Shu Shenhui reorganized all the personnel he had brought on this expedition. Liu Xiang led one team to continue searching for Chi Shu, while Chen Lun led another team toward the downwind area of the still-unextinguished mountain fire to create barriers and prevent the flames from spreading excessively. He and the remaining dozen or so men found a suitable place to spend the night at the upwind location and settled down.

That day, when he sent Liu Xiang into the Imperial Hunting Grounds to fetch her, after a night passed without finding anyone, the ominous premonition in his heart grew increasingly strong. Unable to sit still, he led men to catch up. Though he had left in haste, he had a presentiment that this expedition might not allow for a quick return. Fire-starting materials, dried provisions, wound medicine, portable tents, and other travel necessities were all completely prepared.

They had settled near a source of flowing clean water. The sky had completely darkened, and his subordinates quickly erected overnight tents. He carried Jiang Hanyuan inside, set her down, went out, then immediately returned, having brought in his saddle along with the saddlebags entirely. He took out a thick brocade curtain of gold-threaded crimson from the bags, spread it over the pile of dry grass used as bedding, and also placed the saddle on top. He turned back to lift her again, gently placing her to sit on the curtain once more.

After settling her, he took out the medicine pouch, unwrapped it, and, while brightening the candle flame, glanced at her. Seeing her sitting on the brocade curtain, her waist in the lamplight still held habitually straight and rigid, he couldn’t help but frown lightly. “The saddle is for you to lean against—just lean on it!”

Jiang Hanyuan lowered her eyelashes and slowly relaxed her body, leaning back slightly against it.

Hot water was prepared outside and brought over at this time. He took a cloth and dampened it. Jiang Hanyuan knew this was to clean her skin simply to identify wounds for medicine application, and extended her hand: “Let me do it myself…” As the words left her mouth, she heard that her voice was hoarse and extremely unpleasant.

Shu Shenhui said flatly: “Just lean back.” After speaking, he lifted her left leg and placed it straight.

Jiang Hanyuan slowly lowered her hand.

She had no fewer than ten cuts and scrapes of various sizes all over her body, with blood visible on both her chest and back. The wound blood had long since clotted, sticking to her inner and outer garments. The most serious injury was on her left leg, which naturally needed to be treated first.

The cloth strips she had torn from her clothing earlier to bandage and stop the bleeding had become tightly adhered to the wound. He dared not forcibly tear them away, using a cloth dipped in warm water to slowly soften them bit by bit.

Although his movements were already extremely gentle, during the process of peeling away the fabric, sometimes it inevitably pulled at the wound, causing fresh blood to flow.

“If you can’t bear it, just say so, and I’ll go slower.”

She remained completely silent throughout. It was he who, having only removed half the bandaging, began perspiring on his forehead and couldn’t help but remind her.

“Your Highness can go even faster. Don’t worry about me—I can truly bear it.” She finally spoke quietly, saying this.

How could he dare follow her words? He continued concentrating on slowly removing the remaining clothing until it was all uncovered. He breathed a slight sigh of relief, then immediately examined the tear on the side of her leg. Seeing it was nearly a chi long and over a cun deep, he immediately began treatment. After cleaning the wound, he took strong liquor and was about to pour it on when his hand paused. He first folded the wet cloth from earlier and indicated for her to open her mouth.

Jiang Hanyuan understood his intention, silently opened her mouth, and bit down on the cloth he inserted. Only then did he pour the liquor on the wound.

A wave of intense burning pain struck. Jiang Hanyuan bit tightly on the cloth, cold sweat beading on her forehead, yet she didn’t even make a muffled groan.

He glanced at her, then quickly applied medicine and wrapped the wound with clean cloth strips from the medicine pouch, finally completing the task.

He changed to clean water and continued treating the remaining injuries on her body. First was the congealed blood wound on the side of her forehead, and he also wiped her face, cleaning away the dust and ash that had accumulated overnight. After wiping her neck, his fingers paused slightly before finally settling on one side of her clothing collar. He said, “I’ll remove your clothes.” His tone was extremely flat and casual.

The moment he spoke these words, his eyes weren’t looking at her. Hearing her respond quietly, he then lowered his brows to glance at her.

Her body leaned diagonally against the saddle back, her neck slightly bowed, face deathly pale, with two rows of jet-black eyelashes lowered, her eyes seeming half-open and half-closed.

Perhaps treating that wound had been too painful—strong as she was, at this moment she also showed some signs of haggard weakness.

For some unknown reason, at this very moment, the few traces of inexplicably sourced annoyance that had remained in his heart suddenly dissipated.

He gently unfastened her clothing collar, removing the several inner and outer layers together from her shoulders. When encountering places where wounds had adhered, he slowly softened and peeled them away as before. Finally, he helped her remove all the blood-stained, soiled clothing, revealing her naked upper body.

The woman’s torso exposed before his eyes, though marked with wounds everywhere and even having fresh blood seeping from several places, perhaps because the lamplight was too dim and she lay upon that crimson brocade, somehow made even her injured body appear dazzling to the eye.

Or perhaps… it was also because she was too compliant and quiet at this moment, making Shu Shenhui feel even more unaccustomed.

