“If this prince asked you to return to the capital with me, would you be willing?”

“Unwilling.” It came out almost immediately, without leaving any room for thought.

Jingrong asked, “Why?”

Why?

Ji Yunshu’s gaze instantly fell, fixing tightly on the pile of flames burning more and more fiercely.

After a long while, she finally squeezed out a few words from her mouth. “I cannot leave.”

Sometimes, Jingrong truly didn’t understand Ji Yunshu’s words—at times profound, at times so simple they were difficult to comprehend!

That bland, insipid temperament also made it impossible to argue with her!

Jingrong thought for a moment and ultimately stopped questioning her.

Perhaps it was because Ji Yunshu’s thoughts had sunk low and her eyes drooped slightly that the small bamboo stick in her hand inadvertently poked at a red-hot wooden stake. Sparks exploded like firecrackers, splashing onto the back of her hand.

“Ah—”

She cried out softly in pain.

The small bamboo stick fell. She clutched her hand, waves of pain washing over her.

At the very instant she cried out, Jingrong sprang up, violently pushed aside the clothes hanging between them, and walked toward Ji Yunshu with great concern. He crouched down and pulled her spark-splashed hand in front of himself.

On the back of her hand, several small red dots had already formed.

Jingrong carefully blew on them while saying, “How can you be so careless?”

The next moment, Ji Yunshu immediately pulled her hand back, her eyes filled with shock.

Right now, they were both wearing only their inner robes!

Ji Yunshu hugged her arms and suddenly sat up from the ground, immediately reaching to grab the clothes draped on the frame.

However, unexpectedly, as she rose, the pearl on her hair ornament suddenly fell loose, and with the large amplitude of her movement—

Her hair, which had been piled high, now slowly came undone. Her ink-black long hair, like a clear waterfall from a high mountain, accompanied by a gentle breeze, cascaded down, falling toward her already slender waist!

At this moment, Ji Yunshu had already grabbed her clothes and pressed them against her chest, then raised her hands to her head, holding down her already cascading black hair.

In her haste, she looked back. Her graceful hair lightly brushed up, sweeping across her delicate, flushed face, carrying an ethereal quality as if she didn’t partake of mortal food!

Her gaze also met directly with Jingrong’s dumbstruck eyes.

Jingrong stared at her motionlessly. At this moment, in his outstretched palm lay the pearl that had fallen from her hair ornament!

Not surprised—but awestruck!

Hair reaching the waist—that scene, Jingrong had fantasized about many times.

Whether it was him personally removing her hair clasp, or her standing before him with exquisite makeup.

But it just had to be like this!

Beautiful, so beautiful!

One had to say, his heart was overwhelmingly excited, yet beyond words.

Such emotions, such wonder and delight—Jingrong hid them well, lest his thoughts be completely seen through by this meticulous woman before his eyes!

After a shiver of cold, Ji Yunshu quickly draped on her clothes, averted her gaze, and spoke flatly. “This humble one has been impolite. May Your Highness forgive the offense.”

“What offense is there?”

“The offense of deception.”

“What deception?”

“Identity.”

“And so?” He always kept asking incessantly.

This left Ji Yunshu not knowing how to answer.

But then Jingrong suddenly said, “No matter. This prince will not hold this offense against you.”

His tone was gentle, his lips curved in a slight smile.

Ji Yunshu said nothing more, head lowered, black hair brushing against her face, showing only her upright, delicate nose.

Jingrong took two small steps forward and handed her the hair ornament pearl.

Ji Yunshu reached out to take it, but he clutched it tightly in his palm and said, “This ornament pearl shall remain with this prince for now.”

“An ordinary ornament pearl—why must Your Highness seize it?”

“Ordinary? This prince finds it exceedingly precious.”

Her body stiffened. “…”

Jingrong carefully played with the ornament pearl in his hand, crouched down to sit on the ground, held the pearl up to the firelight to examine it, and said with a slight smile at the corner of his mouth, “Master Ji… I should call you Miss Ji. This prince is very curious—why do you disguise yourself and move about among the dead? Shouldn’t young ladies from ordinary families stay in their inner chambers, not stepping beyond the main gate or secondary gate? Staying home to embroider and raise flowers, then when the years pass, find a good family to marry into.”

His understanding of women’s affairs was truly deep!

Ji Yunshu only answered, “Need money!”

“Need money?” Jingrong was astonished and looked up at her. “The illustrious Ji family would be short of money?”

Sure enough, her background had been thoroughly investigated by him!

“It seems that when Your Highness sent White Cloud Silk and burned my father’s whip, it was intentional.”

His fingertip rotated the ornament pearl as he smiled. “A small effort.”

This small effort reached quite far.

Jingrong continued, “Miss Ji has already dressed properly. Why not sit down? This prince truly dislikes looking up at others.”

Wrapping her clothes around herself once more, Ji Yunshu moved away two steps before sitting down.

“Are you very afraid of this prince?” His hawk-like brows swept over.

“No.”

“Then why do you sit so far away?” Jingrong was displeased and patted the space beside him. “Come sit a bit closer. This prince isn’t unclothed—what are you afraid of? Besides, sitting so far away, on this long night, how will you keep warm?”

This…

Why did these words always sound a bit odd?

