Spring arrives and the land smiles

The Dream Garden is most unique in late autumn. The cosmos flowers that bloomed in summer have already withered, with only a few particularly well-cared-for and extremely resilient ones still vying for attention, but it's just a last gasp and a show of bravado. Meanwhile, the dark ink, purple 18, and golden peony flowers that bloom in autumn are in their prime, as proud and unyielding as the sun at its zenith, standing tall against the frost and the west wind, their innate pride shining through.

The garden was filled with the sweet fragrance of autumn chrysanthemums. Qingyan took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, feeling much relieved of the pent-up emotions in her heart. She then turned around to look for the rare variety of chrysanthemum—the Three-Hydrangea.

This is a three-headed chrysanthemum, with three chrysanthemums blooming on the stem, which is already quite rare. But what is most amazing is that the three chrysanthemums have three different colors, namely purple, gold and green, hence the name "Three Hydrangeas", which is Qingyan's favorite.

Qingyan bent down to gently stroke the flowers, but her brows furrowed involuntarily.

This morning's imperial court dispatch reported that disaster had struck the southern populace, leading to unrest. The Prince of Jin requested permission to lead 30,000 elite cavalry from the Vanguard Camp to quell the rebellion swiftly. The Vanguard Camp has always been commanded by Zhao Chi, a veteran general of the Ning family army and the Grand General of the Cavalry. General Zhao was the most valiant general under the late General Ning, renowned for his superb martial arts and strict military discipline. Currently, General Zhao is recuperating at home due to illness. Taking away his command now would be like removing a vital support arm from Ningyuan. It seems that the Prince of Jin's tacit approval of the Vanguard Camp's western expedition to quell the Qiu Rong is not about undermining Ningyuan, but rather about taking advantage of their misfortune and using them as a tool to kill. Qingyan deeply regretted her risky move. What a clever strategic retreat! Exchanging 30,000 elite cavalry for the sole heir of the Ning family army was a worthwhile trade by any measure.

Qingyan gritted her teeth, her brows furrowing even more deeply.

Suddenly, a warm hand landed on her shoulder and patted her twice in a comforting manner. It must be Yunxuan. Qingyan turned around and smiled gratefully at him.

"If you don't want to smile, then don't. A forced smile is just plain ugly." Looking at Qingyan's lifeless smile, Yunxuan teased, which indeed eased the sorrow on Qingyan's brow.

"Let's go back!"

Still troubled, Qingyan's face still held a faint cloud of sorrow, though not as obvious as before, but still enough to make Yunxuan feel sorry for her.

Back at Caiyi Palace, Yunxuan had long been accustomed to this intimate relationship of sharing a room but not a bedroom. In the bedroom, Qingyan stayed in the inner chamber while Yunxuan guarded the outer chamber, which was very warm and tacit. Some things cannot be rushed.

"Yunxuan, if you were to compete with Prince Jin, who would have a better chance of winning?" Qingyan asked Yunxuan to sit down in the courtyard of the palace and brew a pot of fragrant tea for them to drink together.

"The Prince of Jin is a military general, and I, Yunxuan, am not as good as him." He took the teacup Qingyan offered and drank it down, answering truthfully.

Before Yunxuan could put down his teacup, Qingyan attacked him with a sharp palm strike, forcing him to leap off the stool and retreat more than ten feet.

He closed in again, using both fists and palms, his attacks fierce and swift, each strike aimed at vital points, leaving Yunxuan unable to defend and nearly getting hit. However, fancy moves are ultimately just intimidating; after more than twenty moves, Yunxuan seized an opening in Qingyan's lower body, sweeping his leg and causing Qingyan to stumble and lose her balance. Yunxuan used this opportunity to adjust his attack, and after a few more rounds, he subdued Qingyan and pulled her into his arms.

"You know martial arts?" Yunxuan looked incredulous and astonished.

"Ning Yuan taught me this, it's just for self-defense, but it's useless to you." Having expected this, Qingyan ignored his surprise and simply replied calmly. Yunxuan's hot breath from exercise brushed against her neck, making her blush with intimacy.

Yunxuan chuckled: "He didn't teach you how to ambush people."

After a brief silence, Qingyan turned around and asked, "With my skills, could I withstand ten moves from the Prince of Jin?"

The question, “You mean—” made Yunxuan nervous.

"Yes."

"No!" Yunxuan shouted, stopping him.

