Qingya carried a plate of brightly colored pastries to the entrance of the bedchamber. She knocked gently on the door and spoke in a soft voice.
“Young Master Xue? What’s the matter—are you still not dressed? I’ve brought the pastries…”
She waited for a while, but there was no response from inside.
A slight frown appeared on Qingya’s face. She leaned closer to the door and called again cautiously.
“Young Master Xue, you said you were hungry just a moment ago. Why have you gone silent now?”
She waited patiently outside for quite some time, then pressed her ear against the door. Still—no sound at all.
Could Young Master Xue have gone out?
That seemed impossible.
Qingya’s expression changed slightly. The Third Prince had specifically warned them not to allow Mu Xueshi to wander about freely. If he had truly slipped out, the consequences would be disastrous.
Unable to wait any longer, Qingya pushed the door open.
She crossed the outer hall and entered the inner chamber.
The moment she saw the scene inside, the plate in her hands crashed to the floor.
“Someone come quickly! Young Master Xue has fainted—!”
Qingya shouted in alarm, panic written all over her face. Sweat began to bead across her forehead.
Qingzhu rushed in upon hearing the cry. She too was startled, but she remained calmer than Qingya. Walking quickly to Mu Xueshi’s side, she reached out and tested his breathing.
“His breathing is steady. He’s only fainted.”
She straightened and spoke decisively.
“I’ll go find someone to notify the Third Prince. You fetch Physician Li. For now, let’s help Young Master Xue back onto the bed.”
The two maids used all their strength to lift Mu Xueshi onto the bed. Panting heavily, they tucked the blankets around him.
Mu Xueshi lay completely motionless.
There were no visible injuries anywhere on his body. His complexion was somewhat pale, but it did not appear as though he were suffering from any serious illness.
“Qingzhu, go fetch Physician Li. I’ll stay here with Young Master Xue.”
Then Qingya called toward the courtyard.
“Lu Fei! Lu Fan!”
In the blink of an eye, two burly silhouettes appeared at the doorway window.
“You two go inform the Third Prince. Tell him Young Master Xue has fallen ill and is still unconscious.”
“Yes!”
The three of them quickly split up to carry out their tasks.
Qingya soaked a cloth in warm water and gently wiped Mu Xueshi’s cheeks, her heart filled with unease.
Meanwhile, the Emperor had arranged a grand banquet in the Taihe Hall.
At the highest tier were four large banquet tables. Seated there were the Emperor, the Emperor of Lubei—Hao Lin, Princess Wenyang, and the Third Prince.
The imperial consorts and princes sat along the sides. Below them were the civil and military officials filling the hall.
At the center of the great hall, dancers performed to music.
The palace was filled with laughter, song, and celebration.
Yet the Third Prince sat with an expression of utter indifference. No matter how exaggerated or novel the performances became, his face showed not the slightest reaction.
Everywhere else people smiled and laughed.
Only around the Third Prince did the atmosphere carry a faint chill of killing intent.
“I wonder whether these dishes suit the Princess’s taste.”
The Emperor spoke with a kindly expression.
Princess Wenyang had been distracted, her eyes wandering repeatedly toward the Third Prince. When she suddenly heard the Emperor address her, she started slightly. A blush immediately spread across her delicate face.
“Thank you for Your Majesty’s concern. Wenyang is very satisfied with the dishes.”
She smiled with graceful composure.
Yet the dishes before her remained almost completely untouched.
Her heart beat wildly in her chest. Unable to help herself, she stole another glance at the Third Prince.
He still sat there as steady and composed as before.
Ever since stepping down from her carriage and seeing the extraordinarily handsome Third Prince, everything else in the world had faded from her notice.
“Who goes there?”
Lu Fei stood before a guard blocking the entrance and bowed respectfully.
“I have urgent matters to report to the Third Prince.”
The guard sneered.
“Do you know where this is? This is the Taihe Hall. How could a mere soldier like you step inside?”
