Today’s victory banquet was attended by everyone from the Imperial Medical Academy.

The Imperial Medical Academy had more than twenty imperial physicians, overseen by Chief Imperial Physician Zhang. Yet everyone knew full well that the most prominent figure in the Academy—the one with the brightest future—was Wei Yan.

His elder sister was the Noble Consort, who might one day even become Empress. His full-blooded niece was a princess of Dazhou. The Emperor trusted him implicitly. And just recently, he had spent nearly half a year at the Crown Prince’s residence, saving the Crown Prince’s life…

Setting all of that aside and speaking purely of his medical skill, Wei Yan was still the finest physician among them all.

Chief Imperial Physician Zhang raised his cup with genuine warmth: “Imperial Physician Wei has been stationed at the Crown Prince’s residence these past six months, tending to His Highness’s health. That His Highness has recovered so swiftly is entirely due to Imperial Physician Wei’s efforts. On behalf of everyone in the Imperial Medical Academy, I offer you this cup!”

Wei Yan replied with his customary humility: “As an imperial physician, these are simply duties I am obligated to fulfill—I could not possibly accept such generous praise from Chief Physician Zhang. If anything, it is I who should be raising a cup to all of you. These past months, I have been residing at the Crown Prince’s residence with no opportunity to attend to any affairs in the Academy. I have caused everyone a great deal of trouble.”

Everyone raised their cups with hearty smiles.

Round after round of toasts came his way, and as it would have been rude to refuse, Wei Yan drank considerably more than he was accustomed to. Even with his exceptional tolerance for wine, and even though he had quietly taken a sobriety pill before the banquet, a pleasant warmth had begun to settle in him.

And with more wine came feelings long suppressed—a longing that rose unbidden to the surface.

He had not returned to the palace all this time, and Ling Jingshu could not come to the Crown Prince’s residence. For months, the two of them had relied entirely on letters carried by messenger. It had been so long since he had simply seen her, or held her close…

By the time the banquet ended, it was already past the hour of midnight.

Taking advantage of the commotion as the guests dispersed, Wei Yan slipped away quietly on his own and made his way to Lingbo Palace.

At this hour, Wei Jieyu had not yet returned.

The maids at the gate knew Wei Yan well and smiled as they opened the door for him: “Imperial Physician Wei, what brings you to Lingbo Palace at such a late hour? Her Ladyship the Noble Consort has not yet returned—Imperial Physician Wei will have to wait a moment.”

Wei Yan gave an easy smile: “Very well. I shall go inside and wait for Her Ladyship.”

Spring was in full bloom. In the slightly cool night breeze, the fragrance of flowers drifted through the air—stirring the secret longing Wei Yan had long kept buried in his heart. Emboldened by the wine, Wei Yan did something reckless and audacious: he went straight to Ling Jingshu’s private chambers.

He knew exactly where her chambers were, though this was truly the first time he had actually drawn near.

Ordinarily, he kept strict guard over palace etiquette and minded the eyes of others. The place where he and Ling Jingshu most often met was in Wei Jieyu’s own rooms.

By palace custom, the chambers of maids and eunuchs were never locked. Ling Jingshu’s private chambers were no exception.

Wei Yan pushed with gentle force and the door swung open.

No candles had been lit inside. Moonlight poured in like flowing water through the window, flooding the room in pale silver. By that moonlight, Wei Yan took in every detail of the chamber.

On the small, delicate vanity table, a scattering of hairpins lay about. On the nearby table stood an elegant porcelain vase, filled with fresh flowers that released a faint, sweet fragrance. Gauze curtains of a pale color draped softly around an exquisitely carved wooden bed…

Wei Yan gazed at that carved wooden bed, and something warm and yearning stirred within him.

As a healthy, unmarried man well past the prime of youth—to have a woman he cherished deeply, yet be unable to see her freely or remain by her side day and night, while having to maintain a manner of strict restraint—this particular kind of suffering was not something most people could understand.

