Thinking about that night, Xie Wanqing’s smile faded a bit. Lu Ziyuan told her that Pei Yuxuan and Pei Lin were unharmed, but Pei Er had died.

He also told her that Pei Lin was involved in the matter.

Xie Wanqing could not forget the scenes of the maids being violated and deeply loathed the mastermind behind it all.

She pulled back her thoughts and asked the person next to her, "By the way, were you badly injured that night?"

Ming Feng paused and replied, "Just minor injuries."

Minor injuries?

"Really?" Just as they reached the courtyard gate, Xie Wanqing stopped and tilted her head to look at him, smiling, "I thought those Jin people were skilled in martial arts."

She clearly remembered that day on the boat, he seemed a bit overwhelmed and allowed Jin Wuji a chance to escape.

Ming Feng didn’t respond further, merely gave a soft affirmative sound.

He seemed to be very taciturn.

They had reached the gate, yet Xie Wanqing showed no intention of entering. Instead, she stood there at the main courtyard gate, looking up at him.

As a trusted lieutenant who had followed Lu Ziyuan since childhood, Ming Feng’s temperament was much like his, equally cold and sparing with words, and even his features bore a slight resemblance when examined closely.

After a moment of thought, she said, "That night you protected me with your life, I should thank you."

Her sudden gratitude clearly surprised Ming Feng, who looked over at her.

Facing his gaze, Xie Wanqing continued, "If it weren’t for you, I might have also ended up..."

"No," Ming Feng interrupted, "You weren’t harmed."

Though still sparing with words, Xie Wanqing understood him.

She raised her eyebrows, intending to say something, when she saw the person in front of her look straight ahead, his posture suddenly respectful, "Greetings, Prince!"

Lu Ziyuan stood at the study door at some unknown time, gazing across the long courtyard toward them.

The distance was too far for Xie Wanqing to see his expression clearly, but the person beside her was different.

Without a trace, Ming Feng retreated two steps sideways, handing his belongings to a maid who came up and bowed before leaving.

Xie Wanqing blinked, seemingly oblivious to the tense atmosphere around her, and walked leisurely into the courtyard.

She ignored those standing frozen, intending to head back to her room, but as she passed him, her wrist was firmly grasped.

"What’s with this?" Lu Ziyuan tilted up her chin and asked, "What does Wanwan intend to do?"

He could tell she was deliberately staging this act before him.

"What could I intend," Xie Wanqing smiled with pursed lips, "I just find him rather interesting."

"Oh?" He lowered his head, drawing closer, seemingly very curious, "What’s interesting about him?"

The servants in the courtyard had vanished at some unknown time, night gradually cloaking, cold wind continuously beating against them as they stood under the eaves, gazes locked.

She remained silent for a while, her slender fingers involuntarily curling as Lu Ziyuan quietly urged, "Tell me, what’s interesting about him?"

Xie Wanqing stopped smiling, her face straightened. "Do you think Ming Feng and Mingjian resemble Erqing and Er Xia, who were around me in a past life?"

Long-forgotten names she mentioned again, making Lu Ziyuan’s expression freeze.

"Didn’t you say to follow my lead?" Xie Wanqing continued, "Then why not let Ming Feng stay with me as my personal guard?"

"No!" Without a thought, he immediately rejected her, lifting her horizontally and took her into the study.

"Why not?" Xie Wanqing, nestled in his arms, persisted, "He’s been very handy these past days since he’s been by my side."

Lu Ziyuan seated her on his lap and looked at her sternly, "You don’t need a personal guard."

"But Ming Feng is skilled in martial arts and reliable, that night he helped me escape Hot Spring Mountain... mm..."

Her lips were seized in a kiss, her remaining words left unsaid, she could only stare at him in protest.

After kissing for a while, Lu Ziyuan half-laughingly couldn’t clearly speak, saying, "Dare to provoke me again, and we’ll continue here."

Xie Wanqing, having achieved her purpose, wisely gave way.

Yet, as she refrained from speaking, Lu Ziyuan persisted, forehead against hers, eyes fixed on her as he reminded her word by word, "He saved you under my orders, the reliable one is me."

