“Ganzi incense, Suhe incense, Musong incense, Qinghuo incense, Dinglan incense one qian each, Jigu incense, White Sandalwood incense, Black Fennel incense, Golden Sleeve incense one and a half qian each, Kouzhi incense, Tongue Orchid incense, Niangxi incense two qian each, Cypress Sage incense, Lazuli incense…”

Young palace maid Qiumei was murmuring the list of items to bring along, carefully storing the incense and medicinal prescriptions specially prepared for Chu Qiao by the imperial physicians close to her body. Outside the door were cartloads of fine silks, precious furs, valuable ornaments and utensils, everything one could possibly need, as if they were moving house.

Last night she had told Li Ce about her plans to leave, and Li Ce didn’t try to stop her, only saying that the imperial physicians should examine her once more today and prepare all necessary medicines before she could set out. Most of the senior physicians from the Imperial Medical Academy came today. Medical Director Elder Du gave thorough instructions for quite some time and wrote down all the matters Chu Qiao should pay attention to in the future on paper for Qiumei to keep safe. After bustling about for half a day, they finally left.

Illness comes like an avalanche but leaves like pulling silk. The poison had penetrated deeply for a long time, and a complete cure would not be simple. It required careful nurturing and attentive care, using mild medicines to gradually drive out the poison. Li Ce selected several palace maids without relatives to accompany Chu Qiao to Yan Bei and dispatched fifty guards to escort them, led by Li Ce’s chief guard Iron You, carrying Li Ce’s gold token to clear the way.

“Miss, is Yan Bei very cold?” asked little maid Qiumei.

Since learning this morning that she would accompany Chu Qiao to Yan Bei, the young maid had been in a state of unusual excitement. Having grown up in the palace with no parents or relatives left, the girl kept finding opportunities to question Chu Qiao, her large eyes full of anticipation and hope for the journey.

“Yes, it’s very cold. It snows there for six or seven months every year, much colder than here.”

“Really?” Qiumei started, eyes wide open, and quickly said, “Then we must bring more furs.”

With that, she hurriedly turned to pack things again. In no time, she had not only gathered many furs but also collected hand warmers and braziers of various sizes.

Chu Qiao couldn’t help but smile at the sight and said, “That’s enough. With so many things, we’d have more than enough for the North Pole, let alone Yan Bei.”

“North Pole?” The little maid asked curiously, “Where is the North Pole?”

“The North Pole is a place even colder than Yan Bei,” Chu Qiao explained with a smile. “It’s covered in snow year-round, cold enough to freeze your nose off.”

“Ah!” Qiumei gasped, covering her nose as if it might fall off, then exclaimed admiringly, “Miss is so knowledgeable, you know everything.”

Chu Qiao’s eyes curved into crescents as she smiled gently, “Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles. The distance from here to Yan Bei is ten thousand miles. Once you reach Yan Bei, you’ll have read ten thousand books, and then you can apply to take the scholar’s examination.”

All the maids in the room burst into laughter. Qiumei’s cheeks turned red as she fidgeted with the fur in her hands, saying shyly, “Miss is just teasing me.”

At that moment, someone suddenly arrived outside. Chan’er quickly ran out and soon returned escorting a middle-aged eunuch in his forties. The eunuch carried a feather duster, had a pale face without a beard, and said respectfully, “Miss Chu, His Highness the Crown Prince requests your presence.”

“Looking for me?” Chu Qiao raised her eyebrows and asked, “May I ask what His Highness wants with me?”

“This servant doesn’t know.”

Chu Qiao nodded, put down the fruit bowl in her hand, passed it to Qiumei, and said, “I’ll go for a while.”

Qiumei immediately stood up, “Let this servant accompany you, Miss.”

“No need, I’ll be back soon.”

