In the stone chamber, rare brain incense burned in an intricate jade tripod—this was a precious fragrance revered among the six nations, said to have sleep-inducing, mind-calming, brain-strengthening, and aphrodisiac effects.

Especially the last effect made it invaluable, always sought after by the wealthy clans of the six nations.

Qin Chang Ge was in Bai Yuan’s arms, her hand pressed against his chest. The mingled scent of cypress leaves and pine needles from Bai Yuan wafted over in waves. He lowered his head to gaze at Qin Chang Ge’s expression with infinite spring warmth, yet his eyes were as calm as the jade-like lake water beneath their feet.

What was this man truly thinking? Qin Chang Ge had always been skilled at reading people’s hearts, yet facing Bai Yuan, she felt like confronting flowing wind and rolling clouds—ever-changing and impossible to track. His intimacy carried indifference, his tenderness deeply concealed coldness. His embrace was infinitely tender, yet his arms felt empty and desolate, as if holding merely a hollow city.

Why would this man who held power over the world, covering the sky with one hand and essentially owning the entire nation of Dongyan, still feel lonely?

The jade-shell oil lamp flickered dimly, casting shadowy figures throughout the stone chamber with an ethereal atmosphere. The embracing man and woman maintained an ambiguous pose, each harboring their own thoughts.

In the darkness, Qin Chang Ge’s eyes sparkled brightly. When Bai Yuan smiled and drew her closer, she didn’t resist and even gave him a very shy smile.

Then she said very coyly in a low voice, “I… can’t tonight.”

“Mm?”

“That… that…” Qin Chang Ge’s eyes moved fluidly, wanting to speak but hesitating.

Bai Yuan’s eyes flashed as he smiled, “Such coincidence? Oh no, such bad timing?”

“Don’t you believe me?” Qin Chang Ge openly spread her hands. “Then, you can examine me.”

Bai Yuan was stunned… Was this something a woman would say? Was there such a shameless woman in the world?

Qin Chang Ge’s expression didn’t change. “Anyway, we’ll have our wedding night sooner or later. Anyway, I’ll be your woman eventually. Whether you see early or late makes no difference. I don’t like being misunderstood. My husband, my beloved, if you’re not afraid of bad luck, feel free to examine me.”

She laughed sweetly as she threw herself into Bai Yuan’s arms.

Bai Yuan reached out to support her shoulders. His expression had returned to normal as he smiled at Qin Chang Ge. “If that’s the case, there’s no need to rush. Taking my concubine shouldn’t be like ordinary households. This wild coupling on the mountain by the lakeside would ultimately wrong you. Better to wait until we return to my country, where I’ll marry you with eight sedan chairs in grand style, giving you a wedding night no less than a primary wife’s.”

Qin Chang Ge smiled charmingly. “That shows my husband’s care for me. I thank you… By the way, I still don’t know my husband’s great name, which is truly impolite. Also, since we have this marriage agreement, which country exactly are we returning to? Could my husband tell me?”

“My name is… Chen Yuan. As for returning home, we’re going back to Dongyan.”

“Chen? The Chen with ‘ear’ and ‘east,’ or the ‘cheng’ of success and failure?” Qin Chang Ge looked up and asked with a smile.

Those eyes full of moonlight and endless oceanic imagery suddenly dimmed then blazed, like the vast sea suddenly stirring with strong winds, raising thousands of blue waves that covered the brilliant moonlight, only to calm again in an instant, leaving wind and waves peaceful and the bright moon unchanged.

He said indifferently, “The Chen surname is a great clan in our Dongyan. Your husband is particularly a soul figure of this family. Remember this—when we return to the country, you can’t lose too much face.”

Qin Chang Ge obediently agreed. Bai Yuan took her hand and stepped toward the stone platform, smiling, “There’s only one bed. Even if we don’t perform husband-wife rites, sharing a bed is unavoidable. Come.”

Qin Chang Ge gently and gracefully deferred, “Please go first, husband. I can sleep at the bed’s edge. It will also be convenient for serving tea and water.”

“You’re such a dear,” Bai Yuan stretched out his hand with both arms open. “Come.”

Qin Chang Ge hesitated. Bai Yuan raised his eyebrows at her, then gestured at his own clothes.

Only then did Qin Chang Ge realize that Lord National Advisor Bai Yuan was waiting for his “little concubine” to help him undress.

Ah… Ruiyi-level undressing treatment—Bai Yuan, you’re definitely going to lose years off your life!

However, Qin Chang Ge had no particular resistance to taking advantage—after all, she was undressing him, not herself.

