Wenren Lin’s wet eyelashes were distinctly defined, exuding an unrestrained charm.

Zhao Yān felt as if her heart had been tickled by a feather. She tilted her head up and asked, “Time for… what?”

Wenren Lin backed away two inches, with two strands of hair falling over his forehead. He placed his palm over her hand that had been dampened by water droplets, the blue veins on his forearm slightly bulging.

He said, “Time for anything.”

His eyes were so deep they could drown a person, like a male demon who could consume one’s marrow, very different from his usually cold and unapproachable demeanor.

Zhao Yān leaned forward and took the initiative to touch his lips.

Wenren Lin lowered his gaze and moved closer, their breaths intertwining, but Zhao Yān suddenly pulled back a little, raising her hand to press against his cool chest, saying, “I want to bathe.”

A flash of mischief appeared in her eyes. Who couldn’t be seductive?

The corner of Wenren Lin’s eyes lifted slightly as he gripped her wrist with one hand, blocking the unfinished words between her lips.

After a long while, Wenren Lin finally released her and called out to those outside: “Change the water.”

…

…

Zhao Yān lay limply on the couch, wrapped in a cloak, her chest rising and falling as she stared lazily at the culprit, not wanting to speak.

The bath in the washing room wasn’t large. Soon, the water was changed, and Liu Ying placed clean clothes nearby, then led Li Fu and others out again, closing the door.

Only then did Zhao Yān rise and untie her cloak. Underneath, her crimson gauze robe and middle garments had already been loosened, her undergarments hanging loosely on her arm.

She hadn’t even noticed when Wenren Lin had helped her loosen her clothes.

Entering the pool, white mist curled around her. The warm water smoothed away the chill on her body, pleasantly comfortable. But her breast binding, soaked through with water, made breathing difficult and uncomfortably tight.

Zhao Yān unconsciously slid down a little, hesitating whether to untie it, when she saw Wenren Lin sitting at the edge of the pool, scooping up water to pour over her neck.

He gazed at that expanse of white jade skin for a while before languidly saying, “May I come in?”

Zhao Yān’s eyelashes were covered with mist as she looked up at the not-too-large bath and asked, “Haven’t you already bathed?”

Wenren Lin’s half-lowered eyes reflected the shimmering water as he immersed his hand in the rippling pool and leaned down to her ear to repeat, “May I come in?”

This time, Zhao Yān understood, and after being soaked in hot water, her cheeks flushed with blood.

She swallowed and voiced some concerns: “I don’t want to take medicine. You’re about to leave for Luo Province, and there’ll be no one to massage my stomach…”

No, there were many palace maids to serve her, but she only wanted to curl up in Wenren Lin’s arms.

“If you don’t want to take medicine, then don’t. Even if Your Highness didn’t say so, this prince wouldn’t bear to cause you discomfort.”

Accompanying Wenren Lin’s deep laughter was a splash of water. He entered the water again. This time, his voice came directly against her ear, “This prince can enter elsewhere.”

Suddenly, her chest felt lighter as the apricot-white breast binding flowed away like moonlight on waves. Wenren Lin easily lifted Zhao Yān, burying his face to kiss away the water droplets below her neck, collecting them with his lips.

Back and forth, the washing room filled with mist, warm as spring. The hot water made one dizzy. Zhao Yān soon couldn’t hold on, short of breath and arms aching. Her smooth white skin took on a faint peach-pink tinge, forcing her to lie on the clean, non-slip velvet rug at the edge of the pool to catch her breath.

Wenren Lin, however, appeared as composed as ever, like cold jade that couldn’t be warmed by hot water. Only his lips had gained more color, glistening with moisture.

He propped himself up on the edge of the pool with both arms, expressionlessly pressing his lips together to clear away the water droplets, savoring them clean. Zhao Yān averted her gaze, her cheeks burning as if about to crack. She raised her arm to shield her eyes from the glaring candlelight.

Wenren Lin laughed softly, his wet fingers pinching Zhao Yān’s burning earlobe.

