A slender crescent moon hung in the sky, its radiance pearly white, pouring down like liquid silver across the ground. The entire Gold Wu Palace was bathed in its glow, like misty waters, shrouded in haze. Bian Tang was located south of the Red River, with a pleasant climate. Along the way were artificial mountains, flowing streams, small bridges, and flowering trees. The continuous palace halls and pavilions rose and fell like mountain ranges, layered endlessly.

Li Ce was like a half-grown wild child, pulling Chu Qiao along as they raced through the moonlit palace halls and imperial chambers. The night wind was quite strong, blowing Chu Qiao’s loose long hair so that it flew wildly behind her, several times nearly getting into her eyes.

Moonlight poured like water, and those red walls and green tiles—some magnificent, others elegant in their simplicity—resembled sparkling ripples beneath the brilliant starlight. Li Ce’s bright red robe danced in the wind like a kite. All along the way, palace maids, attendants, and officials knelt fearfully on both sides of the road, allowing the two to run past. Behind them followed a large group of palace maids and attendants, holding battle knives and lifting their skirts, following in a line like butterflies chasing the wind. The palace’s unique blend of fragrances drifted lightly in the air, and luxurious gold dust swayed and twirled in the night breeze, glittering beneath the light of the eight-treasure palace lanterns, like fireflies by the riverside in the height of summer.

“Wait… wait…”

Chu Qiao, weakened by poison and having gone many days without proper food, was already out of breath after running just a few steps.

“Wait,” she finally managed to stop, slightly winded. With one hand pressed against her waist and the other pointing at Li Ce, she asked breathlessly, “Li crazy-boy, where are you trying to go?”

After this exercise, Chu Qiao’s pale cheeks showed a hint of rosiness. She wore a long goose-yellow robe embroidered with large water-patterned roses, with flowing silk ribbons on the hem. Her hair was somewhat disheveled as it scattered down her back, occasionally lifted by the playful wind, releasing a subtle fragrance.

Li Ce bent at the waist, standing very close to her, staring at her without speaking. Suddenly his eyes brightened, and he straightened up, looking left and right. With a clap of his hands and a smile, he walked directly to one of the palace maids following behind and took a hairpin from her hair.

It was a rather gaudy butterfly hairpin with blue butterflies on it, the kind commonly worn by palace servants. However, the pin was made of purple jade and looked quite exquisite. Li Ce casually untied a string of jade ornaments from his waist—priceless treasures—and handed them to the palace maid, smiling as he said, “I’ll trade with you.”

The young palace maid was terrified, falling to her knees with a thud, her face pale as she said, “This servant wouldn’t dare.”

Li Ce wasn’t annoyed. He simply tossed the ornaments to her and said, “You have no choice. I like this one.”

Then he turned and walked toward Chu Qiao, pulling the two butterflies off the hairpin as he walked. The craftsmanship of the pin was surprisingly good; one butterfly couldn’t be pulled off, so he opened his mouth and bit it hard with his teeth, then spat with a “pui” sound. Looking back at the little palace maid, he said, “Don’t use jasmine fragrance in the future. I don’t like the smell.”

The magnolias on both sides of the courtyard had just bloomed, half-open and half-closed, looking quite elegant. It had just rained heavily, and water had accumulated in the flower beds, making the soil very soft. Li Ce didn’t care about his expensive boots and boldly walked right into the flower bed, causing the eunuchs and palace maids behind him to squeal in alarm. He picked and chose carefully before finally breaking off a purple magnolia bud that was just beginning to bloom, shaped like a small lotus. With long, nimble fingers, he tied the magnolia stem to the hairpin, then held it up to examine it closely, revealing a mouthful of white teeth in a happy smile.

“Your Highness…”

“Crown Prince…”

Chu Qiao looked at the terrified palace servants kneeling all around, a mass of dark figures, while Li Ce seemed not to notice them at all, merely examining the magnolia flower with a smile on his face, his eyes curved into lines, like a—yes, like a fox.

“Beautiful!”

Walking to Chu Qiao’s side in a few steps, Li Ce moved quickly, his technique extremely nimble. In a few movements, he had loosely pinned up Chu Qiao’s long hair with the hairpin, the magnolia hanging by her ear. Her hair carried a faint, dreamy fragrance. Chu Qiao was stunned, and the next moment, she heard the flattering, pleasing exclamations of the palace servants. Li Ce stood before her, smiling triumphantly, his lips pursed, the corners of his eyes slightly upturned, his chin slightly raised, looking very pleased.

“Li Ce, what are you doing?”

Chu Qiao felt somewhat embarrassed; it seemed she had never been looked at like this before in her life. She reached up to remove the orchid from her hair.

“Hey! What are you doing?” With a crisp sound, Li Ce knocked Chu Qiao’s hand away, frowning very seriously as he said, “Qiaoqiao, you’re a girl, can’t you act a bit more like one?”

Chu Qiao was startled, suddenly feeling that these words were very familiar. After thinking for a moment, she remembered that at the Tian City Governor’s mansion in Wu Peng, Zhuge Yue had also once drawn her eyebrows and arranged her hair, then angrily scolded her: “Every day it’s either white or black like you’re attending a funeral.”

Her face suddenly reddened, and she was slightly dazed, when she heard Li Ce laugh beside her ear: “Let’s go, I’ll take you out to play.”

Then the man turned back very seriously and said in a deep voice: “No one is to follow us. If any man follows, I’ll jump into the river. If any woman follows, she’ll never have the chance to serve in the bedchamber in this lifetime.”

