The Princess of the Northern Kingdom would inevitably go to Jianye.

As Lu Yun had told Luo Lingyu, what was known was always more controllable than what was unknown.

But before making preparations in Nanyang to send the Northern envoys to Jianye, the matter of the Northern Princess spying on Southern military affairs needed to be resolved. During this time while General Wei was handling this matter, Lu Yun wrote a letter to Prince Chen, asking him to find a way to send several beauties to the Taichu Palace—to let His Majesty get a taste before the Northern Princess entered the palace. With these young and beautiful women preceding her, even if the Northern Princess entered the palace through marriage, her standing before His Majesty would likely be far less than what Second Young Master Lu had seen in his dream.

The Southern Emperor sought immortality and the Dao abstained from the female company. However, if he desired sensual pleasures, the South had no shortage of beauties.

Prince Chen Liu Chu was surprised at why this needed to be done, as he never interfered in his father’s harem affairs. Many things couldn’t be explained clearly through letters alone. Liu Chu acted entirely based on his understanding and trust in his friend. While contemplating how to find an excuse to add a few young “imperial mothers” for himself, he also reported the number of troops that could be deployed by the court and the amount of grain and fodder reserved in the national treasury, as requested by Lu Yun.

While Third Young Master Lu was corresponding with Prince Chen, he hadn’t forgotten about his foolish second brother, Second Young Master Lu Xian.

Second Young Master Lu was in constant anxiety, worried both that his letter hadn’t been seen by Cousin Luo and his third brother, and uneasy that Third Young Master Lu didn’t believe his dream. This cultured noble gentleman could now calm his emotions amid the agarwood incense of the various Bodhisattvas, only to become confused again by the dream when receiving letters from his third brother.

Written correspondence was never as convenient as face-to-face conversation. Perhaps knowing his second brother’s unclear state of mind, Third Young Master Lu Yun’s letter was concise, raising four questions requiring honest answers from his second brother—

First, when did Second Young Master Lu’s dreams begin, were there any previous omens, and had anything unusual happened around him;

Second, in Second Young Master Lu’s first dream, what were the specific events, and from what time to what time did he dream;

Third, was the dream’s timeline moving forward continuously, or did it repeat, and did it make Second Young Master Lu unable to distinguish which period he was dreaming about;

Fourth, in the dream where Second Young Master Lu saw Lu Yun die from countless arrows, could he see the specific time clearly, and if not, were there any time markers for the great battle in Nanyang?

…Among these four questions, not one mentioned the so-called “Northern Princess,” leaving Second Young Master Lu unsure how to feel.

However, Third Young Master’s clear thinking encouraged Lu Xian: he knew his third brother’s perspective surpassed his own. If he hadn’t feared changes in the dream, if he hadn’t initially doubted his dream, if he hadn’t worried that Third Young Master Lu wouldn’t believe him and would think him mad… he should have discussed this matter with his third brother earlier.

But even now, Second Young Master Lu was anxious, unsure whether sharing his dream with his brother and sister would bring greater danger.

These things couldn’t be conveyed properly in a letter, so Second Young Master Lu could only answer his brother’s questions, wracking his brain to analyze his dream as thoroughly as possible for Third Young Master Lu. When encountering details he couldn’t remember clearly, such as when the Nanyang battle occurred, he needed to immerse himself completely, referring to the scenery in his dream and thinking for several days.

…

After Lu Yun sent his letter, he came to help General Wei Cong interrogate the Northern Princess.

The Northern Princess was frustrated, uncomfortable, and ill at ease. Having been discovered spying on Southern military affairs, the Northern envoy group was suddenly branded as “spies.” This time, forget about smoothly reaching Jianye—whether the North and South would use this as an excuse to restart the war was itself a question. The Northern Princess’s journey carried a mission, and she did not want it to end here.

