Chapter 5: Guan Yizhou Is Here!

"Which noble lady? Or a palace maid? Did you question her thoroughly?"

The Empress felt an inexplicable flicker of anticipation.

By all accounts, Yan was already past twenty. Any ordinary man his age would have long since had wives and concubines in abundance.

But him? Cold-natured as he was, there wasn't even a female mosquito buzzing around him.

If this accident could make him change his ways and take his future seriously, it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.

Xiao Yan let out a soft laugh, though his phoenix eyes held no warmth:

"The girl is timid. Let your son question her properly... then I'll report back to Mother."

From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Sang Zhi beside the Empress. The girl's cheeks had gone faintly pink with fright, her clear eyes brimming with unease.

She looked sweet and obedient.

Tsk. He really wanted to bully her.

Xiao Yan's gaze settled on her face. His Adam's apple bobbed; his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth.

He curled his lips and asked lazily, "I heard Li Yu say Zhizhi wasn't feeling well last night?"

Sang Zhi's nerves pulled taut. Her small frame straightened at once.

The Empress turned to Sang Zhi with immediate concern: "Zhi'er, are you still feeling unwell anywhere?"

"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. Much better now."

Hearing such intimate talk, as though between mother and daughter, Xiao Wanzhu soured again.

"Such a delicate little thing," she muttered under her breath.

"Zhu'er, be nicer to your sister," the Empress said mildly.

"Hmph, Mother, she really is delicate. Even bugs love biting her."

Xiao Wanzhu pointed at Sang Zhi's neck, where red marks dotted the skin.

The Empress turned to look. Her pupils contracted sharply.

The marks were deep red at the center, faintly purple at the edges.

They looked like someone had sucked them hard.

"What is this...?" A flicker of confusion crossed the Empress's face.

Sang Zhi's heart lurched. She answered at once, "Reporting to Your Highness, I passed through the Imperial Garden this morning and got bitten by insects."

Her red lips were slightly pursed, her skin white as snow, and those dark, bright eyes with their long, thick lashes gave her an air of helpless innocence.

When she lied, she actually managed to sound convincing.

Xiao Yan sat across from her, watching the little rabbit spin her tale. He deliberately chimed in: "Indeed. The bugs in the Imperial Garden are enormous.

I got bitten too."

He pointed to a faint red mark visible on his Adam's apple.

"Bitten here, and also..."

His pale fingertips drifted downward...

Sang Zhi nearly spat out the tea she had just swallowed.

Fortunately, Xiao Yan merely turned his wrist over. "Here."

The Empress frowned, but in the end said, "Enough, Yan'er. Handle your own affairs.

Everyone withdraw. Mother has something to discuss with Zhi'er."

-

Once the two had left, the Empress looked at Sang Zhi gently: "Zhi'er, I plan to hold your coming-of-age ceremony in August."

Sang Zhi had technically come of age in March this year.

But the Bureau of Astronomy had cast her fate and found an exceptionally auspicious day, one that occurred only once in a century.

They said only a ceremony held on that day would keep the little princess free of illness and in good health.

The Empress had always doted on Sang Zhi, so naturally she agreed.

Four years ago, when Zhi'er first came to her, she was still a naive little girl—innocent by nature, yet sensitive and fragile, a flower the Empress had nurtured and pampered.

If the banquet was to be postponed, she should tell the girl first, lest she overthink it.

At the news, a hint of bewilderment surfaced in Sang Zhi's almond eyes: "The ceremony is in August, then what about the marriage alliance?"

"Marriage alliance?"

The Empress blinked.

Then something seemed to occur to her, and she smiled warmly. "Don't worry, Zhi'er. Your Crown Prince brother has already refused that match for you."

Sang Zhi let out a breath of pure relief. The man's handsome, indifferent face flashed through her mind.

Sure enough. Before he met the heroine, Xie Yan still felt some sibling affection for her.

As long as she kept to her place and stopped provoking him, the ending definitely wouldn't be as tragic as the book described.

And as for last night?

Steamed egg with sesame oil—simple and easy to deal with.

Just pretend it never happened. Between them, it was only kissing and touching.

The most extreme step was merely *...that*.

A quarter-hour later.

Li Yu stood watch at the gates of Fengming Palace. The moment he spotted the exquisite little princess emerging cheerfully, he hurried forward with a respectful bow.

"Greetings, Princess. His Highness has ordered this servant to escort you back to the Eastern Palace."

Sang Zhi's light steps turned heavy at once.

"Eunuch Li, could you please tell His Highness that I need to go back and take my medicine?"

In the sunlight, the girl opened wide, innocent deer-like eyes. Her plain white face was breathtakingly beautiful.

Li Yu remained unmoved, smiling pleasantly. "Do not worry, Princess. This servant has already brewed your medicine and delivered it to the Eastern Palace."

Sang Zhi: "...."

No wonder you serve someone as picky and impossible to please as Xiao Yan.

Well done. Please don't do it again.

Reluctant as she was, she gritted her teeth, gathered her skirts, and climbed onto the palanquin.

The palanquin swayed slowly along the palace road, stirred by the early summer breeze with its faint chill.

The rocking made her drowsy.

By the time they reached the Eastern Palace gates, her head was spinning. As she stepped down, her foot missed the ground.

"Careful."

Just as she was about to fall, a strong, sinewy hand caught her waist and steadied her, lifting her upright.

The man's crisp, cool scent brushed her cheek.

She instinctively raised her face and met his eyes.

Bony, slender fingers gripped the hollow of her waist. In the scattered sunlight, Xiao Yan's cold, lazy brows carried a trace of mockery: "Still can't stand steady? Sister."

Sang Zhi snapped to her senses—only then realizing she had instinctively wrapped her arms around his waist.

She let go at once, pressed her lips together, and said stiffly, "Greetings, Crown Prince."

Xiao Yan stared at her, his voice giving nothing away: "Crown... Prince?"

That was the second time today she had called him "Your Highness."

He hated it.

This little mouth, which he had kissed pink and glossy, could call him husband. Could call him brother.

It just could not say the words "Your Highness."

Meeting the man's cold, sinister phoenix eyes, Sang Zhi clenched her fingertips nervously.

What madness was he on now? The way he stared at her, it was like he wanted to devour her.

Sang Zhi asked quietly, "Your Highness, is there... something you need?"

Xiao Yan's gaze lingered on her forced composure for a moment. Then his thin lips parted: "Come inside with me. I have questions."

A man and a woman, alone. Dangerous, dangerous.

Sang Zhi shook her head in refusal and instinctively turned to slip away.

But Xiao Yan was faster. He caught her hand.

Her hand was pulled up, his cold, hard knuckles sliding intimately between her fingers.

Her breath caught. By the time she came back to herself, Xiao Yan was already leading her into the hall.

The door creaked open, then slowly swung shut.

The vast sleeping chamber fell silent—so quiet a pin could be heard dropping.

Xiao Yan walked straight to the soft couch beneath the propped window and only then released her hand.

Sang Zhi stood before him.

Warmth still lingered on her palm, and her heart clenched with nervousness.

The man radiated an oppressive presence.

His gaze turned assessing, sweeping from her head to her toes, then from her toes back to her head.

Thorough. Leaving nothing unchecked.

His long, bony knuckles tapped idly against the desk, as though deliberately fraying her nerves.

She didn't dare look up.

After a long pause, he spoke, his tone casual and blunt:

"Zhizhi, did you enjoy kissing me last night?"