The sky had darkened, and the entire camp was illuminated by the bonfires, but after days of rushing to travel, everyone was very tired, and they all rested early, except for the patrolling soldiers, with few people moving around.

  Meili washed Yonghe's used handkerchief in the small stream at the edge of the camp, and the starry sky of spring formed a magnificent vault on the vast plain, so beautiful that it made people sigh. Meili squatted on the stone by the stream, gazing up at the endless Milky Way, completely enchanted.

  "I'm done." Yonghe, who had been building a fire on the shore, shouted. He used two large tree forks to prop up a horizontal pole and hung an iron pot from it. The wormwood juice inside gradually thickened as the water temperature rose.

  By the firelight, he saw the faint melancholy on her face. "What's wrong?" He walked closer to her and gently wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

  Meili leaned into his arms, gazing up at the vast starry sky and sighed, "This vast night sky, I... really love watching it. It's much more beautiful than what I saw in the capital city or the imperial palace!"

  "That's easy, later, as long as you're willing, I'll take you out of the city to see." Yonghe smiled and hugged her tightly.

  Meili smiled but didn't answer, and afterwards... the opportunity became scarce. She was determined to be a good wife, a good daughter-in-law, and a good mother, busy with household chores from dawn till dusk, and also having to attend to palace duties, she probably wouldn't have the leisure to enjoy such carefree moments again.

  "I heard Ama say that the Emperor intends to appoint him as the Governor of Fujian and Zhejiang, at that time I will also ask for leave from our ancestors and the Emperor, and follow Ama to take office. This way... " He gently nudged her forehead with his chin, gazing longingly into the depths of the night sky, "I can take you far away from these annoying people and things in the capital, and live a leisurely life for a few years. Where do you want to go? I'll take you there, the beautiful scenery of Jiangnan, the charm of Fujian and Zhejiang..."

  She blankly raised her head to look at his emotional and handsome face, deeply enchanted by the happy future he had enlightened for her. She gazed at him gratefully, her eyes gradually becoming blurry... He was the warm haven she had been searching for all along!

  "Yonghe..." She dazedly called out to him, with tears of gratitude and happiness streaming down.

  "Why are you crying?" He let her lie in the crook of his arm, gazing intently at her lovely and charming face. Her beautiful eyes, which originally shone like a spring river and autumn moon, were now veiled with a layer of gentle mist, making one's heart ache with pity. His throat moved slightly, and his lips had already fallen on those clear and captivating eyes that had taken away his three souls and seven spirits.

  She... is too beautiful, too good! No matter what he wants to exchange for her, he is willing! Life can also be exchanged! Let alone fame and wealth!

  She let out a soft **, as his kiss made her whole body tremble, but she didn't pull away. Instead, with some awkwardness yet determination, she raised both arms to wrap around his neck.

  He groaned, his emotions at a peak, and rolled with her from the low round stone to the grassy creek bank, using his body and arms to enfold and protect her, not letting her suffer even half an injury.

  “Mei Li……” He pinned her to the grass, but propped himself up on his elbows, taking his weight off her. He whispered her name like a sigh, and pressed his scorching lips onto her tender cherry-red mouth. She awkwardly clenched her teeth, and he indulged in her, releasing her small mouth that was already panting urgently. Suddenly, he licked her slender neck, and she cried out in surprise. He fiercely sucked on her slightly parted lips, pouring his affection into her softness.

  She was shaking violently, letting out a low moan under him, Yonghe felt the hot fire rising from his body rushing into his brain, he was a bit flustered as he went to unbutton her collar, he wanted to be gentle with her, but his desire for her surpassed everything, he rubbed against the soft and plump flesh under her thin spring shirt, she let out a few panicked "en"s, making him almost explode.

  A cold laugh, like pouring water on already red-hot metal, suddenly extinguished the fire that was about to melt. Yonghe's scalp exploded, and he quickly covered up the clothes for Mei Li, who had already fainted and trembled under him, and looked up at this ignorant person with shame and annoyance.

  "Jingxuan?" He furrowed his brow, staring back at them with an expressionless face, but his eyes gleaming with a dangerous light under the night sky. Jingxuan appeared around them... and the number of times he showed up beside Meili was already making him suspicious.

  "It's just... a few feet away from the camp." He sneered, his tone icy and mocking, his eyes cruelly fixed on her as she trembled in Yonghe's arms, her back to him. "Don't you have any shame, don't you value your lives?" His laughter was even more cutting than his harsh words.

  Yonghe looked at him for a while, let go of Mei Li and stood up, "What are you doing here?"

  Jingxuan was infuriated by his impudent tone, but he merely narrowed his eyes coldly. "Your mother has arrived and can't find you anywhere."

  Yonghe furrowed his brow and remained silent. Such a trivial matter could have been handled by sending someone else, but... If it were really the servant who came to see what happened earlier... He was indeed reckless, and he regretfully pursed his lips. Pulling along Mei Li, he softened his voice, "Come with me to see Ama."

  Mei nodded.

  "Your mother is now with a large group of noble ladies in the ancestral hall, and she's been looking for you for half a day. Are you going to let her go see them with you like that?" Jingxuan said in a low, mocking tone, his anger making him laugh as he raised his chin and pointed at Meili's disheveled clothes.

  Eiichi felt even more guilty, he was careless again. Someone saw him and Mirei... the one who got hurt was still her.

  "You go first, and she'll come back later!" Jingxuan commanded, brooking no argument.

  Eiichi was still hesitating, and Mirei shook her head with a smile, indicating that he didn't need to worry, and she gently pushed him forward. With no other good plan, Eiichi furrowed his brow and quickly walked towards the camp.