Under General Wei’s guard in the tent, her servants were removed, though she was well fed and cared for, just unable to go anywhere. All those around the Northern Princess had been taken away for questioning, and the envoy group continuously sent gifts, spoke pleasantly, and claimed the matter was an accident. The Princess had remained calm for the first few days, but later, seeing that General Wei showed no signs of leniency, she became panic-stricken.

One afternoon, Wei Cong came again to question the Northern Princess. Wei Cong’s imposing figure was like a great mountain, his expression between the brows heavy with killing intent. He sat authoritatively in the main seat, expressionlessly surveying the Princess who appeared frail before him. Wei Cong sneered: “If the military arsenal hadn’t already been moved, who knows what you wolves with wild ambitions would have taken? Tell me, why did your emperor send you, a princess, for this marriage alliance? What’s the real purpose?”

Wei Cong grinned, showing silver-white teeth in his blood-red mouth, nearly frightening the breath out of the Princess. Then came the General’s sinister words: “If you don’t talk, I’ll kill you! I’ll only face some military punishment, but you’ll meet a fragrant end. If you talk, your servants can return, and you might even make it to Jianye. Princess… think carefully before speaking.”

Threats and coercion mixed with enticement and recruitment.

If she were an ordinary young woman, she would have been scared to tears by this dark-faced demon.

The Northern Princess, pale-faced, no longer dared believe that Wei Cong liked someone like her, having lost all face before him. Everything, all the misunderstandings, were because of… because of… The Northern Princess’s face flushed red, her shoulders trembling as she stood up, blurting out: “I was deceived! It was all Luo Lingyu, it was all that third brother Lu’s cousin who deceived me! She was jealous of my relationship with Third Young Master Lu, she framed me, deliberately got close to me, dug a pit for me…”

The Northern Princess’s eyes were bloodshot, her facial muscles twitching when she said “Luo Lingyu,” her expression nearly distorted. By now, how could she not know she had been deceived by Luo Lingyu’s harmless appearance?

Wei Cong’s brow twitched, not expecting this turn of events. He remained silent with furrowed brows, waiting to hear what the Northern Princess would say. If what this princess said was true, then Luo Lingyu would be suspected of leaking military secrets. Wei Cong’s heart sank further—how could Luo Lingyu, a woman, leak military secrets? How could she possibly know secrets like the military arsenal? Could Third Young Master Lu have told her? If Lu Yun casually told such things to a woman, was it his doing alone, or had the entire great family betrayed the South… The layers of conspiracy made Wei Cong’s expression extremely serious.

Seeing hope, the Northern Princess’s eyes darkened, and tears immediately welled up. As she spoke of “Luo Lingyu’s” deep scheming, her words became increasingly vehement.

Just as she was describing how Luo Lingyu had tricked her into riding horses near the military arsenal and pointed it out to her, the tent flap lifted, and a voice like clashing jade rings languidly came from behind: “That’s impossible. My cousin is just a weak woman and has only been in Nanyang for half a month. How could she possibly know where the military arsenal is in just half a month?”

Looking back, they saw Third Young Master Lu Yun, with a face like jade and a voice like stone chimes.

Wei Cong’s eyes flickered, and the Northern Princess’s face darkened.

As Luo Lingyu herself had told Lu Yun, everything was her speculation; she had never explicitly told or promised anything to the Northern Princess. Such ambiguous words were insufficient to condemn Luo Lingyu. Moreover, was Lu Yun present. As Lu Yun entered the tent and exchanged glances with General Wei, the General remained silent, seeming to sensitively perceive something, but before an enemy princess, the General naturally wouldn’t speak against their military officer.

Third Young Master Lu was able to look down at the Princess: “The Princess’s spying on military secrets was self-initiated. No amount of external influence can wash away this fact.”

Lu Yun glanced at the General, seeming to smile slightly: “Let’s not lose sight of what’s important.”

