Night had fallen, and the main courtyard of the marquis’s residence was brightly lit. The doors and windows of the bedroom remained tightly shut. The three members of the family inside had yet to come out.
Feng Lezhen sat in the courtyard, gazing at the stars above, lost in thought.
Shen Suifeng handed her a cup of water and asked, “Your Highness, why weren’t you surprised to see me still in Yingguan?”
“I’ve known all along that you hadn’t left—why should I be surprised?” Feng Lezhen countered. She recalled what Shen Suinian had said when he took his leave that day, and a trace of mockery flickered in her eyes. “That older brother of yours is a slick one. If I didn’t know you well enough, I might really have been fooled by him.”
Shen Suifeng chuckled. “So Your Highness saw through him from the beginning.”
“Qi Jingqing’s health…” Feng Lezhen looked up.
The smile on Shen Suifeng’s face faded. “His lamp is nearly out. If he doesn’t get treated, he won’t last more than a year.”
Feng Lezhen had already suspected this the moment she heard Shen Suifeng had returned from the marquis’s residence and shut himself away. But hearing it confirmed now with her own ears still caused her eyes to dim slightly.
After a while, she asked softly, “Can he be saved?”
“He can, but…” Shen Suifeng hesitated briefly, then listed all the possible side effects of the treatment.
When she heard that his appearance might be damaged, Feng Lezhen’s eyes flickered slightly.
“Your Highness, would you mind?” Shen Suifeng asked as he looked into her eyes.
Feng Lezhen gave a bitter smile. “I’m afraid he’s the one who minds.”
Shen Suifeng tugged the corner of his lips but didn’t argue.
The two of them chatted idly. Once everything was discussed, Qi Zhen and Song Lian came out of the room. Feng Lezhen and Shen Suifeng immediately stood up to greet them.
“Your Highness…” Song Lian hesitated. “Please go in and see him.”
Feng Lezhen gave a slight nod. She watched them leave, then was about to head inside—only to remember someone still stood in her way.
“…There are many herbs to prepare. I’ll head off now,” Shen Suifeng said with a smile and turned to leave.
“Suifeng,” Feng Lezhen suddenly called.
Shen Suifeng stopped in his tracks but didn’t turn around.
“Don’t do anything tonight. Rest first. The rest can wait until tomorrow,” she said gently.
“…Alright.”
The night was hazy, the moonlight sparse. Feng Lezhen stood alone in the courtyard for a while longer before pushing open the doors to the main bedroom.
At some point, the lamps inside had gone out. The room was pitch-black, lit only faintly by the snow outside the windows.
Her eyes adjusting to the dark, Feng Lezhen slowly approached the bed. The person lying there didn’t move, as if already asleep.
In the darkness, Feng Lezhen took his hand in hers.
No words were spoken through the night. When morning light finally poured in, Feng Lezhen suddenly opened her eyes—only to find herself lying alone on the bed, the man who should’ve been there already gone.
“Jingqing…” She immediately got up to search for him, but just as she stepped off the bed, Qi Jingqing walked in.
Their eyes met. Qi Jingqing chuckled. “Your Highness looks like she’s in a panic. Where were you rushing off to?”
Feng Lezhen gave him a side glance. “What else? Naturally, to go looking for you.”
“Were you afraid I might do something foolish in a moment of weakness?” Qi Jingqing’s eyes sparkled. “Don’t worry, Your Highness. Since I’ve already promised my parents I’ll receive treatment, I won’t go back on my word.”
Feng Lezhen’s expression eased a little. “It’s good that you’ve come around. I, too, hope you recover soon and can stay by my side for a long, long time.”
Qi Jingqing gave a faint smile but didn’t reply.
Feng Lezhen’s heart sank slightly, though her face remained calm. “Has Suifeng come by?”
“He came by early this morning. Said the herbs need to be steamed first to reduce their toxicity. It’ll take about three days,” Qi Jingqing replied warmly. “After that, the treatment will begin.”
Feng Lezhen nodded, just about to speak when she noticed something off about his complexion…
“You’ve finally noticed,” Qi Jingqing said with a wry smile.
Looking at the healthy flush on his face, Feng Lezhen was slightly puzzled. “Why do you look so well today?”
