Perhaps out of a woman’s intuition, Ji Yunshu walked over.

She saw that the rust on that knife had already adhered to the door wall—mottled and worn!

The blade also showed obvious signs of dullness, pitted and uneven, like the teeth of a gear!

Jingrong walked up behind her and asked, “Is this knife strange?”

“Yes!” She nodded in response.

The next moment, she pulled out a handkerchief from her waist, wrapped it around her hand, took down that small knife, carefully wrapped it up, and placed it in her sleeve.

This woman even steals rusty knives from peasant households!

Jingrong thought to himself!

“It’s getting late. We should go catch the boat. If it gets any later, no matter how much silver Your Highness has, the boatman probably won’t dare take the job.”

Having said that, she held up her umbrella, braced against the strong wind, and returned along the original path.

Jingrong followed behind her, watching her walk carefully. Her feet slipped several times, causing her body to sway unsteadily. His hands, which should have been tucked in his sleeves for warmth, secretly lifted slightly, hovering at Ji Yunshu’s side to prevent her from accidentally falling.

After leaving that desolate wasteland, the two quickened their pace and reached the dock at Zhao Family Village.

On the surging river surface, everything was visible at a glance. Forget boats—there weren’t even any floating objects.

“It’s almost dark. There won’t be any boats today.”

Jingrong didn’t seem worried at all. In his tone, there was even a hint of secret delight.

“Had I known, I should have asked that earlier boatman to wait,” Ji Yunshu muttered softly.

“Today, we won’t be able to leave.”

“Does Your Highness have another solution?”

“I do!” Jingrong raised an eyebrow.

Ji Yunshu immediately pressed, “What solution?”

Jingrong pointed at a mountain behind them and said, “Take the mountain path!”

Was he joking?

“The mountain path takes a full day. Better to stay and wait for a boat,” Ji Yunshu said.

Jingrong’s lips secretly curved into a smile, yet he put on a troubled expression, frowning. “There probably won’t be any more boats. Tonight, you and I will likely have to stay. However, every household in Zhao Family Village is poor, with small and simple dwellings. I’m afraid they can’t accommodate both of us. But…”

“But what?”

“This prince passed by a temple earlier. Perhaps we could lodge there for the night.”

“A temple?”

She hadn’t seen one!

Not knowing whether to believe him, Ji Yunshu’s beautiful eyes rolled, but in the end she nodded. “That’s the only option then.”

Leaving the dock, Ji Yunshu followed behind Jingrong, heading in the direction of the temple he mentioned.

The sky grew darker and darker. The muddy road was somewhat difficult to traverse, and with the heavy rain, it was simply adding insult to injury!

How could they have known that a strong wind would suddenly sweep through!

Ji Yunshu’s wrist strength was no match. The umbrella handle cleanly slipped from her hand, swept into nearby bushes, and shredded to pieces by the chaotic branches!

The rainwater also, at the instant the umbrella handle slipped away, poured mercilessly upon her.

From her hair to her cheeks, then down her delicate neck—in an instant, she was thoroughly drenched.

But before that bone-chilling sensation could spread to her feet, an umbrella suddenly appeared overhead, shielding her from the torrential rain and some of the wild wind.

Looking up, Ji Yunshu saw Jingrong standing in the rain, extending his hand to hold the umbrella over her head.

The distance between them was about two steps.

“Your Highness.” Ji Yunshu called out, grasped the umbrella handle, and immediately pushed it toward him. “This humble one’s body is lowly. Your Highness should use the umbrella to shelter yourself.”

“This prince is not so delicate. You hold the umbrella properly.”

At this moment, he had already pressed the umbrella handle into Ji Yunshu’s hand and walked forward in the rain.

Truly carefree!

The next moment, Ji Yunshu jogged two steps, caught up, reached out to grab Jingrong’s sleeve, and also raised the umbrella in her hand over his head.

Between the tall and short figures, only the width of two fingers separated them, both standing beneath the umbrella.

However, the umbrella wasn’t large enough—both their shoulders were exposed to the rain!

Jingrong seemed mildly startled by her action. His deeply set brows lowered to look at her, carrying deep affection!

Somewhat moved!

In that moment, Ji Yunshu hoped she had seen wrong and hastily averted her gaze.

She said, “I hope Your Highness won’t mind sharing an umbrella with this humble one.”

“Of course not!”

He was quite willing.

With eyes full of spring light and a carved smile of joy, he took the umbrella from Ji Yunshu’s hand, raised it high, and with his other hand naturally grasped Ji Yunshu’s wrist, advancing through the rain!

Ji Yunshu let him lead her without struggling free. After all, they were sharing an umbrella.

After walking for about half the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, they finally arrived at the temple Jingrong had mentioned.

Calling it a temple, it was indeed a temple!

Just… somewhat dilapidated, somewhat desolate.

However, it was still a place to shelter from the rain.

After entering, Ji Yunshu examined it carefully.

This was a temple that had long been without maintenance. The plaque hanging on the door had lost a corner and hung crookedly, seeming about to fall. The plaque was also covered in ash and layers upon layers of spider webs, but one could still make out the four characters “Zhao Family Ancestral Hall.”

