The rod punishment finished. Ling Buyi made not a sound. The Fifth Prince howled like ghosts and wolves. Shaoshang cried to heaven and earth. The Third Prince’s forehead veins throbbed from the noise. With a wave of his hand, he had all the eunuchs and palace maids disperse.

Shaoshang rolled and crawled to Ling Buyi’s side, crying hoarsely: “Does it hurt, does it hurt? Can you still recognize me? Are you dizzy… If you can’t speak, don’t speak! We’ll find the imperial physician… Don’t be afraid…”

—The Third Prince very much wanted to curse: Who’s afraid? Even if this capital were breached, your man wouldn’t be afraid!

Shaoshang looked at her fiancé’s shocking blood marks on his shoulders and back. Based on her own beating experience, she reasoned that back then when she hadn’t bled she’d hurt to death—now with Ling Buyi like this, wouldn’t it be even more tragic?

Thus her heart directly shattered to pieces. Not daring to touch those blood-spotted wounds, she could only cradle Ling Buyi’s pale, cold-sweated head in her arms. The Third Prince to the side rolled his eyes continuously.

Didn’t this foolish girl notice that the parts where Ling Buyi was struck with rods were completely different from Fifth Prince’s? Father Emperor had really put thought into this for Ling Buyi’s sake. Speaking of this Miss Cheng—she had neither learning nor family backing. From today’s events her mind also wasn’t very clear. Aside from some beauty, the Third Prince truly didn’t know what Ling Buyi saw in her.

Just thinking this, he suddenly saw Ling Buyi look at him from Cheng Shaoshang’s arms, his gaze showing some doubt.

The Third Prince raised his eyebrows. Oh, he’d noticed? Reaction wasn’t slow.

This rod punishment actually had quite a few peculiarities. However, the servants and guards present dared not speak. The only one with opportunity to expose the truth, the Fifth Prince, was currently only concerned with his own swollen buttocks, crying out miserably, anxious to return to his birth mother Beauty Xu for comfort and coddling. Where would he have energy to mind others’ business?

The Third Prince sneered inwardly. He was about to say a few covering words, lest Ling Buyi incomprehendingly question “how after beating so long until bleeding it doesn’t hurt much,” ruining Father Emperor’s painstaking arrangements.

Who knew the next moment, Ling Buyi tilted his head and softly collapsed in his fiancée’s arms, as if having fainted. Shaoshang thought her fiancé had fainted from pain and naturally began another round of grieved crying and shouting.

Third Prince: …

By now the sky had darkened. Outside, cold wind blew like beast howls, the cold air bone-piercing. Winter’s first cold wave had arrived.

Ling Buyi was sent back to his childhood quarters in Changqiu Palace—a side hall on the east of the main hall. A brazier burned in the room. Shaoshang lay beside Ling Buyi’s couch continuing to cry. The Emperor and Empress sat to the side watching the imperial physician clean and apply medicine to Ling Buyi.

The Emperor, seeing his plan sold out, felt very satisfied: “Shaoshang, all these wounds on Zicheng’s body came because of you. In the future when you act, you must think more of Zicheng. Husband and wife are one body—your every move will always implicate him.”

Shaoshang, eyes swollen red like peaches, said mournfully: “Your Majesty, this concubine will definitely learn from this lesson and never again be naughty or willful.”

The Emperor was very satisfied: “That’s right. In the future you must care more for…” He was about to add more fuel to the fire when he saw the Empress glare at him with a stern face. He could only stop talking. “Forget it. I and the Empress will go back first. Do as you please.”

The Empress said: “Do as you please what? Zicheng has already come of age. In the palace there are many inconveniences. Shaoshang, you come back with me.” She glanced at her adopted son, inwardly cursing—sure enough, whoever raises someone, they resemble them. Both good at putting on shows!

Shaoshang pleaded like a nursing beast, whimpering: “Your Majesty, Lord Ling hasn’t had evening meal yet.”

The Empress almost shouted: “You haven’t eaten anything either!” Catching her breath, she composed herself and said again: “…It’s getting late. Shaoshang, come back with me for dinner. Today you ran back and forth, and this afternoon while caring for me you didn’t rest properly either. You must be quite tired. Tonight sleep well. Tomorrow morning come visit Zicheng again.” Having finished, she walked toward the door.

Ling Buyi’s gaze looked faintly toward his adoptive father.

