The Western Qin Kingdom, Baicao Valley.

Surrounded by green mountains, clear streams, craggy rocks, and secluded paths, the medicinal herb fields stretch as far as the eye can see, filled with the sounds of birds and the fragrance of flowers.

Young Master Yi stood against the wind in a red robe, exuding an endless aura of bewitching charm.

Holding a sprig of ephedra in his hand, he stood high on a hilltop with a wide view, gazing at the endless medicinal field he had painstakingly cultivated over the years, lost in thought.

Ever since returning from the Yi family mansion in the west of the city, he has often stayed quietly by himself like this, without saying a word.

Despite the two maids' best efforts to cheer him up, even just to get him to talk to them a few more times would be a good thing.

Clearly, he would at most give him a faint, silent smile and brush it off.

Another day has passed.

As the sun set and dinnertime approached, two maids, having carefully prepared a sumptuous feast, ran out to find him.

Even Bai Zhi, who was carefree and innocent all day long, felt a pang of heartache upon seeing that lonely and forlorn figure.

Then he said to Zisu, who had come with him, with concern, "Zisu, the Third Young Master seems like a completely different person now. He's never been like this before!"

Zisu gazed at the same retreating figure, her heavy heart sinking into a sigh. She remained silent, though her heart ached terribly.

Bai Zhi suddenly came to her senses and hurriedly said, "By the way, you usually have the most ideas, so hurry up and think of a solution. If this continues, won't the Third Young Master get sick from boredom?"

Even Bai Zhi felt so heartbroken, let alone Zi Su, who had always kept her love hidden in her heart.

Zisu gritted her teeth and said bitterly, "This is all thanks to that bitch! She's really a persistent ghost! Why didn't she die in Beilie Kingdom? The Third Young Master actually found her in Dongning Kingdom. In this life, she'd better pray to God to protect the Third Young Master. If anything happens to the Third Young Master, I, Zisu, will make that woman wish she were dead."

Seeing that she was getting closer and closer to Young Master Yi, Bai Zhi hurriedly stopped her, saying, "Alright, alright, stop talking. If Young Master Yi hears you saying that, he'll scold you again."

"Hmph," Zisu thought, feeling extremely unconvinced. She let out a cold snort, but ultimately kept quiet.

As soon as the two got close, Zisu carefully draped a dark cloak she had brought with her over him.

She looked up at the clouds on the horizon and said with concern, "Let's go back, Third Young Master. You've been here all day. Judging from the weather, it looks like it's going to change tonight."

Young Master Yi didn't say anything, as if he hadn't listened to her at all.

After a while, Young Master Yi tightened his cloak, forced a smile, smiled at the two of them, and then turned and left together.

The Xiaoyao Pavilion was brightly lit.

The table was filled with fine wines and delicacies prepared for Young Master Yi, yet the wine cups on the table were repeatedly emptied and refilled.

They said they were going to keep Young Master Yi company, but Bai Zhi just drank two cups of wine by herself and then fell asleep on the table, unconscious. Young Master Yi, on the other hand, was still drinking by himself.

Zisu couldn't bear to watch any longer. She reached out and snatched the wine pot from his hand, advising, "Third Young Master, you can't keep drinking like this. You haven't eaten a single grain of rice since this morning!"

Young Master Yi was already slightly drunk, so he stood up and tried to snatch the wine pot back.

Zisu hid it behind her back, and Young Master Yi missed his target.

Zisu urged, "You can't drink anymore, or you'll really get drunk."

Young Master Yi smiled and said, "Drunk...good idea! It's good to be drunk, it's good to be drunk. When you're drunk, you won't know what day it is, where you are, where your heart belongs, or who your heart is burdened by."

As she spoke, she reached out to snatch the wine pot back, pleading with Zisu, "Let me get drunk, let me get drunk, okay?"

Zisu left her seat, then took two steps back, shook her head, and said, "Drinking to drown your sorrows only makes them worse. Why are you doing this, Third Young Master?"

Thinking back to the three of us, we used to travel the world together, enjoying the flowers and the moon, drinking and composing poems, laughing and talking. How carefree and unrestrained we were, never knowing what sorrow was.

Recalling the past, Zisu was extremely sad and heartbroken. With tears streaming down her face, she said, "You weren't like this before. Forget her, let's go back to China together, okay?"

Upon hearing this, Young Master Yi, who had been smiling just a second ago, now seemed to have glistening tears welling up in his eyes.

He muttered to himself, "Go back..."

He finally calmed down and sat down heavily with a thud.

After a long silence, thinking that this must be related to what happened at the Yi residence in the west of the city that day, Zisu asked, "Is it that Yi Shangkun? What did he say to you that day? Ever since you came back, you've been looking worried, is it...?"

