The name has been updated from ‘Wen Renlin’ to ‘Wenren Lin.’ Apologies for the error.

Chapter 64: Case Closed

“Zhenzhen!”

Huo Feng, a seasoned veteran, was the first to react. He quickly picked up Huo Zhenzhen, who had turned pale and collapsed to the ground.

Huo Zhenzhen had been so frightened by the sudden turn of events that she momentarily stopped breathing. It was only when Princess Shoukang and Huo Feng embraced her that she burst into tears, her eyes red.

“Seize this traitor!”

Empress Wei’s cold, low command snapped everyone out of their shock, and the guests at the banquet rose to their feet as if awakened from a dream.

Pei Sa stood up to shield Zhao Yan and the two princesses, while Liu Baiwei, disregarding etiquette, stepped over the table and asked with a furrowed brow, “Your Highness, are you alright?”

In the meantime, the alerted imperial guards swarmed in and pinned the assassin—a eunuch—to the ground.

The eunuch seemed to have anticipated this outcome. His face was pale, but he still clutched the dagger in his hand, as if ready to fight to the death.

A black leather boot stepped down, grinding against his hand. Amid a series of chilling, crunching sounds, the eunuch let out a hoarse scream and released the dagger.

Zhang Cang took the opportunity to stuff a piece of cloth into the eunuch’s mouth to prevent him from biting his tongue to commit suicide, then picked up the dagger and presented it with both hands.

The cold, sharp blade gleamed like thin ice, reflecting Wenren Lin’s icy gaze.

The edge of the blade had a faint blue tint, clearly coated with a potent poison. Fortunately, it had not been stained with blood.

Wenren Lin handed the dagger back to Zhang Cang and walked straight toward Zhao Yan. Under the guests’ fearful and astonished gazes, he knelt on one knee, bowed his head, and gently moved Zhao Yan’s hand away from her arm.

The scene was silent except for Huo Zhenzhen’s occasional sobs. The blazing sunlight did nothing to dispel the heavy, oppressive chill emanating from Wenren Lin.

Yet his expression remained calm. His lowered eyelids concealed the bottomless cold in his eyes as he asked in a low, hoarse voice, “Where are you hurt?”

Liu Baiwei stood up warily, but Zhao Yan shook her head at him, signaling that there was no need to worry.

“I dodged in time, so I wasn’t hurt…”

Zhao Yan spread her hand, showing him the torn sleeve.

The sleeve had a neat cut, revealing a faint red mark about an inch long on her fair arm. It had only grazed the surface of her delicate skin, not deep enough to draw blood. Even so, it had been a close call.

After calming his wife, Ningyang Marquis Wei Yan walked over to the assassin and searched his sleeve, finding a jade-colored palace token—the very one Wei Yan had lost earlier.

The birthday banquet ended on a sour note, and the assassin was quickly dragged away.

Before the mastermind behind the assassination attempt could be uncovered, all the guests were escorted to the Guanyu Hall at the rear, guarded by the imperial army.

Zhao Yan stayed behind in the main hall with Wenren Lin, and Zhang Xu from the Imperial Hospital arrived shortly after.

Zhang Xu took Zhao Yan’s pulse and, after a long while, finally confirmed, “Your Highness’s pulse is steady. The toxin does not seem to have entered the bloodstream. To be cautious, please clean the scratch wound and apply the detoxifying jade lotion, then remain here for observation for an hour.”

Zhao Yan nodded and signaled to Liu Ying, “Go and report to Her Majesty the Empress to ease her worries.”

“Yes,” Liu Ying acknowledged and withdrew.

Wenren Lin took the ointment and bandages offered by Zhang Xu and sat in a chair, personally applying the medicine and bandaging Zhao Yan’s wound.

He held Zhao Yan’s forearm with one hand while carefully cleaning the faint scratch with a damp cloth in the other. He asked, “Do you know who is behind this?”

Zhao Yan recalled the bait she had set out a few days ago and replied thoughtfully, “I have a rough idea.”

Wenren Lin remained silent.

