Although the Crown Prince did not like Meng Jinyue, for Xie Yunye’s sake, he still ordered the servants to prepare a meal.
However, the Crown Prince did not attend.
Xie Yunye frowned, “Is His Highness not coming?”
The eunuch nodded cautiously, “Reporting to Young Master Xie, His Highness is unable to free himself.”
Upon hearing this, Xie Yunye felt disappointed and increasingly anxious.
It seemed the Crown Prince truly had no intention of helping him look after Meng Jinyue.
Yet, at this moment, he could only entrust Meng Jinyue to the Crown Prince.
His father was utterly unreliable, and his grandfather was disappointed in him, unwilling to offer any assistance.
Only the Crown Prince held any hope.
“Yao Yao, I can actually take care of myself. Before I met you, I managed just fine.”
Xie Yunye shook his head, “Yao Yao, the situation is different now.”
Meng Jinrong had gone mad.
Once he left, Meng Jinrong would certainly not let the matter rest.
Ever since Meng Jinrong and Xie Yunye’s engagement was completely dissolved, Meng Jinrong had grown even more sullen.
“Now that the matter is settled, and even His Majesty has promised to arrange their marriage in the future, what good does your behavior do?”
Meng Jinhua stopped her, earnestly trying to persuade her.
“I know you’re afraid I’ll go mad, afraid I’ll embarrass you, afraid I’ll ruin your plans.”
Meng Jinrong sneered.
Since she was unhappy, she wanted everyone else to be unhappy too.
“Eldest Sister, aren’t you truly worried? Today, she went to the Crown Prince’s residence with Xie Yunye. Perhaps the Crown Prince will also fall for her at first sight.”
Meng Jinhua replied, “The Crown Prince is not that kind of person.”
Meng Jinrong, with her hair disheveled, burst into laughter, “Xie Yunye wasn’t like this before either, yet now he’s deeply infatuated with that wretch.”
“That wretch is a born fox spirit!”
“If you don’t care, then just wait for that wretch to seduce the Crown Prince as well.”
Meng Jinhua admitted that she was not as calm and indifferent as she appeared on the surface.
She knew what Xie Yunye had been like before, so she couldn’t help but wonder: Could this half-sister, whom she had never taken seriously, truly possess some seductive art?
“Even if you plan to take action, wait a little longer. In a few days, we’ll depart for the Qinghe Autumn Hunt. Once we reach Qinghe, there will be many more opportunities to act.”
“Yao Yao, don’t cry.”
“Let’s go back.”
Xie Yunye reached out to wipe the tears from her face.
But the more he comforted her, the harder Meng Jinyue cried.
This time, it was not an act—her tears were genuine.
She did not want to send her mother away, but leaving her mother in the capital might put her in danger.
After all, Xie Yunye would be heading to the border in a few months.
With the Meng family currently busy preparing for the journey, now was the best time to send her mother away.
“Once I return to the capital, I will bring your mother back. Then, she can live with us. Please, don’t cry.”
Meng Jinyue nodded.
“Alright, let’s go back.”
Her mother had several new travel permits and was secretly escorted south by Xie Yunye’s men.
Those men were Xie Yunye’s trusted confidants. With them around, her mother’s safety was assured.
She should feel at ease.
By the time the Meng family noticed, her mother would have long disappeared without a trace, and they would have no way of finding her.
With her mother gone, her only vulnerability was no more.
Many people joined the Qinghe Autumn Hunt this time, forming a grand and imposing procession.
Shortly after the journey began, Xie Yunye took Meng Jinyue to the Crown Prince’s carriage.
The Crown Prince wore a cold expression, “What exactly are you trying to do?”
“Your Highness knows perfectly well.”
The Crown Prince sneered, “I will only help you look after your mother and younger sister. I won’t interfere with anyone else, so you’d better give up on that idea.”
“In that case, I’ll have to bring Yao Yao along to bother Your Highness all the way.”
The Crown Prince looked at Xie Yunye as if seeing him for the first time.
He took a deep breath. “Take her and get lost!”
Xie Yunye immediately covered Meng Jinyue’s ears.
The Crown Prince was so angry he laughed.
However, Xie Yunye’s plan did not come to fruition. Just a few days into the journey, unexpected changes occurred at the border.
Xie Yunye had to depart for the expedition ahead of schedule, and his original plan to accompany Meng Jinyue to Qinghe fell through.
“Yao Yao, something urgent has come up. I must leave tomorrow.”
“I will make sure you are settled before I go.”
Meng Jinyue hugged him, tears streaming down her face. “Don’t worry about me anymore. I just want you to be safe.”
When the Crown Prince arrived, he happened to witness this deeply affectionate scene between the two.
His face darkened slightly, and he silently turned around, retreating to a corner where they couldn’t see him.
“Don’t cry. I’ll return safely. I still have to marry you.”
Hearing Xie Yunye’s choked voice, the Crown Prince felt as if he were seeing something unbelievable.
Meng Jinyue was a woman, so it was understandable if she cried heavily, but Xie Yunye, a man, also had moist eyes.
Finally, it seemed the two had cried enough. Just as the Crown Prince was about to step out, he heard Xie Yunye instructing Meng Jinyue.
“After I leave, remember to find a way to stay by His Highness’s side.”
Meng Jinyue said tearfully, “A Ye, is this really appropriate? What if His Highness drives me away… What should I do?”
