Little Moon Mountain was located south of the capital, only half a day’s carriage ride away. However, not only were the rocks here barren, but the scenery was also unremarkable. Combined with the lingering winter cold, naturally few people came here. So when the classics scholar the Emperor had sent said he wanted to “enjoy the scenery to cultivate emotions,” the Third Prince unhesitatingly suggested Little Moon Mountain. The Fourth Prince knew what Father Emperor’s purpose was in dispatching this scholar, and fearing his brother would lose his temper and drive the man away, he volunteered to accompany them.

After setting up seating mats, tables, braziers and wine warmers, and propping up a huge twelve-ribbed oiled cloth umbrella, the two precious imperial princes sat in this desolate wilderness listening to a bald, toothless old pedant spout nonsense about “qi and principle flowing together, containing color without taste, allowing natural order.”

The only slight comfort for the Fourth Prince was that this place was remote—no one would see Third Brother’s utterly disinterested yet forced to endure appearance. Who knew that just as this thought settled, the Fourth Prince saw a leisurely approaching convoy of noble youths—the arrivals were none other than Ban Jia and the Cheng siblings.

When the two groups met face to face, all were momentarily stunned. Especially the Third Prince and Shaoshang, who simultaneously turned their faces to the side.

He didn’t want to see her, and she didn’t want to see him either.

Others might think the Third Prince was studious, seeking out a learned scholar to consult on academic matters, but Shaoshang understood the true circumstances perfectly. What cultivating emotions and nurturing character—plainly speaking, the Emperor hoped his son would improve his temperament and had found an old pedant to grind down the Third Prince.

Most annoying was that the Third Prince clearly knew Ling Buyi must know about this, which meant the Cheng daughter would know ten to one as well, so his face turned scallion-green, as if he’d just drunk a pot of overnight soy sauce.

Shaoshang silently cursed her bad luck: You’ve seen how no school bully likes being caught while being punished.

The mountain path was still blocked with accumulated snow. The Ban family servants were working hard to clear it. The Ban-Cheng trio couldn’t go up for the moment, so the old pedant enthusiastically invited the three newly arrived youngsters to sit down and discuss scholarship together.

Cheng Shaogong had good feelings toward the straightforward and upright Fourth Prince, so he pulled his sister to sit on the newly arranged seating mats. After hesitating a while, Young Marquis Ban also came over.

The Fourth Prince used his gaze to comfort the Third Prince, meaning “It’s fine, they don’t know anything.” The Third Prince kept a sullen face, not wanting to speak. Who knew that before hot wine could even be served to the Ban-Cheng trio, a neat and crisp sound of horse hooves arose—more people were coming.

The Third Prince had sharp eyes. Glimpsing the uniformly brown-clothed, soft-armored, sword-bearing, bow-carrying guard formation and that jet-black iron carriage, he immediately snorted coldly. The Fourth Prince followed his gaze. Now his face also turned green—what kind of feng shui was this today!

Ling Buyi today was utterly different from usual, dressed extraordinarily elegant and noble. With a red-gold crown and white jade pendant ornaments, his brocade robe woven with subtle patterns rippled like snow waves turning to gold under the sunlight. A thick silver-gray beast fur cloak was fastened at his shoulders with two long strings of five-colored gemstones. Combined with Ling Buyi’s originally incomparably handsome appearance, for a moment he was so dazzling and brilliant that one couldn’t look directly at him.

Young Marquis Ban and Cheng Shaogong stared blankly for quite a while, even forgetting to greet him.

The Fourth Prince was also somewhat dumbfounded, secretly puzzled. Why would Ling Buyi dress like this in such a godforsaken wilderness? He hadn’t seen him dressed this elaborately even at Father Emperor’s birthday banquet!

The Third Prince quickly glanced at Shaoshang, then snorted coldly again.

Shaoshang looked until she was dizzy and dazed, her mouth dry and tongue parched, her heart thumping heavily twice, then violently suppressed it—they were still quarreling!

The situation was obvious. This fellow had definitely sent someone to watch the Cheng family gate again. As soon as he learned she was going out, he hurried to follow, wanting to use sweet talk to solve the problem. Really too much bullying—was she someone who could be seduced by beauty?!

When everyone came to their senses, they discovered that this incomparably elegant beautiful man’s lips were actually broken in one spot. The pale red lip color contrasted with the dark red scab, simply shocking to behold.

Cheng Shaogong shuddered and tugged his sister, saying in a low voice: “You bit this?!” No wonder you’ve been hiding at home these past days!

