“Tianyuan, even when Youyou goes out, she doesn’t forget to find jade orchids for me,” Xiao Huayong lowered his head, gently inhaling the cool fragrance of the jade orchids.

The snow-white flowers complemented his closed-eyed face – his long lashes like silk curtains, his features like fine jade, his flower-adorned visage like a painting scroll, beautiful beyond direct gaze.

“The Princess naturally thinks of Your Highness,” Tianyuan chose words that Xiao Huayong liked to hear.

Standing beside them, Sui Axi kept his eyes down, not daring to make a sound. The flowers had been delivered to him to use as medicine for the Crown Prince, but His Highness happened to come looking for the Princess, only to learn she had gone to town with Prince Bu without even saying goodbye. His face had darkened considerably.

If not for someone bringing the jade orchids, who knows what the Crown Prince would have done. Sui Axi didn’t dare remind His Highness to use the flowers as medicine, and could only shoot meaningful glances at Tianyuan.

Tianyuan abruptly turned away, ignoring him.

This distressed Sui Axi greatly – this was a task the Princess had entrusted to him. How could he explain to her if he didn’t speak up? But if he did speak, the Crown Prince might demand an explanation right now…

After careful consideration, he decided to cling to life for as long as possible.

So Sui Axi could only watch as the Crown Prince carried away two jade orchid plants, smiling all the way, so absorbed in the flowers that he barely watched where he was going, leaving passersby bewildered.

Though jade orchids were rare, how could they entrance the noble Crown Prince to such an extent?

After brief inquiries, people learned these were gifts from Princess Zhaoning. Recalling how the Crown Prince had gazed at the flowers as if trying to embed his eyes in them, everyone felt their teeth ache from the sweetness of it all.

The Crown Prince placed the two jade orchids in a specially commissioned long-necked Pingzhong leaf vase on his desk. He lit the cool incense that Shen Xihe had newly blended for him, which provided refreshing clarity in the summer heat. He touched the five-colored thread on his wrist before finally beginning to review the official memorials.

This series of actions made even Tianyuan’s lips twitch. He thought he had grown accustomed to it, but apparently, he simply hadn’t witnessed the full extent. He wanted to remind His Highness that these flowers were meant to treat his illness, but after opening his mouth several times, he still lacked the courage.

His Highness seemed to have forgotten that jade orchids could alleviate the strange poison in his body, preferring to remember only that the Princess had thought of him and sought these flowers for him.

One usually heard of men giving flowers to women, but this was the first instance of a woman giving flowers to a man, and the Crown Prince not only sought them out but happily accepted them. Tianyuan didn’t know what expression to wear.

Lost in these thoughts for three hours, and seeing it was time for the evening meal, the Crown Prince finally completed the tall stack of tasks assigned by His Majesty.

“Your Highness, what would you like for dinner? The kitchen has sent today’s menu…”

“No, no, quickly fetch me some clothes. I’m going down the mountain to find Youyou in town…” Xiao Huayong interrupted Tianyuan’s chatter, his long legs carrying him out of sight in a few strides.

Tianyuan: …

He could only reluctantly hurry to the sleeping palace, where he found Xiao Huayong already rummaging through clothes, seemingly dissatisfied with everything – and these were all pieces approved by the Crown Prince himself and made by the Imperial Wardrobe Bureau.

“Your Highness, yesterday the Princess wore a moon-white dress,” Tianyuan said softly.

These words immediately gave Xiao Huayong direction. He swiftly found several moon-white outfits: “Did you notice the pattern?”

The pattern…

Tianyuan lowered his head and replied: “Jade orchids.”

As it happened, Shen Xihe had indeed worn a moon-white dress embroidered with jade orchids yesterday, but Tianyuan had never seen the Princess wear the same outfit twice. She certainly wouldn’t be wearing it today, but he didn’t dare say this. If the Crown Prince kept choosing, he might select clothes until nightfall.

Xiao Huayong had no robes patterned with jade orchids, so he chose a plain moon-white round-collared robe, then instructed Tianyuan: “Have the Imperial Wardrobe Bureau make me a moon-white robe with jade orchid patterns.”

Tianyuan: …

Very well, he understood now – henceforth he would need to remember everything the Princess wore whenever he saw her, to prepare accordingly for His Highness.

After dressing properly, Xiao Huayong informed Emperor Youning and openly descended the mountain with Tianyuan.

By this time the sun was setting, and Gu Qingqiu was preparing to depart. Their carriage had left town and entered the broad official road. They needed to reach the temporary palace gates before 8 PM to enter that night.

Shen Xihe followed, her carriage maintaining a steady pace. After two hours of travel, at 6 PM, dusk had fallen. The official road was deserted, growing quieter as they approached the temporary palace.

At this point, Shen Xihe’s carriage accelerated. Soon, though separated by some distance on the road, they could see each other. Just then, one wheel of Gu Qingqiu’s carriage suddenly split. As the carriage jolted, a headless arrow shot from the roadside, striking the horse heavily. Though not wounded, the pain made the horse neigh loudly and bolt.

The guards immediately responded with practiced skill – some chasing the carriage on horseback, others charging into the grass.

Shen Xihe’s carriage accelerated to catch up. Zhenzhu and Biyu faces uncovered, directly engaged Gu Qingqiu’s guards. Moyu galloped forward, pursuing the carriage. When someone tried to block her, Bu Shulin leaped into action, dragging the person away.

The frightened horse galloped wildly, hitting a roadside boulder. With one wheel missing, the carriage lost balance and began to tip toward the cliff. Fortunately, Moyu arrived in time, throwing out an iron hook that caught the carriage cover as it tilted toward the cliff. Her cloth-wrapped hands gripped the carriage tightly.

The force of the carriage dragged her a long distance before she managed to stop its tipping. Shen Xihe’s carriage driver stopped and came to help Moyu share the burden.

The two stabilized the carriage but couldn’t pull it back up.

Supported by Ziyu, Shen Xihe unhurriedly descended from her carriage and walked to the roadside, ignoring the trembling of both parties.

Half suspended over the road’s edge above the unfathomable forest below, the carriage contained only Gu Qingqiu and Yu Sangning. Each had brought only one maid, who had jumped out when the carriage lost control, sustaining injuries of varying severity.

The two people gripping the carriage side were pale-faced. When the curtain was lifted, revealing Shen Xihe’s face illuminated by lantern light, Gu Qingqiu hurriedly begged: “Princess, save us!”

Yu Sangning, her face equally tense, turned pale only now. Even at this moment, her first reaction was to scrutinize Shen Xihe.

“Give me your hand,” Shen Xihe said flatly.

Gu Qingqiu carefully extended one hand. Ziyu gripped her wrist and pulled her out with no gentleness, though she prevented her from falling. Gu Qingqiu stumbled before finally steadying herself, still shaken.

Only Yu Sangning remained in the carriage. Meeting Shen Xihe’s cool gaze, her heart sank uncontrollably.

Sure enough, through the night wind came her calm yet chilling voice: “Second Young Lady Yu, my warning at the Crown Princess’s birthday banquet was too gentle, causing you to never learn your lesson.”