After the system set its sights on the dragon throne, the princess started courting death every day.

Qi Yuanshi chuckled and deftly dodged his brother.

"He doesn't want it?" Qi Yuanshen frowned and murmured in understanding, "Sure enough, throwing those silver notes to the border is like throwing a mud ox into the sea, it's normal that he doesn't want them."

"No, no." Seeing his brother's low spirits, Qi Yuanshi dared not dodge any longer. He fidgeted with his fingers and shuffled on his toes, saying coyly, "I threw the silver into his arms and rode away. I... I don't know if he took it or not. But... no one chased after me on my way back, so I guess, I guess he took it."

Looking at his younger brother's shy demeanor, like an unmarried girl meeting her true love, Qi Yuanshen knew that the boy's courage had been completely extinguished by the sudden appearance of the Fu family, whom he had regarded as heroes since childhood.

Qi Yuanshen raised his hand and gently patted his head, then lightly grasped his icy hands and led him into the mansion: "Your hands are so cold and you didn't even say anything, just letting me block you at the door? Aren't you stupid?"

Qi Yuanshi chuckled and said, "I'm not cold, I'm happy."

Hearing his foolish younger brother's words, Qi Yuanshen felt both heartache and understanding that he and his brother had done all they could, and now it was all up to Fu Qing to clear his name.

"Qi Yuanshen!"

A loud female voice suddenly rang out, and Qi Yuanshen turned around—Ren Xueqing, wearing a red cloak and a hood, with white fur trim on the hood lightly touching her face, making her sickly appearance even more noticeable.

Qi Yuanshen: "Miss Ren?"

Ren Xueqing walked up the steps and stood on the same spot as Qi Yuanshen and Qi Ping. She whispered, "Did you and your brother give money to Fu Qingbai?"

Qi Yuanshen's gaze darkened slightly. He didn't answer, but looked at her warily.

"Stop giving me that disgusting look." Ren Xueqing returned the look with the same glare. "Without me covering you, do you think you two would still be standing here safely?"

Qi Yuanshen was puzzled, but knew he was wrong: "I'm sorry, Miss Ren, the gate is not the place to talk. Let's go inside."

"You two weren't afraid to leave the city, but now you're scared after just a few words? You're so small for yourselves, but you've done something big." Ren Xueqing said with utter disdain. "I've taken care of the people who were following you. Young Master Qi, remember this well, it's a favor you have to repay."

Follow them? Who are they?

In an instant, several names popped into Qi Yuanshen's mind.

"Also, if you need to send money in the future, please call me. I'm richer than you."

After saying that, Ren Xueqing turned and left. She was willful and arrogant, but her back view was delicate and thin, and it would not be an exaggeration to describe her as a slender willow.

It makes sense. Ren Xueqing was born weak and grew up in a morbidly medicinal environment. How strong could her body be? To be in her current state, one can only imagine how much effort and energy Prime Minister Yang and Madam Wang have put in behind the scenes for her.

"Brother, what does she mean? How did she know we left the city?" Qi Yuanshi asked, dissatisfied. He and Ren Xueqing had disliked each other for many years.

With a thousand thoughts swirling in his mind, he didn't want to say too much to his younger brother, Qi Yuanshen. His brother was still young and should be at an age where he could be carefree.

Qi Yuanshen chuckled: "What, she just tried to bluff you, and you can't handle it?"

Qi Yuanshi's face stiffened: "You came here to scare me? You must be out of your mind!"

"Qi Yuanshi! How many times have I told you, you must not be rude to women!"

"Brother, you're being unfair." Qi Yuanshi said aggrievedly, "Last year on the Lantern Festival, I ran into her on the street, and she called me stupid. Why didn't you scold her for being rude to me?"

"What? You think it wasn't enough that I defended you back then? She was rude and deserved to be reprimanded, but that's what Prime Minister Yang and Madam Wang should do. What right do I have to do what her parents should do? Even if I did have the right, I couldn't. Women should be tougher on men. There's a huge difference in strength between men and women. If she's also gentle, wouldn't she be someone everyone can bully?"

These words made Qi Yuanshi's face flush red, but he still stubbornly insisted: "She insulted me, so I'll insult her back. I won't swallow my anger!"

A day later, the guards who went out to gather information brought back news—the people who were following them came from the household of Su Yanghai, the Left Censor.

Su Yanghai was a low-key man who didn't talk much in court, but when he did, it was always about important matters. People who learned who the censor was usually driven by curiosity, otherwise, why would they report on such matters so readily?

Days passed, and more and more news came back from the border—

On the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, the Festival of Following the Stars, Qi Yuanshen accompanied Qi Cheng to the palace for a banquet. Under the watchful eyes of all the officials, the emperor released sky lanterns, praying for a smooth and prosperous new year. Fu Qingbai and his troops continued their tireless march to the border.

On the tenth day of the Lunar New Year, the Stone Festival, Qi Yuanshen led Qi Yuanshi to climb a famous stone mountain on the outskirts of the city. Fu Qingbai and his group encountered heavy snow, with the snow reaching their knees. Fortunately, they finally reached the border town in the afternoon.

On the eleventh day of the first lunar month, students from the capital held a grand literary gathering on the Rainbow Bridge, with the top ten each receiving one hundred taels of silver. The border region was covered in thick snow and strong winds, and Fu Qingbai caught a chill.

On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the Lantern Festival, Ren Xueqing cooked a pot of glutinous rice balls for her parents. Her filial piety was widely praised throughout the capital. Upon hearing this, Qi Yuanshi cursed, "She's out of her mind!" Then, a bowl of broken glutinous rice balls, which Qi Yuanshi had insisted on bringing, appeared on Qi Yuanshen's desk. Fu Qingbai's cold had improved, and the group set off again, only to get lost in the heavy snow.

The letter slipped from his hand and fell to the ground silently. Qi Yuanshen flung open the tightly closed study door, abandoning all his usual gentlemanly manners, and ran while shouting, "Prime Minister... Prime Minister's Residence... Qi Yuanshi!"

In the afternoon, Ren Xueqing brought news—Fu Qingbai and his group had indeed disappeared!

A high-ranking official in the imperial court had a big argument in the imperial study and left on bad terms.

Three days later, news came from the palace that the emperor's personal eunuch, Changfu, was to lead a small amount of food and several hundred soldiers to search for Fu Qingbai in the snow. The court officials originally suggested that Xia Lingguang, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, go instead, but Xia Lingguang was too good at talking.

Changfu was also unwilling, but eunuchs had no power or influence, and the only one they could rely on was the emperor.

The border affairs are of utmost importance, and it is better to act sooner rather than later. However, just an hour before the departure the next day, Fu Qingbai sent another message, informing His Majesty that he had found a way out and that there was no need for the court officials to worry. He explained that due to the strong winds and heavy snow of the past few days, he had been unable to open his eyes and thus had not been able to send the message in time.

The people in the court were relieved, and the emperor was overjoyed and decided to hold a banquet to celebrate.

"Brother, tell me, with such heavy snow and wind at the border, how did Fu Qingbai find his way?" Qi Yuanshi leaned on the desk, his chin resting on the table, casually toying with a fine jade auspicious knot in one hand.

Last winter, a snow fell in the capital. Overnight, the eaves, tree branches, and ground were covered with a layer of snow up to ankle-deep. Qi Yuanshi woke up early in the morning and suddenly decided to ride a horse to the outskirts of the city to pick plum branches. His family tried every means to stop him, but he found a way to escape.

Qi Yuanshi was unable to return even after the sun set, completely lost in the forest.