Though he had repeatedly told himself in his heart that he was her husband, and they had previously shared intimacy. Moreover, he was only applying medicine to her wounds. At this moment, she, without clothes, was no different from his subordinates outside. But when it truly came to facing her like this, his hand that had moved still stopped.

Presumably, she was also unwilling in her heart for him to touch her.

He thought again of his two previous intimate experiences with her.

The first time had been extremely boring.

The second time had also been extremely boring.

In any case, each had its kind of tedium.

Even the most recent time had been more reluctant for him to recall than their wedding night. Thinking of it, he regretted it so much his intestines wanted to break.

He nonchalantly shifted his gaze away, settling it on the medicine pouch placed nearby, and said in a flat voice: “I’ll help you apply medicine to your back later. Let me first go see how the food preparation is going. You must be hungry too.” After speaking, he walked out and stood quietly in the night outside the tent for a moment. Estimating that she should have finished applying medicine to the wounds on her chest herself, he returned inside.

Indeed, when he entered, he saw she had already lain down on the brocade curtain, prone over the saddle with her long hair swept to one shoulder, exposing her bare back and quietly waiting for him.

He approached and knelt beside her, continuing to treat the wounds on her back. Now that he didn’t have to directly face her gaze, his boldness returned. While applying medicine, his eyes swept over the naked back beside him.

Though he had already had such experiences with her before, truthfully speaking, he had never had the opportunity to carefully observe her body. At this moment he took a look.

Her waist was narrow and slender, but completely different from the ordinary woman’s willow-like frailty. Perhaps due to years of martial arts practice, her waist was round yet slender, full of elastic strength. Her back line was beautiful as flowing water, and down the middle of her spine ran a deep spinal groove that started from between her shoulder blades, continued down, and finally disappeared into the clothing piled at her waist. Lamplight shone from the side, and the deep groove, following her current prone posture, became a slightly arched shadow that was unexpectedly full of temptation, making one want to caress along its path down…

“Your Highness can go faster. I truly don’t feel pain.”

Perhaps sensing that his hand movements had slowed somewhat, she who had been lying motionless as if asleep suddenly spoke up, reminding him again.

Shu Shenhui shuddered, suddenly returning to his senses, feeling secretly ashamed.

He made a nonchalant sound of acknowledgment, then concentrated and quickened his movements.

As he was nearly finished applying medicine, his gaze once again fell upon the long, old scar on her back. After restraining himself several times, he still couldn’t help but ask casually: “This old wound on your back—how did you get it?”

After asking, he looked at her. He saw her lying motionless, and only after a moment did he hear a voice emerge from that pile of raven-black hair: “…Just from carelessness in past battles… not worth mentioning.”

Hearing her speak vaguely, obviously not wanting to discuss it, he couldn’t help but regret his excessive talking again, that he hadn’t been able to restrain himself just now. On his face, however, he said with a sneer: “If you don’t want to say, then don’t! I was just asking casually!” He didn’t pursue it further, wrapped up all the wounds on her back, finally draped a clean garment over her body to cover her skin, supported her shoulders and arms to help her sit up, then went out to fetch food, saying: “Eat and then sleep. I’ll go out and won’t disturb you.”

Jiang Hanyuan watched him roll up the medicine pouch and step toward the exit. After hesitating, she called to his retreating figure: “Your Highness!”

Shu Shenhui stopped and turned back to look.

Jiang Hanyuan said, “The back wound you asked about just now was sustained in the Battle of Qingmu Sai three years ago. Yang Hu had recently joined the army and only focused on charging ahead. He became isolated and surrounded. I helped him break out of the encirclement, but my back was unguarded, and I took a blade strike. It healed long ago. Thank you for your concern, Your Highness.”

He remained in place, looking at her for a moment. “Is that the Yang Hu whose ancestors were the Dukes of Anwu?”

He remembered Zhang Bao telling him that the day after their wedding, when she went out, the first household she visited was the Yang family.

Jiang Hanyuan nodded: “Exactly. Qi Lang is exceptionally brave and pure-hearted. Now he’s one of my capable officers.”

She called Yang Hu “Qi Lang,” so naturally, clearly her usual form of address. To Shu Shenhui’s ears, it carried a slightly jarring feeling.

He withdrew his gaze, nodded, and said: “You rest.” Just as he was about to leave again, he heard her say: “If there’s only this one tent shelter, when you finish your business, just come back to rest. No need to sleep outside in the open to avoid me.”

Shu Shenhui walked out.

In the latter half of the night, fortunately for the mountain fire, Heaven sent down rain. But for all those sleeping in the open, though they had tents for shelter, it was still a bitter night. Fortunately, after the rain fell for a while, it became fine and steady. Chen Lun had also returned by this time. Seeing that Shu Shenhui hadn’t yet rested, he came to report: “Beyond the downwind area, several li further, there’s also a wide gorge that naturally blocks fire. With tonight’s rainfall, the mountain fire should be extinguished and won’t spread excessively.”

Shu Shenhui nodded and told him to rest.

