All the servants sensibly withdrew. Qin Zhiyan’s gentle eyes were like brilliant stars, filled with warm, melting smiles. He picked up the food from the table and fed Qing Xia mouthful by mouthful, unable to suppress his joy.

Qing Xia said nothing, only obediently ate everything he offered her. In this reunion, she discovered that Qin Zhiyan seemed to have changed greatly. He was no longer that indifferent, desireless, beautifully unreal man from before. His joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness were all so clearly displayed before her. He would be delighted and excited because she ate one more bite of food, and would become anxious over a single frown from her. Though he was still as gentle as before, his current gentleness even carried a trace of careful flattery. She knew that repeated partings of life and death, repeated narrow escapes, had completely destroyed this man’s emotions that had been frozen for years. At this moment, he looked at her carefully and cautiously, as if looking at a jade artifact, constantly fearing she might accidentally fall to the ground and shatter.

“Yima’er,” after eating and drinking her fill, Qin Zhiyan tucked the quilt around Qing Xia and said softly: “You don’t need to worry about Yang Feng. Since Ousi Lanya didn’t die, I’m sure they too will have good fortune. Penglai Valley has profound craftsmanship. Now under Zhu Yuanqing’s leadership, they will surely rescue them.”

Qing Xia nodded and smiled: “Rest assured, I won’t disregard the bigger picture and run back to find him myself. With my current physical condition, I’m better off staying obediently by your side.”

Qin Zhiyan smiled gently: “The Eight Witches’ Grand Elder is currently in the imperial palace treating Father Emperor. Once we return to Xianyang, your illness will be nothing to fear.”

Qing Xia’s smile bloomed like a flower. Suddenly remembering something, she said: “By the way, after we left, did you rescue Miss Tan? She betrayed Penglai for Chu Zheng – won’t the Penglai people make things difficult for her?”

Qin Zhiyan said: “Miss Tan’s mother is a Grand Elder of the Goddess Palace and has extremely high status in Penglai Valley. They wouldn’t dare do anything to Miss Tan. Moreover, Penglai is now under Envoy Zhu’s leadership. Envoy Zhu is kind-hearted and handles affairs openly – I’m sure he wouldn’t make things difficult for a weak woman.”

“That’s good. Miss Tan is also a pitiful person – inexperienced in worldly affairs, not understanding the treachery of human hearts. Her heart was secretly devoted but she trusted the wrong person – she’s already suffered enough.” Qing Xia sighed softly. At this moment, she suddenly heard a harsh scratching sound at the door. Qing Xia raised an eyebrow, then her eyes lit up as she said: “Is that Da Huang? Quickly let it in.”

Qin Zhiyan walked to the door and as soon as he opened it, a small snow-white beast immediately rolled in like a ball, tumbling head over heels, and crashed into the opposite wall with a bang, leaving it dizzy and seeing stars. Its two short, fat little paws kept rubbing its green eyes, whimpering pitifully.

Seeing it, Qing Xia called out happily: “Da Huang, come here.”

Hearing Qing Xia’s voice, the little beast immediately perked up, suddenly released its four short legs and ran to Qing Xia’s side, wagging its tail frantically and excitedly howling.

Reaching out to lift Da Huang by its chubby neck and placing it on the silk quilt, Qing Xia extended her slender finger to poke its little black nose, saying: “I heard you were very loyal that day – fighting the Great Yellow Bird alone to save me, divinely brave and matchless. Impressive!”

It was rare for Qing Xia to communicate so amiably with the little beast. Seeing its master praise it, Da Huang immediately jumped three inches high, its green eyes gleaming as it puffed out its chest, raised its head, and gestured with bared teeth and claws, displaying an arrogant appearance of great righteousness and who-else-but-me.

Qin Zhiyan stood beside the bed, smiling faintly.

Da Huang was chattering and gesturing with its body movements when it suddenly saw Qin Zhiyan’s face and immediately froze, looking him up and down foolishly. Its large green eyes rolled back and forth as it looked at him suspiciously, then at Qing Xia, its little nose immediately wrinkling.

“Right, Da Huang doesn’t know you yet.” Qing Xia smiled: “This is my little brother I picked up at the valley bottom – loyal, reliable, and very smart.”

Qin Zhiyan saw the little thing was like a snowball, amusing and cute. He smiled faintly and reached out wanting to pat its head. But suddenly there was a growling sound as the little beast jumped up and bit down on Qin Zhiyan’s palm.

“Ah!” Qing Xia cried out, quickly grabbing Qin Zhiyan’s hand. She saw two rows of tooth marks deeply imprinted on his tiger’s mouth area, with bright red blood continuously flowing out. Her heart ached as she said in panic: “How is it? It usually doesn’t bite people. We lived with it in the valley for a long time and never saw it bite anyone. I’m sorry, does it hurt?”

Qin Zhiyan’s gaze moved slightly, then he smiled: “Just a flesh wound, nothing serious.”

“How can it be nothing serious?” Qing Xia said vexedly: “You might get rabies. I don’t even know what kind of creature it is, or whether its teeth are poisonous. You should still go have the Eight Witches take a look.”

“Alright.” Qin Zhiyan agreed.

“Growl growl!” Seeing Qing Xia holding Qin Zhiyan’s hand, the little beast angrily jumped up and down, howling endlessly.

