Yan Yuning pursed her lips, suppressing the urge to retort. “Stay right there. I’ll jump down—give me a hand.”  

Yechen twitched the corner of his mouth and reluctantly extended an arm. “Here.”  

There was no way His Highness was going to help her down.  

Just as Yan Yuning was about to leap off the wall, her arm was suddenly yanked, throwing her off balance. Instinctively, she clung to him.  

Xuan Yanyu pulled her down, his gaze lingering on her as they stood close together.  

The girl’s cheeks were flushed pink, her lashes fluttering as her cherry-blossom lips parted slightly. For a moment, it was impossible to look away.  

A faint fragrance drifted into his nose. Xuan Yanyu’s throat tightened, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly.  

“Why did you pull me?” Yan Yuning pushed him away.  

Xuan Yanyu cleared his throat and raised an eyebrow. “Weren’t you looking for Liu Sisi’s sister? Why so much nonsense?”  

With that, he strode ahead and pushed open the courtyard gate.  

Yan Yuning stomped her foot, her delicate face full of exasperation. “He yanked me, and now I’m the one talking nonsense?!”  

Yechen rubbed his chin, eyeing her. “So why did my young master pull you?”  

“Why are you talking so much nonsense?” Yan Yuning stood on her tiptoes, hands on her hips, glaring at him indignantly.  

Yechen was momentarily speechless, gritting his teeth in silence.  

“Get in here.” Xuan Yanyu’s deep voice carried over.  

“Big brother, who are you looking for?” A girl of about thirteen or fourteen stood before them, her clothes patched but clean.  

Yan Yuning tugged at Xuan Yanyu’s sleeve and whispered, “This is Liu Sisi’s sister?”  

The man glanced at her but said nothing.  

Yan Yuning let go of his sleeve. If it weren’t for Fafa telling her this part wasn’t in the original plot—that the book hadn’t gone into such detail—she wouldn’t even be asking him!  

“Zhuzhu, who is it?” A woman stepped out of the house, carrying a wooden basin.  

“Mother, let me take it. You should rest.” Zhuzhu took the basin, her face bright with a sweet smile.  

Meng Jiang gently ruffled her hair and smiled. “Alright.”  

Zhuzhu carried the basin past them and out of the courtyard.  

Meng Jiang studied the three distinguished visitors before her and asked politely, “Who might you be?”  

Xuan Yanyu looked at her, his tone firm. “Zhuzhu isn’t your biological child, is she?”  

Yan Yuning stared at him in shock. What? Couldn’t he have been a little more tactful?!  

Fafa: [He just doesn’t want to waste time on trivialities.]

Yan Yuning: […]

“You must be mistaken, young master. Zhuzhu is my daughter. If you have no other business, please leave.” Meng Jiang maintained her smile, the fine wrinkles at the corners of her eyes radiating warmth.  

“Meng Jiang, eight years ago, you suddenly brought home a child. Despite your husband’s objections, you insisted on raising her, which led to him divorcing you. Am I wrong?”  

Meng Jiang stared at Xuan Yanyu. He was dressed in a black-purple robe, his long hair tied back, his features strikingly handsome. The jade pendant at his waist was of exceptional quality, clearly priceless.  

Judging by his attire, the fabric of his robe was top-tier, its subtle patterns elegant and refined, the craftsmanship exquisite. Such a noble and extraordinary man had come to take Zhuzhu from her—what could she do?  

Panic surged in Meng Jiang’s heart.  

“Young master, Zhuzhu is my daughter. You’ve mistaken her for someone else.” Her eyes were guarded.  

Yan Yuning softened her tone. “Madam, we’re not here to take Zhuzhu away. We just want to confirm something. Please don’t worry.”  

If Liu Sisi knew her sister was still alive, maybe she’d let go of her grudge against Sister Bai and Ah Li.

Meng Jiang’s tense expression softened slightly. After a long silence, she sighed. “Zhuzhu really isn’t my biological daughter. When I found her back then, she had fainted by the roadside. She looked so pitiful that my heart ached for her, so I brought her home.”  

“Madam, when you found her, were there any belongings on her, or…”  

“There were. Wait a moment.” Meng Jiang turned and went back inside. Soon, she returned holding a neatly folded but worn-out piece of clothing in one hand and a jade pendant in the other.  