Then came the sound of splashing water as Wenren Lin slowly put on his clothes and came ashore. He wrapped Zhao Yān in a large towel, promptly wiping the lukewarm water from her body before carrying her to the couch. He seated her in his arms and then picked up the dry clothes prepared on a tray nearby.

He lifted the neatly folded breast binding with his fingers, testing it, and said, “Wearing a breast binding for too long is harmful to the body.”

“I still need to walk back to the sleeping palace, so I’d better bind it,” Zhao Yān sighed, quite troubled. “Otherwise, even wrapped in a cloak, it would be somewhat visible.”

Wenren Lin let go and looked, then nodded in agreement: “Now that Your Highness has grown up, it cannot go unbound.”

“…”

This man! Why does he always say such things with such a serious face?

“How long will you be gone this time?”

Zhao Yān sat cross-legged on the couch facing Wenren Lin, one hand pressing one end of the breast binding, one arm slightly raised, cooperating as Wenren Lin wrapped the binding layer by layer.

Wenren Lin lowered his eyelids, realizing that he, once a free, unattached lone soul in the world, had now begun to count the days seriously.

“At most half a year, at least two months.”

“That’s so long…”

Zhao Yān felt somewhat forlorn. She grabbed the hem of Wenren Lin’s sleeve and leaned in earnestly, “When you go, don’t forget what you promised me. Also, take care of yourself, take your medicine on time, and don’t get sick or injured!”

Wenren Lin’s movements in wrapping the binding slowed down as he gradually tucked the end of the binding into that piece of delicate, soft jade that had been flattened by the wrapping. He said, “When this prince is not by your side watching over you, Your Highness should take care of yourself first.”

Remembering something, he withdrew his knuckles from the binding and raised his dark, smiling eyes, saying, “Oh, this prince forgot. Your Highness still has those little princes and young masters by your side. Without this prince, you might still get along quite well. If this prince were to leave and never return, Your Highness might even be happy to be free…”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk! Don’t say such inauspicious things!”

Zhao Yān raised her hand to cover Wenren Lin’s lips, frowning, “Aren’t you tired? Your mouth still has the energy to talk nonsense. None of them are as presumptuous as you, daring to be in the Eastern Palace…”

She swallowed the rest of her words, feeling inexplicably sad.

Wenren Lin quietly gazed down at her for a long time before finally kissing her palm. He both hoped that the little princess would stay away from someone like him and become more clearheaded, yet he unconsciously wanted to sink into this with her. Such a contradiction was detestable.

Wenren Lin smiled self-mockingly, pulled down her hand, and embraced her. He draped her clothes over her, wrapped her cloak well, and gently rubbed his chin against the top of her head.

“This prince will leave Zhang Cang behind. Your Highness may command him to do anything.”

Wenren Lin’s low, mellow voice came from above her head, slow and gentle.

Zhao Yān didn’t refuse. Her brow smoothed as she nodded and said tiredly, “All right.”

Through the night, all lamps burned out, and the window paper gradually whitened.

Zhao Yān turned over, then suddenly opened her eyes. She reached out to feel the cold bedding outside and finally woke up completely.

Wenren Lin had left before dawn without waking her.

Since returning to the palace, this was the first time Zhao Yān had been separated from Wenren Lin for a long period.

At this time last year, she had been terrified of Wenren Lin and had even complained that he returned too early from the rebel camp in Sichuan. Now, as he went to suppress the rebels again, Zhao Yān hoped he would return sooner.

Life still had to go on.

The Emperor’s birthday celebration required three days of feasting, so by the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month, the palace was already unprecedentedly lively.

The Emperor was in seclusion in his quiet chamber, studying the Dao, and did not attend the banquet. The Eastern Palace and the Central Palace presided instead.

During the negotiations with Northern Wu, the feasts naturally emphasized exchanges between the two countries. After Great Xuan displayed its refined music with a thousand years of cultural accumulation, it was time for the wrestling competition in the arena that the Northern Wu people had been eagerly anticipating.

This time, the Fourth Princess Zhao Xun was also present. Although she sat in the ladies’ guest section behind gauze curtains, whenever the wind blew, the curtains would flutter, offering glimpses through the inadequate barrier.

