Chapter 43

owever, wasn't Fragrant Spring Mountain too far"It's tranquil there!" Rong Jing shook his head and said softly when he saw Yun Qianyue's disagreement: "Every nearby place is crowded with people today....Chapter 43

Could she say no Damn it!

Yun Qianyue took a deep breath and waved at Cai蓮, "Quickly get ready!"

"Yes! Miss!" Cai蓮 immediately ran down the stairs in joy.

Gazing out of the window into the dark night, Yun Qianyue thought bitterly. This time she would definitely stay on Xiang Quanshan Lingtai Temple for a year or half to avoid going back to the mansion and learning rubbish like household accounts that were useless to her. Who cares about this dilapidated mansion

After hearing that Miss was going to Lingtai Temple, the gloomy atmosphere of Shanyue Pavilion turned lively instantly. Led by Cai蓮, everyone hurriedly started packing their belongings. Those who could go with her were delighted while others felt relieved as if a cloud had lifted and looked forward to taking it easy when she left. Thus, there was joy all around.

Hearing the cheerful laughter outside, Yun Qianyue looked gloomy. All she thought about was how she must choke Rong Jing into death when they met tomorrow. If that didn’t work, then he had better become a monk and never return to her life. Thinking this way made her feel slightly better. She yawned and went back to bed.

Cai蓮 and others kept busy until midnight before Shanyue Pavilion finally quietened down.

The next morning, Cai蓮 came to wake Yun Qianyue up at the crack of dawn.

Yun Qianyue was still fast asleep. She waved her hand at Cai蓮 and said, "It’s still early! Let me sleep a little more!"

"Miss, don’t go back to sleep anymore; it’s already five o’clock in the morning now. You need to get up early to dress yourself properly today as there are many other ladies going to Xiang Quanshan and you can’t be outdone by any of them. Moreover, Xiang Quanshan is about twenty miles away from here and Young Master Rong must have come to pick you up very early already. You shouldn’t let him wait for too long, right" Cai蓮 reached out to pull Yun Qianyue.

Previously, she wouldn’t dare do this, but now that she was more familiar with her master, she realized Miss’s temper could be terrible at times but she would never really scold or hit her.

"Let him wait! Get out of the way; I want to sleep a bit longer." Yun Qianyue pushed Cai蓮 away.

“Miss, how can you let Young Master Rong wait for you You should get up quickly!” Cai蓮 reached out again.

"If he’s unwilling to wait, then I’ll go myself. Let him leave first." Yun Qianyue pulled the quilt over her head. She hadn’t had a proper rest since she was tortured by Yun Muhuan, and now that she could finally forget about learning characters, she wanted some sleep.

Seeing Yun Qianyue wrap herself up like a big zongzi (sticky rice dumpling), Cai蓮 sighed helplessly. She pleaded, "Miss, how can you The Old Prince has specially sent Uncle Meng to remind you not to keep Young Master Rong waiting, and there are many ladies in the capital who wish he would pick them up instead of you." How could she be so ungrateful

"Shut up or I’ll throw you out!" Yun Qianyue said irritably.

Cai蓮 immediately stopped talking, but continued staring at her with wide eyes. Not a strand of hair was visible under the quilt. From what she knew about Miss, even though Miss usually seemed easy-going, once angered, she would really throw someone out as she always kept her promises. She sighed and threw aside the new clothes and walked towards the door.

Right when Cai蓮 reached the room’s entrance, Yun Meng rushed in hurriedly.

"Manager, is Young Master Rong here" Cai蓮 immediately asked.

The old prince had sent me to wake Miss up and told her if she made Young Master Rong wait, he would take off her skin. If Miss didn’t believe him, then she could test it out. Yun Meng stopped right in front of Cai蓮 and said, "Young Master Rong isn’t here yet; the old prince sent me to wake Miss up. You’d better go remind Miss immediately!"

"I’ve already reminded her but she says she’s not well rested," Cai蓮 replied gloomily.

Yun Meng continued, "Tell Miss what I said and tell her she will definitely get up then. Princess Qingwan has sent someone to say that Young Master Rong should go pick her up in the palace; he is now getting ready, so you’d better wake Miss immediately!" With these words, Yun Meng hurried off.

Cai蓮 had no choice but to return and entered the room again. She saw Yun Qianyue sitting upright with a resentful expression on her face. Cai蓮 immediately walked over and said cheerfully, "Miss, you’ve heard Manager’s words, right You should get up quickly!"

"Hmph." Yun Qianyue snorted—old geezer!

Cai蓮 happily unfolded the new clothes. The dark room was suddenly illuminated by their shine; the pearls made a soft clinking sound that was very pleasant to listen to. Cai蓮 kept putting them on Yun Qianyue while saying, "This piece of clothing is this year’s only one in seven layers of purple silk brocade robe from Immortal’s Shop, and it’s been specially ordered by Young Master Rong for you. It’s even better than Princess Qingwan could get!"

Yun Qianyue took a look at the clothes—indeed very high quality. She felt the soft, cool silk; the style was simple yet elegant and not overly complicated or extravagant. Yun Qianyue especially liked the butterfly knot on her right side made of embroidery thread. This piece must have cost Yun Muhuan a fortune.

"Young Master is really good to Miss," Cai蓮 said smilingly.

Yun Qianyue curled up her lip; that old man wouldn’t be able to buy such clothes for her and make her forget about him.

Cai蓮 continued, "Manager told me yesterday that Young Master was also going to the Temple. I wondered why the Old Prince didn’t send Young Master to pick you up instead of sending someone to invite Prince Jing. Now I understand: Young Master had to go and fetch Princess Qingwan from the palace." She tied Yun Qianyue’s belt while saying this.

Yun Qianyue blinked her eyes, suddenly more interested. "Does that mean my brother is betrothed to Princess Qingwan"

"Miss, you really don’t care about anyone besides the Crown Prince," Cai蓮 shook her head and immediately noticed she mentioned him and looked nervously at Yun Qianyue. Seeing no displeasure on her face, she let out a sigh of relief. "Princess Qingwan isn’t betrothed to Young Master yet, but everyone knows how much she fancies our Young Master. She’s older than Miss by one year and has reached an age for marriage; so have you. The Emperor hasn’t said anything though. Now Princess Qingwan wants to pray at the Temple instead of going with Prince Jing. I believe they will be betrothed soon, maybe even married before long!"

"Oh! So my brother is getting a princess as his wife" Yun Qianyue suddenly understood and thought about how angry Yun Muhuan had been that day. Indeed, it would suit him to marry a princess who didn’t need to work at all. She snorted, “He pretends to be so virtuous but actually chases after the princess.”