“I asked Dr. Shen for a favor—to needle a few major acupoints so I can stay in decent shape for these three days,” Qi Jingqing said as he spread his arms and turned in a circle before her. “See? I don’t even need a cane. I can walk just fine.”
Feng Lezhen’s brow furrowed slowly. “And what’s the cost of doing this?”
“What cost cou—”
“Qi Jingqing.” Her tone sharpened.
Called by his full name, Qi Jingqing immediately settled down. “In the past, doing this would mean needing to rest in bed for nearly three months afterward just to replenish the energy and blood. But Dr. Shen said the upcoming treatment in three days can make up for all the depletion. So… there are no real consequences.”
Knowing he had no reason to lie—and that with Shen Suifeng’s personality, he’d never let a patient recklessly harm themselves—Feng Lezhen met his gaze for a moment, then finally relaxed. “As long as it’s fine.”
“Your Highness,” Qi Jingqing looked at her tenderly, “for these next three days, can you do nothing at all and just stay with me?”
Feng Lezhen paused, then smiled lightly. “After these three days, we’ll still have three months, three years, thirty years. Why focus only on these three?”
“But I want only these three days,” Qi Jingqing said, lowering his eyes as he gently wrapped her hand in his.
The New Year had just passed. The air was still bitterly dry and cold, but with the windows and doors tightly shut and the floor heaters burning, it was easy to feel as though spring had already come.
The two of them stayed quiet for a long time. Finally, Feng Lezhen gave a soft smile. “Alright.”
“Thank you,” Qi Jingqing said, eyes full of warmth.
Unknowingly, this had already been Feng Lezhen’s fourth New Year in Yingguan. Ever since she arrived, even in her most idle moments, she had to constantly keep an eye on the court’s affairs in the capital. There was never a moment of peace. But this time, having promised to stay with Qi Jingqing for three days, she truly did nothing—thought of nothing—and simply accompanied him wholeheartedly.
She had thought that, with the way he insisted on three days and had needles restore him to normal, he must want to do something special. But during these three days, other than the occasional walk outside, they simply stayed in, playing chess, playing music, reading—just like they had done back at the Princess Residence.
Before they knew it, the third night had arrived. In just a few more hours, Qi Jingqing would begin treatment.
“No more chess tonight,” Feng Lezhen said gently when she saw him take out the chessboard again.
Qi Jingqing paused. “Your Highness is tired of it?”
“Why would I ever be tired of playing chess with you?” Feng Lezhen chuckled. “I just want to talk to you tonight.”
Qi Jingqing’s lips curved into a soft arc. He agreed, and set the chessboard aside.
The two of them sat on the bed, each wrapped in a blanket like children. They pulled over a small table, now covered in snacks. Feng Lezhen picked up a piece of hawthorn cake and brought it to Qi Jingqing’s lips.
“This is cold in nature. I shouldn’t eat much,” Qi Jingqing said—but he still took a big bite, deliberately biting down on her finger and leaving a tiny tooth mark at the tip.
Feng Lezhen gave him a calm glance. “Insolent.”
Qi Jingqing exposed his neck. “Your Highness can return the favor.”
“I’m not as childish as you,” Feng Lezhen said as she lightly knocked him on the head.
Qi Jingqing’s eyes filled with an even deeper smile. Suddenly, he threw off his blanket and slipped under Feng Lezhen’s covers, resting his head on her lap. “What does Your Highness want to talk about?”
“I don’t know. I just wanted to speak with you,” Feng Lezhen lowered her head and gently touched his beautiful earlobe.
Qi Jingqing closed his eyes. “It won’t be long before Your Highness returns to the capital, right?”
“Mhm. If nothing unexpected happens, probably sometime this year,” Feng Lezhen replied.
Qi Jingqing curved his lips. “Your Highness’s reputation has soared these past two years. That person in the capital has long been unable to sit still. If he learns you’re returning, I fear… an assassination that’s happened once can happen again—two times, three times. Your Highness must be cautious at every turn.”
“It’s nothing. With you by my side planning things for me, I fear nothing from him,” Feng Lezhen softly rubbed his ear.
Qi Jingqing was silent for a moment before smiling. “I don’t have many connections in the capital. I’m afraid I can’t be much help to Your Highness.”
“With you around, I always feel more at ease,” Feng Lezhen said quietly.