The Emperor wanted to help him, but the Empress was in the midst of her anger. He could only touch his nose and obediently follow out.

How could Shaoshang bear to leave? But the usually gentle Empress’s tone was unusually firm now. She didn’t dare disobey and could only reluctantly follow out the door.

Under Granny Zhai’s watchful gaze, Shaoshang ate evening meal without tasting it, then was ordered by the Empress to wash and go to bed. Without the Fifth Princess’s threat, tonight she could finally sleep in her own room.

The bed curtain was ginger-yellow thick brocade with velvet lining, embroidered with gold and emerald silk threads in fine, dense patterns of kingfishers on branches. This was tribute brocade just presented this year. Before distributing rewards, the Empress had specially kept this piece for her. Such soft yet thick precious material—ordinary official families would rush to use it for winter robes, yet she could use it for bed curtains. Sigh, truly the upper echelons of society.

She wondered what curtains Ling Buyi had hung. Were they warm? Uh, did his room even have curtains?

Though that was his childhood quarters, after all it had been uninhabited for many years. In the rush, she didn’t know if the dampness had been properly cleared, if the bedding was soft and warm. Tonight was particularly cold, and he still had wounds. Don’t let old wounds remain unhealed while adding new illness.

Shaoshang’s heart was both troubled and worried. She rolled back and forth on the bed like flipping pancakes, nearly waking the little palace maid sleeping in the outer room. Yet even after flipping the pancake thoroughly done three times she still couldn’t sleep. Finally she could endure no more. Throwing off the quilt, she got out of bed, efficiently dressed herself in thick robes, grabbed her long soft hair into a ponytail and tied it, finally bundled up her quilt to carry, and tiptoed outside.

Before leaving she hesitated by the brazier for a moment. Beside the fire sat the throat-soothing sweet soup the Empress had sent. After thinking, she struggled to extend her fingers from the plump quilt bundle, wrapped her sleeve around the clay jar to lift it, then tiptoed out the door.

…

Ling Buyi lay on the couch resting with closed eyes. Liang Qiu Fei guarded at his side, going on about how difficult it had been to sneak in here to care for Young Master—only lacking being cut with a knife to become a eunuch.

“…Stop making noise. You lean against something and sleep a while too.” Ling Buyi kept his eyes closed.

Liang Qiu Fei quickly shut his mouth. Just about to sleep, he suddenly heard uneven tap-tap knocking sounds from outside.

Ling Buyi’s eyes flew open. Liang Qiu Fei was alarmed and uncertain, then laughed: “Perhaps it’s too cold outside—some small garden animal come to the room to avoid the cold.” Then he went forward to open the door and look.

The door had just opened a crack when a wave of cold hit Liang Qiu Fei’s face. Then a small figure bundled with round objects stumbled rushing in. Fine snow like pink-white willow catkins from riverbanks in March month, following moonlight and cold wind, scattered floating into the room like flying flowers filling the sky.

Moving aside the bedding, the newcomer revealed a small bright red face.

Ling Buyi suddenly propped up his body. A surge of warmth rushed into his heart like torrential floods—swift and intense. He cried out involuntarily: “—Shaoshang! How did you come?”

“Hurry and close the door!” Shaoshang shouted at the dumbstruck Liang Qiu Fei. “Do you want to freeze your Young Master to death?” While conveniently bending to place the clay jar on the floor to the side.

Liang Qiu Fei jolted and quickly turned to close the door.

Ling Buyi sat on the edge of the couch wearing thin snow-white inner garments, his eyes full of joy. Before he could rise to greet her, Shaoshang had already rushed forward in two or three steps, shouting: “Don’t get up, don’t get up! Be careful of the wounds on your back…!” Her arms vigorously shook, spreading open the soft thick quilt to cover Ling Buyi from above.

Ling Buyi seemed in a dream, sitting there dazed, his whole body enveloped in a gentle, warm fragrance of a young girl.

“I knew it—the bedding here is still from autumn, thin and cold!” The girl looked disdainfully at the bed. “Who knows why the weather turned cold so fast! Here, use my quilt. Granny Zhai aired and baked it for several days… It’s warm, right?”

Liang Qiu Fei opened his mouth, then under the Young Master’s glancing gaze closed it again.

To avoid becoming accustomed to softness and comfort and unable to endure military hardship, Young Master actually rarely used braziers. Even in winter, as long as water didn’t freeze solid, he always passed days with thin quilts and cold beds.

