The scenery of Yunwu Mountain was beautiful in spring. There was an easy stone path leading up the mountain, but at this time it was crowded with tourists. Emperor Yuanjia disliked too many idle people and asked Marquis Pingxi’s heir Qi Ping, “Is there another mountain path?”

Qi Ping was very familiar with this area and smiled: “There is, Seventh Master, please follow this way.”

Qi Ping led the way, and soon the five men came to a secluded mountain trail.

Two imperial guards, one opening the path ahead and one following behind, while Qi Ping and Lu Mu stayed beside Emperor Yuanjia, serving as both companions and guards.

They strolled along the way. When they reached halfway up the mountain, two kites suddenly rose from a flat, open area ahead – one was a black eagle, the other a colorful butterfly. The two kites took flight almost simultaneously, quite competitively, each flying higher than the other.

Probably some children’s kites?

Emperor Yuanjia and his group continued forward. The scenery changed with each step, and after a quarter hour, Emperor Yuanjia swept his gaze around and saw the owners of those kites. There were three young men – two shorter youths were flying kites, while a tall man in his twenties stood under the shade of a tree, calmly watching the young men.

The mountain breeze blew, and the two youths’ clothes clung tightly to their bodies, revealing the graceful curves of young women – they were women dressed as men.

Emperor Yuanjia quickly averted his gaze.

This small path divided into two fork roads ahead – one leading to Yunwu Temple, the other leading into the deep mountains.

Emperor Yuanjia had brought his quiver and went into the deep mountains.

Living in the imperial palace year-round, it was rare to come out for fresh air. Emperor Yuanjia didn’t want to see people; he just wanted to exercise his muscles and bones.

He focused on hunting while Lu Mu and the other three were mainly responsible for vigilance, guarding against assassins.

Near noon, Emperor Yuanjia and his group saw a stream and rested there.

Two guards went to gather firewood and set up a stove. Emperor Yuanjia leaned against a tree, contentedly gazing at the azure blue sky above the river.

Suddenly, a black kite swayed and tumbled down, falling on the opposite bank of the river.

Qi Ping frowned: “That’s the kite from those three people we passed on the way up. What a coincidence.”

Lu Mu recalled for a moment and said, “The older man has martial arts skills. Those two young ladies should just be delicate women.”

Emperor Yuanjia said, “That’s how it looked.”

If the other party had deliberately dropped the kite here, they would naturally come looking for it. If the kite had just accidentally fallen into this deep mountain forest, two young ladies shouldn’t come to such a place for an ordinary kite.

As Emperor Yuanjia expected, even after they finished their outdoor meal, the black eagle kite still hung alone on the tree branches across the way, with no one coming to look for it.

“Let’s go.” Emperor Yuanjia decided to return to the palace.

The group returned along the original path.

Descending halfway down the mountain, they encountered those same three people again.

The tall young man stood like a guard near the small path, while the two young women in men’s clothing sat by stones under the tree’s shade. Hearing footsteps, the two looked toward the roadside. Emperor Yuanjia glanced over inadvertently and happened to meet the gaze of one of the young women. That young woman immediately withdrew her gaze. Emperor Yuanjia looked at her petal-like skin and familiar phoenix-shaped eyes, his heart stirred, and he walked toward the tree opposite the young woman.

Lu Mu and Qi Ping were secretly surprised but still followed.

Three grown men sat under the tree. Especially Emperor Yuanjia’s gaze openly scrutinized Zhou Fu, making her uncomfortable. She stood up and said, “Let’s go up there.”

After speaking, Zhou Fu took Aunt Ying and the guard and went upward.

Emperor Yuanjia smiled and signaled Lu Mu and Qi Ping not to follow, going to follow Zhou Fu’s trio himself.

Qi Ping asked Lu Mu in puzzlement: “Is His Majesty… smitten?”

The Emperor Yuanjia, he knew, was never lustful.

Lu Mu’s lips curved slightly as he reminded, “I think that young lady’s features closely resemble Shou’an Jun.”

Shou’an Jun?

Qi Ping thought carefully and realized it was true!

Since she was Miss Zhou, Qi Ping stopped worrying.

Zhou Fu was waiting here for her sister, but unexpectedly, her sister was delayed while she encountered a man with ill intentions.

She had just settled in the newly chosen tree shade when she saw that man with the presumptuous gaze walking over again.

If she hadn’t seen that the other party had five people in total, Zhou Fu would have started scolding long ago.

Even so, Zhou Fu gave him no pleasant expression, shooting him a sharp glare.

“Why is this gentleman following my young miss?” Zhou Fu’s guard stepped forward with displeasure, directly pointing out that his master was a young lady, hoping the other party would tactfully withdraw.

Emperor Yuanjia wasn’t angry and smiled at Zhou Fu: “Earlier, when I was hunting in the mountains, I saw an eagle kite. I wonder if it belongs to the young lady?”

Zhou Fu’s kite had indeed flown away, but she didn’t care – she could just buy another one later.

“I threw it away on purpose,” Zhou Fu said coldly, cutting off his chance to continue using the kite as a conversation starter.

