Mount Qingliang was located between Heyu and Beiding. Due to its special terrain, it became particularly cool during the blazing summer days. Since the previous dynasty, a traveling palace had been built there, making it a summer retreat for successive emperors.

However, during Emperor Mingkang’s reign, because he was obsessed with secluded cultivation, he naturally had no time to retreat to Mount Qingliang for summer, and nobles and officials naturally couldn’t benefit either.

When news of going to Mount Qingliang for summer retreat spread, all qualified residences in the capital were extremely excited, especially the women who could accompany the trip, who had already begun packing their belongings.

Shao Mingyuan was undoubtedly on the travel list, and Qiao Zhao, as the Marquis Guanjun’s wife, was also among those accompanying.

Chi Can originally disliked getting involved in such matters, but the news of Eldest Princess Changrong’s pregnancy had ultimately planted a thorn in his heart. Now that Eldest Princess Changrong’s belly was quite large, he felt depressed every time he saw it, so he borrowed this opportunity to travel for some “out of sight, out of mind.”

Emperor Mingkang acted decisively, and soon the day of departure arrived.

Countless luxurious carriages, guarded by the Imperial Guards, slowly drove out of the capital heading north.

The carriages carried pampered nobles, so naturally, the speed couldn’t be fast. When mealtime arrived at noon, they stopped halfway in the middle of nowhere.

Under the blazing sun, Emperor Mingkang and the Empress Dowager had a large group of eunuchs and palace maids serving them. Especially around Emperor Mingkang’s resting place, ice basins surrounded the area, making it as comfortable as in the palace. But others suffered greatly.

Whether imperial relatives or court ministers, wanting ice basins for cooling was a pipe dream. Even the two princes could only sit in the shade of trees to rest.

Since Prince Rui had not yet welcomed his princess consort, the one accompanying Prince Rui on this trip was Li Jiǎo, who had just been enfeoffed as secondary consort.

At this moment, Li Jiǎo held a round fan to fan Prince Rui, and sweat soon appeared on the tip of her nose.

“Let the maids do it – you should rest too.” Prince Rui was moved by Li Jiǎo’s consideration and squeezed her hand.

“Being able to travel with Your Highness is this concubine’s blessing. Naturally, I should take good care of Your Highness,” Li Jiǎo said softly.

A light laugh came: “Fifth Brother truly has good fortune.”

Prince Rui looked toward Prince Mu under another tree.

Prince Mu wore a sky-blue robe and had handsome features, looking like a wealthy young master. At this moment, he was waving his fan and looking over with a smile.

Hearing Prince Mu say this, Princess Mu’s expression remained unchanged, but her gaze swept over Li Jiǎo.

Li Jiǎo continued fanning with lowered brows and compliant eyes.

Princess Mu raised her eyebrows slightly and sneered inwardly: Truly befitting someone who should be a concubine – with so many maids available yet insisting on fanning herself, really willing to do anything to win a man’s favor.

Thinking this way, Princess Mu glanced at Prince Mu again and secretly sneered: Hatefully, men eat this up, no wonder concubines keep getting promoted one after another.

Prince Rui was not as talkative as Prince Mu. Hearing him say this, he smiled and withdrew his gaze, saying to Li Jiǎo: “Jiǎo Niang, I heard the Marquis Guanjun’s wife also came this time. Would you like to go greet her?”

Though Li Jiǎo was reluctant, she dimly understood that Prince Rui intended to win over the Marquis Guanjun. At times like this, when Prince Rui couldn’t conveniently appear himself, her going to greet her sister was something no one could find fault with.

But thinking that she was the elder sister yet had to take the initiative to greet her younger sister, she felt somewhat aggrieved in her heart.

Of course this thought was only momentary. Li Jiǎo quickly adjusted her mood and showed Prince Rui a smile: “I happened to prepare some cooling fruits before leaving home – I’ll take them to Third Sister right now.”

Prince Rui nodded with satisfaction.