"Miss," Cai蓮 quickly covered her mouth and whispered when she saw Yun Qianyue’s expression, "please don’t let Young Master hear you say that! He will get angry. I think he had no choice but to pick up Princess Qingwan due to an order from the Emperor or Empress; otherwise, he wouldn’t have done it."

"A princess is fawning on him and he still isn’t satisfied," Yun Qianyue remarked.

Cai蓮 looked at Miss speechlessly. She felt sorry for Young Master having to deal with such an ungrateful Miss these days. "Princess Qingwan may be smitten with our Young Master, but she’s been bullying you before! If she marries him and lives here, she’ll only become more arrogant. Plus, she is just a princess, while our Young Master is excellent in both literature and martial arts. In my opinion, she isn’t better than Miss!"

"Oh You’re quite bold for being so young," Yun Qianyue smiled at Cai蓮.

Cai蓮’s face turned red; her voice dropped as well. "Princess Qingwan has been bullying you, and I don’t like her either! If she marries Young Master, how could Miss live happily I’m just telling the truth."

"Yes, that is true," Yun Qianyue smiled back. She wasn’t the same as before; anyone who dared to bully her would get what was coming to them eightfold. "She may be a princess, but she’s still inferior to Miss."

Cai蓮 looked at Miss helplessly again. "Miss, you said you don’t care about your appearance, yet how can the noble ladies of this city not want to look better than others But I like it when you’re indifferent."

"You’ve been saying sweet things all day," Yun Qianyue smiled at Cai蓮’s words. She looked into the basin and saw her beautiful reflection; even though she now had that face, she wasn’t used to looking so stunning yet.

Cai Lian always felt that Miss Cao Yun Qianyue seemed to have some worries. Although she sometimes smiled, her mind often wandered. Could it be that although Miss had declared that she would cut ties with the Crown Prince, in reality, she still cared about him Thinking about this made her believe it was possible. After all, since childhood, Miss had liked the Crown Prince and believed he would become her beloved husband one day. It wasn't something that could be easily overcome overnight. Cai Lian sighed along with her.

"Little miss, you sigh every day; are you afraid of getting old" Yun Qianyue straightened up and avoided the handkerchief Cai Lian offered to wipe her face. She sat in front of the mirror as usual and waited for Cai Lian to comb her hair.

"I’ll grow old with Miss." Cai Lian smiled, picked up a comb, and started to brush Yun Qianyue's black hair. "Today I'll make you a phoenix knot hairstyle."

"No," Yun Qianyue immediately rejected the suggestion. "I don't want to be a flowered peacock."

"Miss, it isn’t about being a flowered peacock but rather an exquisite hairdo that many women today do not know how to make. My grandmother once met an old lady from the previous dynasty who had served in the palace. That lady taught my grandma this hairstyle and said she could have a comfortable life just by making hairdos. Unfortunately, Grandma doesn’t care about fame or fortune; all she likes is farming. So she only passed it down to me. Nowadays, no one knows how to do this style anymore!" Cai Lian laughed when she heard this.

"Is it complicated" Yun Qianyue became interested. Or rather, she was always interested in anything new.

"It’s not complicated; I’ll finish quickly." Cai Lian said immediately.

"Alright then, hurry up and let me see it too." Yun Qianyue casually picked up a book that Cloud Muhan left on the table. It was a collection of interesting stories from martial arts circles. She thought to herself that this fellow liked reading these kinds of books; indeed, he had the dream of being an unworldly knight-errant. She flipped through a page and wondered what it contained.

Cai Lian gathered Yun Qianyue's hair in her hands and noticed she was reading Young Master's book. However, Yun Qianyue held it upside down but didn’t seem to notice, instead focusing on the text. After waiting for a while without seeing her correct the position of the book, Cai Lian called out: "Miss, your book is upside down."

"Oh, I know." Yun Qianyue nodded but continued reading without correcting it.

Cai Lian hesitated and asked again, "Since you’re holding it upside down, why don’t you turn it right side up"

"No need to. This way feels more comfortable to me. I can't understand who invented these characters; they should be easier to read this way instead of inverted! If I were the one creating them, I would never do that. In the future, I’ll create characters that are easy to write and read comfortably." Yun Qianyue sighed.

"Miss, character creation has been passed down for thousands of years by scholars; how can you just invent your own" Cai Lian was at a loss what to say.

"Not necessarily. These characters are complicated like this clothing; in the future, people won’t use them anymore and will eventually simplify everything." Yun Qianyue said.

"Miss, I can't argue with you. Please sit properly as it’s hard to comb your hair otherwise." Cai Lian had by now experienced Yun Qianyue's occasional peculiar ideas, so she wisely stopped arguing and quickly did her work.

Yun Qianyue showed a helpless expression that no one could understand. She could only sit up straight while Cai Lian combed her hair.

Half an hour later, Cai Lian put down the comb and looked at her handiwork with satisfaction. Knowing Yun Qianyue didn’t like gold or silver, she chose a jade hairpin, a jade pendant, and two pearl flowers made of white jade from among the jewelry. Once everything was ready, she stopped and admired how Yun Qianyue looked in the mirror: "Miss, when I dressed you up that day, I thought you were already extremely beautiful; but today’s outfit has taken your beauty to another level. If Miss goes out like this, all men will be stunned by your beauty."

Yun Qianyue snorted in contempt. Why would she care about all the men She didn’t need her looks for money anyway. But when she looked into the mirror, she was still amazed.

The reflection showed a woman with an elaborate hairstyle adorned by jade accessories and white pearl flowers giving off a dazzling light. A purple brocade robe covered in intricate embroidery of half-blossom lotus flowers wrapped her slender figure, revealing a snow-white neck beneath the narrow collar. Her flawless porcelain-like complexion made her appear like a delicate flower.

Could this be me Yun Qianyue suddenly covered the mirror and ordered Cai Lian, who was still amazed: "Take my hair down and find another outfit; I won’t wear this."

This look wouldn't let her leave the house. People would swallow her alive! And as for wolves...!

"Miss, how beautiful are you Why do you want to undo it" Cai Lian was shocked.

"It’s ugly!" Yun Qianyue undid the hairstyle herself.

"Miss, don’t! It really is gorgeous. I’ve worked hard on this, and these clothes were given by Young Master; if you doubt them, just ask Aunt Zhao or Tingyu and Tingxue." Cai Lian immediately stepped forward to stop Yun Qianyue’s hands.

"I say it’s ugly, so it is. I must take it down! If you don’t listen to me now, you won’t be accompanying me later," Yun Qianyue firmly said.

Cai Lian looked at Yun Qianyue with a pained expression but slowly let go of her hands when she saw that Miss was determined. Still, she muttered about how beautiful it was.