Perhaps it was the wine that had made him bolder than usual. Or perhaps he had simply been enduring for too long and could endure no longer. Either way, something compelled Wei Yan to lift the gauze curtain and seat himself on the bed.

The neat, undisturbed bedding carried with it a faint, subtle fragrance.

It was the scent of Ling Jingshu herself.

Wei Yan could not help but draw in a long, slow breath.

At that same moment, Ling Jingshu—tired after a long and busy day—returned with Wei Jieyu to Lingbo Palace.

One of the maids at the gate hurried to report to Wei Jieyu that Wei Yan had arrived.

At this hour? He actually came? Could he not even wait until tomorrow?

Wei Jieyu was struck by a sudden, helpless amusement. She glanced sidelong at Ling Jingshu, whose cheeks were unmistakably pink even in the moonlight, and cleared her throat: “Very well. I understand.”

Ling Jingshu kept her head lowered, hoping Xin Yun would not notice the mix of embarrassment and delight she could not quite contain.

As for Wei Jieyu—she already knew everything. She and Wei Yan even depended on Wei Jieyu to help shield their meetings. In front of her, there was no use in pretending to be composed.

But Wei Jieyu’s amusement faded almost at once.

This Wei Yan—had he not come to Lingbo Palace? Then where was he? It was the dead of night. Had he sneaked off to hide somewhere?

Wei Jieyu’s gaze fell instinctively on Ling Jingshu. Ling Jingshu seemed to have thought of something, and looked back with an expression caught between disbelief and alarm.

Surely not! He had always been so careful and measured, so thorough in everything he did—surely he would not do something that bold and reckless!

Wei Jieyu’s own expression became rather complicated.

Xin Yun, standing nearby and watching both of them with their strange looks, could not help but ask: “Your Ladyship, has Imperial Physician Wei perhaps grown tired of waiting for you to return and gone home on his own?”

Wei Jieyu cleared her throat: “That is possible. It is already late tonight. Xin Yun, you shall remain on night watch. Jingshu, go and rest early. Come again in the morning.”

Xin Yun lived right next door to Ling Jingshu. If there were any unusual sounds from Ling Jingshu’s room, Xin Yun would certainly hear them. It was better to keep her here.

Xin Yun swallowed all her bewilderment and answered with a smile.

Suppressing her flushed face, Ling Jingshu gave a small bow and took her leave.

Bai Yu and Qiao Yun followed behind her.

Reaching the door of her chambers, Ling Jingshu paused a moment, then gave an instruction: “It is so late tonight. Both of you, go and rest. You need not follow me in.”

Bai Yu was the most perceptive of all, and Qiao Yun was equally quick to read the room. Neither maid said a word. They answered simply and returned to their own rooms.

Ling Jingshu steadied herself, then pushed the door open lightly and swiftly slid the bolt into place.

There was indeed someone in her chambers.

A pair of men’s shoes sat beside the bed.

One corner of the gauze curtain had been lifted and set aside. The bedding had been turned back, the quilts rising in a high, unmistakable shape beneath them. A faint smell of wine drifted through the room.

This Wei Yan!

The sheer nerve of him! To simply walk into her private chambers like this! What had become of his usual caution and care? Was he not afraid someone would notice and rumors would begin to spread?

Ling Jingshu felt both exasperated and amused. She crossed the room quickly to the bed and lifted the gauze curtain.

Lying in her bed, tucked beneath her quilt, sleeping in blissful contentment—who else could it be but Wei Yan?

Bathed in the clear, bright moonlight, that handsome sleeping face was peaceful and lovely.

These past months had not been easy for him. His refined, elegant features had grown somewhat thinner, and a faint stubble had appeared along his jaw.

How long had it been since she had simply looked at him like this, without a word? Since their return from the imperial traveling palace, he had gone straight to the Crown Prince’s residence. For half a year, the two of them had had almost no chance to meet in person. Could there be any other pair of lovers who had endured this kind of longing and hardship?

And so, the very moment he returned to the palace, he had come to find her without a moment’s hesitation.

A warm, sweet happiness welled up inside Ling Jingshu. She reached out gently and laid her hand against his face.