“…I didn’t know it was snowing outside. Going back for oilcloth I feared waking the palace maid serving me, so I could only come like this. Fortunately it’s only fine snow, not falling densely. I ran over avoiding the wind. The quilt shouldn’t have gotten much snow on it.” Shaoshang chattered on, her two small hands working hard to pull the quilt trying to wrap him up.

Unfortunately Ling Buyi’s form was tall and slender. The quilt that could wrap herself twice over only just covered his body. Shaoshang couldn’t help feeling discouraged. Who knew Ling Buyi would extend his long arms, spread the quilt and gather it, all at once enveloping the girl in his arms, lifting her together with the quilt.

Liang Qiu Fei smacked his lips. Even though he didn’t have four lady friends like his older brother, he knew he was superfluous now. So very consciously he pushed open the door and carefully slipped out.

Shaoshang was embraced completely. In the tussle she instead pulled open Ling Buyi’s robe, exposing the young man’s white jade-like firm chest with distinct muscles. Ling Buyi lowered his head smiling: “Whatever you want to do, it’s up to you!”

“Up to you my foot!” Shaoshang’s face was completely red, saying in a low voice: “Quickly let me go! You lecher! I kindly brought you a quilt with good intentions, yet you still come molest me!”

Ling Buyi opened both arms, his exposed bare chest revealed, laughing lightly: “How about calling someone to judge—who’s molesting whom?”

“Call then!” Shaoshang forcefully pushed him away.

Ling Buyi suddenly frowned, lightly hissing, his body softly tilting. Shaoshang frantically embraced his tall form: “Did you pull the wound? Does it hurt? Don’t move, don’t move! Should I go find the imperial physician…”

Ling Buyi leaned against the girl, arms holding her, burying his face in her warm, delicate neck hollow, gently nuzzling.

Shaoshang’s face heated from the nuzzling. She forcefully lifted his head, saying with a stern face: “Are you pretending? This is using the self-injury scheme, right?”

Ling Buyi asked: “What’s the self-injury scheme?”

Shaoshang very dutifully explained: “It’s when you use the method of hurting yourself to make me feel sorry for you, to achieve your goal.”

“Why would you feel sorry when I hurt myself?” Ling Buyi leaned on her shoulder, his eyes bright with laughter. “If you don’t feel sorry, wouldn’t this scheme be ineffective?”

Shaoshang was blocked. In her anger she pushed him down into the bedding, huffing as she stood by the couch.

Ling Buyi buried his face laughing, then revealed his smiling face, gently pulling the girl’s hand, saying softly: “To have Young Lord Shang feel sorry for me—Zicheng is fortunate beyond three lifetimes.”

Shaoshang pouted, being pulled to sit on the floor, facing him at close distance.

Eyes turning, she saw Ling Buyi lying in the bedding, face pale, setting off raven-black hair at the temples, beaded with tiny crystalline water droplets from melted fine snow. His young, refined face showed some weariness. Her heart immediately softened to cotton fluff, then dissolved in water.

As if possessed by ghosts and gods, she leaned over and kissed his temple, then under his disbelieving gaze, gently and soothingly kissed his forehead.

Ling Buyi’s breath suddenly became hot and moist. He drew over the girl’s nape, first pecking her small lips frozen bright red, and when separating he saw the girl’s face full of bewilderment, as if not yet reacting. He smiled. He felt she truly surpassed everything in this world in loveliness, making him like her beyond measure. Then he kissed her again.

Shaoshang felt the fingers clasping her nape were slender and strong. Her whole person was enveloped in his rich sandalwood-like crisp scent. He was such an intelligent, wise person, yet in this matter exceptionally clumsy, only knowing to repeatedly suck and lick, yet making her feel incomparably gentle and tender.

After kissing a while, Ling Buyi panted as he released the girl, leaving some distance between them, his voice low and hoarse: “…Some things should wait until after marriage.”

Shaoshang giggled: “Shouldn’t I be the one saying this?”

Ling Buyi stared at her flushed cheeks: “Then I’ll kiss you once more, then you can say it.”

“In your dreams!”

Shaoshang laughingly pushed him away. Ling Buyi grabbed back, easily pressing the girl onto the bed. The two romped like children for a while. Only then did Shaoshang remember she’d painstakingly brought a jar of soup. So she warmed the clay jar by the brazier, poured out a bowl for Ling Buyi to drink.

Ling Buyi actually didn’t love sweet foods, yet still smilingly accepted it.

