Qin Wan stood in the distance, watching as Yan Chi drew closer. Her gaze lingered lovingly on his features, and before she could react, she was pulled tightly into his embrace. With the familiar voice and embrace, the roaring in her ears suddenly dissipated, leaving only Yan Chi’s breathing and heartbeat.

Under the vast night sky filled with brilliant stars, with the dim yellow lights of Bailu Prefecture behind them, Qin Wan couldn’t help but wrap her arms tightly around Yan Chi’s waist. At that moment, everything else faded away, and she could only hear him calling her name. Her nose tingled with emotion as she pressed her lips together.

Yan Chi held Qin Wan tightly, unable to resist placing two kisses on the crown of her head. “Wan Wan, I’m back.”

Qin Wan nuzzled her cheek against his chest, responding with a soft “Mm.”

Feeling his strong arms around her, the bitterness in her heart gradually dissipated. When she looked up, she suddenly noticed Bai Feng over Yan Chi’s shoulder, and beside him stood four or five people wearing armor. Behind them, thousands of eyes were watching them. Qin Wan was startled, her face suddenly burning. She pushed against Yan Chi, quickly retreating from his embrace.

“Why did you bring so many troops?”

Using Yan Chi’s tall stature as cover, Qin Wan hurriedly smoothed her disheveled skirt and asked urgently in a low voice.

Seeing her flustered state, Yan Chi couldn’t help but smile. He helped fix her hair, then took her hand and turned around. “Come with me.”

Bai Feng and the others had been watching Yan Chi and Qin Wan. Seeing them approach, they all became solemn.

As Yan Chi led Qin Wan forward, she straightened her back under everyone’s gaze. In the snowy dim light, her beauty once again stunned the onlookers. They had known that Prince Rui had married Princess Yongci, but they never imagined she would possess such otherworldly beauty!

Yan Chi led Qin Wan to the front of the troops. Before he could speak, a tall, slim young general stepped forward with a smile. “General Yu Qi pays respects to the Princess!”

“Paying respects to the Princess…”

“Paying respects to the Princess!”

As Yu Qi bowed, all the surrounding officers cupped their hands in salute. Qin Wan looked at everyone with a slight smile. “Please, no need for formalities. You must be tired from your long journey.”

Though maintaining a composed expression, Qin Wan felt somewhat embarrassed. In that moment earlier, the joy of Yan Chi’s sudden return had made her forget everything else, including that such intimacy might be inappropriate in front of so many people. She unconsciously tightened her grip on Yan Chi’s hand.

Yan Chi was typically a man of few words, but Yu Qi was quite talkative. When Qin Wan merely offered a polite comment, he replied, “Not tired at all! His Highness had it hardest, going several nights without sleep, and insisting on returning. So Princess need not worry.”

In front of so many people, Yu Qi’s words could lead to various misunderstandings. Qin Wan glanced at Yan Chi.

However, Yan Chi stood naturally beside her, saying solemnly, “Enough. Proceed according to the original plan. Rest for a day when you reach the destination and await my orders.”

Yu Qi responded promptly, running a few steps before mounting his horse.

He waved the command flag on his horse, and quickly, all troops mounted their horses. Yu Qi turned his horse around, saluted Yan Chi and Qin Wan, then spurred his horse forward. As he departed, thousands of soldiers followed him. The fire dragon that had frightened everyone soon left the east gate of Bailu Prefecture, while the remaining hundred men still waited quietly. These were Yan Chi’s guards who would naturally stay with him in Bailu Prefecture.

Qin Wan didn’t know where Yu Qi was headed. “Where are they going?”

Yan Chi looked toward the southwest direction of Bailu Prefecture. “Though Jian Prefecture has no military garrison, they still have ten thousand troops stationed at Qinghe Plains in the southwest.”

Qin Wan’s heart trembled. “Are you going to…”

“No fighting, but when we speak with the Jian Prefecture Governor, we need bargaining chips.”

Qin Wan immediately understood Yan Chi’s meaning. Her heart relaxed, and she asked, “So you’re staying?”

Yan Chi turned to face her. “I promised you, and I will never break my word.”

After days apart, Yan Chi’s gaze held a mysterious captivating power as he looked at Qin Wan. Hearing his words, her heart felt even more secure.

“Good, that’s good…”

Qin Wan hadn’t expected Yan Chi to return, and now that he had kept his promise, her heart felt as sweet as honey and warm. Her gaze at Yan Chi grew more tender. Yan Chi tightened his grip on her hand, and just as he was about to pull her into his embrace again, footsteps sounded behind them.

Yan Chi turned to look and saw Lu Youxin, Lu Jingxiu, and others approaching.

Yan Chi had to suppress his feelings and step forward. “Aunt—”

Lu Youxin’s joy was only slightly less than Qin Wan’s. Seeing Yan Chi standing there safe and sound, her eyes reddened. “We all thought you’d spend the New Year in Qian Prefecture, but you came back! Quick, come in, everyone comes in. It’s wonderful that you’re back. Wan’er has been working so hard these days, and worried sick too.”