Hearing such an outlandish threat, Chu Qiao was stunned, but she was surprised to see that those people clearly changed their expressions, kneeling motionless on the ground, not one daring to follow. Only a few at the back quietly stood up and left, seemingly going to report the news.

“Let’s go!”

Li Ce leaned close to Chu Qiao’s ear, snickering, then pulled her to the city gate, mounted a horse, actually sitting in front of himself and letting Chu Qiao sit behind him, and happily shouted, “Qiaoqiao, quick, don’t let them catch up!”

It was then that Chu Qiao remembered this man wasn’t very good at horseback riding, so she shook the reins and gave a clear shout, and the horse began to gallop on the bluestone road.

“Oh!”

Li Ce spread his arms, shouting joyfully. The night wind was quite strong, his robe flying silently, pressed tightly against his body by the wind. Li Ce shouted, “Qiaoqiao! Faster!”

“Hiya!”

Chu Qiao shook the reins, and the horse galloped quickly along the Great Purity Road. In the vast palace complex, guards knelt in rows on both sides, palace lanterns flickered, the night breeze was cool, and there was a faint scent of lotus flowers. The echo of hoofbeats reverberated across the square, and Li Ce laughed heartily, his laughter bright and full of carefree vigor.

Chu Qiao’s long depressed mood lightened for a moment. The flower petals at her temple occasionally brushed against her ear, causing a slight tickle. She shrugged her shoulders but continued to let the horse run, breathing deeply, feeling the stagnation of these past days dissipate, her entire body refreshed.

The fast horse galloped, gradually leaving the inner city. Chu Qiao looked far back and saw a large number of palace lanterns lighting up behind them, with the sound of hoofbeats, as if someone was coming in pursuit. Li Ce, however, didn’t care at all, clearly an old hand at such situations, gesturing wildly to direct Chu Qiao’s escape, threading through streets and alleys, soon losing the figures behind them.

Now the night air was clear, and before them was a still lake. Flower boats drifted quietly on the lake’s surface, with the melodious sounds of songs and string music echoing above. The clear water was like ink, the moonlight desolate, gently reflecting white light, the rippling waves shining on both their faces, like countless blooming white pear blossoms.

Chu Qiao swung down from the horse and tied the reins to a tree.

“Qiaoqiao, give me a hand, help me.”

Li Ce called out, his voice very light-hearted. Chu Qiao supported his hand, and Li Ce clumsily jumped down, then ran to the lakeside in a few steps, scooped up a handful of water, and said with a smile, “So cool!”

Chu Qiao also walked over, crouched by the lake, and stirred the water with her fingers. The water was pleasantly warm.

Both sides of the lake were very lively, with storytellers, acrobats, street singers, and various vendors selling goods. There were also several brothels and taverns with warm-colored signs, the scent of the courtesans’ rouge and powder drifting across the lake surface, echoing melodiously with those sensuous songs.

Chu Qiao suddenly didn’t want to talk. In this kind of environment, she always felt at a loss for words, lazy yet awkward. For many years, this kind of life seemed to be very far away from her, so far that she seemed unable to merge into it anymore.

Li Ce tilted his head to look at her, the corners of his mouth curved. He suddenly stood up, grabbed her wrist, and called out, “Come with me, come with me, I’ll take you to a good place!”

This wasn’t one of Tang Capital’s main streets, and the commercial establishments and taverns weren’t as prosperous as those on the main street, but they had more of the simple folk customs. Many commoners in hemp clothes moved among them, and children from who-knows-where ran about playing. Li Ce seemed very familiar with this place, pulling her through the crowds, not minding that those mud-legged, mud-footed poor fellows might dirty his robe.

The two of them were dressed nobly, and their appearances were even more youthful and beautiful, attracting the attention of many people within a short time. Some small vendors came forward to peddle hairpins and cosmetics, persuading Li Ce to buy rouge for his beautiful young lady.

After running for a while, they suddenly saw a large elm tree ahead, with a small stall beneath it. The stall’s owner was a young woman, not very pretty, but fair and clean, with large, watery eyes, dressed in blue clothes. Beside her was a young man about the same age. There weren’t many people at the stall, but from far away, one could smell a rich aroma.

“Madam!”

Li Ce shouted before they had even reached the stall.

The woman heard the voice and turned her head, saying with a smile, “It’s the young master, you’ve come again?”

“Yes!” Li Ce pulled Chu Qiao to find a small seat in a corner and said, “I’ve brought a friend. Two bowls of noodles, a plate of beef, half a plate of shrimp dumplings, with extra vinegar.”

“Alright,” the young proprietress agreed with a smile. The young man beside her smiled awkwardly at Chu Qiao and Li Ce but didn’t speak. The proprietress said, “This is the first time you’ve brought a friend.”

Chu Qiao looked curiously at Li Ce, frowning, “You know her well?”

“Yes,” Li Ce said with a smile, “I used to come here often when I was little. I would always sneak out of the palace. Once I was being chased hard by the guards, so I took off my clothes and gave them to a child to help me lead the pursuers away. But I forgot to take my money pouch off my clothes. I wandered around all day and got hungry, and I happened to meet this stall’s proprietress—oh, she wasn’t much older then, working at the stall with her parents. She saw how hungry I was and invited me to eat noodles. After that, I came often.”

“Oh,” Chu Qiao nodded, though her gaze remained somewhat strange as she looked at him.

“Qiaoqiao, are you moved? Do you think I’m not just beautiful on the outside, but also splendid on the inside?”

