In the deep palace gardens of the Guhu Kingdom, Zhao Lingfei’s expression changed as she watched Wei Shu wearing the Guhu King’s royal robes. He must have used some method to sneak in, but the entire Great Wei diplomatic mission was imprisoned in the dungeon – how could Wei Shu help?

Wei Shu saw her lost in thought, not speaking. But with people everywhere outside and time running short, he grabbed her hand, trying to pull her up from the ivory couch to leave.

Zhao Lingfei was pulled to her feet. Seeing him trying to lead her away, she followed behind him but quickly gripped his hand back: “Brother Juyuan… Brother Juyuan! Can you explain things to me first? You snuck into the palace – are you planning to help me escape single-handedly? Just the two of us? Where could we possibly flee to? The diplomatic mission is still in the city!”

Wei Shu turned back to look at her.

Zhao Lingfei still had her pretty features, but three years of life in the frontier and sharing the fate of the diplomatic mission had matured her greatly. Her eyes looking up at him were still bright – she was still that spirited young woman, but no longer naive and innocent.

She gazed at him, speaking words completely unlike her usually bold personality: “Brother Juyuan, my presence here helps keep the Guhu Kingdom stable. You should return to Great Wei for reinforcements, should go tell Great Wei that Guhu Kingdom has betrayed us and allied with the Southern Barbarians… Isn’t that what we as envoys should be doing?”

Wei Shu stared at her, suddenly feeling a stabbing pain in his heart.

He said: “No.”

Zhao Lingfei was taken aback, her starry eyes widening slightly.

Wei Shu said: “The diplomatic mission’s role abroad is to help Great Wei manage relationships with neighboring countries. The Guhu Kingdom is eight thousand li from Chang’an. Even if I returned to Chang’an, it would be beyond my reach. Even if I convinced the armies of Shuofang and Helong to come to save you all, the journey would take half a month at best, and several months at worst. What about all of you in the meantime? If something happened during that time, should I live alone in your place?”

He was approaching his coming of age ceremony, between youth and adulthood, his features growing increasingly handsome. His piercing gaze landed like a bright pearl, radiating brilliance.

Wei Shu’s tone remained calm: “I, Wei Juyuan, cannot bear the weight of so many lives and hopes.”

Zhao Lingfei’s eyes reddened slightly. She grew anxious and desperate: “Then what do we do? What can we do? What’s the use in saving just me?”

Wei Shu gripped her hand: “Saving you is useful! I need your martial arts skills to help! Don’t belittle yourself, thinking your only value as a woman is in marriage alliances. We’ll fight our way out. Instead of returning to Great Wei – since Guhu Kingdom betrayed Great Wei to ally with the Southern Barbarians without our prior knowledge – we can request troops from the neighboring countries to the east and west in Great Wei’s name, then return to attack Guhu Kingdom and rescue the diplomatic mission.

“The eastern and western forces will trap the Guhu Kingdom between them. In the half month since we’ve been trapped in the Guhu Kingdom, the Southern Barbarians have never sent envoys – otherwise, the Guhu King would have already handed us over to them as gifts. Along our journey, we heard the Southern Barbarian King was busy suppressing internal rebellion and unifying his territory. Even if our attack on the tiny Guhu Kingdom reaches his ears, he’s too stretched thin to personally lead troops abroad to fight.

“Is he not afraid of trickery? Is he truly so unafraid of our Great Wei? Moreover, even if he does bring troops to fight… The reason a small country like Guhu Kingdom has survived so long between the Southern Barbarians and Great Wei is because geographically, defending a city is easier than attacking it!

“We must open trade routes for Great Wei and pacify unrest. Guhu Kingdom cannot be allowed to become the Southern Barbarians’ running dog, to become the front line in a war between the Southern Barbarians and Great Wei. We must bring Guhu back under Great Wei’s influence.

“Lingfei, do you know what ‘loose rein’ governance means? It means that for territories not directly under Great Wei rule, we should adapt to local conditions and use local people to govern locally. This is the policy we should implement for the Guhu Kingdom. This is the role of our diplomatic mission.”

Zhao Lingfei stared at him in amazement. She had always thought Wei Shu was talented and insightful. But he rarely spoke, always cold and quiet. She had always thought… he didn’t care much about others and wasn’t concerned with others.

Zhao Lingfei looked down at his hand holding hers, murmuring: “You’re too bold. Throughout history, no envoy who went abroad has ever led troops to conquer a country.”

Wei Shu said softly: “We’ll be the first. What’s wrong with that?”