Qi Jingqing’s throat moved, but he said nothing.
Feng Lezhen looked at his slightly trembling lashes, her gaze gradually softening. “Jingqing, I know what you’re thinking. But from Yingguan to the capital, the road is too long. I need you to walk it with me. You can’t just give up on me because of some unfounded fears, leaving me alone and unsupported in the capital.”
“Your Highness’s influence in the capital hasn’t diminished with time. How could you be alone and unsupported…” Qi Jingqing let out a laugh, though his voice was slightly hoarse. “It’s not that I don’t believe in Your Highness. It’s just… after tomorrow, the face Your Highness likes most won’t be preserved. Rather than staying by your side with an unsightly appearance and letting time wear away our affection, I’d rather you remember me as I am now. If you think of me someday, at least it will be fondly.”
“I am shallow, it’s true. I do like looking at beautiful people,” Feng Lezhen leaned down and kissed his forehead, “but I’m not that shallow—not to the point that I’d stop liking you just because you became less attractive. Qi Jingqing, give me a little faith. I won’t let you down.”
Qi Jingqing still kept his eyes closed. But after her kiss fell, his lashes were slightly damp.
He remained silent for a long time and still said nothing.
Feng Lezhen didn’t force him. Her fingers gently kneaded his shoulders.
That night was only a few hours long, but the two of them didn’t sleep at all. The red candle on the table slowly melted into a puddle, and when the final flicker of flame quivered, it was finally extinguished.
A ray of sunlight shone into the room. Dawn had come.
“Your Highness,” Qi Jingqing said as he gently rubbed the faint bite mark on her fingertip, “leave a mark on me too. You won’t be allowed by my side during the treatment—let this take your place.”
Feng Lezhen said nothing. She lowered her head and bit down on his collarbone.
Qi Jingqing let out a muffled groan of pain and instinctively raised his chin, fully exposing his neck to her.
“Harder,” he said, the corners of his eyes reddening from the pain, yet still trembling as he asked.
Feng Lezhen’s gaze darkened. She only let go when the taste of blood filled her mouth.
Qi Jingqing touched the bloody bite mark, his eyes brimming with a smile. “Thank you, Your Highness.”
“Live. Don’t die.” These were Feng Lezhen’s only two requests of him.
Qi Jingqing stared fixedly at her, and only after she turned and left the bedroom did he finally make up his mind. “Alright.”
The treatment method Shen Suifeng used required seventy types of herbs to be burned in a brazier—more than half of which were poisonous. Before beginning, the seams of the doors and windows had to be sealed with wet clay. No one other than him was allowed inside, to prevent others from being poisoned as well.
Once everything was ready, the others exited the room, while Shen Suifeng headed in.
Feng Lezhen stopped him. “Everyone else is afraid of being poisoned. Aren’t you?”
“I’m a doctor. What’s there to fear?” Shen Suifeng chuckled.
Feng Lezhen stared at him.
Shen Suifeng gave a helpless smile. “Don’t worry, I’ve already taken an antidote. I’ll be fine.”
“Give some of the antidote to me too. I want to go in,” Feng Lezhen said calmly.
“I already took it all,” Shen Suifeng spread his hands.
“Shen Suifeng,” Feng Lezhen said, displeased.
Shen Suifeng laughed. “What, if I said I’d die from the poison inside, would Your Highness stop me from going in?”
Feng Lezhen’s gaze darkened. “That joke isn’t funny.”
“You didn’t deny it,” Shen Suifeng’s smile faded slightly. “It seems Qi Jingqing’s place in Your Highness’s heart is far deeper than he thinks. If I told him, he’d probably be happy.”
He brushed past her and walked straight into the room.
“Suifeng,” Feng Lezhen called after him, “I didn’t deny it because I know you wouldn’t risk your life. It’s not that I would disregard your life for the sake of Jingqing’s.”
Shen Suifeng’s eyes lit with a faint smile. “Don’t worry. I’ll really be fine. I’ve already treated two such patients before.”
With that earnest assurance, Feng Lezhen finally relaxed a little. “Heal him.”
“Don’t worry. I will.” Shen Suifeng gave her a glance before walking into the room.
The door and windows were sealed with wet clay. No sound came from within.
