The lanterns hanging under the eaves hung quietly, casting overlapping shadows. A dark figure paced back and forth in front of the stables for a while before walking under the light. Only then did Qun Qing see clearly—it was a lady dressed as a palace maid, hurrying forward with sleeves drawn in.

Though this lady was dressed as a palace maid, her hair bun was very loose, with half her hair strands scattered on her snow-white neck. That familiar gait and posture made Qun Qing quickly step forward to intercept her.

The palace maid looked up in alarm. It was indeed Yang Fu. She wore palace maid’s clothes but had carefully applied makeup, her lips gleaming with luster. Seeing Qun Qing examining her, Yang Fu bit her lip in embarrassment. “What, seeing me fall to this state amuses you?”

Qun Qing no longer needed to ask how she got out. Since she was disguised and dressed up, she certainly had some scheme in mind.

“Who are you meeting?” Qun Qing saw a figure in that chamber. “Is it Prince Yan?”

Yang Fu said coldly, “You don’t need to concern yourself. None of you look after me—can’t I figure out a way for myself?”

“If you truly came to find Prince Yan of your own accord, naturally I wouldn’t interfere.” Qun Qing said, “Have you become a spy?”

Yang Fu’s expression froze for a moment. She looked at Qun Qing with bitter resentment. “What about you? Have you betrayed the Chu state?”

Qun Qing hadn’t expected Princess Bao’an would harbor resentment from being coldly treated and turn to Nan Chu, but thinking carefully, it was something Yang Fu could do.

“Go ahead.” Qun Qing neatly stepped aside. Yang Fu truly liked Li Huan anyway. “I just hope you can bring yourself to do it.”

Yang Fu paused for a moment, then walked into the meditation room.

Late at night, Lu Huating returned to his quarters and discovered Li Huan’s bed held only pillows stacked together. He turned and went out, following all the way to a meditation room.

Inside the window were the shadows of Li Huan and Princess Bao’an embracing.

Juan Su went to pull Lu Huating back. In an instant, his face received a palm strike. Though the strike was light, it was enough to greatly alarm Juan Su. Covering his face, he said, “This subordinate knows his error! Princess Bao’an never paid attention to His Highness before. With great difficulty, she gave him a kind look, so His Highness agreed to her request and secretly brought Princess Bao’an out. His Highness knew the Chief Clerk didn’t like her, so he told me to hide it from you…”

Lu Huating calmed down and sneered coldly. “Meat that bites—I wonder if the dog still likes it.”

“Is the Chief Clerk saying Princess Bao’an has become Nan Chu’s person?” Juan Su grew anxious, but Lu Huating said nothing more.

When the two walked to the entrance, a lady was already standing at the door.

Hearing the sound, Qun Qing turned her head and met Lu Huating’s eyes. Each looked away, both seeing wordlessness in the other’s eyes.

Qun Qing felt Lu Huating’s attention wasn’t on the two people in the room, but rather he was staring at her with those dark, upturned eyes, seeming to want to mock her death in her previous life, wanting to capture broken expressions on her face.

Unfortunately, Qun Qing’s heart had long been calm as an ancient well, showing him not a trace of emotion. “Perhaps romantic love between men and women is difficult to control.”

Lu Huating seemed not to have expected this reaction from her. He said indifferently, “I cannot understand this. Can you understand it, Miss?”

“Food and sex are human nature,” Qun Qing said. “What’s not to understand about this? Chief Clerk, have you never been betrothed?”

This single sentence actually made Lu Huating glance at her sideways.

In the night, Qun Qing was draped in brilliant moonlight, her profile meticulous, looking as if untainted by a trace of mortal dust. Lu Huating hadn’t expected she could say such things so casually.

She had indeed been betrothed.

Suddenly, he thought again of the wrinkles in Qun Qing’s clothes, that undone inner collar button.

“People can control themselves. Only dogs lack self-control.” A moment later, Lu Huating’s voice was like cold jade, smiling yet contemptuous.

“Gods and Buddhas above, I never dare speak so absolutely.” Qun Qing walked past Lu Huating. Seeing the taut expression on his pale face, satisfaction rose in her heart. She deliberately looked up at him intently. When he glanced over, she smiled. “Tell Prince Yan to be careful.”