Wei Shu waited for Zhao Lingfei’s answer, but she suddenly changed expression and pulled him toward her by the wrist. Wei Shu was startled – though he practiced martial arts, he was no match for Zhao Lingfei’s skilled movements. He stumbled as the incredibly strong young woman pulled him over.

Zhao Lingfei leaned back against the bed, embracing Wei Shu. In their stumbling position, Zhao Lingfei was suddenly pressed down by Wei Shu inside the golden bed curtains.

With their noses touching, Wei Shu instantly froze.

At the same moment, the palace doors were pushed open. A servant speaking broken Great Wei official language announced impatiently: “Princess, the auspicious time has arrived, you should… Your Majesty!”

The servant had spotted the Guhu King’s ceremonial robes visible through the bed curtains. She didn’t know the real Guhu King was currently unconscious, lying in an obscure palace chamber. The servant glimpsed the robe’s edge, quickly glanced at the bed curtains, then knelt and spoke in the Guhu language.

Neither Zhao Lingfei nor Wei Shu understood what she said.

Wei Shu lowered his head, looking at the girl breathing so close to him.

Her bright eyes were like water, their breaths intermingling.

Neither spoke, both silently waiting.

After quite a while, the servant kneeling at the palace doors received no response from the king, so she quietly stood up, closed the doors, and withdrew. As soon as she left, Wei Shu immediately sat up, turning his back to Zhao Lingfei.

An awkward atmosphere pervaded.

Zhao Lingfei’s hand was grasped again. She trembled, her heart pounding like thunder as she stole a glance.

Wei Shu’s complexion was fair, his usual appearance like gleaming jade. Now his snow-white face was tinged with red, but he firmly pulled her to her feet.

Zhao Lingfei was dragged off the bed. Though embarrassed, she deliberately spoke to break the awkward silence: “You’ve thought everything through so clearly and you’re so bold… Why not just borrow troops after escaping… No need to come back.”

She muttered: “Or you should rescue the chief envoy and the others. Why save me?”

Wei Shu turned back: “Because the one getting married tonight isn’t the chief envoy, it’s you. Because when I helped you leave Great Wei, it wasn’t so you could still exist as a marriage alliance. Didn’t you say so yourself, Lingfei? You want to be a free eagle in the sky, not someone’s dependent.”

Zhao Lingfei stared at him dazedly, then broke into a smile.

Her smile became dazzling, the dim light in her eyes brightening again. Though tears gathered in her eyes, she smiled and nodded repeatedly, actively gripping his hand. She dared to forge ahead boldly – she had only feared having no support behind her.

As long as one person supported her!

If even one person supported her!

This path of cutting through thorns and brambles… what was there to fear?

Zhao Lingfei stepped forward, yanking off the crown on her head and tearing away the red wedding dress that had dampened her spirits for so long. Led by Wei Shu, she fled the palace, following the small path he had already scouted out.

When they encountered palace guards along the way – kill them!

When people block their path – leap over them!

Zhao Lingfei had no sword at first, nor did Wei Shu. But Zhao Lingfei’s martial arts were excellent – she quickly seized a sword from the palace guards attacking them. For a time, the two fought back-to-back, rather feeling like they were living free and wild, fleeing to the ends of the earth!

But this wasn’t truly fleeing to the ends of the earth.

When Wei Shu came to rescue her, he naturally had some preparations.

Wei Shu gave Zhao Lingfei some instructions. She looked at him worriedly, but after meeting his determined gaze, she gritted her teeth and left, sprinting away alone. The young woman’s form was graceful – even under the night guards’ deadly attacks, she could still fight back. If not for the diplomatic mission’s safety earlier, how could Zhao Lingfei have been captured?

She broke through the encirclement alone, leaving Wei Shu behind. With such a departure, the palace losing a soon-to-be-married princess, the palace guards panicked and fearfully directed all their killing moves at Wei Shu – they had to capture at least one person!

Years of diplomatic service abroad had made Wei Shu’s martial arts far superior to what they had been in Chang’an. He could still resist here, fighting while internally counting the time. But as time passed and flames gathered in this direction, sweat appeared on Wei Shu’s brow as he worried the plan would fail.

A dense net descended toward his head. In his exhaustion, Wei Shu heard the thundering of hooves approaching from afar. Zhao Lingfei’s clear voice rang out:

“Brother Juyuan—”

Wei Shu looked up. Beyond the dense net, he saw her riding through the night, clothes and hair flying, her gaze bright as the stars and blazing like candlelight. She leaned down to reach out to him, the sword in her other hand raised. The bright arc flashed – the beautiful young woman’s sword fearlessly slashed at the great net about to ensnare Wei Shu!

