When Yue Ning taught Yan Sui, she held back with tender care, not daring to push too hard. But Yan Chi was different—he could see Yan Sui’s genuine passion for this Path, so every move he taught carried the lethal intent of real combat. Mammy Chen and Qin Guan stood watching nearby, their hearts trembling with anxiety, yet Yan Sui remained utterly focused.
Mammy Chen remarked, "The Ninth Prince has been clutching his blade day and night these past two days, even developing blisters on his hands. It’s a pity the Empress Dowager is unwell and thinks His Highness is too young, so she hasn’t found him a proper martial arts instructor. Otherwise, he’d likely devote even more effort."
Qin Guan watched Yan Sui’s determined back and said, "Though young, His Highness fears no hardship. That’s truly admirable."
Mammy Chen nodded with a smile. Meanwhile, Yan Chi handed the short blade from his waist to Yan Sui. "Try this one…"
Seeing the sharp edge, Yan Sui’s pupils shrank slightly. Yan Chi looked down at him. "Afraid?"
Pressing his lips together, Yan Sui snatched the short blade from Yan Chi. Though both were short blades, Yan Chi’s was over twice the length of Yan Sui’s. Gripping it, Yan Sui felt its cold, heavy weight. Yan Chi glanced at him. "Use this blade and attack me as I just taught you."
Yan Sui’s eyes widened—the blade in his hand was fully sharpened!
Yan Chi observed him calmly. After a moment’s thought, Yan Sui understood: in Yan Chi’s eyes, he was no threat, even armed with a lethal weapon.
Yan Sui lowered his gaze, appearing disheartened and timid. Yan Chi raised a brow and stepped forward to instruct further, but suddenly Yan Sui’s hand swung upward. A flash of steel swept past Yan Chi’s chest. From a distance, Mammy Chen gasped in shock, while Qin Guan’s lips curved into a faint smile. Yan Chi, slightly surprised, sidestepped effortlessly, his eyes glinting with amusement.
Despite his youth, Yan Sui already possessed cunning—knowing he was outmatched, he had feigned weakness first.
Had Yan Sui been a twenty-year-old adult, Yan Chi wouldn’t have evaded so casually.
Swinging, hacking, and thrusting with the heavier blade, Yan Sui struck with more force and trickier angles. Yet the gap between them was too vast—Yan Chi dodged every move with ease. After several exchanges, Yan Sui’s eyes dimmed, and he halted, drenched in sweat.
"I can’t do it… not yet."
The disparity was too great; he couldn’t even graze Yan Chi’s robe. Under such circumstances, sparring felt pointless.
But Yan Chi stepped forward, retrieved the short blade, and sheathed it. "You’ve improved greatly. In ten years, perhaps you’ll be able to challenge me."
Though his chin was slightly raised, Yan Chi’s eyes held no contempt. Yan Sui looked up at him, wiped the sweat from his brow, and his resolve hardened. Clenching his small fists, he declared, "I will train harder in martial arts!"
Yan Chi smiled, appreciation gleaming in his eyes. "Ambition in youth is a fine thing."
With the lesson concluded, Yan Chi turned to Qin Guan, who approached. Yan Sui glanced between them and suddenly asked Qin Guan, "Are you getting married the day after tomorrow?"
Qin Guan smiled. "Yes, Your Highness. I’m to be wed."
Yan Sui thought for a moment, then grabbed Qin Guan’s hand. "Come with me."Qin Guan glanced at Yan Chi and followed Yan Sui toward his own quarters. When they arrived, Yan Sui released Qin Guan’s hand and dashed into his room. Moments later, he emerged holding a small paper kite. "I made this myself—for you. When spring comes, it will fly."
Yan Sui held the kite high. Painted on it were a pair of swallows in flight. Qin Guan felt a warmth in her chest and crouched down. "Your Highness made this yourself?"
Yan Sui nodded. "I asked Changfu to teach me. He’s not good at much else, but he knows how to make kites."