The Northern Wu men’s gazes shamelessly followed the swaying curtains, as if appraising merchandise about to be acquired, occasionally whispering to their Thirteenth Prince. Zhao Xun sat with her head lowered, radiant yet silent and fragile.

As soon as the Fourth Sister appeared at the banquet, Zhao Yān felt uneasy. Looking at her mother, the Empress, who slightly furrowed her brow and shook her head, she knew this was likely the Emperor’s intention.

Perhaps for the Emperor and court officials, marrying off a humble and quiet daughter, sacrificing a princess whose reputation had been damaged after a broken engagement, in exchange for the possibility of temporary peace between the two countries was an extremely profitable deal.

Liu Ying met with Lady He from the Kunning Palace, then returned to Zhao Yān’s side with folded hands, whispering, “Your Highness, I heard that the Lady of Yongle County was also supposed to attend this banquet, but Princess Imperial Shoukang rejected the eunuch delivering the imperial decree, citing her daughter’s young age and weak health. She didn’t leave any face for His Majesty. I fear today’s banquet may finalize the marriage alliance.”

Zhao Yān’s heart sank as she looked toward the seats of the Northern Wu envoys.

Wu Que showed no particular interest in the women behind the gauze curtain. He stood up, bowed, and said, “Empress, why is there only one princess present? I remember that the Great Xuan Dynasty had three more marriageable princesses of great beauty.”

Empress Wei replied with dignity, “The Third Princess is practicing cultivation in a temple, praying for her father’s blessings. She serves the divine spirits and will never marry.”

“What about the young princess?” Wu Que’s voice rose a bit.

Empress Wei said, “That person’s behavior has been deficient, and she is unworthy of important duties. She has been banished from the capital. Today, we are hosting distinguished guests in hopes of improving relations between our countries. There is no need to mention unpleasant matters.”

Logically, no matter what mistakes a princess had made, they should not be mentioned in front of everyone at a banquet.

Perhaps due to the cold weather, Zhao Yān detected a slight tremor in her mother’s cold, dignified voice.

“Even if our two countries truly agree to a marriage alliance, sending a princess would be Great Xuan’s grace to Northern Wu, not like purchasing goods at a market where your envoys can pick and choose.”

Censor Chen Lun rose to speak, and only then did the Northern Wu people’s discussions and evaluations somewhat subside.

“The princess at the banquet is virtuous and dignified, and we hear she is also skilled in literature. She would surely bring wisdom and craft skills to Northern Wu. We are simply looking forward to this, which is why we looked a few more times. Please forgive our rudeness.”

As he spoke, Wu Que bowed again to those seated, his silver earrings jingling, “I have a proposal. If Northern Wu wins this wrestling match, would Great Xuan agree to a marriage alliance between our countries? A Northern Wu royal warrior, for Her Highness the Princess to choose.”

Zhao Xun’s hands, resting on her legs, instantly gripped each other tightly.

Zhao Yān spoke up in a timely, gentle voice: “Such important matters require careful consideration. How can they be decided like a child’s game based on the outcome of a friendly competition?”

Wu Que turned his gaze to Zhao Yān, his golden eyes narrowing: “Without Prince Su, Great Xuan’s number one war god, are you all afraid?”

A clumsy attempt at provocation, yet it worked.

When it came to national face, Great Xuan could not back down.

Zhao Yān quietly instructed Liu Ying: “Tell Gu Xing and the others that today’s match must be won.”

After the banquet, the wrestling competition officially began.

Great Xuan guards mostly won with agile techniques, while the Northern Wu men were all well-built and had extreme endurance. After several rounds, most of the guards sent by Great Xuan were defeated.

Gu Xing alone passed five rounds before finally being defeated due to exhaustion. The last one left was Zhang Cang.

Though he appeared burly, his movements were extremely fierce. After dozens of moves, he kicked the most powerful Northern Wu strongman off the arena with one foot and rotated his arms, saying, “Hey, he fell like a dog eating shit! Anyone else? Hurry up!”

