"What is Your Highness doing?"
Qin Guan asked as she crouched beside Yan Sui.
Yan Sui didn’t answer, only kept digging a hole. But being small and weak, he had only managed to scrape out a shallow pit after quite some time. Qin Guan’s eyes flickered; she picked up a broken branch from the ground and began to help. With her assistance, the hole gradually deepened, and Yan Sui finally let out a sigh of relief. He tossed a small cloth bundle he had beside him into the pit.
Though called a cloth bundle, it was merely a small object wrapped in a handkerchief. Yan Sui placed it in the hole and hurriedly began covering it with soil. Watching him, Qin Guan had no idea what he was doing.
Once the object was buried, Yan Sui finally lifted his head and glanced at her.
Qin Guan then asked, "How did Your Highness manage to slip out of the Longevity and Health Palace? Momma Su has been looking for you everywhere."
Yan Sui looked at Qin Guan, then at the filled-in pit, and suddenly covered his mouth with his hand, saying, "Don’t tell."
Qin Guan understood his meaning and nodded naturally. "Alright, I won’t say a word."
Yan Sui stood up and toddled out on his short legs. Qin Guan followed, glancing back at the spot. Yan Sui had chosen a remarkably hidden location, shielded by weeds, making it nearly impossible to detect.
Still, Qin Guan remarked, "What did Your Highness bury? Although this place is desolate, if the garden is ever renovated, whatever is buried here might be dug up."
As she spoke, she brushed off the grass and debris clinging to Yan Sui’s clothes. Yan Sui paused mid-step, tilting his head thoughtfully. "I wanted to hide it, but I don’t know where else in the palace to keep it."
Qin Guan frowned. What could he possibly need to hide?
"What is Your Highness trying to hide?"
At her question, Yan Sui pressed his lips together tightly, as if hesitating whether to confide in her.
Qin Guan didn’t press him, simply waiting quietly. After a moment, he said, "It’s a memento my mother left me."
Qin Guan understood. "Left by Consort Jin? Why do you need to hide it? Wouldn’t it be better to keep it with you?"
Yan Sui shook his head, a troubled expression on his face that seemed too old for his years. "Father doesn’t like me keeping my mother’s belongings. This is the only thing she ever gave me. I can’t bear to part with it."
He looked at Qin Guan, then glanced back at the burial spot, seeming somewhat uneasy.
Suddenly, he gazed at her and asked, "Can you take it out of the palace for me?"
Qin Guan was taken aback. "But that’s Consort Jin’s memento…"
It wasn’t that she feared taking something of Consort Jin’s; rather, since it was meant for Yan Sui, her removing it felt inappropriate. Yet, her hesitation seemed to strengthen Yan Sui’s resolve. He turned and trudged back, quickly unearthing the small cloth bundle from the pit. Returning to Qin Guan, he thrust it into her hands.
"Take it out and keep it for me. When I have my own palace, you can return it to me."
Yan Sui currently resided in the Longevity and Health Palace—it seemed he couldn’t even trust the Empress Dowager.
Qin Guan replied, "I can certainly keep it for you, but why not tell the Empress Dowager? I’m sure she would understand your reluctance to part with your mother’s keepsake."
Yan Sui shook his head repeatedly, clutching Qin Guan’s hand tightly. Seeing his agitation, she quickly tucked the bundle into her sleeve. "Alright, I’ll keep it safe for you. I promise it won’t be lost."Yan Sui let out a breath, his expression finally relaxing. Qin Guan brushed the dirt off Yan Sui's clothes and hands, then led him toward the Longevity and Health Palace. Halfway there, Momma Su arrived with two servants. Seeing Qin Guan holding Yan Sui's hand, Momma Su hurried over. "Oh my, Your Highness, how could you sneak out alone..."
Noticing the stubborn mud stains on Yan Sui's clothes, Momma Su sighed ruefully, "Where has Your Highness been rolling about this time?"
Qin Guan explained, "It's nothing. He was just digging in the mud over there."
