Yan Zhao looked up and saw Xue Zi Ning, who had already removed her makeup. The golden hairpins and tassels had been taken off, and her face was bare of any powder or paint.
Yet, even so, it did not diminish the fairness and dewy freshness of her complexion.
Yan Zhao felt a jolt in his heart, his pulse quickening. He realized that only when facing Princess Chang Ning did his heart truly beat.
Seeing Yan Zhao remain silent, Xue Zi Ning pulled her outer garment tighter. The late autumn night was still somewhat cold. Ever since giving birth to their two little ones, her body hadn't been very robust, and she was very sensitive to the cold.
"Is something the matter?" Xue Zi Ning couldn't help but ask. Standing there like this made her feel cold.
Hearing her voice, Yan Zhao subconsciously looked up and only then noticed that Princess Chang Ning was dressed rather thinly. He quickly closed the palace door behind him, "Are you still cold, Your Highness?"
Xue Zi Ning paused, looking at him, "You didn't come this late just to ask if I'm cold, did you?"
Yan Zhao then remembered that he had something to request of Princess Chang Ning. With this thought, he knelt on one knee and said, "I implore Your Highness to show mercy and permit an imperial physician to visit my residence to attend to an illness."
Xue Zi Ning blinked, "Is someone in your household ill?"
Yan Zhao hesitated to speak, but after a long pause, he finally said, "It is my cousin, Gu Xiao Xiao."
Xue Zi Ning blinked her eyes and asked, "What is Miss Gu suffering from?"
Yan Zhao replied, "A heart condition from birth."
Just as he expected Princess Chang Ning to refuse, the princess walked over, and a slender, pale hand appeared in his line of sight. "This is my token. Take it and summon an imperial physician."
"Your Highness..." Yan Zhao was somewhat incredulous. He hadn't expected Princess Chang Ning to so easily give him the token.
"Are you not going?" Xue Zi Ning said.
"Your Highness's great kindness is something this subject will never forget," Yan Zhao slowly said as he stood up.
"Let's not exchange pleasantries between us. Go!" Xue Zi Ning said.
"Then I shall take my leave!" After leaving Chang Ning Palace, Yan Zhao hurried towards the Imperial Hospital.
"Who is that? Moving about the palace so late at night?" Xue Chang An, who was preparing to return to her sleeping quarters, saw the man's figure and frowned. It was late, and outsiders shouldn't be in the palace.
"Your Highness, this servant believes it is Young General Yan."
Xue Chang An paused slightly and said, "Have him come over."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Yan Zhao, hearing that a princess had called for him, assumed it was Princess Chang Ning and hurried over. Only upon approaching did he realize it was not Princess Chang Ning, but Princess Chang An.
"This subject pays respects to Princess Chang An!" Yan Zhao bowed.
"So it's Young General Yan. I was wondering who could enter the palace at this hour. I presumed it could only be Young General Yan."
Yan Zhao was slightly taken aback. "Your Highness, this subject is in the palace to request an imperial physician for a family member. Princess Chang Ning is benevolent and permitted me to bring a token to summon the physician. Your Highness, please speak with discretion."
Hearing the word "discretion," Xue Chang An became somewhat displeased. She stepped forward to Yan Zhao and said coldly, "Look up."
Yan Zhao could only look up. Under the dim palace lanterns, Xue Chang An saw the face of this Young General Yan clearly for the first time. She had seen him before, but had never paid much attention to him.
She hadn't realized that Young General Yan was also so handsome, possessing none of the rough or unrefined demeanor of a warrior, but rather the aura of a noble young master.
No wonder her sister had abandoned Hua Yun Jin; it was because Young General Yan was also quite good-looking, even surpassing Hua Yun Jin.
"Didn't you say you were going to summon an imperial physician? Why aren't you going?" Xue Chang An asked.
Yan Zhao bowed, "Thank you, Your Highness."
He stood up and headed towards the Imperial Hospital.
Xue Chang An gazed at Yan Zhao's retreating back, lost in thought.
"Your Highness, the weather is growing cold," a nearby palace maid couldn't help but remind her.
Xue Chang An snapped back to attention and looked at the maid, saying word by word, "This Young General Yan is also not bad."
The maid paused and instinctively asked, "Your Highness, you..."
"I seem to have taken a liking to Young General Yan," Xue Chang An stated, word by word.
Yan Zhao returned to the General's mansion with the imperial physician. Madam Yan, upon hearing that an imperial physician had been summoned, felt her heart settle.
"Yan Zhao, come here." Old General Yan called him out. Once outside, Yan Zhao asked, "Father, is there something you need?"
"How did you manage to get an imperial physician?" Old General Yan asked.
Yan Zhao did not conceal anything, "I went to see Princess Chang Ning."
Old General Yan sighed, knowing it was so. "Yan Zhao, you and Princess Chang Ning..."
"Father, I love Princess Chang Ning, and Princess Chang Ning also has feelings for me. It was my recklessness that ruined the marriage before. Now, I only wish to seek the Emperor's approval for a marriage decree once more."
Old General Yan nodded, "Princess Chang Ning is an excellent choice, but dealing with His Majesty will not be easy. After all, you previously refused His Majesty in front of the assembled officials. His Majesty values his reputation and will not let it go without making you suffer."
"Father, please don't worry, I understand."
Old General Yan nodded, "I have always been assured of your actions."
"Old General, something is wrong..." a servant from the mansion rushed over.
Old General Yan frowned upon hearing this, "What is so urgent? Have you no decorum befitting a General's mansion?"
"Reporting to the Old General, it is Princess Chang An who has arrived," the servant said, swallowing hard.
Yan Zhao blinked, "Are you sure you didn't misidentify her? Not Princess Chang Ning?"
The servant quickly replied, "Reporting to Young Master, this servant saw clearly and it is indeed Princess Chang An."
Yan Zhao was also taken aback. He had no dealings with Princess Chang An. What was Princess Chang An trying to do?
"Go inform Princess Chang Ning," Old General Yan instructed.
Yan Zhao nodded, "Yes, Father."
However, he was still puzzled by Princess Chang An's arrival. Why was Princess Chang An coming to the General's mansion?
Having sent someone to inform Princess Chang Ning, Yan Zhao and his father, Old General Yan, proceeded to the front hall.
In the front hall, Princess Chang An sat in the main seat, sipping tea. Upon seeing Old General Yan arrive, she stood up and said, "Old General Yan."
Old General Yan bowed to Chang An, "It is a great oversight not to have welcomed Princess Chang An. Please forgive this old subject, Your Highness."
"Old General Yan need not be so polite. This Princess merely saw Young General Yan in the palace earlier. He mentioned someone in his household was ill, and this Princess felt that Old General Yan is a pillar of our荒泽 (Huang Ze - possibly a kingdom name, retained for context if not translated) and was greatly concerned, hence I wished to visit Old General Yan."
"Your Highness is most thoughtful. This old subject's health is still quite robust. Speaking of which, it is Yan Zhao's cousin who is ill, which is why we summoned an imperial physician. For causing Your Highness worry, it is this subject's fault."
"Old General Yan, you are too kind. This is all as it should be."
Old General Yan said, "Yan Zhao's cousin has now woken up. Thank you, Your Highness."
Xue Chang An heard this and said, "This Princess did nothing. For Old General Yan to thank me so makes me feel rather unaccustomed."