Lightning streaked across the sky!

That was the most beautiful light Wei Shu had ever seen—

Lightning split the grey sky, raising curtains flying like rain and sand.

As if night rain had descended, a cool evening breeze silently pushed open the window. Lightning spread across the sky, brilliantly illuminating the chaos between the young princess and her lover in a post-house room on the way to Jinling.

Like a butterfly circling an ancient vine growing naturally, desireless and undemanding. That brilliant butterfly insisted on alighting on the ancient wood – the moment it landed, brilliant light began emanating from its perch, blooming into bewildering, fragrant flowers.

The flowers and leaves grew along the ancient wood’s limbs, brilliantly radiant. The vine’s branches stretched out, and the flowers and leaves flowed through the entire tree like marrow. Thus, the whole tree bloomed with flowers, the whole tree fragrant.

As the curtains rose and fell, Yan Shanghe and Mu Wanyao faced each other, kisses continuing. Their hands intertwined finger to finger, vaguely feeling the wind. When he turned his head aside, the young woman kissed his cheek.

His brow twitched.

So she kissed him again.

Yan Shanghe couldn’t help but smile, his heart both bitterly troubled and threaded with love. She was like a demon, charming and alluring. He only regretted that he couldn’t see her. But she was a brilliant butterfly, she was the water lily slow to bloom in his heart. He always tried not to pay attention to her, yet was invariably drawn to her.

He was rigid, dull, and gloomy; he was philanthropic, unfeeling, and timid.

He wasn’t suited to be a lover, wasn’t suited to love someone.

But Mu Wanyao still came to hold his hand, still came to love him.

Sometimes he would think that Mu Wanyao wasn’t very good either. She was self-centered, cold-hearted, and selfish; she was cunning, strange, and restless. She was always hot and cold, often reckless, sometimes making him sad. But this was Mu Wanyao, precisely the vibrant beauty who had him enchanted.

They both had many flaws, both unsuited to loving someone, to holding someone back. Yet fate kept turning, and they kept meeting again and again.

Yan Shanghe felt particularly excited as if all the rare heat in his blood was about to be ignited by her. He held her tightly, lowering his face to kiss her. He made no sound, only actions. But she was different – her chaotic, lingering, warm breath brushed his ear, making him more anxious.

He could only pant, almost pleading: “Yao Yao…”

Mu Wanyao’s face flushed red. She frowned, feeling frozen in ice yet drowning in fire, embracing his neck and holding him tight. The sensation was too intense – she let out soft moans while brushing away the sweat-dampened hair from his face.

Her fingers traced past his gauze-covered eyes, her autumn-pool eyes gazing at his crimson lips. Her heart itching, Mu Wanyao leaned in, their wet breaths intertwining again.

Mu Wanyao whispered: “You seem… very aroused.”

He didn’t speak, only tilted his head back, his Adam’s apple rolling slightly. She couldn’t resist reaching out to gently stroke it with her little finger. He trembled, trying to catch her hand. She giggled, burrowing into his embrace and nuzzling about, messily calling him “good brother.”

Three years, three years.

Old love rekindled, old love unforgettable.

When it ended, he tilted his head back while she rested against his chest. Both frowned, both letting out soft sighs of contentment.

Then both froze simultaneously.

Mu Wanyao grinned: “Good, right? See, I told you so. I asked you to come earlier, but you wouldn’t.”

Yan Shanghe’s face reddened, unable to speak. He was always speechless at such times. Mu Wanyao lightly pinched his face, then lay down embracing him. She cuddled with him intimately for a while, holding him back as they hastily tidied away the traces.

She turned her back to him to sleep, as this had always been their habit. He always faced away from her on the bed, and after many times, Mu Wanyao had also developed the habit of turning her back to him. Mind hazy, Mu Wanyao closed her eyes, but just as she was growing sleepy, she felt someone lifting the hair by her cheek, someone kissing her from behind.

Mu Wanyao’s lips curved in a smile.

She heard Yan Shanghe ask hesitantly in a low voice: “…Can you go again?”

Mu Wanyao was instantly horrified. She was already satisfied – how could she fight? Mu Wanyao quickly tried to shrink into the bed, saying: “I can’t, I can’t… Ah!”

She angrily hit his arm once, as he embraced her from behind, persistent and unhurried, clearly not listening to her words.