Qin Guan took the kite. Its craftsmanship was surprisingly delicate. She glanced at Yan Sui’s palms and noticed fine scratches, clearly from bamboo splinters. Her heart ached with tenderness. Yan Sui then declared, "I will practice martial arts every day, so no one can bully you in the future."
Qin Guan’s nose tingled with emotion. Gazing into Yan Sui’s clear, bright eyes, she leaned forward and embraced him. "Your Highness…"
Remembering Zhang Daoshi’s words, her chest tightened. After a pause, she could only say, "Your Highness must take care of yourself. With the court in turmoil, only Her Majesty the Empress Dowager can protect you now. You must stay close to her side."
Her tone was unusually grave, making Yan Sui clutch her sleeve tightly. Qin Guan released him, her heart full of unspoken warnings she dared not voice.
A moment later, Yan Sui let go of her sleeve and nodded. "I understand."
Qin Guan composed herself, stood up, and patted Yan Sui’s head. When they returned to the central courtyard, Yan Chi noticed the paper kite in Qin Guan’s hand. Mammy Chen chuckled, "Only the Ninth Prince would have such a childlike heart. Giving you a kite in deep winter—how could it possibly fly now?"
Qin Guan smiled. "Winter will pass eventually. His Highness is looking forward to spring. I love it."
Mammy Chen smiled without further comment and saw them out. Once outside the Longevity and Health Palace, Qin Guan stared distractedly at the kite. Noting her solemn expression, Yan Chi reassured her, "Don’t worry. Yan Sui won’t be dragged into the chaos."
As the Emperor’s son, Yan Sui was inherently the most secure. But he was too young, and with the Empress and Crown Prince planning to head north while Yan Ze harbored ulterior motives, how could such a child protect himself if caught in the crossfire?
"Did Zhang Daoshi give you the letter?" Qin Guan asked.
Yan Chi nodded. "I only entered the palace after visiting Prince Yi’s residence today."
Qin Guan was surprised. She had assumed Yan Chi only knew of Yan Ze’s affairs, not that he had already met him. She turned to look at Yan Chi, who explained, "The death of Princess Consort Yi was indeed suspicious. All these years, Third Brother and Uncle must have been investigating it. Initially, they likely didn’t know the Emperor’s secret, but later…" He paused, meeting Qin Guan’s gaze. "It was only after last year’s case involving Prince Jin that they confirmed it."
Qin Guan halted mid-step. "You mean… Li Muyun…"
Li Muyun and Ning Buyi’s experiences were too similar. If Ning Buyi was Yan Ze’s arrangement, what about Li Muyun?
Qin Guan had considered this before, but Yan Chi’s words now seemed to confirm her suspicions.Qin Guan had been puzzling over why Li Muyun submitted that memorial. But what if submitting it was merely a test? What if he was using Shen Yi to probe the Emperor?
Prince Jin’s eventual suicide and the execution of Shen Yi’s entire clan were the clearest proofs.
Qin Guan’s footsteps slowed, a suffocating weight pressing on her chest, making it impossible to breathe…
"Wanwan…" With no one around, Yan Chi grasped Qin Guan’s hand. "We’ve uncovered all the reasons behind this. From now on, whatever we do, we owe no one any apologies."
It took Qin Guan a long moment to draw a deep breath. She nodded and softly murmured, "Mhm."
Yan Chi tightened his grip on her hand. "The Emperor has already sensed the unrest in Shuoxi. I suspect he will move against me soon. I’ve made arrangements. On the twelfth of the twelfth month, we will leave the capital under the pretext of paying respects to my father and mother at Qiwu Mountain…"
The tenth was their wedding day. According to tradition, on the eleventh, they were to enter the palace to express gratitude, and on the twelfth, they were to pay homage to their deceased parents. Both Qin Guan and Yan Chi had lost their parents, and since this wedding was a grand ceremony, it was only fitting for them to visit the imperial tombs.