Yun Qianyue ignored Cai Lian and reached for the pearl flowers to take them out.

"Miss Yun Qianyue, Young Master Jing’s carriage has arrived; Lord Old Wang asks you to hurry up since there's no need to bid farewell." Yu Zhuo’s voice came from outside in a hurried manner.

"Miss, we don’t have time. You should wear this outfit instead of changing as otherwise, Young Master Jing will wait for too long. If Lord Old Wang knows that you made him wait, he won't forgive you. Didn’t the Grand Steward remind you earlier" Cai Lian was relieved and quickly tried to stop Yun Qianyue’s hands.

Yun Qianyue paused; grinding her teeth, she said: "I always say I’m naturally opposed to this person; it turns out to be true."

"Miss, Jing Young Master is a kind gentleman who hasn’t offended you and even saved your life that day. Why don't you like him" Cai Lian, seeing Yun Qianyue had stopped insisting on changing clothes, sighed in relief and shouted outside: "Sister Yu Zhuo, Miss has finished getting dressed."

"Alright then," Yu Zhuo turned to leave.

"Miss, let’s go now!" Cai Lian saw Yun Qianyue still annoyed; she grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the room. "Tingyu, Tingxue, are you ready Let's go!"

“Yes!” Tingyu and Tingxue seemed excited as they ran to join them.

Yun Qianyue looked at herself once more in the mirror before covering it up. She didn’t want anyone else seeing her like this. She then instructed Cai Lian, "Take down my hair; find another outfit."

"Why" Cai Lian was surprised.

“It looks awful!” Yun Qianyue started to undo it herself.

"Miss! It’s so beautiful," Cai Lian tried to stop her, "and Young Master gave them to you; please don't take them off."

“I said they’re ugly,” Yun Qianyue insisted. “You must listen.”

Cai Lian looked at her helplessly and slowly let go of Yun Qianyue’s hands.

"Miss," Yu Zhuo called out from outside, "Young Master Jing's carriage is here; Lord Old Wang wants you to hurry up."

“Time is running out,” Cai Lian said anxiously, “don’t change clothes or Young Master will have to wait. If Lord Old Wang knows this, he won't forgive you.”

Yun Qianyue stopped and sighed: "I told you we’re enemies." She then turned to her maidservants, "Aunt Zhao, Tingyu and Tingxue, go with me."

“Yes,” Cai Lian replied as she hurriedly put Yun Qianyue’s clothes back together.

The four of them quickly left the room. Once they got to the front courtyard, they saw Young Master Jing's carriage and servants waiting outside the gate. Shumu, Cloud Manor’s steward, was talking to someone in the carriage.

Yun Qianyue rolled her eyes at the sight; Shumu seemed overly excited to see him.

"Miss Yun," Shumu greeted as she approached, "Young Master Jing is waiting for you."

“Where’s my horse” Yun Qianyue asked, nodding politely.

Shumu shook his head: “You can’t ride a horse today; you should sit in the carriage.”

"I want to ride." Yun Qianyue waved her hand and instructed Cai Lien: "Go get my horse."

"Miss..." Cai Lian unwillingly looked at Yun Qianyue. Under her gaze, she finally conceded and said, "Yes..."

"Wait!" As soon as Cai Lian turned around, the carriage curtain was lifted from inside, revealing Rong Jing's poetic and picturesque face. When he saw Yun Qianyue standing in front of the carriage, his eyes narrowed slightly, but only for a moment. He then spoke to her with gentle warmth, "The road out of the city is all mountain paths; riding horses won't be possible. You should ride with me!"

Seeing this face again after more than half a month made Yun Qianyue want to peel off his skin. However, she could not bring herself to do so and gritted her teeth in frustration, saying, "I don’t want to ride on horseback or ride with you." She then asked Yun Meng, "Uncle Meng, where is my carriage"

"Oh dear miss, you've never ridden in a carriage; you only ride horses. Where would your carriage be In the mansion, there are only two carriages: one belongs to His Excellency, for use when he goes to court, and the other is used by Young Master who has just gone to the palace to fetch Qing Wan Princess. You can only ride with Prince Jing," Yun Meng immediately responded.

Yun Qianyue was annoyed in her heart, "Is there no other carriage"

"Where would another one be The servants and maids of the mansion aren't worthy to ride carriages when they go out on errands. There isn’t one. Even if there were one, it wouldn’t suit your status as a miss!" Yun Meng immediately urged her, "Miss, quickly get into the carriage! Don’t keep Prince Jing waiting."

Yun Qianyue looked at Rong Jing with extreme reluctance.

Rong Jing laughed softly. His warm voice carried a hint of amusement as he raised an eyebrow slightly, asking, "It's been just a few days since we last met; why do you look like you bear me a grudge when you see me I don’t remember offending you these past days."

"Of course you did!" Yun Qianyue snorted irritably. She stepped forward and reached out to grab the carriage bar, preparing to jump into the carriage.

Cai Lian immediately cried out in alarm, "Miss, be careful! Don’t tear your clothes or mess up your hairstyle."

Yun Qianyue paid no heed as she said to Rong Jing who was blocking her way, "Move aside!"

Rong Jing remained seated. His gaze fell from her hair to her face and then back down to the purple clothes she wore, his delicate eyebrows slightly furrowed. He said, "I’ve been waiting for you here just a moment. Perhaps you should change your clothes and redo your hairstyle."

"Hm" Yun Qianyue stopped her action and looked at him. Now that they were very close, she could clearly see Rong Jing’s delicate features again, which left her in awe once more. No artistic craftsmanship could compare to the natural beauty of this person.

Rong Jing suddenly moved inside the carriage and made space for her, saying, "Forget it; you might as well get into the carriage."

"Didn’t you just tell me to change my clothes and hair Now you’ve changed your mind" Yun Qianyue looked at him in bewilderment. She wanted to change too but didn't expect that he had the same idea.

"Even if you do, it's still you. Even if you wear fancy clothes, you won’t become a lady; why waste time" Rong Jing said slowly.

"You..." Yun Qianyue glared at him and saw his teeth grinding together. However, since she needed to borrow the carriage today, she could not confront him directly. She merely gave him a fierce look before jumping into the carriage, making it creak loudly with her weight.

Rong Jing looked at her feet and warned in a gentle voice, "This entire carriage is made of agarwood. It’s worth thousands of gold pieces. If you damage it, I will demand full compensation."

She immediately became more careful with her steps. Looking down at the floorboard which was indeed made of agarwood, she thought indignantly: How could someone use such an expensive wood to make a carriage It’s absurd! She looked up and scowled at Rong Jing, "You must be desperate for money."