As she spoke, she paused for a moment. Although she was extremely reluctant to bring it up, she knew that there was no use in running away. So she said, "Is it possible that Yi Shangkun knows but doesn't tell you about Yi Shangyun's whereabouts in the Western Qin Kingdom?"

After a moment's thought, Young Master Yi said with disappointment in his eyes, "Yi Shangkun... if he really knows where the girl is, at least she's alright, and that would be good."

Zisu thought for a moment, then asked doubtfully, "But didn't that servant tell us in front of us that Yi Shangyun had indeed returned to the Yi residence? If that's the case, how could he, as the head of the family, not know his whereabouts?"

Young Master Yi said, "After his second concubine learned that the girl was a princess of an enemy country, she was afraid that if her identity were exposed, it would implicate the entire Yi family. The two of them had an argument that night, which the girl witnessed. Not wanting to implicate innocent people, the girl left the Yi family alone in the pouring rain that night, and has been missing ever since, without any news."

Zisu finally understood why Young Master Yi had been so restless and absent-minded for so many days.

As a woman, pregnant, without relatives or friends, and homeless, anyone would feel pity for her and worry about her!

She was, after all, a woman, and a soft spot suddenly rose in her heart. So she changed her mind and asked, "Then where would she, a frail woman, go?"

Young Master Yi traveled non-stop, never expecting that Yi Shangyun, alone, could return to the Western Qin Kingdom so quickly.

Before they could think too much, the three of them went directly to the Yi family mansion as soon as they arrived in the capital of the Western Qin Kingdom. However, they found no one there, so they went to the Qin King's mansion, only to be turned away at the door.

Recalling the events of that day, she silently said, "The Qin Prince's mansion is extremely tight-lipped, and we have gained nothing. Given the girl's resolute attitude towards Xuan Yuanhan before, and the news that the usually strict Consort Chun has returned, it's impossible for her to be in the Qin Prince's mansion for more than a few days."

The two of them were completely baffled.

At this moment, Zisu spoke up, reminding him, "So, what does Third Young Master plan to do next? The King is still waiting for you."

Young Master Yi said firmly to himself, "No matter what, I must find Ya Tou."

"Boom..."

Just then, a clap of thunder came from outside.

As if suddenly remembering something, Young Master Yi looked out the window with a start, but in a moment he stood up and rushed out.

"Third Young Master, where are you going? It's going to rain outside!" Zisu got up anxiously and went up to him, asking with concern as he rushed out.

In an instant, a bolt of lightning streaked across the night sky, as if trying to tear the darkness apart.

When Zisu hurriedly chased after him into the courtyard, she found it pitch black everywhere and couldn't see anything...

Rain fell on the bridgehead, and a few withered yellow leaves drifted down with the water, leaving a trail of fallen petals on the ground, like scattered teardrops.

One afternoon at Xiqin College.

I don't know if it was the sudden rain that brought this mountain retreat to me, or the pink crabapple blossoms that stirred my longing for you.

Mei Xiyuan sat alone by the window, gazing at the pattering rain outside, and murmured to herself in a daze, "Your Highness, I am so deeply in love with you, so why do you treat me like this?"

After a while, having made some decision in her heart, she suddenly said angrily, "Yi Shangyun, Xuan Yuanhan, you forced this princess into this situation. I was born noble, how can you abandon and humiliate me at will? I will make you pay a heavy price for this!"

Outside the door, Lu Tianjiao heard these words and a sly smile appeared on his lips.

In the blink of an eye, she put on an innocent and harmless smile, stepped over the threshold, and called out warmly, "Sister."

As the saying goes, one has to bow one's head when under someone's roof. Under normal circumstances, Mei Xiyuan could have simply laughed it off.

But things are different now. When she heard the voice, she immediately smiled and stood up to greet her: "My sister is here."

Lu Tianjiao put down the tea tray she was holding, which contained several plates of pastries, and said, "The ingredients in the academy are far inferior to what you used to eat, sister. I hope you won't find these simple dishes too simplistic."

Although she felt disgusted at the sight of the food, she politely said, "This is already very good. It is I who have troubled you, sister. I should ask you not to mind. As a princess of a noble country, I have fallen to this state. If it weren't for your kindness in taking me in, I would not know where I would go."

Seeing the expression on Mei Xiyuan's face, Lu Tianjiao was overjoyed.

She smiled faintly, took Mei Xiyuan's hand, and said, "Since we are sisters, we should support each other in adversity."

Seeing Mei Xiyuan reminiscing about the past, with tears welling up in her eyes, Lu Tianjiao quickly took out an embroidered handkerchief and gently wiped them away while helping her sit down and comforting her, "These past few days, little sister has been thinking things over and over, hoping that there might be someone who can help you, older sister."

Before he could finish speaking, Mei Xiyuan grabbed Lu Tianjiao's hand and anxiously asked, "Who is it?"