The journey to Shanning Prefecture would take two days. When darkness fell, they reached their overnight lodging point.

The servants who had gone ahead had already made arrangements, and the officials at the relay station who had received word came personally to receive them.

Qi Yue rubbed her waist and back as she got out of the carriage, surveying the relay station before her. This must be the ancient government guest house, she thought—with lanterns hanging high, slate-blue bricks and gray tiles, imposing and dignified.

“Young Madam,” A’Ru reminded her in a low voice.

Qi Yue came to her senses and saw Chang Yuncheng walking toward the inner gate, surrounded by four or five officials.

“Where is Miss Rao?” she asked, looking back.

Rao Yufang had just gotten off the carriage and came over with lowered head upon hearing the inquiry.

“Let’s go,” Qi Yue said with a smile.

Rao Yufang nodded and pulled the hood of her cloak lower, covering half her face.

The minor officials at the relay station secretly observed these two women protected by servants.

Such beauties… indeed, the family members of the Marquis’s household are as beautiful as heavenly immortals…

Qi Yue found everything fresh and interesting. Seeing that most of the rooms here were lit, it seemed there were quite a few guests.

“Walk faster, what are you looking at!” Chang Yuncheng had somehow appeared in front of her.

Qi Yue frowned and looked up at him. Just as she was about to retort, Chang Yuncheng raised his hand and pulled the hood behind her over her head, suddenly blocking her eyes.

“What are you doing!” Qi Yue said angrily, reaching up to pull at the hood.

“It’s so cold, keep it on,” Chang Yuncheng said in a low voice.

“Cold? What cold…” Qi Yue didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Before she could finish speaking, Chang Yuncheng grabbed her hand and pulled her forward.

“My wife has a weak constitution…” she heard Chang Yuncheng explaining to the people around them.

The surrounding officials laughed heartily, all praising the Prince for his tender care for his delicate wife.

What tender care? Was he really that kind-hearted? Qi Yue pursed her lips and used her other hand to lift the hood slightly so she could at least see where she was going.

“Miss…” the maid following behind Rao Yufang reminded her quietly.

Only then did Rao Yufang lift her feet to follow. Up ahead, Chang Yuncheng pulling Qi Yue had already been separated by the crowd of people surrounding them.

“This is Miss Rao, please arrange things properly for her.”

Chang Yuncheng’s voice came from ahead.

The Rao family? The officials were stunned. To be referred to directly as “the Rao family” and have connections with the Marquis Dingxi’s household could only mean the Shandong Rao family!

The officials who had assumed these were delicate wives and beautiful concubines traveling along suddenly realized, and several immediately came personally to pay their respects.

A slight smile appeared on Rao Yufang’s face beneath her hood as she returned the courtesies one by one. When she looked up again, Chang Yuncheng and Qi Yue had already entered their room.

Her steps hesitated for a moment.

“Miss Rao, this way please,” an official said attentively, leading the way.

It was in the opposite direction from Chang Yuncheng’s room…

Rao Yufang lowered her head and walked with light steps. After simple washing, dinner was brought.

At this time, the local officials would certainly be hosting a banquet for Chang Yuncheng, so he must have gone out to eat.

“Nanny Gui, do we still have any of the preserved meat in jars that we brought from home?” Rao Yufang asked.

The woman who was watching the maids organize the bedding they had brought hurried over at her call.

“Yes, we still have some. Knowing Miss loves to eat this, besides what was left for the concubine, we kept a small jar,” the woman said with a smile.

“Bring it out,” Rao Yufang said. “Take it for the Young Madam to taste.”

The woman was startled, then understood and nodded with a smile.

“Baojuan, come serve Miss while she combs her hair,” she called busily.

A young maid hurried over.

Rao Yufang sat before the mirror, carefully and lightly applying makeup…

That Young Madam was already a beauty—no matter how much makeup she applied, she couldn’t compare to her…

It would be better not to apply makeup at all…

Rao Yufang carefully wiped off the makeup she had applied.

When she brought people to Chang Yuncheng’s side, since they all recognized each other, the guards didn’t stop them.

“Miss Rao?” The maids and servants standing outside the door were all surprised.

“The Young Madam is eating dinner, isn’t she? I’m also alone, so I came to keep her company,” Rao Yufang said with a smile to the servants who came to greet her.

The servants smiled.

“Thank you, Miss…” one of the plump women said with a laugh, “but our Prince is also here, so you see…”

Rao Yufang was stunned.

The Prince was also here? Why hadn’t he gone to the banquet?

If the Prince was there, it wouldn’t be convenient for her, an unmarried young lady, to go in…

But…

Rao Yufang hesitated and turned around.

Wouldn’t it be better if he was there?

“This is preserved meat made by my mother. My aunt also loves to eat it most, so I wanted the Prince and Young Madam to taste it,” Rao Yufang said, taking the small jar from the servant behind her as she turned, then smoothly turning back to smile at the servant. “Please trouble yourself to take it in, Nanny.”

“Meat?”

Qi Yue stopped her chopsticks and asked, looking at the jar in the servant’s hands.

“Yes, made personally by our madam. Miss loves to eat it,” the young maid said with a giggle.

Chang Yuncheng sat to the side with his head lowered, eating, seemingly paying no attention to any of this.

“Then thank her for me,” Qi Yue indicated to receive it and smiled. “Has your miss eaten yet?”

“Not yet, she’s outside,” the maid answered quickly.

Outside?

“Then quickly invite her in to eat together,” Qi Yue said with a smile.

A’Ru, who was serving dishes nearby, coughed, but was still a step too late—the young maid agreed and immediately turned and left.

Soon footsteps could be heard outside the door.

“Miss Rao has arrived,” a servant announced.