The charcoal air in the room was somewhat heavy. Shaoshang walked over to push the window open slightly. Turning back, she saw Ling Buyi leaning diagonally against the bed head, draped in clothing holding the bowl—an entirely dignified and exquisite appearance. She smiled slightly, taking out her short flute from her sleeve, saying gently: “Drink slowly, don’t burn yourself. I’ll play flute for you.”

“Is it a new song your uncle and aunt composed?”

“Mm.”

The flute sound rose—a gentle, lonely opening, like solitary, forlorn fine sighs.

Before meeting Sang Shunhua, Cheng Zhi had also lived smoothly and happily for over twenty years, not feeling life had anything bad about it. Before falling in love with Cheng Zhi, Sang Shunhua’s heart had already grown cold toward romantic love, determined to live out this life quietly and calmly. By heaven’s fortune, they ultimately had fate, not missing each other.

The flute sound slowly turned. Finally crossing thousands of mountains and rivers, loving each other, yet also no need for wild joy—just like old friends reuniting. Hereafter walking hand in hand to white heads, never separating again.

The flute sound was like poetry, like narration, spreading far and wide. Even the fierce cold wind outside the window seemed to soften somewhat. The wind carried the sound, transmitting it to the main hall’s inner chamber. The Emperor pushed open the window, turning his ear to listen.

The Empress initially didn’t want to acknowledge him. After a moment, she also couldn’t help standing by the bed, quietly listening to this flute sound. After a long while, she showed a smile: “This song should only be heard in heaven. Mm, definitely composed by Shaoshang’s third uncle and his wife.”

Pausing, she praised again: “Good song, good song. Truly clear as mountain stream water, elegant as plum branch snow. Both gentle and restrained, yet free and natural. Two hearts mutually knowing… What a divine immortal couple.”

The flute sound gradually stopped. The Emperor closed the window and turned, smiling and sighing: “This girl is actually clever and bright, transparent and pure—just her temperament is somewhat rebellious.”

The Empress smiled: “Why don’t you praise this to Shaoshang’s face? Every time you encounter her, you always scold. Now when she sees His Majesty it’s like a mouse avoiding a cat.”

The Emperor shook his head: “She’s not Zicheng. Zicheng is mature beyond his years, knows to examine himself in all matters, has measure in advancing and retreating. But her character has considerable deficiencies—needs proper teaching. Strict father, kind mother—you spoiling her is enough. Let me be the bad person… Who told that rascal to set his heart on her? Sigh, if she learns well, in the future Zicheng will also have someone who knows cold and warmth, cherishes and loves him. In the future beneath the nine springs, I’ll also have face to see Elder Brother Huo Chong.”

…

Having finished playing one song, Shaoshang put down the short flute, saying proudly: “How was it? It really is a good song, right? I’m not bragging.”

Ling Buyi stared at her dazedly. Shaoshang felt it strange, asking three times what was wrong before he answered: “Nothing. I just remembered the scene when I first saw you.”

Shaoshang tilted her head recalling past events: “Mm, speaking of it, when you and I first met at Uncle Wan’s house, my face was bruised and swollen beyond recognition. Meeting you at such an ugly time—truly too unlucky.”

Ling Buyi said in surprise: “What are you saying? You and I didn’t first meet at the Wan family—it was at the Lantern Festival!”

“Ah, what are you saying?” Shaoshang was shocked, her face blank. “Did I see you that night?” Someone like Ling Buyi—anyone who saw him wouldn’t forget.

The two stared at each other for a long time. Ling Buyi spoke first, saying slowly: “That night at the lantern festival, you were with Colonel Cheng, Madam Sang, and several brothers, watching performers and acrobats together. I stood across the street at the other end watching you.”

“Ah!” Shaoshang suddenly understood, finally remembering. “So you were that ‘revolving lantern’?”

“Revolving lantern?” Ling Buyi thought about it. “Right, at that time beside me under the eaves hung precisely a revolving lantern. Didn’t you see me? But you clearly gazed toward me for quite a while.” She even remembered the lantern but didn’t remember him?

Shaoshang hastily explained: “I did look at you for quite a while, but I didn’t know it was you!”

Ling Buyi didn’t understand.

Shaoshang said again: “That is to say, I saw you, but I didn’t see your face clearly. You’re tall—that revolving lantern just blocked your face. I had no idea that person was you.”