"Prince Rong’s mansion has plenty of everything but mostly gold. Would you like me to show it to you" Rong Jing asked with a smile.

"Keep it to build your own coffin!" Yun Qianyue sat down without ceremony, maintaining some distance from him. The carriage was spacious enough for several more people. She turned around and waved at Cai Lian and others, "Get in too!"

Cai Lian stepped back in alarm, shaking her head vigorously, "I’ll ride with Ting Xue and Ting Yu to carry luggage; Miss and Prince Jing can have the carriage."

"My maids treat you like a ghost," Yun Qianyue said as she turned around.

Rong Jing said calmly, "Indeed. Your maids see me as a ghost while everyone in this city sees you that way too. I am one person against tens of thousands; thus, proving that you are the real ghost."

Yun Qianyue nearly spat out her blood at his words.

"What’s your name again" she glared at him. "Are you Rong Jing, the first genius in Tian Sheng I think he should be called the most poisonous mouth instead!"

Rong Jing said nonchalantly, appearing to be troubled by his title of being a genius, “That’s true. The Emperor bestowed this title upon me, and I’ve been苦惱於如何翻譯這句話，因為它包含了中文特有的表達方式和比喻。直接翻譯可能會讓英文讀者難以理解。但是根據您的要求保留原文的風格，我會嘗試給出一個儘可能接近原意的翻譯：

“嗯，你說得也有道理。這個第一奇才的稱號是皇上封賜的，我也頗為苦惱覺得與我不太相符，多年來對此憂心忡忡，要不哪天你進宮去幫我向皇上申請改一改？”容景也不惱怒，彷彿非常煩惱的樣子對雲淺月說。

這句話已經是儘可能貼近原意了。然而為了使英文讀者更容易理解，我們也可以嘗試稍微調整一下表達方式：

“嗯，你說得也有道理。皇上賜予我的這個‘第一奇才’的稱號讓我頗為苦惱覺得不太合適，多年來我一直為此感到不安，要不哪天你幫我向皇上申請更改？”容景並不生氣，好像非常煩惱的樣子對雲淺月說。

繼續翻譯剩餘內容：

Yun Qianyue’s lips twitched. This was a realm! What kind of person could attain such an exquisite realm No wonder he was granted the title of the first genius in the world! Who else but him deserved this honor After a long silence, she said with resignation, "It's unnecessary; I now think this title suits you well and should remain unchanged for posterity."

Rong Jing suddenly gave her an enigmatic glance, saying, “If that’s what you say, then so be it! Whatever you want, I will comply.”

These words were ambiguous; Yun Qianyue was momentarily speechless and could only stare at him.

Rong Jing no longer looked at her but addressed the stunned Yun Meng outside, “Uncle Meng, please reassure Grandfather that Prince Rong will bring Miss Yun back safely.”

“Thank you for your efforts!” Yun Meng finally snapped out of his trance. He wondered if he had been hallucinating earlier when he saw Yun Qianyue arguing with the young prince. He pinched himself and realized it was real.

Rong Jing drew the curtains, instructed the guard named Xiang Ge in front to depart, and said, “Xiang Ge! We’re leaving!”

“Yes, Your Excellency!” The black-clad guard immediately took his position and whipped the horses. The carriage began its journey from Yun Mansion.

The guard was astounded by this unusual turn of events. He had always seen his master speak little to anyone, even less so with the old prince. Yet today he witnessed such an exchange between Rong Jing and Miss Yun; it was indeed remarkable.

Yun Qianyue thought: So that black-clad guard is called Xiang Ge! What a nice name!

Rong Jing explained, “He’s my personal bodyguard who has been with me since childhood.”

“No wonder he looks so cold and haughty; it must be because of the kind of master he serves,” Yun Qianyue remarked.

Xiang Ge heard this clearly outside, his stern face momentarily frozen in place.

Rong Jing glanced at her with a faint smile but said nothing.

Yun Qianyue felt it unwise to be so brazen on someone else’s carriage and territory. She pursed her lips and closed her mouth. However, she couldn’t help herself from looking around the carriage. It was furnished like a cozy living room with cabinets, desks, tea sets, a guqin (ancient Chinese zither), chessboards, bookshelves… everything one needed for comfort during travel. The materials used were of the finest quality and very expensive indeed. Truly there’s no such thing as too luxurious! She rolled her eyes; he was truly one to enjoy life.

Rong Jing seemed to know what Yun Qianyue was thinking but didn’t comment on it. He glanced around the carriage and asked, “What books do you want to read or activities would you like to engage in during this long journey”

“I don’t care for reading,” she waved dismissively. “As for games, I find them pointless.” She looked at the guqin, chessboard, calligraphy brushes, and painting equipment. The ancients had only these pastimes which bored her to death. “Nothing appeals to me; I want to sleep. Give me some space and move away from here; I’m dead tired,” Yun Qianyue said dejectedly.

“You’re going to sleep Don’t you worry about your hair getting messed up This peacock knot is not something everyone can do.” Rong Jing raised his eyebrows.

“If it gets messy, let it be. I’ll just take it out,” Yun Qianyue shrugged indifferently. The weight on her head was unbearable and nearly broke her neck. She had been twisting her neck for days without getting used to the hairstyle. How could women manage with their heads full of hairpins and ornaments

"Alright then! You can sleep!" Rong Jing really did move a little further out, making space for her and casually tossed a pillow and a thin silk blanket to her.

This person might be venomous in words and heart, but sometimes being considerate towards others does have its merits. Yun Qianyue took the pillow and placed it under her head while trying not to mess up her hair bun; after all, redoing her hair would still be troublesome. She reached out for the silk blanket and covered herself with it. A faint medicinal fragrance immediately filled her nostrils, like lotus blossoms or snowflakes, matching the occasional scent emanating from Rong Jing’s body. Her brows furrowed slightly as she tossed the blanket back, saying, "No need. It's not cold."

Rong Jing’s gaze flickered and he covered her with the blanket once more, his voice warm as he said, "It is just at the beginning of summer now; it’s still rather chilly in the morning and evening. If you catch a chill while sleeping, that won’t be good."

"My constitution is great! Don't curse me," Yun Qianyue tugged on the blanket again.

"Don't move! If you catch a chill, I’ll have to take care of you. After all, Grandpa Yun entrusted you to me. If you don’t want to cause me trouble, listen to me," Rong Jing's voice dropped slightly, not allowing for any refusal.

Yun Qianyue immediately stopped her actions; when under someone else’s roof, one couldn't be stubborn. She had no choice but to endure it. Besides, the smell wasn’t too terrible.