Emperor Yuanjia looked at Zhou Fu’s eyes. Did this little girl not remember him at all?

Zhou Fu only glared at him once, then turned her head away with obvious impatience.

Emperor Yuanjia felt quite helpless. If he didn’t reveal his identity, she would suspect him of having bad character even more.

“A’Fu, it’s me,” Emperor Yuanjia said gently.

The guard and the male-dressed maid, Aunt Ying, were both stunned.

Zhou Fu looked at Emperor Yuanjia in surprise, her watery eyes wide: “You, you recognize me?”

Emperor Yuanjia smiled: “More than recognize – I’ve told you stories and taught you to write.”

Zhou Fu was even more shocked. The man who had told her stories and taught her to write, besides her brother, was the only one in the palace…

Only then did Zhou Fu finally see traces of His Highness the Crown Prince in the man’s face.

When Shou’an Jun left the palace, Zhou Fu was only eight years old, and the newly enthroned Emperor Yuanjia was eighteen. Now, six years had passed – Zhou Fu had transformed from a little girl into a graceful, beautiful young woman, while Emperor Yuanjia had changed from a slightly immature youth into a dignified emperor. He had grown taller, his shoulders broader, and his features more mature and coldly handsome.

Zhou Fu stood up in disbelief: “You, you are…”

Emperor Yuanjia smiled: “When A’Fu was little, she loved eating date cake most but disliked taking medicine most. A’Fu liked watching little red carp but didn’t like keeping little red carp caged.”

Hearing this, Zhou Fu no longer doubted. She joyfully ran to Emperor Yuanjia and stared intently at his face.

The former Seventh Prince and Crown Prince had treated her like a sister, and Zhou Fu had also regarded him as a brother. Meeting again after six years, though Zhou Fu found the current Emperor Yuanjia somewhat unfamiliar, she still couldn’t suppress the joy in her heart.

But Zhou Fu also knew he was the lofty emperor, the Son of Heaven. It was the former Seventh Prince and Crown Prince who had been close to her – how did the emperor view her now?

Her thoughts racing, Zhou Fu suddenly knelt, intending to perform the kowtow ceremony.

Emperor Yuanjia quickly grabbed her wrist and, with a gentle pull, helped Zhou Fu up.

Zhou Fu said nervously: “Your Majesty, I, I…”

The guard and Aunt Ying, hearing this, knelt in panic.

Emperor Yuanjia ignored those two and looked at Zhou Fu’s lowered, fluttering eyelashes, smiling gently: “Between you and me, it’s not ruler and subject.”

Speaking thus, Emperor Yuanjia released her hand.

Zhou Fu felt warmth filling her heart, like sunshine shining in. The person before her was the emperor, the one her mother worried about, and also a brother she had once missed. But given their vastly different stations, she and her mother had silently kept him in their hearts without mentioning him. Now, meeting him and discovering he also remembered them, Zhou Fu was very happy.

“Your Majesty, you…”

“Call me Seventh Brother,” Emperor Yuanjia smiled, gesturing for Zhou Fu to sit in the tree shade to talk.

Zhou Fu wasn’t quite used to calling him that, so she omitted the address: “How did you come to Yunwu Mountain?”

Emperor Yuanjia sat on a stone and looked at her: “Came out for fresh air. What about you – why are you sitting here?”

Zhou Fu pouted slightly, glancing up the mountain: “This morning I came out with my sister. She doesn’t like flying kites and runs off to play elsewhere. Just now we ate vegetarian food together at Yunwu Temple, but then she disappeared again to do something, telling us to wait here for her.”

Though she was in men’s clothing, her bright eyes, white teeth, and red lips couldn’t hide her beauty. When she pouted in complaint, those lips were red and tender. Emperor Yuanjia unconsciously found his gaze drawn to her lips.

Zhou Fu turned to look at him. Emperor Yuanjia suddenly came to his senses and asked with concern: “Shall I send someone to look for her?”

Zhou Fu thought for a moment and shook her head: “Never mind. Sister knows Yunwu Mountain even better than I do. She might already be on her way back.”

With the topic shifting to Da Zhou Shi, Emperor Yuanjia asked about Da Zhou Shi’s situation after her divorce. Shou’an Jun might report only good news and hide troubles, but Zhou Fu was young and might not conceal things.

Zhou Fu disliked her former brother-in-law greatly, thoroughly cursing him before saying, “Sister was unlucky to marry such a person, but sister is open-minded. Not long after the divorce, she stopped caring about him. Every day she accompanies me riding horses and traveling – she’s incredibly happy.”

Emperor Yuanjia asked in surprise: “You can ride horses too?”

Zhou Fu said proudly: “Of course I can. I learned two years ago. I rode here today, too.”

Emperor Yuanjia looked at her bright, charming eyes and guessed she must enjoy riding horses.

“Are you comfortable living at the leisure estate?”

“Mm-hmm, the leisure estate is so big, even bigger than the Yunhai Residence Eastern Palace where you used to live. You can even boat ride inside it…” Zhou Fu praised it thoroughly, then suddenly remembered the leisure estate was gifted to them by Emperor Yuanjia. Zhou Fu smiled at him somewhat embarrassedly: “Look at me – I haven’t even thanked Your Majesty yet.”

