The two of them drank several pots of tea. Gu Yanxi showed no sign of leaving, and Hua Zhi made no mention of it either.

Without needing to say it plainly, they both knew what they were waiting for.

It was not until the sky had grown dark that Wang Rong finally came in, his expression taut, led by Bao Xia. He glanced at Hua Zhi, uncertain whether he should speak.

Gu Yanxi also looked toward Hua Zhi. Two pairs of eyes, carrying entirely different meanings.

Hua Zhi considered for a moment, then dismissed everyone else and remained behind herself.

She knew that what Wang Rong was about to say must be of grave consequence, and Master Lu had given her a chance to disentangle herself from the matter entirely — yet she could not clear that hurdle within herself.

She would rather face danger than play deaf and blind, leaving herself completely at the mercy of others.

Gu Yanxi gave her a long, meaningful look, then rapped the armrest of his chair to signal Wang Rong to speak.

“The identity has been confirmed. It is the Sixth Imperial Prince.”

Gu Yanxi was not surprised. He had been watching Hua Zhi throughout, and found that she, too, showed no sign of surprise.

“What has happened in the palace?”

“The Fourth Prince wished to gain the support of the person behind the Sixth Prince, and used certain methods to turn the First Prince against the Sixth Prince. His original plan was to rescue the Sixth Prince at a critical moment, so as to win the Sixth Prince’s goodwill. What he did not expect was that the Sixth Prince was highly vigilant, and with the protection of loyal servants, managed to escape on his own. Now both the First Prince and the Fourth Prince have dispatched men to search for the Sixth Prince.”

Gu Yanxi’s eyes narrowed slightly. He leaned back in his chair in a posture of complete ease. “Have they found any leads?”

“None. Shao Yao covered the tracks very thoroughly.”

“Lead them out of the city.”

“Understood.” Wang Rong paused, then asked, “To what extent should this be carried out?”

“Just let them believe the Sixth Prince has gone east.” Gu Yanxi’s smile turned cold. A prince had gone missing from the palace — he would very much like to see how long they could keep it hidden, and take the opportunity to see what cards they each held.

He did not care how the roughly matched factions tore each other apart. Whoever won had the ability; whoever lost had only their own weakness to blame. But to make a move against a younger brother who had lost his mother-consort, was not yet ten years old, and posed absolutely no threat to them — that he found repulsive.

Before Wang Rong departed, he stole a glance at the eldest young miss of the Hua Family, whose expression had not changed in the slightest, and silently gave her a thumbs-up in his heart. No wonder His Highness had taken a liking to her!

Yet Hua Zhi at that moment was far less composed than she appeared. The struggle for the crown had always seemed distant from her — and yet she now found it had drawn close enough to stand right before her eyes.

She had thought that child might be an imperial prince, but she had never imagined it would unravel into something so convoluted.

“The Sixth Prince’s mother-consort was the late Consort Zhen. Her maternal family is…”

“Master Lu, it would be better for me not to know these things.”

“You’ve already heard this much. Hearing a little more changes nothing.” Gu Yanxi smiled. “Consort Zhen’s maternal family is the Sun Family.”

The Sun Family? Which Sun Family? Surely not the Sun Family of the garrison commander at the mountain pass.

Hua Zhi’s head snapped up, her expression shifting. Master Lu had just said the Sixth Prince was heading east — could it be…

“Indeed, that very Sun Family. The family of General Sun, Sun Qi — Consort Zhen was his only daughter.”

It was rare to see Hua Zhi’s composure crack, and Gu Yanxi watched with quiet interest. He had always said Hua Zhi was remarkably perceptive. Had she been born a man, the Hua Family would surely have risen even further under her hands.

Hua Zhi had already reasoned through the whole of it. “Consort Zhen has passed, and the Sixth Prince is General Sun’s only bloodline.”

“Correct.”

“So the other princes wished to draw the Sixth Prince to their own side while he was still young — to eliminate a potential rival while gaining a powerful ally in the same stroke.”