It was high noon, the weather was fine, shadows were cast at oblique angles, and the vast imperial garden was quiet and empty. Chu Qiao wore a soft, tender green gauze dress, its delicate fabric cascading down in gentle layers like cotton wool. With the breeze, the skirt swayed gently, light as smoke. Stepping onto the bluestone bridge, her embroidered shoes with soft soles touched the stone slabs that had weathered hundreds of winters and summers. Sparse willows hung on both sides, and warm golden sunlight poured like water through the branches, casting fragmented, scattered shadows on the sun-warmed stone bridge. Chu Qiao’s silhouette was faintly reflected on it, also broken into many pieces, large and small, impossible to piece together.

“Sir, where are we going?” she asked.

“In response to Miss’s question, His Highness the Crown Prince is in Yushui Pavilion, and we are heading in that direction.”

Chu Qiao nodded and spoke no more. After all, Bian Tang was an ancient Eastern nation with a thousand years of history. The extent of the Jin Wu Palace far exceeded that of Da Xia’s Sacred Gold Palace. Although she had stayed here for several days, she had seen barely one or two percent of it. Walking amid flowers and willows, she saw in the distance an exquisite water pavilion standing on a small island in the middle of a lake. White pear blossoms floated on either side, and the cyan palace seemed to disappear among the layers of pear blossoms, difficult to see clearly.

A small boat approached. The eunuch bowed, extended his hand, and said in a deep voice, “Miss, please board the boat.”

Chu Qiao nodded, lightly raised her leg, and stood steadily at the bow. The boatwoman was a young girl wearing light lake-green clothes, with her trouser legs rolled up, revealing two sections of fair calves. She was quite pretty and occasionally stole glances at Chu Qiao from the corner of her eye.

The boat docked, and Chu Qiao jumped ashore ahead of the eunuch. Several young guards were standing on the shore, and upon seeing Chu Qiao and the eunuch arrive, everyone’s eyes turned toward them at once. Then two guards walked forward and, without speaking, made a gesture of invitation.

The eunuch did not follow, and as Chu Qiao turned around, she saw the old eunuch let out a long sigh, take out a silk handkerchief from his robe, and gently wipe his forehead.

“Where is His Highness?” Chu Qiao asked, turning slightly toward one of the guards.

The guard replied in a wooden tone, “Just ahead.”

Chu Qiao nodded, then asked, “Where are you from? Your accent doesn’t sound local to Tang Capital.”

The guard replied, “I’m from the northern border army, under General Xu.”

“I didn’t expect Bian Tang’s imperial guards to include northern border soldiers. I am truly ignorant,” Chu Qiao remarked.

“Bian Tang’s military system differs from Da Xia’s. Outstanding soldiers from border garrisons across the country are stationed in the imperial guard,” the younger guard explained.

“Oh?” Chu Qiao turned her head and said with a faint smile, “This guard brother seems very familiar with Da Xia’s military organization.”

The man’s expression changed, and he smiled awkwardly, saying, “Just a little knowledge.”

“Miss, please hurry, His Highness is getting impatient,” urged the older guard.

Chu Qiao nodded, then suddenly exclaimed “Oh!” and stopped in her tracks, saying with frustration, “I forgot to bring His Highness’s cloak that he left with me this morning.”

The two men were startled, and the older one quickly said, “It’s alright, we’ll send someone to fetch it later.”

“How could I trouble you? I should go back and get it myself.”

The younger guard immediately said anxiously, “That won’t be necessary. Iron Guard has already gone back to the Crown Prince’s quarters to retrieve it. Please go see His Highness first.”

“Oh, I see. That’s good then.” Chu Qiao smiled brightly, then followed behind the two men toward the palace hidden among the layers of pear blossoms.

A gust of wind suddenly blew past, sweeping over an old pear tree behind them. Petals fell, floating lightly onto the slender shoulders of the young woman.

