Chapter 61 Drinking Flying Snow (Part 1) Wei Yuanzhan was almost pressed against her. ...

Wei Yuanzhan went straight to the point, his voice as domineering as he was.

Song Hanjin glared at him, wondering why he always seemed to be going against her, just like last time at the Marquis's residence. Thinking this, her eyes drifted to Zhirou's face, as if waiting for her fourth sister to refuse.

As she had hoped, Zhi Rou had spent too much time with Wei Yuanzhan these past few days. Whether out of a sense of duty or to treat everyone equally, Zhi Rou waved her fingertip, pointing to the mask: "You can keep it."

She immediately felt excluded. Wei Yuanzhan stared at her with his thick eyebrows, but said nothing more.

Song Qiyu was tripped by a passerby and only just caught up. Seeing Song Hanjin turn around leisurely, he had no choice but to follow her slowly.

The riverbank stretches long, and there are several stalls along the cobblestone path that I haven't seen before; they must have been set up specifically for the Qixi Festival.

Song Hanjin found the clay figurine adorable and pulled Zhirou to stamp her feet. Song Qiyu finally got a chance and strode up to it, asking, "Which one do you like?"

The lanterns in front of the stall cast a warm glow, and Wei Yuanzhan stood with his hands behind his back, his dark eyes fixed on Zhirou as if he were scrutinizing her.

After a moment, he casually leaned closer and whispered, "Can't you tell?"

Normally, he wouldn't bother helping Song Qiyu with anything; what did it have to do with him if the siblings were having a disagreement? But things were different now, and this was also beneficial to him, as he wanted to be alone with Song Zhirou.

The words were slightly sarcastic, but the tone was ethereal.

Zhi Rou frowned slightly and glanced at Song Hanjin for a moment. Although she paid attention to her older brother, there was still a hint of depression in her expression.

Zhi Rou didn't know what she was thinking, and wondered if leaving at this moment would be a betrayal. So she stood still, as if she had to wait for her third sister to speak first before she could give them space.

Wei Yuanzhan found the Song siblings an obstacle, and Zhi Rou was always loyal to her friends. Helpless, he turned his face away and frowned. After Song Hanjin turned around, he followed and took a step forward.

The riverbank was brightly lit, and tonight dancers were performing on the painted boats, attracting more and more pedestrians along the way.

Several women adorned with silk flowers in their hair disembarked from the painted boat, their steps light and graceful, like celestial beings. Zhi Rou watched them with curiosity for a while. As they walked towards her, they passed Wei Yuanzhan, their beautiful eyes lightly glancing at him, and she smiled and praised, "Young man, you are so handsome."

Being young and inexperienced, Wei Yuanzhan remained expressionless, but his ears turned red instantly, as if he was afraid of encountering such a thing again. He walked over to Zhirou and almost pressed himself against her.

The boy's body was very different from when he was a child. His shoulders were very strong and his arms had firm lines. Although Zhi Rou also practiced martial arts, compared with Wei Yuanzhan, her body was soft.

At that moment, his shoulder was against hers, and Zhi Rou felt as if a mountain was rubbing against her arm. She turned her head and glanced at him: "Why are you pushing me?"

Wei Yuanzhan made a sound, not wanting her to discover anything amiss, so he found an excuse to say, "Let me see if your injury has healed."

Zhi Rou was about to laugh: "What do you think?" He was pushing her like that for no reason. Did he not know how to walk?

Wei Yuanzhan suddenly felt somewhat embarrassed.

Yes, how could he examine her injuries on the street? Should he lift up her sleeves and remove the layers of gauze? Just thinking about it, he suddenly felt that the action was frivolous and ambiguous, as if he were dismantling her.

The flush that had just settled on her earlobes returned instantly. Wei Yuanzhan pursed his lips, unconsciously creating some distance between himself and her. It was clear that when they were too far apart, he wanted to get closer, but when they got a little closer, a strange fear arose in his heart.

Zhi Rou and Song Hanjin rolled up their sleeves; Song Hanjin had clearly noticed the commotion just now.