Rong Jing saw she no longer moved and let go of his hand, ignoring her as he reached out to take a book from the shelf and began flipping through its pages.

Yun Qianyue glanced at him. She thought that ancient people had few forms of entertainment; without reading books, they'd have nothing to do. She yawned, feeling sleepy as she closed her eyes and fell asleep. Before long, the sound of even breathing could be heard softly.

Rong Jing lifted his head slightly to glance at her before lowering it again, flipping through the book quietly without a sound.

The carriage left Yun王府 and entered the bustling market streets. Today's streets were much quieter than usual, with fewer vendors shouting out their wares, but there was still a steady flow of carriages going back and forth. Clearly, most people had set off for Fragrant Hot Spring Mountain. Several carriages that saw Rong Jing’s carriage coming knew whose vehicle it belonged to despite the lack of any sign in front, so they hurriedly made way respectfully. Xiangge kept his gaze straight ahead, maintaining a solemn expression as he smoothly passed through the city gates without obstruction.

Three miles outside the city gate were two pavilions on both sides of the road. One pavilion bore an inscription reading "Pavilion for Sending Off," while another had one that read "Pavilion for Waiting." The Pavilion for Sending Off was currently empty, but at the Pavilion for Waiting, several carriages with hundreds of attendants were parked.

"Young Master, in front are the Prince’s carriage, Fourth Prince’s carriage, Princess Qingwan and Yun王府 Young Master's carriage. Additionally, there is Lady Yu Ning’s from Chancellor Manor as well as our Manor’s Second Miss and the Duchess of Xiaoqin王府's carriages. It seems they’re waiting for the Young Master to proceed together," Xiangge quickly scanned the Pavilion for Waiting and informed Rong Jing in a low voice.

"Mm!" Rong Jing responded nonchalantly.

Xiangge remained silent, guiding the carriage to the Pavilion for Waiting. At this moment, several carriages simultaneously raised their curtains, revealing familiar faces looking towards Rong Jing’s carriage. Xiangge pulled on the reins slightly and nodded respectfully at Ye Tianqiong in the carriage but didn’t speak a word.

Ye Tianqiong wasn't bothered by it, seemingly accustomed to such situations. He gave Xiangge a slight nod before addressing Rong Jing through the closed curtain of his carriage slowly, "Upon hearing that Jing Young Master was also going to Lingtai Temple, I decided to wait here and travel with you together. It would be delightful if we could play chess along the way to alleviate your boredom during the journey. What do you think"

"The Prince is thinking of Rong Jing; it’s my good fortune. But alas, there's someone sleeping in this carriage now, making it inconvenient. I appreciate the Prince’s kind intentions but perhaps another day," Rong Jing didn’t lift the curtain and spoke gently without disturbing Yun Qianyue, allowing Ye Tianqiong outside to hear clearly.

"Oh There is actually someone in your carriage Who could be so fortunate as to ride with Young Master" Ye Tianqiong was taken aback; he stared at Rong Jing’s carriage tightly sealed, black and impenetrable, unable to see inside.

"It's Miss Yun Qianyue of Yun王府," Rong Jing replied calmly without any hesitation or emotion in his voice.

Ye Tianqiong’s phoenix-like eyes suddenly widened; the black pupils instantly constricted. He pursed his lips, then smiled abruptly, "So it is Little Moon Why is she sleeping in your carriage" His voice lowered at the last two words.

"I’ve been entrusted by Grandpa Yun to take care of her on this trip to Fragrant Hot Spring Mountain, so naturally, she travels with me. Since it’s too early today and she's tired, I let her sleep a bit more," Rong Jing spoke softly without much enthusiasm as if unwilling to discuss further, addressing Ye Tianqiong politely but firmly: "Your Highness please proceed first; I will follow shortly."

Ye Tianqiong’s hand clenched tightly inside his sleeve. Displeased at not hearing Yun Qianyue's voice, he suddenly sent out a burst of true energy to probe the carriage, wanting to see if she was awake or feigning sleep to avoid him. But as soon as the energy approached the carriage, it was repelled back by an incredibly powerful force; unable to resist, Ye Tianqiong’s body trembled and he involuntarily stepped back, his handsome face paling.

"Your Highness, I beg your forgiveness. I’m afraid that you might disturb Miss Yun Qianyue if you use true energy inside her carriage," Rong Jing calmly replied with a tone neither humble nor confrontational but firm and decisive.

Ye Tianqiong’s expression suddenly changed; his hand relaxed, and he smiled at Rong Jing's carriage. "Young Master’s illness hasn’t affected your martial arts progress at all; I’m impressed. Since Miss Moon is asleep, it would indeed be inappropriate to disturb her. Your Highness will proceed first and please do follow,"

"Of course, Prince!" Rong Jing replied warmly.

Ye Tianqiong heavily lowered the curtain of his carriage; his expression darkened under the shadow as he seethed inwardly: How dare you Cloud Qianyue! You think this is a way to get back at me for ignoring you Don’t even think about it!

The Prince’s carriage moved ahead, followed by Xiangge who ignored the stunned people in the other carriages and urged his horse forward. Soon after, Yun Muhan instructed his driver, causing Yun王府's carriage to follow closely behind.

Princess Qingwan slowly lowered her curtain; a delicate face wore a hint of worry. Having bullied Cloud Qianyue these years only to realize she’d incurred Yun Muhan’s displeasure and now that the latter treated Cloud Qianyue differently, marrying into Yun王府 seemed increasingly complicated. As his only sister, she couldn’t comprehend why she had previously helped Rong Linglan and Leng Shuli bully Cloud Qianyue; she needed to mend things quickly before it was too late.

Rong Linglan let out a cold snort as she dropped her curtain. She could hardly fathom how Cloud Qianyue managed to get special treatment from her brother, whom she believed no woman in the world deserved a single glance. The only one who might qualify was Lady Yu Ning of Chancellor Manor, but that didn’t sit well with her.

Leng Shuli likewise lowered her curtain grimly; since Cloud Qianyue wasn't imprisoned by order of the Prince after the incident at the palace, he had distanced himself from them. His demeanor grew increasingly gloomy, leading Leng Shuli to suspect that this was somehow connected to Cloud Qianyue. Pondering this made her suffocatingly uncomfortable; she could not let Cloud Qianyue get any closer to Ye Tianqiong.

Behind Princess Qingwan came the carriages of Miss Second from Glory王府 and the Lady-in-Waiting from Xiaoqin王府, slowly following.

Lady Yu Ning's carriage remained stationary. She stared intently at Rong Jing’s black carriage ahead through her curtain, her lips pursed tightly as she clutched the curtains so hard that her nails left red marks on her palms. Her expression was indiscernible, revealing nothing of her thoughts.

