Yu Yan Lou was an establishment under Shi Yu’s name.
Originally opened on a whim years ago, it had since become the largest restaurant in the capital.
It was the first restaurant to offer breakfast to guests in the morning, featuring various activities such as storytelling, singing, leaf card games, chess, and even complimentary makeup and hair styling for women.
Those who finished breakfast but were reluctant to leave could stay and enjoy themselves until lunch or even dinner, making business exceptionally brisk.
Even now, early in the morning, the place was already packed with guests.
Two days earlier, while strolling through the streets, Wei Qingyan had reserved a private room in advance and ordered the restaurant’s signature breakfast.
After the three of them had eaten their fill, she asked a waiter to bring in a sugar-figure artisan to make the twelve zodiac animals for Xiaoxiao.
Du Laofuren was strict with rules, and Lady Fang seldom went out on weekdays, so Xiaoxiao had even fewer opportunities to venture outside. She was quickly captivated by the sugar figures.
Wei Qingyan signaled A Lu to keep Xiaoxiao company and quietly slipped out through the window of the inner room.
She had once been a frequent visitor to Yu Yan Lou and knew that on the third floor, there was a private room reserved exclusively for Shi Yu. In the past, whenever Shi Yu invited them for meals, it was always to that room.
But one day, that room suddenly became forbidden to her.
To be precise, Shi Yu forbade anyone from setting foot in that room again.
A newly appointed manager, hoping to curry favor with him, personally went in to clean it. When Shi Yu found out, he immediately rushed from the prince’s residence, ordered the manager to be given ten strokes of the cane, and expelled him from the restaurant.
Curious noble sons who were close friends with him grew bold and tried to barge into the room, only to be beaten out by him one after another.
Du Xueyi was among them. Afterward, he complained that Shi Yu must have been hiding some unspeakable secret in that room.
But if it truly was a secret, wouldn’t it be safer to keep it hidden in the prince’s residence?
Wei Qingyan had no intention of delving deeper, because shortly afterward, Shi Yu severed ties with her and left for his fiefdom, while she herself was ordered to lead an expedition.
Upon returning to the capital this time, with her Gongdeyin absorbed by Shi Yu, she began contemplating how to get close to him and retrieve it.
Compared to breaking into Rongwangfu, luring Shi Yu to Yu Yan Lou seemed much easier.
When reserving the private room that day, she had inquired discreetly and found that the room was still off-limits to outsiders.
Wei Qingyan pushed open the window with practiced ease and slipped inside. Seeing the scene inside, she furrowed her brows.
The familiar layout remained unchanged from before, with no hidden passages or compartments.
There was, however, tea on the table, indicating that Shi Yu had visited recently.
After looking around, she found nothing that could be considered a secret. Why, then, was he so protective of this room?
Searching once more, she still found nothing.
Wei Qingyan deliberately ransacked the room to create the illusion of a burglary, then took out a fire starter and lit the gauze curtain by the door.
Watching the flames slowly climb the curtain, Wei Qingyan realized that she still harbored resentment over what had happened back then.
After more than ten years of friendship, even if he no longer wished to associate with her, he owed her an explanation.
Yet, after seeing the state of the room, she began to doubt whether Shi Yu would even come.
Perhaps the room wasn’t that important after all. Maybe Shi Yu had suddenly closed it off back then as a subtle hint for her to stay away?
Had she been too dense to understand his hint, forcing him to explicitly sever ties?
By the time Wei Qingyan returned to the private room, Xiaoxiao was already eating a sugar figure. Seeing her return, Xiaoxiao handed her a little tiger.
Wei Qingyan took it but hadn’t taken a bite when she heard shouts from outside: “Fire! Fire!”
A Lu instinctively glanced at her.
Wei Qingyan pretended not to notice and continued eating the sugar figure with Xiaoxiao, though her ears were keenly tuned to the commotion outside.
If Shi Yu didn’t come, she would have no choice but to sneak into Rongwangfu at night while her physical abilities hadn’t completely faded.
Yet she never expected Shi Yu to arrive so quickly.