Wei Cong’s face immediately darkened, realizing he had been led astray by this Northern Princess. The General restrained himself from shouting and pounding the table, watching as Third Young Master Lu came over, lifting his robes as he sat. With the skilled interrogator Military Officer Lu present, General Wei concentrated on being background atmosphere, no longer speaking. Watching Lu Yun raise his fair face, his eyebrows lifting slightly. Though it was an elegant and refined gesture, it made the Northern Princess uneasily avoid his gaze. Lu Yun spoke languidly: “Actually, this matter is extremely clear. Two countries at war are natural enemies, no need to even ask. However, since the Princess’s side came with certain intentions for this marriage alliance, yet seems about to fail at the first stop, even if we don’t kill the Princess and let her return North. After returning, it would likely mean death, wouldn’t it?”

The Northern Princess’s lips trembled, her face becoming more rigid. After a long while, she coldly raised her eyes, staring at Lu Yun. Having now witnessed Third Young Master Lu’s cold-heartedness, knowing he wouldn’t spare her, the Princess only spoke stiffly: “What do you intend to do?”

Lu Yun spoke softly: “Actually, besides sending the envoy group back, we could pretend not to know about this matter, merely guard against the Princess while letting you safely enter Jianye, letting you negotiate with our Emperor.”

The Northern Princess: “Really?!”

Then suspiciously: “Why would you do this? Could there be some plot?”

Lu Yun curved his lips in a smile, light dancing in his eyes, breaking through his frost-covered demeanor. When he smiled, he was incredibly alluring, causing the Northern Princess’s suspicious heart to become dazed and soft. It took a long while before she heard what Lu Yun had said—”The Princess just needs to give a general direction of where your main army is lying in ambush.”

Wei Cong, listening from the side, felt his brow jump violently as he glared at Lu Yun.

The Northern Princess: “…!”

Her breathing suddenly intensified, her entire body’s muscles tensing. Under Lu Yun’s deep gaze, when she spoke, her voice was hoarse: “…I… I don’t understand what you’re saying…”

Lu Yun smiled: “No need to be so nervous, I’m not asking where your main army is right now. The border between North and South is so vast, that I just want to know a general direction. Even if you don’t tell me, since I already have this suspicion, I’ll investigate afterward anyway, it’s just a matter of time. You would merely be helping me save some time, it hardly counts as leaking military secrets.”

These few short days would affect whether they would be prepared for the upcoming great battle in Nanyang. In Second Young Master Lu’s dream, these few days hadn’t been calculated well, and Nanyang hadn’t been prepared. Third Young Master Lu had keenly extracted this loophole from Second Young Master Lu’s romance-filled story. While writing to ask Second Young Master Lu to recall the time of the battle, he was also approaching the Northern Princess to gain advance notice.

It was an obvious stratagem.

Lu Yun tempted: “You just need to give a general direction, and tomorrow I’ll send you to Jianye.”

His high nose and clear eyes, his proper and bright demeanor, were like a clear breeze and bright moon. Yet beneath such clear and beautiful features, there were threads of seduction. Like poppies blooming on a mountaintop, intensely beautiful, tempting one to pluck them, to commit crimes, to sink into his lies.

At least the Northern Princess, being looked at this way by Lu Yun, felt her heart trembling, vaguely producing a feeling: when he looks at me this way, he must love me in his heart… It must be Luo Lingyu’s bewitching words that made him cold towards me. But the way he looks at me, he has me in his heart… I, I…

About to marry a decrepit old man, yet who wouldn’t love a handsome young gentleman? Especially one known throughout the world as a famous scholar.

The Northern Princess lowered her eyelids, speaking softly: “Aren’t you afraid the answer I give will be a lie?”

Lu Yun: “Princess can’t deceive anyone.”

After these words, whether it was his ruthlessness or his tenderness toward the Princess was left for the Northern Princess to interpret herself. And the Northern Princess, in her confusion, didn’t know what Third Young Master Lu truly meant. After a long silence, the Princess still trembled as she knelt and spoke a few words.

