The seductive princess is no longer being pursued; the aloof prime minister is facing a crematorium.

The night is quiet and deep, and the floating light is hazy.

A cold shadow fell on the corner of the window frame, and beneath the shadow was a vaguely visible figure.

It was said that they would return in five days, but Jiang Jinshuang only managed to return in three days at most.

—It seems the Ferghana horses of the Si Ning family are indeed capable; I'll snatch a few from them one of these days.

Lost in thought, she looked out the window at the figure.

A long wind blows through the shadows of the trees in the courtyard and across the peach blossoms on the table.

"The secret of inkstone writing?"

Without hearing the person outside the door speak, Jiang Jinshuang called out to him again with a smile.

Finally, the figure moved.

"I thought you were asleep."

His tone was cool and calm, with his voice slightly lowered.

Jiang Jinshuang smiled helplessly: "You know I'm a light sleeper."

The person outside the window said slowly, "I asked Chun Tao."

It was answering her question, telling him why he came here.

Jiang Jinshuang nodded, but still smiled: "So where have you been these past few days? Si Ning said you even went to his residence to borrow a Ferghana horse?"

Upon hearing this, Yan Jue explained, "I have already returned it."

It was as if he was afraid she would blame him.

After another pause, the male voice came from outside the window again: "I went to Baiyujing."

Jiang Jinshuang's smile faded slightly.

She moved her eyes somewhat slowly before realizing what was happening: "What are you going to Baiyujing for?"

Baiyujing is located at the northernmost tip of Wanjin. Even with the fastest courier service, it would take seven days to reach it from the capital.

Yan Jue rode his Ferghana horse and completed the journey in just three days.

—They must have been traveling day and night without rest.

Thinking of this, Jiang Jinshuang tensed up.

She quickly got out of bed, her tone slightly somber: "Has something happened to Bai Yujing?"

Baiyujing is located at the border of Wanjin and Beihuai, and in previous years Beihuai soldiers often invaded the Wanjin border.

However, at that time, with Prince Ruiyang's black-armored cavalry stationed on the border, the people of Baiyujing were not too worried.

And now...

Jiang Jinshuang's expression darkened slightly, and her tone became more urgent: "Yanjue, come in and report."

Through the paper windowpane, Jiang Jinshuang noticed that Yan Jue's figure paused slightly.

He seemed to want to explain something, but in the end he just replied with a simple, "Okay."

As Yan Jue entered the room, Jiang Jinshuang put on a cloak and let him in.

In this emergency, Jiang Jinshuang no longer cared about the strict separation of men and women.

Unexpectedly, when Jiang Jinshuang opened the door, she saw a man with a black blindfold walking in.

The black handkerchief wrapped around the man's eyebrows and eyes, softening the sharp angles of his face and revealing a touch of gentleness.

Jiang Jinshuang smelled the scent of cold snow on him.

It is the unique, year-round scent of snow that is characteristic of Baiyujing.

He had one hand behind his back, and his movements as he entered the room were somewhat sluggish and stiff.

They were travel-worn, and even their robes were stained.

Yan Jue was much taller than Jiang Jinshuang, and when he stood in front of her, he looked like a mountain wall.

The smell of wind and snow filled my nostrils.

Jiang Jinshuang shrank her neck and subconsciously took a few steps back.

Seeing that Yan Jue still had the mind to cover his eyes with a black cloth, Jiang Jinshuang was certain that Bai Yujing was at least out of danger.

I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

When he couldn't see her, Yan Jue's hearing became even more sensitive.

Hearing her laugh, Yan Jue pursed his thin lips and stood there hesitantly.

"Inkstone Technique, who taught you this?" Jiang Jinshuang asked him with a smile.

Yan Jue straightened his back, pressed down slightly on the sword hilt, and his knuckles turned slightly white.

The larynx moved.

“Si Ning said that men and women should not touch each other,” he replied simply.

Jiang Jinshuang smiled nonchalantly.

The night was slightly cool. Jiang Jinshuang wrapped her cloak tighter around herself and jokingly asked him, "So what brings you here so late at night?" Yan Jue was very tall and lowered his eyes slightly to find the source of the words.

Jiang Jinshuang blinked, looking at him with a puzzled expression.

