Chapter 133
Chapter 133: Why Would the Crown Prince Personally Visit A’Yao
This world was utterly absurd.
The commandery princess and young prince of Prince Jing’s manor actually seemed like the villainous sibling pair from another book—no, perhaps from another world entirely.
“It’s nothing.”
Mo Yun Nuan replied to Yun Wan Yao in a cool tone, lowering her gaze to study Yun Wan Ning. Her eyes were unreadable, revealing nothing of her thoughts.
The more she acted this way, the more tense Yun Wan Yao became, afraid that Yun Wan Ning’s secret might be exposed, yet not knowing what she could do to prevent it.
“May I hold her?”
Suddenly, Mo Yun Nuan’s voice sounded again beside her. She looked at Yun Wan Ning and repeated herself: “May I hold you?”
[I don’t understand, I don’t understand, I understand nothing.]
Yun Wan Ning blinked, biting her finger as she made a subtle show of looking innocent and confused.
Her gaze was clear and pure, like a spring of untouched water, yet inside, she was perfectly embodying the art of cunning.
[This commandery princess is no simple person. Before I learn her true nature, I must stay cautious.]
[Her question about holding me is definitely a test. I must not reveal a single trace of emotion.]
For all the people she had met since birth, this was the first time Yun Wan Ning had felt such a sense of imminent danger, as if the other woman’s eyes were sharp blades capable of piercing straight through her soul.
“Uh, cousin, if you want to hold the little sister, just go ahead. Even if you ask, she won’t answer you, hehe~”
Mo Zhao Zhao gave a dry laugh, muttering inwardly at how strangely her cousin was acting today. She had already stressed several times that the little sister couldn’t understand words, yet her cousin still insisted on talking to her.
If it were idle chatter, that would be one thing, but clearly it was not.
Her cousin’s expression plainly showed that she believed the little sister could understand her—and perhaps even respond.
How odd.
[Yes, yes, I don’t understand, and I can’t talk either.]
[So don’t ask me anything again, all right?]
Hearing Mo Zhao Zhao’s words, Yun Wan Ning inwardly nodded in full agreement, though her face and eyes showed no change at all.
By now, Yun Wan Yao had regained her composure. Feigning great pride, she smiled lightly and said: “The princess is right. If the commandery princess wishes to hold my little sister, just do so. She’s so adorable that anyone who sees her would want to hold her.”
[Oh dear, hearing my sister speak the truth so bluntly is making me a little embarrassed…]
Though Yun Wan Ning was secretly delighted by the compliment, she dared not show a single reaction, wary of letting Mo Yun Nuan see through her.
Yun Wan Yao: “…”
“Very well, then let me hold her.”
Mo Yun Nuan’s expression was unreadable as she reached out and took Yun Wan Ning from Mo Zhao Zhao’s arms.
Once in the new embrace, that dangerous feeling only grew stronger. Fearing she might slip and reveal something, Yun Wan Ning rubbed her eyes… and pretended to fall asleep.
[I’m certain Mo Yun Nuan is no ordinary person. The more I think about it, the more I feel sleeping is the safest option. If I’m asleep, I don’t have to face her.]
[Yes, that’s right. Sleep!]
With a thought, she guided her spiritual power to adjust her body, and within a few breaths she had drifted into slumber. Before fully falling asleep, she burrowed her little head into a comfortable spot in Mo Yun Nuan’s arms.
“Ah, the little sister seems to have fallen asleep. I didn’t even get to hold her.”
Beside them, Jiang Zi Tang lowered her voice in disappointment. She had intended to wait until Mo Yun Nuan had finished looking at the little one before taking her turn to hold her, but Mo Yun Nuan had snatched the chance first.
Now the little sister had fallen asleep almost immediately after being taken into her arms—there would be no turn for her today.
After Yun Wan Ning fell asleep, it wasn’t long before Little Tao laid her on the bed. The four young women then began chatting idly.
Midway through the conversation, Mo Zhao Zhao suddenly seemed to recall something. Patting her forehead, she turned to Yun Wan Yao: “Oh right, A’Yao, my royal brother and Young Master Xie also came to see you. But since it wasn’t convenient, they went to find Brother Yun instead. My royal brother asked me to pass along his greetings to you.”
The unexpected news made Yun Wan Yao freeze for a moment. Before she could respond, Mo Zhao Zhao continued with a smile: “Surprised, aren’t you? Honestly, I’m surprised too. My royal brother is usually so busy with court affairs that he rarely leaves the palace, even declining invitations from ministers’ banquets. But upon hearing you were injured, he actually left the palace to visit you.
“It seems that even though you and my brother have yet to marry, the emperor already regards you as family.”
Yun Wan Yao: “…”
For a moment, she didn’t know what expression she should wear or what she ought to say. After some thought, she smiled faintly: “It was indeed a surprise and an honor that His Majesty would come to visit me. Since I am not well enough to thank him in person, may I trouble the princess to convey my gratitude on my behalf?”
“Of course, A’Yao, leave it to me~”
Mo Zhao Zhao patted her chest in promise.
As the sun set, the visitors departed. Yun Zheng, Madam Yun, Yun Zhan, and Yun Wan Chen personally escorted them out, watching until the carriages disappeared from sight.
Inside one of the carriages, Mo Yuan Lin kept staring at Mo Zhao Zhao, as if wanting to speak but holding back.
Sensing he had something to say, Mo Zhao Zhao waited, but when no words came for a long time, she grew impatient: “Come on, royal brother, just say it already. Why keep staring at me like that? It’s creepy.”