Lu Yun’s eyes narrowed, and he immediately had soldiers enter, ordering people to investigate.

Wei Cong looked deeply at Lu Yun: …what a demon!

Just sitting there speaking a few words, without even moving, he had made that princess fall for his beauty, leading her along.

If this person truly liked someone and tried to seduce them, was there any woman in the world who could resist Third Young Master Lu’s grace and charm?

That Lady Luo… the Lady Luo who could talk of love with such a beautiful demon as Lu Yun and was about to marry him, surely couldn’t be a simple character.

…Frightened enough, let this couple play their own game of seduction, I, Old Wei, won’t meddle in their romance, won’t think about tempting anyone to stray. After all, I couldn’t seduce anyone anyway.

…

General Wei felt bitter and helpless, wary of Lu Yun; the Northern envoy group, hearing that Nanyang would let them off and send them to Jianye the next day, breathed a sigh of relief. Though puzzled about how such a matter could be resolved so easily, when the envoy group questioned the Princess, she kept a cold face and avoided everyone, claiming illness. Since they didn’t believe a young woman sent for marriage could cause any trouble, the questioning came to nothing. Fearing complications might arise with time, both sides couldn’t wait for the Northern envoy group to leave Nanyang, and the next day, the carriages and horses were prepared.

The people of Nanyang watched this envoy group with impure motives head toward Jianye, waiting for instructions from the capital.

For over ten days, as time entered early October, the Northern Princess’s grand envoy group departed. Because Lu Yun was busy with these matters for several consecutive days, Luo Lingyu hadn’t seen him.

Golden fragrance urged the buds, jade dew scattered perfume.

One evening, the clouds were thick, just before a heavy rain. The osmanthus trees in the courtyard cast deep shade, and Luo Lingyu stood with several Luo family ladies beneath them, using bamboo poles to shake down the flowers. The beauty and abundance of osmanthus flowers lay in their “falling like rain.” Silk cloth was spread on the ground to catch the falling flowers from above. Looking up as the bamboo poles gently struck, in the soft dim light, one could see goose-yellow, golden-yellow, and orange-red flowers falling densely from the branches, rice-grain-sized flowers like raindrops, covering the entire courtyard, weaving patterns on the silk below, creating layers of fragrant beauty.

The osmanthus trees were lush and green, elegant and beautiful. Under the deep green, even the edge of the pond was covered with osmanthus flowers, moving with the water flow.

Some flowers seemed frozen, suspended in mid-air, as if fixed in space. Upon closer inspection, it turned out that spider webs had formed in the shadowy places under the trees where light couldn’t reach, capturing the golden flower petals, the webs themselves too fine to see clearly. When the bamboo pole gently touched the spider webs, the scattered flowers they held would fall again in grand waves.

The maid Lingyu watched with wide-eyed amazement: “I’ve only seen such dense osmanthus flowers in Kaishan Temple’s back garden… I didn’t know the flowers here were even more abundant!”

Luo Lingyu crouched down, picking up Osmanthus flowers with her sachet, smiling as she said: “They’re all about the same. Osmanthus flowers have too many uses, good for fragrance, medicine, and food. Wait until I prepare them, and you’ll be the first to try.”

She turned to speak to the Luo family ladies from Nanyang: “For osmanthus cakes, sugared osmanthus is most common. This time when I returned from Jianye, I brought their good glutinous rice and lotus roots. We can try making osmanthus glutinous rice lotus root, and osmanthus chestnut soup. Warm and translucent, full of fragrance… I learned their recipes, would my sisters care to taste them?”

Luo Lingyu mused: “I also want to research the recipe to preserve sugared osmanthus for twenty years without spoiling, I have some ideas to share with my sisters.”

The ladies expressed delighted thanks and agreed to help.

The maid Lingyu praised further: “My lady can handle anything, so interesting. Even picking osmanthus flowers can produce so many things… Life is never dull with my lady, this servant is truly fortunate.”