—

The next day, Qun Qing went to the Chief Eunuch’s place to receive a bag of iron arrows with arrowheads—ten arrows per bag. The deer and wild boar in the forest hid very deep. This bag of arrows could let Zheng Zhiyi play all day.

Emperor Chenming and Prince Zhao had entered the forest early with the Jinwu Guards. The first batch of prey in the early morning was reserved for the Emperor. Zheng Zhiyi didn’t compete with them either. With this rare opportunity unconstrained by rank and protocol, after waking she took a garment and gathered with the imperial consorts to talk.

“Your son’s prayer robe was soaked once in alum water, then dried. When the material hardens, it hangs smoothly.”

The consorts gathered around to look—it had indeed become much firmer.

Consort Rong said, “I don’t know why this year’s prayer robes are so flimsy. This method is good. When we return, this consort will have my serving palace maid learn from it.”

“With this method, I’ll learn too.”

Zheng Zhiyi said, “If the mother consorts find it troublesome, you can send the prayer robes to your son’s palace. Your son will process them for you.”

“That would be wonderful!” someone said.

While they were talking, Li Xuan came carrying his robe to invite the consorts to eat the first ram the Emperor had hunted. The kitchen staff had plucked and processed it on the spot, deboned and divided it—it was already roasted.

This mutton wasn’t necessarily delicious, but it was an auspicious portion, so naturally they were pleased. Talking and laughing, they crossed the bridge to eat the mutton. Li Xuan looked at Zheng Zhiyi, then at Qun Qing. “What task have you taken on again?”

Zheng Zhiyi said, “Miss Qing discovered that the prayer robe material easily catches fire. She reported it to the Shangshu Bureau, but no one paid attention, so she thought of this method to inform the six palaces. After soaking in alum water, it won’t burn.”

Halfway through listening, Li Xuan’s anger attacked his heart. The prayer robes had already been distributed. Trying to replace them now was too late. He turned to Shouxi. “Who is the Chief Stewardess of the Shangshu Bureau? Neglecting her duties yet still has the face to receive her stipend. Transmit this prince’s order—remove her from the position of Chief Stewardess.”

“Your Highness, don’t worry either. Perhaps this servant is just overly cautious, and nothing may actually go wrong,” Qun Qing said. “Why not first have the ladies process the prayer robes with alum water so as not to cause panic?”

Li Xuan glanced at Qun Qing. “I find it somewhat strange. If the prayer robes have problems, why didn’t you tell me directly?”

Li Xuan was alarmingly perceptive, detecting her guilty conscience. Qun Qing’s eyelashes trembled. “Chief Stewardess Gu of the Shangshu Bureau has been flattering superiors and oppressing subordinates for years. If this servant had told Your Highness in advance, would Your Highness still have this anger to remove her from office?”

Li Xuan most detested others scheming against him. His eyes changed. “Don’t rely on this prince’s indulgence to be too clever.”

Qun Qing agreed and, sweating profusely, pulled Zheng Zhiyi away.

From where the meditation rooms were located to the forest on the opposite bank, at the shallow ford without a bridge, one had to step on a series of stones in the stream to cross.

These stone blocks allowed only one person at a time. Zheng Zhiyi held up her skirt and walked in front.

Who knew someone was coming from the opposite direction, meeting Zheng Zhiyi on this narrow path?

This young man wore linen monk’s robes and wound prayer beads around his hand. A pair of black, bright eyes saw Zheng Zhiyi and raised his palm in greeting.

It was that young envoy from the Liuli Kingdom, Dewu. Zheng Zhiyi recognized him and said excitedly, “It’s you, the one who drew that ugly picture!”

Dewu didn’t understand Chinese and responded hesitantly in Sanskrit, “I’ve met the Crown Princess.”

“I think that ugly picture doesn’t look like me—it looks like you. Big head, thin legs, no hair.” Zheng Zhiyi examined him, smiling more deeply. “Don’t you think so?”

Seeing her radiant spirit, Dewu only thought she was praising him. He smiled shyly and responded with embarrassment, “Dewu thanks the Crown Princess for her high regard.”

“Oh, so you think so too.” Seeing him nod, Zheng Zhiyi understood on her own.

Qun Qing finally relied on her strong sense of balance to squeeze beside Zheng Zhiyi, ending this absurd conversation between the two.