The page boy looked nervously at the sealed room, then turned to advise Feng Lezhen, “Your Highness, it’s better to wait outside the courtyard. Dr. Shen said that even though the room is sealed, there’s still a chance poisonous smoke could leak out. It’s safer to wait further away.”
Feng Lezhen stood still, staring at the tightly shut door, lost in thought.
“Your Highness…”
The page boy was about to persuade her again, but before he could finish speaking, Feng Lezhen had already turned and walked away.
The waiting was excruciatingly long. The entire Marquis’ residence seemed to come to a standstill—everyone was waiting for news from the main courtyard.
Qi Jingren stood with their parents, occasionally glancing at the completely silent main courtyard, and then at Feng Lezhen who stood motionless in the distance. After much internal struggle, she sighed softly, “Father, Mother, I’ll go check on Her Highness.”
“Jingren,” Song Lian was overwhelmed with unease and instinctively grasped her daughter’s hand.
Qi Jingren gently comforted her, “With Doctor Shen there, Brother will be fine. Don’t worry, Mother—just wait for good news.”
With that, she turned and walked toward Feng Lezhen.
As Song Lian watched her daughter walk away without looking back, a new kind of panic—different from her worry over her son—rose in her heart. It was as if, in that instant, she was about to lose her daughter too.
“Your Highness,” Qi Jingren called out.
Feng Lezhen returned to her senses. “Mn.”
“Please don’t worry too much. My brother will be alright,” Qi Jingren said earnestly.
Feng Lezhen unconsciously touched the bite mark on her fingertip. “Mn, he’ll definitely be fine.”
Both of them turned to look at the still-silent main courtyard.
“I just don’t know what he’ll look like after he recovers—and whether he’ll be able to face it,” Qi Jingren said quietly.
“It doesn’t matter. Let’s save his life first. As for the rest… I’ll stay by his side. No matter how many knots are in his heart, they’ll be undone,” Feng Lezhen said softly.
Qi Jingren let out a brief laugh, her eyes faintly red.
The sun rose high and then slowly began to set. Thick black smoke filled the room. Qi Jingqing’s whole body was flushed red, as if he had walked through boiling water.
He was groggy and never fully conscious. In a half-dream, half-awake state, he vaguely saw Shen Suifeng sitting by his bedside.
“…Suifeng, am I going to die?”
“You won’t,” Shen Suifeng answered firmly.
Qi Jingqing gave a soundless smile, but quickly passed out again from the pain.
The treatment process was far too long—from sunrise to sunset, and from sunset to sunrise again. However long the door remained closed, the people outside waited just as long. By the time the wet clay sealing the door and window seams had dried and the last brazier finally went out—
“It’s done,” Shen Suifeng exhaled deeply.
Qi Jingqing forced himself to perk up and was about to speak, when a sudden itch rose in his throat—then came a fit of earth-shattering coughing.
Shen Suifeng used acupuncture to help him breathe. Once Qi Jingqing’s breathing had stabilized, he said, “You’ve suffered smoke damage to your throat. You’ll probably be coughing for a few days.”
“Mirror…” Qi Jingqing croaked.
Shen Suifeng gave a wry smile, pulled a small mirror from his robes, and tossed it to him. “I knew you’d ask for this. I brought one just in case.”
Qi Jingqing hastily caught it and took a deep breath as he looked into the mirror… There was no miracle. On the left side of his face, below the cheekbone, a fist-sized scar had formed—flesh mangled and bloody, terrifying to look at.
“I wanted to save your face, but the poison gas kept rising. Even with acupuncture, it was hard to control. To avoid your whole face being damaged, I could only concentrate the poison into one area with the needles. Every part I could save, I saved,” Shen Suifeng explained.
Qi Jingqing stared into the mirror for a long time, then gave a silent smile. “It’s already much better than I expected.”
He had originally thought he’d be completely disfigured.
Seeing his relieved expression, Shen Suifeng’s heart grew heavier. He opened his mouth several times but didn’t know what to say.
Qi Jingqing quickly noticed something was wrong and felt a slow dread rising. “Aside from this… what other side effects are there?”
“…Have you not noticed how rapid your breathing has been since you woke up?” Shen Suifeng asked slowly.
Qi Jingqing paused, and only now became belatedly aware of the difficulty in breathing. “…What’s going on?”