Ji Yunshu could only comply, but only shifted slightly, getting closer to the fire.

“Since Your Highness has long known my identity, why not expose me?” She asked the doubt in her heart.

Hey, hey, hey, are you toying with me?

This question earned her a mischievous smile from Jingrong. That handsome face clearly held an intriguing feeling.

He only said, “Since you were intent on concealing it, why would this prince expose you?”

This reason left Ji Yunshu powerless to refute.

Jingrong frowned and looked at her sideways, circling the question back around. “This prince is very curious—aren’t you the third young miss of the Ji family? How could you be short of money? And how could you be whipped by that old fellow?”

Old fellow?

Ji Yunshu secretly gave him a thumbs up!

Taking a breath, she only answered, “Every family has its own difficulties to bear. Your Highness, as a member of the imperial family, naturally also has bitter things hard to speak of. What about ordinary common families? A drop of oil, a grain of rice, or even as small as a needle—all can be causes of conflict. Being scolded, being beaten—aren’t these everyday matters?”

At these words, Jingrong became thoughtful. “You staying in this small Jinjiang City is truly a waste of talent.”

“I don’t understand Your Highness’s meaning.”

“Do you know that the capital is so vast it can contain fierce tigers and paired dragons, hold a mighty army of one hundred thousand? Inside there are golden halls, outside there are city walls. From the great dragon might of the Emperor to the small gate magistrates, regulations and laws are clear, the system of governance is strict. Prosperous bustling streets, ten miles of red dowry—such a realm should be where Miss Ji belongs.”

His words were earnest!

She never knew Jingrong’s eloquence was so good.

However…

“A place for dragons and phoenixes naturally holds dragons and phoenixes. A little canary belongs in small cities and counties—that is where peace lies.”

“Why?”

“Though the capital is vast, danger lurks everywhere. Though regulations are strict, law and reason don’t exclude human sentiment. Though the streets are prosperous and bustling, they can’t compare to the leisure of Jinjiang’s small paths and lanes.”

Having heard Ji Yunshu’s words, Jingrong couldn’t help but say, “Sharp-tongued and clever!”

But one had to admit, everything Ji Yunshu said was true!

Jingrong once again picked up that small bamboo stick and began poking at the flames again.

At the corner of his mouth, he always wore a deep smile!

Ji Yunshu hugged her knees and said nothing more.

Cold night conversation—ended here!

The two sat side by side like this, both falling into silence.

One heart anxious, one heart delighted!

Each with their own thoughts.

Unable to endure the long night, Ji Yunshu put her long hair back up in a bun, leaned against the pillar behind her, and closed her eyes.

Yet Jingrong’s thoughts were unsteady.

He looked at her sideways. Under the reflection of the orange-red firelight, Ji Yunshu’s palm-sized face was like a piece of superior blood jade, always able to capture others’ gazes inadvertently. Under those slightly curled lashes, her tightly closed eyes seemed to carry a trace of worry—faint, yet tugging painfully at one’s heart!

Not thinking further, Jingrong took down his clothes from the frame and covered Ji Yunshu with them. As for himself, he added a few more pieces of wood to the fire before lying down by the fire to rest.

The wind and rain-lashed night howled outside the temple hall all night long!

The next day, the rain had stopped. When Ji Yunshu woke, she was covered with Jingrong’s clothes. Looking around again, Jingrong was nowhere to be seen.

Just as she was puzzled, Jingrong came in from outside, holding several steaming buns in his hands.

“Awake?”

She nodded.

Jingrong handed her the buns. “Eat them while they’re hot.”

Ji Yunshu handed Jingrong his robe back while receiving the buns, scanning Jingrong up and down with a strange question. “Your Highness, you didn’t go out like this, did you?”

At this moment, Jingrong was only wearing his inner robe with a pair of boots. Though not exposing his body, it was still somewhat inappropriate, wasn’t it?

“Yes, no one saw anyway.” He nodded while putting on his clothes.

“No one saw?” Ji Yunshu was puzzled. “Then where did these buns come from?”

“Casually acquired, casually acquired.”

How embarrassing!

Stealing is stealing!

This gave Ji Yunshu new understanding of this Buddha.

Where was he stealing? He clearly exchanged a silver ingot for them.

After eating a bun and tidying up a bit, the two left the temple hall and went to the dock.

Because the wind and waves had calmed, there were already several boats at the dock. The two boarded a boat and returned to the city.

Jingrong was uneasy and said he wanted to see her home.

“No need. Let’s go to the yamen.”

“At this hour?” Jingrong didn’t understand.

Ji Yunshu nodded and headed toward the yamen, explaining as she went. “If nothing unexpected happens, the case of the yin-yang corpses should be solved today.”

“So certain?” Jingrong followed behind her.

“After conducting a small experiment, we should know. However…” Her steps stopped as she looked at Jingrong seriously. “Please, Your Highness, do not reveal my identity as a woman, to avoid trouble.”

With a light smile, he said, “Actually, this prince has also grown accustomed to your male appearance.”

“…”

Helpless, she could only quicken her pace forward.

Jingrong smiled and followed.

In less than half the time, they arrived at the yamen. The county magistrate, seeing the two arrive together, was slightly surprised.