For a child Yan Sui's age in an ordinary family, playing with mud would be perfectly normal. But as a prince in the palace, such behavior was improper. Momma Su sighed, scooped Yan Sui into her arms, and glanced ahead. Seeing that Yan Sui had come from the direction of the Eternal Peace Palace, her eyes held both pity and fear. She quickly turned to Qin Guan with gratitude, "Thank you so much, Princess. His Highness feels particularly close to you..."
Qin Guan smiled faintly, her fingers tightening around something in her sleeve pocket. "His Highness is still young and naturally playful. Next time, Momma, you must keep a closer watch..."
Momma Su nodded hurriedly, sharing a few amusing anecdotes about Yan Sui as she carried him. Chatting, they soon returned to the Longevity and Health Palace. Just as they reached the palace gates, they encountered the imperial procession of the Emperor and Empress heading out, followed by Yan Qi and Feng Chenbi. Momma Su immediately set Yan Sui down, and Qin Guan promptly bowed in respect.
Emperor Yan Huai, about to board the Imperial Carriage, glanced at Yan Sui and noticed the grime on his robe hem. "Where have you been playing around? Why didn't I see you earlier?"
Yan Sui shrank back nervously. "Father... your son..."
Hesitating, Yan Sui clearly dared not mention his visit near the Eternal Peace Palace. Momma Su interjected quickly, "Your Majesty, His Highness was catching cicadas in the Imperial Garden..."
It was late summer, and the cicadas' chirping had not yet faded. For a child like Yan Sui, such interests were reasonable. The Emperor frowned noncommittally, boarded the Imperial Carriage, and departed. The Empress and Prince Cheng's couple followed, nodding to Qin Guan before leaving. Since Prince Cheng still needed to pay respects to Feng Lingsu, they did not linger. Once they were gone, Momma Su's forehead was beaded with sweat.
Qin Guan entered the Longevity and Health Palace with Momma Su and first took Yan Sui to see the Grand Princess.
The Grand Princess did not mind Yan Sui's playful antics, simply instructing others to take him for cleaning. Qin Guan stayed to chat with the Empress Dowager. When Qin Guan unintentionally mentioned Yan Chi, the Empress Dowager remarked, "I haven't seen Yan Chi for several days either. I heard the Ministry of Justice has been quite busy lately."
Qin Guan felt puzzled and said, "I wonder how the case of the military provisions in the northwest is progressing."
The Grand Princess sighed. "What can be done? The northwest is remote, and the capital's reach is limited. If you have time, go to the yamen and see what Yan Chi is up to. The other day, even Yan Li spent half a day with me in the palace."
Qin Guan nodded, stayed with the Grand Princess a while longer, then rose to take her leave.
Upon exiting, she found Momma Su waiting outside, as if specifically for her.
Sure enough, seeing her emerge, Momma Su immediately approached. Qin Guan smiled and asked, "Momma, what is it?"
Momma Su wore a slightly apologetic expression and said, "Princess, might we speak in private?"Qin Guan naturally agreed, so Momma Su escorted her out. When they reached a corner and saw no one around, Momma Su lowered her voice and said, "Your Highness, the Emperor and Empress Dowager both dislike the Ninth Prince visiting Eternal Peace Palace. That’s why I didn’t tell the truth today. I hope you understand."
In front of Qin Guan, Momma Su had committed the crime of deceiving the sovereign.
Qin Guan smiled faintly, "Don’t worry, Momma. I understand what you mean."
Momma Su let out a sigh of relief. "His Highness has suffered greatly this past year. It’s truly kind of you to treat him so well, and I must thank you for that."
Qin Guan asked, "Have you been taking care of His Highness since he was young?"
Momma Su gave a bitter smile and shook her head. "No. After the incident, all of His Highness’s former attendants were replaced. I was originally one of Empress Dowager’s people. She sent me to care for His Highness because she knew I was steady-natured."
Qin Guan was inwardly startled—even Yan Sui had no one from his past left by his side.
