The moment the thought surfaced, Feng Lezhen reached to lift the curtain to confirm it—but before her hand could extend, Ah Ye abruptly pushed her down onto the cushioned bench. An arrow flew past, grazing their backs and embedding itself into the floor of the carriage. The arrowhead sank deep, the fletching still quivering.
Enraged, Ah Ye pulled the arrow and flung it outside. A scream immediately followed. She yanked a whistle from around her neck and blew hard—within seconds, dozens of hidden guards sprang forth, engaging the enemy troops in a chaotic melee.
The carriage continued to speed forward, with relentless pursuers behind. Ah Ye wrapped Feng Lezhen in blankets from the soft couch, grabbed her bow and quiver, and asked, “Your Highness, will you be afraid if I’m not by your side?”
Feng Lezhen understood what she was about to do. She gave a small nod. “Be careful.”
“Yes!” Ah Ye responded before leaping out of the carriage. The next moment, Shen Suifeng was shoved inside, locking eyes with Feng Lezhen in surprise.
“What are you doing here?” Feng Lezhen frowned.
Shen Suifeng replied awkwardly, “Miss Ah Ye said I was in the way and shoved me in.”
There were only two spots outside the carriage—Ah Ye needed one to fight, and Chen Jinan had to drive. So he, the “hindrance,” was pushed inside.
The sounds of fighting raged on. The soft jingle of the bells could barely be heard amid the bloodshed, but Feng Lezhen caught it clearly. And uncontrollably, the sound drew her thoughts back to those cold palace days in her past life.
The curtain flapped open in the wind, and she saw the leading figure astride a black steed. The youth rode with nimble grace, dressed in a sleek outfit of black and crimson. His long black hair was tied in a high ponytail, streaming behind him as the horse galloped. A silk kerchief embroidered with subtle golden patterns covered the lower half of his face, revealing only a pair of dark, cold eyes.
At his slim waist hung a string of slightly worn bells. As he moved, the bells swayed gently, producing a sound only Feng Lezhen would notice.
A sharp arrow whistled through the air, aiming straight for his throat. The youth suddenly leaned back; the arrow grazed his Adam’s apple and buried itself in the chest of someone behind him.
“What flexibility!” Shen Suifeng couldn’t help but admire, physician instincts kicking in.
Feng Lezhen gave him a silent side glance.
“Ah Ye’s archery is truly supernatural,” Shen Suifeng added, realizing it might be a bit inappropriate to be complimenting anyone right now.
Feng Lezhen replied, “You’d be better off saying nothing.”
Shen Suifeng chuckled. “Your Highness, do you know who they are?”
Feng Lezhen withdrew her gaze. “Feng Ji’s men.”
It took Shen Suifeng a moment to recall who Feng Ji was. When he saw her calm expression, he couldn’t help but remark, “The way siblings of the royal family interact is… truly unique and astonishing. I sincerely admire it.”
“No wonder it was so easy to leave the city today,” Feng Lezhen said with a cool expression. “Turns out he had already guessed I’d leave early and set up an ambush. He’s only ever been clever a handful of times in his life—and all that cleverness was spent on me.”
Even as the pursuers relentlessly closed in, she remained as composed as if Mount Tai were collapsing in front of her. Unfortunately… Shen Suifeng looked at the layers of blankets wrapped around her and, for some reason, suddenly thought of the snowmen children liked to build in winter.
Round. Puffed up. Stubborn.
His lips curved into a faint smile. When Feng Lezhen looked at him suspiciously, he quickly turned his gaze away, pretending nothing had happened.
Ah Ye fired her final arrow—hitting the enemy’s last archer squarely. Now that both sides were out of long-range weapons, it came down to one thing: speed.
“Lose them,” Ah Ye instructed Chen Jinan.
Gripping the reins with one hand and raising the whip with the other, Chen Jinan called back, “Your Highness, hold on tight!”
Feng Lezhen gave a brief acknowledgment. The whip lashed down, and the four horses neighed and surged forward wildly. Though Chen Jinan had warned them in advance, the sudden acceleration still caught Feng Lezhen off guard. As they descended a slope, the cups on the little table rolled to the floor—and she, too, silently slid toward Shen Suifeng’s legs.
