After being reborn, the aloof prime minister was once again forced by a tyrant.

As the fog dissipated from the deep forest, Xie Qinglan led Xiao Jingyuan step by step out of the dense woods.

Xie Qinglan walked ahead, her fingertips gripped tightly by someone.

Xiao Jingyuan fell half a step behind. His left leg hit the rock edge as he fell off the cliff. Although the bone was not broken, the tendons and veins were badly swollen. He limped with every step, his weight entirely on his right leg. The sole of his boot crunched over the fallen leaves, making a soft, uneven sound.

He held half a skewer of roasted rabbit in his other hand, tearing and gobbling it down as if he had been starving for a long time.

His gaze never left the person in front of him, glued to the back of Xie Qinglan's head, like a young wolf that had just recognized its master, afraid of losing him if he wasn't careful.

Xie Qinglan felt a pang of sadness, and her pace unconsciously slowed down. Every few steps, she would turn her head to look back.

When Xiao Jingyuan saw him turn around, he quickly devoured the rabbit meat in a few bites, threw the branch into the grass, and limped over to catch up with him.

The wind rustled through the trees, scattering fallen leaves onto their shoulders. Sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves, casting flickering shadows on their pale white robes and tattered black garments.

"What exactly was our relationship before?"

Xiao Jingyuan asked again. He had asked seven or eight times along the way, but each time he received no answer. He was stubborn and refused to give up.

Xie Qinglan walked forward in silence, her black boots crunching over the old vines that blocked the road, making a dry, crisp sound.

Are you a married couple?

Suddenly, someone leaned closer, their warm breath brushing against Xie Qinglan's earlobe, carrying a hint of the smoky aroma of roasted rabbit meat, making Xie Qinglan's ear tips suddenly go numb.

He tripped suddenly, his boot tip hitting a rock, but fortunately he regained his balance quickly and didn't look too embarrassed.

"I knew it." Xiao Jingyuan concluded to himself, a smile playing on his lips. "No wonder I wanted to get close to you, kiss you, hug you, and pin you down on the haystack the moment I saw you—"

"Shut up."

Xie Qinglan suddenly raised her hand to cover his mouth, her fingertips touching his warm lips, her ear tips already burning red.

Xiao Jingyuan chuckled softly in his palm, his breath warm and slightly damp as it brushed against his fingers.

Those pale eyes curved into crescents, their pupils brimming with the dappled light of the forest, dazzlingly bright.

Xie Qinglan withdrew her hand as if she had been burned.

In the past, this person knew to maintain an imperial demeanor in public and restrained himself to some extent, but now that he has lost his memory, he has no scruples whatsoever.

He had no doubt that this man could indeed spout some outrageous nonsense in public.

He straightened his face, his voice turning colder: "Your Majesty and I are in a relationship of ruler and subject; you must not be presumptuous in public."

"A relationship between ruler and subject?" Xiao Jingyuan raised an eyebrow, drawing out the last syllable, clearly disbelieving.

"Your Majesty is the ruler of the country, and I am the prime minister appointed by Your Majesty." Xie Qinglan spoke slowly and clearly, "Your Majesty should refer to yourself as '朕' (Zhen, the imperial 'I'), and your words and actions should be dignified and not frivolous or dissolute, lest you lose the dignity of an emperor."

"Is it really just a matter of ruler and subject?" Xiao Jingyuan stared into his eyes, not letting his expression slip by.

Xie Qinglan's Adam's apple bobbed slightly. She avoided his gaze and lowered her voice, "Well... not entirely."

"So, in public they're ruler and subject, but in private they're husband and wife?"

Xie Qinglan lowered her eyes, her eyelashes trembling slightly, and did not respond, which was taken as tacit agreement.

Xiao Jingyuan's eyes lit up even more: "How exciting!"

He leaned forward again, his voice low and filled with undisguised curiosity: "Then—have I slept with you before?"

"Shut up." Xie Qinglan's cheeks flushed slightly as she gritted her teeth and whispered a rebuke, "Don't spout any more nonsense."

"Oh." Xiao Jingyuan responded obediently, but his tone was not at all submissive. "I was just curious. Why is Qinglan so thin-skinned?"

Xie Qinglan glared at him fiercely, secretly thinking that things were going badly. This man was now spouting nonsense, and if others heard him, where would he put his face?

He composed himself, stopped walking, turned around to face Xiao Jingyuan, and his expression became more solemn: "Your Majesty, you must remember what I am about to say."

Xiao Jingyuan nodded, his gaze fixed intently on his face, and he did indeed appear somewhat obedient.

"His Majesty led the expedition in person, but was ambushed and fell off a cliff, losing his memory. At present, only I know about this matter."

Xie Qinglan spoke slowly and clearly, "Now that the Western Rong have just been pacified, the people's hearts are not yet won over; undercurrents are surging in the court, and foreign powers are eyeing us covetously. If His Majesty's amnesia is revealed, someone will surely take the opportunity to cause trouble."