Momma Su continued, "Although I haven’t been with His Highness since childhood, I dare say—and forgive my presumption—that this past year, I’ve treated him even better than my own child. Even setting that aside, as His Highness’s momma, I naturally wish for him to grow up safely. When the time comes for me to leave the palace, I hope to retire honorably. So His Highness’s safety is my safety."
Understanding her meaning, Qin Guan nodded slightly. Momma Su then added earnestly, "In any case, I came specifically to thank you and to explain why I acted as I did..."
She also wanted Qin Guan to help cover for her.
Qin Guan raised a hand to stop her. "Don’t worry, Momma. His Highness is still young, and I deeply sympathize with him... However, earlier, His Highness mentioned that all of Consort Jin’s belongings were taken away. Now, when he misses his mother, he can only go to Eternal Peace Palace and look from the outside to ease his longing."
Qin Guan naturally couldn’t mention the small cloth pouch Yan Sui had given her. Hearing this, Momma Su thought that since they had already broached the topic of Eternal Peace Palace, it would be better to explain things more thoroughly to Qin Guan, so that she could help cover for Yan Sui in the future. She said, "After the incident, there were many rumors in the palace. Although the Emperor gave Consort Jin an honorable burial on the surface, he actually sent people to search Eternal Peace Palace and left none of her belongings behind."
Among the rumors at the time, the one the Emperor feared most was that Consort Jin had an affair with Prince Jin. For that reason alone, it wasn’t excessive for the Emperor to remove all traces of her.
Qin Guan nodded. "Alright, I understand."
Momma Su thanked her repeatedly and escorted Qin Guan to the gate of Longevity and Health Palace before turning back.
Qin Guan touched the heavy object in her sleeve, her heart feeling equally weighted.
After leaving the palace, Qin Guan took a carriage to the Ministry of Justice. When she arrived, the guards outside recognized her as soon as she stepped out of the carriage and hurried forward to bow. Qin Guan asked, "Is the Crown Prince in the office?"
The guard shook his head. "The Crown Prince is not here. He hasn’t been to the office for several days."
Qin Guan frowned. The guard then asked, "What matter does Your Highness wish to discuss with him? Would you like to leave a message for me to relay?"
Qin Guan smiled. "I was merely sent by the Empress Dowager to check on His Highness."With that, Qin Guan left the yamen. Once inside the carriage, her brow furrowed tightly. Moments later, she lifted the carriage curtain and asked Baiying, "Do you know where Prince Rui's residence is located?"
Baiying naturally nodded, "This servant knows—"
Qin Guan then said, "Good, then let's go take a look at Prince Rui's residence."
Prince Cheng had married yesterday, and once such court celebrations concluded, court officials would inevitably turn their attention to the matter of the northwest military provisions. Yet Yan Chi had been absent these past few days, which worried Qin Guan greatly, especially since considerable time had passed since the northwest military provisions incident.
As the carriage moved steadily forward, Qin Guan observed it turning into Xingle District. Prince Rui's residence stood just outside the imperial city, positioned toward the northeast. Though located in the same civilian district as the marquis' estate, the distance between them was considerable. While the carriage traveled, Qin Guan retrieved an item from her sleeve pocket to examine—not that she intended to pry into Yan Sui's secrets, but since he had entrusted it to her, she needed to understand what she was safeguarding for him.
The handkerchief was crumpled into a ball. When Qin Guan unfolded it, she discovered nothing more than a small silver longevity lock fashioned in a ruyi-head design, carved with lotus patterns and inscribed with the characters "Long Life and Prosperity." The lock appeared aged, almost like a family heirloom. Qin Guan couldn't comprehend why, even if this item had been given to Yan Sui by Consort Jin, it couldn't be worn openly. Moreover, Yan Sui had hidden this lock for so long despite his youth...
A faint unease stirred in Qin Guan's heart, but having promised Yan Sui, she couldn't go back on her word. She rewrapped the lock in the handkerchief and returned it to her sleeve pocket. After the previous incident where Mo Yi had crushed the golden oriole to death, she absolutely dared not let anything happen to this lock. Qin Guan sighed. After traveling for the time it takes two incense sticks to burn, the carriage gradually came to a halt.