“Your Highness.”

Zhang Cang hurried in and requested instructions from outside the hall, “Officials from the Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple have arrived. They are arguing over which prison to send the assassin to for interrogation and have come to seek Your Highness’s decision.”

Wenren Lin finished bandaging Zhao Yan’s wrist. His long, pale fingers loosened and tightened the bandage as he wrapped it, then said in a deep voice, “Tell them to be quiet. Interrogate him here.”

“Here?”

Zhang Cang was surprised but, seeing the impatient look in Wenren Lin’s eyes, quickly bowed and clasped his fists, “Yes! I will see to it immediately!”

Interrogating the assassin on the spot was a good idea, as it would prevent any mishaps during transportation.

Zhao Yan rested her chin on her uninjured hand, her gaze following Wenren Lin’s movements as he applied the medicine. She asked softly, “Can I sit in on the interrogation later?”

Wenren Lin leisurely cut off the excess bandage before looking up at her.

“Your Highness, today is your birthday. It is not suitable for you to witness bloodshed.”

Wenren Lin’s tone was gentle, gentle enough to conceal the faint hint of killing intent in his eyes. “When I interrogate prisoners, it is not a pleasant sight.”

On this auspicious day that comes only once a year, she only needed to spend it cleanly and happily.

After Wenren Lin left, Zhao Yan remained in the main hall for a while. Firstly, to follow Zhang Xu’s advice and observe whether the minor scratch showed any signs of poisoning, and secondly, to keep an ear out for any developments in the interrogation of the assassin.

From the neighboring garden, the shouts of the interrogators could faintly be heard. However, the only response was silence. Finally, someone said helplessly, “This stubborn slave refuses to speak. Dragging this out won’t solve anything! Your Highness, Prince Su, what do you suggest…”

After a series of hurried footsteps, there was a dead silence that lasted for two quarters of an hour.

The shadows of the trees swayed on the window paper, and the sunlight was just right. Zhao Yan didn’t even hear any screams of torture. All she heard was the clinking of chains, and then the eunuch’s voice suddenly became frantic and broken, almost hoarsely pleading, “I’ll talk… I’ll talk… Spare me! Spare me!”

Something thick seemed to choke his airway. The assassin coughed and gasped, his words slurred, “It was Prince Yong… Prince Yong ordered me to do it!”

A wave of uproar followed.

Not long after, Li Fu quietly entered from outside and reported, “Your Highness, everything has been revealed. It is said that this eunuch’s only family member is in Prince Yong’s grasp, which is why he was ordered to carry out the assassination… I just went to ask the supervisor, and it turns out this man does have a sister who works as a maid in Prince Yong’s residence. She disappeared without a reason two days ago, likely because of this matter.”

Hearing this, Zhao Yan showed no surprise on her face.

Not long ago, Zhao Yan had used the captured assassin from the day the Star-Gazing Pavilion collapsed as bait to lure the mastermind into silencing him. Late that night, a prison guard took the opportunity to poison the assassin in his cell, disguising it as a sudden illness. The poison used was exactly the same as the one used to murder Cheng Jixing.

Gu Xing, following her instructions, did not alert anyone and secretly tailed the prison guard. After several twists and turns, he finally traced the connection to a person who was in contact with the guard—a Taoist priest from Prince Yong’s residence.

Prince Yong, unlike his son Zhao Yuan Yu, was extremely low-key in his actions. At most, he would don Taoist robes and refine elixirs to cater to his brother the Emperor’s preferences, rarely involving himself in court affairs.

If he were to assassinate the Crown Prince over half an account book, it didn’t quite make sense. Unless there was another hidden reason.

Zhao Yan had originally thought that if Prince Yong were truly the mastermind behind this, given his nature of biding his time, he wouldn’t make a second move so soon.

Yet the second assassination attempt came so quickly, with a desperate, all-or-nothing resolve, unusually rash.

Zhao Yan focused on recalling the contents of the Divine Light Sect’s account book, trying to find any clues.

