The carriage wasn’t as fast as a well-trained warhorse. Yang Zhen quickly caught up to the domed umbrella-like carriage.

  Yang Zhen stopped his horse in the carriage’s path and looked at the light green curtain embroidered with golden thread.

  The driver quickly tightened the reins and hurriedly called out to stop the carriage’s horse.

  “Your Highness, did you come here to see me?” Yang Zhen slowly and quietly asked. A curtain separated them.

  Zhao Liuli was very angry at the moment. When she heard these words, teardrops fell from her eyes. She didn’t know who she was angry with. Was she angry with Yang Zhen and those two captives? Or, was she angry about the words that Sir Zhou had said? Although Yang Zhen hadn’t accepted those two young women, he had been in Guang Dong for so long. Who knows if he had touched other women or not? Moreover, Sir Zhou had said that all of the women in Guang Dong were beautiful. What if Yang Zhen hadn’t been able to stop himself from having an affair with another woman? As soon as she thought of this, Zhao Liuli felt even worse. She used her fingertips to wipe away her tears.

  Without lifting the curtain, she told the driver, “Who told you to stop? I want to return to the palace.”


  The driver didn’t dare to disobey her order. He could only raise the reins to direct the horse to go around Yang Zhen and continue going down the road.

  However, just as the carriage past by Yang Zhen, he leaned his body over and seized the reins from the driver’s hands. Using only a little bit force, he steadily stopped the carriage on the road.

  Zhao Liuli felt the carriage stumbling and was finally willing to lift the curtain to see Yang Zhen. “I said I want to go back to the palace.”


  Yang Zhen didn’t move. His eyes were stuck on her small, delicate face as if he couldn’t see enough of it.

  Zhao Liuli was a princess after all. When she decided to act lofty, she wasn’t the slightest bit lacking. She asked, “Have you decided to not listen to my words anymore?”


  Yang Zhen looked at her and persistently asked, “Your Highness, did you come here to see me?”


  Zhao Liuli’s eyes turned red. She turned her head away and said, “I didn’t. I just passed by here with Ah Luo.”


  Who would pass by the barracks’ entrance without any reason? Yang Zhen kept silent. His hands were tightly clenched around the carriage’s reins as he stared at Zhao Liuli. He had recently seen her at Emerald Restaurant. In that single moment, his agitated heart had finally calmed down. In the past three months, there had only been one thought in his mind. Accomplish meritorious service so that he could return to marry Liuli. He had treated himself as an ice-cold blade. He never felt tired as he went with the other soldiers to put down the revolt without stopping to sleep or rest. It was only when he saw Zhao Liuli that he felt he was a human that could feel happiness, anger, sorrow, and joy and be concerned about emotions. He had done all of this for her.

  Zhao Liuli saw that he wasn’t responding and looked at the reins that he was holding. She ordered, “Let go.”


  Instead of listening to her words, Yang Zhen leaned over, wrapped his arm around her waist, and overbearingly carried her onto his horse.

  Zhao Liuli widened her eyes in surprise. She wanted to get off the horse. “What are you doing?”


  Yang Zhen tightly held onto her waist and wouldn’t let her move. “I have words I want to say to Your Highness.”


  Then, he pulled on the reins and the horse ran towards the forest.

  Wei Luo watched this entertaining show from beginning to end. Just as she was considering whether or not to sneak into the forest to continue watching, she heard the sound of horses from outside. Wei Luo lifted up the curtain and she saw a group of people riding horses towards her. Zhao Jie was at the front of the group. He pulled on the reins and steadily stopped in front of her.

  Wei Luo asked in surprise, “Why are you here?”


  Zhao Jie carried her onto the horse, pinched her waist, and asked, “I should be the one asking you. Why did you come here?”


  As Wei Luo sat on Zhao Jie’s horse, the soldiers, who wearing silver zhao jia armor and had been riding behind Zhao Jie, got off from their horses and saluted her one after another.

  “Liuli wanted to come here to see Yang Zhen, so I came here with her.” Wei Luo moved closer to Zhao Jie and asked, “These people are?”


  Zhao Jie said, “These are all people from Shen Ji Barracks. After I finished my work, I heard that you came to the barracks and was worried that a mishap might happen, so I brought them with me.”


  Wei Luo nodded after hearing his answer. She look towards the forest and said, “Big brother, nothing will happen to Liuli right?”


  This forest seems strangely overgrown as if no one had entered it in a long time.

  Zhao Jie narrowed his eyes. He knew about Yang Zhen and Zhao Liuli’s relationship. Previously, he had looked the other way because he believed that Yang Zhen was skilled and would definitely become a great talent one day. But right now, he had kidnapped his younger sister in broad daylight. His courage was too excessive. He ordered two people from Shen Ji Barracks, “You two, stay here and keep guard. When Yang Zhen comes out, escort him to see this prince.”


  The two of them acknowledged their order in unison.