Emperor Yuanjia’s gaze was gentle: “I told you to call me Seventh Brother.”

Zhou Fu looked closely at his handsome face and felt her cheeks warming for some reason.

Remembering her mother’s words, Zhou Fu lowered her eyes and clutched her fingers: “I’d better call you Your Majesty. Otherwise, Mother will blame me for not understanding propriety again.”

Emperor Yuanjia didn’t want her to observe propriety. He greatly missed that lovely little mushroom who used to secretly slip into the main courtyard of Yunhai Residence.

A moment of silence fell between them. Emperor Yuanjia took the initiative to ask: “That kite – you don’t want it anymore?”

Zhou Fu looked regretful: “That kite flew the highest, but since it’s lost, I don’t want to look for it anymore.”

Emperor Yuanjia said regretfully, “If I’d known the kite was yours, I would have brought it just now.”

Zhou Fu was about to speak when Da Zhou Shi returned.

Zhou Fu smiled and called her sister over to introduce Emperor Yuanjia.

Da Zhou Shi had no childhood friendship with Emperor Yuanjia and properly performed the ceremony.

Since they were similar in age and Da Zhou Shi was a divorced woman, Emperor Yuanjia couldn’t appear too familiar. He nodded and departed.

After the imperial party left, Da Zhou Shi pulled her sister aside to ask: “How did you encounter His Majesty?”

Zhou Fu explained the whole story.

Da Zhou Shi looked at Emperor Yuanjia’s retreating figure and said quietly: “The Empress Dowager doesn’t like us. You’d better stay away from His Majesty.”

Zhou Fu thought for a moment and said, “He’s usually in the palace. Even if I wanted to be close, I wouldn’t have the chance. Sister, don’t worry.”

Emperor Yuanjia returned to the palace.

The Empress Dowager received news and came over, casually inquiring where Emperor Yuanjia had gone.

Emperor Yuanjia set down the memorial in his hand: “Yunwu Mountain.”

The Empress Dowager smiled: “Yunwu Mountain? Doesn’t the Li family live in that area?”

Emperor Yuanjia nodded and glanced at the Empress Dowager: “Yes. I passed by the leisure estate and sat there for a while.”

Since he was so open about it, the Empress Dowager couldn’t say much more.

After the Empress Dowager left, Emperor Yuanjia suddenly felt restless. He left his desk and stood by the window with his hands behind his back.

Zhou Fu’s lively eyes and brows floated in his mind. Emperor Yuanjia clenched his fingers and summoned one of the imperial guards who had accompanied him today, ordering him to retrieve the eagle kite from the deep mountains.

That guard went secretly and secretly brought the black kite back to the imperial palace.

Emperor Yuanjia placed this kite on the cabinet shelf in the back row of his study.

Time flew to August – the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Though the palace lanterns were exquisite, the people viewing them made Emperor Yuanjia lose interest. He selected a few guards and once again left the palace in disguise. In the hazy night, Emperor Yuanjia didn’t leave the city but wandered through the Capital City’s bustling streets.

Walking along, Emperor Yuanjia saw Lu Mu. Lu Mu wore brocade robes, holding a three or four-year-old boy in one arm and leading a young, beautiful woman with the other. It was said that Lu Mu’s wife came from humble origins but was extraordinarily beautiful, captivating this heir apparent completely. Seeing them today, the rumors seemed true.

Not wanting to be recognized by his subjects, Emperor Yuanjia took a different alley.

Emerging from the alley, another man and woman approached. Emperor Yuanjia quickly hid in the wall’s shadow, frowning slightly as he watched Da Zhou Shi leave side by side with a dashing, elegant man.

Looking at that man’s extraordinary bearing, could Da Zhou Shi have encountered someone she fancied again?

If Da Zhou Shi came out to view the lanterns, did Zhou Fu come too?

After leaving the alley, Emperor Yuanjia began purposefully observing the passing people.

He didn’t know how long he’d walked when Emperor Yuanjia stopped.

Not far away, at a lantern riddle booth, Zhou Fu stood beside Wei Jin, this year’s third-place scholar he had personally selected. Wei Jin looked up at the lantern riddles, his handsome face illuminated by the lamplight like a literary star descended from heaven. Zhou Fu was captivated by his elegance, gazing up at Wei Jin with affection in her beautiful eyes.

Wei Jin guessed a riddle correctly and won a prize – a jade comb.

Wei Jin gave the jade comb to Zhou Fu.

Zhou Fu coyly put her hands behind her back. Wei Jin then inserted the jade comb into her black hair.

The two looked at each other with affection in their eyes, then both turned their heads aside and walked in this direction side by side.

Emperor Yuanjia hid behind the tree’s shadows.

The moonlight remained bright, the lamp shadows layered, gorgeous and gentle, but Emperor Yuanjia lost his interest and returned to the palace.

The following year, Zhou Fu came of age and married into Earl Cheng’an’s mansion. The day before the wedding, Emperor Yuanjia sent someone to the leisure estate with a pair of jade ruyi as bridal gifts.