“You wanted to see Yan Shiyao and all you had to say to her was those few words?” Xuan Yanyu’s brow arched lightly.

Yan Yunning did not answer. She took the man’s hand in hers and said earnestly, “Xuan Yanyu, say my full name once.”

“…?” The man was puzzled.

“Xuan Yanyu.”

“Yan Yunning?” Not understanding, but Xuan Yanyu said it all the same.

Yan Yunning smiled with a bewitching charm. “Now — I’ll say the last two characters of your name, and you say the first two characters of mine.”

“Yan Yu.” She smiled all the more enchantingly.

The man fixed his gaze on her bright, lovely face, the tip of his tongue touching his lips. “Yan Yu… Yan Yu? Yan Yu?”

Yan Yunning cupped Xuan Yanyu’s face in her hands and laughed in delight. “Xuan Yanyu, have you really never noticed? Your name has me in it, and my name has you in it.”

It seemed it wasn’t only Xuan Yanyu who had never noticed — not a single person around them had caught it. Yan Yu, Yan Yu — what a remarkable coincidence.

Xuan Yanyu went still. Even Fafa paused — if it had once been unable to understand why Yan Yunning was Xuan Yanyu’s destined person, in this moment it suddenly understood. Their bond had been written into their names from the very beginning.

“When did you notice?” The man drew her into his arms, his voice warm with delight.

Yan Yunning lifted her chin with pride. “I noticed long ago.”

“Why didn’t you tell this Prince sooner?”

Yan Yunning pursed her lips. “I thought the Crown Prince had already noticed too. So you hadn’t — I suppose that means the Crown Prince isn’t quite as…”

The man narrowed his eyes and cut her off. “Don’t slander this Prince. This Prince noticed long ago as well.”

Yan Yunning shook her head, plainly unconvinced.

Xuan Yanyu raised an eyebrow. “You don’t believe this Prince?”

“I believe you.” Yan Yunning said only those three words, then pulled him into a tight embrace.

“What’s wrong?” The man gently stroked her hair.

Yan Yunning’s smile came out easy and light. “I just wanted to hold you.”

“Mm?”

“Mm!” Yan Yunning’s lips trembled faintly with the effort of holding back.

I’m sorry, Xuan Xixi. I made Imperial Physician Wen deceive you.

I’m sorry…

I’m sorry…

——

The day before the wedding, Yan Yunning could feel clearly that she was reaching the limit of what she could hold on through. She appealed to Fafa again — to give her a few more days.

At least — at least let her hold on until after the wedding. Let her see Xuan Xixi’s accession. Let her and Xuan Xixi complete the ceremony.

Fafa did not respond. The color drained from Yan Yunning’s face.

“Are you cold?” Xuan Yanyu removed the cloak from his own shoulders and fastened it around Yan Yunning.

The days had brought one rain after another, and the air carried a damp chill. Xuan Yanyu did not feel the cold himself, yet inexplicably he shivered, an obscure heaviness pressing in on his heart.

“Not cold.” Yan Yunning took the man’s hand, lacing their fingers together.

“Shall we go for a walk? The weather is quite pleasant today.” The man gazed down at the smiling girl, and for a fleeting moment his expression went blank.

Why was his heart aching so.

He and Ningning were to be married tomorrow — why did his chest feel so constricted today?

“All right.” Yan Yunning’s voice came out light and slightly unsteady.

“Ningning.” The sour ache in Xuan Yanyu’s chest grew sharper.

“What is it, Crown Prince?” Yan Yunning smiled as she answered.

Without knowing why, the man asked, “Ningning, you promised this Prince you would never leave, didn’t you.”

His eyes held an unexpected vulnerability. Yan Yunning startled faintly, then smiled and said gently, “Crown Prince, why do you say that all of a sudden?”

Xuan Yanyu pressed his lips together. “This Prince doesn’t know either.”

Yan Yunning lowered her head, avoiding the man’s gaze, which had been fixed on her. “Come now, let’s go for a walk.”

“Mm.” The man instinctively tightened his grip on her hand.

After the succession of rainstorms, today’s sky blazed with open sunshine. Rainwater from the eaves dripped down along the glazed roof tiles. Yan Yunning tilted her face upward, letting the droplets patter against her cheeks, and her eyes slowly reddened.

Xuan Yanyu smiled and wiped the rainwater from her face. “Still want to keep looking up?”

“Xuan Yanyu, it hurts.” She pulled him into an embrace, and at last let herself cry without holding back.

It hurt so much. So much.