Tsk tsk… Such a good figure, what refined, delicate, beautiful, and smooth lines…

Qin Chang Ge unceremoniously helped Bai Yuan remove his clothes, acting shy and bashful yet unwilling to stop, continuing until only his undergarments remained, still planning to continue.

Instead, Bai Yuan himself seemed to smile as he blocked her hands before being completely stripped.

Before lying down, he waved his sleeve to extinguish the oil lamp, then flicked his finger. The stone chamber door that had been open slowly closed, and from the sound of the door moving, it was quite heavy.

In the dark and quiet stone chamber, the man and woman sharing a bed each slept peacefully, breathing quietly, appearing to be in deep, pleasant dreams.

Who appeared in whose dreams?

…

Midnight.

In the silent darkness, Qin Chang Ge opened her eyes.

Fine sweat slowly seeped across her forehead.

…It was no use.

After trying for most of the night, she couldn’t unlock her sealed acupoints no matter what. Bai Yuan’s technique was extremely strange—the meridian-locking force penetrated deep into her internal organs with cold, sinister energy. No matter how Qin Chang Ge charged left and broke right, she couldn’t break through.

In the darkness, her eyes flashed as her hand, which had been quietly resting at her side, slowly opened.

Her palm was clean and smooth without any ornaments. Qin Chang Ge slowly reached her right hand toward the base of her left palm.

Holding her breath, she flicked her finger, and suddenly a membrane-like layer of skin appeared at the palm base. The membrane looked extremely similar to human palm skin, even showing faint palm lines. Qin Chang Ge slowly began peeling up the membrane.

The blue water light from the underground crystal illuminated the stone chamber in an eerie blue glow. In this somewhat sinister blue light, a woman was peeling a layer of skin from her own hand.

It was truly quite uncanny.

Qin Chang Ge peeled extremely slowly, afraid that the hissing sound of the membrane separating from skin would wake Bai Yuan.

Bai Yuan had been lying diagonally across from her, sleeping very peacefully.

Qin Chang Ge had already peeled to the second finger joint.

Bai Yuan suddenly turned over.

Qin Chang Ge immediately withdrew her hand, but only managed to pull back her right hand that was peeling the fake skin. Her left hand was unfortunately pressed under Bai Yuan’s body.

Without even opening his eyes, Bai Yuan grabbed her left hand and pressed it under his neck, comfortably adjusting his position to use her hand as a pillow, continuing to sleep soundly.

Qin Chang Ge twitched the corner of her mouth and tried to pull her left hand free. It wouldn’t budge.

In the darkness, Qin Chang Ge resentfully gave the sleeping Dongyan Lord National Advisor the middle finger.

…

The next day, Qin Chang Ge rubbed her left arm, which had been pressed numb, and smiled charmingly at the Lord National Advisor, who appeared particularly refreshed after a good night’s sleep. “Did you sleep well?”

Bai Yuan answered her very gently, “Your arm is too thin—it’s uncomfortable as a pillow. Don’t stick it under my neck next time.”

…

That day, Bai Yuan didn’t go out either. The stone chamber had plenty of dried food and some books. Bai Yuan read books and ate dried food; Qin Chang Ge ate dried food and read books.

Because of her resentment, Qin Chang Ge ate quite a lot. What goes in must come out, so Qin Chang Ge soon requested to address physiological needs.

She had thought Bai Yuan would definitely take her outside to relieve herself, but instead he pushed against a stone wall, revealing a small stone chamber with an actual stone toilet inside.

The toilet was made extremely large, with extraordinary height from rim to bottom. Basically, if you urinated, it would definitely have the stunning effect of “flying waters plunging three thousand feet.”

Qin Chang Ge was very reluctant to sit on the toilet, not knowing who had used it before. So she climbed onto the toilet and squatted on it. The straight-line distance was really rather terrifying. To avoid the sound of urination being too loud and making Bai Yuan suspect a sudden rainstorm, Qin Chang Ge began singing loudly.

After finishing her song and coming out, Qin Chang Ge asked Bai Yuan, “What happens when this gets full?”

The Lord National Advisor answered matter-of-factly, “You empty it.”

Qin Chang Ge felt both bitter and encouraged—though being reduced to emptying chamber pots was truly the most tragic moment of her life, emptying chamber pots would eventually require going outside, right?

But when she went to empty the chamber pot that evening, Bai Yuan opened the stone door and led Qin Chang Ge up the secret passage a few steps before suddenly opening a hidden stone door. “Empty it here.”