Though she had been back in the capital for some time, she had never visited Prince Rui's residence before. Lifting the carriage curtain, Qin Guan immediately saw the tall, broad gate plaque of the residence bearing three gilded characters. Due to long-term vacancy, the plaque appeared somewhat faded and worn.
Having visited both Prince Yi's and Prince Gong's residences, Qin Guan noticed that Prince Rui's establishment surpassed them in grandeur. However, the main gate was currently tightly shut. Uncertain if anyone was inside, Qin Guan instructed, "Baiying, go knock on the door."
Baiying nodded and stepped forward to knock several times, but no response came from within.
Qin Guan's heart sank. Yan Chi wasn't at the Ministry of Justice offices, hadn't entered the palace, and now wasn't at his residence—where could he have gone?
Could he have already left the capital?!
Her heart leaped at the thought, recalling what Zhang Daoshi had said that day.
Baiying knocked twice more when, with a creak, the gate opened.
An elderly man's face appeared in the doorway. Seeing Baiying standing outside, he asked suspiciously, "Who are you looking for, miss?"
Baiying hurriedly replied, "I am Yongci County Princess's maid. We're here to see the Crown Prince."
The man scrutinized Baiying and glanced at the waiting carriage before shaking his head. "The Crown Prince is not in residence."
Baiying paused, "Where has His Highness gone?"
A hint of wariness appeared in the man's eyes as he shook his head again. "This humble one doesn't know."
Then he closed the gate, disappearing without another word.
Baiying gritted her teeth and returned to the carriage. Qin Guan frowned, "Let's return home."
Baiying mounted the carriage shaft, and with a crack of the whip, the carriage headed back toward the marquis' estate.Inside the carriage, Qin Guan's unease grew increasingly intense.
The location of Prince Rui's royal residence was exceptionally prestigious, surrounded by grand mansions and courtyards. Most of these residences were former princely mansions, and many remained vacant and unoccupied. Consequently, this lane appeared particularly desolate. Qin Guan's carriage emerged from the lane and traveled some distance before reaching the main Path. Just as they entered the main Path, Qin Guan heard the sound of galloping hooves.
Baiying abruptly reined in the horse, only to see several young men in military uniforms riding swiftly from the southern main Path. Their expressions were stern and cold, and though their speed was rapid, they showed no regard for the pedestrians coming and going on the street. As they charged forward, distant commoners scattered in alarm. Golden-feathered arrows were inserted into their horse's heads, causing Qin Guan's pupils to contract sharply. While others might not know, she recognized them—they were imperial guards specifically responsible for delivering the emperor's eight-hundred-li urgent dispatches!
Whenever these men appeared, it indicated that something major had happened somewhere!
After the fast horses galloped past, Baiying continued toward the residence. However, Qin Guan grew increasingly restless. Upon returning to the Hou residence, Hu Shi cheerfully took her hand and said, "Guan'er, your third brother's marriage is practically settled now." Lady Peng and the Duke are both quite satisfied with your third brother. Yesterday, I sent Yan'er's birth details over, and we're just waiting for good news."
Though initially unsettled, Qin Guan felt her mind calm upon hearing Hu Shi's words.
"Then congratulations in advance, Aunt. With Third Brother's matter settled, you'll have one less worry."
Hu Shi laughed, "Exactly! With your third brother's affairs taking shape, it's your fourth brother's turn next. I've already asked Old Madam from the Wu'an Marquis family to help look into it. She suggested several candidates, and I was planning to investigate each young lady one by one. But coincidentally, I noticed one person among them whom I actually know—not only do I know her, but you know her too."
Qin Guan was surprised, "I know her as well? Who are you referring to, Aunt?"
She didn't know many young ladies from the capital...
Hu Shi covered her mouth with a chuckle, "The eldest daughter of the Meng family—do you know her or not?"
Qin Guan was taken aback, and upon realizing, she couldn't help but feel astonished. Hu Shi actually had her eye on Meng Yao!
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