Chapter 31: Reunion

Princess Heyi and the Sixth Prince were both born to Consort Hui. The Sixth Prince was found in the commoners’ ranks eight years ago, claiming to be a twin with Princess Heyi and that they were separated due to palace intrigues, resulting in him going missing for years. However, this involved palace scandals, and the truth was not known to outsiders.

Princess Heyi was not born to Consort Hui; her identity was switched with the Sixth Prince when they entered the palace. Although she should have returned to her original status when the Sixth Prince came back, the current emperor cherished her and was unwilling to let her leave the palace. Therefore, her title as a princess was retained, and she still resided in the palace.

Only a few people knew the truth about this matter.

Yan Yao’an and Xie Zhen reluctantly bid farewell, and before leaving, Yan Yao’an suggested, “Where do you live? Why don’t I have Sixth Brother escort you?”

She really dared to suggest it, but Xie Zhen couldn’t let a prince escort her, so she politely declined, mentioning that she had a carriage at home.

The maid gently reminded, “Princess, His Highness has been waiting at the door for a long time.”

The Sixth Prince, Yan Yu, was out with the Crown Prince for official business and passed by the Prince’s residence on his way back. Learning that Princess Heyi was in the residence, he decided to escort her back to the palace.

Yan Yao’an stood up, adjusted her skirt, and then walked out.

Outside the Crown Prince’s residence, there is a horse-drawn carriage with a green curtain and a splendid canopy. The carriage is simple yet elegant, indicating that someone wealthy and noble is inside. Eight well-trained guards stand at each corner of the carriage, providing close protection for the safety of the Sixth Prince. Upon seeing Princess Heyi approaching, they all bow in salute, and one of the guards lifts a side of the embroidered dark golden curtain, inviting her inside.

Yan Yao’an bends down and enters the carriage. Glancing around, she smiles and calls out, “Sixth Brother.”

Yan Yu sits on one side of the carriage, leaning against it with his eyes closed, taking a moment to rest. These days, he has been accompanying the Crown Prince on an investigation, with little time for rest. Taking advantage of a rare break, he sleeps a bit inside the carriage. Hearing Yan Yao’an’s voice, he only lifts his eyelids slightly, showing no emotional fluctuations. He casually asks, “Why so slow?”

Yan Yao’an instructs the coachman to start moving and lowers the curtain. “I chatted with the Fifth Miss of Duke Dingguo’s Mansion for a while.”

Yan Yu closes his eyes again without asking further.

Yan Yao’an is accustomed to his temperament. Her Sixth Brother always maintains a distant expression, as if nothing can shake his emotions, and no one can capture his attention. She wonders what he thinks about all day. Can’t he say a few more words?

She pouts, taking out the golden silk sachet that Xie Zhen gave her and idly playing with the tassels. For a while, the fragrance fills the carriage. It’s not overpowering but rather delicate and refreshing, spreading gradually. It has a unique scent, and at least Yan Yao’an has never smelled it on anyone else.

As the carriage slowly moves away from the Crown Prince’s residence, Yan Yu continues to sleep.

Suddenly, Yan Yao’an recalls something and enthusiastically says to him, “Sixth Brother, did you see Miss Xie from Duke Dingguo’s Mansion last time you visited? She is truly beautiful, more so than any girl I’ve ever seen.”

Yan Yu ignored her.

She continued to mutter to herself, “She has a younger sister, also a beautiful girl… just a bit young and shy…”

Her words reminded Yan Yu of another person. His thoughts drifted away, and only the scenes from when he was five or six years old remained in his mind. That is also a very beautiful girl. She also has a younger sister who always calls her “Little Brother Yu” with a smile, and she pesters him to hold hands with her. Her voice is very pleasant and she can sing charming children’s songs.

He thought, why after so many years has he not forgotten about her?

Closing his eyes, every scene is vividly remembered.

He doesn’t know what she looks like now. When she was a child, she was like a little fox. Now? He lives in the palace, every step as if walking on thin ice. He wants to find someone to inquire about her whereabouts but is afraid to know her news. Perhaps it’s because of the fear of the unfamiliar, or perhaps the fear of bringing trouble to her.

Unconsciously, eight years have passed.

He is trapped in memories, while Yan Yao’an is still chattering on the side: “Look, this sachet is what she gave me! Sixth brother, smell it, is it fragrant?”

