In the prefectural governor's residence, Xu Hui carefully placed the letter Shen Hanshan had given him into the developing solution. Several lines of delicate, flowery calligraphy slowly appeared on it: "For my husband's perusal:

Time has passed swiftly since we parted, and my heart aches with longing for your return, though it is difficult to do so now. Husband, you must uphold your virtues and never betray our deep affection. I urge you to raise our children with care, refrain from extramarital affairs, and maintain upright conduct.

The world is full of troubles and temptations, but I hope you will stand firm like a pine tree, unwavering in your commitment, guarding your true heart and keeping your promise.

Don't reply, take care.

Shen Hanshan's gaze seemed fixed on the letter, lingering there for a long time.

"Husband's Rules?" Xu Hui suppressed a laugh, gently patted Shen Hanshan's shoulder, and said with a half-smile, "It seems that our prince is a little worried about the king!"

Xu Hui was more than ten years older than Shen Hanshan and was the sworn brother of Shen Hanshan's father. The two would occasionally make some harmless jokes.

Upon hearing Xu Hui's words, Shen Hanshan's expression remained unreadable. He simply took the letter out of the developing solution, placed it on a piece of cotton cloth, and let it air dry naturally.

His gaze fell on the damp letter, a cold smile curling at the corner of his lips. He thought to himself: Husband's Rules? Heh, later he'll make Zhao Zhi explain to him properly on the bed what Husband's Rules are!

Yun Chao, Chaoyu Mountain.

At the foot of the mountain, Zhao Zhi looked up at the towering peaks that seemed to pierce the clouds, and couldn't help but exclaim in amazement, "Brother, this Chaoyu Mountain is really steep and dangerous. Yun, did your father really hide the imperial seal here? Did he overestimate your abilities?"

Listening to the babbling water beside him, Cui Shenghe slowly sat down on a slightly flatter rock and opened the painting in the interlayer of the map. Then he compared it with the "Records of Mountains and Rivers of Yunchao" in his hand.

"The mountain depicted in the painting is indeed Chaoyu Mountain," he confirmed.

After a long silence, Zhao Zhi was seen squatting on a rock not far away, chewing on a dry biscuit in one hand and splashing the cool stream water with the other, seemingly smelling the water.

Cui Shenghe frowned in confusion: "Azhi, what are you doing?"

Zhao Zhi looked up at the sound, her mouth covered in crumbs and her cheeks puffed out. She mumbled, "Let me see if there are any fish in the water."

Cui Shenghe was speechless, "...Are you hungry?"

"A little." Zhao Zhi licked her lips. "Brother, would you like some?"

Cui Shenghe shook his head helplessly, "I'm not hungry, you eat first. We still have to climb the mountain later."

Zhao Zhi nodded and continued looking down at the water. After a while, she suddenly exclaimed excitedly, "Brother! There are fish! So many fish!"

Cui Shenghe walked over curiously and indeed saw a group of small fish swimming in the clear stream.

Zhao Zhi's eyes lit up, and she reached out to grab it, but her hand slipped, and she fell forward.

Cui Shenghe reacted quickly, grabbing her by the back of her collar to prevent her from falling into the water.

Zhao Zhi steadied herself, then gave an awkward laugh. "Hehe, I almost fell in."

Cui Shenghe looked at her helplessly, "Be careful, don't run around."

"Okay!" Zhao Zhi stuck out her tongue, turned around and ran back to the stream to continue observing the fish.

Looking at her innocent and carefree appearance, Cui Shenghe felt a surge of affection in his heart.

He observed Zhao Zhi for a while and realized that she wasn't really looking at the fish.

"Zhizhi, what are you doing?" he asked curiously.

"Shh-"

Zhao Zhi suddenly frowned, her eyes fixed on the gently flowing stream, as if she could see some secret in it. She gently picked up a pinch of water, letting it slowly slide down her fingertips, then lowered her head to smell it, a thoughtful expression gradually appearing on her face.

“Brother, this water… has an unusual taste.” Zhao Zhi stood up, patted the water droplets off his hands, and said with a serious tone, “Is there any record in the ‘Records of Mountains and Rivers of Yunchao’ about anything special about the water of Chaoyu Mountain?”

Upon hearing this, Cui Shenghe quickly flipped through the ancient book in his hands, his eyes scanning between the lines.

A moment later, his eyes lit up, and he pointed to a line of small print on the page, saying, "Look here, it says there is a spiritual spring deep in Chaoyu Mountain, with clear, sweet water containing trace amounts of rare minerals that can nourish all things..."

Zhao Zhi's eyes lit up, and a sly smile appeared on her lips: "Brother, maybe the jade seal is hidden near this spiritual spring! Even if we can't find the jade seal, we can sell the spring water if we find the spiritual spring!"

After saying that, she eagerly took Cui Shenghe's hand and set off along the path by the stream into the depths of the mountains and forests.

Birds chirped and insects sang in the mountains and forests, and sunlight filtered through the dense leaves, casting dappled shadows.

The two followed the stream down the mountain, proceeding cautiously and carefully observing their surroundings.

They discovered that the canyons on both sides followed the exact same course as depicted in the painting. However, as they reached a certain point, the terrain suddenly became steeper. The path on the right had completely broken off, forming a deep crevice, while on the left appeared a rickety wooden plank bridge. Below the bridge, a clear stream meandered along, making a crisp, melodious sound.

Zhao Zhi's face turned pale instantly. She gripped Cui Shenghe's arm tightly and said in a trembling voice, "Brother, your lightness skill... should be pretty good, right?"

Cui Shenghe smiled and glanced at her, a hint of doting and confidence flashing in his eyes.

He suddenly wrapped his arms around Zhao Zhi's waist and whispered, "Don't be afraid, hold me tight." Then, he quickly used his lightness skill, lightly tapped his feet, and flew past like a light bird, carrying Zhao Zhi with him.

Before Zhao Zhi could react, she saw a blur before her eyes and heard the wind whistling in her ears. In the blink of an eye, they had landed steadily on the other side of the wooden bridge.

She stared wide-eyed at Cui Shenghe in disbelief, her heart filled with amazement and admiration.

“Brother, you are amazing—” She couldn’t help but give Cui Shenghe a thumbs up.