The matter of who you find annoying is mutual.

Song Hanjin felt that Wei Yuanzhan was disrupting the atmosphere of her outing with her fourth sister, and wanted to get rid of him. After thinking for a moment, she asked Song Qiyu, "Brother, did you meet Prince Wei by chance?"

It's true that the two of them rarely walk together, so seeing them on the riverbank tonight was quite a surprise.

Song Qiyu didn't hide anything: "We bumped into each other at the polo field this afternoon and played together for a while."

Song Hanjin's eyebrows twitched slightly: "You two were already together back then?"

How long did they play, from day to night? The two had clearly changed their clothes; Wei Yuanzhan had just come over, and she could smell the fresh scent of soap on him.

Song Qiyu remained silent.

He did indeed go back first, but remembering his classmate's request, he went out again. Once the matter was settled, he ran into Wei Yuanzhan once more.

Perhaps it was because the two of them had a good working relationship on the polo field that they were willing to talk more when they saw each other. Coincidentally, someone next to them was talking about the turmoil on the border, and they chatted for a while about the military.

Wei Yuanzhan could hear and see through Song Hanjin's thoughts. He glanced at her casually and deliberately said, "Is Third Sister urging me to leave?"

Song Hanjin truly disliked him. Perhaps it was because her mother often compared him to her brother, and she found it annoying on behalf of her brother, harboring a deep-seated aversion to Wei Yuanzhan. This could have been reversed, but recently she had vaguely sensed an inexplicable possessiveness towards her fourth sister, which made her unhappy.

"I was just strolling around with my fourth sister. What business is it of Prince Wei?"

These words were spoken without any politeness. Considering how he had repeatedly ambushed them from the sidelines, he scoffed, "Barbarian."

Wei Yuanzhan smiled gently: "You're right."

If he were barbaric, he should have arrested Song Zhirou instead of wasting his time with her here.

Thinking this way, she immediately wanted to put it into action, but before she could even raise her hand, Song Qiyu's figure blocked her way: "Little sister was just joking, did the young master really take it seriously?"

Wei Yuanzhan frowned. Facing Song Qiyu, his sharp edge softened, and his interest in playing around was halved. He felt extremely bored.

Someone lightly touched the mask in his hand. Too lazy to defend himself, he let go of it and gave it to her. Zhi Rou took it back and put it on her face, tilting her head slightly to scare Song Han Jin.

Suddenly, a demonic face loomed large before her eyes, and Song Hanjin was indeed startled. She quickly shoved the woman's arm and pushed her away.

A hearty laugh rang out from beneath the mask, which she then removed, a playful smile still lingering on her lips. Song Hanjin gave her a playful smirk and continued walking forward without stopping.

As the smoke of battle cleared, Zhi Rou turned back to catch up with her sister. After taking only two steps, she suddenly turned her back and threw the mask back to Wei Yuanzhan: "Here you go."

Her pleated skirt swayed slightly with her steps, and a shimmering light flickered at her waist.

Wei Yuanzhan glanced at it and saw it was his short knife.

He didn't know when she had put it on him. He had only seen her for the first time tonight, and he had already taken in her entire body from head to toe. At that time, there was clearly no trace of it.

Wei Yuanzhan, who had been lazily intending to return to his residence, suddenly felt delighted upon seeing Zhi Rou. It was as if a part of him was suspended on Zhi Rou's body. Although it was inappropriate, he smiled with a hint of fondness.

Hearing him laugh, Song Qiyu glanced at him discreetly. The two walked behind Song Hanjin and the others, about three zhang away.

"I remember that the young master always treasured the old marquis's possessions. Has he changed his mind now?"

Wei Yuanzhan knew what he meant and immediately felt a little guilty, but since he had already given it away, he simply accepted it.

"Things are inanimate; they're just in a different place. What difference does it make what we're guarding?"

The dagger has been given to her, but as long as she is by his side, he can always see it, so it can't be considered completely out of his possession, right?

