Qing Ya carried a plate of colorful pastries to the bedchamber door and knocked lightly. “Young Master Xue, what’s taking so long? Aren’t you dressed yet? The pastries are here…”
She waited for a while, but there was no sound from inside. Frowning slightly, Qing Ya called again, “Young Master Xue, you said you were hungry just now. Why aren’t you answering?”
She waited patiently a little longer, then pressed her ear to the door. Still nothing. Could Young Master Xue have gone out? Impossible… Qing Ya’s expression changed. The Third Prince had specifically told them not to let Mu Xueshi wander around. If he had slipped away, they would be in serious trouble.
Unable to wait any longer, Qing Ya pushed the door open. She crossed the outer room and entered the inner chamber. The instant she saw what was inside, the plate slipped from her hands and crashed to the floor.
“Someone come quickly! Young Master Xue has fainted…”
Qing Ya shouted in panic, sweat already appearing on her forehead.
Qing Zhu ran in at the sound and was startled as well, though she remained calmer. She knelt beside Mu Xueshi, checked his breathing, and said, “His breathing is steady. He’s only unconscious. I’ll find someone to notify His Highness. You go get the imperial physician. First let’s move Young Master Xue onto the bed.”
The two maids used all their strength to lift Mu Xueshi onto the bed. Panting, they covered him carefully with the quilt. He had no awareness at all and lay perfectly still. There were no wounds anywhere on him. His face was somewhat pale, but he did not look gravely ill.
“Qing Zhu, go get Imperial Physician Li. I’ll stay here with Young Master Xue. Lu Fei! Lu Fan!” Qing Ya called toward the doorway.
In the blink of an eye, two broad silhouettes appeared against the window beside the entrance.
“Go inform the Third Prince. Tell him Young Master Xue suddenly fell ill and is still unconscious.”
“Yes!”
The three quickly split up. Qing Ya dampened a warm cloth and wiped Mu Xueshi’s cheeks, her heart full of unease.
A banquet had been laid out in Taihe Hall. Four large tables occupied the high platform, seating the Emperor, King Hao Lin of Lubei, Princess Wenyang, and the Third Prince. Numerous consorts and princes sat along the sides, while the civil and military officials filled the space below. Singing and dancing continued in the center of the hall, and the entire room was bright with music and laughter.
The Third Prince remained cold and unmoved by the extravagant and novel performances. Smiling faces filled the hall, but around him alone there seemed to be an air of killing intent.
“I wonder whether these dishes suit the princess’s taste,” the Emperor asked with a genial expression.
Wenyang’s gaze had been drifting elsewhere. Startled by the Emperor’s voice, she quickly came back to herself, her pretty face flushing red.
“Thank you for Your Majesty’s concern. Wenyang finds the dishes excellent.” She smiled with proper elegance, though hardly any food before her had been touched.
Her heart pounded fiercely. Wenyang could not resist glancing at the Third Prince again. He still sat there with perfect composure. Ever since she had stepped from the sedan and seen his extraordinary appearance, nothing else had seemed worth noticing.
“Who goes there?”
Lu Fei stood solemnly before the guard blocking his way and bowed. “I have urgent news for the Third Prince.”
The guard laughed contemptuously. “What place do you think Taihe Hall is? Is it somewhere a low-ranking soldier like you can simply enter?”
“I have no intention of forcing my way inside. Please only pass on a message. Young Master Xue has suddenly fallen ill and is unconscious in his room.”
Suspicion flickered through the guard’s narrow gaze, then vanished. He snorted. “I understand. I’ll send someone to pass the message.”
Despite saying that, Lu Fei remained where he was, while the guard returned to his post without issuing any order. Finally Lu Fei could wait no longer. He asked again and hinted that the matter could not be delayed.
The guard exploded in anger and drew his sword, nearly sweeping the blade across Lu Fei’s neck. Only Lu Fei’s quick footwork saved him from the sudden strike.
“Get lost! I said I would report it. Do you need to stand here supervising me?”
Lu Fei understood immediately. Normally these guards would never dare casually harm anyone from the Third Prince’s courtyard. Their unusually rigid attitude today meant someone had warned them in advance to block any developments coming from the prince’s side.
Realizing this, Lu Fei erased the seriousness from his face and replaced it with helpless fear.
“Understood…”
“Then get out of here!”
“Yes…”
Lu Fei nodded and quickly turned away, giving Lu Fan a signal toward the trees as he left. A moment later, Lu Fan disappeared into the shade.
The banquet featured one performance after another. For once, even the Second Prince had attended, though mostly because Su Ying in his arms was watching everything with enormous interest. Every other table remained neat and barely touched. The Second Prince’s table, by contrast, looked like a battlefield. Whenever a discordant noise broke through the music, it was usually another wine cup or plate being dropped there.
“I want to go over there. Let me go…” Su Ying wriggled in the Second Prince’s arms like a fish, stretching his lotus-root arms toward the singing and dancing performers in the center with intense excitement.