The Northern Wu people immediately helped their wide-eyed champion clutching his chest down from the arena. Wu Que, who had been watching with interest from his seat, now stood up and walked toward the arena.

“Don’t be impatient, warrior. Northern Wu still has me left.”

Wu Que interlocked his fingers, turned his head to crack his joints, then crouched like a leopard, smiling to reveal pointed teeth: “Be careful, I’m going to attack your lower body.”

As he spoke, his gaze sank, instantly transforming into a different person with lightning-fast attacks.

At first, Zhang Cang could still cope, but this youth would attack while constantly chattering. He would say he was attacking the lower body, but would chop at Zhang Cang’s face instead.

Zhang Cang was a straightforward martial arts enthusiast. Being disturbed by this chatter annoyed him immensely, gradually disrupting his techniques and exposing weaknesses.

When Zhang Cang fell off the arena, Zhao Yān stood up, a chill running down her spine.

“I apologize, Crown Prince. It was my carelessness,” Zhang Cang said, standing beside Zhao Yān despite his pain. The eight-foot-tall giant lowered his head like a child who had done something wrong.

“It’s not your fault. You couldn’t outsmart him,” Zhao Yān consoled him in a low voice, quickly calculating in her mind if there was anyone else she could use.

However, she truly couldn’t think of anyone who could fill this gap. Among those at court, probably only Wenren Lin and Qiu Zui could suppress Wu Que…

But Qiu Zui’s whereabouts were uncertain, and there wasn’t enough time.

“Does Great Xuan have anyone else to fight?” The Northern Wu people’s applause was grating as Wu Que called out loudly, “If no one responds, then consider me the—”

“I will fight!”

A clear voice rang out from the crowd. Zhao Yān followed everyone’s gaze to see Pei Sa striding forward in a dark blue martial robe. His eyes swept across the women’s seats behind the light gauze before coldly fixing on Wu Que as he nimbly vaulted onto the arena.

Zhao Yān noticed that when Pei Sa pushed himself up, his broken eyebrow imperceptibly furrowed, clearly indicating his previous bone fracture had not healed.

Her heart immediately hung in her throat, and she said incredulously, “He’s injured! Is he planning to sacrifice that hand?!”

On the platform, Wu Que seemed to perceive this, his gaze falling on Pei Sa’s right arm: “I don’t bully the injured.”

Pei Sa coldly snorted: “Losing to an injured person would be truly shameful.”

Having said this, he spread his legs with one in front and one behind, his right hand clenched in a fist behind his back, his left hand changing from a fist to a palm, making a gesture of invitation.

Wu Que’s golden eyes lit up with interest. He pressed his hand to his chest in a foreign bow, then with lightning-quick eyes, his fist brought a whooshing wind toward Pei Sa’s face.

Pei Sa nimbly dodged sideways, but the second and third attacks followed in quick succession, giving him no time to breathe.

Pei Sa raised his arm to block, retreating several steps in succession. His boots scraped a visible braking mark on the arena before barely stopping at the edge.

One more step back, just one step… and he would fall off the arena.

Zhao Yān unconsciously clenched her fists, as if she were the one competing on the platform. Unable to stop it, she could only sit back in her chair, contemplating her next strategy.

On the platform, Pei Sa used his injured right arm to push against Wu Que’s shoulder, leaping over him and circling behind him.

Wu Que lost his target and was almost propelled off the arena by his momentum.

A cold leg strike came from behind, forcing Wu Que to grab the wooden railing to turn around, flipping to avoid it. He countered with a palm strike to Pei Sa’s right shoulder.

Excruciating pain surged through Pei Sa, creating a flaw in his otherwise rock-solid stance. Wu Que seized the opportunity to sweep him to the ground with a punch to his chest.

Pei Sa’s body arched upward, instantly coughing up blood.

From behind the curtains in the women’s section came the sound of a teacup shattering on the ground, hidden by the discussions of the crowd, unnoticed by anyone.

Zhao Yān heard it and clenched her fingers, saying, “Where is the Imperial Physician? Call the Imperial Physician!”

