As soon as Qiling entered the stone cave, she saw Zhu Nanxian standing beside the blazing fire, looking at her with a stern expression: “Why did you come?”

Qiling said in surprise: “Just now this subject heard Your Highness tell Commander Tan that you wanted to reheat the partridge soup. This subject saw Your Highness was busy caring for Lord Su and couldn’t spare the time, so…”

Before she finished speaking, she suddenly saw Su Jin standing behind Zhu Nanxian.

This originally elegant and refined censor wore a crabapple-red cloak, her black hair cascading over both shoulders. Her beautiful features complemented the rosy color on her cheeks, making it difficult to distinguish male from female for a moment.

But Su Jin simply stood there with hands clasped behind her back, looking at Qiling with a calm countenance. Her eyes revealed a sharp luster, and her dust-free bearing inspired awe.

Qiling thought of a phrase—official authority.

This imposing official authority made her feel that the ambiguous gentleness about Su Jin was perhaps just an illusion created by the crabapple-red color.

She quickly set down the bowl in her hands and curtseyed: “This subject has been improper and has offended Your Highness and the lord.”

Zhu Nanxian said nothing.

Su Jin made an acknowledging sound and said flatly: “Go out.”

The firelight cast circles of halos on the stone cave walls.

Though it was only a touch that immediately separated, that softness seemed to linger perpetually at the lips, still burning the heart.

After a moment of silence, Su Jin said: “Although His Majesty has not mobilized troops from the Northern Main Camp, he should at least know Your Highness entered the forbidden zone. If Your Highness doesn’t return to camp, His Majesty will certainly send people to search. Calculating the time, someone should find us before noon today.”

Zhu Nanxian nodded: “That’s good.” He walked to the wooden frame and felt the garments hanging on it. “Already dry. Change your clothes first.”

As soon as Su Jin finished changing clothes, Tan Zhaolin came in from outside, poking his head in to ask: “My lord, what just happened?”

Su Jin was using a hair ribbon to tie up her hair, seeming perfectly composed: “What do you mean?”

Tan Zhaolin said: “Just now His Highness came out from inside with a dark expression. When he picked up his blade, he even stared at me. I felt like he wanted to cleave me in two, but I didn’t do anything wrong.” He scratched his head and added: “It was just that when His Highness told me to watch the cave entrance, I accidentally dozed off for a bit.”

Su Jin’s hair-tying motion paused. She frowned slightly and swept a glance at him from the corner of her eye.

Tan Zhaolin was stunned: “My lord, did I say something wrong again? Why aren’t you happy either? I really didn’t cause any trouble.”

Su Jin didn’t wish to say more to him. She picked up Zhu Nanxian’s cloak and outer robe from the grass mat, spread them out and shook them, then folded them carefully and neatly: “Where is His Highness?”

Tan Zhaolin squatted down beside her: “Just now His Highness returned Fourth Miss Qi’s cloak. Fourth Miss said she had something to tell His Highness, so the two of them moved outside the cave to talk.”

Hearing this, Su Jin’s eyelids lowered slightly as she made an acknowledging sound.

Tan Zhaolin glanced at Su Jin’s expression and suddenly remembered the matter of the Thirteenth Prince having taken a fancy to his lord.

He originally wanted to ask Su Jin’s thoughts, but then considered that his lord was after all a woman—how could he say this directly? He could only use the method he’d used to test the Thirteenth Prince to test Lord Su as well.

So he asked: “My lord, when I was a commander before, I heard the city patrol censors say that censors are in charge of rules. The higher the rank of the censor, the more they oversee. Someone like you—do you even manage the Emperor’s family affairs?”

Su Jin, while washing her hands with the snow water Zhu Nanxian had boiled, replied: “Speak plainly.”

Tan Zhaolin said: “Look, you’re so close with the Thirteenth Prince. He’s at this age and still not married—why don’t you remonstrate with him?”

Su Jin paused. She turned to look at Tan Zhaolin, instantly sizing him up completely from top to bottom, and said: “This official is first a person, and only then a censor. As long as it doesn’t violate morality or exceed bottom lines, one can be selfish.”

Tan Zhaolin scratched his head. Why didn’t he understand again?

