In her memory, someone had once crossed through layers of thorns, heedless of the sharp spikes carving terrifying bloody marks all over his body, insisting on climbing over that mountain ridge with no end in sight.

The thorns on that ridge were different from ordinary thorns. Each stalk bore a dark blue-green tinge. The torn clothing revealed flesh oozing dark red blood—from chest to waist to ankles, none were spared. Only the area on his back, blocked by his arms into an enclosed space, remained unharmed. The person carried on his back was completely safe, not even touched by a single blade of grass.

Changling suddenly closed her eyes tightly. After a long while, she finally pulled herself out from that chaotic memory.

It was that dream again, only this time it was no longer a snowy land but had transformed into a thorn forest.

She still couldn’t see clearly who was carrying her, but somehow, this scene seemed to add a weight of lead to her mind—strange and heavy.

She gazed at this rear forest for a long time, thinking it was probably the influence of that wretched Freezing Ice poison causing her to frequently see illusions. She stopped dwelling on it, closed the window, returned to the bed, and circulated her Shimo true qi combined with the Nanhua Needle technique to expel the cold poison bit by bit from her body.

Just as Fu Yangui had said, the Freezing Ice poison wasn’t any stubborn toxin. Its greatest characteristic was being able to freeze a person instantly, making them unable to act. After a night of meditation and regulation, she had already expelled sixty to seventy percent. Given another day or two, she could recover without medicine.

As soon as day broke, Fu Yangui personally came to knock and inquire at her door. When the door opened, his eyes brightened slightly. “You’re still here?”

Changling: “Why wouldn’t I be here?”

Fu Yangui shook his head. “Nothing. The carriage is all prepared for you. How about eating breakfast in the carriage?”

“Whatever.” Changling stepped forward, making her footsteps appear somewhat unsteady. After walking a few steps, she stopped. “However, you don’t mind letting me occupy a carriage alone, do you?”

Fu Yangui froze for a moment, then said, “Fine. I’ll ride a horse, you take the carriage.”

Changling: “Thank you for your consideration.”

From Yanling to Jinling, if riding at full speed on horseback, it was only half a day’s journey. However, considering the bumpy carriage ride, Fu Yangui ordered the large troops to slow their pace. Even so, when they saw the Jinling city gates, the sun had not yet set.

The first order of business upon bringing troops back to the capital was naturally to enter the palace for an imperial audience. Changling had originally thought the man surnamed Fu would bring her along—after all, he had said he needed to cover up lies before Shen Yao. Unexpectedly, from beginning to end, he never mentioned this matter. He merely sent her to the Fu residence and then hurried into the palace, not even assigning extra people to watch her, which greatly surprised Changling.

Fu Yangui should be very clear that with her martial arts, shaking off those few watchful eyes would be as easy as turning her hand. He had gone to such great lengths to keep her by his side—wasn’t he worried she would cross the bridge and remove the plank, directly slipping away to the He residence to report?

After watching him leave, Changling was hesitating whether to put this thought into action when she suddenly heard someone from the rear garden call out “Master” and run over joyfully.

It was Fu Yanyang.

He wore a deep blue official robe. Though he could be considered handsome and presentable, in Changling’s eyes, he was just a youth sneaking into adult clothing, completely lacking an official’s bearing. He stopped before Changling and grabbed her hand. “Master, where did you go after the martial banquet? Not seeing you for so long, I thought you and Young Marquis had eloped.”

Right—the last time they met was at the martial banquet. Half a month had passed. Seeing this little disciple again, her feelings were quite complex.

Being Fu Yangui’s younger brother and sticking to her like a sugar figurine, saying he wasn’t monitoring her for his brother would be unconvincing.

But somehow, perhaps it was this foolish grin showing all his teeth, or perhaps because she had personally transformed him from waste to talent, facing Fu Yanyang, she truly found it difficult to harbor any hostility. She smiled faintly. “Mm, yes, I eloped, but your brother caught me and brought me back.”

Originally smiling with a face full of “joyful reunion,” he was made awkward by this sentence and didn’t know how to respond. He subconsciously looked at the small team of attendants behind Changling and waved dismissively in disgust. “What are you all following for? Watching a criminal?”