He paused, then met Xiao Jingyuan's gaze and said, "So from today onwards, try to speak as little as possible in front of others. If you don't know how to respond, just keep a cold face and don't answer, or only give short sentences, so as not to give anyone away."

Xiao Jingyuan nodded again, his eyes darting around, and asked, "Then may I call you Qinglan?"

Xie Qinglan's ears burned again, and she looked away: "Not in front of others."

Xiao Jingyuan said "Oh," his eyebrows drooping, looking a little dejected.

The two walked slowly out of Broken Eagle Gorge, stepping on the light and shadow. Just after turning a corner over a rocky beach, they bumped into Qi Yu.

Qi Yu was followed by dozens of search and rescue soldiers, all covered in dust. When they first saw Prime Minister Xie leading the Emperor out of the ravine, they were shocked and their eyes widened. Then they knelt down with a "plop," followed by a large group of soldiers kneeling behind them.

"Your Majesty! Your safety is truly a blessing upon Beishuo!" Qi Yu's voice trembled, his forehead pressed against the sand. "It is my incompetence that has caused Your Majesty to suffer, for I failed to find Your Majesty in time. Please punish me, Your Majesty!"

Remembering Xie Qinglan's instructions, Xiao Jingyuan kept a straight face and gave a faint snort through his nose.

Qi Yu broke out in a cold sweat instantly, her heart pounding with anxiety, thinking that His Majesty was angry and wanted to hold someone accountable.

Xie Qinglan glanced at the person beside her and saw that he was disheveled and dressed in tattered clothes, but when he put on a stern face, he actually had a bit of an imperial aura. The contrast almost made Xie Qinglan laugh.

He coughed lightly to suppress his laughter and said, "General Qi, please rise. His Majesty is fine; he has only suffered minor injuries and needs to rest."

"I will take His Majesty to the royal court to settle down first. You shall issue an order that all search and rescue teams withdraw immediately and return to their original camps to rest and recuperate."

Qi Yu didn't dare to get up immediately. He cautiously looked up and glanced at the emperor's face. Seeing that the emperor didn't object or huff in a cold tone, he then dared to stand up, supporting himself on his knees, and bowed his head to reply, "This subordinate obeys the order."

Xiao Jingyuan, however, found him annoying. He was already displeased after Xie Qinglan had been talking to him for so long.

Before Qi Yu could say anything more, he grabbed Xie Qinglan's wrist and started walking forward, seemingly forgetting even the injury on his leg, his steps quick and hurried.

Xie Qinglan staggered half a step as he pulled her.

Why are you walking so fast?

"Don't talk so much to other people." Xiao Jingyuan didn't turn his head, his tone carrying a hint of straightforward jealousy, and he tightened his grip on his wrist.

Xie Qinglan was speechless with anger for a moment before finally saying, "After returning to the court, I will definitely invite seven or eight imperial physicians to give His Majesty a proper treatment for his brain."

"I am not sick."

No, you do.

The two walked side by side for a long time. Xiao Jingyuan's mouth never stopped, saying one thing here and another there, but not a single serious word.

"Qinglan, wouldn't you say we're having an affair? After all, you said we're officially ruler and subject."

"How did we end up together?"

"What do you like about me?"

"You've been looking for me for a long time, haven't you? Are you head over heels in love with me?"

"Qinglan, your lips are so soft, may I kiss you again?"

Xie Qinglan walked forward with her eyes closed, pretending not to hear. In her heart, however, she thought to herself that she should find a handkerchief to gag him, so that he wouldn't keep chattering all the way.

After walking for about half an hour, they arrived at a secluded mountain forest. Xie Qinglan's white horse was tied to an old tree, drooping its head and leisurely grazing on the green grass.

He took out a stack of clothes from the bundle beside the saddle and led Xiao Jingyuan deeper into the forest. Parting the tall weeds, a clear spring was revealed.

The spring water seeps out from the cracks in the mountain rocks. It is crystal clear and the bottom is covered with smooth pebbles. The surrounding area is lush with trees, which block out most of the sun and make it very cool.

"Your Majesty, please wash up and change your clothes before continuing your journey."

He had already tolerated the man's clinging to him, covered in dirt and grime, as they walked, constantly snuggling closer. If they were to ride together again later, and the man, still covered in dust, kept leaning against him, he feared he might really lose his temper and throw him off.

"Okay," Xiao Jingyuan readily agreed.

Then, with his sharp eyes, he noticed that Xie Qinglan was holding two sets of robes, one black and one white. His eyes lit up, and he immediately said, "Shall we wash together?"

Xie Qinglan was a clean freak and had only changed her clothes once at the post station since she started her journey. Now that she had found someone, she felt relieved and felt even more uncomfortable with the dust on her body. She had planned to wait for Xiao Jingyuan to finish washing before she washed herself, but upon hearing this, she immediately objected: "No, you wash first."

