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Xiao Zai nodded, but added, "not that we don\'t believe Her Highness."

It was hard to make sense of her expression through the veil, which hid half of her face, but the tremble of her eyelids and the flutter of her breath seemed genuine.

"This pains me to admit, but my mother\'s relationship with my father has always been strained."

Chu Yun exchanged a brief glance with Xiao Zai. He could imagine why. Having secret children with an alpha from a neighbouring kingdom, would do that to any relationship.

"Matters related to the harem perhaps?" Chu Yun suggested, smiling in sympathy.

Ru Yumei shook her head. "No, my mother never paid the harem any mind, and truthfully, neither did my father. I have a few siblings born from my father\'s concubines, but they are either young children or married off. My brother, the Prince Consort, and I, are my mother\'s only children."

Chu Yun hummed in understanding.

So the Third Princess had no idea about her brother\'s true parentage. The Queen might, however, if what she was saying was anything to go by. She had to know he wasn\'t her child at the very least -- and if the King hadn\'t tried to pass him off as some concubine\'s child, then she must have agreed to raise him as her own.

Did that mean she was in league with Ru Long? Was her hatred for the King an entirely separate matter?

"So, her Highness believes the Queen Consort might have something to do with the King\'s prolonged illness," Xiao Zai said, affecting deep thoughtfulness. "This is very troubling, has her Highness shared her suspicions with anyone else in the court? Perhaps one of her siblings?"

Chu Yun was proud of him for such a convincing performance.

"My brother, Ru Long, has known of my worries for some time, but I get the impression he doesn\'t take them seriously." Her fine eyebrows knotted in consternation. It was upsetting to her that her brother didn\'t take her seriously.

The question was: why not?

If Chu Yun was in Ru Long\'s place, he would look for any opportunity to aim his guilt in someone else\'s direction and throw suspicions off of himself. Why was Ru Long suddenly so scrupulous regarding the Queen Consort?

The only logical explanation was that he held some filial regard for her -- perhaps even loved her as his mother.

That was an interesting angle, and definitely something Chu Yun could exploit to their advantage.

"Perhaps he can\'t conceive that the Queen Consort would be involved in something so terrible," Chu Yun said, falling once again into the conciliatory character he\'d been playing for the Third Princess.

She nodded, and sniffled under her veil. "My brother\'s heart could fit the whole world."

Few things in Chu Yun\'s life were as challenging as keeping a straight face after Ru Yumei said that. Xiao Zai coughed loudly into his own elbow, most likely experiencing the same difficulties.

"I know he doesn\'t want me to worry about matters of the kingdom, but I carry Su in my heart always, and even though my resources are limited I want to help as much as I can." She spoke with such conviction that Chu Yun almost felt sorry for her.

All that dedication, and neither of the people she was closest to trusted her.

Their loss was going to be Chu Yun\'s gain. Unfortunately for her, it would be Ru Yumei\'s loss as well.

"I\'m sure her Highness is doing her best to help, and we\'ll be happy to offer all the assistance we can." He looked towards Xiao Zai, as if looking for permission to go on, "It is only right, considering the upcoming engagement."

Ru Yumei lowered her head immediately, looking sheepish even through the veil. "I\'m afraid that part of the reason that led me to pressure mother into accepting the invitation was my desire to make things easier for my brother."

"Oh?" Chu Yun gave her an expectant look. She couldn\'t leave things at that, not if she was openly admitting to accepting their invitation to visit Zui and meet Xiao Ziyi with second intentions.

That the invitation was made with second intentions to begin with didn\'t concern her.

"Well, Ru Long doesn\'t tell me much, but he did mention that I shouldn\'t worry myself, that everything would be resolved by the summer solstice."

Xiao Zai went very still, and even Hua Nanyi who had been leaning against a wall without showing any interest in the conversation up to that point stood up straighter.

The summer solstice was in two days.

"What exactly would be resolved?" Xiao Zai asked, in his best diplomatic tone.

"Well, he didn\'t elaborate, but I kept that in mind, and when the invitation came, I just knew it was the perfect opportunity to keep mother out of the palace until then." She lowered her head demurely, gaze fixed on her hands.

"I apologise for not confiding my motives sooner, but his Majesty and his Highness have been a tremendous help and most gracious hosts, I\'m sure my brother will be amenable to a marriage alliance, and will intercede with my father in that sense, as soon as he wakes up."

"It has been our pleasure," Xiao Zai said, shooting up from his chair. "Nanyi, please escort her Highness back to her quarters, it\'s late and I\'m sure she\'d like to rest."

No sooner were the two of them gone than Xiao Zai turned towards Chu Yun with a troubled expression.

"What the fuck is going to happen on the summer solstice?"

Things were much worse than Chu Yun expected. Not only was the Third Princess on her brother\'s side, it was very likely that the Queen Consort was as well -- if only to get back at her husband.

"Well, the two of them are here now, that is something, perhaps a bargaining chip" Chu Yun reasoned, "but for that we need to get Ru Long here, and away from whatever he\'s planning for the summer solstice."

Xiao Zai cursed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Too bad we only have two days to do that."