“As I said earlier, the poisonous smoke burned your throat. It didn’t affect your voice, but… you now have symptoms of asthma. If you want to live a long life, you’ll need to move to a warm, humid place—somewhere like Yunming. And…” Shen Suifeng hesitated, “once you go there, it’s best not to leave again.”
Qi Jingqing stared at him blankly for a long time before asking with difficulty, “What if I don’t?”
“Then your asthma will worsen. If you’re exposed to too much cold, you may develop an allergy. In the end, it will cause suffocation and death,” Shen Suifeng replied.
Qi Jingqing said, “Then… what if I settle there, and occasionally—just occasionally, during the summer—make a trip to the capital? It’s warm in the summer. That should be alright, right?”
“Even with me personally caring for you along the way, I can’t guarantee there won’t be any mishaps. If you travel alone in the future and something happens, all the effort you’ve made now will go to waste,” Shen Suifeng looked at him, eyes filled with a trace of pity. “You might be willing to take that risk—but what about the Marquis and Madam?”
Qi Jingqing was silent for a long time, then let out a bitter laugh. “She said… the road from Yingguan to the capital is too long. She wanted me to stay by her side…”
He had already made up his mind to follow her to the capital with this ruined face, even if, in the future, her love faded… even if young, handsome men surrounded her… even if she forgot the face she once loved and remembered only his disfigurement.
He had made up his mind—but fate had its own plans. In the end, he and she would not get what they wished for.
The sun had risen to its peak, yet gave off no warmth. In Yingguan’s winter, even the air was sharp and ruthless, stripping every trace of warmth from people’s bodies.
Those waiting outside had already heard Qi Jingqing’s violent coughing fit. Just as worry was peaking, someone suddenly cried out—
“The door’s open!”
In that instant, everyone rushed forward—but Shen Suifeng, who had just opened the door, quickly shouted, “Don’t move! Wait for the poisonous smoke to dissipate before going in!”
Everyone had no choice but to stop.
“Doctor Shen, my son…?” Qi Zhen, who had been silent for a day and night, asked hoarsely.
Shen Suifeng’s expression softened a little. “If he recuperates properly, he should be able to live to ninety-nine. However…” He glanced at Feng Lezhen. “There are some things it’s better for the shizi himself to tell you.”
As soon as Song Lian heard that he could live to ninety-nine, she couldn’t hear anything else. She collapsed to the ground, hands clasped, crying as she thanked the Bodhisattva for protection.
Qi Jingren also let out a sigh of relief. Seeing her like this, she couldn’t help but tug the corner of her lips. “What’s the use in thanking the Bodhisattva? You should be thanking Doctor Shen.”
“Yes, yes, yes, thank you Doctor Shen, thank you Doctor Shen… You truly saved the lives of our entire family!” Song Lian immediately went to bow.
Shen Suifeng quickly helped her up. “No need to be so polite, Madam. The poisonous smoke has almost dissipated. You can go in and see him now.”
With tear-filled eyes, Song Lian agreed. Supported by Qi Zhen and Qi Jingren, she was about to enter the room. Feng Lezhen stepped back to make way for them, and as they passed by her, she furrowed her brows slightly.
Once the three of them had left, the courtyard suddenly grew much quieter. Shen Suifeng raised his eyes to look at the graceful figure of Feng Lezhen and joked, “There’s still some poison lingering in the room. Let them go in first and breathe a bit of it in—then Your Highness can enter.”
“This day and night must have been hard. Go back and get some rest,” Feng Lezhen said gently.
Shen Suifeng responded softly but remained standing where he was.
Feng Lezhen stepped forward, took out a bottle of wound medicine from her sleeve, and handed it to him. “Go back and wait patiently. I’ll send a doctor to dress your wounds.”
“How did Your Highness know I was injured?” Shen Suifeng asked in a low voice.
Feng Lezhen replied, “There was blood on Madam’s sleeve—I assume it came from you.”
As she spoke, she took his hand and, sure enough, saw it was badly burned, the flesh torn and bloody.
“Some of the herbs corrode skin on contact with fire. Injuries are normal,” Shen Suifeng explained.
Feng Lezhen said nothing and placed the medicine into his palm.