Just then, a sudden gust of wind cut through the air, and the light green figure leaped up in an instant. With a loud “bang,” Chu Qiao’s foot landed heavily on one guard’s lower back. Her body rebounded backward, crashing into the guard behind her. The young woman curled her hand into a claw and with a fierce twist, broke his wrist with a “crack.” Following with an elbow strike and a sidekick, the once charming young woman instantly transformed into a bloodthirsty Rakshasa. In a flash of lightning, she had already landed five zhang away, sprinting wildly toward the small boat!

“Swish, swish” sounds immediately rang out as several guards drew their swords, running and shouting, “Catch her!”

Chu Qiao sneered coldly. If she had shown mercy earlier because she wasn’t clear about their identities, now there was no need for that.

She shook her arm, and the dagger bound to her upper arm immediately slid down.

A cold light flashed, and Chu Qiao didn’t even look at it. Her whole body soared into the air, kicking the chest of the man coming toward her. The man howled in pain and fell back violently. Chu Qiao, however, maintained her running posture and continued to sprint toward the small boat.

“Catch her!”

More than a dozen guards, near and far, quickly rushed toward Chu Qiao, surrounding her. Everyone held weapons, not attempting to hide their intentions.

Battle blades flashed, carrying the scent of blood. An older soldier in his thirties charged forward, his blade techniques clean and ruthless. Chu Qiao raised an eyebrow, her body elegantly sidestepping along the blade. The sword came down from above with a whoosh, cutting through a silk ribbon fluttering in the wind. Chu Qiao’s expression remained unchanged as her body slipped close like a loach, her movements nimble and flowing like water. Her knee struck with hidden power to subdue the opponent, and the dagger in her hand immediately pressed against the man’s throat.

Spin, sidekick, seize the blade, slash the throat!

Her movements were connected and decisive. When she unhesitatingly ran five steps away, the man finally collapsed to the ground, his eyes full of disbelief!

Flowers exhaled fragrance in the wind, and beautiful trees flourished. Under such beautiful scenery, Chu Qiao’s movements were like a dance. Even killing in her hands seemed to become an art.

Fall! Somersault! Break bones! Screams!

Chu Qiao no longer showed mercy. Faced with the opponent’s clear intention to kill her, she no longer concealed the killing intent and sharp teeth hidden beneath her light clothing. The clanging sound of falling metal was incessant. Chu Qiao blocked two battle blades with her hands crossed, her body immediately darting in like an agile cat. Her lower leg kicked forward ruthlessly, striking the man’s vital point.

The crowd surged in like a tide, growing larger and larger. Chu Qiao’s entire body leaped up, grabbing the head of a guard, her knee flying up to strike, and a line of blood instantly shot skyward!

The small boat was just ahead. The young boatwoman, seeing such a terrifying battle scene, was already scared stiff, her face pale and bloodless. Seeing Chu Qiao rushing toward her like a demon, she hurriedly picked up the oar and was about to leave in haste.

Closer! Getting closer!

Chu Qiao suddenly exerted force, taking three steps forward, kicking forcefully on a man’s hip, then using the momentum to fly up. In an instant, she was like a large bird crossing the sky, and with a bang, she landed steadily on the bow of the boat!

The boatwoman stared at her foolishly. Chu Qiao’s gaze was cold, her body untouched by even a trace of blood, but the shore was a mess. The young woman turned around in everyone’s terrified gaze and said in a deep voice, “Start the boat!”

The boatwoman stared at her blankly, not daring to make any movement.

With a “whoosh,” a cold light flashed. Chu Qiao placed the dagger firmly against her neck and said coldly, “Start the boat.”

The small boat began to sway away, getting farther and farther. People on the small island ran around, seemingly shouting something.

Chu Qiao was initially unconcerned and was about to breathe a sigh of relief when suddenly a great unease rose from the bottom of her heart. Almost simultaneously, without any hesitation, Chu Qiao immediately jumped off the boat. At the same time, a thunderous explosion sounded. The boatwoman screamed, and a massive stone weighing over two hundred jin crashed down heavily. The small boat was instantly shattered into pieces, along with the boatwoman’s bloody remains, all floating back and forth on the water’s surface.