Deliberately ignoring Yunxuan's expression, Qingyan said in a huff, "If you're not going to help me, then just stand by and watch the show."

"Stop." Faced with this situation, Yunxuan had no choice but to compromise.

Upon hearing this, Qingyan stopped in her tracks, smiled broadly, and quickly ran back to Yunxuan's side, saying, "Thank you!"

Her radiant smile betrayed a secret delight at her cunning scheme's success.

"You're making me even more jealous of him," Yunxuan sighed, a hint of helplessness in his voice.

Qingyan smiled slightly: "You're putting pressure on me."

"How could I dare? Just don't run away." Yunxuan wrapped his arms around her, his expression one of relief and calm as he spoke of this.

For the first time, Qingyan felt such a deep sense of guilt and loathed herself.

She dared not look into those clear, starry eyes again. She knew she had always taken advantage of Yunxuan's affection to act willfully, never considering his feelings in anything she did, even thinking his feelings weren't important. Yet, despite this, he never refused her help when things came up. This unfair treatment was met with a smile from the gentle, jade-like man. It seemed that tormenting him had become Qingyan's habit, a despicable habit that was addictive and irresistible.

"Yunxuan, I can't give you what you want." A fleeting glint flashed in Qingyan's eyes.

"It's too early to say that; there's still a long way to go." A relaxed smile played on the man's lips, and he remained nonchalant.

"So you're prepared for a long haul." Indeed, the hardest debt to repay is the debt of love. Qingyan giggled, like a playful little deer, and lightly left his embrace.

Besides taking from Fu Yunxuan, Qingyan didn't know what else she could do. Hiding in his arms like an ostrich was probably her only instinct right now.

Inside the Imperial Study, Emperor Longqing was reviewing memorials with a serious expression. Holding vermilion ink, he wrote furiously and without hesitation, but stopped when he reached the memorial from Prince Jin.

"The southern rioters are unruly and unpredictable. I believe that sending troops to suppress them as soon as possible can secure the border and stabilize the country. I request Your Majesty's permission to lead 30,000 elite cavalry from the vanguard camp to Qiongzhou in the south to quell the unrest." The beautiful and full-bodied Yan style calligraphy on the memorial seemed to exert an invisible pressure around Emperor Longqing, and the vermilion pen in his hand seemed heavy.

Looking up at the plaque of the Jingxin Hall, Qingyan stopped in front of the Imperial Study and waved to stop Wang Huaisheng from announcing the news.

This is the name the late emperor bestowed upon the Imperial Study. The late emperor said: When an emperor deals with matters, he must be calm and composed. Those who are restless and impatient will inevitably be burdened by everything.

Qingyan took a deep breath and pushed the door open to go inside.

As if knowing that Qingyan would not announce his arrival, the Longqing Emperor remained engrossed in his memorials and did not show any sign of anger.

"Father." Only when he heard Qingyan call out softly did Emperor Longqing raise his head, but what Qingyan saw was Emperor Longqing's calm expression without any worry.

He waved away the anxious Wang Huaisheng and gestured for Qingyan to approach the imperial desk.

"The Prince of Jin has petitioned to quell the rebellion. What do you think, Your Majesty?" The Longqing Emperor handed over the memorial without revealing his thoughts.

"Your subject is willing to personally lead the vanguard to Qiongzhou to quell the rebellion." Qingyan knelt down and presented the Prince of Jin's memorial to the Longqing Emperor.

Emperor Longqing glanced at Qingyan kneeling before the table, his expression indifferent, and rose to accept the memorial.

"Is the prince confident of going to Qiongzhou?" Emperor Longqing casually tossed the memorial onto the table, then stood by the window with his hands behind his back.

The Longqing Emperor's words and tone clearly indicated tacit approval. It seems that Yunxuan had put in a lot of effort on this matter, at least by involving the Fu family; otherwise, the Emperor would not have been so accommodating.

He rose and stood behind Emperor Longqing, his head bowed, appearing respectful and cautious. "Your subject believes that General Chu Huai of the Cloud Banner can serve as your deputy to assist you in quelling the rebellion." In this way, Prince Jin had nothing to say.

"Your Majesty, Prince Jin requests an audience," Wang Huaisheng announced from outside the door.

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear; the Prince of Jin arrived with extraordinary speed.

"Xuan."

He led the Prince of Jin into the hall, and Wang Huaisheng bowed and withdrew.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty." Prince Jin was about to kowtow when Emperor Longqing stopped him.