“This medicine was originally made for Your Highness,” Shen Suifeng said, looking at the bottle with a hint of amusement. “Fortunately, my medicine lasts seven or eight years without spoiling. Otherwise, how could it have survived this long?”
“After that assassination attempt, I’ve carried it with me ever since—just in case,” Feng Lezhen said with a smile.
“Then I’ll make a few more bottles for Your Highness once I return.”
“Alright.”
They exchanged a glance. Shen Suifeng could tell that her whole heart was now on Qi Jingqing, so he said no more and turned to leave. Feng Lezhen watched until his figure completely disappeared, then headed into the room.
As soon as she entered, she was hit by a strong stench of blood. Several servants were carrying basins of blackened, bloody water out of the room. Just from that, one could imagine how harrowing the past day and night had been.
Inside the bedchamber, layers of gauze curtains hung. Feng Lezhen walked forward step by step until she heard Qi Jingqing saying that he’d have to live in the Yunming region for the rest of his life to ensure his safety. At that, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.
“It’s alright, it’s alright…” Song Lian choked out in comfort. “Mother will start packing immediately. We’ll leave tomorrow—as long as you can live a long life, I’ll go anywhere.”
Qi Jingren paused. Her joy over her brother’s survival dimmed a little.
Through the semi-transparent curtains, one could see from inside and out. Qi Jingqing had long seen the familiar figure. At those words, his eyes shifted slightly. “How could that be? Mother was born and raised in Yingguan. Moving to such a hot and humid place all of a sudden—she wouldn’t be able to adjust. I should go alone.”
“I can adjust, I can! I went to Lingnan when I was young—I adapted just fine!” Song Lian said quickly.
Qi Jingqing was about to say more when Qi Zhen suddenly said in a deep voice, “It’s settled then. You and your mother go first. I’ll come find you when the time is right.”
As a general stationed at the border, he couldn’t leave his post easily. It would take some effort for him to join them.
Qi Jingqing frowned in disapproval. “Father…”
“Your parents are showing their full support—don’t turn it down,” Qi Jingren cut in.
Song Lian froze, then suddenly remembered she had a daughter too. She immediately grabbed Qi Jingren’s hand apologetically. “Jingren, you know your brother’s condition…”
“I understand, Mother.” Qi Jingren pulled her hand away and gave a generous smile. “I understand everything. You don’t have to explain.”
Song Lian opened her mouth, but no words came out.
In the silence, Feng Lezhen finally lifted the curtain and stepped in. Qi Jingqing instinctively turned his face away, trying to hide the scar on it. Song Lian looked like she wanted to speak but was tugged gently by Qi Jingren, so she quietly followed her out.
Soon, only Feng Lezhen and Qi Jingqing remained in the room. Although he turned his face away, he could still feel her gaze fixed on him. After a long silence, he was the first to speak:
“…Is it ugly?”
“It’s not,” Feng Lezhen replied.
Qi Jingqing let out a faint laugh. “Your Highness is good at comforting people.”
“I’m not comforting you. It really isn’t ugly,” Feng Lezhen said as she sat by the bed, looking at the bloody wound on his face. “A beautiful person, even if disfigured, is still more attractive than most.”
She wasn’t lying. Even with half his face ruined, his brows, his nose, his lips—those features were still the most handsome she’d ever seen. The wound hadn’t taken that away.
Qi Jingqing could hear the sincerity in her words. His eyes began to redden slightly.
“Besides your face, are there other injuries?” Feng Lezhen asked.
Qi Jingqing replied, “There should be a few on my body too… but I can’t move right now, so I’m not sure where they all are.”
“Take good care of yourself, and you’ll be better soon.” Feng Lezhen wrung out the cloth and gently wiped his hands.
Qi Jingqing lay on the bed, unable to move, and could only quietly watch her. Just as she was about to go wring the cloth again, he suddenly called her name: “Your Highness.”
“Mm?” Feng Lezhen looked up.
Qi Jingqing smiled faintly. “From now on, I can be a normal person.”
Feng Lezhen’s eyes also filled with a smile. “Yes, you’re going to live like a normal person now.”
Neither of them mentioned the aftereffects, nor the future. They simply focused on celebrating Qi Jingqing’s survival. In the long days that followed, the two were almost inseparable, yet still avoided speaking of those matters. After all, what was done could not be undone—better to spend the present time well.
