After being thoroughly violated, he ran away with the enemy emperor's child.

They stared at each other for a moment, and then the man turned and left.

Chu Ling didn't mind, and led Chu Li back to his bedchamber. She played with him for a while longer before leaving in the evening.

On his way back to the East Palace, he was stopped by someone: "Chu Ling".

His guards immediately drew their swords: "Who's there?"

The next moment, a person emerged from the shadows; it was the boy who had stared at Chu Ling during the day.

"It's you."

Chu Ling remained calm: "Who are you?"

He had a guess in his mind, but he couldn't be sure.

"My name is Mo Yan."

With his suspicions confirmed, Chu Ling remained unfazed: "Sixth Prince of Zhao, what do you mean by calling me?"

I want to be your friend.

"?"

Perhaps because it was the first time he had encountered such a blunt person, Chu Ling was stunned for a moment before saying, "Boring."

He turned to leave, but then heard someone call out to him from behind: "Is it not allowed?"

Chu Ling ignored him and continued walking forward. Mo Yan quickly followed, but was stopped by a guard: "Sixth Prince, please have some self-respect."

Mo Yan ignored him as well, watching Chu Ling's retreating figure: "I will come again tomorrow."

"..."

Chu Ling silently quickened her pace.

The next day, Chu Ling saw him again in the Imperial Garden.

Foreign envoys should have stayed at the post station outside the palace, but Mo Yan was quite shameless and yesterday actually asked His Majesty of Yong Kingdom to allow him to stay in the palace.

Chu Yun saw that he was still young and could not refute him, so he could only agree.

Therefore, he appeared in front of Chu Ling again at this moment, "Chu Ling, I brought you a gift."

"..."

Chu Ling walked past him without looking to the side.

Aren't you curious what the gift is?

"..."

The guards protecting Chu Ling were in a real bind. "Sixth Prince, you..."

After all, he was a prince of the Zhao Kingdom, so they couldn't just drive him away.

Through the guards, Mo Yan turned his head to look at him: "Chu Ling, can you please pay attention to me?"

"..."

"Chu Ling..."

"Shut up."

Chu Ling stopped in her tracks. "I don't want to be friends with you."

Why?

"I just don't want to, there's no reason why."

"But I want to be your friend, you're good-looking."

"..."

Chu Ling took a deep breath, quickened her pace, and instructed the guards, "Stop him."

The guards tried to block Mo Yan's way, but he still managed to slip through their defenses. Mo Yan was as agile as an eel.

"Chu Ling, this is for you."

Mo Yan held a string of candied hawthorns in his hand: "I heard from your father that you like sweets, so I specially brought these in from outside the palace."

The candied hawthorns were all round and plump, coated with red syrup. Chu Ling looked at them for a while, then said coldly, "I don't want them."

Why?

"No means no, why are you asking so many 'whys'?"

"I was just curious, wasn't I?"

"..."

Chu Ling didn't want to pay attention to him, but Mo Yan clung to him like glue: "You don't like candied hawthorns? Then what do you like?"

I'll bring it to you tomorrow.

I prefer you to be far away from me.

"..."

Mo Yan paused for a moment, then fell silent.

For the next few days, Mo Yan would wait for Chu Ling at the place he was sure to pass by, bringing him either novelties or food.

Although Chu Ling rejected him every time, she gradually got used to his presence.

Another day, Chu Ling was walking on the road and couldn't help but wonder: What will Mo Yan bring him today?

He refused every day, but Mo Yan persisted, otherwise today...

He was hesitating whether to accept Mo Yan's gift, but after walking for a long time, he still couldn't see Mo Yan.

Standing in the place where Mo Yan used to appear, Chu Ling was somewhat stunned. After a few breaths, she left without looking back.

For two days in a row, Chu Ling did not see Mo Yan. On the third day, Mo Yan stood in the place where she had to pass by, pale-faced, holding a kite in his hand.

"Ah Ling, do you know how to fly a kite?"

"...What did you call me?"

"Ah Ling."

Mo Yan said confidently, "The Regent has agreed to let us be friends."

"boring."

As he walked past Mo Yan, he heard Mo Yan say, "I'm returning to Zhao Kingdom in three days. Can't we even be friends for two days?"

There are only three days left until the Emperor's birthday. After three days, the envoys who came to Yong will return to their own countries.

"..."

Chu Ling stopped.

A few seconds later, her voice came out hesitantly: "...No."

This was in response to Mo Yan's question, "Do you know how to fly a kite?" Mo Yan was slightly taken aback, then smiled and said, "Then I'll teach you."

The two stood in the Imperial Garden. Mo Yan stuffed the kite string into Chu Ling's hand, saying, "When I let go, step back and pull the string."

"Um."

Holding the cotton thread, Chu Ling was a little nervous. When she saw Mo Yan let go, she took a few steps back and gently pulled the cotton thread.

As the kite took flight, Chu Ling looked up, his eyes filled with wonder. This was the first time he had ever been so "unproductive."

Mo Yan stood beside him, about to say something, when suddenly his brows furrowed and he spat out a mouthful of black blood.

……

"Your Highness."

Interrupted by Lin Chen, Chu Li snapped back to reality. "What is it?"

"I heard that Mo Yan sent a message, asking Your Highness to hand over the Snow Lotus."

"Um."

Chu Li nodded: "Mo Yan said he would exchange it for crossbow blueprints, otherwise war would break out in seven days."

"But the snow lotus concerns my brother, so it absolutely cannot be given to him."

Their Yong Kingdom preserved the Snow Lotus for eighteen years in the face of the so-called calamity, but now Mo Yan wants to get there first. On what grounds?

He pondered for a moment: "Lin Chen, go find some lotus flowers that resemble snow lotuses and send them to Zhao Kingdom."

"Try to make it as realistic as possible, since Mo Yan has never seen one before."

"Yes."

Upon receiving the order, Lin Chen immediately led his men to search for something similar to the snow lotus. As the saying goes, heaven rewards those who persevere, and two days later he actually found one that looked similar.

Comparing it to the genuine article, they made some minor adjustments, then packed it into a brocade box and sent it to the Zhao Kingdom.

A few days later, in the Imperial Study of Zhao Kingdom.

Mo Yan looked at the pure white lotus flower before him: "This is the snow lotus?"