The innkeeper and his waiter were whispering amongst themselves when they suddenly heard hurried footsteps coming from the shop entrance. The sound seemed to be getting closer and closer, as if it were heading straight for the tavern.
Upon hearing the noise, the waiter and the shopkeeper both came down from behind the counter and went to look towards the door. As soon as they reached the door, they were pushed aside by two guards who came in and pressed against the door panel.
Then a man with an extraordinary air entered and smiled at Young Master Yi, who was still drinking alone, saying, "Young Master Yi, it's been a long time!"
Young Master Yi gave him a disdainful look, then continued pouring himself a drink, saying, "It's you! What a spoilsport! What are you doing here?"
The man continued smiling and stepped forward politely, saying, "I was unaware of your presence, Third Young Master. I am deeply sorry for not welcoming you properly. However, I, as the Prince, should at least extend the proper hospitality, shouldn't I?"
Young Master Yi chuckled and said, "Is that necessary? Are we that close?"
Mei Zhixuan took a seat without being invited and said, "Please, Third Young Master, take a seat. As for the matter of the previous trip to Bei Lie, I, the Prince, will give you an explanation!"
"Hmph..." Upon hearing this, Young Master Yi finally stood up, and the group of people then left in a grand procession.
This night was destined to be a sleepless one.
Unlike the other palaces, which were brightly lit and illuminated like daytime, Yimei Pavilion was completely silent.
Inside the room, seeing her beloved son finally asleep, Xuan Yuan Yue slowly got up and moved to the study to sit down.
As he stared at the dark blue waist token lying in his palm, tears suddenly streamed down his face.
This waist tag was tricked from Prince Xuanyuan Han of Qin by my mischievous self when I was a child. I carved a crescent moon mark on the back, for which I was severely punished by my father.
After scrutinizing her for a while, he spoke to himself, muttering, "Uncle Qin, is it really you? You took Yun'er away, didn't you?"
Originally, for her, the happy ending of lovers should have been a joyous occasion, but the appearance of this unusual waist tag made her even more worried.
It seems that what she feared most from the beginning has indeed come to pass. Although she wasn't entirely unprepared, she just didn't expect it to happen so quickly.
These days, she has been unable to eat or sleep properly.
After much deliberation, I wondered whether I should tell Mei Zhixuan the news or keep the operation of my motherland a secret.
With a creak.
The maid Jinlan entered carrying a tea tray with a pot of freshly brewed hot tea and a plate of delicate pastries.
Jinlan, with a hopeful look on her face, brought the pastries to Xuanyuan Yue and said, "I noticed that the princess's cough seems to have flared up again recently, so I made these pine nut and lily pastries myself, following Miss Yi's instructions. Princess, please try them. Do they still taste the same as you remember?"
Xuanyuan Yue then came to her senses, gazing at the plate of golden lily-shaped pastries. She slowly reached out and picked up a piece, murmuring, "Pine nut lily pastry..."
Seeing that Xuanyuan Yue had finally shown some interest in the food that had been brought in over the past few days, Jinlan asked with a mixture of joy and anxiety, "How is it? Does the princess like it?"
Xuan Yuan Yue said softly, "The mountains are high and the rivers are wide, but things have changed."
He then picked up his pen and wrote in one go:
Since we parted, I have no idea how far you are; the sight of you fills me with sorrow and grief.
As I drift further and further away, letters cease; in this vast expanse of water, where have I found the fish that have sunk?
The wind rustles through the bamboo in the deep night, a thousand leaves whispering a tale of sorrow.
So I lean on my pillow and search for it in my dreams, but the dream fails and the lamp goes out.
Looking at the poignant words written by Xuanyuan Yue, how could Jinlan not know the long-standing pain and torment in her heart? But this was the fate and sorrow of a royal woman, and no one could escape it.
Jinlan looked at Xuanyuan Yue's tightly furrowed brows, her gaze fixed on the heavy, dark-colored waist token on the table. She felt reluctant, but had to ask, "Princess, have you still not decided whether to inform His Highness the Third Prince of this important news?"
Seeing that Xuan Yuan Yue remained silent with a blank stare, it was clear that her master had not yet made a final decision. Indeed, such a significant matter would be difficult for anyone to decide easily.
So Jinlan shook her head helplessly, picked up the tea tray again, and left.
Jinlan lifted the curtain and, upon seeing the person who had arrived, exclaimed in surprise, "The Third Prince... the Third Prince has returned..."
As she was about to bow to him, Mei Zhixuan reached out a hand to stop her, fearing that she might disturb the people inside the room.
As soon as Mei Zhixuan entered, he saw Xuan Yuan Yue sitting at her desk in a daze, staring at her face for a long time. Xuan Yuan Yue seemed completely unaware of his presence.
Mei Zhixuan then took a step and walked behind her, wanting to see what she was thinking.
Upon seeing her calligraphy, he finally understood and said, "On festive occasions, one misses their loved ones even more. Is Yue'er longing for her homeland again?"
Upon hearing this, Xuan Yuan Yue quickly came to her senses and stood up to bow to him, but Mei Zhi Xuan stopped her, saying, "No need for formalities!"
As Xuanyuan Yue straightened up, she asked, "When did Your Highness return?"
Mei Zhixuan said, "I just returned to the palace."
Xuanyuan Yue walked with him to the warm couch and sat down, tentatively asking, "Is the city peaceful these days?"