Chu Qiao rolled her eyes, propping her chin on her hands, too lazy to even answer.

A fragrant aroma wafted over as the young man brought the noodles, gesturing and making sounds to indicate they should eat. It seemed he was mute. The young proprietress followed behind, her eyes looking strangely in their direction. Chu Qiao was startled and stared fixedly at her. The proprietress seemed to sense she was being watched and smiled slightly, saying, “The young lady is right, my eyes are blind, I cannot see.”

As soon as the noodles were served, Li Ce began to eat with his head down.

Chu Qiao immediately felt awkward and said apologetically, “Oh, I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right,” the proprietress smiled peacefully and said softly, “I’ve been blind since I was little, and I’ve never felt it was a problem, except it’s a bit inconvenient when I go shopping.”

Chu Qiao ate a couple of bites; the noodles were fragrant. She suddenly remembered something and looked up to ask, “If you can’t see, how did you know I was a young lady?”

“I smelled the magnolia fragrance on you, and it’s fresh, must be from a newly picked bud.”

“Oh,” Chu Qiao nodded and said, “Your nose is sensitive.”

“When the eyes can’t see, the other senses become more useful.” The proprietress smiled, and at that moment, a four or five-year-old child ran out from behind, standing beside her, staring at Chu Qiao. Chu Qiao smiled at her, and the child immediately grew bolder, running over to say, “Will you tell me a story?”

The proprietress’s face tensed, and she said, “Qian’er, come back, don’t disturb the young lady’s meal.”

“It’s fine,” Li Ce said while eating, “She’s not hungry anyway.”

Chu Qiao had not eaten for a very long time, and it was untrue to say she wasn’t hungry. She glared fiercely at the man, but couldn’t bear to refuse this exquisite little child, stroking her head and saying, “I don’t know how to tell stories.”

“Then I’ll tell you one.”

The child climbed onto the stool in a few movements, sitting properly on the other side of the table. At this time, other customers arrived, and the proprietress went to attend to them. Chu Qiao saw her husband draw something on her hand, and she nodded and walked toward those people, showing that the two communicated in this way.

At this moment, the child said very seriously, “You eat, you eat while I tell you the story.”

Chu Qiao nodded and being truly very hungry, she began to eat.

The child took several small clay figures from her pocket, all very crudely made. She picked up one holding a small sword, bare-chested with only a tattered cloth around his waist, and said, “He is the Great Emperor.”

“Poof!”

Li Ce was drinking tea, and when he heard her words, he sprayed it out in one mouthful. Chu Qiao dodged in time, but the child suffered. Li Ce hurried to wipe the child’s face, smiling apologetically, “Looking at your mother, I know that even at your young age, you’re a little beauty. I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

The child didn’t seem to mind. She wiped her face, continued unconcerned, and picked up another clay figure, a clay figure wearing red clothes, saying, “This is a very famous beauty.”

“I know, she must be the Great Emperor’s consort.”

“No, they don’t know each other. One day, they met on the street, but neither saw the other, so they walked away.”

Li Ce frowned and said, “What kind of story is that? The two go up the street together, neither sees the other, and they walk away?”

“You have no experience,” the child said. “Great Emperors always sit in big carriages with many officials following before and behind. Can they meet people casually? Would someone like you, casually sitting at a food stall eating, be a Great Emperor?”

Chu Qiao was embarrassed, then saw Li Ce giggle and say, “That makes sense, that makes sense.”

“Later one day, they walked on the street again, and again they didn’t see each other. Then, after another year, they walked on the street together again, but still they didn’t see each other.”

The child held one clay figure in each hand, repeatedly making them meet and then separate.

Li Ce sighed helplessly and said, “Your story isn’t just like this, is it?” He made a gesture with his hand: “Just like this, meeting? Neither sees the other, and they separate again?”

“No,” the child shook her head very seriously, “Later, the Great Emperor’s country was conquered, and he became a wanderer on the streets. He met the beautiful woman again, and just then, someone was trying to kill the Great Emperor. The woman saved him, and they fell in love.”

The child’s little face was very serious, even carrying a hint of sacredness. She said slowly and deliberately, “He loves her, and she loves him very much too.”

“But the Great Emperor wanted to restore his country, and he was unhappy all day. To make the Great Emperor happy, the woman decided to help the emperor restore his country.”

“Wait,” Li Ce asked again, “She’s just a woman, not a high official. How can she help the emperor restore his country?”

“I said she’s a very beautiful woman, and high officials are all very lustful.” The child looked very impatient and took out two more clay figures, one draped with a black cloth strip and holding a small handmade broom as a horse. Chu Qiao thought it looked very much like Harry Potter from a movie she had seen in her previous life, and then heard the child point to this broom man and say, “This is the Great General, the one who led people to destroy the Great Emperor’s country. But he also loves this woman very much, and seeing the woman sad, he feels very regretful.”

The child took out another clay figure. This figure was dressed more neatly, with several cloth strips hanging on it: “This is the Great Emperor of another country, who also loves this woman very much.”

The child placed the four clay figures together, gesturing as she said, “He loves her, he also loves her, and he loves her very much too. But she doesn’t love him or him; she only loves him. But he is not confident; he feels he has nothing left, so he thinks she might have fallen in love with him or him, and so he is very sad. And the other two men both know she loves him, so they are also very sad.”

Chu Qiao and Li Ce listened with black lines all over their heads, watching the child continue very seriously, “Later, the Great Emperor set an ambush and had the woman invite the Great General to negotiate. The woman didn’t know, but the Great General knew, yet he still came, so he was killed by the Great Emperor.”