Who knew Dewu would directly jump down from the stone? His monk’s robe below the knees soaked in the stream water. He bowed to them both. “This humble monk can wade through the water. Please step on the stones to cross the river.”

Zheng Zhiyi turned her head, staring blankly at Dewu’s back as he waded away. “He’s actually quite nice.”

“Miss Qing, the young monk dropped something.” Zheng Zhiyi pointed at the tassel soaking in the water, originally hanging from the tail of the prayer beads.

Qun Qing picked up the tassel. “I’ll first escort the Crown Princess across, then return it to him.”

—

A eunuch came running with the horse Zheng Zhiyi had selected—a sturdy jujube-red horse. Its four hooves stamped the ground as it kept turning its head to exhale white vapor. The nearby Hunt Master saw this and came running. “The horse the Crown Princess selected seems rather agitated today. How about this subject brings another one?”

“No need. If I can’t even tame a horse, I’d be my father’s daughter in vain,” Zheng Zhiyi said.

She embraced the horse’s head and stroked it twice. Not knowing what she did, the jujube-red horse docilely lowered its head. She vaulted onto the horse and said, “I spoke to it by its ear. It understood.”

The Hunt Master was amazed. Qun Qing also admired this.

“Miss Qing, do you want to come up? I’ll take you hunting.” Zheng Zhiyi, carrying bow and arrows, rode the horse in circles on the spot, full of spirit, wishing she could immediately rush into the forest.

“No need.” Qun Qing instructed, holding the tassel in her hand. “Hunt Master, you must follow the Crown Princess closely.”

—

Xianyou Temple had a Dharma King Pagoda. The relics the Liuli Kingdom had sent when they came as envoys last time were stored in the pagoda. This time, Emperor Chenming invited the envoys to tour together, letting them view the interior of the pagoda.

Atinieye had been publicly refuted last time. Hearing that argumentative Crown Princess was also here, he claimed illness and didn’t come. Only two honest envoys came, devoted to Buddha. Emperor Chenming didn’t take them seriously and let them tour on their own.

Dewu returned from wading. The old monk had already emerged from the Dharma King Pagoda and sat on a large rock meditating. He said, “Something fell from the prayer beads.”

Dewu looked at the prayer beads wound around his hand and discovered the tassel had indeed fallen off. In this instant, Dewu perceived something through the darkness. He grabbed the old monk’s sleeve and pulled him toward himself, but it was still too late.

An arrow with an arrowhead broke through the air, piercing into the old monk’s back. The tremendous force carried him tumbling down from the rock, plunging into the stream water. Circles of red marks spread out.

Almost immediately someone jumped down and pulled him from the water. Lu Huating’s entire body was soaked. One hand pressed against the blood gushing from the old monk’s chest as he dragged and carried him into a meditation room. “Juan Su, summon the imperial physician!”

Lu Huating looked around. Qun Qing, hiding behind a tree trunk, also looked in all directions. Dense forest on all sides, with noble lords hunting everywhere. No one knew who had actually used hunting arrows to wound the envoy.

This was done by Nan Chu spies, but not Lin Yujia—he wasn’t skilled at archery. Among the palace officials of sixth rank and above, there were other spies.

Emperor Chenming’s protection focused on the noble lords, but if the envoy died before receiving the Buddha’s bone relic, this ceremony would surely fall into chaos, with Prince Yan’s mansion bearing the brunt.

That was why Lu Huating was so tense.

Qun Qing was also very tense, but she didn’t forget to release a whistling arrow.

Lu Huating was in the meditation room pressing on the old monk’s wound when unexpectedly, a moment later, the door was kicked open. Qun Qing, supporting Han Wanyi who was crying out in pain, also entered this room. He couldn’t help but be stunned. “What are you doing?”

“Han Wanyi’s stomach is uncomfortable,” Qun Qing said from behind the screen.

The imperial physician entered the door. Looking at the scenes on either end of this plain screen, he hesitated. According to hierarchy, he naturally should attend to the dragon heir first. Lu Huating also realized this point. His dark eyes carried cold intent as he looked toward Qun Qing, yet his hands couldn’t stop trembling. Few people could force him into such a tight spot.

Qun Qing felt his gaze and paused for a moment before saying, “Lady Wanyi said the envoy is more urgent. First go stop the envoy’s bleeding.”

Lu Huating’s hand, forcefully wrapping the wound, paused.