The large amount of candle snake glands required by Prince Yong’s son for alchemy were all obtained from the Divine Light Sect’s leader. While this was a serious crime, since Prince Yong’s son had already been punished, Prince Yong could have easily distanced himself from the matter without taking such a risk…

Something else must have happened within these ten days.

Thinking this, Zhao Yan looked up and said to Li Fu, “Go tell Gu Xing to continue monitoring Prince Yong’s residence. Before His Majesty issues the final order, pay close attention to who has been in contact with Prince Yong.”

Next, she would have to meet this Prince Yong in person and ask him directly.

As she was planning this, a eunuch from the Tai Chi Palace arrived, requesting the Crown Prince to return to the Tai Chi Palace to report.

Zhao Yan changed her clothes and went to see the Emperor, recounting the events leading up to the assassination attempt.

Princess Shoukang was also present and made a special point to mention to the Emperor that if it weren’t for the Crown Prince saving Princess Changle, there would have been bloodshed today.

The Emperor, who respected the Princess, had no choice but to immediately order a thorough investigation of the matter.

By the time everything was settled, it was already dusk, and the afterglow of the sunset painted the palace towers in a magnificent light.

Zhao Yan sat in the carriage and asked Liu Ying, “Have my uncle and the others left yet?”

Liu Ying replied, “After the suspect was interrogated, Her Majesty allowed all the guests in the Guanyu Hall to leave the palace.”

Zhao Yan nodded and said, “Later, prepare some small gifts for each of the attendees. Today’s events were sudden, and they did contribute to protecting me.”

“I understand, Your Highness.”

As they spoke, the sound of galloping hooves came from the palace gate.

Leading the group was Zhang Cang, not Wenren Lin. Seeing Zhao Yan’s carriage, he reined in his horse abruptly, circled it once, and signaled for the imperial guards behind him to proceed first.

“Your Highness, my lord is currently accompanying His Majesty in the palace and may not be free until later.”

“No need, let’s not trouble him.”

Zhao Yan lifted the carriage curtain and smiled gently at Zhang Cang: “May I accompany you to the Prince Yong’s residence, Deputy General Zhang?”

The Prince Yong’s residence was enveloped in a dark, deathly silence.

Although the assassinating eunuch had pointed to Prince Yong as the instigator, before evidence could be found and a verdict reached, Prince Yong, as a member of the royal family, was not stripped of his status or thrown into prison. Instead, he was confined to his residence, guarded day and night by the imperial guards.

However, the one in charge of the interrogation was Prince Su. For guilty officials and condemned criminals, falling into his hands was far more terrifying than being imprisoned.

In the rear courtyard of the residence, a fierce wind scattered joss paper into the sky. The light from the imperial guards’ torches fell upon the pale paper effigies piled in the courtyard, casting an eerie and suffocating aura of death.

The imperial guard responsible for the watch unlocked the door to the side room in the rear courtyard and pushed it open. Inside, Prince Yong, Zhao Zhen, sat by a lone lamp beside the table, one hand clenched into a fist resting on his knee, the other pressing down on his sleeve.

Seeing the “Crown Prince” and the deputy general from Prince Su’s side enter one after the other, Zhao Zhen closed his eyes in despair, as if he had already foreseen his fate.

Zhang Cang picked up the lone lamp and lit all the candles in the room. The blinding light immediately drove back the darkness, forcing Prince Yong to turn his head away like a creature of the shadows, avoiding the glare.

Seizing the opportunity, Zhao Yan stepped forward and said, “I have come here to ask Prince Yong a few questions.”

Prince Yong sneered, “The victor becomes the king, the loser a bandit. I have nothing to say.”

Zhang Cang let out a cold snort and spoke gruffly, “While your tongue is still in your mouth, Prince Yong, you should cherish the days when you can still speak.”

“Do you dare to torture a member of the royal family?” Prince Yong clenched his fists, his voice trembling and hoarse.

“Prince Yong is a member of the royal family. There’s no need to lose dignity,” Zhao Yan said calmly, standing with her sleeves folded. “I only wish to know why you would commit such a grave act of treason and attempt to assassinate me. Was it for the ledger of the Divine Light Master, or for the throne in the Golden Hall?”