"Miss" Yu Ning's personal maid Chu Xi called out softly; understanding some of her mistress’s intentions but knowing better than to speak without permission.

"Hmm" Lady Yu Ning remained motionless.

"The other carriages have moved on. Should we start now" Chu Xi asked quietly.

Lady Yu Ning snapped out of her trance, noticing the distance between their carriage and Leng Shuli’s had grown considerably; she released her grip just as her hand began to hurt from squeezing so tightly that red marks were visible. She swiftly covered them with a sleeve, maintaining an indifferent expression as she nodded at Chu Xi: "Yes, let's go."

"As you wish," Chu Xi instructed the driver without revealing any knowledge of her mistress’s thoughts.

The Chancellor’s carriage began its journey slowly.

Cloud Qianyue was naturally aware of everything that transpired at Hui Jun Pavilion. Despite being deeply asleep, years of ingrained awareness from her past life prevented her from truly losing vigilance. She couldn’t have foreseen that Rong Jing would go to such lengths for her protection, even against the Prince. That he quietly blocked the Prince's true energy was remarkable. Cloud Qianyue found herself admiring him despite his dark nature.

Cloud Qianyue pretended to be asleep but her mind raced with thoughts.

"If you’re not tired, there’s no need to sleep," Rong Jing suddenly said.

Holy! She was certain she had perfected the art of faking sleep. Yet this man could still tell When a master from the Security Bureau attempted hypnosis on her years ago, she managed to fake sleeping so convincingly that he believed it for real. Upon opening her eyes with a cheeky grin, the old man suffered high blood pressure and nearly had a heart attack. Recalling this incident, Cloud Qianyue opened her eyes and looked at Rong Jing questioningly: "How did you know I wasn’t sleeping"

Rong Jing glanced at her and simply said, “Instinct.”

Cloud Qianyue nearly fainted. She stared incredulously at him; there were no words for such an unsettling ability.

"We’ll be arriving at Fragrant Spring Mountain in about an hour. Wake up so we can play chess," Rong Jing closed his book and said.

"No!" Yun Qianyue spat out two words and closed her eyes again.

"They say that these days, apart from learning to read, you've been sleeping the most. You really do sleep a lot," Rong Jing said.

"I like it, and I don't need your permission," Yun Qianyue huffed.

How many years had it been since she had slept so well There were 365 days in a year, 24 hours in a day, 60 minutes in an hour, and 60 seconds in a minute. Other people's time was measured by the day, but hers was measured by the second. She couldn't calculate how long it had been since she had slept well, but she could definitely count the number of days she had slept well in recent years—only during her annual leave.

Now that she finally got a chance to sleep, why wouldn't she love it

"I couldn't manage you before, and I don't know if I will be able to do so in the future. But right now, since you're in my carriage and Grandpa Yun entrusted you to me on this trip, naturally, I can take care of you," Rong Jing said slowly as he saw that Yun Qianyue was ignoring him. He then said indifferently, "Since you won't accompany me for a game, I'll call the Crown Prince over here to play with me. I'm sure he'd be willing."

"You..." Yun Qianyue opened her eyes and glared angrily at Rong Jing.

Rong Jing ignored it and instructed outside the carriage, "Xuan Ge, go call the Crown Prince over..."

"I'll play with you!" Yun Qianyue suddenly sat up. She hated Night Tianqin so much that she thought seeing him would make her throw up, making sleeping impossible.

"Great!" Rong Jing smiled slightly as he touched a hidden compartment on the carriage wall which opened to reveal an ebony black jade box. He pressed lightly and it clicked open, revealing white and black chess pieces made of high-quality warm jade. They were incredibly exquisite.

"What extravagance!" Yun Qianyue sighed at the sight of them. If these were brought back in modern times, they could probably buy a city with them.

"If you win against me, I'll give this chess set to you. How about it" Rong Jing tilted his head and looked at her.

Give her Yun Qianyue's eyes lit up but dimmed instantly. She pursed her lips, slowly moved over to sit opposite him, raised an eyebrow and asked, "Do you say this to everyone who plays chess with you"

"No, just to you. Back then, Ye Qingran bet me his blood-sweating horse—saying that if he won the game, I would give him my chess set, but if I won, the horse would be mine," Rong Jing slowly spread out the chessboard and said.

"What happened afterward He lost" Yun Qianyue wondered why Ye Qingran hadn't gotten the chess set.

"Yeah." Rong Jing nodded.

"So, you got his horse then" Yun Qianyue was suddenly very interested in hearing more about this. She imagined that when it ran, its sweat would be a bright red like blood—hence the name "blood-sweating horse," also called "heavenly steed" in Chinese history—a fast horse capable of traveling a thousand miles per day.

"Yes." Rong Jing glanced at her and noticed that her eyes now gleamed as brightly as night pearls.

"How many years ago did you make the bet Is there still such a horse today" Yun Qianyue wasn't interested in the chess set, but she was very curious about this "blood-sweating horse."

She thought that if he used this horse as a stake and lost, she would definitely do her best to beat him at chess so that she could experience what it felt like to ride such a magnificent creature.

"Ten years ago. There isn't one now." Rong Jing shook his head.

“Where did it go Did it die of illness" Yun Qianyue was somewhat disappointed. Ten years was long enough, and yet there wasn’t any horse left...

"It didn't die of sickness," said Rong Jing, shaking his head.

"Then did you give the horse to someone else" Yun Qianyue’s hopes were raised once again.

"I didn't give it away either." Looking at Yun Qianyue's intense interest, Rong Jing hesitated for a moment before telling her reluctantly, "Apparently, blood-sweating horses have delicious meat. I’ve never tasted it myself, but after winning the horse from Ye Qingran, I ordered Xuan Ge to kill and cook it."

“What” Yun Qianyue was dumbfounded.

"The meat really did taste as good as people say; I still have wonderful memories of it," Rong Jing said with nostalgia.

“Damn!” Yun Qianyue abruptly stood up, banging her head on the roof of the carriage. She didn't care about the pain and angrily cursed him: "You really wasted a valuable thing!"

"Yes, Ye Qingran also said so back then. We fought after that," Rong Jing nodded.

“You definitely lost. He will surely fight you to his death.” Yun Qianyue was livid. What kind of person was this He actually treated such a horse as food! She bitterly thought about how, if she had arrived ten years earlier, she would have prevented him from eating the horse’s meat.

"He did fight me to his death, but he didn't win either. Out of frustration, seeing me eat so happily, he ate quite a bit too," Rong Jing added.