“Why the sudden courtesy, Your Highness?” Shen Suifeng raised a brow.
Ever since the ambush began, Feng Lezhen had been sitting on the floor. Now that she had slid to his legs, it truly looked like she was kneeling.
In response to his teasing, Feng Lezhen held out her hand with royal dignity. “Help me up.”
Shen Suifeng smiled and pulled her to her feet.
Just then, the carriage hit a rock. The vehicle jolted, and Feng Lezhen, halfway upright, lost her balance and landed squarely on his lap.
Their eyes met. Neither spoke.
Her long hair fell, trailing over his chest. A faint scent of makeup and powder reached his nose. Shen Suifeng’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and he instinctively held his breath.
Feng Lezhen lowered her eyes, watching him thoughtfully for a moment before asking, “Stunned by my beauty?”
“…I’ve practiced medicine for many years,” Shen Suifeng explained calmly, “and I’ve seen more people than Your Highness has had meals. Tall or short, beautiful or ugly—it’s all the same to a doctor. Just flesh and bones.”
Feng Lezhen raised an eyebrow. “I only said a few words, and yet Mr. Shen seems to have a whole speech ready.”
Before she could finish, the carriage curtain was suddenly lifted, and Ah Ye’s shocked voice followed: “Your Highness! At a time like this, how do you still have the mind for that?!”
Chen Jinan turned at the sound and paused when he saw their posture.
The two caught in the act remained composed. Feng Lezhen even calmly reached under the table and tossed an arrow case over.
“Nothing’s going on. Focus on driving.”
The arrow case was for Ah Ye, but the words were clearly meant for Chen Jinan. After the curtain was drawn shut again, Shen Suifeng said with a strange feeling he couldn’t quite name, “Is Your Highness explaining because you’re afraid he’ll get jealous?”
“I just don’t want him thinking I’m an idiot who loses all reason over lust,” Feng Lezhen said as she rose from his lap.
With the weight gone, Shen Suifeng sat up straighter, though he still felt the lingering scent of rouge around him.
Since Feng Ji had sent men, he had clearly prepared thoroughly. Despite interference from their hidden guards, nearly half the enemy had broken through and were charging straight toward the carriage—led by the youth with the bell on his waist.
“Your Highness,” Ah Ye burst in after pulling open the curtain, flustered, “I don’t know who that boy is, but he’s ridiculously strong. If we don’t come up with something, they’ll catch us soon!”
Feng Lezhen looked out the back window. As expected, the boy was still in hot pursuit.
“If it comes to it, I’ll fight them off,” Ah Ye said angrily, reaching for a weapon.
“You’re no match for him,” Feng Lezhen said coolly.
Ah Ye froze. “Who?”
“Where are our men?” Feng Lezhen asked.
“All outside. They’re tied up. Right now, I’m the only guard on the carriage,” Ah Ye replied.
Feng Lezhen frowned and glanced at the four excellent horses pulling the carriage. She made a decision on the spot. “Cut the reins. We’ll abandon the carriage.”
“But—”
“The carriage is heavy, loaded with baggage. It’s only a matter of time before we’re caught. Just follow the order,” Shen Suifeng interjected. As someone now forcibly tied to them, he couldn’t stand aside.
Seeing the enemy draw closer, Ah Ye gritted her teeth and drew a long blade. Chen Jinan, understanding her intent, leaned forward to saddle the horses, then pulled the carriage to the side. Together, they cut the reins.
The four horses neighed with joy as they broke free from their burden. Ah Ye and Shen Suifeng each mounted one. Feng Lezhen moved to do the same, but Chen Jinan suddenly grabbed her wrist.
“What is it?” she asked, only to have her outer robe removed by him.
Ah Ye, seeing this from horseback, immediately shouted, furious, “Chen Jinan, what are you doing?!”
Without saying a word, Chen Jinan threw his own outer robe over Feng Lezhen’s shoulders and donned her clothes himself before mounting a horse. Ah Ye, realizing what he intended, immediately let go of her anger—and even looked a little awkward.
“Sorry… I thought…” she muttered.
Chen Jinan showed no reaction to the misunderstanding.
Once Feng Lezhen came to her senses, she quickly mounted a horse. The four of them sped off immediately.
