Behind the screen, silence reigned for a long while. Li Jing cautiously covered one eye, craning his neck to peek inside. There sat Li Ce at Ye Jiao's bedside, clutching her hand tightly, his gaze fixed upon her as if she were a life-saving elixir to a dying man. His tender guardianship stirred a pounding in Li Jing's chest.
He withdrew, pondering for a moment, then poked his head back in with a troubled frown."Xiao Jiu, Second Brother asked me to tell you he's gone back first. He's been taking this medicine for years—it won't harm him. This time, he wanted you to have it, so you can recover before the wedding. How could Fifth Brother have known... that the lady marquis—uh, Wuhou Zhang—would... ahem... dare to take someone else's medicine? Of course! Wuhou Zhang was not at fault. It was Brother's mistake."
Li Jing's tone was ingratiating, his words coaxing. He kept pleading until Li Ce finally turned to look at him. His eyes were rimmed red—not with rage, but with restrained sorrow."I still remember that half a bun," he said solemnly.
Li Ce had never forgotten. After moving into Prince Zhao's residence, he had even visited Guangde Lane to buy buns for Li Jing.
Li Jing let out a sigh of relief and fully emerged, dragging over a small wooden stool from who-knows-where. He obediently sat by Li Ce's side with a bright grin."It's good you remember! Let me tell you, back then all the princes had to keep vigil alone. Otherwise, I'd have brought you plenty of good food—not just half a bun!"
As the legitimate son, many had tried to curry favor by secretly stuffing treats into Li Jing's hands. Most of those people he neither knew nor remembered. From childhood to now, he had only seen flattering smiles, sycophantic smiles, courteous, solicitous smiles.
Unlike Li Ce—though a prince, few in the palace even knew him. Now twenty years old, he hadn't even had a proper residence built yet.
"Fifth Brother."Li Ce called softly.
Li Jing's grin widened—surely, this meant he wasn't angry anymore. As he always knew: no woman could ever rival the bond between brothers.
But what Li Ce said next stunned him.
"If ever hunger finds us again—give that bun to Ye Jiao."
Li Ce's gaze was deep and steady, waiting for an answer.
Li Jing stared at him, puzzled, sensing that it was not merely the bun he referred to. He meant that Ye Jiao had become more important than himself. He meant protection—within the shifting tides of the Great Tang court, it was Li Jing, the legitimate son, who must now offer shelter to Ye Jiao.
Li Jing understood, yet wished not to. In the end, he only replied,"Don't worry! We'll never go hungry again!"
Li Ce didn't force a promise from him. He merely smiled faintly."Give me your supplement prescription. Don't take any more for now—I'll have someone examine whether it needs adjusting."
"Alright!"Li Jing leapt to his feet, the stool tipping over beside him. He straightened his robe, all gloom vanishing from his face. As he walked out, he chirped,"I knew it! I knew you'd never think I'd harm you!"
The sentence was convoluted, but he repeated it twice, as if unburdening a heavy weight from his heart.
Li Ce watched his departing figure, his refined brows tightening, a trace of shadow and worry surfacing on his face. Supplement medicine—for fertility. Yet after all these years, Li Jing had never sired a single child.
So was this truly medicine—or poison?
Prince Jin, Li Zhang, had not expected that a brief detour to Prince Zhao's residence would allow him to witness such a scene.
In the carriage on the way back, his eyes rested on the pages of a book, yet he had not turned a single leaf for a long while. His mind drifted back repeatedly to the moment between Li Ce and Ye Jiao.
He remembered every expression on Ye Jiao's face—anxious, coy, and aching with pain. It was so vivid he felt the urge to tear her apart with his own hands.
As the carriage rolled slowly forward, Li Zhang muttered under his breath,"Slut."
A wanton woman, without doubt. No matter what poison she had taken, such a look should never have graced her face.
Only after uttering this curse did he feel somewhat pacified. He returned his gaze to the book and began to flip through it attentively—until a deep voice outside broke the quiet."Your Highness, this humble servant has urgent news."
