Chu Yun woke up the next day feeling invigorated, and determine to corner either the Queen Consort or the Third Princess, and get so direct answers out of the two of them.
Unfortunately, the proved easier said than done.
His first attempt was thwarted when he and Xiao Ziyi went to the guest rooms to propose a lunch outside, on account of the fine weather, and the Queen Consort inford them with a chagrined expression that the Third Princess had fallen ill, and as such wouldn't be able to join them, and she would rather stay behind to look after her.
"Nothing serious, it must have been sothing she ate," she said with a dismissive smile.
"Did you believe that?" He asked Xiao Ziyi as soon as they had walked a few paces away from the door the Queen Consort had unceremoniously closed in their face.
"Does it matter? We can't force our way in just because they might be lying."
Chu Yun agreed, but they had other options. "There is soone that can."
---
Minutes later, they watched from the cover of a sliver of open doorway in a nearby office, as Hua Nanyi approached the room with a platter filled with dicine, and so mild food appropriate for soone experiencing an upset stomach.
From his vantage point Chu Yun could see the indecision on the Queen's face, but after a mont of hesitation she allowed Hua Nanyi inside.
The victory was shortlived, however, as monts later Hua Nanyi walked out with an empty platter and a scowl. She made a beeline for his and Xiao Ziyi's hiding place, and slamd the door shut on her way in.
"She didn't let stay," she said, stating the obvious.
"Did you see sothing out of the ordinary?" Chu Yun asked.
Hua Nanyi's eyes drifted over him before travelling towards Xiao Ziyi. "Nothing of note, except I saw the Third Princess without her veil. She's an unparalleled beauty."
Her words were pointed but Chu Yun didn't think she was speaking out of jealousy.
"I feel sorry for her, being dragged all the way here to be talked about behind her back, and used for information."
She left before Chu Yun or Xiao Ziyi could say anything.
"Well, she's just thrilled about all this," Xiao Ziyi said, voice heavy with sarcasm.
"Well, why don't you do sothing about it then?" Chu Yun crossed his arms in front of his chest, eyebrows pinched in annoyance. "From my understanding it's not like you've done a great deal to make her feel better about the situation."
His words turned Xiao Ziyi's annoyed frown into an angry scowl. "This was your idea."
"And you're the one who's been fucking her for months," Chu Yun hissed under his breath, with more bite than he'd expected. Apparently he felt strongly about the issue. "Why don't you tell her how you see your relationship progressing? Give her just an inkling of what the future looks like."
Xiao Ziyi's lower lip trembled, her arrogant beauty made dangerous by the blaze in her dark eyes, but just as Chu Yun expected her to explode in his face, the fire went out and she slumped against the wall with a deep sigh.
"Because I don't know either. I have no idea what happens next."
"Then that's a problem the two of you had long before I ca up with this plan," Chu Yun said, and then left Xiao Ziyi alone in the office with her thoughts and her guilt.
---
Over the next few days, the situation was the sa. Chu Yun attempted to coax the Queen Consort and the Third Princess out, but there was always an excuse. The Third Princess's stomach ache lasted three days, and after that it was a debilitating headache.
Chu Yun was at the end of his rope.
"It's like they're trying to buy ti," Chu Yun told Xiao Zai, pacing the length of the King's office.
Xiao Zai watched him warily from behind the desk. "Don't let this matter upset you, think of your health." His eyes drifted to Chu Yun's stomach, highlighting just what aspect of his health he was worried about.
Chu Yun glared at him. "I'm not going to get 'angered' into having the child early."
Xiao Zai looked sceptical. "Are you sure?"
Chu Yun left after one last glare.
---
In the mid of it all, at least Hua Nanyi was still allowed inside the Queen's and Third Princess's rooms on account of personally delivering dicine and food on Xiao Zai's and Chu Yun's behalf -- they had to be good hosts, and as good guests, the Queen and the Princess had to accept their hospitality.
"Nothing again," she said, eting with Chu Yun to inform him of her latest foray into the guest quarters.
Chu Yun couldn't get over the idea that they were buying ti. He told this to Hua Nanyi, who pointed out the obvious, "yes, but which one? Or is it both of them?"
He had no answer for her. And from what she'd seen, she couldn't make up her mind either. While the Queen Consort hovered constantly, the Third Princess did look genuinely sick, and was always in her bed whenever Hua Nanyi visited.
It seed they had reached a stalemate when a few days later Hua Nanyi returned with a small slip of paper clutched between her fingers.
"She slipped this under the tray just as I was leaving," she said, handing Chu Yun the ssage.
It was short and to the point. 'My mother enjoys chrysanthemum tea.'
"What does she an by that?" Hua Nanyi asked reading over Chu Yun's shoulder.
"It ans that she's suggesting we deliver so chrysanthemum tea the next ti you visit, possibly with sothing in it to ensure her mother sleeps soundly and deeply."
They did so the very next day.
Chu Yun told Hua Nanyi to stay hidden near the guest quarters, and wait for the Third Princess to leave the room, and then escort her right to him and Xiao Zai.
It was nightfall when a knock sounded outside the door of the private study he'd told Hua Nanyi to et them at.
The Third Princess bowed deeply the mont she walked in. "This one is indebted to his Majesty and his Royal Highness, it took this long for my mother to trust that the food and drink you were sending us wasn't adulterated."
"And why was that sothing we needed to do?" Chu Yun asked, referring to the ssage she had sent them.
The Third Princess sighed deeply, making her veil flutter. "I'm afraid my mother had sothing to do with my father's condition."
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