“Precisely.”

Hua Zhi continued her analysis. “Now that the Sixth Prince has vanished, the First Prince and the Fourth Prince must do everything in their power to find him, or this matter will have no resolution. The Emperor cannot remain unaware forever that he has lost a son.”

Gu Yanxi mirrored Hua Zhi’s gesture and poured her a cup of tea. He listened until she finished, then glanced up at her with a faint sound of acknowledgment.

“The Sixth Prince cannot remain in the Hua household.”

“You have it backward. The Hua household is precisely where the Sixth Prince is best suited to stay.”

Hua Zhi frowned. “It would draw the Hua Family into this. Whether it is the First Prince’s wrath or the Fourth Prince’s, the Hua Family cannot bear either.”

“At this moment, no one knows how many men have been sent to search for him. Moving the Sixth Prince now is not wise. I know what you are worried about. Don’t worry — I’m here.”

Don’t worry, I’m here. These were words Hua Zhi had always spoken to others. This was the first time anyone had ever said them to her. For a fleeting instant her mind went blank, her heartbeat stumbled for a fraction of a moment, and the person seated before her seemed, somehow, a little different.

Hua Zhi lowered her gaze, forcing herself to return her thoughts to the matter at hand.

Master Lu was right. The sheer number of people out searching meant the Sixth Prince’s whereabouts had not yet been compromised. Rashly sending him away might actually attract attention. Better to leave things as they were. When Ying Chun had carried the child inside, she had kept him wrapped in a cloak — only the maids who served in her courtyard knew of his presence. If she kept a careful watch on who came and went, there should be no problem.

Still, this was a time-bomb of unknown detonation. Once the search died down, the child would need to be sent away as quickly as possible.

“Does Master Lu wish to see the Sixth Prince?”

Knowing she had thought it through, Gu Yanxi nodded. “I need to speak with him. There is something I must ask.”

Hua Zhi rose. “Please follow me.”

After bringing him back, Hua Zhi had arranged the child’s lodging in a room by the front courtyard. Young as he was, he was still an outside guest, and bringing him carelessly into the inner quarters would be improper for all concerned.

From the study to the adjoining room was only a few steps. Hua Zhi had not intended to involve herself in what followed, but after a moment’s thought, she followed Master Lu into the room regardless.

Perhaps because the wound itched terribly, the child had been sitting up against the headboard, quietly scratching at it. At the sound of someone entering he instinctively stilled, but the moment he made out who it was, his expression shifted. He was just about to say something when the man bowed formally: “Lu Yanxi pays his respects to Your Highness the Sixth Prince.”

Lu Yanxi…

The Sixth Prince immediately understood, and swallowed back what he had been about to say. He gave a small nod. “Please rise.”

Hua Zhi curtsied. “This commoner girl pays her respects to Your Highness the Sixth Prince. I ask your forgiveness for any disrespect shown earlier.”

The Sixth Prince looked at her with glistening eyes, and spoke in a child’s voice that carried none of a child’s naivety: “I rather like the name A’Jian.”

Hua Zhi gave another bow.

The light in the Sixth Prince’s eyes slowly dimmed. When he spoke again, his tone had grown lighter. “Thank you for saving me.”

“That Your Highness chose this commoner’s carriage from among so many is proof that such was the arrangement of fate. This commoner girl merely followed the will of Heaven.” Hua Zhi gave another bow. “This commoner has other matters to attend to and shall not intrude further.”

She stepped back toward the door as they watched her go, and when she had drawn it quietly shut behind her, the two of them — one grown, one young — turned back to face each other.

Gu Yanxi inclined his head slightly. “Are you well, Your Highness?”

The Sixth Prince gave a bitter smile. “Please don’t mock me, Yanxi-gege.”

“I had not foreseen that you would be drawn into this, nor that they would be so bold. What of the men General Sun left to guard you?”

“Two are dead. Two more — unknown, whether living or dead. The other two I had sent out on errands at the time; they should be looking for me now.”