A tremendous bloody smell suddenly assaulted her. Chu Qiao almost didn’t need to look back to know what weapon it was. She gritted her teeth, blue veins bulging on her forehead. If the earlier confrontation was just an attempt to capture her, this attack was undisguised murder.

Her eyes immediately showed a wolf-like ferocity!

She stretched her arms and quickly swam. There were no boats on either side, and she was confident she could swim to the opposite shore before they caught up. Once ashore, she was certain she could escape alive!

However, just as she was vowing to settle this score, a dark shadow suddenly appeared before her eyes. Chu Qiao was startled and then heard a splashing sound. Before she could dive to avoid it, Chu Qiao felt her body lighten, as if caught in something, involuntarily rising to the surface!

A fishing net? Was she caught in a net?

This thought took only a hundredth of a second. Chu Qiao flipped her wrist, and the dagger instantly slashed horizontally, tearing through the fishing net in a few strokes. With a splash, her body rapidly sank, plunging once more into the cold lake water.

However, there was no time for even a moment’s relief. The feeling of weightlessness assailed her again, and everything before her eyes turned upside down. When she broke the surface, she was once again tightly caught in a fishing net.

“Damn it!”

Chu Qiao couldn’t help but curse. Just as she was about to cut through the fishing net again with her dagger, several sharp, cold gleams were immediately aimed at her head. Looking up, she saw several small boats sailing toward her from the willow trees not far away. The guards on the boats were fully armored, each holding a close-range crossbow, their arrowheads a deep blue, aimed directly at her.

On both sides of the lake shore, large numbers of troops were hidden in trees, with long ropes stretched across the lake surface, tightly wrapped around the fishing net she was in.

It seemed the other side had made thorough preparations.

“Drop your weapon!” shouted a guard from a small boat, his finger on the crossbow trigger. Chu Qiao knew that judging from their readiness to deploy a small catapult earlier, if she dared to show even the slightest resistance, she had no doubt those poisoned arrowheads would pierce her chest without hesitation.

So she wisely let go. With a splash, the dagger fell into the water, slowly sinking to the bottom of the lake.

“Bring her over!” someone on the small island shouted.

Chu Qiao resignedly allowed herself to be tied securely, then placed on a small boat that slowly sailed toward the pear blossoms in the distance.

Today’s weather was exceptionally good, clear as a still pond, with golden sunlight and white willow catkins flying all over the lake. Escorted by two strong men, passing through flowers and willows, she arrived at a very quiet palace. The palace gates were wide open, and a woman was lounging lazily on a soft couch, wearing luxurious clothes adorned with pearls and jade, dazzling to the eye at first glance.

Da Xia’s Ninth Princess Zhao Yan looked at her with cold eyes and said lightly, “Inviting you for a talk has proven quite difficult.”

“As the host, so the guest. Can Princess Highness blame others for not following the rules of etiquette when this is how you treat your guests?” Chu Qiao replied.

“Such a sharp tongue!” Zhao Yan snorted coldly, immediately sitting up, looking coldly at Chu Qiao, and said in a deep voice, “I want to see if you can remain so stubborn later!”

Chu Qiao showed no fear at all. Her lips curled in mockery as she said, “That depends on your skills, Princess.”

Zhao Yan was furious and called coldly, “Come here and give this new noble from Yan Bei a proper welcome!”

Chu Qiao slowly closed her eyes. Having fallen into the hands of the Zhao family, she had no other thoughts, only hoping that this woman, blinded by hatred, would not kill her immediately. If Qiumei and the others were clever enough, there might still be time to seek help from Li Ce.

After the time it took to burn a stick of incense, Chu Qiao was once again dragged into the hall, though by now she could no longer stand on her own.