Qin Guan returned his grasp and nodded. "Alright."
Even if the Emperor knew about the turmoil in Shuoxi, Yan Chi was far away in the capital and had no connection to the matter. Without evidence, the Emperor would need a pretext to punish Yan Chi. Naturally, Yan Chi had to leave the capital before that happened. Once they were beyond the capital, the Emperor’s influence would no longer hold sway.
Outside the palace gates, the Qin family’s carriage was still waiting. Qin Guan boarded it, with Yan Chi riding alongside. They traveled all the way to the entrance of Loyal Marquis Manor before the carriage halted. Yan Chi did not dismount. He waited for Qin Guan to step down, then gave her a reassuring glance. Only after she nodded did he spur his horse and depart.
This parting meant they would not see each other again until their wedding day on the tenth. The thought of the impending marriage, and the path they would tread afterward—one no different from the Empress’s—filled Qin Guan with an irrepressible tension and heaviness. Taking a deep breath, she turned and entered the manor.
The manor was now adorned with lanterns and decorations, bustling with joyous activity. As Qin Guan walked through, she saw servants busy everywhere. The wedding had swept away the gloom that had hung over the manor for days, and it was clear to Qin Guan that everyone’s happiness was genuine.
She went to the main courtyard, where Hu Shi was reviewing the guest list with Granny Yu. Hu Shi’s health had improved slightly, and she was mustering her strength to manage the preparations. Qin Chaoyu was still missing, but Hu Shi seemed to take solace in the fact that no news was the best news, and in recent days, she had regained some of her spirit.
Qin Guan stayed with Hu Shi for a while, helping with the tasks. By evening, Qin Shuang had returned early from the Xue residence. Though Qin Shuang was already married, she was to accompany Qin Guan as part of her natal family. That evening, the family gathered for dinner. Though the atmosphere was somewhat somber, Qin Shu made an effort to offer Qin Guan many words of advice. After the meal, Qin Shuang followed Qin Guan back to Pine Breeze Courtyard. That night, the two sisters shared a bed. Qin Shuang spoke endlessly of her hopes for Qin Guan’s married life, but Qin Guan’s thoughts stretched far beyond. They talked late into the night before finally falling asleep. The next day, they rose to another day of busy preparations.
Though Meng Yao and Yue Ning had already sent their dowry gifts for Qin Guan, they still arrived early that day.Several young ladies gathered together, and as Qin Guan looked at the large red auspicious characters pasted all over the room, she truly felt a dazed sensation of getting married.
"I won’t be coming over tomorrow morning. I’ll be waiting for you at Prince Rui’s royal residence. Grandmother is going to officiate your wedding, so I need to accompany her," Yue Ning said.
Meng Yao smiled and added, "I’ll still come tomorrow. Shuang'er and I will see you off when you marry."
As they chatted and laughed, Qin Guan watched Yue Ning with some concern. Yue Ning didn’t know what kind of person Yan Ze truly was. If she were to find out one day, would she still admire Yan Ze as she did now? Qin Guan shook her head inwardly. Yue Ning’s temperament was resilient and unyielding—she would likely not tolerate the many wicked deeds Yan Ze had committed.
Perhaps Qin Guan’s gaze was too hesitant, for Yue Ning noticed her unease. Not long after, when Qin Shuang and Meng Yao stepped out to check on Qin Guan’s dowry, Yue Ning lingered behind and nudged Qin Guan’s shoulder. "What’s wrong with you? Tomorrow is your joyous day, yet you look so preoccupied today."
Qin Guan shook her head. "It’s nothing. I was just thinking about many things all at once. By the way, how are things between you and the Crown Prince?"
Qin Guan’s question seemed casual, but Yue Ning frowned slightly upon hearing it. "Third Brother has been quite busy these past couple of days because of the princess consort’s Golden Buddha casting. And... I have this indescribable feeling—Third Brother seems to need me less and less. It’s different from when he first returned... Maybe I’m just being overly sensitive."