“Crown Prince, wait a little longer,” Zhang Cang spoke up, gesturing for Zhao Yān to look at the arena.

Just when Wu Que thought victory was assured, Pei Sa, clutching his chest, struggled to stand and wiped away the blood from the corner of his mouth: “Again.”

Wu Que’s eyes widened in shock.

He knew very well how much force he had used just now. This young man probably had broken ribs, with every breath bringing sharp pain.

“You…”

“Again!”

Pei Sa swung his fist forward. Wu Que couldn’t avoid it in time and hurriedly crossed his arms to block, being forced to retreat until his lower back hit the wooden railing, causing a crack.

The pain didn’t make Wu Que retreat; instead, it stirred his innate fighting nature.

However, no matter how many times Pei Sa was knocked down, he would always stagger back to his feet, his bloodshot eyes staring as he said in a hoarse, broken voice: “Again!”

Blood flowed from his mouth and nose, his breathing like the sound of withered wind. Despite enduring such excruciating pain, he could still immediately adjust his breathing and, risking his injured right hand, fiercely swing his fist.

Wu Que felt as if standing opposite him was not a youth but some sort of cornered beast, desperately protecting something precious behind him.

“Is it… Really worth it?”

Under Pei Sa’s relentless attacks, Wu Que’s breathing became irregular, and he had to block more frequently. “Hey, you have at least four broken bones! Why are you persisting in this state…”

But the only response was a series of blood-choked “Again!”

“Again—”

Bang!

Wu Que’s jaw was struck, his teeth suddenly snapping together. He stepped back twice, covering his nose and spitting out bloody foam. Fresh blood seeped through his fingers.

Drip by drip, it was impossible to tell whose blood covered the ground.

“Stop!”

Zhao Yān stood up and commanded in a low voice, as the outcome was no longer important given the current situation.

She steadied her voice and ordered, “Both of you,x stop. The Emperor’s birthday is approaching. We cannot allow bloodshed to spoil the harmony! Where are the Imperial Guards?”

“At your service!”

“Go separate them! Today’s match ends here.”

Perhaps because they had never heard the “Crown Prince” issue commands so seriously, the Imperial Guards dared not neglect their duty. They promptly assisted the two down from the platform, ending in a draw.

Zhao Yān straightened her back, only then realizing her palms hurt from clenching them so tightly.

She quickly left her seat and steadied herself against a lacquered pillar in a secluded corner, slowly exhaling the turbid breath she had been holding in her lungs for so long.

This was the best possible outcome.

Disordered, light footsteps sounded behind her. Zhao Yān composed herself before turning around to see Zhao Xun with reddened, wet eyes.

She had been crying, and the makeup on her face was somewhat patchy, as if the pretty decorations that had been put up for sale had been stripped away, revealing the wounded interior that had been disciplined into submission.

“Thank you, Crown Prince, for saving Young Master Pei’s life.”

As she spoke, Zhao Xun bent her knees to Zhao Yān, about to perform a deep bow.

“Fourth Sister, you mustn’t!”

Zhao Yān supported her and said gently, “You are my elder sister. How can you perform a deep bow to your younger brother?”

Zhao Xun insisted on completing the bow and said in a soft voice, “I have nothing else to offer in return. How does someone like me deserve such treatment from the Crown Prince… and him?”

“Fourth Sister, you are an excellent woman, knowledgeable in poetry and literature, and brilliantly talented.”

“If a marriage alliance truly could exchange for a hundred years of peace between the two countries, I would comply. But…”

Zhao Xun paused, tears gathering in her eyes, “I just don’t understand why it must be a woman, and why particularly me.”

A faint whisper, barely a question, yet it resonated deeply in Zhao Yān’s heart.

If she hadn’t been banished to Huayang, if she hadn’t taken Zhao Yǎn’s place in a position of power, today it might well have been her being pushed forward as a bargaining chip.

As winter birds cast a line of gray shadows across the horizon, Zhao Yān made up her mind.

She slowly raised her eyes and said calmly, “Fourth Sister, I have a plan.”