“Ah!” Chu Qiao’s eye twitched, and her heart suddenly went cold.

The child placed the broom man draped in black cloth face down on the table, and continued, “So the Great Emperor regained his country. The woman was very sad and left the Great Emperor, but then she met the other emperor. The Great Emperor was very angry, so he sent troops to attack the other emperor. The other emperor wasn’t powerful, and he was eventually killed by the Great Emperor too.”

The other cloth-strip man was also laid down, indicating that he too was dead.

“The woman was very sad. She walked and walked until she fell ill, and then she died too.”

The red-clothed woman was laid down, and the child, holding the clay figure that had only a ragged cloth around his waist like a savage, said, “So in this world, only the Great Emperor was left.”

Li Ce stared blankly with foolish eyes and asked, “Is it over?”

The child nodded, saying very frankly, “It’s over.”

“What kind of story is that?”

The child said, “This is a love story.”

Chu Qiao, however, had no heart to watch Li Ce and the child quibble. She looked at the lonely clay figure left on the table and was somewhat dazed. The night wind blew, and the cloth strip around the little clay figure’s waist fluttered as if about to fall off. He was waving a small iron rod, seemingly a sword, in a threatening manner, but looking across the table, there was nothing else—not even anyone to fight with.

After finishing their meal, the two wandered the streets. The story that the child had told made Chu Qiao feel a bit low-spirited. She couldn’t grasp her thoughts, only feeling a bit sad, but not knowing exactly why.

There were many people on this road, and many temples too. Bian Tang was an open country with various religious sects—there were kind, chubby Buddhas, beautiful and charming water gods, and exorcists with symbols painted on their foreheads. Fortunately, the local customs were simple, and people would never fight to the death just because “you believe in the Buddha and I believe in the River Goddess.” As Chu Qiao walked along, she received many wooden tablets given to her by devotees, just like modern flyers.

At the roadside, a crabapple tree was in full bloom, its flowers a coquettish red. When Chu Qiao and Li Ce passed by, a breeze rose, and the flowers scattered one by one like rain, falling on their clothes like spots of rouge.

Li Ce happily pointed at the crabapple tree and said with a smile, “This tree is nice. I’ll have someone transplant it back later.”

A passerby overheard and carefully sized them up, seeming to think this young man had quite a grand attitude, looking at them with somewhat peculiar eyes.

“Look quickly, there are acrobats ahead!”

Li Ce suddenly called out with great interest, pulling Chu Qiao as he began to run. The crowd was packed like a mountain of people, and the two couldn’t squeeze in from the outside.

Li Ce’s eyes rolled, and he reached into his robe, then pinched a large handful of silver notes, exchanging them for a pile of copper coins at a nearby stall, carrying them in the hem of his clothes. Then he clumsily climbed onto a step beside the acrobatic performance, stood on it, and suddenly called out loudly, “Free money! Come and grab it quickly!”

Then he scattered the coins out by the handful.

At first, people were stunned for a moment, but after a while, seeing that there was a fool throwing money, suddenly people from the entire street crowded over, picking up money all over the ground, pushing and shoving, creating a lively scene.

Li Ce poured out all the money from the hem of his clothes and then pulled Chu Qiao through the gaps in the crowd. But when they squeezed into the middle, they were immediately dumbfounded—the acrobatic performers had all gone to grab money too, leaving just the two of them standing there like fools.

“Li Ce, Bian Tang is really good.”

People all over the ground were picking up money, but there was no fighting. Chu Qiao stood dazed, suddenly saying this.

Li Ce smiled, shaking his head and saying, “It’s all right, but you’ve only seen the good parts. However, it is a bit better than Da Xia.”

Unable to watch the acrobats, the two wandered the streets, chatting casually.

Li Ce bought some snacks—honeyed sugar cubes, dates, osmanthus cakes, and chestnuts—packed in two bags, one for each of them, eating as they walked.

Chu Qiao’s mood relaxed, and the fatigue of many days gradually receded. She asked, “Li Ce, you know that Da Xia is hunting me down, right? I’m now the most wanted criminal in the world.”

“Wanted criminal?” Li Ce was stunned, then laughed heartily, “That’s a fresh way of putting it.”

“So you won’t hand me over to Da Xia?”

Li Ce frowned curiously and asked, “Hand you over to Da Xia? What’s the benefit? A thousand reward? Hmph, I’d rather keep you to accompany me.”

“But,” Chu Qiao shook her head, “I still need to return to Yan Bei eventually.”

“Ah, Qiaoqiao, you’re deliberately breaking my heart.” Li Ce said, swaying his head, “But it’s fine, I know you didn’t specifically come to Bian Tang to see me.”

Chu Qiao thought for a long time, and finally asked somewhat awkwardly, “Li Ce, your marriage alliance with Da Xia, does that mean you’ll be enemies with Yan Bei?”

Li Ce turned his head, looking Chu Qiao up and down, and finally sighed, “Qiaoqiao, on such a night, you still can’t forget about Yan Bei and Yan Xun for a moment? Can’t you live a little more freely?”

Chu Qiao didn’t speak, and Li Ce continued, “The war between Yan Bei and Da Xia is your affair. Besides, why would I travel thousands of miles to kick down Yan Xun’s tent? He’s so fierce—what if he hits me? I’ve also heard that the Yan Bei plateau is very cold, with strong winds, and the women there have skin that’s turned red and rough by the wind. I’m not willing to do things that have no benefit.”

