Quick Wear: The first person to love the host

At this moment, Qi Jinyu felt little joy, only a cold, clear-headed feeling.

He knew this was not the final victory, but merely a temporary shift in power. As long as the emperor remained the emperor, suspicion would not disappear; the struggle would simply take a different form.

But at least, he gained a chance to catch his breath and room to plan for the future. He was no longer the prince trapped in Kyoto, who could be stripped of everything at any moment.

Leaving the inner palace, Qi Jinyu walked alone along the long palace path. The snow had just stopped, and the sunlight was blinding. He reached out and caught a ray of cold sunlight falling from the eaves.

Ziyu, shouldn't the snow in the northern border region stop by now?

Qi Jinyu only indulged in his depression for a moment before closing his eyes to suppress the overwhelming longing. When he opened his eyes again, he had returned to his cold, aloof, and unpredictable demeanor as the Prince Xuan.

This deep palace allows no room for tenderness.

Upon leaving the palace and returning to his residence, he found the area in front of the Prince's mansion had been cleaned.

As soon as he stepped onto the steps, he saw a young maidservant dressed in a light green vest standing on tiptoe. Upon seeing him return, she hurriedly stepped forward, curtsied, and said in a slightly trembling voice, "Your Highness, the Princess Consort requests your presence at Xiangying Courtyard."

After leaving the palace and returning to his residence.

Pu Ye, a maid who had been waiting on tiptoe at the gate of the mansion, stepped forward and bowed to him, "Your Highness, the Princess Consort invites you to Xiangying Courtyard for a chat."

Qi Jinyu didn't stop walking, heading straight towards the main courtyard, only coldly waving his hand: "I don't have time."

Since his return to the capital, he has been staying in the main courtyard, while his nominal princess, Su Miaomiao, and her cousin, Mo Junxun, live in the side courtyard to the south.

The two sides are clearly separated and do not disturb each other.

Qi Jinyu had shown some consideration for Su Ziyu's younger sister, Su Miaomiao, but that was all. Today, he was preoccupied with complicated emotions and had no desire to deal with others.

Watching the prince leave without hesitation, the maid Puye remembered the instructions of her mistress in Xiangying's courtyard. She gritted her teeth, mustered all the courage she had in her life, and took two steps after him, saying urgently, "Your Highness! The Princess said... an old friend has returned!"

"What did you say?"

Qi Jinyu abruptly stopped, turned around sharply, her eyes sharp as knives, carrying a terrifying aura and a hint of unbelievable anticipation.

An old friend? Who else could be an old friend that Su Miaomiao would specifically send someone to deliver a message to, and that would cause him such a tremor in his heart?

He asked no more questions, and paid no attention to the little maid's fear. He turned around and strode towards Xiangying Courtyard.

He stopped in his tracks when he reached the courtyard gate.

My heart pounded wildly in my chest. I feared my expectations would be dashed, that my joy would be in vain; yet, if it truly was Ziyu, what would I say?

The promise I made when we parted still echoed in my ears—"I will go back as soon as possible."

However, the situation in the capital was treacherous, and one wrong step could lead to disaster. He was stuck here and unable to spare any attention.

It was he who schemed and plotted to take her to the harsh and cold northern frontier, hoping to escape the troubles and stay together.

In the end, it was he who left people alone in that snowstorm, returning to the capital alone to face this cannibalistic vortex.

Although it was a protective measure after careful consideration, the fact is that he returned to the bustling but dangerous capital, leaving Ziyu to work hard and manage things for him thousands of miles away, single-handedly supporting the northern frontier.

For more than a year, he relied entirely on those letters that crossed mountains and rivers, drawing warmth and strength from afar to get through countless cold, long nights.

Just as his emotions were churning, his fingertips trembled slightly, and he almost knocked on the door but managed to hold back—

With a soft creak, the courtyard gate opened a crack from the inside.