This was indeed the truth. Luo Lingyu was a lady who greatly valued interests, she enjoyed tinkering with all sorts of new skills and games, she could make beautiful flower paper and also steam delicious pastries; she could brew tea and could also lead the courtyard maids in collecting early morning dew throughout spring.

She placed great importance on quality of life, with endless interests.

Among the noble ladies of the world, few were as lively and charming as her. Even if she was sometimes cunning, her cunning had never worn away her elegant taste… how could young masters not like her?

While the maids admired Luo Lingyu, the Luo family ladies’ feelings were more complex. As fellow noble ladies, this cousin of theirs steadily surpassed them. Now regarding marriage, first she refused to break off her engagement, then immediately had Third Young Master Lu from Jianye seeking to marry her… Luo Lingyu’s luck was enviably good.

One lady spoke sourly: “Sister, you shouldn’t spend all day picking flowers, shaking flowers, and drying flowers. If you continue to be so inattentive, Third Young Master Lu will be snatched away. How long has it been since Third Young Master Lu came to see you? He’s been flirting with that Northern Princess. Today when the Northern Princess left Nanyang, they say Third Young Master Lu saw her off quite far. Everyone saw how the Princess looked back, reluctant to leave.”

Luo Lingyu’s hand holding the sachet paused.

Another lady feigned surprise, expressing sympathy for Luo Lingyu: “It’s not necessarily that Third Young Master Lu has changed heart, but that state affairs are more important. Indeed, where in the world is there a good young master who loves only one person? Even with Sister Luo’s talent and beauty, she can’t hold a man’s heart. In the eyes of someone like Third Young Master Lu, state affairs are state affairs, feelings are feelings. The distinction is so clear. No matter how beautiful you are, sister, you can’t compete with a young master’s ambitions.”

They played off each other, speaking with enthusiasm.

Seeing the graceful Luo Lingyu suddenly stand up, holding her osmanthus-covered sachet, her skirt trailing the ground. Luo Lingyu brushed aside the black strands of hair that had fallen by her ears, her obsidian-like warm jade eyes looking toward the courtyard entrance, and like the other ladies, she put on an expression of pleasant surprise: “Brother Xuecheng, why are you here? When did you arrive?”

The other ladies: “…?!”

Taking a sharp breath, thinking “impossible,” they all turned their heads together with Luo Lingyu to look toward the courtyard entrance. However, it was undeniably true, impossible to mistake, they saw that tall, pine-and-bamboo-like elegant young master standing at the courtyard entrance, looking this way.

Third Young Master Lu’s gaze was faint, appearing before everyone like snow on a high peak, visible but unreachable.

And this high peak snow, his eyes casually sweeping over the group of ladies in the courtyard, finally rested on Luo Lingyu, only then showing some warmth. After a moment of silence, Lu Yun’s gaze suddenly became gentle, saying: “Sister hasn’t paid attention to me for several days, refusing messages sent through others, not responding to my letters. Afraid that sister had abandoned me, I had to come to visit personally.”

The ladies’ faces immediately flushed: …what?! So it was Luo Lingyu ignoring Third Young Master Lu? With Third Young Master Lu being so excellent, what right did Luo Lingyu have to act proud?

Luo Lingyu paused for a moment, then smiled slightly, going over to hold Lu Yun’s arm.

It must be said, that Lu Yun gave her face like this, elevating her in front of her family sisters, raising her status in the Luo family… Luo Lingyu felt quite pleased in her heart.

…

She had always fantasized that after marrying a young master from a great family, with her family status elevated, she would show off in front of those who had looked down on her before. She kept careful track; whoever had looked down on her before, she would make sure to live better than them in the future.

Now she wasn’t yet married to Lu Yun.

She was still that petty, easily frustrated Luo Lingyu.

Lu Yun might find her disagreeable himself, but he elevated her in front of others. This was exactly why she wanted to marry.

…

Luo Lingyu’s gaze when she turned to look at Lu Yun was thus full of deep emotion.