A’Ru’s expression changed slightly. How could this Miss Rao be so improper? She actually came in!

She couldn’t help but look at Chang Yuncheng.

Chang Yuncheng also seemed somewhat surprised and frowned.

Rao Yufang entered. Indoors, she wasn’t wearing her cloak, only an elegant dress and jacket.

“Prince, Young Madam,” she lowered her head and curtsied.

Chang Yuncheng grunted, and Qi Yue smiled and beckoned for her to sit.

“I thought the Prince had gone out to eat and that the Young Madam was alone, so…” she sat down and said with some unease.

“Yes, yes, I also thought…” Qi Yue casually smiled and said.

Before she could finish, Chang Yuncheng kicked her under the table.

Qi Yue turned her head to glare at him.

Chang Yuncheng didn’t look at her and stood up.

“You eat,” he said, and walked out leisurely.

Finally comfortable, Qi Yue happily picked up her chopsticks.

“Eat quickly. The food here is really quite good,” she said, beckoning to Rao Yufang.

Rao Yufang watched Chang Yuncheng stand up, disappointment flashing across her face.

“I… disturbed the Prince’s meal… I should go back to eat…” she stood up, looking apologetic.

“Oh, he’s finished eating,” Qi Yue laughed. “Sit down quickly. What’s the point of eating alone?”

Chang Yuncheng, who was stepping out the door, paused when he heard this.

This annoying woman—he had thought she didn’t know!

Eating alone was no fun, so he had specifically stayed to keep her company…

But as soon as she sat down to eat, she gave him that sour look as if he was deliberately disgusting her…

Chang Yuncheng pressed his lips and strode out.

To A’Ru’s relief, this Rao Yufang didn’t go further overboard and left quickly after simply eating.

“Young Madam, this Miss Rao seems somewhat… improper,” she said quietly to Qi Yue while helping her remove her hairpins and ornaments.

Qi Yue rubbed her shoulders, which were sore from a day of bumping around, and laughed.

“People naturally have a love of beauty,” she said. “Don’t mention young ladies—even someone my age can’t help but want to look a few more times, much less a girl who rarely has opportunities to go out and finally has a chance to feast her eyes. It’s understandable if she loses her composure.”

A’Ru didn’t understand a word of this.

“What’s understandable?” Chang Yuncheng entered and asked.

A’Ru quickly curtsied and stepped back.

“Being moved by seeing a handsome man,” Qi Yue laughed, turning from the mirror to wink at him with a smile.

In the dim lamplight, with the bronze mirror gleaming, the woman before the mirror appeared even more beautiful.

Chang Yuncheng uncomfortably looked away and sat down, not really hearing what Qi Yue had said.

“Hey, it’s getting late,” Qi Yue walked over and said.

Chang Yuncheng looked up at her.

“You didn’t just get one room, did you?” Qi Yue frowned and asked, seeing his expression.

Chang Yuncheng smiled.

This stupid woman…

“Do you think it would be appropriate for me to get two rooms?” he asked back.

For a married couple to have separate rooms when traveling—this wasn’t at home, but at a relay station outside…

Qi Yue suddenly understood too.

Caring about face—you’re also afraid of losing face, aren’t you? I thought you weren’t afraid of anything.

She pursed her lips and indicated for A’Ru to withdraw.

“You’re all tired too. Rest early—we still have to travel tomorrow morning,” she said.

A’Ru nodded.

“The Prince is being kind, don’t deliberately provoke him,” she said quietly as she helped Qi Yue shake out her long hair, walking close.

Qi Yue gave her a look that said “you’re suspecting me again.”

A’Ru withdrew with the maids.

The room became quiet.

“Change clothes,” Chang Yuncheng said, spreading his arms.

“In your dreams,” Qi Yue snorted. “Don’t you have hands?”

Chang Yuncheng’s face darkened as he reached out himself.

Qi Yue ignored him and frowned as she looked around the room. Fortunately, it was the custom in ancient times to have servants keep night watch, so there were small beds in the room for servants to sleep on.

“I’ll sleep here, you…” she said, pointing to the bed and turning around.

As she turned, she couldn’t help but be startled.

Chang Yuncheng was already down to just his pants.

“You, you, you… there are still people in the room, and you… what are you taking off!” Qi Yue frowned and said, turning her head away.

Chang Yuncheng swayed past her, taking out his undergarments and slowly putting them on.

How strange—this woman was shy, but along with the shyness was a certain frankness that made her feel both amusing and… comfortable and natural.

“Exhibitionist,” Qi Yue muttered, holding her clothes and placing them on the bed, preparing to lower the bed curtains to change.

Chang Yuncheng sat down on the bed.

“Hey, I’m sleeping in the bed. You’re a man—have some manners, okay?” Qi Yue said, hurriedly pushing against his shoulder. “Get up quickly.”

Just as she pushed hard, Chang Yuncheng was lying down on the bed, and her push met empty air, causing her to tumble over too.

Qi Yue was startled and hurriedly grabbed the curtain for support, but instead pulled it down.

This woman suddenly fell on top of him, and Chang Yuncheng was also startled. The curtain blocked the light in the room, and vision dimmed.

“Who told you to lie down…” Qi Yue muttered, propping herself up with her hands to get up. Before she could rise, a pair of large hands embraced her waist.

This was much more frightening than the earlier fall.

Qi Yue cried out in alarm, pressed against Chang Yuncheng’s chest.

“Calm down!” she couldn’t help but shout, struggling to break free. “You must stay calm, don’t think wildly…”

Along with these words, Chang Yuncheng rolled over, pressing her beneath him.

Qi Yue felt dizzy and breathless. Before she could react, lips breathing hot air kissed her mouth.

Damn it!

Qi Yue’s mind exploded!

She had known that a man and woman alone in a room would lead to trouble!