Qin Guan felt the words on the tip of her tongue, but in the end, she swallowed them back. "If His Highness’s eyes recover, he won’t have to rely on others for everything as he did before."
Yue Ning smiled. "That’s a good thing! But Third Brother’s eyes haven’t healed yet!"
Qin Guan paused in her steps. "Yue Ning, actually... the Crown Prince’s eye condition will eventually improve. You don’t need to blame yourself so much."
Yue Ning chuckled wryly. "But Third Brother has been blind for so many years... These years were supposed to be the prime of his life, yet he couldn’t see because of me. I can’t just forget that because his eyes might recover later. Ah, don’t worry—I’m not as hard on myself as you think. Isn’t everything fine as it is now? I’m going to be Third Brother’s wife in the future, so no matter what, taking care of him is my duty."
Yue Ning spoke calmly, clearly having made up her mind long ago, but Qin Guan felt deeply uneasy.
Yan Ze had been pretending for so long and had been scheming from such an early stage. Was his affection for Yue Ning genuine or feigned?
Yue Ning had grown up with him, and Qin Guan refused to believe Yan Ze was so deranged as to disregard Yue Ning entirely. But what if Yue Ning discovered she had never truly known Yan Ze?
In this world, marriage could determine a woman’s happiness or sorrow for the rest of her life. Qin Guan didn’t want Yue Ning to regret her marriage later.
Yet she didn’t know how to broach the subject...
"Do you think you know him well enough?"
At Qin Guan’s question, Yue Ning looked puzzled. "What’s wrong with you? Don’t tell me you’re having second thoughts about marrying Yan Chi now?"
Qin Guan smiled bitterly. "It’s not about me. I’m worried about you..."
"Alright, you don’t need to worry about me. Third Brother has been playing with me since we were children. I have Grandmother, Father, and Mother by my side. If Third Brother dares to treat me even slightly poorly, would Grandmother let him off? You’re worried about me, but I’m worried about you too. Your uncle and aunt are probably mostly concerned about your Eighth Sister now. After you marry... Ah..."Only a close sister like Yue Ning could think of the most dreadful outcomes. Qin Guan felt a deeper bitterness in her heart upon hearing this. After a long silence, she finally resolved, "What if... the Crown Prince is different from what you imagine? Or what if he has concealed many things from you?"
At this point, even someone as careless as Yue Ning sensed something amiss.
She frowned, "What's wrong? Has something happened that I don't know about?"
Qin Guan grasped Yue Ning's hand, her expression turning more serious. "The Crown Prince did grow up with you, and he does care for you. I won't force you to change your feelings of admiration or guilt toward him. But he is the man who will become your husband. If I don't warn you now, I fear it might be too late..."
Qin Guan's words carried grave weight, making Yue Ning's expression turn solemn as well. "What exactly is going on?"
Qin Guan tightened her grip on Yue Ning's hand, almost enunciating each word deliberately: "He... is not as detached from worldly affairs as he appears. Princess Consort Yi's death was suspicious. Over the years, he has been investigating it and has done many unsavory things in the process. I won't presume to judge his morality, but Yue Ning, from now on, you must open your eyes wide and examine this man carefully. If you still choose to protect him and marry him after knowing everything, I won't say another word. But you shouldn't become the Princess Consort Yi without knowing the full truth."
Yue Ning held her breath. If Qin Guan's earlier hints had been tentative, these words now placed Yan Ze in an unfavorable light. Having known each other for so long, this was the first time Qin Guan had given her such a serious warning.
Yue Ning committed these words to memory. First, a moment of confusion washed over her, followed by a belated chill.
She was no fool. As she pondered Qin Guan's words, details she had deliberately overlooked began surfacing in her mind.
Pressing her lips together, Yue Ning met Qin Guan's concerned gaze and nodded firmly.
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