The abstinent prince, practicing Buddhism, is seduced by a voluptuous beauty into breaking his vows.

Su Qingrun had only drunk half of her almond milk when a commotion broke out outside.

A woman's clear yet domineering voice could be faintly heard, mixed with the guards' troubled attempts to dissuade her:

"I've sent out invitations so many times! This time, I, the princess, have come in person, why won't you let me in?!"

"Princess, please calm your anger. His Highness has given orders..."

"I don't care! I must see General Su today! Get out of the way!"

The sound grew closer, mixed with hurried footsteps and the rustling of armor.

The three people inside the room simultaneously looked up at the doorway.

The next moment, the door was pushed open from the outside with a "bang".

Anar stood at the door in a fiery red riding outfit, her jet-black braids slightly disheveled from running, and beads of sweat glistening on her forehead.

Behind her followed an old envoy covered in sweat and several palace guards who were unsure whether to stop her or not.

"Your Highness, you're being incredibly unfair! You said you'd come with me, but they..."

Her words stopped abruptly.

Because she saw the person leaning against the headboard.

Su Qingrun had already sat up straight. Although her face was still pale, her eyes were clear and bright.

He wore a plain white undergarment, his black hair was unbound and draped over his shoulders, and he had lost some of the fierce killing intent he had on the battlefield, but gained more of the refined and gentle demeanor of a sick young master.

Anar was stunned.

The air was still for a few seconds.

Then, the usually sassy and capable princess of the Northern Desert suddenly had two suspicious blushes on her face.

She subconsciously raised her hand to tidy the stray hairs at her temples, her footsteps became lighter, and her voice dropped eight octaves:

"General Su...you're awake?"

Her tone and expression even revealed a hint of a girl's shyness and coquettishness.

The old envoy's eyes nearly popped out of his head—was this still the princess who rode across the grasslands, whipping her horse, shooting eagles with her bow, and drinking a group of grown men under the table?!

Su Qingrun looked at Anar, her brows furrowed slightly, and a look of doubt flashed in her eyes.

He stared at Anar's face, which was flushed with excitement, and then looked at her clearly feminine figure. Something exploded in his mind.

On the border battlefield, there was the Northern Desert general who, clad in silver armor and wielding a scimitar, fought him for dozens of rounds without a clear victor.

Inside the negotiation tent, there was the sharp-tongued, unyielding, yet surprisingly reasonable Northern Desert envoy.

And then there's that "brother" who was poisoned at the peace talks banquet, and in a moment of panic, he rushed forward and shielded the poisoned arrow with his own body...

Su Qingrun's eyes widened, her finger trembling as she pointed at Anar, her voice stuttering with shock:

"You, you, you...you're a woman?!"

His tone was filled with shock, disbelief, and... a sense of bewilderment at having his worldview turned upside down.

The air froze again.

Anar's blush vanished instantly, replaced by anger: "You...you're only just finding out?!"

Su Qingrun opened her mouth, and after a long while, she found her voice: "At the border... you were always wearing armor and a mask, and your voice was..."

He was also keeping his head down, and given that the people of the Northern Desert were generally tall, he really thought the other person was a young general.

Who would have thought it was a girl?!

Anar stomped her foot in anger:

"Of course I'm a woman! What, General Su, you lived and ate with me at the border for three months, and you didn't even notice?"

Su Qingrun's face flushed red instantly, all the way down to the roots of her neck.

Eating and living together...

Yes, conditions were harsh in the border military camp, and he and "Anar" did indeed share a tent.

But that was because the other party was a peace envoy sent by the Northern Desert and was a "man," so he didn't think about it at all!

Looking back now, no wonder "Anar" never changed clothes in front of him, no wonder she always avoided people when taking a bath, no wonder...

Su Qingrun abruptly closed her eyes, wishing she could dig a hole in the ground and disappear right then and there.

Su Yaoyao was so suppressing her laughter that her shoulders were shaking – her brother, who was usually so shrewd on the battlefield, couldn't even tell the difference between men and women?

Anar helplessly shrugged, her face showing she really couldn't do anything about it, and reached out to touch the bandage on Su Qingrun's chest:

"Let me see the wound. How serious is it? We have a kind of ointment in the Northern Desert that's especially effective for sword and knife wounds..."

"Don't touch it!" Su Qingrun recoiled as if he had been burned. The movement was too big and aggravated his wound, causing him to groan in pain and sweat to instantly appear on his forehead.

Anar was startled and quickly withdrew her hand, her face showing regret and heartache: "I'm sorry... I just..."

She paused, her voice suddenly lowering, carrying a rare hint of girlish shyness:

"I'm just worried about you."

The room fell silent for a moment.

Su Qingrun stared at her blankly.

Anar felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze, turned her face away, her ears turning slightly red, but she still forced a dashing demeanor: "What are you looking at! Is it wrong for this princess to worry about her savior?"

Su Qingrun didn't speak; he was still a little slow to react.

Xiao Chenyuan cleared his throat at the opportune moment, breaking the delicate atmosphere: "Since the princess has arrived, please have a seat. General Su has just woken up and needs to rest."

Anar then remembered that there were other people in the room, and quickly composed herself, bowing to Xiao Chenyuan with a Northern Desert salute: "Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince."

He then looked at Su Yaoyao, his eyes lighting up: "My little sister's here too!" He rushed over, grabbed Su Yaoyao's hand, and asked, "Did you like the gift I gave you? Did you wear it?"

Su Yaoyao: "..."

Su Qingrun looked puzzled. When did these two become so close?

"What clothes?"

Su Yaoyao looked embarrassed. "It's a girl's business, brother, don't meddle."

She quietly tugged at Xiao Chenyuan's sleeve, signaling with her eyes: Let's leave.

Xiao Chenyuan understood, and the two of them quietly slipped out, leaving the awkward couple inside the room alone.

Outside the door, the sun is just right.

Su Yaoyao pulled Xiao Chenyuan to the corridor before whispering, "Your Highness, is there something going on between my brother and the princess?"

Xiao Chenyuan raised an eyebrow: "You figured it out?"

"It's so obvious, only a blind person wouldn't see it." Su Yaoyao pouted. "The way the princess looked at her brother was practically drooling. And her brother, usually such a calm person, his face was as red as a monkey's bottom just now."

Xiao Chenyuan chuckled: "You've observed quite carefully."

"Of course." Su Yaoyao raised her chin proudly. "I'm a professional."

Xiao Chenyuan raised his hand and ruffled her hair: "The Northern Desert Princess has a special status, this matter needs to be considered carefully."

"I know," Su Yaoyao leaned on his shoulder and whispered, "I just hope my brother can be happy. He suffered so much alone at the border, he deserves someone to take good care of him."

Xiao Chenyuan put his arm around her shoulder: "Yes, we will."

As the two were talking, Anar's voice suddenly rose from inside the room:

"Su Qingrun! What do you mean?! I, the princess, have come to see you in person, and you can't even say a kind word?!"

Then came Su Qingrun's helpless voice: "Princess, I...I didn't mean that..."

"Then what do you mean?!"

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty only..."

"Just what?! Tell me!"

Su Yaoyao and Xiao Chenyuan exchanged a glance and smiled at the same time.

It seems this couple... still has a long way to go.

However, good things often come with difficulties.

The magnolias outside the window are in full bloom, their fragrance drifting into the corridor on the breeze.

Spring has truly arrived.