Prince Yong, provoked by her words, opened his eyes in anger and exclaimed, “Why must you play the hypocrite, you insolent child!”

Seeing his reaction, Zhao Yan’s heart tightened, and she vaguely guessed what might be going on.

“The Emperor has only you, his one son, and I too have only Yu’er, my one legitimate heir.”

Prince Yong’s face was filled with sorrow as he pointed at Zhao Yan and said, “My poor Yu’er! Even if he had a thousand faults, he should have been dealt with by the Emperor and judged by the law of the land. How could you execute him privately, letting him die so tragically by your hand!”

Her suspicions confirmed, Zhao Yan’s ears rang, as if she could once again feel the nauseating, sticky sensation of blood splattering on her hands.

Zhang Cang glanced at her with concern, his brows furrowed into a deep knot.

Cai Tian had recently mentioned that Zhao Yuan Yu’s tomb had been desecrated. He had thought it was the work of grave robbers, but it turned out to be part of this scheme.

“And you… you and the Crown Prince’s faction are in cahoots, conspiring together to deceive me!”

“Uncle Yong, you and Zhao Yuan Yu repeatedly targeted the Crown Prince’s residence. Isn’t that trampling on the law and human ethics, isn’t that executing private interest?”

Zhao Yan struggled not to be swayed by Zhao Zhen’s twisted arguments. Her eyes were clear, and her words were precise as she said, “If the law of the land were just, how could those dozens of boys and girls, who were turned into elixirs, have died so innocently at the hands of Zhao Yuan Yu! Are only your children precious, and not theirs?”

“Boys and girls… yes, that’s it! Does the Crown Prince really think I don’t know about the vile things he’s done?”

“What are you referring to?”

“During last year’s spring hunt, my son fell from his horse and injured his vital parts, rendering him incapable of fathering children! I always thought it was a natural misfortune, but only recently did I discover the accident was planned!”

Prince Yong’s face was ashen, his corpulent body trembling, yet he still stubbornly retorted, “It was you who ordered the imperial guards to spook the horse, causing my son’s fall and forcing him down the path of alchemy to restore his vitality! His downfall was entirely orchestrated by your Eastern Palace! You used others to do your dirty work, then washed your hands clean, standing high and mighty as saviors to interrogate and condemn! What a cunning scheme, what a ruthless heart!”

The wind seeped through the nailed-shut window cracks, causing the candle flames to flicker and dance. Zhao Yan’s gaze flickered along with them.

“You’re lying.”

She clenched her fingers inside her sleeve, drew Zhang Cang’s sword, and pressed it against Prince Yong. The cold gleam of the blade illuminated her stern face. “I won’t allow you to slander the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace like this!”

“Slander?”

Prince Yong trembled as the blade pressed against him, then let out a bitter laugh. “If I didn’t have evidence, how could I dare to risk my life and forsake all my wealth? It’s a pity the Crown Prince’s fate is so strong, while my son’s was so fragile!”

“So you tried to assassinate me for Zhao Yuan Yu’s sake? You’re cleaning up his mess? Who told you all this?”

“No one, only my own resentment driving me… Your Eastern Palace leaves no room for survival. You even dared to move against His Majesty’s Divine Light Sect. Is there anything you wouldn’t dare to do?”

Prince Yong, however, slumped weakly against the back of his chair, closing his eyes and pressing a hand to his rapidly rising and falling chest. “Rather than falling into Wenren Lin’s hands and being humiliated like a pig, it’s better to… leave cleanly…”

Zhao Yan sheathed her sword, sensing something was wrong.

Zhang Cang also noticed something amiss and immediately stepped forward to grab Prince Yong’s jaw, shouting to the imperial guards outside, “Quick, come and hold down his tongue!”

Two imperial guards rushed in to help, but it was already too late.

Prince Yong suddenly spat out a mouthful of dark blood, convulsed, and collapsed onto the table, his breathing shallow and labored.