At the hour of Mao in early spring, only a sliver of light appeared at the horizon. Outside the cave, cold air rushed to meet them. Zhu Nanxian turned to look at Qiling: “What do you want to tell this prince?”

The morning wind swept Qiling’s dress backward. On this dim mountainside, she was like a delicate plum blossom.

“This subject heard that Your Highness will depart to return to your domain on the seventh.”

Zhu Nanxian said: “Yes, leaving early morning on the seventh.”

Qiling said: “Your Highness won’t even wait for the blessing prayers and spring welcoming? This subject heard that after the spring welcoming, His Majesty will bestow upon Your Highness—”

“There is no bestowed marriage.” Zhu Nanxian interrupted.

He looked at her with hands clasped behind his back, his moon-white martial attire as if dyed with frost: “The reason this prince brought you to the winter hunt was because Father Emperor commanded it. Father Emperor’s health is poor, and this prince didn’t wish to contradict him directly. But after the winter hunt, this prince will explain clearly to him. As for the Qi family, this prince’s imperial sister-in-law will personally visit to apologize. You need not worry about your marriage either. After this prince’s imperial brother ascends the throne, he will adopt you as a sworn sister and personally help you find a good match.”

Qiling stared at Zhu Nanxian in a daze.

She suddenly remembered that Lantern Festival when he was a youth and came to the Qi residence.

She was crossing a stone bridge when her newly made lantern nearly fell into the water. He extended his blade handle, flicked the lantern up in mid-air, and handed it back to her saying: “The lantern is so beautiful—be careful.”

She had never seen such a spirited and radiant youth. His eyes were so bright, as if they contained all the vast stars.

Qiling lowered her gaze and said softly: “But what Your Highness spoke of is not what Ruyu wants.” She paused, then suddenly said somewhat humbly: “Your Highness will ultimately take consorts, won’t you? Your Highness is a legitimate prince, a domain prince. Ruyu doesn’t seek to be Your Highness’s principal consort—even a secondary consort isn’t necessary. As long as I can constantly accompany Your Highness’s side, would it not be acceptable even as a serving maid?”

Zhu Nanxian shook his head: “It would not.”

There was only one position at his side, already promised long ago to the person in his heart.

“But Ruyu heard that Your Highness has a jade pendant carved with the character ‘rain’ that you’ve kept on your person for two years, and it is… to be given to Ruyu.”

Zhu Nanxian said: “You misunderstand. This jade pendant is this prince’s most precious possession. The character ‘rain’ on it has nothing to do with you. This prince will never give it to anyone in this lifetime.”

A spark of light suddenly flashed at the foot of the snow-white mountain. Zhu Nanxian said no more to Qiling. In two or three steps, he walked to the mountain path’s edge and looked down. That single spark gradually became a winding long dragon. By the firelight, one could vaguely see a procession wearing black armor and flying eagle crowns—the Yingyang Guards.

Zhu Nanxian smiled and called out loudly: “Twelfth Brother!”

Zhu Qiyue had already spotted Zhu Nanxian. He immediately dismounted in one motion and, bringing several personal guards, quickly ascended the mountainside. By the torchlight, he looked Zhu Nanxian up and down, then reached out to clap him on the arm: “You brat—since you’re perfectly fine, why didn’t you come out earlier? You made Father Emperor worry needlessly.”

Zhu Nanxian said: “I encountered danger in the forest. There were illnesses and injuries—I couldn’t leave for a while.” He asked again: “Is Father Emperor well?”

“It seems his old ailment flared up. When I left, he had already been helped down to rest.”

As the two spoke, several personal guards had already helped Ashan out of the cave. Su Jin came forward to pay respects to Zhu Qiyue, then after brief consideration asked: “May this subject ask Twelfth Prince—since His Majesty is ill, is the camp currently under the Crown Prince’s authority?”

Zhu Qiyue nodded once: “Naturally it should be under Elder Imperial Brother’s authority.”

Su Jin pondered inwardly. Judging from Zhu Qiyue’s tone, not only had Zhu Minda come to no harm, it seemed he hadn’t encountered any danger at all. Then had her previous deductions been in error? But where exactly was this error?