Inside the temple, straw was piled everywhere, things had fallen over and were scattered about, all covered in spider webs!

But fortunately, the tall Buddha statue still stood within the temple hall.

However, the golden copper sheets on the Buddha statue seemed to have been scraped off piece by piece, leaving very conspicuous knife scrape marks.

“Though the place is messy, fortunately it can shelter us from the rain. Let’s make do for one night. Tomorrow this prince will find a way back to the city.” Jingrong put away the umbrella and set it aside. Surveying the temple, he said, “First, light a fire to dry our clothes.”

Before Ji Yunshu could say anything, Jingrong had already skillfully moved the debris in the temple to one side, clearing a space. He then gathered the broken wooden stakes from the temple into a pile, used a fire starter from his person that hadn’t gotten wet, lit the straw, and set the wooden stakes ablaze!

A series of actions completed cleanly and efficiently!

If one didn’t know better, one would think this prince had truly grown up in wild mountain lands!

Outside it had already grown dark. The flickering flames inside the temple appeared very bright, reflecting in the wind and rain-battered temple hall, actually creating quite a warm and comfortable atmosphere.

And Jingrong had already unknowingly constructed a frame.

“Master Ji, you’d better remove your clothes and hang them here to dry. You’re a frail scholar—you mustn’t catch cold.”

“…”

Just as Jingrong spoke, he had already begun undressing!

Ji Yunshu looked, hugged her cold arms, and turned away.

“Come over quickly!” Jingrong called to her.

Ji Yunshu didn’t move, clutching her clothing with some panic.

Seeing her remain motionless, Jingrong simply walked over, grasped her wrist with one hand, and pulled her to the fireside.

“This humble one is fine. Your Highness can just dry your own clothes,” she said, head lowered, not daring to look.

“I’m telling you to remove your clothes—why are you so shy? Could it be you want this prince to help you undress?” Jingrong’s tone deliberately carried doubt, yet the playfulness in his eyes gradually rose.

Ji Yunshu stepped back several paces, her lips twitching. “Your Highness has a robust build. This humble one’s frame is thin and lean. It really wouldn’t do to undress and compare with Your Highness. Better to forget it, forget it.”

“Stop rambling.”

Jingrong rebuked, stepped two paces closer to her, and his pair of demon claws simultaneously reached toward her.

His lips curved slightly. “Two grown men—what’s there to fear? If you won’t undress, this prince will undress you.”

“No need.”

“Yes need.”

Ji Yunshu’s arm was already confined in his palm. Struggling proved fruitless, so she could only desperately clutch her collar.

Beast!

Even if she screamed her throat raw at this moment, it would be useless!

She buried her head deeply, her breathing becoming very anxious. Jingrong, so close at hand, had eyes that seemed to hold a flame, staring down at her curved, long lashes!

He gripped her thin arm tightly. In his palm was Ji Yunshu’s ice-cold, soaked clothing.

The cold sensation extended along the lines of his palm, chilling his blood to an abrupt stop.

At this moment, he wanted so much to pull this woman into his embrace.

But reason still dispelled his wicked thoughts of the moment.

“Master’s clothing is already soaked through. If you don’t want to remove your clothes in front of this prince, then use the clothes as a curtain, draped over the frame, with you and I on either side.”

You’re truly kind!

Jingrong released her and restrained the playfulness from his eyes, moving the frame between them.

He said, “This prince won’t look at you. Quickly remove your clothes. Stop being so coy.”

Jingrong had already removed his two soaked outer robes and draped them over the frame, then plopped down on the straw pile, also removing his boots with gold carvings and silver thread trim, placing them upside down beside the fire.

Seeing him so “well-behaved,” Ji Yunshu’s anxious heart finally settled somewhat.

Yet still carrying a trace of vigilance, she slowly untied her belt, removed her outer garment, hung it on the frame, and also crouched down to sit on the straw pile, removing her shoes made of coarse cloth and setting them aside.

The two were now sitting on either side of the frame, with the fire between the frame and them, parallel to the frame.

Outside, the sky had already darkened, and the heavy rain and wild wind continued unabated.

Inside, warmth steadily rose!

“Master Ji.” Jingrong suddenly called to her.

“Mm?”

“Have you ever… been to the capital?”

As Jingrong spoke, he had already picked up a small bamboo stick and began randomly poking at the fire in front of him.

Ji Yunshu glanced sideways and saw only a hand reaching out from behind the frame, pinching the bamboo stick, stirring the fire until it crackled and popped, sparks flying.

Yet it looked extremely beautiful!

She hugged her curled knees with one hand, and with the other also picked up a small bamboo stick and poked at the fire.

While answering Jingrong’s question: “Never been.”

“Then would you like to go?”

“Is the air quality up to standard?”

“Mm?”

“I mean smog.”

“Smog?” Jingrong’s brows furrowed high, and his action of poking the fire suddenly stopped!

Ji Yunshu smiled and said, “Never mind!”

At this moment, what Ji Yunshu was thinking of was Beijing!

Jingrong was thoroughly confused by her question. He truly wanted to remove the frame blocking between them and ask properly.

What did she mean by air quality?

What was smog?

Shaking his head, forget it. He could only change the subject. “If this prince asked you to return to the capital with me, would you be willing?”