"Greetings, Third Imperial Uncle." Qingyan performed a respectful greeting as an elder.

"Your Highness, Princess." Prince Jin was cautious and meticulous, his manners carefully chosen to avoid giving anyone cause for criticism.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, we got down to business.

“Your Majesty, the number of rioters has surged recently, reaching nearly ten thousand. They are seizing government grain and large households to demonstrate against the court. Neighboring prefectures and counties in Qiongzhou are also waiting for an opportunity to act. I fear the situation may escalate.” Prince Jin spoke with conviction.

“Father, Qiongzhou is a vital border town, and this matter is of great importance. Your son is willing to go and quell the rebellion,” Qingyan volunteered before the Prince of Jin could. He paused slightly, noticing the Prince of Jin’s surprised expression, “Your son only needs a thousand light cavalry.”

"My son, do you know what your third uncle has reported?" Emperor Longqing pointed to the memorial on his desk.

"Could it be the same thing that I requested?" Qingyan asked, feigning surprise.

Emperor Longqing smiled slightly and looked at Prince Jin, "What does Shenyuan think?" Emperor Longqing addressed Prince Jin by his courtesy name, which was a subtle way of addressing a brother, and it was an invitation for him to teach the younger generation how to conduct themselves as an elder.

"This is a matter of great importance; I humbly request Your Majesty to make the final decision," said the Prince of Jin, who appeared slightly apprehensive.

At this moment, if one were to request permission to fight, it might be seen as a power grab. Handing the matter over to the Emperor would demonstrate both loyalty to the monarch and patriotism. The old fox that is Prince Jin will certainly not be so easily dismissed.

"Why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut? It's just a few thousand rioters. It's too much trouble for the Third Imperial Uncle," Qingyan flattered.

After glancing at Qingyan briefly, Emperor Longqing pondered for a moment before speaking, "My son is quite bold and inexperienced, but he lacks experience. I hereby appoint General Chu Huai of the Cloud Banner as your deputy to accompany you to Qiongzhou." He then turned to Prince Jin, "It's time to let the young man gain some experience. What do you think, Shenyuan?"

Upon being called upon, Prince Jin quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise." He then turned to Qingyan with a worried expression, "However, Your Highness is still a delicate woman. I fear that Your Highness may be injured during this campaign to quell the rebellion. Perhaps I should select a few trustworthy attendants to protect you personally, so as to ensure your safety."

"Thank you for your kindness, Third Imperial Uncle, but I'm confident that my fancy but ineffective martial arts skills are enough to protect myself." I'd rather you have someone monitoring me.

Before Emperor Longqing could speak, Qingyan had already stated her position, looking at Prince Jin with obvious provocation in her eyes, "If Third Imperial Uncle is not at ease, he can verify it himself."

Prince Jin was greatly surprised, never expecting Qingyan to know martial arts. He had considered everything, but he had overlooked this seemingly impossible situation. Qingyan's provocative intentions infuriated him, and a surge of pride welled up in his heart. "Since Your Highness has such an interest, it would be presumptuous of this old minister not to accompany you. If Your Highness can last ten moves against this old minister, then His Majesty can rest assured about the expedition!"

As expected of a seasoned warrior, his martial prowess cannot be underestimated. Qingyan was secretly delighted. In the past, her father always had an excuse for pestering Ningyuan to learn martial arts, and although he turned a blind eye, he could never be completely aboveboard. After this incident, her father should fully support her martial arts training.

"Third Imperial Uncle, then I must offend you." After saying this, Qingyan attacked Prince Jin with a sharp palm wind. The two sides were of vastly different strengths, and Qingyan could only use speed and agility as cover to avoid being captured within ten moves.

Due to the sudden attack, while the King of Jin was busy responding, Qingyan had already narrowly survived five moves.

Although her moves were clumsy, her movements were agile and unpredictable, which surprised the Prince of Jin. So he focused his mind and attacked Qingyan with all his might, finally defeating her on the eleventh move.

"Thank you for your kind words, Third Imperial Uncle." Qingyan's smug expression infuriated the Prince of Jin, but he couldn't show it due to face-saving, so he could only laugh it off. In his heart, however, he became even more concerned about this newly appointed Crown Prince.

"Since that's the case, Your Excellency, lead the vanguard of one thousand light cavalry to Qiongzhou in three days to quell the rebellion immediately. There must be no delay." Emperor Longqing was not surprised by this outcome and calmly announced the decree.