Though the Eldest Princess’s household wasn’t wealthy, everything she used was the finest in the capital. Even the carriage horses were rare thoroughbreds. Now freed from the burden of the carriage, the horses ran even faster. Unfortunately, the pursuers were quick too, and they couldn’t shake them off.
The sound of bells rang behind them incessantly, and soon a fork in the road appeared up ahead.
“Your Highness, let’s split up,” Ah Ye proposed. “I’ll go with Chen Jinan to draw them off. You and Mr. Shen take the other path.” She knew that in everyone’s eyes, whoever she followed would be assumed to be the Eldest Princess—so she didn’t hesitate to decide.
Feng Lezhen frowned and was about to refuse when Ah Ye turned to Shen Suifeng and threatened darkly, “Mr. Shen, I hope you’ll protect Her Highness well. If anything happens to her, I swear I’ll go to your family in Nanhe and wipe your entire name from the genealogy.”
“Threatening people at a time like this—how very fitting,” Shen Suifeng remarked lazily.
Ah Ye gave a cold laugh, then turned to Feng Lezhen with a pleading expression.
As the fork in the road neared, Feng Lezhen had fully regained her composure. “Tell the shadow guards not to linger in battle. Preserve themselves. We’ll regroup in Zhen’an. And—”
She looked firmly at Ah Ye and Chen Jinan. “You two had better stay alive. If either of you loses even a finger, I won’t forgive you.”
Shen Suifeng raised an eyebrow. Now he finally knew where Ah Ye got her threatening streak.
With her orders received, Ah Ye shot a signal flare into the sky and galloped down one of the paths. Chen Jinan followed silently, saying nothing—only giving Feng Lezhen a deep look as he passed her.
Feng Lezhen smiled at him, then pulled her reins and galloped off with Shen Suifeng down the other road. The pursuers hesitated at the fork, then turned to look at the black-clad youth at the front.
The youth frowned, instinctively choosing to follow Ah Ye. But just as he made that decision, he glanced toward the other path again, as if pulled by instinct.
His horse had already hit the path. If he turned back now, they might lose both targets. He had no choice but to charge forward and signal the reinforcements to take the other route.
As they raced forward, Shen Suifeng, hearing the noise of the pursuers behind them, still had the leisure to comment, “I didn’t expect Your Highness to be so skilled at riding.”
“In desperate times, knowing how to escape properly is a crucial skill,” Feng Lezhen said, expression blank, hands gripping the reins tightly.
Shen Suifeng gave a short laugh and glanced back at the relentless pursuers. “What a pity—Miss Ah Ye’s plan didn’t work. The pursuers are still coming.”
Feng Lezhen also looked back, but didn’t spot the bell-wearing youth among the group.
“Who says it didn’t work?”
Shen Suifeng didn’t quite understand what she meant, but seeing her suddenly spur her horse faster, he immediately followed.
The two of them continued forward, but the surroundings grew increasingly unfamiliar, and the terrain became more uneven. The pursuers clearly knew this area better than they did and were slowly closing the distance on the rough paths.
At this rate, being caught was only a matter of time.
Shen Suifeng’s brows gradually furrowed. Glancing sideways at Feng Lezhen, he saw her face just as grim—yet for some reason, he couldn’t help but smile.
“Your Highness, do you trust me?” he asked.
Feng Lezhen shot him a wary look. “What are you trying to do?”
Before she could finish, Shen Suifeng suddenly reached over and yanked the reins from her hands, forcing the horse to a stop. The galloping horse reared with a sharp neigh, throwing Feng Lezhen off balance and sending her tumbling down.
At the last possible moment, Shen Suifeng caught her mid-fall and leapt down with her.
As the pursuers closed in, he grabbed her hand and darted toward a ditch on the side of the road. The area around the ditch was muddy and partially collapsed, impassable for horses. Seeing this, the pursuers dismounted and gave chase on foot.
Though Shen Suifeng was pulling her along, Feng Lezhen still couldn’t run fast. They barely scrambled across the ditch to a patch of flat, barren land before being completely surrounded.