The wind wrapped the thin sleeves against her wrist bones, like the light touch of butterfly wings. Chu Qiao smiled slightly, looking at Li Ce, and suddenly said, “Li Ce, although I can never fully understand you, I feel you’re not a bad person.”

Li Ce snorted coldly, raising his chin, and said, “This Crown Prince has a noble status, golden appearance, and a brocade heart. If you could easily see through me, wouldn’t that be losing face?”

As soon as he finished speaking, he leaned forward, smiling and saying, “Qiaoqiao, I’ll give you a chance to see through me, do you want it?”

Chu Qiao turned her mouth, “You’d better keep it to yourself.”

“Alas,” the man sighed, “a woman who doesn’t understand romance.”

They passed a fish vendor’s stall on the road, and Chu Qiao paused slightly, curiously going over to take a look. In a large water tank were many red-tailed goldfish, crimson-like rosy clouds, adorably plump.

Chu Qiao was quite skilled at keeping fish. She had always liked small animals and had once thought about keeping a puppy, but when she was in the army, she had no time to care for it, and the dormitory didn’t allow it either. So she could only secretly keep a few tropical fish. Later, when the dorm head discovered them, they didn’t interfere, and her habit of keeping fish remained. Now, so many years had passed, and just staying alive was difficult—how could she have the energy to keep fish?

Seeing that she liked them, Li Ce immediately pulled out money to buy them. The vendor, rarely seeing such a generous customer, also gave them a porcelain urn to hold the fish.

By now it was very late, and Chu Qiao, not yet recovered from her serious injuries, felt somewhat tired. The two discussed returning.

When they returned to the lakeside, the horse was still leisurely grazing. Several children were squatting nearby, repeatedly trying to grab the reins, presumably wanting to steal the horse, but fearing it might kick them. They hesitated and were unwilling to leave, but when they saw the owners return, they scattered in an instant.

Chu Qiao and Li Ce mounted the horse, and because they now had an urn of goldfish, they walked slowly along the wide street.

Chu Qiao suddenly felt something strange, thinking back to the days in Da Xia when it was hard to tell if she and Li Ce were friends or enemies—it felt like a previous lifetime. Indeed, as Yan Xun had once said, Zhenhuang City was like a huge cage, lifeless; anything inside it would eventually become stifled.

Ah, Yan Xun, who knew where he was now? He had disguised himself as Liu Xi, taking Da Tong’s wealth in Xian Yang, presumably intending to transport the goods back to Yan Bei via the southern border. Now they were traveling under the banner of defecting from Da Xia to Bian Tang, which made it easier to understand why Yan Xun needed to disguise himself as Liu Xi. Looking at it this way, he would come to Bian Tang. As for what other reasons or purposes lay behind this, she did not know.

The sound of the night watch drum was getting closer, and Chu Qiao’s spirit grew increasingly drowsy. Ever since she had been poisoned by that female assassin from the caravan, she had become increasingly sleepy. She sat on the horse, her body growing softer, her forehead resting against Li Ce’s back, and she gradually fell asleep.

The man sitting in front was momentarily startled. He turned his head curiously and saw the young woman’s forehead pressed against his shoulder, her breathing shallow, having fallen asleep just like that.

The night breeze blew, and the magnolia in the young woman’s hair gave off waves of fragrance. The man’s face no longer showed his usual casual, carefree smile. He simply gazed quietly at Chu Qiao, allowing the horse to move forward without pulling the reins.

Bian Tang was a country of flowers, with flowering trees lining both sides of the road. As a gentle breeze passed, occasional petals fell, like fluttering butterfly touches. Chu Qiao, in her goose-yellow brocade dress, had thousands of ribbons swaying in the wind among the colorful flowering trees, like an immortal or a sprite, not resembling a mortal.

The horse kicked lightly, and Chu Qiao suddenly frowned, slightly jostled, her body involuntarily falling backward.

Li Ce was quick, immediately wrapping his arm around her waist. Then, the man, usually not skilled in martial arts, suddenly whirled around, one hand pressing on the saddle, his body leaping up, and in the next second, he had jumped from the front to the back, both arms encircling Chu Qiao’s waist, letting her sleep leaning against his chest. Then he gently shook the reins, and the horse moved forward with steady steps.

The night wind blew, and there was still some rainwater scattered from the flowering trees, falling with countless petals.

The cold moon was misty, the spacious bluestone road elegant in its simplicity. On a slender horse, a man and woman rode together. The man held the reins, embracing the soundly sleeping young woman, while his other hand pulled out a bamboo umbrella from the horse’s saddlebag to shield them. Cold dewdrops pattered on the umbrella surface, making a crisp, moving sound. The man’s clothes were dark red, with the hem blown up by the wind, like a fiery rose.

“Bian Tang is about to become unsettled,”

From a distance came the man’s low sigh. Li Ce exhaled deeply, then smiled gently, a smile that didn’t seem relaxed or happy, but rather as if he were accustomed to smiling while speaking: “When you’re better, I should send you to meet your old flame.”

“In this world, where is there any paradise, you little fool.”

The moonlight spread like frost and mist, and the vast Gold Wu Palace gradually appeared before them.

—*—*—*—*—*—

When she woke up, it was already well into the day. The little maid called Qiu Sui was still sitting on a small stool waiting for her. Seeing her awake, she smiled happily and quickly brought over a bowl of tea, saying, “You’re awake, would you like some water?”

Chu Qiao shook her head, and the little maid continued, “The Imperial Physician is waiting outside to take your pulse. The Crown Prince has instructed that they should be called in when you awake.”