The Second Prince rolled his eyes. The child was far too young to be this obsessed with beauty. He pressed one large hand down and firmly trapped Su Ying in his arms.
Su Ying was not interested in the dancers at all. He had noticed the unfamiliar musical instruments. His little ears stayed upright, listening to every different sound, and he desperately wanted to run over and touch and strike them himself.
The Emperor was naturally alert. He clearly heard faint whining from somewhere and looked over in surprise. Su Ying was sitting in the Second Prince’s arms looking as though he had suffered the greatest injustice under heaven. The Second Prince had one hand over his mouth, and tears were nearly overflowing from his eyes.
“Huan, what are you doing? Let him go. What if the child can’t breathe?” the Emperor reminded him, unable to bear seeing his beloved grandson handled so roughly.
The Second Prince loosened his hand. Su Ying’s completely unrestricted crying instantly filled the hall and drowned out the music. Everyone turned toward him, including Princess Wenyang and Hao Lin.
“Imperial Grandfather… waaah…” Su Ying stretched both hands toward the Emperor for rescue. The Second Prince still held him firmly around the waist, so the child could only open and close his little hands dramatically to win sympathy.
The Emperor’s heart softened. He walked over and, despite the Second Prince’s obvious resistance, took Su Ying into his arms. The instant Su Ying reached the Emperor, the crying stopped so abruptly that several people nearly laughed. A child this small already knew how to put on an act.
Su Ying behaved for a while in the Emperor’s arms, then began looking around with bright eyes. Whenever he caught the Second Prince staring at him with equal parts love and frustration, he deliberately looked elsewhere as though he had seen nothing.
Suddenly Su Ying’s attention fixed on the unusual crown Princess Wenyang was wearing. His little mouth opened slightly, curiosity obvious on his face.
Wenyang normally had little interest in children, but Su Ying was adorable and looking at her so intently that she felt she should appear affectionate, especially with the Third Prince seated nearby.
The next instant, under Wenyang’s encouraging gaze, Su Ying twisted free and lunged toward her, grabbed several beads from her crown, and yanked downward with all his strength. Completely unprepared, Wenyang nearly pitched to the floor.
Chaos erupted. Wenyang’s maids did not dare forcibly pull away the domineering little prince, so they could only try to rescue their mistress. The Second Prince, who had been angry moments ago, hurried over as well. He looked as though he were helping, but in truth he was making sure no one hurt Su Ying.
Amid the confusion, the Third Prince’s gaze shifted, though not toward Princess Wenyang. The hall was noisy, yet he still heard something from outside: someone blowing across a leaf, creating a whistle-like sound. Among the birds and cicadas of summer it was almost unnoticeable, but the Third Prince caught it immediately.
Seated beside the window, the Third Prince lifted two fingers. A leaf flew through the opening and landed between them. Fine cuts across its surface formed four characters: “Physical condition abnormal.”
The leaf had six lobes and resembled a snowflake, making it obvious the message referred to Mu Xueshi. The Third Prince’s heart tightened. The leaf in his hand quickly crumpled into green pulp, staining his left palm.
Why would Mu Xueshi suddenly become unwell, especially while the Third Prince was away? He glanced toward Hao Lin. At that very moment Hao Lin happened to be looking directly at him. There was no obvious calculation in that gaze, only something far more ambiguous.
With several people helping, Su Ying was finally pulled away from Wenyang, still clutching his trophy. Seeing everyone panting and staring at him, he immediately buried his face against the Second Prince’s chest and murmured, “Father.”
Damn brat… the Second Prince cursed inwardly. Now you remember I’m your father.
Tears filled Wenyang’s eyes. She had grown up without anyone daring to humiliate her like this. To be toyed with by a tiny child in another country made her furious. But this was not Lubei, and the Third Prince was sitting nearby, so she could not behave as she normally would.
“Princess, I truly apologize. My son is young and ignorant. I hope you will be generous with him.”
For once, the Second Prince looked sincerely apologetic. Inwardly, however, he was issuing an entirely different warning: Touch one hair on Su Ying’s head and I’ll make sure you never return to Lubei.
Princess Wenyang bit her lip without answering. Hao Lin beside her appeared magnanimous and waved a hand. “It’s fine. My younger sister has been spoiled since childhood. She can simply go back and dress again later. Everyone should keep drinking. There is no need to ruin the mood.”
Wenyang jerked her head toward Hao Lin, her eyes full of grievance and disbelief. Hao Lin gave her a warning look. Remembering the promise she had made to her brother earlier, Wenyang could only swallow her anger.
Hearing Hao Lin’s response relieved the Emperor somewhat, though he still felt embarrassed. He smiled pleasantly and said, “Princess Wenyang is still young and lively. Why not have my third son show the princess around the imperial city? Today is the Guozhai Festival. Merchants have gathered throughout the capital, the markets are lively during the day, and there will be a lantern festival tonight. I assume the princess has never seen one…”