  ——–


  In the depths of the forest, Zhao Liuli felt they had run very far. But, Yang Zhen didn’t seem to have any intention of stopping. The surrounding trees became denser and denser. The trees hid the sky and covered the earth in a disorderly mess. The sound of the horse’s hooves running over the soil sounded exceptionally clear. The surrounding environment was so quiet that she could even hear the sound of a babbling brook. It was if they were the only two people left in this vast world and only the sound of their breathing remained.

  The tears in Zhao Liuli’s eyes had dried up and most of her anger was gone. But, she continued to show a taut expression. She wasn’t willing to be the one that gave in first.

  Yang Zhen eventually stopped at a clear stream. The spring water made a tinkling sound as the stream zigzagged down from the hilltop. The water was so clean that they could clearly see their inverted image in the water. Yang Zhen slowly moved along with the stream. When Zhao Liuli unintentionally lowered her head, she saw two people reflected in the water. A tall, valiant man was holding a slender, delicate girl. Yang Zhen’s arm was placed over her waist and their close embrace was very intimate.

  Zhao Liuli’s cheeks turned red. She looked away, but she couldn’t resist sneaking glances of Yang Zhen’s reflection. He had changed a lot. He was previously a reticent young man. Now, he was a silent and composed man. Zhao Liuli was spellbound by his reflection, but then she thought of that previous scene and couldn’t help pursing her lips. He had experienced the taste of young women, so of course he had become a man.

  Her heart felt unwell once she thought of this.

  Seeing her lowered head, Yang Zhen didn’t know what she was thinking. He looked at the top of her head as he tried to figure out what to say to coax her. He had never been an eloquent speaker. Before he could think of something, Zhao Liuli said, “Older brother Yang Zhen, if you met someone that you like in Guang Dong, then just marry her. We’re not fated to be together anyways.”


  Yang Zhen’s arm tightened and his body slightly trembled. He hoarsely said, “I didn’t touch any woman in Guang Dong.” He didn’t want to marry another woman. He only wanted to marry her.

  Zhao Liuli still didn’t look at him. Her head was drooped as she said, “You told me to marry someone else in that letter.”


  She clutched the horse’s mane as she sulkily said, “Didn’t you have the intention of parting ways? If I marry someone else, then it’ll be convenient for you to marry another girl.” The more she spoke, the more likely this possibility seemed.

  Feeling wronged, she rashly said, “That’s fine. Imperial mother is helping me select a husband. There are many candidates with good moral conduct and family backgrounds. If I agree, imperial mother will quickly arrange a marriage for me.”


  Parting ways. Selecting a husband.

  After hearing these words, Yang Zhen turned Zhao Liuli around and tightly hugged her against his chest. He hoarsely said, “You can’t.” Select another husband.

  Zhao Liuli felt as if her body was going to be snapped in half by him. How did his hands become so strong after going to Guang Dong? The young princess blinked. Still feeling angry, she asked, “Why can’t I? Someone even recently gave you two captured slaves. I saw them. They look very beautiful. You already have other women. Why do I have to continue obediently stay with you?”


  Yang Zhen awkwardly explained, “I didn’t accept them.”


  Zhao Liuli leaned against his chest and heard the sound of his beating heart. It didn’t seem to match his calm expression at all. “Did you have other women in Guang Dong?”


  Yang Zhen seemed to want to absorb her into his body, “I didn’t.”


  Zhao Liuli raised her head to look at him, but she could only see his firm chin and his blade-sharp silhouette. She couldn’t see his eyes. “Then, did you think about me?”


  Yang Zhen hugged her without speaking. The longing that he felt for her couldn’t be clearly expressed by words.

  Of course, he missed her. He was only able to pass every life-threatening moment because he was thinking of her.

  But, Zhao Liuli wouldn’t wait to hear his answer. She angrily pushed him away and prepared to jump down from the horse. “Never mind then. I want to go back. Let go of me.”


  How could Yang Zhen be willing to let her go? He held her by the waist to prevent her from jumping down from the horse. He said, “I thought about you.”


  Zhao Liuli was unwilling to easily forgive him. “How much did you think about me?”


  Yang Zhen silently looked at her with his pitch-black eyes as if there was something brewing inside of him. Before Zhao Liuli could react, he held her small face and swooped down to kiss her. Their lips seemed glued together. Right now, Yang Zhen didn’t care about adhering to the etiquette between a princess and her subject. After touching Zhao Liuli’s lips, he impatiently rushed in. He hadn’t tasted her for so long and he couldn’t stop once he started. Yang Zhen was remarkably like a wild wolf that had been hungry for a long time. Once he seized this small, white rabbit, he devoured it with all his energy. The sound of their kisses was so loud that Zhao Liuli blushed as she heard the sound.

  A long time later, Zhao Liuli’s mouth and tongue had already become numb. Their transparent saliva slid down her lower jaws. Yang Zhen continued to linger over her lips, then he lowered his head and licked her chin clean of saliva.

  Yang Zhen’s burning hot palm held her waist as he whispered into her ear, “I thought about you this much.”


  Zhao Liuli’s face was thoroughly red. She bit her bottom lip, but it only tasted of him.

  The young princess’s gaze moved about. Her hopeful eyes were dazzling. She was much more obedient after being fiercely kissed and didn’t mention that she wanted to return to the palace.

