Qin Zhiyan didn’t answer, releasing his grip and looking Qing Xia up and down. Seeing that she had no obvious external injuries, he finally breathed a sigh of relief, frowning as he said in a heavy voice: “How could you be so reckless? Didn’t I give orders that no matter who came looking for you, you were not to leave the prince’s manor?”

Qin Zhiyan rarely lost his temper, and had never even used a questioning tone before. But at this moment, facing Qin Zhiyan’s interrogation and anger, Qing Xia only felt a warmth welling up from her heart. She smiled and hooked her arm around Qin Zhiyan’s neck, saying flatteringly: “Look, nothing happened to me. Don’t be angry – you look really ugly when you frown.”

Qin Zhiyan sighed helplessly. He had felt uneasy during the banquet, and as soon as he left the imperial city, he encountered Lian Zhou, only then learning that she had already entered the palace for a day. Without time to return to the manor to change clothes, Qin Zhiyan had brought his personal guards to break into the palace overnight. Fortunately, she was safe. Thank goodness.

“Don’t worry,” Qing Xia took Qin Zhiyan’s hand, smiling as she said: “I’ve always been the one bullying others – when have I ever been bullied? I’ve weathered so many great storms, how could I capsize in this little ditch?”

Qin Zhiyan smiled warmly and asked: “You bullied them?”

“Mm,” Qing Xia honestly nodded, saying: “You’re not happy about it, are you? They are your mother and sister after all. But I only scared them a little – I didn’t actually beat them up.”

Qin Zhiyan smiled faintly, saying indifferently: “Don’t mind them. If they provoke you again in the future, you needn’t consider my feelings.”

Qing Xia was slightly stunned, remembering Lian Zhou’s ambiguous words, and suddenly felt a sharp pain in her heart. Could those things all be true? She unconsciously gripped Qin Zhiyan’s hand tightly, smiling as she said: “I’m hungry. Let’s go back.”

“Alright.” Qin Zhiyan smiled, embracing Qing Xia’s waist as he leaped onto his warhorse, saying: “Today is your first dinner back at the prince’s manor. I’ve already instructed the servants to prepare it well for you.”

Qing Xia frowned, looking pitiful: “I’m starving to death, and you’re still tempting me here. Let’s go quickly!”

Qin Zhiyan laughed heartily, spurring his horse forward. Qing Xia leaned against his chest, closing her eyes slightly and breathing in his pleasant scent, almost unable to resist falling asleep. This day had truly been exhausting, but it was truly worth it. She repeatedly savored Qin Zhiyan’s words just now – he said this was her first dinner “back” at the prince’s manor. He had said “back” – what a warm word. Her entire life had been spent constantly going to different places, but she had never truly “returned” anywhere. Now, she finally had a home. She was going back to the prince’s manor – that was her home.

Qing Xia actually fell asleep on horseback. When Qin Zhiyan lifted her down, she still didn’t wake. Perhaps she had already awakened, but knowing she was safe, her subconscious no longer worried or feared, so she didn’t want to wake up, just wanting to curl up in his embrace and sleep peacefully like a child being pampered.

Qin Zhiyan carried her all the way back to her room. All the manor’s servants gathered on both sides, watching their usually composed and gentle prince carrying that petite and delicate girl, afraid of waking her, not even allowing them to bow in greeting.

Warm blankets surrounded Qing Xia as she lay on the warm bed, her small hands still tightly gripping Qin Zhiyan’s sleeve, gripping so tightly, refusing to let go. Qin Zhiyan loosened his robes and belt, his expression gentle. He lightly kissed Qing Xia’s forehead, then lay down beside her fully clothed.

The maidservant extinguished the candles. Outside the window, the serene moon cast bright moonlight that fell on Qing Xia’s tender white face. Qin Zhiyan looked at her, remembering the day they first met. She had also slept on the bed like this, beautiful and thin, tightly gripping his clothes and refusing to let go. In the blink of an eye, three years had passed, and his life seemed to have undergone earth-shattering changes. He was no longer detached and cold, no longer fearless of life and death with nothing to care about. He had finally become a person with weaknesses. But why did his heart feel so fulfilled? It was as if scalding hot water had washed through his internal organs, and the cold snow and icy wind could no longer hurt him. Never before in his life, never had he wanted so much to live on healthily forever, wanting to work hard to hold onto all those things. He reached out one hand to pick up the medicine bowl beside him, tilting his head back to drink it down.

Yima’er, you say I am your faith, the final salvation of your life. But you don’t know – you are my light, the most steadfast longevity of my life.

Having not eaten for a whole day, she was woken up in the middle of the night by her thunderously rumbling stomach. Qing Xia embarrassedly rubbed her eyes and sat up, seeing Qin Zhiyan’s half-smiling expression, her cheeks flushing red as she said: “I told you I was so hungry, but you didn’t wake me up.”

Qin Zhiyan smiled and clapped his hands. Outside, maidservants immediately filed in carrying dishes. Knowing she hadn’t eaten dinner and would be hungry in the middle of the night, he had instructed the servants to keep food prepared at all times, waiting for her to wake up.

