On the tree-lined path.

A carriage struggled forward, its reins taut and veins bulging, as the driver exerted all his strength, but it still swayed and wobbled... and ended up stuck in the mud.

"Your Highness, the carriage is stuck."

Dao Qing looked anxious and helpless, raising his hand to wipe away the large beads of sweat on his forehead.

As he finished speaking, the luxurious carriage curtain was slowly lifted, and a bright and beautiful face peeked out. It was Jiang Jiaojiao. "Oh dear, why did we have to take the back road? It's all Ayan's fault... If we had taken the main road, we might have arrived in the prefectural city by now!"

As she spoke, she pouted in dissatisfaction.

She glared at Prince Chen, Li Yan, behind her, her gaze involuntarily falling once again on his handsome face, and she couldn't help but marvel at him once more.

His dark eyes were deep and unfathomable, and his thin lips were slightly upturned, exuding an air of purity and elegance that even coarse cotton clothes could not conceal.

With such stunning beauty, anyone who sees her would be captivated.

Originally, Jiang Jiaojiao and her group were traveling leisurely along the wide and flat road. However, after entering Shu County, an unexpected incident occurred when they passed through a bustling county town.

Li Yan casually lifted the carriage curtain and peeked out. This fleeting glance attracted the attention of many women, including the daughter of a prefect who was out for a stroll.

The prefect's daughter was astonished by her beauty.

Never before had she seen such a charming and elegant man who also liked voluptuous beauties. The daughter of the prefect, who considered herself the most voluptuous beauty in Shu County, could no longer wait and insisted on becoming his concubine.

He even brought up his uncle, the Minister of Revenue.

With countless people chasing and intercepting them, and not wanting to reveal their identities, Jiang Jiaojiao and her group had no choice but to abandon the main road and take a side road.

Jiang Jiaojiao, supported by Qiu Xiang's arm, got off the carriage. She looked up and her gaze was instantly drawn to the beautiful scenery before her. Her eyes lit up: "Wow, what a beautiful view!"

At the end of the winding path lies a tranquil and mysterious lake. The water is crystal clear, and when a gentle breeze blows, ripples spread across the surface, shimmering like countless sparkling pearls scattered on the water.

The sunlight shone down, turning the entire lake surface into a magnificent and colorful painting, like a fairyland on earth.

Looking further into the distance, one sees rolling, lush mountains and forests. Within these forests, the trees are verdant and the mountain breeze gently blows, bringing with it refreshing and pleasant air. Taking a deep breath, one can smell the vibrant fragrance of flowers, a scent that soothes the soul and leaves one feeling completely intoxicated.

Since entering Sichuan, Jiang Jiaojiao has found that the scenery here is very different from that of Beijing. Although Beijing is bustling and lively, it lacks the dynamism and beauty bestowed by nature.

After several days of rain, the path was muddy and had puddles.

"Ayan, how about we rest here for a bit?"

Jiang Jiaojiao stood beside the carriage, tilting her head back and shouting loudly into the carriage.

As soon as the words were spoken, a slender, well-defined, fair hand slowly lifted the carriage curtain. As the curtain was lifted, a stunningly handsome and breathtaking face was gradually revealed, with sword-like eyebrows, bright eyes, and a slightly upturned thin mouth, exuding an ethereal and otherworldly charm.

Even though she had been with this face for many days, Jiang Jiaojiao would still stare at it for a moment every time she saw it.

After regaining her senses, Jiang Jiaojiao pouted and muttered, "We should have let Shiliu leave behind a few human skin masks."

Shi Liu followed Young Master Li, who was disguised as "General Fan," and they left.

Xiangling jumped off the cart tracks, a red dot between her brows, looking charming and lively. "Your Highness's beauty is beyond compare!"

Although curtains were prepared inside the carriage, once the women caught a glimpse of His Highness's ethereal figure, they were as if frozen in place, unable to move their feet.

Jiang Jiaojiao was also helpless. "Come down and get some fresh air! You've been huddled in this cramped space the whole way, and your arms and legs are almost numb."

Upon hearing this, a soft and pleasant voice came from inside the car: "Okay."

It's just a single word, yet it seems to carry endless tenderness and affection, making people intoxicated by it.

Dao Qing quickly helped the man down, pushed the carriage out of the mud pit, drove to the lakeside, untied the ropes, let the horse drink water and eat grass, and washed the carriage shafts clean.

Qiu Xiang instructed Dao Hong to gather firewood, start a fire, and brew a pot of hot tea.

To avoid the daughter of the magistrate, they took a different route and changed to a different carriage. The carriage was narrow and the road was bumpy, so they couldn't even have a sip of hot tea.

Although it is already summer.

However, Shu County is mountainous and rainy, and there is still a slight damp chill when walking on the mountain paths.

"Miss--"

"There are fish in this lake! Shall I make you a pot of fish soup to warm you up?"

Q-Ling was thrilled to see the fish swimming in the lake. "You haven't been eating or drinking well on this journey, and you've lost weight!"

Jiang Jiaojiao looked down and saw that she had lost weight.

It seems...not, right?

Xiangling continued nagging, "Before we parted, Sisters Ayuan and Axiang said that if Miss went back thin, they would blame me."

Ah Yuan and Ah Xiang grew up together in luxury, and everyone in Kyoto knew them; they were too conspicuous.

Besides, the journey is dangerous, so it's more suitable to bring Qiu Xiang and Shi Liu. As for Xiang Ling, Young Master Li didn't want her to go to the military camp for adventures, and since he needed Shi Liu's disguise skills, he swapped her with him.

Looking back now, it was the right decision to bring them; at least we didn't have to worry about food and drink along the way.

Dao Hong and Dao Qing moved swiftly, striking simultaneously. In the blink of an eye, they had firmly grasped five or six lively fish in their hands.

While Daohong and Daoqing were busy catching fish and boiling water, Xiangling slipped into the woods and soon gathered a handful of fresh, juicy mushrooms.

Fresh lake fish are cleaned and served with tender mushrooms.

In no time, a rich, fresh aroma began to waft through the air.

It made everyone drool and swallow hard.

Xiangling called out cheerfully, "Miss, young master, come and try the fresh mushroom and fish soup!"

After saying that, she quickly ladled out a full bowl of steaming fish soup and carefully placed it in front of Jiang Jiaojiao and Li Yan. Jiang Jiaojiao took a small sip, and the soup tasted delicious, making her feel very comfortable.

"So fresh!"

Jiang Jiaojiao smiled contentedly and couldn't help but exclaim, "It's even more delicious than the pearl fish soup from Fanlou!"

Xiangling smiled brightly, "How can I compare to the chefs at Fanlou? I only have a limited supply of seasonings, so I just use what I have on hand and rely on freshness."

As he spoke, he divided a few more bowls for Dao Qing, Dao Hong, and Qiu Xiang.

After taking a sip of the hot soup, everyone looked much more comfortable, especially Qiu Xiang, who happily caught a few more fresh fish and set up a grill.