In the blink of an eye, the first lunar month passed. During the final cold snap of early spring, heavy snow fell again in Yingguan. The wounds on Qi Jingqing’s body finally scabbed over, and Song Lian began packing their luggage for the journey to Yunming. The farewell felt both grand and quietly unspoken.
Under the same sky, heavy snow also fell at the Princess’s residence. Chen Jinan had built over ten snowmen in the courtyard, lining them up beneath the eaves of the main bedroom. By the time he finished the last one, he too had become like a snowman.
“Hurry and come inside for some hot tea. If you get frostbite, it’ll hurt and itch every winter,” Ah Ye urged him into the side hall. Once his face had thawed, she poured him a cup of tea.
Chen Jinan held the cup with fingers red from cold, drinking it in one go, but still shivering for a long while afterward.
Seeing him like this, Ah Ye was both annoyed and amused. She wanted nothing more than to hit him. “Her Highness has been staying at the marquis manor this whole time and hasn’t come back once. What’s the point of building all these snowmen—she won’t even see them.”
“It’s cold. The snowmen won’t melt. Her Highness will see them eventually,” Chen Jinan replied calmly.
“You fool,” Ah Ye gave him a look of disdain, “Even if she sees them, she likely won’t be in the mood to admire them.”
When Her Highness returns to the residence, it will likely be the day Qi Jingqing departs. Who knows how heartbroken she’ll be—how could she care about some unremarkable snowmen then?
Chen Jinan seemed to realize this too, falling silent for a moment.
Ah Ye sighed and sat on the floor, feeling a bit down. “Why must the shizi go to Yunming?”
“He has asthma now and can’t stand the cold wind. That’s the only place suitable for his recovery. Naturally, he must go,” Chen Jinan replied.
Ah Ye cradled her face. “I heard he didn’t want to be treated at first because he feared something would go wrong and he’d be separated from Her Highness. It was only after the marquis and his wife pleaded with him that he agreed… I suppose when he agreed to the treatment, he was already prepared to be apart from her.”
Chen Jinan said nothing, just quietly stared at the flower vase on the table.
“Of course it’s understandable that he compromised for his parents, but…” Ah Ye sighed again, “Call me selfish, but I would’ve rather he held his ground to the end.”
“Her Highness also wants him to be healed.” Chen Jinan came back to himself and responded softly.
“Yes, of course Her Highness wants him to get better. I don’t want him to die either, I just…” Ah Ye didn’t quite know how to put it into words. After a long pause, she managed to squeeze out: “I just wish there was someone who put Her Highness first, someone for whom even the most important people couldn’t come before her. But then again, if he really didn’t care about anyone—not even his own parents—that wouldn’t seem right either… Ugh, I don’t even know what I’m saying!”
Her words were clumsy, but Chen Jinan understood. “You and I are the same.”
“How could that be the same…” Ah Ye mumbled, then felt something was off. “Oh, I suppose you could be that kind of person, but you always think you’re not good enough, so you let Her Highness be heartbroken over someone else. I wonder, if you’d known back then how things would turn out now, would you have regretted being such a coward?”
Chen Jinan fell silent for a moment. “The shizi is a good person.”
“Sure, sure, everyone’s good—except you, right?” Ah Ye snapped.
Chen Jinan lowered his eyes. “I only want to be someone useful to Her Highness now.”
Ah Ye curled her lip, just about to retort when the door suddenly opened. A gust of wind and snow rushed inside, sweeping away the hard-won warmth.
Both looked up. Seeing it was Feng Lezhen, they quickly rose to their feet and bowed. “Greetings, Your Highness.”
“Greetings, Your Highness.”
“What are you two hiding out in here for?” Feng Lezhen stepped into the room.
Ah Ye immediately said, “It’s Chen Jinan—he insisted on building snowmen for Your Highness. I was afraid he’d freeze to death, so I made him come inside to warm up.”
“The snowmen outside the main hall were built by Jinan?” Feng Lezhen looked at Chen Jinan in surprise, her eyes full of warmth. “I saw them—they’re quite vivid and adorable.”
Chen Jinan looked a bit flustered from the praise and gave a light cough. “Why has Your Highness returned at this hour?”
“Is there something missing that needs to be brought over?” Ah Ye added.