Shaoshang snorted and lowered her voice: “Obviously. If I didn’t bite it, could you have bitten it?”

The Third Prince mocked: “Could Zicheng’s injury be from serving the nation loyally? I wonder how severe the wound is, whether it’s dangerous.”

Ling Buyi’s expression didn’t change: “Above serving the sovereign father, below serving the common people—a mere minor injury, nothing worth mentioning.”

The Third Prince choked, then deliberately said: “Then how did you get injured on the mouth?”

Before Ling Buyi could speak, the Fourth Prince laughed very straightforwardly: “Third Brother, can’t you figure that out? He must have been punched in the face! Haha, I’ve always heard Father Emperor praise Zicheng’s superior martial arts, but who would have thought… haha…”

The Third Prince said irritably: “If you can’t speak properly, then don’t speak at all.” A foolish younger brother who can’t even distinguish between a punch wound and a bite wound!

Taking advantage of the Third Prince teasing Ling Buyi, Cheng Shaogong had already had servants set up another large seating mat, then cleverly slipped over to sit there, very loyally dragging along the naturally airheaded Ban Jia.

So Ling Buyi sat down next to Shaoshang. Shaoshang turned her head away, refusing to look at him.

With the audience tripled, the old pedant was very happy, but the Fourth Prince feared his brother would lose his temper and quickly said: “Master, with so many people today, it seems inconvenient to continue discussing classics…”

The old pedant smiled: “Eh, more people is good—teaching without discrimination, teaching without discrimination! Everyone sit, everyone sit.” Then he began asking questions: “Your Highnesses, General Ling, and the three young friends—do you know why there are mountains in this world?”

Shaoshang silently scoffed: Because of tectonic plate movement.

The Third Prince turned his head sideways, using body language to refuse answering this idiotic question.

Ling Buyi acted as if he hadn’t heard, very intently inching bit by bit closer to Shaoshang’s position.

Seeing this, the Fourth Prince laughed awkwardly twice: “When Pangu separated heaven and earth, he created these mountains, rivers, and valleys.”

Cheng Shaogong smiled in agreement: “The Fourth Prince speaks well—isn’t that what the elders all say!”

Ban Jia weakly: “Right, right…”

The old pedant smiled: “Also correct, also not correct. If there were no flatlands and hills in this world, how could there be high mountains and towering peaks? Things are not other than that, things are not other than this. From that perspective, one cannot see; from self-knowledge, one knows. According to this explanation, without that there is no me, without me there is nothing to grasp…”

Ling Buyi slowly edged until their sleeves overlapped, reaching from under his wide sleeve to grasp the girl’s delicate, warm little hand.

Shaoshang’s face flushed. She forcefully shook him off and said loudly: “Master, don’t you believe in Confucius? Why are you bringing up Zhuangzi?”

The Fourth Prince had never liked studying from childhood, nor had anyone forced him to study, but he greatly respected learned people and praised: “Miss Cheng has made considerable progress. Several months ago I heard you didn’t even recognize many characters, yet now you can understand everything the master says.”

The Third Prince noticed the Ling-Cheng pair’s actions and said coldly: “Understanding may not be the case—probably she just recognized where the master’s words came from.”

Caught in one guess, Shaoshang’s face turned even redder.

Ling Buyi smiled slightly. Under his sleeve he gripped the girl’s fingers even tighter, but his expression remained gentle as a spring breeze: “The master originally came to instruct the Third Prince. We few are all extras. Whether we understand or not doesn’t matter—as long as the Third Prince understands, that’s good.”

The Third Prince still gave a cold snort.

The Fourth Prince came out to smooth things over: “Master, since we rarely have so many people today, why don’t you change to a more interesting topic?”

The old pedant was very reasonable. He stroked his beard and said: “When all of you were young, did you ever think about what kind of person you would grow old with and bind your fate to?”

Cheng Shaogong gazed at the sky in a daze: “What use is it what I think? The future may not be as I imagine.”

He had initially wanted a little girl who could shake turtle shells and draw sand tables with him, but ten to one Madam Xiao would beat him for that.

The old pedant praised: “Young Master Cheng has a clear spiritual platform and a broad great way.”

Young Marquis Ban mumbled: “The elders in my family said that when you feel thunder and lightning striking, that woman is your destined one.”

The old pedant smiled: “The Ban family elders also believe in Laozi and Zhuangzi’s teachings.”

Unable to shake off the large palm entangling her under the sleeve, Shaoshang angrily mocked herself: “Where is there room for me to think? Minister Ling has already arranged everything clearly for me!”

The old pedant found it difficult to comment for a moment: “This… what… it’s all arranged by General Ling?”