Qin Chang Ge looked in—it was actually another pit connecting to the outside. The chamber pot contents disappeared quickly when poured into the pit. The pit was quite small, really impossible for a person to pass through. Even if she could get through, Qin Chang Ge wouldn’t want to crawl through it. Being reduced to emptying chamber pots was bad enough; if she also had to crawl through sewage tunnels, she wouldn’t want to live this lifetime.

The second night, Qin Chang Ge had “athlete’s foot acting up” and quietly “scratched the itch.”

After just a few scratches, Bai Yuan raised his long leg and carelessly draped it over hers.

Qin Chang Ge looked up resentfully at those long legs draped over her body, really wanting to take a knife and cut them off, then sprinkle them with all her poisons to pickle them into Dongyan National Advisor version Jinhua ham.

Unfortunately, both knives and poisons had been confiscated by the ham’s owner…

The third night, Qin Chang Ge said she wanted to give the Lord National Advisor a massage. The Lord National Advisor gladly accepted. Qin Chang Ge very gently asked him to lie face down, preparing to give him a full massage. The Lord National Advisor obediently lay down. Just as Qin Chang Ge’s delicate jade hands were about to touch his shoulders, the Lord National Advisor suddenly reached out and pulled something at the bedhead.

With a whooshing sound, the stone wall at the bedhead separated, revealing crystal stone identical to the floor. The crystal was transparent, illuminating them both in perfect detail.

Qin Chang Ge stared at the crystal in a daze for a long moment. The Lord National Advisor lazily urged with nasal sounds, so Qin Chang Ge had no choice but to roll up her sleeves—for the massage.

The crystal light shimmered, reflecting the wild and elegant man and the clear, charming woman. The man lay face down while the woman leaned gracefully over him. Her slender fingers moved like plucking strings, rising and falling on the man’s body like playing a clear melody among flowers. It was truly beautiful as a painting scroll—the only discordant note was that the woman’s expression seemed a bit too resentful.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye; three days crawled by as slowly as a turtle.

The former applied to Bai Yuan; the latter naturally referred to the unfortunate Qin Chang Ge.

During these three days and nights, she exhausted all means and used every trick, employing all the fierce assassination and sinister techniques human minds could conceive, trying to bring down Bai Yuan and get close to the stone door mechanism. Unfortunately, he countered every move like water meeting earth and soldiers meeting generals, intentionally or unintentionally dissolving all her killing moves and keeping her firmly blocked before him.

Both understood perfectly; both acted as if nothing was happening. Both continuously played games of testing and being tested. In the end, they actually developed a sense of mutual appreciation.

He marveled at her ingenious versatility and endless supply of strange, peculiar tricks; she marveled at his defensive counterattacks and never-relaxing vigilant heart.

He pondered her identity, searching among famous women of various countries to no avail; she contemplated his background, thinking of the many legends about this person circulating among the six nations.

Why had Lord National Advisor Bai Yuan, reportedly having “Longyang preferences” and loving beautiful boys rather than beauties, taken interest in her? From his appearance, he truly planned to take her in.

Was this person bisexual? Or did he simply need a cover?

He gradually watched her with increasing interest, wondering who she was. That day on the main avenue, undercurrents had surged, and these past few days the city gates had been sealed—were they looking for her?

He thought of that man on the long street, the sharp and elegant man who had reined in his horse and looked back. In that moment of turning back, his gaze held deep affection and infinite expectation, but when he raised his chin, heavy disappointment was written across his brow.

Such a man of outstanding bearing, a natural dragon among phoenixes—he recognized the black horse beneath him as a Li horse from the Leige Grasslands below Qingma Sacred Mountain on Dongyan’s border, known as “lightning among horses, surpassing shadows and brightness,” a peerless famous steed one in ten thousand. Ordinary people couldn’t hope to see one in their lifetime, let alone own one.

Only royalty and nobility could use such horses. Was this noble man her lover?

What kind of extraordinary woman would possess such a lover?

Bai Yuan’s gaze settled on Qin Chang Ge as she quietly read. This woman’s quiet, observant posture was like an emperor seated at his dragon desk, reviewing memorials from across the realm. Her walking and behavior carried natural grace and nobility, positioning herself above others. Yet within this grace was an inherent carefree arrogance, a fearlessly bold attitude that swallowed clouds and exhaled rainbows. Even a casual glance carried the shimmering light of heaven and earth’s spiritual essence.

Very much like… that person.

If not for the completely different appearance, he would almost think she was Ruiyi.

Not just appearance—age, bone structure, foundation—all were vastly different from Ruiyi, impossible to match up. Otherwise, he would truly be delighted to think he had found what he sought after wearing out iron shoes, obtained without effort.

Unfortunately… she was not.

Bai Yuan’s gaze gradually became calm, and within that calm grew resolution.