One of the head attendants cupped his fists. “Second Young Master, the Minister instructed us to safely escort Miss Jing back to the villa…”

“My master is visiting my home, so naturally I should be the one to show her around. With so many of you surrounding her, I find it annoying.” Fu Yanyang snorted and, without further ado, led Changling toward the villa. Those few people exchanged glances and followed at a distance of several steps.

“Master, guess what official position I hold now?” Fu Yanyang said. “You definitely can’t guess. I’m now a Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary… that is, His Majesty’s attendant guard, under the Secretariat. Basically the type who wanders around the palace…”

Hearing the two words “in the palace,” Changling’s ears perked up. “Since you’re serving in the palace, how did you get out?”

“We take turns at this duty. How could we be in the palace all day?” Fu Yanyang sighed. “But even after several days, we can only come out once like this. Not as comfortable as little Qin and the others…”

Changling’s eyebrow rose involuntarily. “Where was Zhou Qin assigned?”

“She still wants to participate in the martial arts gathering, so naturally it’s Qingcheng Academy. Like Second Senior Brother Mo and the others, she’s an assistant instructor… Master, you don’t know—after you left, she was depressed to death. Her appetite even decreased. If she knew you were back, she’d definitely run over and hug you while spinning in circles.”

The two chatted casually along the way. When rounding a corner, Fu Yanyang inconspicuously nudged Changling with his elbow, made a gesture of “making a run for it” with his index and middle fingers, and gave her an inquiring look. Changling froze for a moment, then shook her head. “I want to go to the villa to rest a bit. Want to eat dinner together?”

Since she could leave the Fu residence at any time, there was indeed no rush at this moment. Besides, if she wanted to see people from the He residence, bringing Second Young Master Fu along would be inconvenient.

Since he served as Shen Yao’s attendant, he would soon enter the palace again. Regarding Ye Qi’s injuries, she might as well probe him first.

“You’re saying Young Marquis was injured?” After chasing away that group of attendants, Fu Yanyang closed the room door. “I don’t know about this. I only left the palace at dusk and didn’t hear about it.”

“This is what your elder brother told me personally.” Changling walked a circle around the room, confirming that this lakeside pavilion didn’t hide anyone else, before sitting down. “He said Marquis He’s injuries aren’t light and need treatment by the palace’s Imperial Physicians. Moreover, he was struck by your brother’s Freezing Ice Finger and also needs him to personally undo it.”

“Really? Although my brother is the type to do this sort of thing…” Fu Yanyang blurted out, “But if he did it, he’s unlikely to admit it…”

Changling: “…” Indeed, no one knows a brother better than his brother.

“If what my elder brother said is true, then Young Marquis is most likely under house arrest by His Majesty right now. This is a major matter—how could they let us newcomers to the palace know?” Fu Yanyang analyzed briefly. “Don’t worry. If Young Marquis is truly in the palace, the Imperial Medical Bureau won’t be idle. Tonight I’ll find an excuse to enter the palace and take a look. If there’s any news, I’ll immediately come out and tell you.”

He was so enthusiastic that Changling became somewhat uncertain. “Fu Er, whose… side are you really on?”

Fu Yanyang hurriedly sat beside her and pledged loyalty. “Need you even ask? Of course I’m on Master’s side.”

Changling reached out to feel the bottom of the teapot, discovered it was warm water, and poured two cups. “Isn’t he your real brother?”

Seeing his master still doubting, Fu Yanyang couldn’t help but lower his voice. “I know Master may not quite trust me. This is very normal. After all, my brother is so insanely cruel in breaking up lovebirds. But you must believe me—my brother and I are not the same type of people. Sigh, from the very beginning, I felt you two weren’t suitable.”

“Oh? Why do you say that?”

“Um, haven’t you noticed yourself? When you stand together with my brother, your eyes never look at him.” Fu Yanyang said earnestly. “Eyes won’t lie.”

Changling hadn’t expected him to say this. She froze for a moment. “Even so, that’s our business. What your elder brother wants to do—why would you as a younger brother go against your brother?”

