had suddenly disappeared without reason, he merely frowned and snorted coldly: “He probably snuck out of the palace again to listen to opera at some theater!”

Song Ao, seeing that the Empress was just dazed and speechless, could only kneel before her and say: “According to the palace maids, the Crown Prince returned to the Eastern Palace yesterday and never left again. All the palace gates have been checked, and the Crown Prince didn’t leave the palace! Your Majesty, please dispatch the imperial guards to thoroughly search the palace. The Empress is so worried about the Crown Prince that her legs are weak, and she can barely walk.”