After returning to the Prince’s Palace, Xie Yuantang and Si Tu Yan were still reluctant to part with Little Guai. They lingered in the stable until evening, only leaving when Qu Pei came to call them for the third time to eat.
“Little Guai, I’ll come play with you again tomorrow~”
Seeing their childlike behavior, Qu Pei shook his head in amusement, then sighed with some concern.
With both young masters being so innocent, they were currently living comfortably under the Emperor’s favor. But what would happen to them in the future?
After dinner, Qu Pei mentioned his need to return to the palace.
Xie Yuantang wasn’t particularly surprised, as Qu Pei’s task was to help them manage the servants in the Prince’s Palace. Now that everything had been properly arranged, coupled with today’s events during the homecoming visit and their encounter with Si Tu Ye on the street, he would likely need to report everything to Situ Qing.
Xie Yuantang blinked and asked Qu Pei: “Eunuch, will His Majesty attend the hunt the day after tomorrow?”
Thinking she was worried about Si Tu Ye causing trouble, Qu Pei nodded to comfort them: “Little Imperial Consort need not worry. The Emperor values martial prowess and personally attends every seasonal Royal Hunt.”
Xie Yuantang glanced at Si Tu Yan, her eyes shifting thoughtfully as a hint of timidity appeared on her small face: “Then is it alright if my husband and I go directly? After all, His Majesty didn’t specifically summon us.”
“This… should be fine.”
Qu Pei also looked at Si Tu Yan and, knowing the young masters didn’t understand these matters, explained in detail: “The Royal Hunt isn’t limited to the imperial family. Civil and military officials of the fourth rank and above, along with their family members—regardless of gender—can all participate. In the past… His Majesty was concerned that the Fifth Prince might feel uncomfortable attending, so he never specifically invited him.”
His words were still quite tactful. In reality, almost the entire Xuan Zhao Empire had forgotten about this Fifth Prince, tacitly assuming he wouldn’t attend any banquets or events.
Xie Yuantang felt relieved knowing they could go to the hunting grounds. She couldn’t change the past, but from now on… if she wanted to survive here, she must actively integrate into the survival rules of this place.
The first step was to make everyone aware of Xie Yuantang’s existence, to let them know that the Fifth Prince’s Estate had changed from now on—that it was no longer someone everyone could bully!
After personally seeing Qu Pei off, Xie Yuantang summoned Bai Fu and Hong Qu to ask about Si Tu Ye and the Yu family matters.
Hong Qu, being straightforward and not overthinking things, had been praising Xie Yuantang’s capability ever since learning how the Wu Zhui Horse was obtained.
“Among the princes in the palace, aside from the Crown Prince, the Fourth Prince is the most difficult to deal with. No one dares to offend him. For you, Imperial Consort, to actually make him gift you the Wu Zhui Horse—you’re truly remarkable!”
Unfamiliar with palace affairs, Xie Yuantang asked: “Why does no one dare to offend him?”
Hong Qu was taken aback: “Don’t you know? The Fourth Prince’s mother is Consort Yu!”
Xie Yuantang blinked: “Who? I’ve never heard of her.”
Hong Qu: “…”
Just which remote mountain village did their Little Imperial Consort come from!
Hearing this, Bai Fu, standing nearby, grew even more worried. Frowning slightly, she said: “Consort Yu enjoys deep imperial favor and gave birth to the Fourth Prince. Moreover, Consort Yu’s maternal family is the Duke Yu’s Mansion.”
“Duke Yu campaigned in the southwest in his youth, commanding a million troops. He is the military officer most relied upon by the Emperor. Now, Heir Yu serves as the Southwestern Governor-General, holding the third rank position.”
After a pause, Bai Fu looked at Xie Yuantang and said, “The Yu Long that Your Highness and the Imperial Consort encountered today is the eldest son of Heir Yu, the legitimate eldest grandson of the Yu family. Everyone outside calls him Young Duke.”