Qing Xia lowered her head and said angrily: “It’s all your fault – what’s gotten into you? Keep howling and I’ll throw you back into the abyss! I know you understand, stop pretending!”

Qing Xia’s angry glare was intimidating. The little beast was immediately frightened into weakness and retreated to one side, but its eyes still glared fiercely at Qin Zhiyan.

“It’s alright,” Qin Zhiyan said: “Da Huang is probably just wary of strangers. This type of spirit beast recognizes its master.”

Qing Xia rolled her eyes and glared harshly at Da Huang, saying severely: “Aren’t I the master? What other master does it need to recognize?”

Qin Zhiyan smiled and patted Qing Xia’s head: “Silly, I meant Chu Emperor.”

Qing Xia was immediately struck speechless, wanting to speak but feeling as if someone had grabbed her throat, not knowing what to say.

“Yima’er, I’m leaving now. Rest well. Call for anything you need – there are serving maids outside. We’ll rest for two days and head to the capital the day after tomorrow.”

Qing Xia nodded, and Qin Zhiyan turned and walked out.

It had only been a few days apart, yet something seemed to have changed. Qing Xia didn’t know whether she herself had changed or Qin Zhiyan had changed. Some things weighed on their hearts that neither wanted to mention, but even when carefully avoided, they would still unconsciously touch upon them.

“Whimper whimper…” The snow-white little beast suddenly whimpered as it approached. Qing Xia looked down to see Da Huang holding a small white fur coat in its mouth, constantly nudging Qing Xia’s hand with its nose.

That was the fur coat they had made for Da Huang in the snowy plains of the abyss. The later part of their journey had been too cold, and even Da Huang couldn’t withstand it. Qing Xia had made this little garment for Da Huang to wear, making it look like a small meatball, very adorable.

Qing Xia pursed her lips and picked up the fluffy little white beast, saying softly: “It’s warm here now, no need for this. If you wear it now, you’ll die of heat. Throw it away.”

“Whimper whimper.” Da Huang immediately shook its head like a rattle drum, still whimpering as it pushed the garment toward Qing Xia. Qing Xia frowned and took it to examine, only to see that in the seam of the clothing was actually a piece of translucent white warm jade, carved with eight beautiful small characters that read: “Outstanding among peaks, Shen and Shang forever apart.”

The moonlit night was cold and lonely, with clear radiance all around.

The next day, Qing Xia was in good spirits. At noon, she was carried outside by two little maids to sunbathe. Qing Xia lazily felt weak all over, wrapped in a large fur coat, sitting under a plum tree with plum blossoms falling like colorful snow all around. She held a small delicate hand warmer, drowsily almost falling asleep.

Suddenly a commotion came from somewhere. Qing Xia heard the sound coming from the main gate area and assumed it was servants, so she didn’t speak up, wanting to continue closing her eyes to doze. But then she felt the little maid Qing’er beside her suddenly stand up full of alertness. She was startled and quickly opened her eyes, meeting a pair of bright, smiling eyes.

The visitor was actually a sixteen or seventeen-year-old youth in his prime, wearing wide robes with large sleeves, eyebrows and eyes like a painting, clothes fragrant, with a casual manner somewhat similar to Yan Hui.

Qing’er’s voice rang out crisply beside her, the little girl saying righteously: “Who are you? How dare you barge in without announcement? Do you understand proper etiquette?”

Seeing his magnificent clothing and boots, belt and jade pendant, Qing Xia knew this youth was no ordinary family’s young master. She immediately waved to stop Qing’er from continuing to speak, politely nodded, and said: “I don’t know what business this young master has? Please forgive this humble woman’s physical inconvenience – I cannot rise to bow.”

After more than three years of experience, Qing Xia was no longer the modern person who had just crossed through time and space to this place. Having once been an agent, she naturally understood what it meant to follow local customs and adapt to circumstances. She had long since stopped insisting on her theories of human equality. People in this world were born into different classes – the so-called equality of all people was just a lie of self-comfort.

That young master smugly flicked his ivory folding fan and, despite the cold weather, smiled pretentiously: “I heard that Third Imperial Brother brought back a beautiful woman of national beauty from Bailu Plain this time. For her sake, he didn’t hesitate to disobey Father Emperor’s decree, abandoning the Northern Frontier Garrison, and nearly started a war with the Southern Chu army. I wanted to see what kind of captivating beauty could cause such things. Ah, truly ‘three people make a tiger’ – rumors are fearsome! The saying goes ‘reputation is better than meeting,’ but in this prince’s opinion, meeting is worse than reputation!”

Qing’er beside her, hearing him call himself a prince, was frightened pale with cold sweat flowing. Qing Xia had already guessed most of it and wasn’t particularly surprised, smiling as she said: “It is this humble woman’s fault for disappointing Seventeenth Prince.”

“No matter.” The little prince magnanimously flicked his fan and smiled: “That your parents couldn’t give birth to you as an absolute beauty is their problem, nothing to do with you. Well, I’ve seen the person and said what I came to say, so I’ll be going now. Father Emperor wants me to garrison the Western Garrison – I’m truly busy beyond belief with countless daily affairs. You needn’t see me out, I’m familiar with this place. Farewell.”