Her legs had been struck with wooden clubs, and her body had been severely beaten. These soldier men, facing such a delicate young girl, showed no mercy at all. Everyone seemed to have a deep grudge against her, their attacks vicious, as if they wanted to beat her to death.

Chu Qiao’s clothes were stained with blood, and blood from her forehead flowed down, obscuring her vision. She weakly opened her eyes, but there was not a trace of fear in her gaze. She merely looked coldly at Zhao Yan, at Da Xia’s Ninth Princess, her expression very calm, even carrying a hint of arrogance and pity.

Zhao Yan’s face remained cold as she mocked, “How does it feel now? Surprising, isn’t it? The person my seventh brother and the others couldn’t find even if they turned the world upside down has fallen into my hands. Such a heinous criminal, what should I do with you?”

Zhao Yan snorted coldly, drew a precious sword, and walked forward with a cold smile. The Da Xia princess, raised on horseback, had a cruel hatred in the corner of her mouth: “I truly hate that I didn’t kill you two commoners earlier!”

Chu Qiao’s consciousness was somewhat hazy; someone had just struck her head with a club, and her eyes kept blinking in and out of the darkness. She looked at Zhao Yan but couldn’t see her face. Her face seemed to ripple like water, gradually rewinding to her childhood appearance, standing haughtily among the crowd. Back then, Zhao Yan, because of a quarrel with Zhao Chun’er, always tried to bully Yan Xun, whom Zhao Chun’er cared about. That was their most difficult time in the Sacred Gold Palace, almost daily bearing injuries. In those days when even resistance was not allowed, they made so many vows that were gradually forgotten over the years.

She smiled gently, her eyes full of disdain. She looked at Zhao Yan and said coldly, “I will remember this day.”

Zhao Yan flew into a rage, “How dare you! Even at this point, you still dare to threaten me!”

Chu Qiao sneered, looking at Zhao Yan with such contempt. She breathed slightly and said lightly, “Given our current situation, if you want to kill me, you have many ways. Officially, you could notify Da Xia, pressure Bian Tang, force Li Ce to let me leave the palace, and then intercept and kill me on the road. Privately, you could bribe my maids, bribe the imperial physicians treating me, and kill me invisibly. But you didn’t do that. You made it ostentatious, you made it blatant. You think you’re intimidating those who might underestimate you, you think this is the first fire you’re setting in the Bian Tang imperial palace, and from now on, those women of the Crown Prince will have to fear you, and you, the Da Xia princess, will rise in status within Jin Wu Palace. But have you thought about how this puts Li Ce in a difficult position? How does it affect Yan Bei? You’re not representing Da Xia but have purely become a jealous woman. You’ve lost your originally justified stance and become overbearing and unreasonable, throwing Bian Tang’s face into the mud. Are you still proud of such actions? Are you still pleased with yourself?”

Chu Qiao snorted disdainfully, her eyes sweeping contemptuously over Zhao Yan’s changing face, and said coldly, “Zhao Yan, you are a fool, as you were before, and still are now. It seems the pain of Da Xia’s lost capital has not awakened you; you still haven’t made any progress.”

“Shut up!”

Zhao Yan suddenly shouted, slapping Chu Qiao hard across the face.

Chu Qiao slowly turned her head back, her eyes fierce, and said in a deep voice, “This slap, I have noted. Someday, I will make you repay it tenfold!”

“I’m afraid you won’t have the chance!”

Zhao Yan raised the precious sword in her hand. Chu Qiao crouched on the ground, and as everyone’s attention was focused on Zhao Yan, her fingers secretly reached for the last dagger on her thigh.

This was her last resort for survival. If she could subdue Zhao Yan, she would have a chance to escape. Even at the cost of taking a heavy blow, she had to strike decisively!

The sword revealed its sharp edge, gleaming coldly. Just as the sword was about to pierce Chu Qiao’s chest, a thunderous shout suddenly came. The door panels split with a crack, and two guards instantly flew in, crashing heavily to the ground!

“Smack!”