After listening to Bai Fu’s explanation, Xie Yuantang rested her cheek on her small hand and thought for a moment before concluding:
“So Si Tu Ye has powerful backing and is not to be trifled with?”
Bai Fu and Hong Qu nodded simultaneously.
Xie Yuantang glanced at Si Tu Yan and asked Bai Fu, “How does that compare to the Yan family? My husband does have a Grand Tutor uncle after all. Though one is in civil service and the other in military, the gap shouldn’t be that big, right?”
“Well…”
Bai Fu hesitated, cautiously glanced at Si Tu Yan, and remained silent.
Instead, Si Tu Yan thought for a moment and honestly said, “Wife, my uncle… never cared about me before.”
Apart from giving him two attendants, the Yan family had almost never appeared in Si Tu Yan’s life all these years.
Xie Yuantang was shocked: “But last time in the palace, he clearly helped us a lot.”
Si Tu Yan shook his head: “I don’t know, but I haven’t seen him for a long time.”
Only then did Bai Fu speak up, meaningfully saying, “Grand Tutor Yan has noble character, and the other members of the Yan family aren’t involved in official circles. I’m afraid they might not be aware of Your Highness’s difficulties.”
Or even if they knew, they might not necessarily intervene.
After understanding, Xie Yuantang fell silent.
She had always known Si Tu Yan’s situation was difficult, but she never realized it was this hard.
Every other prince had deep connections behind them, only he had no one – unloved by father and mother, foolishly enduring bullying without fighting back.
Xie Yuantang sighed, turned to look at her silly husband who was gazing at her eagerly, and poked his cheek with her small hand: “You poor thing.”
Si Tu Yan tilted his head, his eyes clear and innocent: “Is wife talking about Xiao Guai?”
“Pfft~”
Xie Yuantang was amused by his words and nodded: “Yes, yes, I’m talking about Xiao Guai. It’s too pitiful being alone in the stable. Shall we take it out to play tomorrow?”
“Okay! Where to?”
Si Tu Yan asked excitedly.
Xie Yuantang thought for a moment and said, “Let’s go find Yan Mo. Didn’t you say he was injured? We’ll visit him tomorrow.”
“Okay!”
Si Tu Yan nodded, the corners of his mouth just turning up into a smile before his shoulders slumped again: “Whenever Du Wei hit me before, Yan Mo would always block for me. His injuries kept getting worse, that’s why I didn’t let him live here.”
With Du Wei and those malicious servants around, as long as Yan Mo stayed in the Prince’s Palace, his injuries would never heal.
Xie Yuantang understood and said, “It’s alright, tomorrow we’ll take the carriage and bring him back.”
After all, they were in charge of the Prince’s Palace now, and there would be no more trouble from malicious servants.
“Mm.”
The next day.
Xie Yuantang and Si Tu Yan arrived at Yan Mo’s residence in a carriage.
Xie Yuantang had previously thought that even if Yan Mo was a servant, his dwelling would at least provide shelter from rain, but upon arrival, she saw a thatched hut that looked like it could collapse at any moment.
“This…”
Xie Yuantang was shocked. She turned to look at Si Tu Yan, only to find him equally astonished.
So he didn’t know Yan Mo lived here?
As soon as they entered, they saw a young man leaning on a crutch walking out of the house.
He was holding a wooden ladle, probably going to fetch water.
“Yan Mo!”
Si Tu Yan called out, standing there awkwardly, unsure whether to advance or retreat.
When Yan Mo saw Si Tu Yan, his eyes filled with surprise, then reddened: “Your Highness…”
Yan Mo tossed aside the wooden ladle and staggered over on his crutch, about to kneel in salute to Si Tu Yan when he was stopped: “Don’t kneel. Your leg, your leg…”
“My leg is fine, Your Highness. Why have you come?”
Yan Mo paused, studying Si Tu Yan with a searching gaze before hesitantly asking:
“Are you… are you His Highness now?”