---

Chapter 109: Farewell

The Prince and his family of four are currently enjoying a lavish dinner. Yun Yichen and Yun Ruonan are eating quietly, while the Prince and his wife chat as they eat.

“How is that Lord He?” Thinking of what happened today, Yin Qianhua couldn’t help but ask.

“Heartfelt, with average abilities, and a smooth personality. Why do you ask about him?”

“No wonder he has raised such a daughter. This Miss He actually had her maid intentionally spill tea on General Xiao’s granddaughter and then distort the truth in front of me, attempting to frame Ping’an for supposedly causing trouble between the master and servant.”

“What happened afterward?” Both General Xiao and Lord He were people the Prince valued. He certainly didn’t want to see a conflict between the two families over their younger generation.

Yun Yichen, not hungry to begin with, stopped eating upon hearing the conversation between his father and mother. For some reason, he was very eager to know the final outcome of this matter.

“That child Ping’an usually seems clever and intelligent, but today, in front of so many people, she didn’t explain herself even once. If it weren’t for my people being there, wouldn’t she have been wronged?” Yin Qianhua said angrily.

“Ping’an, is that the pretty little girl?”

“Yes! How is it? My judgment is not bad, right? The first time I saw her, I just couldn’t help but like her.” Yin Qianhua said proudly.

“Bad person.” Yun Ruonan, who had been silent, suddenly muttered.

Indeed, younger sisters are the best. She could immediately tell that the little girl was only seemingly well-behaved but was actually quite sharp. Her mother, as an adult, was misled, taking a cunning and scheming little girl and treating her like a treasure. Yun Yifan felt a bit of comfort in his heart. It was rare to find a supporter!

“Ruonan, are you saying Ping’an is bad, or Miss He is bad?” Yin Qianhua firmly believed her daughter couldn’t possibly be talking about Ping’an.

“Miss He.” Yun Ruonan looked up and glanced at her mother with some dissatisfaction, as if saying, “You know I’m not talking about the Xiao family one, yet you still ask.”

It was over. Even his own family had been poisoned by that little girl. Even his younger sister, who never bothered with such matters, was now speaking up for her. Yun Yichen’s mood at that moment was as bad as it could be.

“She took your new Yunjin dress.” Yun Yichen, rarely acting childishly, reported this matter to Xiao Yao.

“It looks good on her.” Yun Ruonan had secretly peeked from behind the window. The little girl named Ping’an really looked good in the dress. Besides, if she wanted a new one, her mother would surely make her one again.

“Father, Mother, I just remembered something important that I didn’t finish. I’ll take my leave now.” He could no longer stay here, or he might suffocate from frustration.

Yun Yichen’s departure didn’t affect the Prince and his wife’s enthusiasm for discussing what had happened at the villa today. Not only the two of them, but even Yun Ruonan, unusually, acted as a faithful audience, listening from beginning to end.

After dinner, the Prince called his son to his study for a long talk in the secret room, as there were still many things to explain before the departure.

“I’ve nearly handled everything outside, and I’ll leave a group of men here in the palace for you. If anything unexpected happens, you can send them to deal with it. There will also be some Dragon Guards and Shadow Guards left behind.”

“Father, you need them more outside. I know what you’re worried about, but don’t worry. I will protect Mother and Ruonan.”

“Ah Chen has really grown up. But what you need to protect is not just your mother and sister.”

Upon hearing this, Yun Yichen froze for a moment. Could it be that his father expected him to protect Concubine Han and her daughter too?

“Don’t be foolish, son. You’re the heir of the Prince’s palace. Do you think there aren’t countless eyes on you? You must first protect yourself, and only then can your father and mother be at ease. Do you understand?”

“I understand, Father.” Yun Yichen felt embarrassed for misunderstanding his father, annoyed with himself for the fleeting thought.

“The two tutors I arranged for you have arrived. There are two of them, and they will serve as your bodyguards during this time. After the fifteenth of the first month next year, they will officially be your tutors.”

Thinking about it, there’s less than a year until he can finally escape from Master Xiao’s torment. But for some reason, he feels a dull, uncomfortable sensation in his chest—perhaps sadness, perhaps frustration, with an undercurrent of reluctance. Yun Yichen couldn’t tell which emotion dominated him.

“You should visit the palace often, go to pay respects to your Grandmother and your Uncle. If you encounter any unrelated people, just ignore them.”

“Father, are you referring to the Han family’s granddaughter? I will avoid them at all costs and will not have any dealings with them.”

Seeing that his son was still naive about emotions, the Prince didn’t plan to explain too much. He believed that, even for the sake of his wife, Ah Chen would never accept a woman from the Han family.

After an hour, the Prince and his son left the study. Just as they walked out, they were stopped by a servant from the Brocade Court.