  Yang Zhen required a great deal of self-control to restrain his emotions and stop his hands from violating her. He said, “Liuli, don’t marry someone else.”


  Zhao Liuli wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face into his sturdy chest. “You were the one that wrote those words in the letter.”


  Yang Zhen paused. Then, he said, “I wrote the letter when I was injured and my life was in peril.” Actually, he regretted writing the letter as soon he finished writing it.

  Zhao Liuli finally remembered the other parts of the letter now. She hurriedly raised her head, “What about now? Is your injury okay now?”


  Yang Zhen nodded. He lifted her hand and placed it on the left side of his chest. “It’s mostly recovered. It’s okay now.”


  Because he didn’t want to hide anything from her, he told Zhao Liuli the story of how he got injured.

  When their side had attacked the rebel army led by its leader, the opposing group had surrounded Yang Zhen. While Yang Zhen was heavily outnumbered, he received a arrow wound to his chest. The arrow had struck only half an inch from his heart. Moreover, the tip of the arrow had been soaked in poison and Yang Zhen remained unconscious. A few doctors had watched over him for two days and two nights before they were able to save his life. He really thought he wouldn’t be able to survive.

  Zhao Jie had coincidentally sent people to inquire about him at this time, so that was why he had written that sentence in the letter before he fell unconscious.

  But, he had regretted his words right after he finished writing the letter. He couldn’t bear to give Zhao Liuli to someone else. Thus, he relied on his mental strength and unexpectedly woke up. On the third day, his fever diminished. The doctors all said that his recovery had been a miracle.

  Even now, his wound wasn’t completely healed even thought the poison had been removed. But, Yang Zhen didn’t tell this part to Zhao Liuli.

  He had downplayed what had happened, but Zhao Liuli knew that he must have suffered unendurable pain. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have written those words. “Let me see your injury.” She couldn’t let go of her worries.

  Yang Zhen held her hand and said, “Really, it’s fine.”


  How could Zhao Liuli believe to his words? The two of them came down from the horse and she pressed him down on a flat, smooth stone by the side of the stream. She opened his robe to examine his injury.

  Yang Zhen stared at her as she did this. He seemed helpless, but there was a hidden smile in his eyes.

  Zhao Liuli immediately saw the frightful-looking scar. The wound had only recently scabbed. There were crisscrossing marks left on the flesh from the doctors cleaning out the poison from the injury. Her heart felt pained as she saw this sight. She touched the newly healed over flesh and asked, “Does it hurt?”


  Yang Zhen shook his head.

  Yang Zhen had several other deep and shallow scars on his body in addition to the scar on his chest. There were new scars and old scars. Zhao Liuli glared at him in dissatisfaction. “Older brother Yang Zhen is still young. Look at these scars. How are you taking care of yourself? Don’t you value your life?” If something had happened to him and he didn’t return, what would she do?

  Yang Zhen closed his robes and took her into his arms. “I’ll be more careful in the future.”


  Zhao Liuli sniffled and obediently cuddled into his embrace. Never mind, everything was fine as long as he came back. She would take care of him in the future.

  ——-

  It was a harmonious spring day and the Japanese roses and peonies in the back garden had blossomed into flowers. Wei Luo wanted to make new rouge, so she called Jin Lu and Bai Lan to her side and carried a colorful, flower bowl to the back garden to pick flower petals.

  Yang Zhen had come to the residence an hour ago. He and Zhao Jie were currently having a conversation in the study.

  After Wei Luo had picked half a bowl of peony petals, she had Jin Lu bring a copper basin of purified water. Then, she poured the petals into the basin to begin washing the flower petals.

  An hour later, Wei Luo finished washing the flower petals and was starting to lay out the petals underneath the sunlight to dry them.

  Zhao Jie had finished discussing his work. When he returned to their bedroom, he found out that Wei Luo was in the back garden drying flower petals, so he walked over there.

  Wei Luo was kneeling on the bamboo mat laid out next to the flowerbed. She picked up a flower petal and put it into her mouth. After she tasted it, her bright, black eyes turned and she said to Jin Lu, “Go and bring back more honey and mica.”


  Jin Lu acknowledged the order. When she turned around to leave and saw Zhao Jie, she hurriedly saluted, “Your Highness.”


  Hearing Jin Lu’s voice, Wei Luo turned her head and asked, “Did you finish talking with Yang Zhen?”


  Zhao Jie walked to her side, grasped her white wrist, and lifted it up. He lowered his head and licked the flower nectar from her fingertips. He asked a question in reply, “Do flower petals taste good?”


  Wei Luo blinked, “They taste pure and sweet.”


  “Let me taste them too.” As he said this, his left hand moved to the back of Wei Luo’s head and not allowing any resistance, he kissed down.

  After he pried open her lips and teeth and tasted everything inside and out, he finally commented, “It’s not as tasty as milky egg soup.”


  Wei Luo pushed him away, pursed her lips, and said, “Bai Lan is still here.”


  But when she turned her head, she saw that Bai Lan had already discreetly walked away with Jin Lu.