Xie Wanqing: "..."

"Did you hear?"

Xie Wanqing softly acknowledged.

Lu Ziyuan’s expression eased slightly, then said, "Don’t provoke me again."

Xie Wanqing remained silent, nodding again before his expression turned stern.

"Er Xia..." Mentioning this name made Lu Ziyuan’s voice suddenly tense, "Er Xia’s matter was my mistake, but I’ve never thought she was interesting. Don’t find Ming Feng interesting either."

Xie Wanqing’s lips twitched, coming to a deeper understanding of his jealousy.

She pondered and asked, "Is Ming Feng married?"

Then, the man’s face before her visibly turned blue, "Showing interest in other men in front of me, Wanwan, what exactly do you intend?"

"I don’t intend anything, don’t misunderstand," Xie Wanqing sighed, hinting, "I’m not like you, who nibbled on the grass by the nest and took the wife’s maid as a concubine."

Lu Ziyuan’s face froze at her words, growing increasingly unsightly.

In his dream, he had seen this girl standing outside that door, her feelings for him fading bit by bit.

He gathered her into his arms more tightly, and softly said, "I’m sorry."

Perhaps her mindset had changed, for whereas previously she had been unaffected by his many apologies, this time she was caught off guard.

"Sorry for hurting you," Lu Ziyuan’s voice was low, "Let’s be proper from now on, I promise not to look at another woman for even a moment, and in every lifetime, I’ll only want you."

Xie Wanqing’s lips twitched, momentarily feeling that his words were too frighteningly intimate.

She could escape no longer in this life, let alone every lifetime...

But such words she couldn’t utter.

She had even dared not mention Pei Yuqing for days.

She knew what he meant by "properly" was the implicit disappearance of Pei Yuqing.

This was a deadlock.

Perhaps it could only be broken by her leaving.

......

The next day, when Xie Wanqing went out again, sure enough, Ming Feng was gone, and even Mingjian didn’t come, leaving only a few guards to follow her.

Thus passed another day, Xie Wanqing’s planning was gradually perfected, calculating the days, the sooner the departure arrangements were made, the less it would drag on.

That afternoon, she returned early, happening upon Lu Ziyuan, who had finished his duties and sought her.

Seeing her come back, he first looked at the sky, then smiled at her, "It’s rare for you not to stay out until dark today."

Saying this, he grabbed her wrist and headed straight for the stables, "I’ll take you somewhere."

Xie Wanqing, led by him, curiously asked, "Where?"

"There’s a natural hot spring in the back mountain. A few days ago when you came, I had someone build a pool, it’s finished now."

Given the cold and frozen weather, bathing must be quick to avoid the water cooling, soaking in hot springs didn’t have such concerns.

He placed her on the horse, wrapped her tightly in a cloak, and the horse’s hooves trod briskly across the early winter snow till they left the manor.

The two galloped through the long streets, onto mountain paths and desolate plains.

Finally stopped as the sky darkened.

Held in his embrace, Xie Wanqing felt warm all over and not at all cold, stamping her feet after getting off the horse.

Before them was a somewhat simple hot pool, no jade steps, no inlaid pearls, yet as warm as spring, mist surrounding, merely surrounded by a few blue stone bricks, even exposed to the elements, with little sign of human intervention.

Xie Wanqing found it quite refreshing, running toward the steaming hot spring.

She glanced around, asking the person behind her, "Will anyone come here?"

"All within ten miles are my private grounds," Lu Ziyuan said, "Without my permission, no one can enter."

He pointed at the tent erected not far away, smiling, "Shall we sleep here tonight?"

While saying this, he reached to undo her cape.

At this point, Xie Wanqing hadn’t realized his intention, until his hand reached her waist, swiftly removing her outer shirt, then shocked, she shielded her chest and retreated two steps, "What are you doing!"

"Why is Wanwan like this," Lu Ziyuan tilted his head, smiling at her, slowly saying, "Whatever can I do."

He smiled beautifully, as if harmless, but Xie Wanqing understood his meaning, blushing immediately, and exclaimed loudly, "No! This isn’t a place for messing around!"