To block the royal carriage on a crowded street without concern for decorum—what he had to report could not be trivial.
Li Zhang lifted the curtain. Outside stood a court official, thankfully dressed in civilian garb.
"Speak," Li Zhang said, his brows slightly furrowed.
"His Majesty has delayed the appointment of the crown prince," the official reported. "Today, when Fu Qian petitioned for a decree, it was denied."
Li Zhang's fingers clenched tightly around the curtain, but his expression did not change. He replied calmly,"Understood."
The official stepped back. The carriage rolled on, as if nothing had occurred. Yet within, Li Zhang sat bolt upright, lost in thought.
Ever since he defeated the Tubo forces, voices advocating for his appointment had grown louder. Upon his triumphant return, it had all seemed set in stone. The imperial astrologers had even selected an auspicious date in the first month for the ceremony.
Everything was ready—so how had it all crumbled at the final moment? Who had obstructed it?
Li Zhang gently closed the book. Instead of anger, a cold smile tugged at his lips.
So someone dared to interfere? Then let them try. In all the realm, who could be more fit for the Eastern Palace than he?
If I cannot have peace, then none of you shall either.
That evening, Prince Wei, Li Chen, returned home late.
Princess Consort Yan Shuangxu had waited for him. She took his fur cloak and instructed the servants to reheat the dishes.
"There's no need," Li Chen said gently. He then turned and embraced her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder, swaying slightly.
He felt all his weariness melt away.
"No," Yan Shuangxu replied warmly. "Your Highness likes your food piping hot."
Li Chen chuckled. "Have the children gone to bed?"
"Mm," she said. "Hua-ge'er went to his uncle's to practice archery. He's staying the night at the Yan residence."
His uncle was none other than the current deputy commander of the imperial guards, Yan Congzheng.
"That's not ideal," Li Chen said gently but firmly. "There's no commander in the imperial guards at the moment—everything is temporarily in the deputy's hands. If Hua keeps going over, it might hinder Congzheng's duties."
"Alright," Yan Shuangxu nodded obediently. "I'll have someone bring him home."
"Good," Li Chen said. "Send extra guards. Better to be safe."
Carelessness meant never seeing tomorrow's sun.
Dinner was sumptuous—a balanced spread of meat and vegetables, all prepared in the light, clean flavors Li Chen favored.
As he ate, he reminded Yan Shuangxu,"The sheepskin coat that Brother Jin sent—I accidentally tore it. I had it repaired and placed in the wardrobe. The material's too rare—don't bring it out unless necessary."
"Alright," she nodded sweetly, always deferent to his every word.
"And," he added suddenly, "have you seen Ye Jiao recently... your close friend, before her marriage?"
Yan Shuangxu's eyes softened with nostalgia. She shook her head gently, her voice quiet."Since I married into the royal household, we haven't spent time together. There are rules, after all. Back then, the Anguo Duke's family didn't have a good reputation in court—she didn't dare visit."
Li Chen laughed heartily."Times have changed. If nothing comes up before the year ends, pay her a visit. She's now Wuhou Zhang—and may soon become Princess Consort of Chu. As sisters-in-law, you should spend more time together."
"Alright," Yan Shuangxu replied demurely, her gaze fixed on him as though he were the stars in the sky.
Toward dusk, Ye Jiao finally awoke. Groggy and disoriented, she had not yet grasped what had happened when Li Ce's voice reached her.
"You're awake? How do you feel? Does your head hurt? Still feverish?"
The barrage of concern only added to her confusion. She turned her head and saw Li Ce's anxious gaze. Frowning slightly, she said,"I'm hungry."
"Qingfeng!"Li Ce stood at once and shouted.
Qingfeng rushed in, crashing into the screen. Rubbing his head, he asked,"What's wrong? What's going on?"
"Have the kitchen bring the prepared meal," Li Ce said.
Qingfeng sighed and turned around. Honestly—just delivering food, did they have to shout like that...