Suddenly, a faint smile appeared on her usually cold face.

The man smirked and brought the hand that had been hidden behind his back to his chest.

In an instant, what entered Jiang Jinshuang's eyes was a fiery red.

The next second, the familiar floral scent wafted into Jiang Jinshuang's nostrils. She moved her eyes a beat late, and her gaze finally fell on the hand he had extended.

The bright red flowers bloomed like flames, seemingly illuminating the entire meditation room.

It is a red-tailed kite.

The flowering trees unique to Baiyujing.

Jiang Jinshuang's eyes were filled with a sea of ​​fiery red flowers.

"Yanjue, do you think the red-tailed kites in Baiyujing have bloomed yet?"

"After being out for so long, I actually feel like seeing more."

"..."

For some reason, Jiang Jinshuang suddenly realized that those three years in Baiyujing weren't actually that difficult.

The powerful and wealthy families, ordinary people and officials of the capital all said that she had a stroke of great luck in order to return to the prosperous capital from that harsh and cold place.

But in fact, Jiang Jinshuang did not find the bitter cold unbearable during those years in Baiyujing.

The flowers of the red-tailed iris are exceptionally beautiful, a rarity even in Wan Jin and the world.

For a moment, she was somewhat stunned.

Yan Jue, whose face was covered by a black cloth, didn't hear Jiang Jinshuang's reaction for a long time, and his beautiful sword-like eyebrows furrowed slightly.

Even the hand holding the flower branch tightened slightly.

His cold, clear voice came from above: "I chose the one that is in full bloom in Baiyujing City."

It was like an explanation, tinged with a cautious probe: "If you don't like it, I'll go choose another one."

It's like a wolfhound that wants to give everything to its master.

It retracted its claws and even hid its fangs.

Jiang Jinshuang chuckled and took the flower branch from Yan Jue's hand.

"No, I really like the inkstone technique."

Yan Jue's lips twitched slightly upwards, but he still didn't show much emotion.

He rested one hand on the hilt of his sword, raised his chin, and looked somewhat proud.

Jiang Jinshuang looked down at the flowers, then looked up again, her voice filled with a mixture of helplessness and tenderness, and asked, "Yanjue, haven't you been resting these past few days?"

The slight curve at the corner of her mouth also disappeared.

He pursed his lips slightly and turned his head away, so Jiang Jinshuang could only see his handsome and sharp profile.

The black cloth covering his eyes made him less aggressive.

He wanted to explain something, but he didn't dare to lie.

After a long pause, he managed to speak: "Some of them have closed their eyes."

Jiang Jinshuang frowned, feigning anger: "Yanjue, what did I tell you before? Recite it."

Upon hearing this, Yan Jue obediently lowered his head and said in a clear tone, "You must rest before midnight, eat vegetarian meals, and practice swordsmanship for no more than three hours."

Jiang Jinshuang raised an eyebrow: "Was I wrong?"

Yan Jue nodded and hummed in agreement.

Jiang Jinshuang knew that he was only pretending to be obedient at this moment, and that he was actually completely unrepentant.

Knowing that he hadn't slept for several days, Jiang Jinshuang sighed: "I'll accept the flower branch. Now, you must go back to the princess's residence to rest immediately."

Yan Jue straightened his back slightly.

After a long pause, he said in a tone that sounded like he was negotiating, "I'll sleep outside your door."

I don't want to leave.

Jiang Jinshuang was both amused and exasperated: "No, you should rest well at the Princess's residence for the next few days. If I find you haven't rested properly when I return to the Princess's residence in three days, I will punish you by not allowing you to eat meat for a month."

Yan Jue frowned.

After a long pause, he finally replied with an "okay".

After sending Yan Jue away, Jiang Jinshuang looked at the flower branches in her arms, then her gaze fell on the withered peach blossoms on the table.

Without thinking further, Jiang Jinshuang took out the peach blossom branches and inserted the red-tailed kite in her hand into them.

—She will tell the young monk tomorrow that he no longer needs to come to pick peach blossoms.
-
The next morning, Jiang Jinshuang was awakened by the sound of bells and chimes outside the door.

Jiang Jinshuang narrowed her eyes, remembering that she had to go to the temple to chant scriptures and worship Buddha this morning. (End of Chapter)