Mu Wanyao: “How could you be like this? Aren’t you Second Brother Yan who cares for me most?”

Yan Shanghe’s face was completely red, but he truly couldn’t control himself. He said softly: “This is all your fault… what kind of strange drug did you take?”—

They didn’t sleep all night, finally resting only when dawn came.

The room remained dark as heaven and earth, the curtains never drawn. The servants outside all knew the princess’s intentions and no one came to disturb them. Moreover, the little maid Qiusi was very understanding – she called softly twice from outside the door, and after hearing Second Young Master Yan’s hoarse low response, she left the meal outside the door, asking the young master and princess not to forget to eat.

But Mu Wanyao slept heavily, clearly lacking the energy to eat.

After sleeping through the entire morning, when Mu Wanyao woke, her bones radiated lazy comfort. The release of desire brought happiness, and doing such things with someone you liked was even more addictive. Mu Wanyao sat alone in bed for a while, casually donning a light silk gauze robe, barefoot with loose hair, and got out of bed just like that.

Her jade feet stepped on the floor coverings, graceful as a lotus blooming in a pond.

Her black hair cascaded to the ground as Mu Wanyao walked out languidly, casually, swaying. After passing through several curtains, her steps halted as she saw Yan Shanghe.

Yan Shanghe had woken much earlier than her. He knelt quietly in the bright window light. His long hair was also unbound, hanging loosely, wearing a thin summer shirt. Viewed from behind, his lean spine showed faintly through the fabric, as elegant as spring mountains and clear waters.

Mu Wanyao studied the young man kneeling by the window, his eyes covered in gauze facing the window, not knowing if he was lost in thought or doing something else.

Her gaze swept over his lips, then traced his long neck which showed some marks. Mu Wanyao smiled silently, and perhaps because his long inability to see had made his hearing extremely keen, even her bare feet made no sound on the floor, yet Yan Shanghe turned his head to “look” at her.

Mu Wanyao chuckled: “Early morning, what are you kneeling there for?”

Yan Shanghe said softly: “What early morning? It’s already noon.”

He paused, somewhat frustrated: “I’m reflecting on myself.”

Mu Wanyao raised an eyebrow, humming a tune as she passed by him leisurely. She said carelessly: “Then take your time reflecting. I’m hungry, I’m going to eat.”

The fragrant breeze came and went, and Yan Shanghe’s self-frustration and shame turned to dissatisfaction. He reached out to grab the corner of her gauze robe.

Yan Shanghe said slightly annoyed: “You seem to be in a good mood?”

Mu Wanyao smiled: “Yes, I’m in a good mood. Even waking up to see your grumpy face, I’m in a good mood. Reflect all you want, anyway I slept with who I wanted to sleep with, and that person couldn’t refuse me, so who cares about you?”

Yan Shanghe’s expression stiffened slightly: “If you hadn’t drugged yourself… how could I have been like that!”

Mu Wanyao hummed: “There are plenty of men in the world, would I die without you? Besides, didn’t you enjoy it? Looking so entranced, I’ve never seen you like that before.”

She suddenly bent down, hooked his chin, and teased his slightly stubbled chin. He shrank back, but Mu Wanyao wouldn’t let him.

Mu Wanyao smiled: “After three years apart, Second Brother Yan has become much more uninhibited. Hmm, I’m very satisfied.”

Yan Shanghe’s face reddened.

He said: “…Why talk about this?”

Mu Wanyao said unconsciously: “I’m praising you.”

However, shame and the frustration she had dragged him into had troubled Yan Shanghe all morning. He had pondered all morning why he had been like that, why he couldn’t control himself – wasn’t he too easily pushed around, letting her do whatever she wanted? He had resolved to draw clear boundaries with her, but when she lowered her head to speak with him, a fragrant breeze wafting, he uncontrollably thought of last night.

His face instantly reddened.

Those proper words telling her to stay away from him couldn’t be spoken through his shame.

After a long while, Yan Shanghe only managed to say: “Could it be that you’re holding me captive just to make such things convenient? Don’t you have anything else to do?”

Mu Wanyao smiled mockingly.

She said: “When else would you do such things if not when you’re young? Wait until you’re seventy or eighty and can’t do it anymore? When you’re young, you should spend all day embracing and doing things together, should entangle day and night, should squander your youth.”

Yan Shanghe: “…I won’t be like that with you!”

Mu Wanyao waved her hand, standing up and humming a tune as she left: “Whatever you say.”

Anyway, when she wanted to, he couldn’t escape.