A silver incense pouch fell from his plump fingers, clinking as it rolled to Zhao Yan’s boots. The pouch had been opened, and the compartment meant for incense pills had originally contained a hidden poison, concealed so well that the imperial guards had missed it during their search.

Now, the compartment was empty.

After a chaotic commotion, the room fell eerily silent.

After a long pause, one of the imperial guards wiped his sweat and cautiously reported, “Your Highness, Vice General Zhang, Prince Yong… has taken poison and committed suicide.”

Prince Yong, knowing that his assassination attempt had failed and that falling into Prince Su’s hands would be a fate worse than death, had taken the poison before they entered, sparing himself the agony of interrogation.

Zhang Cang looked visibly distressed, fearing that the young Crown Prince might be disturbed. He quickly stepped in to block the gruesome scene and said, “Your Highness, this place is… unclean. Perhaps you should…”

“Bring me the account books from Prince Yong’s residence over the past few years,” Zhao Yan interrupted, her voice calm as she slid the sword back into the scabbard Zhang Cang was holding. “Also, any evidence of alchemical pills found in the residence must be handed over to me for review.”

Zhao Yan was the most benevolent and kind-hearted fool in the world, someone who never fought for power in life and left no name in death.

Zhao Yan absolutely, absolutely would not allow anyone to tarnish his pure reputation, not even the desperate slander of a dying man!

The imperial guards acted quickly, and within moments, they brought in a small chest filled with account books detailing the income and expenses of Prince Yong’s residence and his estates.

Zhao Yan skimmed through a few of the expenditure records and discovered that Prince Yong’s residence had been spending vast sums of silver every year to support a group of Taoist alchemists.

She closed the account book and called for Gu Xing. “What about that Taoist alchemist from Prince Yong’s residence who was in contact with the prison guard?”

“Your Highness, I was just about to report on that.”

Gu Xing raised his hand, and immediately someone brought forward a gray-robed alchemist with a goatee. “Following Your Highness’s orders, I led my men to keep watch at the gates of Prince Yong’s residence day and night. Just now, when the imperial guards came to seal off the residence, we caught this man sneaking out by climbing over the wall. He was apprehended right away.”

Zhao Yan gestured for the imperial guards to bring the torches closer and asked, “Is he the one who concocted the medicine for Prince Yong?”

“So it is said… By the way, I found this in a hidden compartment in Prince Yong’s alchemy room. For safety, please cover your mouth and nose, Your Highness.”

Zhao Yan raised her sleeve to cover her mouth and nose, following the instruction.

Only then did Gu Xing take a step back and open a delicate, triple-layered box, revealing a tightly sealed black porcelain bottle with a crane-neck design.

Even though Gu Xing deliberately stepped back to a safe distance, Zhao Yan could still catch a faint whiff of the peculiar, otherworldly fragrance.

Her heart tightened, and she turned to the trembling alchemist. “Open the bottle and let him take a whiff.”

The alchemist immediately turned ashen with fear, kowtowing repeatedly. “No… no, Your Highness! This bottle contains a deadly poison concocted by the immortal master. I cannot inhale it!”

“When you used this poison to harm others, did you ever think that it shouldn’t be inhaled?”

Zhao Yan’s throat tightened as she looked down at the alchemist with disdain. “Speak. Who have you harmed with this poison?”

“This poison is the immortal master’s masterpiece. I… I am merely a messenger. I… I don’t know…”

“Gu Xing, pour the entire bottle of poison into his mouth!”

“No! I’ll confess, I’ll confess everything!”

The alchemist trembled as he spoke. “There were a few scholars and academic officials, a prisoner from the Dali Temple, and… and a letter sent to the Eastern Palace last year… That’s all, I can’t remember anything else. Please, Your Highness, show mercy!”

At the mention of “a letter,” Zhao Yan’s heart clenched in pain.

“Mercy?”

She curled her lips and spoke word by word, “When you meet the people you harmed in the underworld, you can beg them for mercy yourself.”

Upon hearing this, the alchemist suddenly broke free from the imperial guards’ grip and bolted.