Xie Yunye patted her head reassuringly. “If he tries to drive you away, just pretend you didn’t hear it. Act deaf and dumb, and stick to his side no matter what.”
Meng Jinyue: “…”
The Crown Prince in the corner: “…”
“But… but I’m afraid of His Highness.”
Hearing this, Xie Yunye felt even more heartbroken.
“Yao Yao, don’t be afraid. His Highness has a soft heart. You can try to please him. He loves mung bean cakes the most—you can make some for him. Also…”
“Yao Yao, do you remember?”
Meng Jinyue nodded obediently, her watery eyes wide with seriousness.
“I remember. After you leave, I’ll stay by the Crown Prince’s side and treat him well. That way, he’ll soften his heart and protect me.”
Meng Jinyue knew that Xie Yunye and the Xie family were currently at odds, and since she and Xie Yunye were not yet married, the only person Xie Yunye could entrust her to was the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince listened silently to their conversation, his face growing darker.
Xie Yunye’s audacity had reached an outrageous level, teaching his fiancée such things.
“Yao Yao, one more thing. His Highness’s birthday is on the fifth day of next month. Since childhood, no one has ever celebrated his birthday. I won’t be in the capital then. If you have the chance, make a bowl of longevity noodles for him on my behalf.”
“His Highness is also someone I care about. If possible, could you also take care of him a little for me?”
Meng Jinyue nodded emphatically. “Yes, I’ll do everything A Ye says.”
The Crown Prince was momentarily stunned. Every year, only Xie Yunye remembered his birthday.
He stood there for a long time, waiting until Xie Yunye had finished instructing Meng Jinyue before signaling for the attendant to step out.
The attendant understood.
“General Xie, His Highness wishes to see you.”
“His Highness said only you are to go. Do not bring anyone else.”
The sudden appearance of the attendant caused the embracing pair to quickly separate.
The Crown Prince returned to the carriage, waiting for Xie Yunye.
After a long while, Xie Yunye finally arrived.
As soon as he arrived, Xie Yunye knelt before him.
The Crown Prince clenched his fists, the words of reprimand he had intended to speak now stuck in his throat.
“Xie Yunye, what are you doing?”
After the two had become close, Xie Yunye had never knelt before him in private.
“Your Highness, you know what I wish to say. Although I have made a military pledge before His Majesty, I am still flesh and blood, and there is no guarantee that no accidents will occur. I beg Your Highness to help protect Yao Yao’s safety.”
The Crown Prince stood up to help him to his feet: “So you know you’re flesh and blood!”
“Get up!”
But Xie Yunye did not move: “Your Highness must first promise me.”
The Crown Prince took a deep breath.
He remained silent for a long while before speaking: “I promise you, I will protect her well. Before you return, I will ensure nothing happens to her. Can you rest assured now?”
This was already the greatest concession the Crown Prince could make, and such a promise was given only out of regard for Xie Yunye.
Yet, unexpectedly, Xie Yunye still shook his head: “Your Highness, it is not enough.”
“Not enough?”
The Crown Prince was astonished. Under normal circumstances, he would not be so polite to Xie Yunye, but now he restrained himself. Taking a deep breath, he asked, “What else do you want?”
“I want Your Highness to promise me that if I die on the battlefield, you will be responsible for the rest of her life.”
The Crown Prince: “…”
“My own blood sister—I would not even be responsible for her entire life, let alone a woman I despise.”
“Instead of saying such discouraging words, you should focus on coming back alive. If you die, I will have her, the root cause of all this, skinned and dismembered to vent my anger.”
Xie Yunye knew the Crown Prince would never actually do such a thing.
“Your Highness.”
Xie Yunye spoke earnestly, his tone filled with pleading: “I know that my sister and the others, Your Highness will surely watch over them for me. A Zhi is a daughter of the Xie family, and the Xie family will also look after her. Only Yao Yao—she has no one to rely on, and I truly cannot rest easy.”
“Consider this my final request to Your Highness. If I truly die, and if she wishes to marry, please arrange a good marriage for her.”
Xie Yunye had harbored these thoughts before, originally planning to bring them up slowly later to avoid angering the Crown Prince, but now there was no time.
The Crown Prince let out a cold, bitter laugh: “You truly love her.”
“What if she is unwilling to marry?”
Although the Crown Prince did not believe Meng Jinyue would be so devoted, he still asked.
“If she is unwilling to remarry, I hope Your Highness can reserve a position as a Liangdi in the Crown Prince’s residence, and not let her remain in the Meng household.”
The Crown Prince looked at Xie Yunye in disbelief.
“I think you’ve gone mad. She is your fiancée! Yet you want to push her onto me?”
“I will never touch the wife of a brother!”
“You are insulting her, and you are insulting me!”
How could Xie Yunye want this? That day, Meng Jinrong had forced the issue by threatening suicide, bringing it before the Emperor and Empress, and pushing him into this situation.
He had a premonition that this time, returning would not be so easy, so he had no choice but to make thorough preparations.
“Your Highness, I do not wish for this either, but the Meng family does not care for her. Meng Jinrong and Madam Meng despise her deeply. If I die, she will have no path to survival in the Meng household.”
“I am not deliberately trying to make things difficult for Your Highness, nor do I wish to push the one I love onto you.”
“But the only person I can entrust with confidence is Your Highness, and the only person I can beg is Your Highness.”
“For the sake of our many years of friendship, can Your Highness grant my request and put my mind at ease?”