And Lu Yun could make her even more emotionally invested.

With Lu Yun’s arrival, the various ladies being entertained in Luo Lingyu’s courtyard felt embarrassed and took their leave one after another. Even the maid Lingyu left after serving tea. Lu Yun and Luo Lingyu sat together in the room, mysteriously, as Lu Yun had someone bring in something covered with cloth from outside.

Luo Lingyu knelt beside him, watching as he received this thing, and then closed the door, keeping the servants outside. Luo Lingyu tilted her head: “What kind of thing is this, that can’t be seen by others?”

The room darkened, and Lu Yun indicated: “A gift for you… it can’t be exposed to light, let’s extinguish all the lamps and candles in the room.”

Luo Lingyu gave him a puzzled look, and with no maids present, she had to get up herself to extinguish the lamps and candles one by one. When all the flames were out, the room was pitch black, the view completely dark, nothing could be seen clearly. Luo Lingyu stood in the darkness, was grasped by her young master’s dry hand, and was pulled to sit beside him.

Lu Yun: “Close your eyes.”

Luo Lingyu pouted: “What is it?”

She obediently closed her eyes, and Lu Yun even touched them to make sure she wasn’t cheating, causing her to huff again, wondering why this person was so distrustful of her character. Was her character so terrible in his eyes?

With eyes closed, Luo Lingyu continued to privately complain about Lu Yun. She had a heart full of secret affection for Lu Yun, and also a heart full of complaints. She muttered for a long while, finally hearing Lu Yun’s voice: “Alright, open your eyes.”

Luo Lingyu opened her eyes carelessly, but was immediately stunned by what she saw—

It was a five-colored glass lamp.

A three-foot-tall colored glass lamp, with a mechanism in the middle, covered with twelve glass panels. Behind each glass panel was painted a portrait of a beauty. As the mechanism moved, the portraits rotated. Under the colorful light, the twelve portraits of beauties slowly turned in the night, each one touching her heart.

Each portrait was of the same beauty.

Sometimes coquettish, sometimes happy, sometimes frowning, sometimes crying, leaning on a railing, sometimes by a window.

A thousand charms, ordinary poses, and different styles are all captured in the paintings. The bright, warm light illuminated the entire room, eyes seeing only flowing light dancing, like trees of fire and flowers of silver.

Luo Lingyu slowly turned her face to see Lu Yun in the lamplight. He lowered his eyes, also looking down at his lamp—the five-colored glass lamp, the twelve portraits of beauty, all were his work.

Lu Yun said: “No need to be so moved, the lamp wasn’t made especially for you.”

Luo Lingyu raised an eyebrow.

Watching this person still unwilling to admit it, still finding all sorts of excuses: “I bought lamp fixtures and colored glass from the Northern Princess, my glass workshop’s techniques improved, allowing for improvements. For glass beauty portraits, among the women of the world, only sister Yuer’s figure is worthy. I painted your likeness to match the lamp, not made the lamp for you. These twelve portraits of beauty… mmph.”

His cheek suddenly felt cool as Lu Yun’s eyelashes trembled slightly.

It was because Luo Lingyu had suddenly leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

Luo Lingyu embraced his neck, trembling, holding him close. She kissed his cheek, and during his silence, slowly moved over to kiss his lips. She looked at him with stunned amazement, tears in her eyes—at this moment, she felt she would never forget this night.

She realized she liked him, and would never forget him.

Their faces close together, ears and temples touching. She heard Lu Yun say softly: “Then after we return to Jianye, will you marry me?”

The deeply moved Lady Luo had tears in her eyes. As Luo Lingyu was about to agree with tears in her eyes, she suddenly stopped, feeling she had heard these words somewhere before—on the night before he left Jianye when he was drunk, he had said such words.

… So after becoming sober and not remembering what happened that night, he wanted to say the words he had said before, all over again?

Was such a repeated confession acceptable?