Shen Suifeng stepped in front of Feng Lezhen, using his tall frame to shield her fully. He joked casually as if negotiating, “Gentlemen, we’re just small fry meant to draw you away. Her Highness is on the other path—why not let us go? We even have some silver…”
He hadn’t even finished when the pursuers rushed forward. The smile remained on Shen Suifeng’s lips, but his gaze turned sharp. He pulled Feng Lezhen back step by step, and just as they closed in, he suddenly pulled out a pouch of powder and flung it into the air.
By the time the attackers realized they should hold their breath, itching had already spread across their bodies. And when they noticed the itching, dizziness had already taken over—they were completely incapacitated.
Feng Lezhen watched them collapse and writhe on the ground like monkeys, wailing in agony. The scene struck her as oddly familiar—this was exactly how the guards who tried to stop someone at Qing Wang’s residence had ended up.
As the wailing subsided, Shen Suifeng calmly took out silver needles and jabbed each of them a few times. Finally, peace returned to Feng Lezhen’s ears.
“Did you kill them?” she asked.
Shen Suifeng replied, “No. Just put them to sleep for two or three days.”
“Why not kill them?” Feng Lezhen said, displeased.
Spreading his hands, Shen Suifeng said, “Because I’m a doctor, not a butcher.”
Feng Lezhen gave him a cold glance and turned to walk back the way they came.
Shen Suifeng clicked his tongue and followed lazily. “Why didn’t Your Highness do it yourself?”
“No strength,” Feng Lezhen replied.
Shen Suifeng raised an eyebrow. “Riding wore you out?”
She stopped and gave him a flat look. “Running did.”
Shen Suifeng laughed. “Your Highness could ride all that time without tiring, but a little running wore you out?”
“Yes. Got a problem with that?” she shot back.
Just as he was about to respond, he noticed the sweat beading on her nose, and her complexion had paled.
The smile slipped from his face. He was about to ask what was wrong when he saw her walking normally, but with some difficulty—and the back of her skirt was already dotted with blood.
“You’re injured?” He caught up in a few steps. “When did it happen?”
Feng Lezhen ignored him.
Seeing that the blood was at her lower back and hip area, Shen Suifeng hesitated before asking, “Your period?”
Feng Lezhen stopped.
“I’m a doctor,” Shen Suifeng said innocently.
Expressionless, Feng Lezhen said, “No.”
“Then…”
“Too much riding. It chafed.”
Shen Suifeng: “…” He finally understood why she’d been giving him the cold shoulder. Anyone who got hurt and then dragged along in a mad dash would be in a bad mood.
Earlier, while fleeing for their lives, she had felt the injury but the pain hadn’t been obvious. Now that they were temporarily out of danger, it felt ten times worse—every step was a struggle. She paused to catch her breath and was about to keep walking when her body suddenly left the ground.
She blinked, stunned, and found herself being carried in Shen Suifeng’s arms.
“Presumptuous,” she said calmly.
Shen Suifeng gave her a sideways glance. “If you can’t walk, don’t push yourself.”
Feng Lezhen gave him a glance. “This place isn’t safe. We need to leave immediately.”
Though the pursuers had been dealt with, there was no telling if more would show up. What they needed to do was get out and regroup with Ah Ye and the others.
Shen Suifeng replied, “But you can’t ride now.”
“I can,” Feng Lezhen insisted, attempting to get down. But she accidentally pulled at the injury and let out a muffled grunt.
Shen Suifeng remarked, “Oh. And you can’t walk either.”
Feng Lezhen: “…”
Seeing that she finally stopped struggling, Shen Suifeng’s expression softened slightly. He carried her the few steps back to the road.
Earlier, they had just run blindly to escape. Now, all around them was unfamiliar terrain. The only small comfort was that the area on both sides of the road was wide and flat—with no trees or cover. If more pursuers came, they’d see them from a distance.
Shen Suifeng scanned the surroundings. Other than a few horses, there was no one else. He gently set Feng Lezhen down and took off his outer robe to lay on the ground.
“Your Highness.” He made an inviting gesture.
Feng Lezhen frowned and glanced back at the unconscious pursuers.
“They won’t be waking up anytime soon, and no one else is likely to come for now,” Shen Suifeng explained.
Only then did Feng Lezhen reach out her hand to him.
Shen Suifeng paused, then, understanding her intention, chuckled helplessly and supported her gently as she slowly sat down. He then took out some wound medicine and gauze.