Zhao Yan stood still, watching as the alchemist stumbled and ran several yards away. Only then did she snatch a bow and arrow from the guard beside her, drawing the bowstring like a crescent moon.

The bowstring gleamed with a golden line under the torchlight, reflecting in her eyes, cold and beautiful.

“Use your eyes to guide your hands, aim.” The memory of Wenren Lin’s low, instructive voice during archery lessons echoed in her ears.

With a release of her fingers, the arrow whistled through the air with a sharp hiss. The alchemist stumbled and fell to the ground with a thud.

Zhao Yan slowly lowered her hand, as if all her strength had been drained, and let the long bow rest on the ground.

Silence lingered for a long time.

“Gu Xing, take that bottle of poison back carefully and deliver it to Zhang Xu of the Imperial Hospital for verification,” she instructed.

Then, she turned to Zhang Cang, who was still stunned, and nodded. “Vice General Zhang, please handle the cleanup here.”

Zhang Cang, his admiration for her growing, straightened his chest and responded, “Yes!”

Zhao Yan wasn’t sure how she walked out of Prince Yong’s residence.

The carriage rumbled along, but Zhao Yan’s thoughts were in turmoil, as if she were trapped in a surreal dream.

She couldn’t believe that the truth she had been chasing for so long had finally surfaced and concluded with Prince Yong.

The poisonous incense that had killed Zhao Yan and the others was hidden in Prince Yong’s residence. It was likely that after Zhao Yuan Yu’s failed assassination attempt, Prince Yong, in order to clean up his son’s mess, decided to go all the way and poison Zhao Yan…

This way, everything seemed to fall into place.

But if Prince Yong’s residence had such a potent poison, why didn’t they use it from the beginning? Why wait until Zhao Yuan Yu’s assassination failed before mixing the poison into the letter written under the name of “Princess Changfeng”?

And what about Prince Yong’s claim that the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace had secretly caused Zhao Yuan Yu to fall from his horse, rendering him infertile…?

She firmly believed that Zhao Yan would never resort to underhanded tactics. What worried her was the possibility of someone sowing discord and causing trouble.

Lost in thought, Zhao Yan couldn’t help but glance down at her slender, pale fingers, reddened from the bowstring. She flexed them slightly, then slowly relaxed them.

She rubbed her hands vigorously against her clothes until her palms turned red, then exhaled a heavy breath of stifled frustration.

Wenren Lin had gone to such lengths to protect her, ensuring that she wouldn’t witness bloodshed on her birthday, yet she had still let him down.

By this time, the palace gates had already been locked, so the carriage stopped at the side gate of the Eastern Palace.

Zhao Yan stepped out of the carriage and heard Liu Ying’s concerned voice, “Your Highness, would you like to have a meal? You’ve been busy all day and haven’t even had a sip of water.”

“No appetite, forget it,” Zhao Yan shook her head, pressing her temples. “Prepare some hot water. I want to cleanse myself…”

As she spoke, she noticed someone standing at the corner ahead.

Cai Tian approached and clasped his fists in salute to Zhao Yan. “Your Highness, my lord requests your presence.”

Zhao Yan’s eyes widened suddenly. “Wen… Prince Su? Where is he?”

Cai Tian didn’t speak, only glanced upward.

Zhao Yan followed his gaze and saw the Jiafu Gate Tower illuminated by brilliant lights. Wenren Lin stood there with his hands behind his back, his tall and straight silhouette outlined against the warm, orange glow.

Zhao Yan couldn’t see his expression clearly, but she imagined that there must be a faint smile in his eyes at this moment.

Before she knew it, Zhao Yan had already started walking toward the stone steps of the Jiafu Tower.

At first, her steps were steady, but they gradually quickened. By the time she reached the last few steps, she was practically leaping up them, rushing into that gentle brightness.

Wenren Lin was waiting for her at the top of the stairs, and Zhao Yan nearly collided with him.

Their eyes met under the low-hanging curtain of stars, so close it felt like they could reach out and touch them.