Chu Qiao washed up simply, rejecting the maid’s well-intentioned desire to elaborately style her hair, and casually tied up a bun. She wasn’t from a wealthy family and had never lived in luxury, so now seeing the spectacle of having more than a dozen people surrounding her just to wash her face, she was inevitably dazed. Instinctively refusing, she then saw more than twenty Imperial Physicians enter in sequence, taking turns to check her pulse.

The little maid had prepared a large table of food, with soups, desserts, and dishes—meat and vegetarian—totaling more than thirty varieties. Maids knelt on either side, and Chu Qiao didn’t even need to move her hands. As the physicians checked her pulse, the maids fed her. They would pick up a mouthful of food and look at her; if she nodded, they would bring it to her mouth, and if she shook her head, they would put it down and try another. Chu Qiao felt too embarrassed to keep shaking her head, so by the end of the meal, she was uncomfortably full.

Finally, the Imperial Physicians finished their examination, and more than twenty old men collectively went to a side hall to discuss a treatment plan.

At this moment, there was a clanging sound from outside. Chu Qiao asked, “What’s happening outside?”

Qiu Sui, clearly the head of this group of maids, answered sweetly, “They’re fixing the pond.”

The pond was just below Chu Qiao’s window. She was somewhat puzzled and asked, “What pond are they fixing? What was wrong with the original one?”

“The original pond was too low. His Highness ordered a water wheel to be set up here, creating a high elevated pond with flowing water to raise the goldfish that you brought back.”

Chu Qiao was stunned and quickly walked to the window. Outside, about two or three hundred men were working hard, sweating profusely, yet careful not to make too much noise. All the components were assembled elsewhere and then carefully transported here. Hearing that so many people had been working half a day just to raise a few inexpensive goldfish, Chu Qiao was dumbfounded. She had heard that Bian Tang was wealthy, but she hadn’t imagined that the royal family would be extravagant to this extent.

She would only be staying here for a few days, and Li Ce’s actions made her feel somewhat embarrassed.

She turned and asked, “Where is the Crown Prince?”

“After the morning court, His Highness hasn’t returned.”

Chu Qiao nodded. She didn’t even know how she had returned last night; it seemed her body had serious problems. Since she was going to wait for an opportunity to find Yan Xun in Bian Tang anyway, she might as well first recuperate here. Thinking of this, she slowly sat down on the cool couch.

“Miss, are you from Da Xia?”

Chu Qiao looked up and asked, “Who told you that?”

“I heard it from Guard Tie. He was the one who brought you into the palace with His Highness that day. He said that Miss is a noble from Da Xia, and told us to serve you well.”

“Oh,” Chu Qiao nodded, thinking it must be Li Ce’s guard.

“At first, I thought you were another consort, but last night His Highness specifically instructed that you are his friend. Come to think of it, you’re the Crown Prince’s first female friend.”

The little maid, seeing that Chu Qiao was amiable and easy to talk to, fanned her gently while saying, “His Highness is truly kind to Miss. I have never seen him treat any consort so well.”

“Does your Crown Prince have many consorts?”

Qiu Sui answered, “Yes, the entire Autumn Splendor Hall, Evergreen Hall, and Autumn Water Pavilion are all… Well, there are probably… ah, this servant can’t say clearly, but there are many, many.”

“Oh,” Chu Qiao nodded, “so the rumors are true.”

The little maid smiled and said, “His Highness just loves to have fun and play around. We all like His Highness; he’s the Crown Prince but still very friendly with us little maids, with no airs at all.”

At this moment, a maid suddenly walked in from outside and said, “Miss, Consort Hong Luan has arrived and is waiting outside. She says she wants to see you.”

Chu Qiao was surprised, and Qiu Sui quickly explained, “Consort Hong Luan is a new consort the Crown Prince brought in, a dancer gifted to the Crown Prince from Huai Song.”

Chu Qiao nodded, naturally knowing what this person was coming for. She asked solemnly, “Can I refuse to see her?”

Qiu Sui said, “Of course you can. When the Crown Prince left, he said that if Miss is unwilling, no outsiders are allowed to disturb you casually.”

“Oh,” Chu Qiao said, “Then tell Consort Hong Luan that I am seriously ill and cannot receive visitors. Thank her for coming to visit.”

The maid withdrew.

Within half a day, there were more than a dozen consorts who came to visit, many of them noble daughters from prestigious families. It seemed that Li Ce’s reputation for debauchery was indeed well-earned. With so many women, she truly wondered if he could even remember their names.

In the afternoon, the weather grew increasingly hot. Chu Qiao was drowsy, and Qiu Sui prepared a bowl of ice cubes mixed with cherries, honeydew, and other fruits. Just as she was about to give it to Chu Qiao to eat, someone suddenly came to report that Consort Tang Guo wished to see Chu Qiao.

Chu Qiao was about to make an excuse not to see her when Qiu Sui was suddenly startled, stammering, “Miss, Consort Tang Guo is… is the Empress!”

Phoenix Grace Hall was the Empress’s residence. Chu Qiao had been sitting in the side hall for half an hour without being summoned by the Empress. She was very tired, so tired that she could barely keep her eyes open. While trying to sit up straight, she was inwardly cursing that caravan woman. The poison seemed to not affect her except to make her increasingly weak, wanting to sleep all day.

Ah, she wondered if Li Ce could cure her. What was the name of that famous doctor that Zhuge Yue had mentioned before? She had forgotten.