Yan Yuning took the pendant, her fingertips lightly brushing over it. Her voice trembled with barely contained excitement. “Zhuzhu…”  

[Fafa, this really is Liu Sisi’s sister. I’ve seen a pendant of the same material on Liu Sisi before—it was engraved with ‘Sisi.’]

Fafa: [Master…]

[Fafa, Sister Bai has suffered too much. First, she lost her parents, then she married the wrong man. To atone for her father’s sins, she’s endured years of torment from Liu Sisi. Her life shouldn’t be defined by her father’s mistakes.] Yan Yuning clenched the pendant tightly.  

Fafa: [Master, but Liu Sisi isn’t wrong either.]

[Liu Sisi is innocent, and so is Sister Bai.] Yan Yuning sniffled.  

Fafa: [That’s why I said, Master, this situation has no solution. From Liu Sisi’s perspective, it’s only right for her to take revenge on the daughter of the man who destroyed her family. From Bai Yue’s perspective, she did nothing wrong, yet she’s been…]

Yan Yuning suddenly felt an overwhelming sadness. [Fafa, I really want to see if I can change Sister Bai’s fate in the book. If her ending changes, maybe mine can too.]

Fafa: [Master.]

It really didn’t want to crush her hopes, but Bai Yue was already gone…  

“That-thank you. You can go back to the inn first. I’ll go find Sister Bai myself.” Yan Yuning hugged the clothes tightly.  

Yechen’s lips twitched in irritation. “That? You’re referring to my young master?”  

His Highness had gone out of his way to secure detoxification pills for her, helped her investigate Liu Sisi’s sister, and all he got in return was a “that???”  

At least call him “brother-in-law” or something! 

Xuan Yanyu leaned against a tree trunk, slowly lifting his eyelids. His deep, enigmatic gaze settled on her.  

Yan Yuning muttered under her breath, “Your young master said I’m not allowed to call him by his name. If not ‘that,’ what should I call him?”  

“You absolutely cannot address His—my young master by his full name!” Yechen scoffed coldly.  

“Xuan Yanyu’s leaving. Aren’t you going to follow him?” Yan Yuning raised an eyebrow.  

“You—how dare you be so insolent!” Yechen glared at her, thoroughly incensed.  

This is the future Crown Prince of Xuanzhao! How dare she disrespect His Highness like this?!

Yan Yuning rolled her eyes, too tired to argue, and turned to leave with the clothes in her arms.  

Yechen took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to teach her a lesson.  

[Fafa, it just occurred to me—Xuan Yanyu’s surname is Xuan. Hasn’t my sister ever questioned why he isn’t from Qilan?] Yan Yuning swung the pendant lightly in her hand.  

Fafa: [Master, right now, the two nations are on good terms. People from Xuanzhao settle in Qilan, and people from Qilan settle in Xuanzhao. Who would suspect Xuan Yanyu is the Xuan Zhao Crown Prince?]

Fafa: [But Master, the Qi Emperor is a bit too… trusting. He’s overly welcoming to Xuan Zhao’s citizens, while Qilan’s people are thoroughly vetted by the Xuan King before being allowed into Xuan Zhao.]

[Is the Qi Emperor an idiot?]

Fafa: [That’s how it’s written in the book. Xuan Zhao is the stronger nation, so the Qi Emperor has to be extra hospitable to its citizens—otherwise, the Xuan King might use it as an excuse to start a war.]

Yan Yuning’s eyes sparkled with mischief. [Fafa, what if I told the Qi Emperor that Xuan Yanyu is the Xuan Zhao Crown Prince? The Qi Emperor could capture him, and then…]

Fafa cut her off. [There is no ‘then.’ Right now, Qilan’s military strength and supplies are far inferior to Xuan Zhao’s. If the Qi Emperor captures Xuan Yanyu, he’ll only provoke the Xuan King. Do you really think the Qi Emperor is that stupid?]

Fafa: [At most, he’d use Xuan Yanyu to extort some benefits from the Xuan King. He wouldn’t dare kill him—he’d treat him like an honored guest. But if Xuan Yanyu finds out you were the one who betrayed him… what do you think your fate would be?]