The man soothed her gently. “Don’t cry, don’t cry. If you cry your eyes red today, do you want to marry this Prince with red eyes tomorrow?”

“Then go buy me the lotus leaf chicken, and I’ll stop crying. I never got to eat the lotus leaf chicken you bought me last time.” Yan Yunning said between hiccups and sniffles.

“All right. Then you stay here in the residence and wait for this Prince — no wandering off.”

“Mm.” Yan Yunning nodded heavily.

Thinking of last time — the last time Xuan Yanyu had gone to buy her lotus leaf chicken, she had gone wandering to the cold palace, and because of that the baby…

The grief hit her like something pressing the air from her chest.

“Is there anything else you’d like? This Prince will bring it all back at once.” Xuan Yanyu leaned down and pressed a light kiss to her forehead.

The girl said in a muffled voice, “Anything the Crown Prince brings back, I’ll be happy with.”

“Good. Go back to the bedchamber and wait for this Prince.” The man released her hand.

“Mm.”

Xuan Yanyu smiled and waved her off, signaling her to go inside before he left.

“Xuan Yanyu.” Yan Yunning rose onto her toes, lifted her chin, and pressed her lips to his. Xuan Yanyu caught on, and his arm curved around her slender waist. He tasted salt — her tears had reached his mouth — and something jolted sharply in his chest.

“All right, hurry along. I’m famished.” Yan Yunning pushed him away, sniffling.

A pang ran through the man’s chest. He lightened his voice into a tease. “Still crying. If you keep crying and your eyes are swollen tomorrow, you’ll be the least presentable Empress of Xuanzhao there ever was.”

Yan Yunning seized his sleeve and used it to wipe away her tears. She muttered, “Crown Prince, you said I don’t look good — careful, I’ll vex you again.”

“I never said that. This Prince never said that.” Xuan Yanyu patted her on the head. “Go to the bedchamber. This Prince will be back shortly. Wait for this Prince with Xue Tuan.”

“Mm.” This time, Yan Yunning waved at Xuan Yanyu and obediently turned to walk into the bedchamber.

Back inside, Yan Yunning gathered Xue Tuan into her arms, tapped her fingertip against his forehead, her voice thick, and said, “Yan Xue Tuan, from now on you must stay faithfully by Xuan Xixi’s side. No more barking at him. Did you hear me?”

Xue Tuan licked his paw and blinked at Yan Yunning with uncomprehending eyes.

Yan Yunning gave his small ear a tug. “When he’s sad, run over and wag your tail at him.”

“When he’s exhausted, use your little stubby legs and pat his arm.”

“If he furrows his brow, wag your tail at him again.”

“Xue Tuan, you have to keep him company.”

Xue Tuan gave two uncomprehending little cries.

“When Xuan Xixi comes back in a while, I’ll share some of the lotus leaf chicken with you. Once you’ve eaten the lotus leaf chicken Xuan Xixi bought, you have to do exactly as I said. Understand?” Yan Yunning gave two gentle taps to Xue Tuan’s little head.

Xue Tuan nuzzled against Yan Yunning’s arm.

She had more she wanted to say. Then, without warning, Yan Yunning’s throat seized with a tickle — she bent over and coughed up a mouthful of blood. A ringing filled her ears, and darkness crept across her vision.

Fafa’s voice came at once. “Host, we are going home.”

Yan Yunning’s breath gave a faint tremble. “No — wait a little longer. Wait a little longer. I haven’t seen what Xuan Xixi looks like when he ascends the throne. I haven’t married him yet…”

Just until tomorrow… tomorrow she could marry Xuan Xixi. Tomorrow she could see Xuan Xixi dressed in the dragon robes.

“We cannot wait. Today, we must leave.” Fafa interrupted her.

“Xuan Xixi ascends tomorrow — just one more day. Wait just a little. I’m begging you…” Yan Yunning cried out with all the strength left in her.

Fafa said: “Host, we are going home. There is a surprise waiting for you. When the time comes, the choice is yours — whether you want it or not.”

“Don’t… at least let me wait until Xuan Xixi comes back… he hasn’t come back yet… please…”

Before she could finish, Yan Yunning felt everything around her begin to shift and sway. Through the blur, she saw on the bed a figure lying still and peaceful, identical to herself. The next instant, she closed her eyes completely.

Her pleading, in the end, had been for nothing. The girl never got to eat the lotus leaf chicken her husband had gone to buy. She had come so close to seeing Xuan Yanyu’s accession.

Only the smallest distance more, and she could have put on the wedding robes and married Xuan Yanyu.