The fourth day.

Early in the morning, someone knocked at the door.

Qin Chang Ge’s head shot up, thinking she had misheard—knocking?

But Bai Yuan was already leisurely going to open the door. His body half-concealed behind the door, blocking Qin Chang Ge’s view. She only saw him nod slightly, then say, “Go ahead.”

But Qin Chang Ge wasn’t looking at the door at all. She stared intently at the large crystal on the ground, which reflected half the visitor’s shadow. It appeared to be an ordinary tall man with the sheath of a long blade showing diagonally behind him. Qin Chang Ge felt that blade sheath’s style looked somewhat familiar.

The man left, and Bai Yuan turned back, smiling at her. “Want to go out for some fresh air?”

Qin Chang Ge raised one eyebrow, looking at him questioningly.

“Xiliang’s Crown Prince’s sixth birthday has arrived. The Xiliang nation has decided to celebrate the Crown Prince’s birthday by holding a ‘Spring Competition Festival.’ Additionally, it’s said that Empress Ruiyi, who was recuperating overseas, has recovered well from her injuries and returned to participate in her beloved son’s birthday celebration.”

Bai Yuan’s smile held deep meaning.

“The Xiliang Emperor has granted general amnesty with nationwide celebrations. Empress Ruiyi’s phoenix carriage has returned—how can we miss such a once-in-a-century grand event?”

The Spring Competition Festival was a holiday first created by the deposed Prince Zhao Xiao Chen, once a spring celebration in Yingdu. After Xiao Chen’s downfall, last year’s Spring Competition Festival wasn’t held. This year’s April third was Crown Prince Xiao’s birthday, and reportedly Empress Xiao, upon hearing of this festival, suggested holding Xiliang’s most magnificent Spring Competition Festival ever to celebrate when His Majesty inquired about celebration arrangements.

And Empress Ruiyi, missing her beloved son, had returned from overseas immortal islands.

For the past few days, Yingdu’s citizens had been frantically guarding various city gates like paparazzi, hoping to be first to see the world-famous divine empress. Of course, they were disappointed. After shivering through many nights resisting spring’s cold, they encountered nothing but a few wild cats yowling in the night and rats scavenging in ditches by the city walls.

But hope’s failure didn’t kill human imagination. Just as gossip could be fabricated, the empress’s return could be conjured from thin air. In teahouses and taverns throughout Yingdu, countless versions of the empress’s arrival circulated. Someone slammed tables and benches, claiming to have personally witnessed His Majesty arranging full imperial regalia to welcome the empress through Zhengyang Gate—phoenix palanquin, imperial crown, red makeup for ten li. The empress showed half her face through pearl curtains—oh my, beautiful as a celestial being! Compared to her, our neighbor Cuihua’s originally tender little face immediately became like a dung beetle…

Cuihua rushed out from next door, resentfully grabbing this spittle-spraying husband of the dung beetle to take him home for discipline.

Others scoffed, saying the empress disliked ostentation and all that full regalia talk was nonsense. Speaking of seeing her—my family went visiting relatives in the eastern city that day. The relatives lived outside Changning Gate. Security was particularly tight that day, so I paid attention… Oh my, guess what I saw?

He beckoned, and everyone mysteriously gathered close.

“I saw His Majesty in black clothes on a black horse with the Imperial Guards waiting at the gate. At dawn, suddenly eighteen horses galloped over, each snow-white without a single stray hair. The lead horse was especially magnificent, white coat with golden stirrups, beautiful beyond measure…”

Someone viciously smacked his head. “Damn it, can you get to the point!”

The man shrank from the blow and immediately said, “The woman on the horse wore a veil, her posture so beautiful… When she saw His Majesty, she immediately leaped from her horse toward him. Oh my… like a swallow returning to the forest, a small bird depending on someone, the snow-white veil dancing in the wind like a fairy, making my heart itch… His Majesty caught her in one motion, and they embraced tightly…”

“Wow…”

“So beautiful…” someone sighed with glazed eyes.

“Separated couple finally reunited, so wonderful.” Someone clasped their hands to their heart, tears welling in their eyes.

“Broken mirror made whole, lovers finally united.” A certain woman’s eyes rippled as she glanced with peach-blossom eyes at a handsome young man, who fled in panic.

…

Qin Chang Ge used her chopsticks to smooth down the goosebumps on the back of her hand.

Used her wine cup to press down the standing hair.

Bai Yuan thoughtfully rested his chin on his hand. “That last version sounds more credible.”

Qin Chang Ge said seriously, “Husband, the Spring Competition Festival is scholars’ only opportunity to meet Xiliang’s famous ladies. Are you going to find a primary wife?”

