The One Who Sent the Peony Pass

"Hmm... so where do we break through?" Lucy Luan pondered.

Ian Yan suddenly said, "Do you all know who Marcus Xuanchen is?"

"Isn't he related to Henry Xiao, the Fourth Prince? What's up?" Everyone looked at him.

"He's Darren Xuan's father," Ian replied.

"Darren Xuan?" Lucy's mind sparked. "Right! Maybe we can start with him!"

Ryan Lu said, "How exactly? He won't just tell us what his dad is up to, will he?"

"Not asking him directly," Lucy said. "Last time, after Princess Quinn's outburst, Darren actually told me his mother got a strange illness. I'll go treat his mother! Maybe I'll find some clues."

"Yeah, I think that works! That way we'll have a connection with the Xuanchen Clan, maybe we'll get a breakthrough," Ian said. "Let's do it! I'll go with you to 'check up' on his mother!"

Lucy nodded.

"There's one more person," Sean Shaw, who'd been silent, spoke up.

"Who?" Everyone looked at him.

"Henry Xiao."

"The Fourth Prince?"

Sean nodded and looked at Ryan. "You can ask him who gave him the Peony Pass. See how he answers."

Ryan instantly got it. "Gotcha!"

The next day, Ryan threw his arm around the Fourth Prince’s shoulders, grinning. "Your Highness! I still haven’t properly thanked you for inviting us to the Hundred Blossoms Festival!"

Henry looked a little uncomfortable. "Really, I'm embarrassed!"

"No need!" Ryan said. "Both my sisters said they had a blast. Hundred Blossoms Paradise was just gorgeous!"

"Yeah, it was pretty gorgeous," Henry echoed, sounding like a broken record.

Ryan’s eyes darted around; he leaned in like a buddy sharing a secret. "But what was up with the White Pavilion? How did a nice Flower Fairy contest turn into... that?"

Henry said, "Honestly, I have no clue either! It was my first time there! I was so mortified, I couldn't even look you guys in the eye."

"Seriously, it's not your fault!" Ryan patted his shoulder. "If anyone's to blame, it's whoever handed out those Peony Passes without telling you what was really going on!"

A flash of irritation crossed Henry's face, but he stayed quiet.

"By the way, who actually gave you the Peony Pass?" Ryan asked, acting casual.

Henry’s eyes flickered. "It wasn’t really from anyone specific, probably just a court allocation. You know how these big events go—sometimes there are government-issued passes, and somehow it landed with my mother, the Empress."

"Maybe for a regular flower festival, but for Hundred Blossoms Paradise and all that craziness? A court allocation?" Ryan raised an eyebrow.

Henry replied, "Who knows? Anyway, Ryan, I need to run. Let's catch up later."

He pretty much bolted.

Ryan propped his chin in his hand and shook his head.

Later, when Ryan told the group how Henry reacted, Sean thought for a moment. "He’s lying."

Ryan asked, "How do you know?"

"Didn’t you say he left when things got weird?" Sean asked.

"Yeah!" Ryan said.

"Think about it. Where do you think he went?" Sean prompted.

"Oh!" Ryan slapped his thigh. "He went to find the person who gave him the pass!"

Sean nodded. "Exactly. So the Divine Race faction controlling Hundred Blossoms Paradise is probably the Xuanchen Clan! That’s why he’s hiding it."

...

Meanwhile, with Princess Quinn back at the Celestial Palace, Lucy felt no pressure approaching Darren Xuan.

She took the initiative to offer to treat his mother.