It was the carriage of the Yun Prince's Estate.
After a moment's pause, the carriage curtain was lifted.
A familiar face appeared within the carriage. Feng Yinwan's expression stiffened slightly as she turned and led Feng Jinche away.
"Your Highness, please."
As the horse-block was lowered, Ye Tingyun dismounted and saw this scene. His brows immediately furrowed in suspicion.
"Who is that?"
When did his third brother's estate acquire a child? And being led by a strange woman at that.
This was absolutely a Level 1 alert situation!
The coachman glanced over, also looking bewildered.
"Your Highness, it's a woman and a child."
Ye Tingyun: "...Shut up!"
He glared at the coachman before striding towards the estate.
Meanwhile, the study was filled with a heavy atmosphere.
Ye Tinglan's hand, which was holding a memorial, paused, and a chilling coldness instantly appeared on his face.
"Did she truly say that?"
Qi Xuan trembled. "Your subordinate would not dare to speak falsely..."
It wasn't that he was exaggerating. That woman had been incredibly rude today. Her exact words were "practice what nonsense."
As he finished speaking, the memorial was flung down forcefully. Ye Tinglan frowned, his voice almost icy.
"Find her immediately. If you don't bring her back before lunch, you needn't return!"
"Yes...!"
Qi Xuan jolted, gripping his sword and rushing out. As he exited, he collided head-on with Ye Tingyun.
"Ouch—"
One was rushing in, the other rushing out.
Qi Xuan, with his sturdy build, sent Ye Tingyun flying.
Recognizing him, Qi Xuan quickly extended a hand to help him up. "Your Highness Yun, are you alright?"
Ye Tingyun's head was ringing.
He shook it vigorously, then waved his hand groggily. "I'm fine, I'm fine."
Seeing this, Qi Xuan immediately released him. "That's good. I have urgent matters, I must take my leave."
With less than an hour until lunch, he had to find the person quickly!
With that, he darted out of sight like a gust of wind. Ye Tingyun frowned, rubbing his forehead as he headed into the room.
"Third Brother!"
The pearl curtain tinkled with a crisp sound.
Entering the room, he was met by his third brother's lingering fierce gaze. Ye Tingyun's heart leaped, and he instinctively straightened his back.
When he spoke again, he dared not be as presumptuous as before.
"Third Brother?"
It certainly looked like he had walked into a storm... A truly unfortunate timing.
Fortunately, Ye Tinglan did not intend to take his anger out on him. He withdrew his gaze and picked up the memorial from his desk again.
"Why have you come out of the palace?"
The Empress Dowager's birthday was only a few days away.
Preparations in the palace were urgent. As the Empress Dowager was a devout Buddhist, monks from several temples around the capital had been invited to the palace to burn incense, chant, and set up ritual implements.
It was a busy time.
Ye Tingyun's expression flickered at his words, and he leaned in quietly. "Third Brother, Eldest Brother has returned."
The First Prince, Ye Tingzhu, was the eldest son and the Empress's only legitimate son.
If he hadn't been so indifferent to worldly affairs and harbored no ambition for ruling, the position of Crown Prince would not have remained vacant for so many years, inviting contention and rivalry.
Ye Tinglan lowered his gaze, his hands still turning the pages of the memorial.
Having long anticipated this reaction, Ye Tingyun paused before continuing.
"He entered the palace early this morning. The Empress personally led people to welcome him. I saw... Ru Lian was also there."
The news of Qin Rulian being brought back to the palace had been sudden. It was rumored that she had even threatened to end her own life over it.
Ye Tingyun did not know the reason. He now stealthily observed his third brother's expression, his tone cautious and probing.
As expected, a hint of coldness immediately appeared on his handsome face at the mention of this.
He pressed his thin lips together but did not respond to Ye Tingyun's words.
"Eldest Brother resides in quiet contemplation at Fuxiu Temple and has not returned to the capital for many years. For the Empress Dowager's birthday, he should return to pay his respects."
While that was true, Ye Tingyun couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss.
"Third Brother, our maternal grandmother is not celebrating a major birthday this year. If it's to pay his respects, then why has he refused to return all these years, yet now he suddenly agrees..."
It was still strange.
Ye Tinglan finally looked up at him.
"What do you want to say?"
Ye Tingyun said mysteriously, "I saw the Empress's demeanor. This matter likely has hidden reasons. Third Brother, you should make preparations."
Dealing with Ye Tingyan and Ye Tingyu was already a headache. Now, the First Prince and the Empress were also planning in secret.
This birthday banquet would likely not be peaceful.
He sighed inwardly, only to be met with a gentle reprimand.
Ye Tinglan's gaze returned to the memorial, his expression unchanged except for the coldness.
"Stop overthinking. The banquet is in two days. Go back and accompany the Empress Dowager well."
He was trying to dismiss him after only a few words. Ye Tingyun was immediately displeased.
"Third Brother!"
He had specifically rushed over to warn him as soon as he sensed something was wrong. With how busy the palace was, who knew how difficult it was for him to sneak out!
His third brother actually didn't appreciate it!
"Mm."
This perfunctory sound completely doused Ye Tingyun's enthusiasm.
He knitted his brows but then suddenly thought of something and stopped.
"Third Brother, do you have a child at your estate?"
He remembered the two figures he had encountered at the estate entrance earlier and asked with confusion.
To his surprise, his third brother, who had been stoic and unruffable, narrowed his eyes upon hearing this.
"Where did you hear that from?"
Ye Tingyun widened his eyes. "No, you really do have one?"
Such a significant matter, and he had no idea!
The handsome face before him clearly darkened further at this question.
"I asked where you heard this."
His brows were tightly furrowed, his gaze chilling. This was the sign of an impending storm.
Seeing this, Ye Tingyun immediately waved his hands.
"I didn't hear, I didn't hear. I ran into them at the entrance when I arrived just now, and I thought..."
He paused, then said with difficulty, "Third Brother, is that child... yours?"
As these words left his mouth, the temperature in the room dropped by at least two degrees.
Ye Tingyun looked at his third brother's face, which was turning from dark to greenish, and swallowed. He didn't know where he found the courage, but he fearlessly blurted out the second half of his question.
"Third Brother, are you keeping an outside mistress?"
Ye Tingyun was ejected, literally thrown out.
He had just scrambled to his feet from the ground when, with a loud "bang" behind him, the study door was slammed shut.
The sound made him tremble, and he quickly bolted away.
This was serious, third brother was enraged!
But the problem was, he hadn't asked wrongly...
That child looked to be two or three years old. If not from an outside mistress, how could there suddenly be such a big child?
And he had encountered two people at the estate entrance, besides that little brat, there was a woman.
Was that woman the outside mistress third brother was secretly keeping?
The thought made him feel rather disgusted.
Three years ago, third brother wasn't even widowed yet. It must have taken some skill for this woman to conceive.
But he disdained such women who clung to power. His mother had said that only a lawfully wedded wife was a true wife, a daughter-in-law of the royal family.
Outside mistresses were self-demeaning and the most disreputable.
Although this woman was now living in the prince's estate relying on her son, in their hearts, the position of Princess Mo would forever belong only to Feng Yinwan.
No one else!