Yan Chi didn’t know about the murder case in the garden yet and now looked questioningly at Qin Wan. Qin Wan shook her head with a faint smile. Yan Chi had to let it go for now. Turning his gaze, he saw Lu Jingxiu. During his previous visit to Bailu Prefecture, Yan Chi hadn’t met him. Though he had left, he was quite confident about Lu Youxin’s safety. In his expectations, Qin Wan wouldn’t have met any strangers these days and would be safely concealing her identity, but now there was this unfamiliar young man.

Yan Chi was at first suspicious, but when he met Lu Jingxiu’s gaze, he saw not only surprise and disbelief but also a hint of rejection. Yan Chi wasn’t sensitive, merely perceptive. Noticing this, he didn’t take it to heart – anyone would likely be frightened seeing someone arrive with thousands of troops in the middle of the night, so this was normal…

Seeing Yan Chi look at Lu Jingxiu, Lu Youxin quickly said, “This is the child from the third branch, called Jingxiu…”

Then Lu Youxin hurriedly looked at Lu Jingxiu, “Jingxiu, this is Prince Rui.”

Lu Jingxiu stared at Yan Chi, his mind in chaos.

As the eldest son of the Lu family’s third branch, he was considered a golden child in Lan Prefecture. As he grew up and made friends, he met many impressive figures, but none like Yan Chi. He considered himself tall, handsome, and skilled in martial arts, but when he saw Yan Chi sitting high on horseback, an inexplicable fear arose in his heart. His handsomeness was merely that of a wealthy family’s nurturing, but Yan Chi’s beauty was different. His features were as if carved by knife and axe, naturally carrying a royal dignity. His bearing, just standing there, had an imposing presence like cast steel, not to mention the magnificent momentum of leading so many troops!

He had never seen such a sight, nor dared to imagine it. He only knew that upon seeing Yan Chi, he suddenly understood how ridiculous his thoughts had been these past few days.

He hadn’t understood why he always felt nervous and panicked when seeing Qin Wan, nor why his various attempts to attract her attention had been fruitless. But now seeing Yan Chi, he finally understood – there was such a thing as a match made in heaven. Qin Wan usually maintained an otherworldly demeanor around others, but when she nestled in Yan Chi’s embrace, it seemed so natural and fitting. Now as they stood hand in hand, they were like the radiance of the sun and moon complementing each other, while he was merely a dim star fallen to the horizon.

Lu Jingxiu’s throat tightened and his fingertips grew cold. Seeing Yan Chi’s gaze turned toward him, he knew he should step forward with a smile and greet him as he usually did when meeting friends, but now he couldn’t move. He stared directly at Yan Chi, with a foolish thought stirring amidst his dejection and self-shame—

Yan Chi was indeed heaven’s chosen one, but that was only because he was born into the royal family!

And he himself wasn’t bad either, he was the praised Fifth Young Master Lu of Lan Prefecture, he also…

The only spark in Lu Jingxiu’s heart extinguished when Yan Chi’s gaze met his. His heart was chaotic and nervous, but Yan Chi’s gaze was so steady, vast, yet unfathomable. Though there was no malice in Yan Chi’s eyes, Lu Jingxiu felt as if he had been cast down into the dust, while Yan Chi was that noble, unreachable king who held the world in his heart. Something shattered in Lu Jingxiu’s heart, and for a moment he even wanted to turn and flee…

“Your Highness Prince Rui—”

Lu Jingxiu finally reacted, stepping back and bowing with cupped hands. These moments of tumultuous thoughts appeared to others as merely a slow reaction. Lu Youxin shook her head helplessly and quickly continued, “Have you been traveling without rest? Quick, let’s go back, I’ll tell the kitchen—”

“Aunt, no need to trouble yourself. I indeed haven’t slept for several nights, and can’t eat much now. Let Wan Wan take care of me, I also want to talk with her properly. But please help look after my troops.” Yan Chi spoke gently, his gaze moving away from Lu Jingxiu.

Hearing this, Lu Youxin immediately smiled, “Good, good, good. At least let me have the kitchen send some refreshments over. I won’t arrange anything else now. Tomorrow is New Year’s, we can still have New Year’s Eve dinner together. I’m so happy you’re back!”

Yan Chi gave a faint smile and agreed, then led Qin Wan toward Hanlan Pavilion. After just a few steps, he wrapped an arm around Qin Wan’s waist and whispered something to her. Qin Wan leaned into his embrace in response, looking at his profile with a radiant smile.

Fu Ling and Bai Ying were also extremely happy, following not far behind the couple. Lu Youxin watched the pair walk further away with a bright smile, saying contentedly, “Their relationship is truly wonderful, in perfect harmony and mutual love. If your sister could see this from heaven, she would surely be overjoyed.”

After saying this, Lu Youxin turned to discuss the accommodation arrangements for the troops with Bai Feng, leaving only Lu Jingxiu standing there.

He watched Qin Wan and Yan Chi’s departing figures with desolate eyes.

He had felt somewhat guilty, but just now Yan Chi’s glance had treated him like roadside grass, not considering him worthy of notice at all.

Lu Jingxiu’s heart sank to the bottom, and he didn’t know whether to feel humiliated or heartbroken.