The latter’s expression remained perfectly composed as he continued serving food into Yan Yunning’s bowl.

The Empress smiled and shook her head — worrying was pointless after all.

“Father Emperor, once we finish the midday meal, I will take Ningning back to the Crown Prince’s manor,” Xuan Yanyu said in a tone that left no room for argument.

“Nonsense!” Xuan Wang set down his golden chopsticks with a sharp clap, his voice rising. “Ningning stays in the palace. If you want to go back to the Crown Prince’s manor, go yourself.”

He truly was not at ease with her returning there. Here in the palace with him present, he could ensure Ningning’s safety.

Outside the palace — Xuan Wang’s eyes shifted slightly — the risks were too great. And Yanyu could not be by Ningning’s side every single moment.

People like Pei Shi existed, and who could guarantee there was not a second one? Within the Crown Prince’s manor it was still manageable, but if Ningning went strolling down the main streets with Yanyu not beside her, what if something went wrong?

Xuan Yanyu lowered his gaze slightly and did not argue with Xuan Wang. He had simply been informing his father — not seeking his permission.

The man kept his head lowered and said nothing. Xuan Wang, seeing this, softened his tone. “Father Emperor’s concern is for fear there may be some mishap outside the palace.”

Xuan Yanyu lifted his eyelids and let out a low grunt.

“……” Xuan Wang offered a gentle word or two of coaxing, yet Xuan Yanyu still did not say a single word in reply, so he gave up on coaxing altogether and drawled languidly, “You should understand your place now.”

A brief flash of bewilderment crossed the man’s near-flawless face. “……?”

Did he still have any place at all???

His not-yet-formed child had already overtaken him.

What standing did he have left???

The Empress sighed helplessly to herself. By the time Yanyu’s child was old enough to sit at the table for meals, Taiyi Hall would be quite lively indeed — His Majesty probably wouldn’t even bother with those two coaxing words to Yanyu anymore.

At most two years, and the child could be carried here to dine at Taiyi Hall.

The Empress pressed her lips into a quiet smile and looked at Yan Yunning’s flat little belly. When she learned that Ningning was with child, she had been so excited she hadn’t slept properly for an entire night.

She had woken and immediately set to work sewing little garments. It had been so long since she had done needlework that she pricked her fingers several times.

Her skills had grown quite rusty as well. Back in her maiden days she had only embroidered sachets. When Zhaoyang and Yanyu and Zhaorang were small, she had never sewn little garments for them by hand. She wasn’t sure whether what she produced would be looked down upon by Ningning.

“Cough, cough cough.” Yan Yunning choked on a mouthful of sour plum soup.

“Did you choke?”

“What’s wrong?”

Xuan Yanyu and the Empress both spoke at once. Before Yan Yunning could answer, Xuan Wang had already called for an imperial physician.

Xuan Wang had given orders that an imperial physician must never be far from Yan Yunning’s side — wherever she went, at least two imperial physicians and two female medical officials were to accompany her at all times.

So the moment Xuan Wang called out, an imperial physician came rushing in from outside the hall at a run — a clear indication of just how much Yan Yunning was valued now.

“It’s all right, it’s all right.” Yan Yunning looked at this commotion and swallowed down the cough she had been about to let out.

“Are you truly unharmed?” Xuan Wang asked with concern.

“Yes, Father Emperor, I’m quite all right — I simply choked a little.” Yan Yunning smiled, her eyes curving.

“Unharmed, good.” Xuan Wang waved his hand. “All of you, withdraw.”

The imperial physician who had rushed into the hall bowed with cupped hands, then slowly retreated back out.

Afraid of choking again, Yan Yunning ate in small, careful sips and bites.

After the midday meal, Yan Yunning returned to the bedchamber and nestled into Xuan Yanyu’s arms, saying softly, “Your Highness the Crown Prince, when can we go back to the manor?”

In the palace, Xuan Wang and the Empress were so tense around her — it had her nerves perpetually on edge.

No, not tense around her — tense around the child in her womb.

The man’s palm rubbed the back of her head gently, and he smiled lazily. “We could leave right now, if you’d like.”