Qing Xia smelled the aroma of the food, and her stomach rumbled even louder. She quickly put on her shoes, and seeing the dazzling array of dishes, her appetite immediately opened up. She called to Qin Zhiyan: “Come eat together, together!”

Qin Zhiyan smiled and nodded in agreement. Just as he was about to get out of bed, he suddenly discovered that only one of his shoes remained. Qing Xia also lowered her head to help search, but after looking around in a circle, they couldn’t find it. She said to Qin Zhiyan: “I’ll go get another pair.”

Qin Zhiyan waved his hand dismissively, saying mysteriously: “No need. Look.”

Qing Xia looked where he pointed and saw a bright white silk thread tied to the bed post – so thin that you wouldn’t notice it unless you looked carefully. She watched as Qin Zhiyan untied the thread, held it in his hand, then slowly pulled it back bit by bit.

The silk thread was surprisingly long. Qing Xia watched in puzzlement as the sound of a shoe sole scraping against the floor gradually emerged from under the cabinet. Before long, Da Huang’s fat, round body appeared before them. It was lying flat on its back on top of a soft-soled indoor shoe, belly up with all four paws in the air, its round belly rising and falling as it snored contentedly in its sleep.

“This isn’t the first time it’s done this,” Qin Zhiyan deliberately lowered his voice, his face showing the kind of mischievous expression only children have. “I already suspected it would be the culprit.”

Qing Xia stared in amazement, never expecting that someone like Qin Zhiyan would actually compete with a small beast. Had he deliberately tied a string to his shoe just to catch Da Huang, this shoe thief?

“Do you know? Yesterday it went to relieve itself in my boot and ended up falling in, nearly suffocating itself to death in there. Fortunately, a cleaning maidservant discovered it.”

Qin Zhiyan said with a smile: “This little beast seems to particularly hate me. Yima’er, what do you think I should do to punish it?”

Qing Xia gave it a kick, sending Da Huang tumbling over to lie sprawled on the ground, but it still didn’t wake up, continuing to sleep soundly. She walked to the table and began wolfing down the food, saying between bites: “Do whatever you want – stew it if you like.”

Qin Zhiyan said with a smile: “Stew it? Better to roast it instead. Pluck the fur, slice it bit by bit and baste with oil until it’s crispy outside and tender inside. Since it’s a spirit beast, it must be very fragrant.”

Qing Xia nodded: “Good! Let’s do exactly that.”

A miserable “Aoww!” suddenly rang out. Da Huang, who had been sleeping, finally couldn’t hold out any longer. It jumped up frantically, spreading its four short, fat little paws and running madly toward the outer hall.

Qin Zhiyan smiled, his features beautiful as a painting.

The people of Qin were indeed the most diligent nation – morning court started earlier than roosters crowed. Qin Zhiyan got up and left early in the morning. Qing Xia had originally wanted to sleep a bit more, but after he left, she found herself no longer sleepy. Just as she got up, careful knocking sounded at the door. Qing Xia raised an eyebrow and called out loudly: “What is it?”

“Miss, are you awake? We servants have come to attend to your washing.”

More than ten young women in green clothes filed in, carrying wash basins, hot water, flower petals, scented oils, clothing, shoes, and socks, startling Qing Xia. She barely had to move a finger as they attended to everything. Qing Xia didn’t dismiss all these maidservants out of humanitarian concerns with nonsense like “I can do it myself.” This was their job – if she didn’t let them do it, they might end up unemployed. One must adapt according to circumstances and follow local customs. The instructors at Military Intelligence had always taught them this very carefully.

After getting ready, Qing Xia interrupted the group of girls’ plans to elaborate on her hairstyle, simply arranging it in a simple chignon. Wearing a rice-yellow dress and jacket, she followed everyone to the dining hall.

The dining hall of Prince Xuan’s manor was indeed magnificent – it could almost be described as vast. The enormous table was so large you could practically run around on it. Uncle Xiang explained that this was because Qin Zhiyan often entertained officers from the Yan Character Battalion for meals, which was why he had this enormous table specially made.

In this era, banquets mostly still used the individual small table system, with one small table per person arranged in two rows facing each other – very formal and rigid. Qin Zhiyan truly had exceptional ability to win people’s hearts. In this age of distinct class systems, being able to dine at the same table as the commander was such an honor – no wonder the soldiers of Qin would risk their lives for him.

Da Huang was completely dumbfounded when it first saw the table full of food. It completely forgot that this was currently the home of its most detested enemy, struggling frantically in Qing Xia’s arms, wanting to jump onto the table. Qing Xia set it on the ground, took a footstool, randomly picked two plates of meat dishes, and placed them on it, saying: “You still want to get on the table? Dream on.”

Da Huang looked at Qing Xia with resentful eyes, then immediately buried its head and began eating frantically, not even lifting its head.

“Uncle Xiang, in the future when I eat alone, there’s no need for such trouble. You’ve prepared so much – I can’t finish even one bite of each dish. Wasting food is sinful.” Qing Xia sat in the main seat, holding up her chopsticks, not knowing which dish to try first. She raised her head and spoke to Uncle Xiang.