“Your Highness, the Concubine and the two County Princesses would like to invite you to the Brocade Court.”

It had been how long since the Prince had paid attention to the mother and daughter in the Brocade Court—half a year, a year, or even longer? No one could remember. Although Concubine Han and the Brocade Court appeared the same on the surface, everyone knew that things were far from as they seemed. From the masters to the servants, none of them lived as well as they once did.

If the Prince could visit the Brocade Court before leaving or stay there for a night, it would greatly improve the lives of the mother and daughters for the coming months. Otherwise, Concubine Han and her daughter would probably never rise again in the Prince’s mansion.

“Go back and tell Concubine Han that if I have time, I will visit them. Let your master prepare her things; tomorrow the Han family will come to take them back to live for a while. When I return, I’ll send someone to bring them back.”

The servant from the Brocade Court thought she heard wrong. She stood there dazed, unable to react.

“Why are you standing there? Go tell your master this good news.”

This wasn’t a piece of good news; it could be considered a disaster. Which married woman returns to her parents’ house for a long stay unless… the master has been dismissed? Realizing this, the servant broke into a cold sweat.

Seeing the servant hurrying toward the Brocade Court, the Prince sighed deeply and said to his son, “I hope you will be happier than I am in the future. For that to happen, no one from the Han family must enter this mansion again. Do you understand?”

“I understand, and I will never let Father down.” Yun Yichen swore solemnly.

Looking at his son, who had now grown into a young man, the Prince sincerely hoped that his future would never be like his own—manipulated by others and living a messy life.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye. On the twenty-sixth of February, the Prince bid farewell to his wife and daughter, leaving the city with his son to meet the waiting officials outside.

Concubine Han was half ordered and half forcibly sent back to the Duke of Qing’s mansion. Of course, Empress Dowager Han was extremely displeased with this, but the Emperor had already given orders to the Duke of Qing, and the Prince had presented evidence of the Han family’s bullying behavior in the capital. Under the double pressure, both the Empress Dowager and her niece had no choice but to yield.

If it were ten years ago, or even five years ago, the Empress Dowager wouldn’t have cared about such a crime. But now, things were different. Her two sons had grown powerful, no longer relying on her or listening to her.

As the years went by, she had begun to worry about many things, including even her own legacy. If the younger generation from the Han family continued their recklessness, who could guarantee that after her passing, the Emperor wouldn’t hold them accountable for their actions? She had already realized that the Emperor was growing increasingly displeased with the Han family.

Furthermore, if her niece and granddaughters remained in power after Yun Yichen took charge of the Prince’s palace, who could guarantee they wouldn’t be punished? With all the things she had done, even dying ten or eight times wouldn’t be enough.

After much consideration, the Empress Dowager agreed with her two sons’ decision to have the Duke of Qing take her niece back to the family.

Xiao Jingyan had arrived at the ten-mile long pavilion outside the city even before the Prince.

Today, he was being seen off by Xiao Jingtai, Xiao Yi, and Xiao Rui.

“Fourth Uncle, I’m not saying anything, but it’s completely normal for Ah Jun and Ping’an to eat longevity noodles for their birthday. It’s a little strange that you ate more than them.” Xiao Rui thought his Fourth Uncle acted more like a child than his younger siblings.

“You don’t understand.” Xiao Jingyan disdainfully looked at his nephew. If he hadn’t been joking with his nephew and niece, laughing and making noise, his old lady might have cried her eyes out.

He had to admit, Ping’an was smart. She worked well with him, and thanks to her help, his old lady didn’t cry and even happily agreed not to see him off out of the city. However, the annoying little thing took this opportunity to demand more gifts. Hmph, she really thought of him as a servant.

“Prince is here. The heir is here.” Someone shouted loudly.

Everyone came over to pay their respects to the two of them and began counting heads, preparing to depart.

“Ah Chen, your father already said everything yesterday. Just remember to protect yourself and take good care of your mother and sister, alright?”

“I understand, Father.” This was the first time Yun Yichen had to part with his father for a long time. His feelings were heavy, full of complexity—reluctance, sadness, and many emotions he couldn’t describe. Being someone not good at expressing himself, this farewell, which should have been warm and difficult to part from, became a silent and quiet scene.

The Prince truly understood his son and didn’t expect him to make any heartfelt farewell. He didn’t pity himself; instead, he sympathized with his future daughter-in-law. Would life be dull with a husband who was so unromantic?

“Fourth Uncle, before you leave, I kindly remind you, don’t forget your promise to Ping’an. You’re the elder; you mustn’t lose to her, that would be too embarrassing.” Xiao Rui finally reminded him.

“Did Ping’an send you to remind me?” Xiao Jingyan muttered in his heart. Why didn’t she wish him a safe journey but kept thinking about the gifts? The little ungrateful thing!