Seeing that Yan Yu has no reaction, she is not discouraged and continues, “I don’t know if I wear it for a long time, will I smell like her? She said her sister Ah Xian also has one, and it’s a fragrance she blended herself…”

Before she could finish her sentence, Yan Yu suddenly opened his eyes, and his pitch-black pupils were no longer calm, only shock remained: “What did you say?”

Yan Yao’an hadn’t seen him react like this before and said blankly, “I said she blended the fragrance herself…”

Not that, Yan Yu grabbed the hand holding the sachet, “What’s her sister’s name?”

Yan Yao’an opened her mouth after a while, “Ah Xian, Xie Xian.”

For a long time, there was only silence in the carriage.

Yan Yu let go of her hand and said to the outside, “Stop the carriage, stop it immediately!”

The coachman received the order and hastily stopped the carriage by the roadside.

He originally wanted the coachman to turn around and return to the Prince’s Mansion. However, he found the horse carriage too slow, so he directly took away the sachet in Yan Yao’an’s hand and walked out of the carriage with large steps.

Yan Yao’an protested, lifting the curtain, “That’s mine!”

He didn’t hear and had a guard dismount from the horse. He took the reins, mounted the horse, and without even seeing off Yan Yao’an, he directly shouted for the coachman and left in a cloud of dust. Never had he seen him so anxious.

Yan Yao’an stomped her foot in frustration behind. After thinking it over, she began to wonder why he was acting so unusually. It seemed to start from the moment he heard Xie Xian’s name…

Did he know Xie Xian? When did they meet?

*

When Yan Yao’an mentioned that she was surnamed Xie, he didn’t think much about it.

Until he heard Xie Xian’s name.

In this world, how many beautiful people with a sister named Xie Xian could there be?

Maybe many, but at this moment, he couldn’t care less about that. He just wanted to go back and see her. See her and check if she was the little rascal he knew.

Xie Zhen, Xie Zhen.

That annoying yet adorable little girl. After all these years, he had destroyed everything from his past, but was she still the same as when they were kids?

Amidst the noisy wind, he seemed to hear her calling him “Little Brother Yu” in a spoiled voice.

Not knowing if it was good or bad, he could suppress all his emotions deep within. Once he knew she was in the capital, so close to him, he couldn’t wait any longer. The streets were crowded with pedestrians. He rode the horse and galloped, forcefully making his way through.

Arriving at the Prince’s Mansion, he dismounted without waiting for the servant to tie the horse and directly walked into the courtyard, “Where did the Crown Princess set up the flower-viewing banquet?”

The servant hesitated, unsure how to respond, “Uh… does Your Highness intend to go?”

Everywhere there are young ladies, and it doesn’t seem appropriate for him to go there, right? Moreover, when the Sixth Prince comes to the Prince’s Mansion, doesn’t he usually seek the Crown Prince? Why did he suddenly think of attending a flower-viewing banquet today?

Impatient, he asked again, “Where?”

The servant could only say, “In the Peony Garden. Allow me to lead you there.”

He walked hastily, and the servant, unable to go too slow, almost jogged to take him there. However, upon reaching the Peony Garden, he found it empty, the flower-viewing banquet long dispersed, and the young ladies had returned home.

The servant looked embarrassed, “Your Highness…”

Yan Yu stood still for a moment, holding a golden brocade sachet in his hand, his knuckles turning white, squeezing the sachet into a distorted shape. Without saying a word, he turned and walked out, reaching the entrance of the Prince’s Mansion, leaped onto his horse, and rode towards the direction of Duke Ding’s Mansion.

He had followed Yan Tao to Duke Ding’s Mansion before, so he knew the direction.

This journey was calmer than before, but his palms continued to sweat, almost losing grip of the reins. His jaw was tight, expressionless, until he finally saw the gate of Duke Ding’s Mansion with a rush of the horse. A carriage was parked at the entrance, probably just returning from the Prince’s Mansion. The maid opened the curtain, and two people walked down from the carriage.

Xie Xian stepped down first, stepping on a yellow wooden stool. She still had a round apple face, unchanged.

Behind her, Xie Zhen walked out slowly. Probably tired from the journey, she looked a bit sleepy. Xie Xian said something to her, and a smile appeared on her lips, instantly brightening up her whole being. Her smile, with curved eyebrows and bright eyes, was as lively and dazzling as in childhood.

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