Reaching the door, Mu Wanyao remembered something else: “You should still eat, we’ll go see the local customs and common people this afternoon. How will you have energy if you don’t eat?”

Yan Shanghe started: “You… want to go see the common people?”

Mu Wanyao turned back to glare at him.

She said: “What, you want to be a great historical figure, while I’m just a petty person opposing you? I’m not putting on an act. Get up and eat!”—

But Yan Shanghe and Mu Wanyao were still at odds. It was one-sided sulking. Unfortunately, this one-sided sulking made no difference to outsiders.

Because Second Young Master Yan was too soft-hearted.

He always said he wouldn’t pay attention to the princess, but whenever something happened on her side, he would be very concerned, often unable to help interject, then regretting his chattiness afterward. Mu Wanyao, knowing Yan Shanghe’s temperament, kept engaging with him whether or not he paid attention to her.

She pulled him into mischief several more times along the way.

Who knows if Second Young Master Yan succeeded in resisting?

The maids didn’t dare ask, just continued bringing water to their rooms as usual. Whether those two used it or not, they pretended not to know.

Wearing away at each other like this along the journey, by late June, the group arrived in Jinling. Before rushing off to see her maternal great-uncle, Mu Wanyao grabbed Yan Shanghe and gave him a thorough tidying up. Though he was already good-looking, Mu Wanyao still felt it wasn’t enough – this was Li family territory, and she absolutely couldn’t let Yan Shanghe be looked down upon in plain clothes.

Mu Wanyao had also inquired about that imperial physician who, after leaving Chang’an, had headed straight for Jinling, traveling faster than Mu Wanyao who was dragging along an unwilling Yan Shanghe. By the time they reached Jinling, that imperial physician had already arrived.

This quite delighted Mu Wanyao.

Before the imperial physician had time to properly examine Yan Shanghe’s eyes, he was pulled away by Mu Wanyao to meet her maternal great-uncle. Led by Mu Wanyao the whole way, Yan Shanghe only felt the sedan chair turning and stopping repeatedly, while Mu Wanyao’s hand holding his grew sweaty – he thought she must be somewhat afraid of her great-uncle.

Li Gong was critically ill, receiving his granddaughter – the Princess of Danyang of Great Wei – directly in his bedchamber.

The elderly man’s hair was completely silver, his face weathered, and heavy with illness. Hearing that Mu Wanyao and her consort had come to visit, Li Gong mustered his strength – he had been holding on, waiting for Mu Wanyao.

Seeing the once-vigorous elder now so thin and aged, Mu Wanyao felt momentarily heartbroken. Sitting by the bed, her eyes showed faint melancholy.

Li Gong patted her hand, his gaze turning to the white-gauze-blindfolded young man standing below. Seeing the gauze over his eyes, Li Gong was surprised for a moment, but still beckoned him over: “You must be Yao Yao’s consort?”

Yan Shanghe didn’t know what to say, not hearing any objection from Mu Wanyao. He felt somewhat uncomfortable, feeling he was substituting for Pei Qing in meeting her great-uncle. But despite his discomfort, Yan Shanghe didn’t want to trouble an elderly man near death, so he bowed respectfully: “Great-uncle, how are you?”

Li Gong felt this consort’s manners were quite good and nodded.

Li Gong said: “Young Master Pei…”

Yan Shanghe responded softly.

Mu Wanyao paused, looking at Yan Shanghe. Without a word of objection, he planned to play the role of “Pei Qing” and listen to Li Gong’s teachings. His quiet silence made Mu Wanyao momentarily distressed, annoyed that he always thought so much of others.

His heart was so soft, making her feel like she was always wronging him.

Mu Wanyao interrupted: “Great-uncle, you’re mistaken.”

Yan Shanghe seemed to sense something, turning his face toward her. Under everyone’s confused gazes, Mu Wanyao walked to Yan Shanghe’s side. She took Yan Shanghe’s hand – his hand trembled at her touch but didn’t pull away. Mu Wanyao faced Li Gong, smiling: “Great-uncle, he is my consort. But my consort is no longer Pei Qing, but Yan Shanghe.”

Yan Shanghe started slightly, lowering his eyes, thinking: Consort? Had she ever consulted him about this?

No.

But a slight smile touched his lips as he stood in the great hall, feeling everyone’s appraising gazes, yet not objecting or refusing—

“Yan Shanghe?” a voice came from outside, “Could it be the son of the renowned minister Yan Suchen?”

Mu Wanyao turned to see her uncle who had been serving as an official in Lingnan, Li Zhi, had returned.