Mei Zhixuan was somewhat surprised and looked at her face, asking, "Yue'er, why do you ask that?"
Seeing her suspicion growing, Xuan Yuan Yue still pretended to be calm and poured tea while saying, "Ah! Isn't tomorrow the annual Lantern Festival? I imagine the city will be filled with fireworks and throngs of people, it will be incredibly lively. Your Highness bears the heavy responsibility of protecting the city, and you will surely be strengthening the defenses in various parts of the city in the coming days. I just feel that if the city is peaceful, Your Highness doesn't need to work so hard!"
Mei Zhixuan had always been skeptical of some of Xuan Yuan Yue's words, but after a moment's thought, he suddenly grabbed Xuan Yuan Yue's hand as she was handing him a teacup and said, "So that's how it is. I knew it. Yue'er no longer blames me. I've said it before, everything I've done is for Yue'er and our child."
Xuanyuan Yue smiled faintly upon hearing this.
Mei Zhixuan then released Xuan Yuan Yue's hand and said confidently, "Yue'er, there's no need to worry. Everything in the city is very peaceful. Even if it's not peaceful, I have a way to expose all the spies planted in various places and capture them all."
Upon hearing this, Xuan Yuan Yue's heart suddenly skipped a beat, as if she felt very uncomfortable. So she said, "It's already very late, Your Highness should go back and rest early. Tomorrow's official duties will surely be very heavy."
Suddenly, Mei Zhixuan's gaze softened, and he took her soft, white hand in his again, gently stroking it while a deep desire shone in his eyes. He said, "Yue'er, it's been so long since we've..."
Xuan Yuan Yue quickly declined, saying, "Your Highness, I'm not feeling well lately..."
Mei Zhixuan believed it to be true. Although he was disappointed, he thought that as long as the couple could communicate well, things would gradually get better.
So he pursed his lips, patted her hand and said, "It's alright, there's plenty of time. Yue'er's health is the most important thing. Well then, I'll head back tonight. Yue'er, you should get some rest too."
Just as Mei Zhixuan got up to leave, he suddenly heard a "smack".
It turned out that the black waist token had unexpectedly fallen out of Xuan Yuan Yue's sleeve and landed on the ground, right between her and Mei Zhi Xuan's feet.
Suddenly, it seemed as if even the air inside the room had stopped moving. Xuan Yuan Yue stared blankly at her feet, not daring to breathe.
Mei Zhixuan stamped his foot, bent down, picked up the black waist token from the ground, looked at it for a while, and his face turned deathly pale.
An outsider might not know the significance of this waist tag, but how could Mei Zhixuan, who often dealt with weapons merchants from the Western Qin, not recognize it? But who was the owner of this waist tag?
Just as Xuan Yuan Yue was in a state of confusion, unsure how to explain the waist token, Mei Zhi Xuan picked it up and returned it to her, gently smiling as he reminded her, "Such a precious and memorable item, Yue'er should keep it safe!"
Xuanyuan Yue seemed to want to explain something more: "Your Highness, Yue'er didn't..."
"Yue'er, there's no need to explain. You are my wife, and I naturally trust you!" Mei Zhixuan said with a smile before turning and walking away.
Once outside, Mei Zhixuan sternly commanded, "Take good care of your princess!"
Only after Mei Zhixuan's figure completely disappeared into the Yimeixuan courtyard did Jinlan, who had been waiting at the door, push the door open and enter.
Xuan Yuan Yue was seen clutching the black waist token tightly to her chest, and two lines of tears were silently streaming down her face.
Jinlan was stunned for a moment, then stepped forward and asked, "Princess, does the Third Prince... does he know?"
Xuan Yuan Yue nodded silently and said innocently, "It fell out on its own."
The room fell silent. The master and servant stared at each other, unsure of what to say...
After pondering the journey, Mei Zhixuan finally returned to his study and sat down. He slowly said to the guard beside him, "It seems that Prince Qin, Xuanyuan Han, must be in the city of my Dongning Kingdom."
Upon hearing this, the guard asked, both surprised and puzzled, "Your Highness, is he really...? How did you determine that?"
Yes, Mei Zhixuan was indeed unsure about this. Originally, he just wanted to see Xuan Yuan Yue before the operation tomorrow.
Unexpectedly, Xuan Yuan Yue's reaction when the waist token fell was enough to prove that the waist token was indeed Xuan Yuan Han's. If it were someone else, she probably wouldn't have been so nervous.
Seeing that Mei Zhixuan was only deep in thought and did not speak, the guard thought about it in the same breath.
"So, that night, it must have been the King of Qin who led his men into the palace and took away the legitimate princess!"
"Furthermore, our last arms deal with Western Qin must have been meticulously arranged by the King of Qin."
The guards then realized what had happened, and although the incident had passed, they still broke out in a cold sweat.
Suddenly, the guard seemed to realize something and said with concern and puzzlement, "Then...where exactly is the King of Qin hiding now? Tomorrow is the Lantern Festival, what is the purpose of those Western Qin people staying in the city for so long? We don't know everything yet, Your Highness, we don't have much time left."
At this moment, Mei Zhixuan narrowed his eyes and said quietly, "Since we've searched for so long and still can't find the hiding place of Prince Qin, Xuanyuan Han, it seems we have no choice but to use him?"
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