“Then I shall speak plainly.”
He cleared his throat, and she rolled her eyes inwardly, wondering what possibly scandalous thing could require such a preamble.
“I simply wish to ask—did you forget the task I assigned you?”
Task? What task?
For a second, she was confused, then remembered—besides passing along his greetings to A’Yao, what else could there be?
“Oh, so it’s just that. I thought it was something important. Is that worth staring at me so long for?”
Mo Yuan Lin: “…”
His throat moved slightly, and he looked a little awkward before darkening his face: “Speak seriously.”
“Fine,” she replied carelessly. “Rest assured, royal brother. I told A’Yao exactly what you told me—that you had wanted to visit her but, since it wasn’t convenient, you asked me to pass along your greetings.”
“And what did Miss Yun say?”
Her tone slowed in surprise—he seemed a bit odd, but she didn’t think much of it. She relayed the truth: “A’Yao said she was surprised and honored by your visit, and that since she couldn’t thank you in person, she asked me to convey her thanks.”
At this, Mo Yuan Lin’s fists clenched and his gaze darkened.
So—unable to thank him now, but perfectly capable of thanking him later. Yet she had chosen to have someone else do it. Such a thing was perfunctory, insincere.
“Say, royal brother, why did you take the trouble to visit A’Yao anyway? You usually dislike leaving the palace. And she’s just a minister’s daughter—it doesn’t seem entirely proper for you to go to her personally.”
When he had come to her residence that day and proposed they visit Yun Wan Yao together, she hadn’t thought much of it. But recalling it now, she couldn’t help finding it strange.
Mo Yuan Lin answered evenly: “I had business with Heir Apparent Yun, and since Miss Yun was injured, I took the opportunity to visit her. This way I could earn the reputation of caring for my ministers, and also make Duke Ning’s household grateful. What is improper about that?”
“…”
“That’s not right, royal brother. When you invited me, you clearly said you’d heard A’Yao was injured and asked me to accompany you to see her.”
“A convenient pretext. You’ve never known an important man with a task to announce it publicly, have you?”
She fell silent. His reasoning sounded plausible, yet she still felt something was off. Why tell her the truth now if he hadn’t before? Was it simply because the matter was done and the pretext no longer needed?
Her expression shifted through several colors before she bit her lip and glared at him. “So that’s it. And here I thought you truly cared for A’Yao. But you were only using her—to hide your true purpose, to win a benevolent reputation, to make the Yun family grateful to you. She’s going to marry into our Mo family someday. Doesn’t your conscience hurt?”
“It does. My heart is practically breaking,” he said, his tone unreadable, before leaning back with eyes closed.
She gnashed her teeth at him. That didn’t sound like conscience at all.
“Oh, and royal sister—you haven’t told me. Is Miss Yun recovering well?”
“Hmm, is that question out of genuine concern for A’Yao, or just another cover for some scheme?”
He chuckled. “And what possible scheme could I hide behind such a question? I truly care for Miss Yun this time.”
“Well, has your conscience finally awakened?” she teased, then answered, “She’s fine now, just needs a few more days of rest.”
“Good. As long as she’s fine.”
…
At Duke Ning’s manor, Yun Wan Ning awoke to find everyone gone but herself, Yun Wan Yao, and Madam Yun. She breathed a sigh of relief.
[That Mo Yun Nuan—when I checked, she clearly had no inner power or any higher force. So why did she give me such an overwhelming sense of pressure? Could it be some innate divine ability?]
Before Mo Yun Nuan had entered Yun Wan Yao’s room, Yun Wan Ning’s spiritual power had scanned her thoroughly and found no trace of strength. Yet, recalling the villainous female demon from another book, she wasn’t so sure.
After all, in this world’s plot, Mo Yun Nuan was barely mentioned before vanishing entirely. Yun Wan Ning couldn’t confirm whether the Commandery Princess Le Yang of Great Wu was the same as that demoness.
[Wait—I forgot something important. When Princess Consort Jing visited, she gave me a spatial bracelet. Could it have been from Mo Yun Nuan? If so, then she and the demoness must be one and the same.]
[But how could someone from this world appear in another? And how could an ordinary mortal become a demoness?]
That demoness had been formidable indeed—her strange constitution had plunged the whole world into chaos, until the righteous sects joined forces to slay her. Yet her death had not brought light, only a greater calamity.
Hearing her heart’s voice, Madam Yun and Yun Wan Yao both fell into thought. In their eyes, the commandery princess was merely a reserved young woman, not overly talkative. How could she appear so complicated to the little milk bun?
Before they could sort it out, the Yun men arrived. After checking on Yun Wan Yao, the family decided to have dinner together in her room.
As Yun Wan Ye sat at the round table and drained a cup of water, Yun Wan Ning’s thoughts shifted from Mo Yun Nuan to Su Qian Xue.
[Oh no, when did Second Brother return? I didn’t notice at all. Without him keeping an eye on her, who knows if Su Qian Xue managed to complete her mission? I remember she told her system today was her last day…]
When her heart voice fell silent, everyone exchanged meaningful looks and turned toward Yun Wan Ye.
He gripped his teacup, his face dark as ink. The little sister was right—Su Qian Xue had indeed infiltrated Prince Qi’s manor.
He had spent the entire night there, and Mo Yuan Hao had not once left. So when had she managed to slip inside? And with the manor’s tight security, how had she even gotten in?
Yun Wan Ye hadn’t heard the details about the system’s tools, so he could not figure it out at all.