Three Kingdoms: Start by buying a governor.

"Yan'er, you flatter me."

He naturally changed how he addressed her.

"But the line you just recited from the Nineteen Ancient Poems, 'Thinking of you makes me grow old, and the years have suddenly passed,' was heartbreaking, every word of it piercing the heart. Only someone who has experienced it firsthand could feel such deep emotion."

Cai Yan's heart skipped a beat; he had called her "Yan'er".

Moreover, he sensed the hidden thoughts in her voice when she recited that poem.

"It's a blessing that the general understands." She looked up at him, and her eyes met his.

The setting sun cast its last rays upon the room, reflecting her silhouette as well.

Her heart tightened, and she hurriedly looked away, her fingertips unconsciously clenching her sleeve.

Seeing this, Liu Ce smiled and gently tucked her wind-blown hair behind her ear.

The movements were natural and gentle.

Cai Yan froze, her cheeks instantly turning bright red.

But she didn't dodge.

"From now on," Liu Ce withdrew his hand, his voice very soft.

"If Yan'er is willing to speak, I am willing to listen. If Yan'er is willing to write, I am willing to read."

The evening breeze stirred their clothes and also stirred the feelings that were quietly growing in their hearts.

Cai Yan felt her cheeks burning and her heart pounding.

She couldn't help but steal a glance at the tall, upright figure beside her.

The setting sun cast a golden glow on him, and he stood there like a tall pine tree.

Her eyes were filled with undisguised tenderness and admiration.

The two stood there, neither of them saying a word.

Liu Ce didn't leave until it got dark.

Cai Yan watched his figure disappear outside the courtyard gate until he was no longer visible, then sighed softly and turned back to her boudoir.

She didn't notice that Cai Yong was standing under the eaves not far away, silently watching this scene.

A faint smile of relief crept onto the old father's lips, but he quickly sighed and murmured:

"A daughter is like a tree that grows up and leaves home..."

He shook his head, turned and left.

Cai Yan returned to her boudoir, walked to the window, and pushed open half of it.

The evening breeze swept over me, dispelling the daytime excitement, but it couldn't dispel the feelings I had just confirmed in my heart.

She sat at her desk, spread out a piece of paper, wanting to write something, but couldn't write a single word.

My mind was filled with images of Liu Ce.

His lofty aspirations when reciting "to establish a heart for heaven and earth," his unique insights when interpreting poetry and prose, his tenderness when stroking her hair...

These images merged perfectly in her mind, forming a person she had never seen before, yet who deeply attracted her.

"How could one not be moved by such a champion?" Cai Yan murmured to herself, her cheeks growing hotter and hotter.

She finally admitted, "I think... I've really fallen for him."

Once the thought pops into your head, you can no longer suppress it.

That feeling, which began with admiration, grew through time spent together, and was confirmed by the pond at dusk, had unknowingly taken deep root in my heart.

She picked up a pen and wrote a line on the paper:

"Now that I have seen you, how could I not be happy?"

After writing it down, she looked at the eight characters and smiled.

Her smile held shyness, sweetness, and anticipation for the future.

Outside the window, the moonlight was perfect.

Meanwhile, Liu Ce was riding his horse back to the Zhen residence.

He was in a good mood, humming a little tune.

He thought about that hair-flipping gesture for a long time before daring to do it today.

Judging from Cai Yan's reaction, she probably doesn't dislike it.

"Good progress," he thought smugly. "At this rate, I'll be winning the heart of this talented woman soon."

He's a professional slacker who also manages to find love on the side—he gives himself a perfect score for this move.

As for the citywide discussion sparked by those four lines of poetry?

Oh, that was just something I did, it's not important.

Most importantly, Cai Yan looked really beautiful when she blushed.

When Liu Ce returned to the Zhen residence from the Cai residence, it was already dusk.

He entered the Zhen residence humming a little tune, and Dian Wei and Zhao Yun came over to him.

"Big Brother!" Dian Wei's loud voice startled Liu Ce, making him shudder.

Liu Ce turned around, looked at his two brothers, and raised an eyebrow:

"Why aren't you two resting? What are you doing here?"

Dian Wei scratched his big head and said with a chuckle:

"Big brother, didn't you tell me a few days ago that my fourth brother and I should take a good look around and not stay at the Zhen residence all the time? So we went out of the city and took a trip to our military camp."

Zhao Yun nodded in agreement and added, "The soldiers are in good spirits, and the food and provisions supplied by the Zhen family are indeed top-notch."

Liu Ce said "Oh," thinking to himself that these two kids were quite obedient. He waved his hand.

"Okay, is there anything else?"

Dian Wei and Zhao Yun exchanged a glance, their expressions suddenly becoming somewhat... subtle.

"Um... Brother," Dian Wei rubbed his hands together and chuckled, "when we came back from the military camp... we picked up someone."

Liu Ce was taken aback: "You picked up someone? What do you mean?"

Zhao Yun coughed lightly: "Let me explain."

Let's rewind to that afternoon.

Outside Luoyang city, on the official road.

Dian Wei, mounted on his horse, shook his head and looked around.

This guy had been cooped up in the Zhen residence for a few days, and once he came out, he was like a wild horse running free, finding everything new and exciting.

"Fourth Brother," he said, turning to Zhao Yun beside him, "the Zhen family's food for our camp is really good! Meat at every meal, and plenty of flatbread!"

Zhao Yun smiled slightly: "Indeed, the Zhen family is indeed very generous, as expected of the wealthy family in Hebei."

Dian Wei's eyes darted around, and suddenly he thought of something, grinning:

"Doesn't that mean that once our eldest brother marries those five young ladies from the Zhen family, we'll never have to worry about food or drink again? We'll have plenty of bread, and even delicacies from land and sea!"

Zhao Yun chuckled: "Fifth Brother, don't say that in front of the Zhen family."

"I know!" Dian Wei waved his hand, "I just wanted to chat with you, Fourth Brother."

He paused, then, as if remembering something, lowered his voice:

"Fourth Brother, do you think Eldest Brother has been going to the Cai residence a lot lately? Has he taken a fancy to Miss Cai? I reckon we'll have another sister-in-law in a few days."

Zhao Yun thought for a moment and nodded:

"Miss Cai is both beautiful and talented; she and my elder brother are a perfect match."

Dian Wei suddenly chuckled mischievously:

"Fourth Brother, what will Eldest Brother do when he has so many wives on his wedding night?"

One by one? Wouldn't that be exhausting? Five from the Zhen family, one from the Cai family, plus Miss Zhang Ning… we'd have to take turns, wouldn't we? Hahaha!

Zhao Yun was taken aback by the question, then didn't know whether to laugh or cry:

"Fifth brother, what... what are you thinking?!"

"I was just curious!" Dian Wei said matter-of-factly.

"Do you think my brother's body can handle it?"

Zhao Yun was completely speechless and simply didn't respond.

The two walked for a while longer.

Dian Wei suddenly reined in his horse and pointed to the roadside:

"Fourth Brother, look over there!"

Zhao Yun looked in the direction he was pointing.

There was a girl squatting in the corner of the wall on the street.

The girl was about sixteen or seventeen years old. She was dressed in dirty, coarse cloth clothes, her hair was messy, and her face was covered in dust. But she didn't look like a beggar; she looked more like a refugee who had fled from war.

The sight of her squatting there, sobbing softly, was heartbreaking.