"My ribs hurt, and I can't lift my arm." Xiao Jingyuan frowned, pressed his left rib, and looked like he was in great pain. "My legs hurt too. I'm afraid I'll have to trouble Qinglan to help me."

Upon hearing this, Xie Qinglan's initial awkwardness was instantly replaced by tenderness. He disregarded his embarrassment and stepped forward to untie the sash of Xie Qinglan's robe.

The worn-out black robe slipped down his shoulders and arms, revealing his strong, muscular back.

Sure enough, there was a dark brown scab on his left rib, with red and swollen edges. It looked like an arrow wound, which must have been deep enough to reach the bone. It hadn't been properly treated with medicine, and the surrounding skin and flesh were covered with dark purple bruises, which was a shocking sight.

He crouched down and gently rolled up Xiao Jingyuan's trouser leg with his fingertips. There was a hideous scar on his left knee, the scab had just fallen off, and the new flesh was pink.

She gently touched the edge of the scar with her fingertip and asked softly, "Does it still hurt?"

"It hurts." Xiao Jingyuan looked down at the top of his head, his voice lowered. "It hurt more before, but it feels better now that I'm here with you."

Xie Qinglan's fingertips paused slightly, her heart felt as if it had been gently bumped, melting completely.

He remained silent for a moment, but ultimately could not resist the pity in his heart, and slowly raised his hand to loosen his belt.

Xiao Jingyuan's eyes lit up instantly, staring at him intently with a burning gaze.

His clothes fell away, revealing a slender yet upright back, sharp shoulders, a narrow waist, and skin that gleamed like cold jade in the shadows of the trees.

Xie Qinglan lowered her eyelashes, not daring to look at him, only feeling that his gaze was burning her skin, and her ears quietly turned red.

When he looked up, he saw two lines of bright red blood flowing from Xiao Jingyuan's nose and dripping down his chin.

His heart tightened suddenly, and he forgot all about being ashamed. He quickly tore off a clean piece of cloth and went over to wipe himself.

"Why is your nose bleeding? Is there any internal injury? Where does it hurt?"

"N-nothing." Xiao Jingyuan lowered his head slightly, his eyes darting around, and his ears turned red.

"You're bleeding and you say you're fine!" Xie Qinglan frowned, pressing her fingertips against the sides of his nose, her tone filled with undisguised worry. "Did you hit your head when you fell off the cliff? Is there anything else that hurts?"

"It's really nothing, I don't feel any pain at all." Xiao Jingyuan pulled down his hand, held it in his palm, and rubbed his fingertips against the back of his hand. His tone was a little impatient. "Let's hurry up and get into the water so we can get ready to travel."

Xie Qinglan sized him up for a moment and saw that apart from a slight unease, he didn't seem to have any internal injuries.

On second thought—since he had already taken off his clothes, and it was still several hours' journey to the royal court, there was indeed no rush. So he nodded and stepped into the spring first.

The spring water was clear and cold, barely reaching waist level, and the pebbles at the bottom were smooth and round. The water was so clear that even when submerged, one's figure was clearly visible.

Xie Qinglan blushed, turned to the side, scooped up water with her hands, and poured it onto Xiao Jingyuan's shoulder.

Her fingertips brushed against his shoulder, carrying the coolness of spring water, causing Xiao Jingyuan to shiver slightly.

In the past, Xiao Jingyuan would always pester him to wipe his body, but this was the first time he had ever personally washed this person.

Xie Qinglan lowered his eyes, his fingertips moving as gently as possible, tracing the old and new wounds inch by inch from the shoulders and neck to the back and then to the side of the waist. When he reached the scabs under the ribs, he deliberately lightened his touch, afraid of hurting the person.

After wiping his upper body, he scooped up some water and ran his fingertips through Xiao Jingyuan's hair, washing away the dust and grass clippings. The water flowed down his hair, tracing his angular jawline, and he carefully wiped the grime off his face, revealing the man's handsome and extraordinary features.

"Alright." He withdrew his hand, his voice slightly unsteady.

"You haven't washed your lower body yet," Xiao Jingyuan reminded him.

"You can wash your own lower body." Xie Qinglan turned her face away. "It's not like you have to lift your arms."

"Oh," Xiao Jingyuan responded, but didn't move. Instead, he reached out towards him, "Then I'll help you wash too."

"No need." Xie Qinglan dodged his hand. "Your Majesty, please come ashore and wait for me after you have finished washing."

"Qinglan." Xiao Jingyuan suddenly grabbed his wrist, his voice hoarse, "Help me again."

"What?"

As soon as Xie Qinglan finished speaking, his wrist was pulled underwater. His fingertips touched something scalding hot, which startled him so much that he tried to pull his hand back, but Xiao Jingyuan held it tightly and he couldn't pull it out for a moment. His heartbeat suddenly became erratic.