“In your dream, am I there?”

Jingrong asked.

She met his gaze, pressed her lips together, then lifted her chin slightly and said, “Yes, certainly. But not in life—rather in books.”

“In books?”

A person who existed in history, if not staying in books, did you expect to be preserved in formalin?

But the words on her lips became—

“Because the place in my dream is long, long after this time. Your Highness would naturally be recorded in historical texts.”

“You’ve completely confused this prince.”

“I’ll explain it to you slowly in the future.”

“That’s fine. After all, we have plenty of time ahead!”

These words always carried a teasing flavor.

Ji Yunshu was always left speechless by his remarks like this.

Jingrong gripped her hand tightly, gazing at her affectionately. “Being able to possess you is already this prince’s greatest fortune. Even if future historians record this prince in the annals, you will certainly be there as well, because you will be this prince’s Princess Rong.”

“When did I ever say I would be your Princess Rong?”

“You are the only one!”

Ji Yunshu, bashful, looked at him with those dark eyes and said seriously, “I chose to be with you, so naturally I’m prepared to accept all hardships. But you are a prince, while I am ultimately just a commoner. I want neither glory and wealth nor gold and silver treasures—I only wish to hide with the one I love among verdant mountains and flowing streams, retire beneath green plains and snowy peaks, where day after day we can depend on each other, walk hand in hand, rising with the sun and resting at sunset! That would be enough. And if all this requires you to give up your current identity as a prince and become a commoner like me, would you be willing?”

It was as if she were asking: the empire or the beauty—which would you choose?

Jingrong drew her into his embrace. His cold, dark eyes seemed to gather ten thousand volts of electric current—burning hot and scorching.

He said, “Your wish is also my wish. Trust me, such days will certainly come.”

“Really?”

Jingrong nodded firmly, then like a child, said petulantly, “However, we can’t bring Wei Yi. That boy is really too much trouble.”

She immediately sat up from his embrace.

Anxiously she said, “But I promised Madam Wei that I would take good care of Wei Yi.”

Jingrong pondered, “In that case, we’ll just marry that boy off early. Don’t worry, this prince will find him a good family. Looking at Wei Yi, he’s quite delicate—there should be no problem. When the time comes, this prince will give him a generous dowry gift to ensure he never worries about food and drink for life, lives sweetly and beautifully, and has a whole bunch of descendants!”

Brother, Wei Yi is male!

Are you blind?!

Ji Yunshu was exasperated and pushed him away. “Can’t you be serious?”

“I am serious.”

“I can’t tell!”

Ji Yunshu retorted sharply.

Little miss had quite a temper.

Jingrong secretly smiled, and so he softened.

“Alright, alright, this prince agrees. We’ll bring Wei Yi. After all, that child is quite adorable. When you and I have children in the future, they’ll need an older brother to play with!”

“Has your brain been kicked by a donkey? Is it burning up?” Ji Yunshu reached out with the back of her hand to feel his hot forehead.

Jingrong grasped her hand, frowning earnestly. “I’m probably truly burning up, so for this life and this world, I’ll need you by my side to dispel the heat and bring coolness. If you leave, this prince would surely die.”

Surely die!

You’re making this far too serious, old man.

But it still moved Ji Yunshu to complete disarray!

She knitted her brows. “Don’t speak nonsense!”

“Yes!”

Jingrong was quite obedient.

Only then did Ji Yunshu smile and rest her head on his firm, strong shoulder, gazing at that enormous full moon.

“I think I probably truly can’t return, so I’ll have to stay here for this lifetime. I’m also destined to only be with you. But how did I end up so unlucky?”

Just as she finished speaking—

Thump!

Jingrong tapped her forehead firmly with his finger.

With an angry yet proud tone he said, “Do you know how many women in this world want to climb into this prince’s bed but don’t have the opportunity? You should secretly rejoice—you’ve slept with this prince again and again!”

“Who slept with you?”

“At the bottom of the Liangshan valley, in this prince’s courtyard, and perhaps later…”

“Stop right there.”

Ji Yunshu rolled her eyes at him, too lazy to waste her breath.

The next moment, Jingrong shamelessly pulled her back over.

One push!

One pull!

Back and forth several times!

…

The next day—

Jingrong returned to his residence and immediately dispatched people to handle matters.

By evening—

He lit a lamp in his room and sat at his desk writing.

Dressed in plain brocade robes, his crown atop his head, a gray hair ribbon falling over his shoulders, eyes lowered—that face which was usually cold and severe now surprisingly carried a gentle scholarly air.

Quite appealing!

He looked exactly like a refined scholar!

Lu Jiang hurried over and stood in the center of the doorway, bowing with cupped hands.

“Your Highness!”

He called out.

Jingrong didn’t respond, continuing to write with his brush as if lost in thought.

Only after the last stroke fell on the paper did he lift his gaze to glance at Lu Jiang.

“Well?”

“Before entering the capital, Old General Li showed no abnormalities. His troops in Qingzhou haven’t moved a single soldier or horse. Coming here this time, apart from bringing a few attendants, there was nothing else.”

He reported everything.

Jingrong raised his hand to hook his right wide sleeve and gently placed the brush on its stand.

Again he didn’t respond for a long while.

Not until the ink on the paper had dried!

He picked up the paper, a smile playing at his lips as he admired the poem he had written.

“Mm,” he said. “I wonder if Yunshu will like this poem?”

His face full of concern!

Good heavens, he was writing a love letter to Ji Yunshu!

Lu Jiang still stood respectfully. Only when he occasionally looked up did he see his prince’s face radiating with deep happiness.

The prince had truly been poisoned by love—and it was an incurable condition.

But while Jingrong was admiring his masterpiece, he casually remarked, “That old fellow has lived in this world a long time, and moreover is a senior minister of three dynasties. In his actions, he must be extremely cautious and careful. Therefore, on one hand, secretly send people to watch every move at the Li residence. On the other hand… watch Li Gang.”

Li Gang!

Old General Li’s son!

Oh my, his name really is Li Gang!

Lu Jiang was puzzled. “That Li Gang is currently still in Qingzhou. He didn’t even come when his own daughter died, and when Old General Li entered the capital, he didn’t come along either. Why does Your Highness want to send people to monitor him?”

Jingrong’s face shed its radiating happiness and suddenly turned cold. His long, narrow eyes resembled eastern orchid bamboo leaves—sharp and piercingly bright!

“Li Gang appears to be a scoundrel, but he is that old fellow’s son. After all, like father, like son. So if that old fellow truly has another purpose, we might be able to find something through his son.”

“This subordinate understands.”

“Don’t let Yunshu know about this matter. Let her peacefully stay at Zhuxi Garden and draw out the skeletal portrait.”

“Yes!”