“I have no intention of trespassing,” Lu Fei replied calmly. “I only ask that the honored guard pass along a message. Young Master Xue has suddenly fallen ill and is unconscious in his chambers.”
Suspicion flashed briefly through the guard’s eyes, but he quickly returned to normal and gave a short laugh.
“I understand. I’ll have someone deliver the message.”
Though he said so, Lu Fei noticed that the guard made no move.
The guard simply returned to his post without giving any orders.
After waiting for a long while, Lu Fei stepped forward again and politely urged him, hinting that the matter could not be delayed.
The guard instantly flew into a rage.
With a flash of steel, he drew his sword, the blade nearly slicing across Lu Fei’s neck.
Fortunately, Lu Fei was quick on his feet and avoided the sudden attack.
“Get lost! I said I’d pass the message, didn’t I? Do you need to stand here watching me?”
In that moment, Lu Fei understood.
Normally these palace guards would never dare treat people from the Third Prince’s residence this way. Their stiff attitude could only mean one thing—they had been warned beforehand to keep watch on the Third Prince’s household.
Realizing this, Lu Fei suppressed the gravity on his face and instead showed helplessness and fear.
“I understand…”
“Then get out!”
“Yes…”
Lu Fei nodded and quickly turned to leave.
As he walked away, he cast a subtle glance toward Lu Fan in the distance.
Moments later, Lu Fan’s figure vanished silently into the shadows beneath the trees.
Inside the banquet hall, the festivities continued.
There were countless performances scheduled for the evening.
Even the Second Prince had attended this rare occasion—though only because the child in his arms was watching the performances with great enthusiasm.
Everyone else’s tables were neatly arranged, the food barely touched.
Only the Second Prince’s table looked like a battlefield of overturned bowls and scattered dishes.
Whenever a discordant sound interrupted the elegant music, it was almost certainly another bowl or plate falling from that table.
“I want to go there! Let me go!”
Little Su Ying wriggled like an eel in the Second Prince’s arms. His lotus-root-like little arms stretched forward as he pointed excitedly at the dancing beauties in the center of the hall.
The Second Prince rolled his eyes.
The child was still so young—how could he allow him to become infatuated with beauty already?
With one large hand, he firmly pressed Su Ying back into his arms.
But Su Ying wasn’t fascinated by the dancers at all.
What caught his attention were the rare musical instruments. His small ears were perked up, listening carefully to the different sounds they produced.
He desperately wanted to touch them… to strike them himself.
The Emperor was naturally sharp-eared.
Soon he noticed faint whimpering amidst the music.
His gaze drifted toward the Second Prince.
There he saw Su Ying looking as though he had suffered a terrible injustice. His little mouth was covered by the Second Prince’s hand, and tears filled his eyes until they seemed ready to overflow.
“Lu Huan, what are you doing? Let him go—what if the child can’t breathe?”
Seeing his beloved grandson treated like that, the Emperor couldn’t help speaking up.
The moment the Second Prince loosened his grip—
Su Ying’s wailing erupted like thunder, instantly drowning out the music and singing throughout the hall.
Everyone turned to look.
Even Princess Wenyang and Hao Lin glanced in that direction.
“Imperial Grandfather… wahh…”
Su Ying stretched out his tiny arms toward the Emperor, pleading for rescue.
But the Second Prince still held his waist firmly, leaving Su Ying to wave his arms desperately in an attempt to win sympathy.
The Emperor’s heart softened.
Ignoring the Second Prince’s obvious disapproval, he walked over and picked the child up himself.
The moment Su Ying touched the Emperor’s arms—
His crying stopped instantly.
So quickly that many of the onlookers could not help laughing.
For such a small child to be such a skilled actor—he was simply too adorable.
After behaving for a short time in the Emperor’s arms, Su Ying began to look around with bright, rolling eyes.