Before she could finish even one sugar figurine, she heard the shopkeeper’s voice outside apologizing, “Your Highness, please forgive me. It was my negligence in supervision that allowed thieves to enter that room and burn the door curtain. Fortunately, it was discovered in time…”
Wei Qingyan leisurely finished the sugar figurine in her hand, then looked at A Lu, who seemed hesitant to speak. “I’ve heard the roasted lamb ribs at Yu Yan Lou are exceptional. I’ll go take a look. You stay here with Xiaoxiao and don’t wander off.”
“Alright,” A Lu nodded, not daring to ask further.
The Marquis had instructed him to follow the young lady’s orders in everything.
As for whether Miss Chang was truly the young lady or not—that wasn’t something a servant like him could question. If the Marquis said she was, then she was.
Wei Qingyan gently ruffled Xiaoxiao’s hair again, speaking softly, “Let’s have lunch here before heading home, alright?”
“Okay,” came the soft, sticky voice as Xiaoxiao looked shyly at Wei Qingyan.
The mention of “going home” from Wei Qingyan reassured her. As long as her aunt wouldn’t abandon her, she wasn’t afraid anymore.
Wei Qingyan first went to the area where lamb ribs were roasted and ordered a lamb leg from the attendant. Then she headed to the main hall where tea was served and storytelling took place.
Hiding behind a corridor pillar, she glanced at the third floor. The guards Jing Zhe and Dong Cang were both stationed outside the private room. Wei Qingyan turned and made her way to the side hall where women freshened up.
When she reappeared at the private room’s window, Shi Yu had his back to her, tidying the bed.
With a flick of her finger, colorless and odorless powder drifted into the room. Immediately, Shi Yu slumped onto the bed.
She hadn’t been able to retrieve the Gongdeyin in the hot spring, perhaps because Shi Yu had been awake and subconsciously resisting. This time, Wei Qingyan had prepared knockout powder in advance.
Knowing that Jing Zhe and Dong Cang were alert, she didn’t dare delay. Lifting Shi Yu’s head, she leaned down and kissed him.
But his forehead remained cold. Just like last time, only her vitality was restored—the Gongdeyin showed no sign of returning.
Wei Qingyan’s eyes darkened.
The Gongdeyin was something she had obtained by chance, akin to flesh and blood for an ordinary person—it would accompany its master for life.
Why would her “flesh and blood” cling to Shi Yu’s body?
The Gongdeyin favored those who had performed great deeds of merit. Could it be that Shi Yu had accomplished significant good deeds?
Yet after losing his military power and being confined to the capital, she had only heard of his interest in commerce—never of any charitable or virtuous acts.
Or was it because he was of royal blood, carrying the nobility of the imperial family?
Coincidentally, after she left Lianhuawu, the Fat Monk had also gone to Penglai, so she couldn’t send a letter to ask for clarification.
If she couldn’t retrieve it now, did that mean she would have to seek Shi Yu out every few days for a kiss to maintain her vitality?
The feeling of having her life controlled by someone else was deeply unpleasant. A flicker of irritation rose in Wei Qingyan’s eyes.
This wasn’t a sustainable solution. Shi Yu wasn’t foolish—he would figure it out sooner or later.
Should she try again?
Wei Qingyan pried open the man’s teeth once more, going deeper and more forcefully than before.
She also prolonged the duration. Reason told her that Shi Yu had once been highly skilled in martial arts—the knockout powder’s effect on him was halved, and there were two guards outside. She should leave promptly.
But opportunities to get close to Shi Yu were rare. She had to seize this chance and try a few more times.
Yet even her lips grew numb.
Still, no result.
Jing Zhe’s voice sounded from outside the door. “Your Highness?”
Wei Qingyan glared at the still-unconscious Shi Yu, then leaped out the window indignantly.
This thief!
“Your Highness? Are you alright?” Jing Zhe’s voice came again.
Shi Yu slowly opened his eyes and replied, “I’m fine.”
He responded only to prevent Jing Zhe from entering and disturbing his current state of mind.
He lightly curled his index finger, rubbing the slightly swollen lip with his knuckle. Including the time at the hot spring, she had taken the initiative to kiss him twice now.
Why?