Giving Comfort

Yan Qiu Heng tilted his head up slightly to look at her. "Elder Sister, you've already returned? That was quicker than I expected. Would the Crown Prince not get angry with us?"

"I had no choice," Yan Qiu Yue smiled helplessly. "Your good friend sat down next to me and... Wait. It's a long story. Let us both change first, then I'll tell you what happened." Her twin nodded and the two of them went into separate rooms to change back into their own clothes. Afterward, as the maids served them tea, Yan Qiu Yue told her brother about everything that had happened, including the promise she'd made to Wei Hong Sheng.

Yan Qiu Heng furrowed his brows. "Hua Yan Ting is not a simpleton. He may not realize that it was you pretending to me, but there's no way he would mistake another for me."

"I purposefully sat where the other seats were already filled. I didn't think he would still insist on wanting to sit with you."

Her brother shook his head, smiling apologetically. "He is that sort of person. So many don't know and only think that he is that bright and lofty Golden Barley Scholar, but I daresay his wilfulness rivals yours."

"Those are fighting words, Heng'er." Yan Qiu Yue raised an eyebrow.

"What good is it if you compete over such a useless matter? Now I have to think of what to tell him in order to explain."

"I hadn't realized that the two of you were so close." She'd known, of course, that they were good friends, but still... "It was my understanding that Duke Yi is a staunch imperialist." That was to say, his family was one who wholeheartedly supported the emperor and frowned upon the fight for succession among the princes. With Duke Ning's household being shoved together with that of Prince Rui, their family's image of neutrality was beginning to crumble. Would it be alright for Hua Yan Ting to associate with such a family when his father held such strong political beliefs?

"Yan Ting understands the situation and our thoughts. Besides..." he paused, unsure if his sister knew of what he was about to say. "He's not close with his father."

"Why?"

Yan Qiu Heng sighed. "You know, Duke Yi is one of those types who favored his concubine over the main wife." These were not very pleasant words to say, but he did not want to beat around the bush. "That was why you weren't able to marry in that year."

"I'd assumed that nothing about that marriage had ever been set in stone. Was it really so certain that I would marry Hua Yan Ting?"

Yan Qiu Heng nodded. After the plans had fallen through, the entire matter had been dropped. No one in the family had wished to dirty his sister's ears. Even now, since it was clear she wasn't very informed on the matter, he didn't want to be the one to tell her that there had even been an assassination attempt inside Duke Yi's household. The main wife, Hua Yan Ting's mother, had almost been killed by that favored concubine.

Despite her intelligence, Yan Qiu Yue was still rather ignorant in some ways. He didn't want to tell his sister about these dirty things, letting her get ideas and go into Prince Rui's household expecting the worst of all things. She was already pessimistic enough about her marriage. Perhaps this was being overprotective, perhaps this was spoiling her a little. But somehow, he didn't get the sense that Tian Ao or Wei Hong Sheng would treat his sister badly. Wasn't it fine for her to stay a little naive?

And if they dared to abuse her or not show her the respect she deserved, it was fine if he could protect her. It was fine if he could only take her place in the cage so that she could escape far away.

Yan Qiu Yue naturally didn't know how deep her brother's thoughts ran. "I fear that Wei Hong Sheng is not as simple as he appears. Every time I meet him, I feel he is different from the rumors."

"No one in the imperial family is simple, Elder Sister."

"You are right." she sighed once more and took a sip of tea, feeling the warmth travel down her throat and into her belly. "On the bright side, Tian Ao really doesn't seem to be politically inclined."

"Is that a good thing?" Yan Qiu Heng squinted at her.

"Well... At the very least, he won't allow Prince Rui to push him into those muddy waters."

"Is Prince Rui one who must be 'allowed' to do something? If there is something that noble personage wants, who is this Tian Ao to stop him?"

Yan Qiu Yue paused, turning her face a little to look more closely at Yan Qiu Heng. He did not show any distress or anger on his face, just a calm expression that only seemed a little impatient if one looked very, very closely. "It was Qiu Yue who was not thinking clearly." she conceded.

"There's no need for you to see these things too clearly. Just live well. You will not be able to escape these matters once you're married in, but you cannot affect matters now even if you wish to. So why worry about it?" He patted her lightly on the head as if he were the elder sibling giving comfort to the younger. Yan Qiu Yue's heart felt a little tickled and itchy at this.

When she thought that spring was only a few months away, she felt some physical pain. "Heng'er..."

"Hmm?"

"If... If you are not one of Prince Rui's people, it will probably be unlikely for us to meet anymore, will it not? I..."

It was perhaps improper at their age, but sensing his sister's distress, Yan Qiu Heng gathered her into his arms and held her while gently stroking her back. "Mm. You're right." His voice was so gentle that it could melt jade. He felt Yan Qiu Yue hesitate before reaching her hands up to hook onto his shoulder blades and pulling him closer to her.

The servants all bowed their heads and pretended not to see. Zhi Lan clenched her teeth, worrying about her young miss's future. The two of them had always been this close. She'd never seen siblings who cared so much about one another. Who could understand the feelings of twins? Who would treat her young miss so well as Yan Qiu Heng after she was married?

People always looked at the two of them and saw that Yan Qiu Yue was the fiery, strong elder sister while he was the quiet, sardonic younger brother. These were the roles that they played daily. No one understood how fragile his sister actually was inside. Besides, there were times when even the strongest people required reassurance. These days, she was telling everyone that she didn't care whom her fiance was, that she would be fine, that she would be able to adapt and adjust and cope once she was married. These were merely words she said over and over to hypnotize herself. If Yan Qiu Heng were to actually believe them, it really would be the biggest joke.

After she had calmed herself, Yan Qiu Yue finally pulled away from her brother. He could see that her eyes were slightly red. "Heng'er, you must also live well. Don't take what I said just now seriously." She laughed, but it sounded somewhat broken. He wondered if it really had been a good thing to let her go to the Crown Prince's place today. "There won't be any benefit to you becoming one of Prince Rui's people. Promise me that no matter what happens to me, you will live well and not worry so much about my matters. It will all be fine."

"Mm." Yan Qiu Heng nodded, but only he knew that he had no intentions to keep such a promise in this lifetime.