A crisp sound immediately echoed throughout the hall. No one even saw clearly how the newcomer had entered; the figure was too fast, almost beyond the eye’s ability to distinguish. There were auspicious cloud patterns on the dark red hem of his clothes and light golden boots strode onto the soft South Si carpet. The man struck down the sword-wielding princess with one palm, and the guards behind him charged into the great hall like wolves and tigers, pinning down the frightened Da Xia attendants in a few moves.

Li Ce crouched in front of Chu Qiao, his eyebrows, which usually appeared lighthearted, tightly furrowed, his eyes seeming to contain ice. He showed no particular anger, nor did he reveal any emotion, but the usual pretense and concealment had completely receded. He extended his fingers, wanting to lift Chu Qiao up, but not knowing where to start. His fingertips trembled slightly, revealing a hint of lack of control.

Zhao Yan got up from the ground, covering her face in disbelief and shouting, “Crown Prince Li! How dare you…”

“Shut your mouth.”

The deep voice slowly sounded no longer the usual flippant tone, but cold, calm, and even tinged with angry bloodthirst. He didn’t turn around but said slowly in an almost cruel tone, “Before I lose control and kill you, get out.”

Zhao Yan’s eyes were red, her hairpins in disarray. Her angry voice trembled slightly as she pointed at Chu Qiao and shouted, “How dare you speak to me like this? What is her status? A lowly commoner! I am a princess of Da Xia, your future wife, how dare you…”

“Someone, throw her out.”

“Yes!”

A deep voice immediately responded. Two strong guards stepped forward and seized Zhao Yan. The entire room was instantly filled with Zhao Yan’s hysterical screams, like a crazed night owl or a cat with its tail cut off.

With a dull thud, accompanied by Zhao Yan’s scream, she was thrown out the door by Li Ce’s attendants.

The door was closed, and the Da Xia attendants on the ground were also dragged out like dead dogs.

Li Ce still crouched in front of Chu Qiao, his brows tightly furrowed, his expression very serious, silent for a long time.

Chu Qiao looked at him and finally sighed helplessly, “Aren’t you going to help me up?”

“You can still talk, which proves you won’t die.”

Still his usual tone, but looking into his eyes, Chu Qiao could not detect any mockery or playfulness. He looked at her very seriously, his expression so tense that, although he was trying hard to conceal it, Chu Qiao could still sense his anxiety and trepidation.

She had to nod. There was an inexplicable feeling surging in her chest. She responded with a slightly heavy voice, very affirmatively and seriously, “Yes, I won’t die.”

“Phew…”

They were so close that Chu Qiao could almost feel Li Ce’s long exhale of relief. The man’s tense expression immediately relaxed. He looked at Chu Qiao and suddenly lowered his head, as if he were the injured one, irresponsibly resting his forehead on Chu Qiao’s shoulder, but so lightly, without any pressure.

Yet Chu Qiao could still feel that the strength in his body seemed to be drained in an instant.

“Thank goodness…”

The man murmured, his voice so low that Chu Qiao couldn’t make out the rest.

The afternoon wind was still so stuffy, and sunlight shot through the window, casting a bright patch of light. Li Ce wore a dark red robe with densely embroidered dark black roses in tiny stitches. His skin was somewhat pale, with neat sideburns, only slightly damp, as if there were tiny drops of sweat.

Li Ce raised his head but didn’t look up. He simply knelt on one knee on the ground, then reached out to gently lift Chu Qiao’s neck and the crook of her legs. Chu Qiao’s body tensed, and the wounds immediately burned with pain. Her fine eyebrows frowned slightly, and her face immediately paled.

Li Ce saw this but didn’t show it on his face. He just quietly looked at her, waiting for her pain to pass, then more carefully moved closer, taking her into his arms.

“Bear with it a little.”

The deep voice sounded in her ear. Chu Qiao nodded slightly, and Li Ce immediately exerted force, standing up in one motion.

