"May I ask Your Majesty, what important matter must be discussed at this hour?" Yun Wan's voice carried a faint trace of irritation as she spoke, having been roused from her sleep.
Her loosely tied dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, partially obscuring her delicate profile and expression. Yet, even so, her displeasure was unmistakable. The words "must be" were practically gritted out between her teeth, her tone weighted with annoyance.
Oh no.
His wife seemed even angrier now.
Realizing the foolishness of his actions, Emperor Jingxuan suddenly felt a pang of guilt.
In the end, it was all Wei Tong and Vice Minister Gao's fault—otherwise, he wouldn’t have made such an unwise decision.
Tentatively, he reached out to rest a hand on her shoulder, relieved when she didn’t pull away. Lowering his voice, he coaxed, "Don’t be angry, my love. It was my fault for disturbing your rest."
Seated sideways on the bed, Yun Wan turned her head slightly and pursed her lips. "Your Majesty should just get to the point."
Seeing that her anger hadn’t subsided, Emperor Jingxuan carefully chose his words. "Are you ignoring me because you’re upset with me and the Crown Prince? Because of what happened with Chang Sui?"
"This concubine wouldn’t dare."
Yun Wan pressed her lips together before continuing, her voice cool and detached. "The Crown Prince is Your Majesty’s eldest son, the heir to the Great Qi throne—a person of noble status and importance. How could a mere consort like me dare to hold a grudge against either of you?"
Her tone was icy, but to Emperor Jingxuan’s ears, it sounded more like a coquettish complaint. Far from being annoyed, he found it endearing.
"Don’t speak nonsense, my love."
He leaned closer, gently pulling her against his chest, his voice deep and soothing. "You and Chang Sui are just as important to me. No matter the Crown Prince’s status, he is still your junior—he ought to address you as Consort Yun."
Though Chang Sui was a little chatterbox who couldn’t keep a secret, he was still his son.
Suddenly recalling how the boy had openly shown concern for him in front of the courtiers earlier that day, Emperor Jingxuan’s heart swelled with pride.
What a thoughtful child.
How many fathers in the world received such open affection from their sons? At the very least, neither the Crown Prince nor the Third Prince had ever expressed such care for him.
A pang of bitterness struck him.
"In front of the ministers, I couldn’t punish the Crown Prince too harshly. Otherwise, people might misunderstand and assume he was being disciplined because of Chang Sui—which would only bring harm to you and our son."
That afternoon, he had indeed considered deposing the Crown Prince. But upon reflection, he was grateful for the ministers who had intervened.
Emperor Jingxuan knew he could reprimand the Crown Prince, even strip him of his title—but he could never allow Yun Wan and Chang Sui to be dragged into it. He couldn’t let anyone believe it was his favoritism toward them that caused it.
Otherwise, those who supported the Crown Prince, whether openly or in secret, would turn their hostility toward Yun Wan and her son. Rumors were vicious and impossible to guard against.
He couldn’t silence the entire court—what kind of tyrant would that make him?
At his words, Yun Wan’s gaze flickered slightly.
Resting his chin against the curve of her neck, Emperor Jingxuan nuzzled her gently. "If you’re still upset, vent your anger on me. Don’t keep it bottled up."
Whether she hit him, scolded him, or even bit him—it would stay between them. No one else would know.
"You always tell Chang Sui not to lose his temper, that it’s bad for his health. Why do you forget when it comes to yourself?"
Yun Wan turned her head away with a soft huff. "This concubine wouldn’t dare throw a tantrum at Your Majesty."
He had made an effort to explain, and she had listened. The anger from earlier had already faded.
Emperor Jingxuan’s heart lifted—until she spoke again.
"This concubine isn’t just angry about what the Crown Prince did to A-Sui."
Pausing briefly, Yun Wan decided to voice her thoughts plainly. "I’m also upset that you told A-Sui to hide it from me. Do you think I’m some petty, narrow-minded person?"
Did he really think she wouldn’t find out by tomorrow?
Emperor Jingxuan inwardly groaned. Hurriedly, he explained, "Of course not! I was the one who misjudged. You’ve always been magnanimous."
Yun Wan: "Even if A-Sui was pushed down, it wasn’t Your Majesty’s fault. Why would I blame you?"
Emperor Jingxuan nodded. "Yes, yes, it was my mistake. Don’t be angry anymore."
Wei Tong had once told him—his wife was never wrong. He had taken that lesson to heart.
Finally, the misunderstanding was cleared up before it could fester overnight. The weight in his chest eased.
Just as he was about to say something else, Yun Wan interjected flatly, "Then, may this concubine go back to sleep now?"
Meeting her expressionless, sleep-deprived face, Emperor Jingxuan chuckled awkwardly. "Of course, my love."
Without another word, Yun Wan lay down and closed her eyes.
Emperor Jingxuan followed suit, wrapping an arm around her slender waist and pressing his chest against her back with a contented sigh.
At last, he could hold his wife again.
......
The next day, Imperial Concubine Li arrived with the Crown Prince to offer an apology. The entire palace was watching—after all, it was no secret that the Crown Prince had been punished the day before for disrespecting the Emperor and speaking rudely to Consort Yun.
This was the first time Yun Wan had seen the usually flamboyant Imperial Concubine dressed so plainly. The woman wore a practiced smile, while the Crown Prince beside her kept his head lowered, his demeanor weary.
Whether it was genuine or not, his steps seemed slightly unsteady.
Noticing her gaze, Imperial Concubine Li spoke up. "Forgive the unsightly display, Sister Yun. The Crown Prince knelt in the Hall of Diligent Governance for two hours yesterday. After returning, I was so heartbroken by his near-disastrous mistake that I made him kneel for another two hours."
She nudged the Crown Prince, her expression stern. "Crown Prince, apologize to Consort Yun at once."
A shadow of resentment flickered in his eyes before the Crown Prince bowed to Yun Wan, his voice flat. "This son spoke out of turn yesterday and has come today to beg Consort Yun’s forgiveness."
Observing the mother and son’s performance, Yun Wan replied gently, "Your apology is accepted. Since your legs are injured, you may rise."
"Attendants, prepare a seat for His Highness the Crown Prince."
The Crown Prince murmured, "Thank you, Consort Yun."
Imperial Concubine Li glanced around the room, a complicated gleam in her eyes.
She quickly masked it, forcing an admiring smile. "Sister Yun’s residence is truly spacious and luxurious—beautiful in just the right way. His Majesty must care for you deeply."
Yun Wan smiled faintly. "You flatter me, Your Highness. It cannot compare to the splendor of Yaohua Palace."
Anyone could tell it was a polite deflection. Imperial Concubine Li chuckled and let the matter drop, instead asking,
"Why isn’t Young Master Lu here? Thanks to his magnanimity yesterday—persuading His Majesty not to punish the Crown Prince too severely—I had hoped to thank him in person."
Yun Wan shook her head. "You overpraise him. Chang Sui is just a child—he doesn’t deserve such gratitude."
"He returned to the Hongwen Institute early this morning. I’m afraid Your Highness has come in vain."
Her responses were flawless—she accepted the Crown Prince’s apology gracefully, her demeanor revealing neither coldness nor dissatisfaction, only polite detachment.
Imperial Concubine Li couldn’t hide her disappointment.
With her objective achieved, she had little else to say to Yun Wan. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, she excused herself and left.
Yun Wan saw no reason to object. After strolling through the courtyard upon their departure, she noticed someone peeking around the corridor near the gates.
After a moment’s hesitation, she asked softly, "Would you like to come in?"