  As he passed by Jingxuan's side, Jingxuan raised the corner of his mouth and hummed a sarcastic laugh, "Take care of that thing of yours, what's the hurry? Are you afraid it will fly away? Don't harm her!"

  Yong He was taken aback for a moment before he finally lost his temper, "How dare you lecture me?! You're the last person who has the right to criticize me!"

  Jingxuan's expression didn't change, but he became even more icy, "Is that so?"

  "Yonghe, go quickly." Meri had already turned her back to them and was calmly putting the washed handkerchiefs into the boiling mugwort soup one by one. Her calmness soothed the two men who were about to blow their tops. "Don't keep Ama waiting, I'll be right back."

  Yonghe smiled slightly and glared at Jingxuan before quickly walking away.

  Jingxuan's face was finally filled with anger, "Do you still want to have a face?!" He scolded her without any restraint, not afraid of hurting her at all. "You haven't even married him yet!" He took a deep breath, fearing that he would say something even more vicious, "So close to the camp, being seen by others, how can you still be human?! Are you really so lacking in men?!"

  Her shoulders trembled slightly, and then she actually laughed, her laughter choking back the anger that had been pent up in his chest.

  "Prince, you're really ridiculous."

  "What?!" He went mad, took a few steps forward, and grabbed her up. The mockery on her face made his anger burn through his five internal organs.

  "He is the husband appointed by our ancestors, whatever he wants... I'm willing!" She was fearless, he could no longer hurt her, since he had trampled on her last bit of infatuation, he could never hurt her again.

  He grabbed her shoulders and shook her violently, making her feel like vomiting. "What's wrong with you! Don't you care about anything except men?"

  She struggled to calm her nausea, and coldly laughed, "Yes! Besides Yonghe, I don't have anything else to care about anymore."

  It's ridiculous for him to question her like this! Did he ever think about her situation at the beginning? Did he ever think about what kind of blame and ridicule she would face?

  One sentence struck his weak spot. He stiffened and loosened his grip, "Mei Li... are you still blaming me?"

  She couldn't help but snicker and looked away. Yes, he had the capital to think that women's hearts would always be on him, unfortunately... she wasn't anymore.

  "I've said it many times before, Your Highness. With your wedding approaching, don't let the matters between us husband and wife distract you anymore."

  His expression turned cruel again, he let go of his hand, glanced at her with a cold smile, "Husband and wife? You're quite generous to admit it."

  She got free from his hand and continued to stir the handkerchief in the grass juice with a wooden stick, picking out the cooked ones and putting them into a clean small basin.

  Jingxuan looked at her silently, "Meili, how could you do this to me? If only you had treated me the way you did him back then..." He didn't want to say something that would make himself feel humiliated and ashamed, so he paused for a moment, "How could I have abandoned you?"

  She shuddered violently, scalding hot grass juice dripping onto her hand, and she jumped in pain.

  "Be careful!" He hastily rushed over, throwing the handkerchief and wooden stick far away from her hands. He grasped her hand, "Where did you get burned?"

  That pang of pain had passed, she lowered her eyes and stiffly pulled her hand back from his.

  "Your Highness, the past... is all in the past."

  Maybe he was right, the her who didn't understand things back then couldn't have gained his favor, but... it's all meaningless now, who was wrong to whom, who owed whom, it's all meaningless.

  "Is it over?" He sneered.

  "Prince Wang, please return. The current Mei Li and... Jing Xuan," she said his name with a bitter tone, still making his heart shrink, "are already different."

  "Right!" He hummed in agreement, saying it was all different now!

  A faint rustling sound came from the nearby thicket. Mei Li didn't notice, but he was vigilant and shouted, "Who's there?!"

  Meili was startled and before she could react, Jingxuan had already rushed over to the grass thicket and pulled out a trembling Qingxin.

  "How long have you been watching here?!" He angrily pinched Jing Xian's neck, with a burst of blue veins on his forehead.

  Meili was taken aback by him, how could he be so angry?

  "No... didn't see anything... I just arrived." Jing Xian was trembling and could hardly stand.

  Jing Xuan narrowed his eyes, throwing her onto the grass, his face had already calmed down, but his eyes still overflowed with hidden murderous intent. "Oh? Is that so?"

  Jing Xian was also frightened by his cruelty and nodded desperately.

  "If..." He smiled like a bloodthirsty demon, "I heard someone mention tonight's matter, Jing Xian, I don't need your life, your mother is already old and ill at home, if all of your brothers went to the border to guard, wouldn't your days be very easy?"

  Her face turned deathly pale, and she couldn't utter a word.

  Meili silently watched him, why was he so concerned... Was he afraid that Su Ying would know that he had said these words to her?

  "You're so garrulous, always causing trouble and courting disaster!" He coldly sneered at Jingyan, "If I find out you're still speaking ill of her behind her back, stirring up trouble, then be prepared to go with your brother to the border to serve the country well!" His gaze turned complex as he looked at Meili.

  "Run!" He turned around and pulled Meryl who was silently lost in thought.

  "My handkerchief." She tried to pull her hand away from his.

  "Ah!" Jingxuan couldn't bear it anymore and pinched her wrist, Meili's eyes welled up with tears but she refused to cry out in pain, he could only loosen his grip.

  He shook her off, doused the fire with a bucket of water, and glared at Jingxian, who was still sitting on the grass in a daze. "Still not leaving?!"

  She stumbled and fell, then scrambled to her feet and ran back to the camp.

  He picked up the small basin filled with handkerchiefs and walked towards the camp, Mei Li reached out to take it, he irritably stuffed it into her hands, using so much force that she took two steps back.

  "Are you going to always cause trouble and leave me to clean up after you?!" he said in a hateful tone.