After waiting for who knows how long, a court attendant suddenly came out saying the Empress was unwell today and told Chu Qiao to return first.

Chu Qiao was furious inside but still knew her place and performed a salute before walking out with heavy steps.

She knew that the Empress was probably hiding in the inner chamber observing her. Now that she was in Bian Tang and her body was in poor condition, it was unwise to have a conflict with her.

As soon as she walked out the door, Chu Qiao yawned, and suddenly her vision blurred as a figure stood up abruptly. Chu Qiao was startled, only to find Li Ce with drowsy eyes.

Chu Qiao’s drowsiness was immediately preceded by three parts, and she asked in confusion, “Have you been squatting outside the door the whole time?”

Li Ce yawned while saying, “I heard you were called by my mother to talk, so I came to listen.”

Chu Qiao was surprised, “Couldn’t you go inside to listen?”

“It’s hot inside,” Li Ce gave a completely made-up excuse, then raised his eyebrows, “I was afraid you two might start fighting in the middle of your conversation, so I waited here to break it up if needed.”

Chu Qiao didn’t banter with him, and walked outside, saying, “I’m very tired. I want to go back to sleep.”

Li Ce chimed in, “Perfect, I’m tired too. Let’s sleep together.”

Chu Qiao turned back and raised her fist, “Come if you’re not afraid of death.”

Li Ce laughed heartily and said, “What I fear least in life is a woman’s threat.”

At this moment, a young guard suddenly ran up to Li Ce and called out, “Crown Prince, Minister He’s daughter has entered the palace and gone to visit the Fourth Princess.”

Li Ce immediately became energetic, quickly bidding farewell to Chu Qiao, calling out, “Qiaoqiao, I have urgent matters to attend to. I can’t accompany you now.”

Then, he hurried away following that guard.

Urgent matters?

Chu Qiao couldn’t help but laugh. This was good though; being with such a person, she didn’t need to worry about developing any complicated feelings that would cause future concerns.

Boarding a small sedan chair, Chu Qiao had barely sat down before she drowsily fell asleep.

In the middle of the night, she was suddenly awakened by a burst of weeping. Chu Qiao fumbled to get up, put on a cotton-white outer robe, and softly called Qiu Sui’s name.

Qiu Sui was staying in the outer room and hadn’t been sleeping either. She ran in within a few steps, saying, “Miss is awake. Don’t worry, it’s Consort Hong Luan outside. This servant has already sent people to drive her away.”

Chu Qiao was somewhat puzzled, “What happened?”

“This afternoon, when Miss returned, Consort Hong Luan and her sister, Consort Qiu He, encountered Miss’s sedan chair on the road. Consort Qiu He deliberately had her people push the sedan, almost pushing Miss’s sedan into the lake. Guard Tie happened to see it and told His Highness, so His Highness ordered Consort Qiu He to be confined in the punishment chamber. Consort Hong Luan is now crying and begging you to show mercy, but this is not something you can control, nor is it worth getting involved in such murky waters. This servant will drive her away now.”

It seemed these people had considered her a potential rival. It was just a case of women competing for favor, and Chu Qiao didn’t take it to heart. She was only secretly alarmed that the poison seemed to be getting deeper—she hadn’t even noticed someone trying to push her sedan chair. She had been far too careless.

When she woke up early the next morning, the waterside pond had been completed. Several goldfish were swimming freely in this expensively built elevated pond. Chu Qiao sat leaning by the pavilion window, reaching out to lightly touch the water in the tank.

Then she heard maids talking softly outside. With Chu Qiao’s keen hearing, she could tell it was Qiu Sui and another maid called Zi Chan.

Qiu Sui said, “She’s ignorant of the gravity. How many consorts are there in this palace? Such a person, even if she doesn’t cause big trouble now, will eventually die.”

Zi Chan sighed, “She probably thinks the Crown Prince is easily fooled. Now look what’s happened—the dancers from Huai Song are either dead or injured, and now none are left.”

“Didn’t you hear what Auntie said? The Crown Prince’s alliance with Da Xia is meant to exclude Huai Song. These dancers from Huai Song wouldn’t last long, and now it’s come true.”

“Ah? Are we going to war with Huai Song?”

“I don’t know, but didn’t fighting break out in Tiger Mountain recently? Although it was a small-scale conflict, I heard many people died. Lord Luo has just returned from battle and is about to return to the capital.”

“His Highness is angry this time. I’ve never seen him so furious. Consort Hong Luan is doomed this time, isn’t she? Sigh, anyone can see His Highness cares about this miss, yet she can’t see it.”

…

Had Bian Tang been at war with Huai Song recently?

Chu Qiao frowned slightly. So that was it; no wonder Bian Tang had chosen to form a marriage alliance with Da Xia at this time. Li Ce might appear easygoing and playful, but no matter what, he was still the Crown Prince of the country. It was best not to underestimate him.

Chu Qiao reminded herself to leave as soon as possible. She didn’t know if Yan Xun had arrived yet, but she had a feeling that trouble was brewing in Bian Tang. Although she had no evidence, she still felt alarmed. This was purely a sixth sense, a heightened instinct developed through years of battle experience that had saved her many times in dangerous situations. The most urgent matter now was to recover, neutralize the poison, then find Yan Xun and persuade him to return to Yan Bei immediately.

Yan Bei was now in full spring bloom, the perfect time for Da Xia to launch a military campaign against Yan Bei. Once the marriage alliance here was completed, the war between Da Xia and Yan Bei would likely break out. They should return early to prepare.