“Really?” Yan Yunning’s eyes lit up.

Xuan Yanyu tapped her on the nose with fond indulgence. “Naturally. This prince grants every wish the Crown Princess has.”

Yan Yunning smiled sweetly and leaned up to kiss him.

After a long moment, the man’s breathing had grown somewhat hurried, his dark eyes smoldering with suppressed longing.

She met his gaze. Yan Yunning smacked her lips and blinked at him with wide, innocent eyes.

Xuan Yanyu looked away, tilting his head back slightly and exhaling slowly.

As if doing it deliberately, Yan Yunning leaned close and pressed her lips to the man’s rolling throat.

“You……” His voice came out hoarse and low.

Yan Yunning giggled. “Your Highness the Crown Prince, weren’t we going back to the manor? Do we still want to go?”

The girl’s voice was soft and sweet, her bright little face full of teasing mischief. Xuan Yanyu clenched his jaw — she was simply taking advantage of the fact that he didn’t dare do anything to her right now!!

Yan Yunning seemed to discover a certain enjoyment in this, and on the carriage ride back to the Crown Prince’s manor, she teased him every so often.

The two returned to the manor. After his initial displeasure, Xuan Wang reminded Yan Yunning to bring her guards and medical officials whenever she left the manor, and to have someone report to him each day after the wellness pulse was taken — and said nothing more beyond that.

In the days that followed, whenever she was bored, Yan Yunning would wander over to Zhaozheng Hall to tease the man as he worked through his memorials.

Until the man finally lost all patience and, with a half-smile, scooped her up and carried her back to the bedchamber.

Yan Yunning, oblivious to the danger, looked up at him with a provocative gleam in her eye.

A dark shade passed through Xuan Yanyu’s eyes as the corner of his mouth curved slightly upward.

The hour of Hai. Late night.

Inside the bedchamber.

Yan Yunning pouted, raising her hand with great effort only to let it fall back down limply. The man reclined at ease against the bed, looking at her with pure amusement dancing in his eyes.

“Xuan Yanyu.” A much more well-behaved Yan Yunning muttered in a small voice, “Do you know — the medical official said that people with child must not overexert themselves, as it would be harmful to the baby?”

“No matter. This prince’s child won’t be so fragile.”

Yan Yunning: “……”

Xuan Yanyu leaned in close, his voice low and husky. “Dare you do that again?”

With the distance between them so near, the man’s breath drifting warmly against her cheek, Yan Yunning stared at his handsome face and said weakly, “I’ll behave.”

Xuan Yanyu let out a soft laugh. “Really behaving now?”

Yan Yunning burrowed into the brocade blanket, her voice rising with each declaration:

“I’m behaving!!”

“I’m really behaving!!”

“I won’t dare again!!”

“I’ve learned my lesson!!!”

The man was momentarily stunned, then broke into a full, bright laugh.

Yan Yunning wanted to cry without tears, biting her lip in frustration. Well, that was that — completely backfired. She would never go and tease him again!!

The following morning.

Yan Shiyao came to the Crown Prince’s manor early. Being a princess commandery and also Yan Yunning’s older sister, the guards at the gate did not stop her.

She made her way smoothly inside. Xiao Wan spotted Yan Shiyao and curtsied respectfully. “Greetings, Princess Commandery. Are you here to see the Crown Princess?”

“Yes.” Yan Shiyao nodded.

“Would the Princess Commandery please wait in the main hall? The Crown Princess has not yet risen,” Xiao Wan said with a smile.

Yan Shiyao was surprised. “Not yet risen?”

The hour for the morning meal had already passed.

Could she truly be so unbeholden to propriety?

“Yes, the Crown Princess will likely be a little while longer before she wakes.” Xiao Wan led the way, guiding Yan Shiyao into the main hall, and smiled. “The Princess Commandery may wait a moment. Once the Crown Princess wakes and finishes her morning meal, she will come.”

With that, Xiao Wan also instructed the other maidservants to attend to Yan Shiyao before heading to the kitchen herself to have the cooks begin preparing Yan Yunning’s morning meal.

Yan Shiyao waited for over an hour before Yan Yunning finally appeared.