Ling Buyi remained completely motionless: “Shaoshang is young and doesn’t understand things. I can’t help but arrange them for her.”

The old pedant paused, stroking his beard: “This, this seems… Third Prince, your turn.”

The Third Prince smiled mockingly: “Men are yang, women are yin. Yin and yang are like heaven and earth, naturally following ritual and law. As a woman, one should naturally be virtuous and dignified, modest and humble… at least not randomly interrupting the master’s words, not publicly contradicting her husband’s meaning.”

This targeting was too obvious, but Shaoshang didn’t dare jump up. The Third Prince wasn’t like the Second Prince or Fifth Prince—this person was a formidable character. Ling Buyi smiled without the slightest concern: “This subject wishes Your Highness’s future dreams come true.”

The old pedant very much wanted to continue this topic. The Fourth Prince hurriedly said: “Haha, Master, your topic is really too interesting, haha, haha… The accumulated snow on the mountain path has already been cleared. Why don’t we take a walk and enjoy the scenery?”

Everyone: Your transition is too forced.

That said, sitting in the freezing cold would only get colder, so everyone rose from their seating mats. With guards and servants opening the path ahead, everyone followed behind going up the mountain, also warming their bodies.

Young Marquis Ban had a clear goal and walked in the very front. Cheng Shaogong, after receiving two glances from Ling Buyi, very wisely went to pursue Ban Jia with survival instinct. Behind them were the two princes and the old pedant, the three continuing to discuss classics as they walked. Meanwhile, Shaoshang was detained at the very back by Ling Buyi.

Ling Buyi’s form was tall and robust. Blocking Shaoshang’s path, he was like a bronze wall and iron rampart. One hand gripping her slender waist, one hand twisting her arm, he said urgently: “Let’s talk properly. Are you never going to return to Changqiu Palace? Never see Her Majesty again…”

Shaoshang angrily shook her arm: “You still have the face to mention Her Majesty! If she knew about those schemes you plotted against the Crown Prince in secret, she’d be angered to death!”

“You refuse to listen to my explanation. Do you plan to keep quarreling with me forever?”

Shaoshang was a reasonable person. This sentence made her forcefully stop struggling, breathing heavily: “…Every day I see you respectful and filial to the Empress, respectful and supportive toward the Crown Prince. I hear everyone praise your loyalty, righteousness, benevolence, and filial piety. But privately, you spy on everyone, grasping everyone’s weaknesses in your hands, just waiting for the right moment to strike. You truly frighten me!”

Ling Buyi gripped her small arm, momentarily unable to defend himself. With difficulty he said: “You, do you think your father and mother are the same at home as they are outside?”

Shaoshang froze.

Ling Buyi said: “Your father once sworn brotherhood with the leader of a bandit group. For three years they were as close as brothers, sharing everything. As soon as he met Wan Songbai and had backing, he immediately struck one night at midnight and annihilated that bandit group in one move.”

Shaoshang’s mouth went dry. Before her eyes floated Old Man Cheng’s cheerfully honest face.

“During those three years, your mother also called many of the women in that bandit group sisters. More than once they joked about arranging marriages between their children. But what happened later? Those people died or scattered. Will you also blame your father and mother?”

Shaoshang couldn’t believe it. She was full of prejudice against Madam Xiao, but still felt she was an upright and proper person. She couldn’t imagine under any circumstances that she had also been full of lies to deceive others.

Ling Buyi lovingly stroked the girl’s forehead hair, saying softly: “Don’t be frightened. That bandit group used the banner of acting on heaven’s behalf, but in reality they were no different from bandits. They burned, killed, and plundered, seizing people and women, deeply harming the common people. At that time your parents were weak and could only feign compliance. They did nothing wrong.”

Shaoshang’s complexion improved somewhat.

Ling Buyi stroked the girl’s back again and again: “Let me ask you—now that you know your parents also have an unknown side, do you feel afraid?”

Shaoshang thought about it and shook her head.

Ling Buyi asked: “Why not? Because you feel they’re your own parents, and no matter what, they won’t harm you. But with me it’s not necessarily so. You still can’t open your heart to me completely, isn’t that right?”

Shaoshang slowly calmed her emotions. Thinking carefully, it really was like this.

Ling Buyi held her with one arm, pointing to heaven with the other: “Today I’ll make you a vow. If I have any intention to harm you…” He paused, seeming to feel this had room for evasion, and changed his words: “If I cause you even half a portion of harm, let me be abandoned by everyone under heaven, never able to recover from calamity, never able to turn my life around forever!”