“All the luggage was left in the carriage. Where did you get these things?” Feng Lezhen asked, holding up the gauze.
Shen Suifeng smiled. “A doctor always carries his tools.”
Feng Lezhen didn’t press further and signaled for him to come apply the medicine.
“…Me?” Shen Suifeng was surprised.
Now that the worst of the pain had passed, Feng Lezhen’s patience had slightly improved. “You expect me to do it myself?”
Shen Suifeng clearly did, but looking at Her Highness’s expression, it didn’t quite match his assumption.
He paused, then reminded her, “Your Highness, the injury is near the top of your thigh.”
“So?”
“You’re a woman,” he emphasized more clearly.
Feng Lezhen looked at the empty road, then at the unconscious soldiers. “Is anyone peeking?”
“…No.” Shen Suifeng hesitated.
Feng Lezhen was silent for a moment, then suddenly understood what he was struggling with.
“You’re a doctor,” she said calmly.
Shen Suifeng hesitated again, then smiled. “Even doctors have their limits… but since Your Highness insists, I suppose I have nothing to be shy about.”
He took the bandage and medicine back. When he saw her lift her dress up to her waist, a flicker of discomfort passed across his face, but when he caught sight of the bloodstained undergarments beneath, his brows furrowed deeply.
As she tried to pull them off herself, the pain drained the color from her face. Shen Suifeng immediately knelt and carefully helped remove them.
When the undergarments were finally pulled down, the wound on her inner thighs was fully revealed—two fist-sized abrasions, bloody and raw, with torn fabric embedded in the flesh. Against the pale, jade-like skin around them, it was a jarring sight.
“Your Highness really has a high pain tolerance,” Shen Suifeng muttered helplessly.
Most people would have stopped the moment their skin broke, but she had kept going until the wounds were this bad—like walking barefoot on knives, every step worsening the pain.
“I need to remove the debris first. Bear with it, and if it’s really too painful, say something.”
Just as he was about to start, Feng Lezhen said, “It hurts.”
“…I haven’t even started,” Shen Suifeng replied.
“Oh.”
He moved to begin again.
“It hurts,” she repeated.
“…”
After a brief silence, Shen Suifeng pulled out a handkerchief. “Bite this, Your Highness. If it hurts… just bite down.”
“…”
They stared at each other for a moment. In the end, she didn’t take the handkerchief, nor did she complain again. Her face grew even paler, looking oddly pitiful. Her silence made Shen Suifeng unconsciously soften his movements, often glancing up at her expression. Only when she gave him a pointed look did he finally focus completely.
He applied the medicine and carefully bandaged the wound. Then he helped pull her undergarments back on. “We’ll have to wait on clean clothes—they’re still in the carriage. You’ll have to endure for now.”
As he spoke, he began neatening her outer garments as well. Feng Lezhen saw how smoothly he was working and didn’t stop him, simply watching with a calm expression.
Shen Suifeng only realized something was off when his hand reached her belt.
He paused and looked at her awkwardly—forgetting how close they were. The moment he lifted his head, he accidentally met her dark, unreadable eyes.
The faint scent of her cosmetics wafted over, stronger this time, mingled with something else. Shen Suifeng froze, momentarily dazed.
Feng Lezhen looked at him leisurely and asked, “Staring again?”
Shen Suifeng came back to himself and smiled. “Your Highness seems to enjoy asking that question. Do you think all men are just after beauty?”
“So Master Shen does consider me beautiful,” Feng Lezhen said, suddenly leaning in.
The distance between their lips vanished in an instant—maybe they touched, maybe it was just a brush of breath. Shen Suifeng’s breath caught. He instinctively tried to back away, but she grabbed his collar.
No escape.
It was too close. The scent of cosmetics overwhelmed the familiar scent of medicine. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he struggled for composure, finally speaking in a low voice: “Your Highness really goes all out to win Shen family support. But I’m no longer part of that family. No matter what you do, I can’t help you.”
Then he reached out his hand.
“Consultation fee: one hundred gold.”
Feng Lezhen had been in the mood to tease him, but the moment he mentioned money, she lost interest. “Put it on my tab.”
She lightly slapped his palm. Though not hard, it left Shen Suifeng’s hand tingling with numbness.