Song Qiyu declined to comment, but casually changed the subject: "Are you coming again tomorrow? To the podium."

Wei Yuanzhan glanced at his face for a moment, then raised his eyebrows slightly.

Song Qiyu replied simply, "I'm still enjoying myself."

Wei Yuanzhan sensed that his words were not entirely honest and seemed somewhat perfunctory, so he simply put on a calm and composed face as well: "Unfortunately, I've had my fill of fun, and I don't want to go tomorrow."

...

The climate in the border region gradually becomes humid in July. It still feels hot in places where the sun shines, but after the sun sets, the wind becomes cold and sharp, carrying the scent of grasslands, cattle, and sheep.

Two burly men emerged from the felt tent, bent over, and walked a short distance before saying in a deep voice, "Did you see that? The shaman's divination was auspicious."

An eagle flew overhead. After pondering for a while, the other man shook his head and said, "The Khan sent Enhe and Alamusu to welcome the Yan Dynasty princess. Whether it's auspicious or inauspicious, we can't be sure this time."

Alamusu was the Khan's seventeenth son, of noble birth, quite different from Enhe.

Enhe was born to a female slave. His birth mother died shortly after giving birth to him, leaving him all alone. He was raised almost entirely by a Han woman captured by the eldest prince.

Alamusu's mother came from the Zuoqin tribe, one of the most influential tribes on the grassland. Because of his mother's powerful clan, Alamusu stood out among the Khan's sons and his power far exceeded that of the other princes.

He also had a brother from the same mother, ten years older than him, named Ule, who was once the most dazzling warrior on the grassland.

Uller died later.

Regarding the cause of his death, a theory has been circulating among the noblemen that he was killed by Enhe.

Years ago, Ule killed Enhe's adoptive mother, a Han Chinese woman. Enhe harbored resentment and deliberately encouraged the Khan to send Ule to war when the Yan Dynasty was at war with the Zuoqin tribe.

The general leading the Yan Dynasty's army was Chang Yu. Even though Wule was brave and skilled in battle, he became a victim of Chang Yu's sword.

That year, Enhe was only five years old.

Enhe and Alamusu have always been at odds, and he ordered the two of them to go and fetch the bride, but it was hard to guarantee that no "accidents" would happen on the way.

The long winds of the north howled, and on the boundless grasslands, one could now glimpse a wall of figures, a tense atmosphere mingled with the summer heat, and the fishy smell in the air suddenly became heavy, spreading in all directions.

That was the smell of blood.

Prince Enhe trains here every day; his method is very direct: close-quarters combat.

While others may carry weapons, he always goes barehanded, as if he is unafraid of injury or danger to his life, and often wears a smile that is devoid of threat, purer than the snow on the plains.

The man lying on the ground felt a sudden weight on his shoulders. The knife he had been holding was now pressed down by Enhe and held against his chest and neck. He swallowed hard, looking at the young prince straddling him, and a sudden thought of retreat arose in his mind.

Blood dripped down, from Enhe.

He was injured.

The collar of his clothes had been askew during the fight, and a thin gash had been cut open by the tip of a knife on his hard chest. Blood was dripping out, warm drops soaking into the man's robe.

He seemed oblivious to the pain, and even chuckled lightly at the person beneath him: "Sari, are you afraid?"

Sari gritted his teeth and endured the pain, but he couldn't push away the knife pressed against his chest no matter what he did.

Enhe was a young man in his early twenties. Sari couldn't understand where he got such strength and was almost out of breath.

Sari begged for mercy: "Prince..."

Just then, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from afar. Enhe released him, his eyes, as clear as a sacred lake, narrowed slightly as he looked into the distance.

The human wall immediately parted to create a gap ten feet wide. The newcomer dismounted, walked to the center, bowed to Enhe, and then said, "The royal tent has given an order."

Enhe straightened his robe and stood up, raising his hand to wipe away sweat. He unintentionally smeared some blood on his chin, adding a touch of wildness to his already handsome face.

Without saying much, he mounted his horse with the newcomer and returned to the royal tent.