Yun Qianyue's face was completely black. Without having seen it, she could imagine how the scene must have been back then. Ye Qingran had no morals at all! But thinking that this was a blood-sweating horse, they didn’t waste it as it would be a shame to do so. She somewhat understood why Ye Qingran ate it and thought if she were him, she might also have eaten it too; but probably not from the best parts.

"You definitely haven't had it then When I get another blood-sweating horse in the future, I'll kill it for you to eat," Rong Jing said.

“Damn!” Yun Qianyue’s face turned even darker. "If you dare to kill and eat it again, I’ll eat your flesh!" she shouted angrily.

Rong Jing was taken aback, his hand reaching for the chess pieces stopped abruptly.

The moment she spoke out of frustration, Yun Qianyue realized her mistake. She instantly felt regretful. What did “eat your flesh” mean He wasn’t a monk. Seeing Rong Jing’s stunned expression, she twitched her mouth and blushed as she awkwardly coughed to cover up: "I meant that it's a horse! Do you know what a blood-sweating horse is More precious than gold."

"Yes," Rong Jing nodded. It wouldn’t be worth eating if it wasn't valuable!

"So, don’t waste such things anymore; even the Buddha would disapprove," Yun Qianyue said seriously.

Rong Jing suddenly lowered his head and looked at his fingertips for a long while without speaking.

Yun Qianyue also looked at his fingers and then at her own, grumbling to herself that he was such an attractive man—both good-looking and having beautiful hands too.

"Alright! I won't eat it again in the future," Rong Jing suddenly raised his head, smiled at Yun Qianyue, and said agreeably.

Yun Qianyue was once again dazzled by that light smile of his. She thought that this child knew to repent and correct her mistakes, which could still be salvaged. But it was really tragic for the horse! Although she didn’t see one herself, just thinking about it made her heartache.

"Do you want white or black pieces" Rong Jing pointed at the black-and-white chess pieces in the ebony box and asked.

"White!" Yun Qianyue replied without hesitation.

"Alright," said Rong Jing as he placed a black piece on the board. Seeing her still looking pained, he added: "Your turn now."

“Don’t you know about chivalrous behavior It’s very ungentlemanly!” Yun Qianyue glared at him and threw back the black piece into his hand, then placed a white one on its position. “I go first!” she said with her face stern.

"Hmph..." Rong Jing chuckled lightly and nodded, "Alright!"

Yun Qianyue raised an eyebrow. Rong Jing didn't mind it as he placed a chess piece casually on the board. Yun Qianyue picked up a white piece and put it down without thinking. Rong Jing then picked up another black piece and placed it casually, and Yun Qianyue did the same again. The two of them continued to place one black and one white piece alternately on the chessboard.

In an instant, the board was in a complete mess with no discernible pattern.

Rong Jing's expression remained calm as he leaned against the carriage wall comfortably. Yun Qianyue lay bonelessly on the table, occasionally picking her fingers and yawning, moving the white pieces randomly without thinking.

Before the carriage, Xuan Ge couldn't resist his curiosity about how Miss Yun could play chess well enough to warrant Young Master Rong Jing using Crown Prince Dashi's threat for a match. He lifted the curtain to take a look inside and was shocked when he saw that the board was in a mess and Yun Qianyue was picking her fingers. His stern face twitched, then he lowered the curtain and thought: Why did Young Master Rong Jing have to find Miss Yun to spoil such a good game Even if Crown Prince Dashi's chess skills were far inferior to Young Master Rong Jing's, they were still quite good. At least better than Miss Yun by a lot.

Yun Qianyue looked back and saw Xuan Ge lowering the curtain. She smiled: "Even your little guards can't bear to see me spoiling such a beautiful game. Alas, heroes are always lonely. I'm not playing anymore."

Saying that, she threw down her pieces and started messing up the board.

Rong Jing stopped her hand with a light smile: "As long as I don't say you're spoiling a good game, it's fine. Keep going."

"I'm not keeping going. It's pointless. Isn't this just for fun Who doesn't know how to do that" Yun Qianyue glanced disdainfully at Rong Jing and lifted the curtain to look out. She saw the green mountains on both sides of the road, which was actually a fairly wide dirt path. In front and behind the carriage were carriages and horses in formation, stretching long with their masters and guards, quite impressive. She sighed admiringly: "The scenery is magnificent, something only seen in ancient times. Nowadays it's hard to come by again. Being able to see this now is truly a blessing."

At the mention of this, Rong Jing's gaze flickered slightly but he didn't say anything. The hand that had stopped Yun Qianyue saw she was really not going to continue and automatically messed up the chessboard.

"Hey, we've been walking for half a day already, why haven't we arrived How much longer" Yun Qianyue put aside her admiration and turned to ask Rong Jing.

"About half an hour," replied Rong Jing.

"I really want to ride a horse!" Yun Qianyue looked at the guards riding horses with envy in her eyes.

"Behave yourself. We're about to enter the mountains; today we won't have much free time even after reaching Lingtai Temple," said Rong Jing, glancing out through the curtain that Yun Qianyue had lifted.

Yun Qianyue lowered the curtain and lay back down with her eyes closed, unconcerned: "It's you who won't have free time. I'll probably be very relaxed and can sleep all day long. I don't plan on listening to any discussions about law or Buddhist chants."

"Neither do I," Rong Jing also closed his eyes.

"Then why are you discussing laws with that monk" Yun Qianyue snapped, "Just seeking fame!"

"That old monk is interesting. Nowadays there aren't many people who can be considered interesting. You'll see when you meet him," Rong Jing smiled slightly for some reason, unlike his usual elegant demeanor but rather with a different kind of charm.

"No matter how interesting he is, he's still just a monk. I'm not interested in monks." Yun Qianyue yawned and warned: "Don't bother me anymore! I want to sleep. Even if we arrive at the destination, don't wake me up unless I do so myself. You can go do whatever you need to do; leave me here on the carriage to sleep."

Rong Jing didn't respond.

Yun Qianyue took his silence as agreement and went to sleep.

The carriage began to jolt shortly after. It seemed they had started going uphill, with the wheels clattering against stones along the mountain path. A single carriage made little noise but in a row, it was quite loud. The entire caravan must have been deafening together.

Yun Qianyue couldn't sleep at all and felt like she might vomit due to the jolting. She finally understood why that man hadn't answered her; he knew she wouldn't be able to fall asleep. She gritted her teeth and opened her eyes, angrily saying: "What a terrible mountain road! I want to get off the carriage!"

"If you can get out of it, fine by me," said Rong Jing gently.

Yun Qianyue immediately sat up, lifted the curtain and saw winding mountains ahead. Their team was starting uphill. The road could only accommodate a single carriage, with thorny bushes on both sides, surrounded by ancient trees and large rocks, no other place to step. The guards were leading their horses slowly upwards as they struggled for balance. She couldn't help but gasp: "If this mountain path is blocked like that, how will others come down"

"That's the way up; there's a separate route to go down," Rong Jing explained.

