“Your Highness, Lord Shen has returned. Prince An should be back at the residence by now as well. We should hurry home—the prince must miss you terribly.”
Cui Yunfeng frowned. “I don’t want to see him.”
Xiao Yi had done nothing to offend her. It was just that, ever since she became pregnant, she had found herself unwilling to look at him. Because of this, Xiao Yi had developed quite a grudge against the child not yet born.
At the foot of the steps, the married couple were still being lovey-dovey, pouring out one sweet nothing after another.
Cui Yunfeng stood at the entrance like a statue, staring at them. Mo'er, beside her, felt exceedingly awkward.
Shen Xiabai’s gaze fell upon her, but Cui Yunchu tugged his attention back. “Don’t look at her. Just pretend she doesn’t exist.”
What an eyesore—did she have no sense at all?
“Elder Sister.” Cui Yunfeng looked aggrieved again at those words.
She was a living, breathing person standing right there. How could they pretend she did not exist?
Cui Yunchu did not even turn around to look at her. Her eyes full of tenderness as she gazed at Shen Xiabai, she said, “Let’s just continue with what we were doing.”
“All right.” Shen Xiabai suddenly bent down and swept Cui Yunchu into his arms. He strode toward the room, while Cui Yunchu shyly covered her face and nestled against his chest.
Cui Yunfeng and Mo'er: “…”
They really were pretending that the two of them did not exist.
“Lord Shen,” Cui Yunchu called in an unbearably sugary voice, still curled up in Shen Xiabai’s arms.
Mo'er said, “Your Highness, let’s go.”
“…”
“Yunfeng! Yunfeng!” A sudden shout came from outside the courtyard, breaking the romantic mood between Cui Yunchu and Shen Xiabai.
“Ignore them,” Shen Xiabai said with a frown.
Cui Yunchu said, “Let’s continue. Back to the room.”
A loud commotion suddenly erupted at the courtyard gate. Prince An strode in hurriedly, followed by several others.
A crowd of people, countless pairs of eyes meeting—an oppressive silence fell over the courtyard.
Cui Yunchu and Shen Xiabai were still wrapped up in each other, while Cui Yunfeng and Mo'er stood to one side. The scene could not have been more strange or awkward.
Cui Yunchu was not entirely shameless. Slowly, she slipped down from Shen Xiabai’s arms and said to Cui Yunfeng, “Your husband is here. What are you still standing around for? Hurry back with him.”
Prince An strode forward and swiftly pulled Cui Yunfeng into his embrace. Seeing how swollen and red her eyes were, his face darkened at once.
“Shen Xiabai! This is a contest between men, yet you used my wife to threaten me. How can you be so despicable?!”
Before Shen Xiabai could speak, Cui Yunchu was already displeased. Her eyes widened, and she planted her hands on her hips.
“Who are you calling despicable? You’re the despicable one! Who could possibly be more despicable than you? In all of Great Liang, you’re the most despicable!”
The moment Cui Yunchu took on the manner of a shrew berating someone in the street, Prince An frowned in distaste and took several steps back.
A man of seven feet would not deign to argue with a woman.
Cui Yunfeng said, “Don’t speak of my elder sister and brother-in-law that way. I came here on my own. I missed my elder sister. The situation is so tense now, and she is home alone—I wanted to protect her.”
Prince An’s expression turned even darker as he wrapped an arm around Cui Yunfeng’s waist. “Be good. That couple doesn’t need your protection.”
His Yunfeng was kind and innocent. How could she possibly be a match for someone as calculating as Cui Yunchu?
“Lord Shen, no matter how the situation develops, we should both understand where the line is. Do not drag the women of our households into this.”
“Likewise,” Shen Xiabai replied coldly.
Cui Yunfeng said, “No matter how much you argue, it won’t change the fact that we’re sisters by blood.”
Cui Yunchu added, “She married you; she wasn’t sold to you. That doesn’t mean she has to sever all ties with her family for the rest of her life.”
Prince An cast Cui Yunchu a dark look, ignoring the two women’s remarks. “I hope Lord Shen will keep his word.”