He casually picked up his coat from the ground. “How much do you owe me now?”
“Eleven hundred and eleven?” Feng Lezhen wasn’t sure anymore.
Shen Suifeng chuckled and didn’t ask further.
Even though no new pursuers had appeared, that didn’t mean they were safe yet—they still needed to leave as soon as possible. Feng Lezhen had just gone to mount the horse when Shen Suifeng swept her up again.
Last time, he had carried her in his arms. This time, he slung her over his shoulder.
“What are you doing?” This position was extremely uncomfortable. Feng Lezhen instinctively tried to struggle but didn’t dare move too much for fear of aggravating her wounds.
Shen Suifeng hoisted her onto the horse without preamble. “Don’t be upset, Your Highness. This might not be comfortable, but it’s the only way to keep your injury from worsening. Once we get through this stretch, we’ll find a village to rest.”
With that, he spurred the horse into a gallop, ignoring Feng Lezhen’s protests.
It had to be said, the position was indeed uncomfortable. Especially once the horse started running, the jolting became more and more intense. Her wound didn’t hurt much anymore, but it felt as if her brain was being shaken loose.
By the time Shen Suifeng stopped in a village, the first thing Feng Lezhen did was clutch a rock by the roadside and dry-heave. Shen Suifeng calmly waited for her to finish, and before she could explode at him, he quickly inserted a few acupuncture needles into the webbing between her thumb and index finger. The nausea faded considerably.
“If this happens again, I’ll kill you,” she said coldly.
Shen Suifeng looked completely innocent. “I was only thinking of Your Highness’s injury.”
Feng Lezhen gave a cold snort and couldn’t even be bothered to respond.
Shen Suifeng smiled, looked around briefly, then returned his gaze to her. “Please wait here a moment, Your Highness. I’ll go ask around in the village.”
Feng Lezhen ignored him. He raised his brows, then walked off on his own.
After all the commotion, they had missed lunchtime. The village was quiet, with only occasional barking dogs or crying children breaking the stillness. Shen Suifeng wandered through most of the village before finally encountering an old man smoking a pipe by his doorstep. He went up and asked what this place was.
“Lijia Village, Lianghe County. You lost, lad?” the old man asked.
There were nearly a hundred counties surrounding the capital, and Shen Suifeng couldn’t tell one from another, so he explained, “We were heading for Zhen’an.”
“Zhen’an’s east of here. This is the southern route,” the old man said.
“So we really did get lost…” Shen Suifeng paused, then asked, “Sir, my… little sister and I haven’t eaten all day. Would it be possible to get something to eat here?”
As he spoke, he pulled a jade clasp from his belt.
The old man hesitated, then shook his head. “Try another house. I can’t help you.”
He looked distinguished but travel-worn—who knew what his background was? If he were just a noble’s son, it’d be fine. But if he’d gotten into trouble in the capital and was fleeing, ordinary villagers like them could be ruined just by being associated.
Shen Suifeng knew exactly what the man was worried about. He reassured him again and again that he was just a doctor, not a criminal. Still, the old man wouldn’t budge.
Helpless, he changed tactics. “Sir, have you been coughing for years, and find it especially hard to sleep at night sometimes?”
The old man froze, clearly startled.
Shen Suifeng smiled—he knew the deal was sealed.
After persuading the old man, he hurried back to the village entrance. When he spotted the familiar figure in the distance, his pace slowed.
Likely because of the pain, Feng Lezhen wasn’t standing like before but had seated herself on a large stone. She was chatting idly with an older village woman.
The woman was facing his direction. She had been speaking animatedly, but upon seeing him, she blinked in surprise.
Feng Lezhen turned and heard the woman sigh in admiration. “What a handsome young man.”
Handsome? In Feng Lezhen’s eyes, Shen Suifeng had always been like a gold doll—so hard to say whether he was handsome… Who cared if a gold doll was good-looking? As long as it was big enough.
With that thought, she smiled faintly. “Back already?”
“Mm.” Shen Suifeng stepped forward and nodded politely to the older woman.
The woman glanced between the two of them, eyes darting quickly, then gasped. “Is that the stepson of yours who’s older than you?!”
Feng Lezhen maintained her serene smile. “That’s right.”
Shen Suifeng: “…?”