The Marquis Guanjun had high status and was resting not far from them, turning one’s head could see their activities. But Prince Rui had many concerns and couldn’t show his closeness to Shao Mingyuan in public.

Li Jiǎo personally carried the food box toward Qiao Zhao, but halfway there, she couldn’t take another step.

Under the lush tree canopy, Shao Mingyuan was holding a fan to fan Qiao Zhao. The woman’s gentle laughter was carried over by the wind: “I can do it myself – why would I need you?”

“You’ll get a sore arm doing it yourself.”

“There are still Binglu and A’Zhu.” For this trip, except for the palace nobles, everyone else practiced traveling light, so Qiao Zhao only brought Binglu and A’Zhu.

“How can maids have as much strength as I?” The man with an upright figure sat with his back to Li Jiǎo, his voice cheerful yet tender.

Li Jiǎo watched coldly, then thought of herself carefully fanning Prince Rui just moments ago. Her heart suddenly felt as if pricked by a needle, the pain almost making her unable to stand steady.

For the first time, Li Jiǎo had a flash of regret.

If she had followed her grandmother’s arrangement back then and married someone in a proper match, would that person treat her this way?

But soon she dispelled this absurd thought.

Grandmother had planned to marry her to a farming family. A man of such birth wouldn’t deserve to fan her, let alone lift her shoes – she would find even that bothersome!

There was nothing to envy. As long as the prince could ascend the throne, she could at least be enfeoffed as an imperial noble consort. Then Li Zhao would still have to kneel before her.

Princess Mu saw this and laughed softly with a “pfft.”

Sisters from the same household held completely different weights in men’s hearts, showing that those who willingly became concubines were naturally born with base bones.

This soft laugh made Li Jiǎo suddenly come to her senses.

Though Princess Mu said nothing, she felt her face burning with shame and hurriedly took several quick steps to reach Qiao Zhao.

Qiao Zhao hid her surprise and looked calmly at Li Jiǎo.

As soon as Shao Mingyuan saw Li Jiǎo approaching, he cast her a cold glance and stood up expressionlessly to move away.

During travel, Zhaozhao rode in the carriage while he rode horseback. He had finally looked forward to rest time when they could speak a few words, only to have some random cat or dog come to disturb them.

Li Jiǎo felt inexplicably cold from Shao Mingyuan’s glance and forced a smile under Qiao Zhao’s calm gaze: “The hot weather makes traveling hard on everyone. I brought some cooling fruits for Third Sister to try.”

Noticing many gazes directed their way, Qiao Zhao smiled faintly: “Thank you, Elder Sister.”

Li Jiǎo knew that returning just like this would certainly displease Prince Rui, so she racked her brains to find topics: “Since entering the prince’s residence, I’ve rarely had opportunities to go out. I didn’t expect to be able to go to Mount Qingliang for summer retreat together with Third Sister this time. By the way, I wonder how Grandmother and the others are doing?”

Qiao Zhao smiled ambiguously: “If Elder Sister is concerned about Grandmother, why not return to the Li residence to visit?”

Li Jiǎo met with a soft rebuff and sat awkwardly for a while before getting up to return.

Seeing this, Shao Mingyuan said to Chi Can: “I’m going back.”

Chi Can couldn’t help rolling his eyes.

Bad choice in friends – this was typical prioritizing romance over friendship, burning bridges after crossing the river!

“Taosheng, quickly fan your master – you have no sense!”

After traveling for several days, they finally reached Mount Qingliang. Nobles and officials were arranged into courtyards of different standards according to their status and rank, and after resting hard for two days, they finally recovered their spirits.

At this time, they received word: the Emperor had entered seclusion again.

The biggest master at this summer retreat entering seclusion was good news – they could enjoy themselves freely hunting and playing in these deep mountain forests.

Officials and nobles were in high spirits and soon spent a comfortable month or so on Mount Qingliang.

But just as everyone was enjoying themselves too much to think of home, Celestial Master Zhang became worried.

The Emperor was always punctual and should have emerged from seclusion at sunset today. How was it that lamp-lighting time had already arrived, and he still hadn’t come out?