Her spirit had been much better in recent days. She hadn’t seen Li Ce all day, and she hadn’t gone out either. This place seemed peaceful, but she didn’t like the atmosphere. A group of women hiding in the deep palace, competing for favor and opposing each other made her feel somewhat uncomfortable, especially since they had completely mistaken their target.

She wanted to ask about her condition when the Imperial Physician came in the evening, and then bid farewell to Li Ce and leave here in a day or two. She hoped to find Yan Xun before he entered the city, and then leave this place with him.

Unexpectedly, the Imperial Physician didn’t come in the evening but only sent medicine. After drinking the medicine, Chu Qiao took Qiu Sui out for a walk. When she reached the water pavilion by the lotus pond, she felt somewhat tired and sat down to rest. Just as she had been sitting for a moment, she suddenly heard footsteps behind her. She stood up and saw in the distance a jingling of pendants and jade ornaments, a wave of fragrance, and a group of maids and attendants surrounding a young woman dressed in rich brocades, approaching with a haughty expression.

The woman also saw Chu Qiao. At first, she didn’t pay much attention, but after looking carefully for a moment, she was suddenly startled. The young woman’s brows immediately furrowed, and then with a cold snort, she said in a deep voice, “What are you doing here?”

“Why can’t she be here?”

The flippant voice immediately sounded. Li Ce strolled into the water pavilion, alone, unusually dressed in a green-colored court robe, and said to the young woman, “You haven’t even entered my home yet, Princess, and you’re already eager to manage my household affairs?”

“This Princess—”

“Well, well, this Crown Prince remembers that it’s not auspicious to meet before the wedding. Princess, although my longing for you flows endlessly like rivers and seas, for the sake of my Great Tang’s future fortune, please return to the palace to rest.”

The Ninth Princess of Da Xia turned pale, suddenly gave a cold snort, and left with her entourage.

Watching her leave angrily, Li Ce suddenly sighed, lamenting, “Ah, political marriage, political marriage…”

Chu Qiao turned her head, smiled, and said, “I’m sorry to have affected the relationship between you and your future consort.”

“I don’t like this little princess at all. Not even fourteen years old yet, what should be big isn’t big, and what should be there isn’t there. I don’t know why they brought her back—just touching her would turn my stomach.”

Chu Qiao was stunned, then said with a smile, “You can wait a few years.”

“Ah, you don’t understand.” Li Ce shook his head and said, “Even the most beautiful face becomes tiresome after seeing it for too long. So, a man’s interest in a woman is just during that initial period when they first meet, and afterward, it gradually disappears. She appears before me now and I can’t touch her; by the time I can touch her, I’ll be tired of looking at her. What can be done?”

Chu Qiao shook her head and said, “Is mutual affection only about physical attraction? I don’t think so.”

“Of course, you think that way.”

As soon as the words fell, Li Ce grinned mischievously, then leaned forward and said, “To be honest, your injury—was it a setback suffered in the Ping Gui Wasteland?”

Chu Qiao was surprised and asked, “How do you know?”

“Of course I know,” Li Ce smiled smugly, then said, “I’m getting married in a few days, and dignitaries from various countries are arriving. Only the Fourth Young Master of the Zhuge family hasn’t arrived yet. I only found out today that Zhuge Four is preparing a grand gift for me.”

Chu Qiao was startled, “What gift?”

“Haha,” Li Ce laughed heartily, “He spent a fortune hiring the largest group of mercenaries within Bian Tang’s borders and has swept through the caravans on the Ping Gui Wasteland several times. From now on, the trade route between Bian Tang and Huai Song is completely clear.”

Chu Qiao was immediately stunned. The water pavilion was open to the breeze on all sides, with lotus leaves covering the sky. A fine layer of sweat formed on her body. She stood there quietly, then gave an awkward smile, covering up by saying, “Is that so?”

“The young master of the Zhuge family is furious, absolutely furious!”

Li Ce, fox-like, narrowed his eyes, sitting on a wooden block, smiling as he looked at her. Chu Qiao felt his gaze was very sharp as if attempting to pierce through something she desperately did not want to think about.

She stepped back and said, “It’s windy here. I’ll go back first.”

Then, ignoring whatever Li Ce said, she turned and returned to the pavilion.

Even when she had walked far away, she could still feel Li Ce’s gaze like a sharp needle, almost piercing through her shell. Sitting by the window overlooking the water, dipping her hand in the clear pond water, she felt the touch was ice-cold, penetrating to the bone.

Those narrow phoenix eyes echoed in her mind once again, along with the man’s somber gaze, his slightly pale face, and crimson lips…

And his final words before leaving.

Don’t run around, don’t run around—how could she be considered running around? She was just returning to find Yan Xun, she had her matters to attend to, and, he also had his own family.

Forget it, her spirit was good today, she should be able to leave tomorrow. Staying in the palace inevitably caused some inconvenience, especially after meeting the Ninth Princess of Da Xia today. Even if Li Ce wasn’t afraid, she shouldn’t cause more trouble for him. After all, she was a wanted criminal from Da Xia, and Li Ce’s open protection of her was not good.

Thinking this way, she gradually fell asleep. Before sleeping, she still thought of Li Ce’s words. Zhuge Yue was angry, probably partly because of her. Was her departure this time considered deceiving him again?

It should, it shouldn’t count, right?

Chu Qiao turned over. They were originally in an adversarial relationship.

Zhuge Yue’s temper had always been fierce!

Chu Qiao thought this way—perhaps he just couldn’t stand being tricked, so he went back to seek revenge.

Yes, yes, it must be like that…