“I could say the same to Your Highness,” Shen Xiabai replied, his presence no less imposing. “Compared with Your Highness Prince An, I have more principles. Those words are better directed at yourself.”
He had not forgotten what Prince An had done to A Chu, even though the two of them had not yet confessed their feelings for each other at the time.
The two men’s gazes collided in midair, and the atmosphere around them grew heavy and oppressive.
Prince An gave a dark chuckle, withdrew his gaze, and left with his arm around Cui Yunfeng.
“Yunfeng, come visit whenever you have time. And don’t forget to look at the things I sent you,” Cui Yunchu called deliberately, trying to provoke Prince An.
“All right, I’ll remember. Don’t worry, Elder Sister—I’ll be sure to look at them when I get back,” Yunfeng replied, waving at her. Xiao Yi simply bent down, scooped her into his arms, and strode away.
“That ought to make him furious,” Cui Yunchu snorted.
“Was that how he used to bully you?”
Cui Yunchu’s voice was low, and she did not turn around.
Back then, she had not yet opened her heart to him. Her cousin had plotted against him, Prince An had coerced him—everyone had mistreated him. He had been all alone, with no one to rely on. He must have suffered terribly.
“In this world, aside from you, A Chu, who else could make your husband willingly accept being bullied?” Shen Xiabai wrapped his arms around Cui Yunchu’s waist from behind, lowering his head to rest it against hers.
“He’s only angry because today’s scheme fell through.”
“But I still feel that you’ve been wronged.” Cui Yunchu turned around and hugged Shen Xiabai tightly.
“Really?”
Cui Yunchu nodded.
“Then my wife ought to compensate her husband properly. I want to be underneath.”
Before Cui Yunchu could respond, her body suddenly lifted off the ground. Startled, she exclaimed, “At least wait until nightfall! It’s broad daylight—have you no shame?”
“When my wife was seducing me, you said that dignity was the least valuable thing in the world.”
Though Cui Yunchu protested with her words, her body was far more honest. She looped her arms around Shen Xiabai’s neck and offered him her red lips. “The Emperor is dead. Won’t the palace be terribly busy now? Between the Crown Prince and Prince An, who will take the throne?”
“Neither of them.” Shen Xiabai set Cui Yunchu down on the bed and impatiently reached for the sash at her waist.
“Finish explaining first,” Cui Yunchu said, retreating backward.
“Your father returned with the eldest son of the Tang family and a considerable force from the border. By coincidence, Prince Xinyang has also died of illness in his fief. His son is returning to the capital to request investiture and inherit the title. At present, the Crown Prince’s power is vastly inferior to Prince An’s. But for Prince An, the situation is fraught with troubles both within and without. It is not the best time for the two of them to fight it out—especially since Prince Xinyang’s heir might seize the opportunity.”
“So, persuaded by your father, the two have temporarily reached an agreement: a year-long truce. They will make their decision after Princess An gives birth.”
Cui Yunchu listened in astonishment, yet at the same time felt a wave of relief. “He isn’t dead. I knew he wouldn’t die so easily.”
Shen Xiabai gave a quiet hum, undid his belt, and was about to press down when Cui Yunchu continued, bracing both hands against his shoulders. “They say a state cannot go even one day without a ruler, and two tigers cannot share the same mountain. Now that the two of them have called a truce, who will sit on the imperial throne?”
“No one. As the heir apparent, the Crown Prince will handle state affairs for the time being, but he will hold only partial decision-making authority and cannot make personnel appointments. The only exception is if he also has Prince An’s seal.”
The two of them would, in effect, keep each other in check, but the Crown Prince was certain to be at a disadvantage. Still, if Cui Qingyuan had not stepped forward, the Crown Prince’s body would likely already be cold. Faced with such a demand from Prince An, no one could find fault with it.
That was the result the officials and the two princes had reached after discussing the matter throughout the previous night.
Thinking of what Xiao Yi had said earlier that day, Cui Yunchu felt a faint unease. “What about you? Will this affect you in any way?”
“Unless there’s a special reason, no one’s position can be changed for the next year. It won’t affect me.”
