The horses galloped one after another along the mountain path, splashing countless bits of mud and fallen leaves.

Zhao Yān, dressed in crimson riding attire, reined in her horse at the end of the mountain path beneath a large banyan tree. Breathless, she turned around and said: “We agreed to race, so why do you keep letting me win?”

Wenren Lin hadn’t even taken a deep breath, approaching at a leisurely pace with perfect composure. He teased, “Following behind is safer. If Your Highness were to fall off midway, this prince could pick you up promptly.”

Zhao Yān, with her hand holding the riding crop on her hip, slightly raised her chin: “This is my territory. If anything, I’d be the one picking you up.”

Wenren Lin pressed his long legs against his horse’s belly and rode forward with a smile.

The mountain breeze was clear, and the sky stretched for thousands of miles.

The two horses stood affectionately close, grazing together, with two freshly hunted pheasants hanging from their backs. Zhao Yān and Wenren Lin stood at the edge of a stone cliff at the end of the forest path, facing the wind and overlooking the steep mountains, with clouds and mist surging below.

Leaning against Wenren Lin’s shoulder, Zhao Yān rested briefly before coming up with a new idea.

“It’s almost lunchtime. Let me take you to find something.”

With that, Zhao Yān strode forward, mounted her horse, and with a flick of her riding crop, said, “Come quickly!”

…

…

She was truly like a fish in water at Huayang Palace, never still for a moment, as if trying to make up for the past two years all at once.

Wenren Lin’s heart also felt free and fulfilled as he mounted his horse to follow.

Behind the palace was a dense mountain forest. As soon as they entered the thick woods, a cool air seeped from the ground, and only the songs of birds in the empty mountains could be heard.

Wenren Lin raised his hand to signal Zhang Cang and others to follow at a distance, so they could help if the little Princess lost her way. He followed behind with his hands clasped behind his back, occasionally reaching out to offer support.

“What is Your Highness looking for?”

“Termite mushrooms.”

Zhao Yān occasionally patted the tall, sturdy pine trees around her, looking around as she said, “These were the Great Founder’s favorite delicacy, but unfortunately, they’re rare and change flavor after one day, and change color after two days. Only in places like this, near mountains and water, can one enjoy them fresh for a few days. I remember there was a cluster nearby; I wonder if they’ve been taken by Shi Yue and Shi Zhu.”

As she spoke, she spotted a few small gray-white umbrellas protruding from the fallen leaves in the distance, and her eyes immediately brightened: “Found them!”

Zhao Yān ran over, picked up a tree branch, and began to dig.

When Wenren Lin tried to help, she wouldn’t allow it.

“Shi Yue said these can’t be pulled by hand; they must be carefully pried from the roots.”

Zhao Yān grunted as she dug, and her loose hair fell, obscuring her vision. She wanted to brush it back but was mindful of the dirt on her hands, so she could only tilt her head and rub it against her shoulder.

Wenren Lin raised his finger to tuck her loose hair behind her ear, thinking she looked exactly like a rabbit digging a hole with her small stick, and couldn’t help letting out a short laugh.

“What are you laughing at?”

Zhao Yān exhaled, her cheeks slightly flushed as she glared at Wenren Lin.

“Beautiful,” Wenren Lin replied with half-closed, smiling eyes, slowly rubbing her head.

Zhao Yān raised an eyebrow and said, “Give me your outer robe to hold them.”

“It’ll get dirty,” Wenren Lin said with some disdain.

“It’s for making chicken soup for you.”

Zhao Yān grabbed his high-quality black outer robe and placed the freshly dug termite mushrooms inside, chuckling: “You’ve been taking medicine to detox for the past two months. Physician Sun said you should eat more warm, nourishing foods.”

Hearing this, Wenren Lin’s long eyebrows relaxed, and he reached out to take the bundle of mushrooms.

“I’m good to you, aren’t I?”

Zhao Yān waved the small, mud-covered stick in her hand, smiling brightly.

Wenren Lin gave an “Mm” in response, dappled shadows falling on his handsome features as he bent down and softly said: “If Your Highness would also let this prince eat cherry sweetness today, it would be even better.”

“…”

Zhao Yān dropped the stick and walked away.

Hearing Wenren Lin laughing behind her, and unwilling to be teased and provoked by him, she turned back, grabbed his collar, stood on tiptoe, and quickly kissed his lips.

The chirping birds fell silent for a moment. Before Wenren Lin could savor the moment, Zhao Yān gave a smug smile and turned to run away lightly.

Zhang Cang and the others waited at the edge of the forest for a while, then saw Her Highness and their master emerge one after another.