The guards on both sides bowed respectfully with lowered heads. The door was opened, and the outside sunlight was blindingly bright. As soon as they went out, they saw Zhao Yan standing stubbornly in the courtyard. The girl of only fourteen or fifteen had a particularly sharp demeanor, looking imposingly at Li Ce and Chu Qiao, her eyes as if she wanted to dig a hole in them.

Li Ce’s gaze swept lazily over her face, and then he said to the attendants behind him, “Before nightfall, send the Ninth Princess away from Tang Capital. Within seven days, I want her out of Bian Tang territory. After that, she is never to set foot in Bian Tang again for the rest of her life.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yan raised her eyebrows and stepped forward to speak, but was firmly held back by her personal maid behind her.

Sun Di, in an elegant long robe, with a different kind of grace, frowned slightly and said in a deep voice, “Your Highness, this may not be appropriate. The Ninth Princess is, after all, Da Xia’s official marriage envoy. Although not the primary wife, the betrothal has been sent down. Doing this might affect diplomatic relations between the two countries.”

Hearing this, Zhao Yan’s expression softened slightly. She looked at Li Ce provocatively, as if she thought he couldn’t do anything to her.

“Do you think Da Xia is still the northern tiger that could dictate terms six months ago?”

Li Ce snorted disdainfully, his narrow eyes coldly sweeping toward the Da Xia attendants prostrating on the ground, and said lightly, “Tell the Emperor of Xia, if he wants a marriage alliance, send someone with better home training. This woman, I, Li Ce, dare not accept.”

With that, he carried Chu Qiao forward. Sun Di was startled and followed behind, asking, “What about these people…”

“Kill them all.”

Li Ce’s voice echoed lightly in the breeze: “Coming to my Bian Tang territory and still daring to be so arrogant and presumptuous, how could we let them leave the royal domain? The Ninth Princess would be lonely traveling alone. Sun Di, find some ruffian soldiers to escort her.”

A huge gasp immediately sounded from behind, followed by a moment of silence, then desperate roars and pleading cries rang out.

The sound was so sharp it almost pierced through the high clouds of the afternoon.

Willows hung low along the shore of the azure lake, their branches and leaves stretching out like newly drawn eyebrows. Li Ce carried Chu Qiao horizontally, walking in front, thousands of silk ribbons swaying in the wind, blowing through their entwined hems and thick black hair. The cool breeze from the lake carried a refreshing, lush green water vapor that cleared the mind. The emerald waves seemed to pour out, rippling brilliantly. Chu Qiao suddenly felt dizzy, not knowing if it was from her old wounds acting up or from exhaustion. She could barely keep her eyes open.

“Sleep for a while.”

The man’s voice sounded in her ear, carrying a reassuring taste, different from his usual laughter and curses. His arms holding her tightened slightly, and then he said softly, “It’s alright now.”

Yes, it’s alright now.

Chu Qiao slowly exhaled. She had known all along that nothing would happen, hadn’t she? This was, after all, Li the Fox’s territory. Who could be more cunning than him? He would come to save her.

She seemed to have always thought this way, even when facing Zhao Yan’s sword, she didn’t panic weakly.

Her head was heavy, resting heavily on Li Ce’s chest. She had once thought this man must be like cotton, unable to withstand wind and rain, but now, lying in his arms, this feeling was instantly shattered. He was also a man with strong shoulders, warm, and able to block many external frosts.

Shallow breathing sounded from his arms. Li Ce looked down, his gaze momentarily dazed.

Azure waves rippled, willow branches swayed. The man’s tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed. He thought he should immediately summon the imperial physicians, use the best medicine and the best doctors, and then, the journey to Yan Bei would have to be delayed.

The summer breeze was gentle. At the tail end of summer, a hundred flowers gave off a subtle fragrance, the warm wind caressed gently, and in the distance, lotus leaves covered the sky—the last remaining lotus of the season.