This was awkward. Ling Buyi’s face turned green: “I looked at you for ages, yet you weren’t curious who I was?” Ordinary young ladies would have walked over to proactively befriend him.

Shaoshang smiled awkwardly: “So you were looking at me. Hehe, hehe…”

“If not looking at you, who else could I be looking at?”

“Well, I reasoned this way. The revolving lantern beside you was painted with family reunion. Me with Father, Uncle, Aunt and brothers—together didn’t we look like a happy family? I thought you were moved by the scene, looking at our family…”

“Nonsense!” Ling Buyi scolded this absurd talk, actually laughing in anger. “If I wanted to be moved by scenes, why would I have to be moved in the marketplace? At the Lantern Festival palace banquet, His Majesty’s family was reunited beautifully. I could be moved by scenes at the palace banquet too!”

Shaoshang thought about it and also felt it amusing: “Since you looked at me so long, why didn’t you come find me?”

Ling Buyi’s gaze was melancholy, saying in a low voice: “At that time, I hadn’t yet decided whether to take a wife.”

Shaoshang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, couldn’t help sighing: “Lord Ling, it was just striking up conversation—hardly related to taking or not taking a wife yet.” First get acquainted, then date. After that comes discussing marriage.

Ling Buyi’s clear gaze came over: “If not taking a wife, why strike up conversation? Isn’t that how you think?”

Seeing her fiancé’s gaze unkind, Shaoshang quickly said righteously: “You’re right. In my life I most look down on those men and women mixing together making trouble. If not discussing marriage, what’s there to chatter about!”

Ling Buyi glanced at her sideways, slowly straightening his body, sighing: “Sigh, so it was wrong from the start. Fine, let’s properly sort through past events.”

Shaoshang diligently moved over to sit properly.

“That is to say, at the Wan family, that was your first time seeing me. When I came up to hold your horse and stirrup, you must have found it very abrupt?”

“…A bit.” At that time when he gripped her calf, Shaoshang’s whole body went numb.

“Later in Hua County’s outskirts, you and I met again. I thought meeting three times was quite rare fate. But you didn’t think so?”

“Actually… life-saving grace is also fate.”

“At that time you tended my wounds, spoke earnestly, expression gentle. I thought you had admiring feelings for me—but it was all wishful thinking?”

Shaoshang silently—this time you guessed right.

“Then later when I got betrothed to A Yao, what did you think?” She thought of something not very good.

Ling Buyi said coldly: “I thought you were fickle, after being seduced by Lou Yao you threw me to the back of your mind.”

As expected! Shaoshang’s expression was spectacularly colorful—pitch black, blue, greenish.

“Then why were you still so good to me later?!” Shaoshang was somewhat indignant. Unknowingly, she’d already been fickle once.

“Since I never expressed marriage intentions to you, yet Lou Yao proposed to you, naturally you could choose to marry him… I never blamed you.” Ling Buyi said melancholically.

Just events from a few months ago, yet speaking of them now felt somewhat hazy, as if already very distant past events. Shaoshang sighed: “You never mentioned it. I also didn’t know…”

Ling Buyi looked at the candlelight: “If we’d known each other earlier, would we have quarreled less?”

Shaoshang thought about it and negated this possibility: “No. Our natures are thus. What should be quarreled, not one would be missed.” Without the filter of life-saving grace and world-conquering hero, perhaps the situation would be even worse.

Ling Buyi seemed to also think of this point, helplessly shaking his head.

Then the two looked at each other and smiled.

“Hey, hey, what did I look like when you first saw me?” Shaoshang was extremely curious.

Ling Buyi said: “That night you wore green curved-hem robes, draped in white fox fur cape, hair in double buns with a bright pearl adorning each side—rather like a doll. You were still small then, probably only reaching my chest.”

Recalling that time, surrounding was brilliantly colorful lamplight, voices boisterous. The girl stood at the shadowy street corner, lonely and stubborn, with a strange desolate loneliness.

When she looked over, those large eyes were jet black and bright, innocent yet curious, seeming to look straight into the bottom of his heart. The entire street’s brilliant, radiant lamplight was not as beautiful as her eyes.

He stood there watching a while, then left.

From childhood he was steady and quiet, all matters orderly, most disliking sudden unexpected events. So at that time he thought it was just momentary emotional fluctuation, didn’t think much of it.

Now thinking back, perhaps deep in his bones, he liked that kind of girl.

(End of Volume 3)