The prince was holding his outer robe, apparently containing some precious things, completely unconcerned that his fine clothing was soiled with mud and dust. The profound smile nearly overflowed from his eyes.

Damn it!

Zhang Cang looked straight ahead, sighing sourly in his heart: I want a wife too!

Today’s wild mushroom chicken soup was delicious!

……

As night fell, the moon was bright and the stars clear; there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and the Milky Way could be seen stretching brilliantly across the heavens.

After a day of horseback riding and mushroom gathering, Zhao Yān decided to go to the hot spring in the rear mountain villa for a soak.

Passing through the front hall and the corridor, along the path paved with blue stones, one could see a natural hot spring enclosed by high walls. It was filled with hot water year-round, clear to the bottom.

Behind the yellow wooden screen, the water shattered the reflection of the moon into a thousand pieces. In the center of that shimmering light, a tall figure stood bare-chested with his back to the screen. Through his half-bound, half-loose ink-black hair, one could vaguely see his shoulder and back muscles, firm and powerful, tapering down to his narrow, shapely waist and hips, disappearing into the unseen water.

Zhao Yān quickly halted her steps, raising her hand to signal Shi Lan to place her clothes and food on a stone table nearby, and dismissed the attendants on both sides.

Once everyone had left, she removed her outer garment and, wearing only her light underclothes, sat on the smooth blue stone shore. She crossed one leg and casually dipped the other into the water, resting her chin on her hand as she admired that superb, strong physique.

“Your Highness might as well come down closer for a more detailed view.”

Wenren Lin turned to look at her, his eyes like deep pools, containing a hint of leisurely teasing. “This prince is not a stingy person.”

The lines of his chest and abdomen were even more clearly defined and strong.

Zhao Yān inexplicably felt some heat rise within her, the teardrop mole under her eye appearing alluringly sensual in the roseate glow: “Are you lying in wait for a rabbit?”

Wenren Lin did not comment as he waded through the water toward her. The rippling waves rose and fell below his waist, shadows appearing and disappearing. He propped his dripping arm on the shore, looking down at her.

Then, he smiled slightly.

Before Zhao Yān could react, her waist was encircled by the man’s strong, slender arm, and with a splash, she was pulled into the water to bathe together.

Warm waves enveloped her from all directions. Zhao Yān’s startled cry was muffled in her throat as she wiped away the water droplets splashing on her face and said with annoyance: “Wenren Lin!”

Wenren Lin chuckled softly, water droplets condensing on his brow. His aggressive, handsome face appeared carefree and unrestrained.

Zhao Yān’s cheek pressed against his chest as she said with lingering fear, “You were once a Grand Tutor. How is it that you only know how to bully me?”

Wenren Lin stroked the back of her head and said in a deep voice: “It seems I haven’t taught well enough. Your Highness still doesn’t know the difference between ‘cherishing’ and ‘bullying.'”

Zhao Yān, caught between laughter and tears, pushed him away and staggered to find the jade stone steps in the pool. She sat in the shallow water that reached just above her chest, looking up at the night sky.

Water that reached above her waist was only just covering Wenren Lin’s lower abdomen.

Zhao Yān secretly marveled at his height and long legs. Hugging her knees, she rested her chin on them and said, “Compared to Yuquan Palace, I prefer the open-air hot spring here. In summer, one can observe the clear moon and starry sea; in winter, one can watch ice, snow, and rime frost—so unrestrained.”

Wenren Lin wasn’t looking at the stars but sat with Zhao Yān on the stone steps in the water meant for resting. He bent one leg, casually draped his arm on the edge of the pool, and held the slender, graceful young woman in his embrace.

“Yan’er.” He called out in a deep voice, his finger idly twirling her wet hair.

“Hmm?”

Zhao Yān turned her head, noticed his arm, and suddenly became interested.

She turned to the side, her two palms struggling to close around Wenren Lin’s arm muscles, then pressed her translucent, rosy cheek against it for comparison.

“What are you doing?” Wenren Lin raised an eyebrow to look at her.

“You can’t tell when you’re dressed, but your upper arm is so muscular, almost as big as my face.” Zhao Yān marveled sincerely.

Seeing her studying him so earnestly, Wenren Lin was momentarily stunned, then turned his head and burst into laughter.

“It’s Your Highness’s delicate bone structure. However, this prince will take that… as a compliment from Your Highness.”

Wenren Lin circled Zhao Yān’s wrist, seemingly thinking of something, and said slowly, “This wrist’s thickness…”

Zhao Yān hadn’t thought much of it at first, but when she saw his thumb and forefinger encircling her wrist, a strange warmth rushed through her blood. She hurriedly withdrew her hand and asked: “What are you comparing?”