Whenever his gaze met the Second Prince’s love-hate stare, he deliberately skipped past it as if he hadn’t seen it.
Suddenly his eyes stopped on Princess Wenyang’s ornate crown.
His little mouth fell open in fascination.
Princess Wenyang normally didn’t care much for children. But Su Ying was so cute—and now he was staring at her like that.
Moreover, the Third Prince was sitting right across from her.
She naturally wanted to appear kind and gentle.
In the next instant—
Encouraged by Princess Wenyang’s friendly expression, Su Ying twisted his small body forward.
Then he grabbed several pearls hanging from her crown—
and yanked down with all his might.
Princess Wenyang had been completely unprepared.
The sudden force nearly pulled her straight to the ground.
The hall erupted into chaos.
Her attendants dared not roughly grab the domineering little prince. They could only try to free the Princess carefully.
Even the Second Prince—who had been furious moments ago—hurried over to help.
On the surface he appeared to assist.
In truth, he was making sure no one hurt Su Ying.
Amid the confusion, the Third Prince’s expression changed slightly.
But his gaze was not directed toward Princess Wenyang.
The hall was noisy, yet the Third Prince still heard a faint sound from outside.
Someone was blowing across a leaf.
The sound resembled a whistle.
In the lively summer air filled with birdsong and cicadas, it was so inconspicuous.
Yet the Third Prince caught it instantly.
He sat beside the window.
The next moment, two fingers snapped up and caught a leaf that flew through the window.
Several shallow scratches on the leaf clearly formed four characters:
“Body unwell.”
The leaf had six petals—shaped like a snowflake.
The meaning was unmistakable.
It referred to Mu Xueshi.
The Third Prince’s heart tightened.
The leaf quickly crumbled into juice in his hand, staining his palm green.
Why would he suddenly fall ill?
And precisely while I am away?
The Third Prince cast a brief glance toward Hao Lin.
At that very moment, Hao Lin was also looking directly at him.
There was no trace of scheming in his eyes.
Instead… there was something strangely ambiguous.
After much effort, several people finally pried Su Ying away from Princess Wenyang.
Yet the child still clutched his “trophy” tightly in his fist.
Seeing so many people staring at him breathlessly, Su Ying quickly buried his head in the Second Prince’s chest and murmured softly:
“Daddy…”
Damn brat…
The Second Prince gritted his teeth inwardly.
Only now does he remember I’m his father.
Princess Wenyang’s eyes filled with tears.
Since childhood, she had never suffered such humiliation.
To be toyed with by a mere toddler in a foreign country made her grind her teeth in resentment.
Yet this was not Lubei.
And the Third Prince was sitting beside her.
She could not lash out in anger the way she normally would.
“Princess, I sincerely apologize. My son does not know any better. I hope the Princess will forgive him.”
The Second Prince spoke with rare humility.
But inwardly he thought coldly:
Touch even a single hair of Su Ying, and I’ll make sure you never return to Lubei.
Princess Wenyang bit her lip and said nothing.
Hao Lin, however, appeared magnanimous.
He waved a hand casually.
“It’s nothing. My little sister has been spoiled since childhood. We’ll simply take her back to tidy herself up later.”
“Everyone, please continue drinking. Let us not spoil the festivities.”
Princess Wenyang turned her head sharply toward him, her eyes filled with grievance and unwillingness.
Hao Lin gave her a subtle look.
Remembering the promise she had made to her brother earlier, she could only swallow her humiliation.
The Emperor felt relieved after hearing Hao Lin’s words, though he still felt somewhat embarrassed.
With a cordial smile, he said:
“Princess Wenyang is still young and lively by nature. Since that is the case, why not let my third son escort the Princess around the imperial city?”
“Today happens to be the Festival of Fasting. The markets are bustling with merchants during the day, and tonight there will be a lantern festival.”
“I imagine the Princess has never experienced a lantern festival before…”
Futile Devices Scans 
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