“How could I go against him? I’m doing this for his good—how would he know?” Fu Yanyang sighed. “I’m not afraid to tell you—Madam Bi in our residence is just a decoration. All these years, my elder brother’s heart has always belonged to someone else.”

Changling felt she had heard some crucial clue. “Someone else?”

“Though I don’t know who it is, I only know that person is long gone from this world.” Fu Yanyang said. “But these things aren’t important anymore. What’s important is… ever since Master appeared, my elder brother’s brain hasn’t been normal.”

“Ah?”

“Master, do you remember when you first came to Jinling, I once told you there were many things about my elder brother I couldn’t mention conveniently, but you would know in the future?” Fu Yanyang looked at Changling, unhesitatingly curling the corner of his mouth. “Now, you should have a clear idea of what my elder brother desires, right?”

Changling didn’t answer. She was very clear that what Fu Yangui coveted was the realm of the Eastern Xia Dynasty.

“For the past ten years, he’s only had that one wish. For it, he doesn’t marry, doesn’t have children, and is willing to let me live as a profligate young master in the eyes of the world… But I don’t blame him at all. Having ambition, having skills, having aspirations, and having the ability to endure without revealing—such a person is also very admirable.” A bottomless meaning arose in Fu Yanyang’s eyes. “Though I don’t say it aloud, I’ve always been proud of him and also… hope he can succeed.”

Changling was startled—hearing such words from Fu Er’s mouth made her feel somewhat unfamiliar.

When Fu Yangui said this sentence, his head tilted. “But after Sister Ling came to Jinling, my elder brother… I truly can’t understand him more and more… He doesn’t even understand the principle that one cannot have both the fish and the bear’s paw. He’s become childish, especially especially childish. Can you understand what I’m saying?”

Changling really didn’t understand—especially hearing someone she considered very childish evaluating a sinister schemer.

She shook her head, feeling that arguing with Second Young Master Fu was truly a waste of time. She couldn’t help but shake her head and took a sip of water. Fu Yanyang scratched his head. “You still don’t understand? Master, my elder brother has fallen for you.”

“Pfft!” She nearly choked.

Now Changling was almost completely certain this little disciple had imagined too much. “You said you and your elder brother aren’t on the same side—I originally had some belief, but now I truly don’t believe it.”

“My elder brother is someone who rarely wants anything, but once he wants something, he can pay any price for it.” Fu Yanyang’s gaze looked at her penetratingly. “So Master, you must not think he’s only using you. Once you think that way, everything you do will be led into a误区 by him… When you regret it later, it will be too late.”

Changling froze. Fu Yanyang, having said this, looked at the sky outside. “Alright, I won’t waste more words. I’ll enter the palace now.”

He had just walked a few steps when Changling suddenly called out, “Fu Yanyang.”

Fu Yanyang turned around. “Mm?”

“You just said… you hope your elder brother can succeed, yet you also said you and Young Marquis and I are kindred spirits.” Changling said. “Then, what is it that you seek?”

“Me? I only want the people around me to be happy.” Fu Yanyang’s mouth bloomed with a transparent smile. “My elder brother’s power, Young Marquis’s freedom and ease, and also… Master’s revenge.”

Changling suddenly stood up, her icy gaze shooting over. “You know what… revenge I want?”

“I don’t know. I just feel that someone like Master—if you didn’t have vengeance in your heart, how could you possibly stay in a place like Jinling City?” Fu Yanyang’s mouth bloomed with a smile of worldly detachment. “However, I guess Master’s enemy shouldn’t be my elder brother. Otherwise, in the first few days after you entered Jinling City, my elder brother’s head probably wouldn’t have been safe, right?”

He shrugged. Long after he crossed the threshold, Changling still hadn’t quite snapped out of it.

Who would have thought that the Second Young Master of the Fu residence was someone who could see worldly matters so clearly.

However, human hearts are fickle—when has the world ever been truly transparent?

Author’s Note:

Fu Er’s prototype is Gao Yang of Northern Qi. (Shh~)