Wenren Lin looked up, his obsidian eyes softening with a gentle smile: “Your Highness’s wrist is so slender that two fingers can easily encircle it.”

“Hmph, is that all?”

Zhao Yān turned her back, not daring to look down.

Wenren Lin proactively embraced her, nuzzling the hollow of her shoulder with his straight nose.

Zhao Yān understood too well what this gesture meant and turned back to say: “You…”

Her breath was stopped as she involuntarily leaned in. Wenren Lin retreated slightly, his wet eyelashes half-lowered as he whispered: “This prince has taken medicine.”

Outside the villa, Zhang Cang and Shi Lan stood on opposite sides, clearly separated.

Zhang Cang raised his hand to slap away a mosquito on his neck, making a crisp sound of flesh hitting flesh, then flicked away the squashed insect with his finger.

Shi Lan watched as the flattened mosquito drew a beautiful arc through the air, passing right before her eyes. Her breath caught, and she suddenly felt her neck begin to itch.

“Psst.”

Zhang Cang gestured to Shi Lan, pointing forward and saying, “Miss Shi Lan, let’s wait in the corridor.”

Shi Lan leaned forward slightly, then stopped, saying softly: “I must stay here to serve Her Highness.”

“With our prince there, he’ll take perfect care of Her Highness. We’re too superfluous standing here.”

Zhang Cang said, “I don’t mind, but you’re still an unmarried young lady—it’s not appropriate.”

Shi Lan’s face instantly flushed. She realized that Her Highness and Prince Su were engaged and traveling and living together, certainly being intimate, so her presence here was indeed quite awkward.

She hesitated for a moment, then, with her head lowered, said somewhat unnaturally: “Then I’ll wait over there.”

“There’s no light over there. What if you fall in the dark?”

Zhang Cang smiled, showing his white teeth, and consoled her in his gruff voice: “Don’t worry, I only like women with big bottoms, I won’t offend you.”

“You!” Shi Lan’s face and ears turned red instantly.

Excuse me, but she felt quite offended right now!

……

Perhaps due to soaking in the hot spring on and off for half the night, with improved circulation, Zhao Yān’s monthly period arrived the next day.

Coincidentally, it rained for several days, so she simply stayed indoors with Wenren Lin, listening to the ethereal sound of raindrops falling from the eaves as they read books, played chess, chatted, and slept together.

Zhao Yān couldn’t be bothered to arrange her hair properly and casually wore one of Wenren Lin’s large robes, like a child stealing an adult’s clothes. She sat cross-legged on the arhat bed, flipping through intelligence reports that Zhang Cang had delivered.

“This is interesting.”

Zhao Yān smiled and said, “Yuan Zhixiao has already arrived in Xingyuan Prefecture to serve as Liang Province Governor. His first act was to expose internal traitors and reactivate dozens of postal stations throughout the Sichuan area.”

Wenren Lin leaned against the other side of the arhat bed, reading an old, tattered, and incomplete ancient book by the rainy light from the window. He replied in a level tone: “The postal stations along the way are the lookout points for the Great Xuan imperial court’s control over Liang Province. Zhao Chengde abandoned these dozens of stations, effectively cutting off the court’s eyes and ears, which is why he could twice lead Sichuan troops to pressure the capital, unimpeded all the way.”

“So Yuan Zhixiao is doing well. There are advantages to having straightforward officials. I can be at ease now that Liang Province is in his hands.”

Zhao Yān stretched her waist a bit, and seeing Wenren Lin engrossed in his book, curiously leaned over, lying on the bed to ask, “What are you reading?”

Wenren Lin showed her the title page, but the text was incomprehensible.

“A medical book? It doesn’t look like it.”

“Something similar.”

Wenren Lin, without looking up, said, “It’s about shamanic medicine left by the barbarian tribes of Sichuan. There’s a formula for men that creates a special oil for male application. When it heats up, it can prevent conception.”

Zhao Yān was startled and asked: “Don’t you… Already have medicine?”

“The internal medicine works too slowly, and Your Highness’s strength is so slight that you often can’t last through those two quarters of an hour before…”

Before he could say the last word, Zhao Yān quickly covered his mouth.

A mischievous smile instantly appeared in Wenren Lin’s eyes. He pulled down her hand and continued in a low voice: “The external medicine only takes the time of one cup of tea, and it can make the ‘famous tool’ feel hot, which should be more comfortable for Your Highness.”

“Enough, enough.”

Zhao Yān couldn’t control his mouth, so she simply covered her ears. “As the dignified Prince Su, can’t you study something more proper?”

Wenren Lin held her sockless feet in his palms, chuckling silently.

Time stretches long.

In this world, there was nothing more proper than making her happy.