"What torture!" Yun Qianyue dropped the curtain and sighed. Going down seemed worse than being jolted in the carriage. She began to long for modern roads, trains, light rail, subways, planes—even boats would be fine! What about speedboats or yachts Even a passenger ship or cargo ship would do! Ahh... she wanted to go home. Was there any way back

"Take this first; you'll feel better soon," Rong Jing returned with a pill and handed it to her.

Yun Qianyue, feeling terrible, saw the clear pill with its fragrant scent that reminded her of him. She frowned: "Is this poison"

"If it's poison, I see you looking uncomfortable is better than taking it," replied Rong Jing as he put the pill back in a white jade bottle.

"Who said I wouldn't take it Here." Yun Qianyue snatched it and popped it into her mouth. A burst of fragrance filled her mouth, instantly calming her stomach. She looked at the bottle in astonishment: "What kind of medicine is this that works so well"

"You're not greedy at all," said Rong Jing without looking at her as he put the bottle back in his pocket.

Yun Qianyue rolled her eyes; who wouldn't like a good thing And if something came from him, it was surely good. But she knew better than to overstep and closed her eyes again, humming softly—just that night song Night Qingran had sung.

"Night Qingran taught you" Rong Jing paused in putting away the bottle and raised an eyebrow.

"No, I learned it from him," Yun Qianyue said honestly.

Rong Jing didn't say another word, returned his hand to his pocket slowly, poured himself a cup of tea as if listening intently to her humming.

After finishing the song, Yun Qianyue felt much better. She thought this little tune was surprisingly effective for relieving stress. Recalling how Night Qingran had made the Crown Prince's concubine leave Yun王府and go back to the Palace in a few sentences, she couldn't help but laugh: "Night Qingran is quite the character!"

"He indeed is," Rong Jing glanced at her smiling face and slowly said: "It's rumored he spent two years in Southern Borderlands during his travels. There was a chief of a tribe who liked him, and she would sing for him daily, singing this very tune."

“Pfft!” Yun Qianyue’s eyes widened in astonishment: “So that monk is someone special indeed! You’ll understand when you see him.” His usual refined demeanor was replaced with a hint of amusement.

"No matter how special he is, he's still just a monk. I have no interest," Yun Qianyue yawned and warned: "Don't bother me anymore, or I'll stop humming. When we get there, don't wake me unless it’s an emergency. Go do your thing; leave me to sleep."

Rong Jing didn’t answer.

Yun Qianyue took his silence as agreement and resumed sleeping.

The carriage began jolting soon after, signaling they were on a mountain path. The wheels made clattering sounds against the stones; with so many carriages together, it was deafening. Yun Qianyue couldn’t sleep at all and felt nauseous from the bumps. She finally understood why he hadn't answered—because he knew she wouldn't be able to sleep. Gritting her teeth, she said angrily: "What a terrible mountain road! I want to get off!"

"If you can get out of it, fine by me," Rong Jing replied gently.

Yun Qianyue immediately sat up and opened the curtain. She saw winding mountains ahead. Their team was starting uphill. The road could only accommodate a single carriage, with thorny bushes on both sides, surrounded by ancient trees and large rocks; no other place to step. The guards were leading their horses slowly upwards as they struggled for balance. She couldn't help but gasp: "If this mountain path is blocked like that, how will others come down"

"That's the way up; there's a separate route to go down," Rong Jing explained.

“What torture!” Yun Qianyue dropped the curtain and sighed. Going down seemed worse than being jolted in the carriage. She began longing for modern roads, trains, light rail, subways, planes—even boats would be fine! What about speedboats or yachts Even a passenger ship or cargo ship would do! Ahh... she wanted to go home. Was there any way back

"Take this first; you'll feel better soon," Rong Jing returned with a pill and handed it to her.

Yun Qianyue, feeling terrible, saw the clear pill with its fragrant scent that reminded her of him. She frowned: "Is this poison"

"If it's poison, I see you looking uncomfortable is better than taking it," replied Rong Jing as he put the pill back in a white jade bottle.

“Who said I wouldn’t take it Here.” Yun Qianyue snatched it and popped it into her mouth. A burst of fragrance filled her mouth, instantly calming her stomach. She looked at the bottle in astonishment: "What kind of medicine is this that works so well"

"You're not greedy at all," said Rong Jing without looking at her as he put the bottle back in his pocket.

Yun Qianyue rolled her eyes; who wouldn't like a good thing And if something came from him, it was surely good. But she knew better than to overstep and closed her eyes again, humming softly—just that night song Night Qingran had sung.

"Night Qingran taught you" Rong Jing paused in putting away the bottle and raised an eyebrow.

“No, I learned it from him,” Yun Qianyue said honestly.

Rong Jing didn't say another word, returned his hand to his pocket slowly, poured himself a cup of tea as if listening intently to her humming.

After finishing the song, Yun Qianyue felt much better. She thought this little tune was surprisingly effective for relieving stress. Recalling how Night Qingran had made the Crown Prince's concubine leave Yun王府and go back to the Palace in a few sentences, she couldn’t help but laugh: "Night Qingran is quite the character!"

"He indeed is," Rong Jing glanced at her smiling face and slowly said: "It’s rumored he spent two years in Southern Borderlands during his travels. There was a chief of a tribe who liked him, and she would sing for him daily, singing this very song."

“Puh!” Yun Qianyue's eyes widened in astonishment. She stared blankly for a moment before suddenly slapping the carriage board: "So this is Night Qingran’s love song with that girl No wonder he likes it so much!"

"Indeed," Rong Jing nodded, sipping his tea calmly and said casually: "Therefore, you should avoid singing it in the future to prevent him from misunderstanding your feelings. If Southern Borderland's lady hears about this, she will definitely come to the capital to find you. Killing you is a small matter; disrupting their relationship would be a major offense."

Yun Qianyue nodded in agreement: "You’re right, I won’t sing it anymore." Rong Jing raised an eye and gazed at her with his long lashes covering his phoenix-like eyes before falling silent.

The carriage stopped its jolting. Outside came a stiff yet strange voice from Xiangge, as if suppressing something: "Young Master, we've arrived at Lingtai Temple!"

"Hmm," Rong Jing replied without moving.

Finally! Yun Qianyue immediately opened the curtain and looked outside.’s anger dissipated as she raised her eyebrows."Yes!" Rong Jing nodded. "Ye Qian thought the Military Affairs Headquarters had a problem and that Ye Qingran would be busy and disoriented for a while....