Never mind. She was currently deep in the mountains, unable to hear or see—dwelling on this matter was truly pointless. After exiting the hunting grounds, she could think further after questioning Shen Qingyue and Zuo Qian.

After Zhu Qiyue found Zhu Nanxian, he ordered someone to send word to the other imperial guard units. The snowstorm had stopped. Though the mountain paths were somewhat easier to traverse, because they had wounded soldiers and women with them, they couldn’t move quickly. The group camped at an outpost that night and didn’t exit the forest until the morning of the second day.

Zhu Minda had already led the other princes and court officials to wait outside the camp. Upon seeing Zhu Nanxian emerge, half relieved and half reproachful, he said: “Your behavior this time was improper—you made Father Emperor and this palace worry needlessly.” Then he examined him carefully: “Are you injured?”

Zhu Nanxian said: “Imperial Brother can be at ease.”

Zhu Minda nodded slightly and glanced at Su Jin following behind Zhu Nanxian. He turned to look at Zhu Mixiao: “Fourteenth, before the winter hunt, you yourself requested to take Censor Su hunting. Why did you fail to protect her thoroughly?”

Zhu Mixiao said dismissively: “Elder Imperial Brother wrongly blames this imperial brother. Didn’t this imperial brother already explain? After Censor Su arrived at the hunting grounds, finding it fresh and interesting, she chased after a rabbit and lost her trail. This prince also ordered people to search for half a day.”

Hearing this, Zhu Min’er said angrily: “Zhu Fourteen, you’re spouting nonsense! Censor Su is a scholar—why would he chase rabbits? If you hadn’t harbored ill intentions and led him to the forbidden zone, why would he only now be coming out!”

Zhu Mixiao sneered: “This prince has already explained what needed explaining. Think what you will. Besides, isn’t Censor Su perfectly fine right now—”

Before he finished speaking, a blade was placed against his neck.

It was Zhu Nanxian’s “Cuiwei.”

The sharp spring wind brushed past the dark scabbard, emanating killing intent. Though surrounded by princes and court officials, not one person stepped forward to intervene, because they had never seen such cold, forest-like chill on the Thirteenth Prince’s face.

Zhu Nanxian said: “Do you still remember what this prince warned you at Third Brother’s residence?”

At that time, he had crashed the banquet at the Third Prince’s residence alone and broken Zhu Mixiao’s hand bones, warning him that next time it wouldn’t be as simple as loosening muscles and bones.

Yet Zhu Fourteen had nearly caused Su Jin to die in a beast’s jaws.

Zhu Nanxian dared not think what would have happened if he had arrived one step later.

Zhu Mixiao looked at the forest-deep coldness in Zhu Nanxian’s eyes.

The coldness carried contempt, suddenly striking directly at his pain of so many years—between him and Zhu Nanxian, there had always been the difference between legitimate and common birth, the distinction of high and low status. If Thirteenth truly wished to punish him, he had no recourse.

Fear suddenly arose in Zhu Mixiao’s heart: “This prince merely made a suggestion to Father Emperor. If not for Seventeenth’s meddling, Father Emperor wouldn’t have approved—”

Before he could finish, a ringing sound—the long blade left its sheath. The blade light flashed like water and immediately sliced down from his shoulder. Fresh blood spurted out. Before Zhu Mixiao could even react, his arm had already flown off.

All around was silent as if no one was present.

Zhu Nanxian looked at Zhu Mixiao, whose face was deathly pale as he knelt on the ground in pain, and said flatly: “From this day forward, you and this prince sever all fraternal ties. You lack one hand and cannot perform the hand salute when you see this prince in the future. Make do with those two legs—kneel in greeting and farewell.”

He sheathed his blade and walked directly past Zhu Mixiao, his foot treading through the blood on the ground as he called: “Ministry of Justice.”

Shen Tuo hadn’t come. The Vice Minister of Justice accompanying the imperial retinue hurriedly came out to bow and prostrate himself.

Zhu Nanxian said: “In the two years this prince has been stationed in Nanchang, Zhu Mixiao has repeatedly sent assassins. This prince commands you—after returning to the capital, come to this prince’s residence to collect evidence. Submit the criminal evidence and testimony directly to the imperial desk in Fengtian Hall. Not a moment’s delay is permitted.”