"Your subject obeys the decree." Qingyan's face lit up with joy, and he even felt that he was being annoyingly smug.

The sun sets in the west, its afterglow like blood.

Finding no trace of Yunxuan in Caiyi Palace, Qingyan skipped and hopped to Bolanzhai, pushed open the study door, sat casually at the desk, and even drank the tea beside Yunxuan in one gulp.

The sudden interruption startled Yunxuan, but he quickly regained his composure and continued practicing calligraphy when he saw Qingyan looking completely disheveled. "I thought some mountain king had arrived, but it's just a princess," he teased softly, his eyes full of affection.

“No mountain bandit is as valiant as I am.” Ignoring his teasing, Qingyan began to recount her duel with great enthusiasm that day with the Prince of Jin.

As the story reached its climax, Yunxuan's brows furrowed involuntarily. He put down the wolf-hair brush in his hand and quickly walked to Qingyan's side. He took her hand, rolled up her sleeves, and several bruises were clearly visible, which was heartbreaking to see. He then took out some medicinal wine and began to rub them.

"It's alright," Qingyan said dismissively. "After today, I'll definitely be even more unbearable in Prince Jin's eyes. For example, I'll be seen as ambitious, impetuous, eccentric in speech, and reckless in behavior." She counted on her fingers, then raised an eyebrow. "And I'll also be fickle and fond of men." As she spoke, she gave him a lecherous smile, leaving him speechless.

"If you really like men, I'll repay you with my body, okay?" Her long, narrow eyes narrowed slightly, and she intensified her rubbing of the wound, causing Qingyan to wince in pain.

Despite the pain in her arm, Qingyan was in a great mood and didn't mind joking with Yunxuan, "Such a handsome man is too good for a playboy like me." After saying that, she used her other hand to lift Yunxuan's chin and gave him a flirtatious look.

Seeing Qingyan's carefree, smiling face, Yunxuan felt a pang of bitterness. This relaxed, joyful, and unrestrained relationship was more like friendship than love.

Yunxuan slapped away Qingyan's mischievous little hand and changed the subject: "When do we set off?"

"Three days later."

"So fast." Yunxuan paused in surprise.

"There's enough time to make arrangements. I'll only take 1,000 light cavalry with me out of the 30,000 elite vanguard troops, so their combat effectiveness will not be compromised. The remaining troops will be handed over to General Xing Mufeng, the deputy general of General Zhao Chi. Mufeng has been on good terms with Ning Yuan since childhood, so he will definitely go all out when providing reinforcements, and the military power will not fall into other hands." Qingyan told Yunxuan everything in a very straightforward manner.

"A thousand light cavalry? Are you crazy?" Yunxuan was astonished.

"What's the rush? A thousand cavalry is enough. Trust me." Qingyan patted his shoulder and smiled knowingly. "If this riot could be resolved by force alone, why would I have made the trip myself? I've read the memorial submitted by Qiongzhou. There must be something fishy about this."

"You suspect—" Yunxuan's expression turned serious.

"Yes," Qingyan replied affirmatively.

"Isn't this trip fraught with danger?" Yunxuan couldn't help but worry.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I'll be careful."

"I'll go with you."

"No need," Qingyan smiled slightly, "However, if needed, I will certainly not stand on ceremony with you."

Qingyan insisted, so Yunxuan had no choice but to give up, but his worries only deepened.

"By the way, how did you persuade Father?" This question had been weighing on Qingyan's mind, and she couldn't bear to leave it unanswered.

"Well, that's a secret," Yunxuan said, keeping it a secret.

"Pretentious." Qingyan raised her eyebrows, feigning indifference, but her thoughts darkened slightly.

The Fu family must have done a lot of work to sway the Emperor's will. Prince Jin is a powerful minister, and the person who convinced Emperor Longqing that Chu Huai was Prince Jin must have provided some strong evidence to make him make a decision that neither offended Prince Jin nor allowed him to obtain military power, thus punishing both sides equally. The Fu family's influence in the court is evident. It is truly fortunate to have the Fu family's help, especially when the power of the Emperor's father-in-law, Shangguan Qing, is declining. It is even more of a timely help. Qingyan's guilt towards Yunxuan has increased even more.

However, what if one day Yunxuan runs out of patience with her and turns against her...

Thinking of this, Qingyan felt a chill run down her spine.