The thin sunlight of a winter afternoon slanted into the doorway, outlining a tall and elegant figure.

The figure stood indistinctly behind the door, and a familiar voice, tinged with amusement and reproach, came from behind: "What are you standing there for? Haven't you had enough of the northwest wind yet? Why don't you come in?"

This sound!

Qi Jinyu shuddered. All the rationality, scheming, exhaustion, and coldness in her mind receded like a tide in that instant, leaving only a burst of ecstasy and unforgettable longing.

He pushed the door open abruptly and strode into the courtyard.

The person before me wore a slightly worn, moon-white brocade cloak with a collar trimmed with snow-white fur, which made his face appear even more refined and jade-like.

With a smile in her eyes, she was exactly the image he had been longing for—Su Ziyu!

Unable to restrain himself any longer, Qi Jinyu stretched out his arms and pulled the person into a tight embrace! The force was so great that it seemed as if he wanted to knead the person into his own bones and blood.

"Ziyu..." His voice was terribly hoarse as he buried his face in the other's neck, greedily inhaling that familiar yet distant scent. "Ziyu... I miss you so much."

This is the person he cherishes most, the only warmth and refuge he finds in this cold world.

Feeling the real, warm body in his arms, Qi Jinyu felt that his heart, which had been dormant for so long, was finally beating fresh and intensely again.

Su Ziyu was struggling to breathe from his grip, but she didn't struggle. She simply raised her hand and gently hugged his taut back, her fingertips conveying a sense of comfort. Her voice, muffled on his shoulder, carried the same long-suppressed longing: "I miss you too, Ayu."

The long-awaited "Ayu" brought tears to Qi Jinyu's eyes.

The two remained quietly embracing in the winter courtyard for a long time until the cold wind blew up again. Qi Jinyu loosened his arms slightly, but still refused to let go, keeping the other person in his arms and looking down at him closely.

She had lost some weight, but her complexion was still good, and her eyes were still clear and bright. She was looking at him with a smile, and his image was reflected in her eyes.

"Why did you come here? From the northern frontier..." Qi Jinyu had countless questions to ask.

Su Zi raised her hand, her fingertips gently brushing across the lingering weariness between his brows, and said in a low voice, "It's a long story. I used the excuse of escorting a batch of specially made 'tribute' soaps and top-quality raw materials newly produced in the northern frontier to the capital, and after making some connections, I came quietly. As for my maternal grandfather... I've also settled things."

He paused, a look of heartache in his eyes, "But you, how come you look so haggard? Life in the capital... must be very difficult, right?"

Qi Jinyu grabbed his hand and pressed it against his cheek: "Seeing you makes everything better." At this moment, he didn't want to think about anything else; he just wanted to keep this person firmly by his side.

"Come with me back to the main courtyard first; it's not convenient to talk here."

Without saying a word, he put his arm around Su Ziyu's shoulder and walked out. He didn't even wait to walk back, so he picked her up and carried her through most of the palace back to his main courtyard where he lived alone.

Upon entering the room, which blocked all outside views, Qi Jinyu's last bit of self-control crumbled.

He bolted the door shut, then turned around and pinned Su Ziyu against it, showering her with passionate kisses.

It was no longer the cautiousness and sadness I felt in the courtyard just now, but a longing and desire that had been building up for too long, almost fierce.

"Ugh..." Su Ziyu only had time to let out a short cry of surprise before she was swept into the scorching storm.

He raised his hand to wrap around Qi Jinyu's neck, tilting his head back to receive the passion that almost engulfed him.

Clothes scattered in the entanglement, breaths mingled, bodies, long separated, felt both familiar and strange, each touch igniting a deeper flame.

From the doorway to the tatami mat, everything was in disarray.

The curtains were drawn, concealing the springtime atmosphere and the sounds of intense passion filling the room.

Sweat soaked their skin, and heavy breathing and suppressed groans rose and fell, telling of the most primal longing and possessiveness.