“Mm,” Bai Yuan said casually, “that’s not impossible.”

At this moment, commotion arose ahead. Imperial Guards galloped from afar to clear the road with security checkpoints. This small tavern at the foot of Li Mountain immediately became much quieter.

Both looked up to see the imperial procession approaching from a distance. On the foremost imperial palanquin, little Crown Prince Xiao was poking his head out, waving with great style to the surrounding people who were shouting and bowing. His posture was impressive, his expression vain.

Qin Chang Ge squinted, feeling her son seemed not to have lost weight these past few days and had actually gained some. She immediately raged inwardly: I’m cutting your snacks when I get back!

Bai Yuan chuckled lightly. “I hear Xiliang’s Crown Prince is very… unique.”

Qin Chang Ge smiled cheerfully. “Yes, reportedly the empress was harmed by villains, the Crown Prince was lost among the people, growing up in the marketplace from childhood, so he’s quite approachable.”

Bai Yuan glanced at her with a meaningful look, suddenly reached out to press her mute acupoint, then said, “Let’s go.”

Atop Shang Mountain, on a broad grassy area, numerous brocade pavilions had already been erected—pink, purple, bright blue, bright red, emerald green, goose yellow, snow white—like huge, magnificent flowers blooming on the tender green carpet-like grassland.

This year’s Spring Competition Festival, due to its different specifications, was more elaborate than previous years. Participation also reached historic highs. Early in the morning, the grassland was nearly full. The entire vast mountaintop, except for the imperial platform surrounded by bright yellow brocade curtains, was crowded with scholars who had come to observe Xiliang’s imperial style while hoping to win beauties’ favor.

By tradition, ascending Li Mountain required water routes. The orchid boats were managed by the imperial palace affairs office. All participating scholars had to first request flower spheres from eunuchs under the palace affairs office. Bai Yuan took Qin Chang Ge to collect flower spheres. Inside the tent, eunuchs were sweating profusely as they busily distributed flower spheres. So many people were queuing. Qin Chang Ge’s gaze swept once and her heart suddenly jolted.

Deep inside the tent, a man in blue clothes was unhurriedly folding flower spheres. His appearance was ordinary, but his eyes were bright as autumn water.

If it wasn’t Chu Feihuan wearing a mask, who else could it be?

She had barely turned her head when Bai Yuan immediately noticed, smiled as he bent his head to look at her, reached out to embrace her shoulder, blocked her line of sight, and led her out of the tent.

Qin Chang Ge didn’t even have a chance to make eye contact with Chu Feihuan.

Sighing inwardly, Qin Chang Ge didn’t bother trying to notify Chu Feihuan. She knew today’s Spring Competition Festival was definitely not just to celebrate Rong’er’s birthday. Xiao Jue and Feihuan’s intention was surely to lure the snake from its hole. Because they couldn’t fathom where the enemy came from or their motives, to increase attraction, Xiao Jue not only used himself and his son as bait but even deployed Ruiyi.

As for why Bai Yuan came—whether for one of them—was still unknown. But Qin Chang Ge could be certain that given this meticulous Lord National Advisor’s style, he definitely wouldn’t come to Li Mountain alone without support.

Both sides harbored ulterior motives. Who knew who was falling into whose trap? A struggle—whether literary or martial—seemed inevitable.

Bai Yuan was opening the flower sphere to look at the question. Qin Chang Ge was too lazy to look—she knew Bai Yuan would never give her the question to answer, or Chu Feihuan would immediately know who she was.

Bai Yuan only glanced at the question before immediately writing a bold answer and handing it to the eunuch. Qin Chang Ge sneaked a peek and found the couplet neither good nor bad, completely unremarkable. The eunuch indeed only looked casually before waving them onto the boat.

The orchid boat was decorated with colored ribbons, riding the wind and breaking waves. The exquisite prow cut through the blue water surface, creating snow-white arcs. Seven-colored brocade ribbons fluttered in the wind. Bai Yuan stood at the prow, his wide pale gold robes flowing. Though his appearance was disguised to be ordinary, his naturally good figure and temperament, his inherent magnificence, could hardly be concealed no matter how hidden. Against the clear river and sky, light boat and blue waves, flying sleeves and flowing clouds, garments fluttering in the wind—the ladies from various families on Li Mountain’s peak, watching the approaching scholarly boats from afar, all turned their gazes toward him.

Within the imperial brocade tent, on the high platform decorated with dragons and phoenixes, Xiao Jue stepped outside the tent, his gaze longingly and searchingly looking toward the various boats on Li Water.