Feng Lezhen’s smile faded slightly. “I came to speak with Jinan.”
Chen Jinan paused. “What is it?”
“Jingqing will leave Yingguan in five days. The journey to Yunming takes nearly three months. Though he’ll be escorted by people from the marquis manor, I’m still uneasy. I want you to take a few men and accompany him as well,” Feng Lezhen said slowly.
Chen Jinan agreed immediately. “Yes.”
“Don’t rush to agree. It’ll take half a year to go there and back. The journey will be tough. If you don’t wish to go, I won’t blame you,” Feng Lezhen explained.
Chen Jinan: “I’m willing to go.”
Feng Lezhen’s expression softened a little. “Then spend the next few days packing your things. Choose a few willing companions. Be ready to depart at any time.”
“Yes,” Chen Jinan responded.
Feng Lezhen had made a special trip back to the Princess Residence seemingly just for this matter. After she finished speaking, she quickly left again.
Watching her figure disappear into the snow, Ah Ye turned and asked, “Nearly half a year on the road—do you really want to go?”
Though they often traveled, an errand that would take half a year round-trip was still daunting. Just thinking about it made one’s scalp tingle. As long as it wasn’t a task that absolutely had to be done, even the most loyal subjects to Her Highness would decline if given the choice.
“Of course,” Chen Jinan replied without hesitation.
Ah Ye stared at him for a while, then suddenly sighed with emotion: “If you had been born into a better family, I guess there’d be no room for anyone else.”
Chen Jinan acted as if he hadn’t heard her.
Five days passed in a blink. On the sixth day, before dawn, the gates of the marquis residence slowly opened. Several carriages waited in the front courtyard, with only one stationed inside the main courtyard.
Inside the bedchamber, the page boy left in a hurry with a chessboard in his arms, leaving the spacious room to Feng Lezhen and Qi Jingqing—so they could say a proper goodbye. But the two who remained had little to say.
After a long time, Qi Jingqing, veiled, gave a soft laugh. “Ever since I began treatment, I’ve been saying farewell to Your Highness over and over. Now that the time has truly come, I don’t know what to say.”
Feng Lezhen smiled and took his hand. “When you arrive, remember to write to me.”
“I will.”
The two locked eyes, falling into silence again.
It took a whole day to reach the next town from Yingguan. If they didn’t set off early, they’d be forced to sleep along the road. The pages had already come to hurry them along two or three times. At last, Qi Jingqing gently withdrew his hand from her palm. “Your Highness, it’s time for me to go.”
“I’ll walk you out.”
Qi Jingqing gave a soft assent, and they walked out together side by side.
In the front courtyard, the Qi family was gathered—Shen Suifeng was there too, along with Chen Jinan and a group of guards. Seeing the two arrive, everyone stood straighter.
“Get into the carriage quickly—don’t let the cold air in,” Shen Suifeng urged.
Qi Jingqing lowered his gaze and headed toward the carriage. Feng Lezhen watched him step onto the footboard, climbing up one step at a time, until suddenly, he turned back to look at her, eyes sparkling behind his veil, as if smiling.
“Your Highness,” he said, his tone clear.
Feng Lezhen stepped forward. “Yes?”
“This time… I’m afraid we won’t see each other more than a few times for the rest of our lives. You don’t need to carry any burden for me—if you meet someone you like, do as your heart wills. Just… if by any chance you have the time someday, don’t forget to visit me in Yunming.”
Feng Lezhen smiled faintly. “Alright.”
Qi Jingqing seemed like he wanted to say more, but his breath hitched. Too many things were caught in his throat. In the end, he said nothing more and simply entered the carriage.
Feng Lezhen clenched her hand inside her sleeve, but her face remained composed as she turned to Shen Suifeng. “Take good care of him.”
“Mm,” Shen Suifeng replied and gave her a glance. “I’ll be off too.”
“Alright,” Feng Lezhen answered with a smile. But the moment he turned around, the smile vanished completely from her face.
The convoy slowly pulled out of the marquis estate and headed for the main road. Chen Jinan stepped forward and saluted Feng Lezhen. “Your Highness, rest assured. This humble servant will see to it that the shizi and Master Shen arrive safely in Yunming.”
“Mm. Go,” Feng Lezhen said warmly.