The cool summer breeze brushed past, and the palace lanterns swayed above, as if everything had settled into place.

“What are you doing here?”

Zhao Yan unconsciously brushed aside the stray hairs at her temples that had been tousled from running. Her rosy lips parted slightly, her breath somewhat uneven.

Wenren Lin took her wrist, folded her sleeve up, and confirmed that the thin wound beneath the bandage hadn’t worsened. Then, he tapped the back of her hand and said, “It’s only the hour of Hai (9-11 PM). There’s still time.”

Zhao Yan was about to ask, “Time for what?” when Wenren Lin gently but firmly encircled her wrist and led her behind the table in the pavilion.

The stove that had been used to roast pastries last time had its iron net removed and replaced with a clay pot, inside which something was bubbling and boiling with steam.

On the table nearby was a sieve filled with freshly pulled, evenly thin noodles, along with vegetables, scallions, and other ingredients.

Zhao Yan stared blankly as Wenren Lin rolled up his sleeves, revealing his forearms as he mixed seasonings into a bowl. It took her a moment to realize what he was doing.

“Yangchun noodles?” she asked, pursing her lips.

“Longevity noodles,” Wenren Lin replied casually, scooping a ladle of boiling water into the bowl. The oil floated to the surface, and the aroma of scallions filled the air. Amid the rising steam, he said in a low voice, “Don’t look at me like that. The noodles were pulled by the chef. My hands are only good for killing and causing trouble, not this.”

Zhao Yan let out a soft “Oh,” but the light in her eyes only grew brighter.

He lived as if he had no future, yet he wished for her to live a long life. How peculiar.

“The noodles were soaked by the Grand Tutor himself. That makes them special.”

Zhao Yan sniffed, her appetite suddenly piqued, and she couldn’t help but ask, “Didn’t the Grand Tutor already give me a gift? All those books!”

Wenren Lin tossed a handful of fresh noodles into the pot and cracked two eggs into it. Hearing her question, he looked up and said, “Your Highness, you didn’t think I gave you those books just to give you books, did you?”

“Then what else?” Zhao Yan tilted her head slightly.

Wenren Lin chuckled.

The little Crown Prince was clever and sharp, yet oddly oblivious when it came to matters of love. Sometimes, he really wanted to knock on her head and see what was going on inside.

The steam blurred Wenren Lin’s expression as he ladled the cooked noodles and poached eggs into the soup bowl.

“Try it,” he said, pushing the bowl of noodles toward Zhao Yan.

Zhao Yan inhaled the aroma, took the jade chopsticks, and picked up a small bite. She blew on it gently to cool it down, then brought it to her mouth.

The clear broth was delicious, and the noodles were firm yet tender, warming her from her lips all the way down to her stomach.

Zhao Yan ate bite by bite. Even after returning to the palace and indulging in countless delicacies, nothing compared to the simplicity and timeliness of this bowl of noodles.

Wenren Lin simply watched her quietly until she had finished the last strand of noodles with small, delicate bites. Then he asked, “Are you full?”

“One more bowl.”

Zhao Yan had a small appetite and was already about seventy percent full, but today was also Zhao Yan’s birthday. She had to eat an extra bowl for his sake.

Wenren Lin prepared another bowl of noodles for her. Amid the boiling steam, there was an indescribable sense of worldly connection.

Zhao Yan rested her chin on her hand, feeling light in both body and mind.

Just as the noodles were done, a firework suddenly shot up in the distance, followed by a loud “bang” as it burst into a dazzling display, lighting up half the sky.

“Bang! Bang!”

Fireworks followed one after another, like stars, like willow branches, colorful and radiant to the extreme.

Zhao Yan quickly stood up to look into the distance. Seeing that the fireworks were being set off from the direction of the Hegui Pavilion, her heart stirred. She turned and asked, “Did you prepare these fireworks?”

Wenren Lin neither confirmed nor denied.

He ladled out the noodles and said with a calm smile, “I had the assassin cremated and turned into fireworks to add some color to Your Highness’s birthday.”

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