Shaoshang’s mouth dropped open. She hurried to cover his mouth: “No, no, no! Quick, spit a few times! Don’t make such vows carelessly! Quick, spit spit! Heaven above, childish words don’t count, childish words don’t count…”

Ling Buyi smiled slightly and obediently spat lightly twice.

In the distance, the Fourth Prince shouted toward them: “Zicheng, Miss Cheng, there’s a place with absolutely wonderful scenery ahead—come quick, come quick!”

The Third Prince looked back from time to time, seeing the Ling-Cheng pair’s foolish appearance—one moment losing temper, one moment coaxing, one moment swearing oaths to heaven—he couldn’t help muttering: “Couldn’t he find someone virtuous?”

The Fourth Prince looked back and smiled: “You are not a fish—how do you know the joy of water?”

The Third Prince sighed, patting his brother’s shoulder: “You should still study a bit. In a few more years, even Miss Cheng won’t be at the bottom for you.”

Fortunately Little Moon Mountain wasn’t high. Halfway up was only equivalent to four or five stories. Shaoshang was pulled by Ling Buyi up the mountain, panting and gasping. She saw that here protruded an oval platform with a radius of about ten zhang. At the cliff edge slanted several branches of wintersweet as fresh and tender as magnolias. A gentle breeze that wasn’t bone-piercing passed by, and everyone felt a fragrant scent rushing to their noses.

For some reason, the accumulated snow here had not a trace of dirt mixed in, appearing especially crystalline and transparent under the slanting sun. The cool mountain wind blew past—white snow and yellow plum blossoms, quiet fragrance gradually spreading. Everyone felt their mood relaxed and spirits refreshed.

That old pedant became greatly inspired and loudly recited some literary giant’s poetry. The two princes stood as usual not far from him. Cheng Shaogong, exhausted, found a stone pier, brushed off the snow on top with his sleeve and sat down. Shaoshang excitedly walked to the cliff edge, craning her neck to look down below.

Ling Buyi stood behind her, smiling: “Don’t walk any further forward.” Although the guards had already probed this cliff area with wooden poles, and all the footing was on safe solid ground.

Shaoshang turned her head and smiled: “It’s a pity I didn’t bring my short flute, otherwise I could play a tune.”

Ling Buyi said: “I didn’t bring my zither either. Next time we come here, you and I can perform together.”

Shaoshang suddenly sighed: “Actually zither paired with xiao sounds better, like my uncle and aunt—long zither with short flute… Alas, I tried it at home with Big Brother, and it didn’t sound good at all.”

Ling Buyi: “I know.” He’d practiced all kinds of instruments since childhood—how could he not know?

Shaoshang said again: “Actually you and I aren’t very well matched either.”

Ling Buyi: “I know that too.”

Shaoshang looked at him. Ling Buyi also steadily looked back at her: “Whatever else you want to say to spoil the mood, say it all at once.”

Shaoshang twisted her fingers and pouted: “None today.”

She walked forward two more steps, then turned around and smiled: “Ling Buyi, my heart delights in you.”

Ling Buyi’s footing became unsteady for a moment. He steadied himself before standing firm.

“…Do you know this too?” The girl smiled like a flower.

“I know.” Ling Buyi’s eyes and brows were suffused with a joyful aura. After pausing, his heart turned a hundred thousand times, and he said in a low voice: “…Me too, and much earlier than you.”

Shaoshang’s bright eyes sparkled. Her heart felt sweet. Just as she was about to speak, she heard Cheng Shaogong sitting far away on the left front shout loudly: “Ah Jia, go up the mountain to gather medicine yourself! I’m not walking anymore! Be bolder, don’t be afraid!”

Ban Jia stood at the mountain path entrance leading over ten servants, in a dilemma.

Shaoshang wanted to laugh: “Young Marquis Ban’s courage is really too small. In the future, who knows what kind of person he’ll marry…” At this moment, a faint rumbling sound came from overhead, as if some huge thing was rolling from far to near, rolling faster and faster.

Even the old pedant reciting poetry stopped. Everyone looked up. One guard reacted faster, shouting sternly: “Everyone run quickly—avalanche!”

It happened in an instant. They saw a huge mass of snow fall from the mountain top, covering heaven and earth as it rolled onto this platform. Then with a muffled boom, the snow mass solidly crashed down, covering all several dozen people on the platform together.

Leaving only Ban Jia at the mountain path entrance, dumbstruck.

Who knows how long passed before he heard his own shrill shout: “Someone come quickly! Help! Call everyone up from the foot of the mountain, quick quick quick…”