Having gone days without properly closing his eyes, Chen Lun was indeed quite exhausted now. Just as he acknowledged and was about to withdraw, Shu Shenhui suddenly called to him: “Zijing!”

Chen Lun stopped.

“About using force on you yesterday, don’t take offense. It was my fault.” Shu Shenhui looked at him with a smile.

Chen Lun was startled, then quickly reacted and immediately smiled as well: “Your Highness must not say such things! How could Chen Lun dare? I also understand that Your Highness was excessively worried about the Princess Consort.”

“It’s good that you don’t blame me. Go then.”

Chen Lun left, and Shu Shenhui stood outside for a moment longer before finally returning to the tent.

The tent was made of rain-proof oiled cloth and hadn’t leaked, remaining dry inside. Only the night was deep, and the body felt cold. When he entered, the remaining lamp was nearly spent. By the weak illumination, he saw her covered with a felt blanket, her body tightly curled into a ball, half her face hidden in shadow, her long hair scattered messily on that crimson brocade beneath her. She lay on her side, having left him half the space.

Shu Shenhui approached, removed his outer garment, and gently added it as a cover over her. His finger accidentally touched her cheek. His mind conjured the embarrassing scene from last time when he tried to move her hair from the pillow and she immediately awakened, knowing she slept very alertly. That hand immediately stopped.

Looking at her again, he knew he was overthinking.

Having lost too much blood, she should be too exhausted. At this moment, she slept extremely deeply, not noticing anything at all, motionless and unconscious.

He slowly withdrew his hand, his gaze settling on this woman’s sleeping face beside him, watching for a moment. Suddenly, his vision darkened. The lamp flame burned out and died.

He sat for another moment, then slowly, finally lay down and closed his eyes.

Perhaps it was his nature, or perhaps his birth circumstances made it so, but he had never experienced the suffering of not getting what he wanted, so from childhood to adulthood, he had always been without desires or demands. He could enjoy the most luxurious splendor this world offered, but could also wear simple clothes, carry an iron sword, and sleep in the wilderness. Apart from the ambition he had established, he had never persistently wanted to obtain anything, whether people, things, or the satisfaction of certain desires or thoughts.

Except for that night at Xianquan Palace.

After that night, during his solitary moments in the deep of night, he had repeatedly examined himself and finally concluded that, that evening, he had truly been drunk.

He was seriously drunk, which was why he had developed those improper thoughts about her, said stupid things while not drunk, and then did such stupid deeds. In the end, not only could he not conquer or prove anything, but he became even more humiliated—of course, that night aside from his drunkenness, it was certainly connected to the affair between his sister Princess and her consort the night before. If they hadn’t created that incident first, disturbing his sleep that late night, he might not have reached such a point of wanting intimacy. After that night, he secretly vowed never to drink to excess again.

And tonight, he felt even more clearly a sense of lingering fear. During the day when he descended into the valley and couldn’t find her, he had thought she was gone. When he emerged from the water, he was completely exhausted, feeling even breathing had become extremely difficult. Until he heard that deer whistle call, which in that instant seemed to bring him back to life.

If by chance she had met with mishap, how could he account to Jiang Zuwang?

Most fortunately, she hadn’t suffered serious harm and now slept peacefully beside him.

His scheme to marry her wasn’t the purpose to obtain absolute loyalty?

Such a woman, who would rather leap from a cliff than fall into Di’s hands—if she and her general father still couldn’t earn his trust, then who else in this Great Wei Dynasty could he trust?

The sound of light rain pattering overhead, he listened quietly in the darkness to the soft breathing sounds of the woman beside his ear. Suddenly, distant thunder rumbled from the horizon. Perhaps this year’s Awakening of Insects thunder had arrived.

He felt her body move slightly. He immediately moved closer to her, extended his arm, and gently embraced her body. Feeling that she slept peacefully again, he didn’t release her. People who have lost too much blood catch a cold easily. He used his own body to give her additional warmth.

On this night of Awakening of Insects, before he finally dozed off hazily, he seriously warned himself once more in his heart: never drink to excess again. Drunkenness leads to great mistakes.

Jiang Hanyuan slept extremely deeply, never waking once, and had no dreams, only feeling warmly comfortable. When she awoke and opened her eyes, there was a moment of confusion, not knowing where she was. Soon she was fully awake, and the pain in her body reminded her of everything that had happened.

She turned her head—no one was beside her. Her ears detected only quiet.

She didn’t know what time it was, but judging by the light in the tent, it should be the second day, quite late already.

She struggled slightly to support herself and sat up, looking down to see his garment still covering her. After sitting for a moment, just as she was thinking of getting up to look outside, suddenly someone lifted the tent flap and quietly peeked inside.

“Princess Consort, you’re awake?”

Zhang Bao met her eyes and his face showed joy. His head quickly disappeared again, and then she heard him shout: “Nanny Zhuang, the Princess Consort is awake!”

Soon, accompanied by footsteps, Jiang Hanyuan saw Zhuang Shi enter with two maids. Seeing her sitting, they immediately rushed forward to support her.

“Princess Consort, don’t move yourself. Let me serve you.”

She said with a smile.