Spring Begins

After spring arrived, the weather visibly warmed up. The wind outside the window carried the scent of fresh grass, and it no longer made people shiver with cold.

After resting for so long, Yan Shu's health has finally started to improve.

The matter of traveling was thus put on the agenda.

Ling Yuan meticulously instructed Zhou Fu, the head steward, on all matters concerning the Prince's residence, both inside and outside. He clearly outlined which matters required timely reporting and which Zhou Fu could decide on his own. Zhou Fu nodded and acknowledged each instruction.

Yan Shu called Chun Tao over. Ever since her miscarriage, this little girl had been extra careful, and her eyes were always red and swollen.

"Chuntao," Yan Shu said gently, holding her hand, "the Prince and I are going on a long trip and may not be back for a while."

Upon hearing this, Chun Tao's eyes immediately reddened again: "Your Highness, where are you going? This servant will follow and serve you!"

Yan Shu shook her head and tidied the girl's temples. "It's a long way back this time. You stay in the manor and guard Lingxiao Pavilion for me." Seeing the little girl's tearful expression, she smiled. "This is our home, and someone has to look after it. Keep the storeroom key safe. You also need to take care of the crabapple trees in the courtyard. When I come back, I want to see them blooming beautifully."

Tears streamed down Chun Tao's face as she nodded vigorously, "I understand! I will definitely keep Lingxiao Pavilion spotless and clean, waiting for the Princess and the Prince to return!"

The moon shone brightly on the eve of her departure. Yan Shu packed her belongings under the lamplight: a few light clothes, and… she picked up the half of the dragon-patterned jade pendant, her fingertips tracing its cool, warm surface, and she began to drift into a daze. This jade pendant was connected to so many things: her return, Ling Yuan's awakening, those fragmented memories… what did it hold?

Ling Yuan appeared behind her unnoticed, his gaze falling on the jade pendant. He reached out and took it, holding it in his palm. "This, you must wear it close to your body," he said in a deep voice. "Leaving it in the Prince's residence is not safe; you must keep it with you."

Yan Shu's heart skipped a beat, and she looked up at him. His words were tantamount to saying that the jade pendant was of great importance and might affect their destined fate. She didn't ask any more questions, but nodded solemnly and carefully put the jade pendant into her inner purse, placing it together with the pair of small fish jade pendants.

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, an ordinary-looking carriage was already parked at the side gate of the Prince Duan's residence, and Ling Ying was already waiting in front of the carriage.

Chun Tao, fighting back tears, tied Yan Shu's cloak belt, her voice choked with emotion: "Your Highness... have a safe journey and return soon."

Yan Shu patted her hand, glanced back at the high walls of the Prince's Mansion, and then turned around and was helped into the carriage by Ling Yuan.

The carriage curtain fell, the wheels slowly turned, and it drove away from the familiar street.

Inside the carriage, Yan Shu leaned against the window, watching the street scene recede little by little until the carriage steadily drove out of the tall city gate and onto the wide official road. Only then did she finally exhale a long breath. On both sides of the official road were boundless fields, the new green stretching to the horizon, the distant mountains shrouded in a hazy blue, the sky high and the land vast.

She couldn't help but take a deep breath. The air smelled of grass and earth, washing away the medicinal odor and melancholy that had been weighing on her lungs for months. This was the first time she had felt so relaxed since arriving here, as if she had broken free from all unseen constraints.

She turned her head and looked at Ling Yuan, who had been silently watching her, her eyes shining brightly with a hint of excitement: "Your Highness, now that we're out, shouldn't we change how we address each other?"

Seeing her unusually lively appearance, Ling Yuan smiled and said, "Yes. When there are outsiders, Ling Ying will replace Young Master Gu."

He paused for a moment, then said, "My mother's surname is Lin, which is composed of two trees. From now on, I will be called Lin Yuan."

Ling Yuan looked at her gently, "And you are my wife."

"Madam..." Yan Shu thought to herself, these two words carrying less of the nobility and distance of "Princess," and more of the intimacy of an ordinary couple. A warmth filled her heart. She nestled closer to him, tilted her head back, and asked softly with a hint of coquettishness, "Then... when we're not around, can I call you husband?"

Ling Yuan was clearly taken aback. He didn't answer, but instead lowered his head and silenced all her questions with a gentle yet firm kiss.

This kiss was devoid of lust, filled only with boundless tenderness. Yan Shu closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of his lips, her nose filled with his familiar scent.

After a long while, he stepped back slightly, his forehead touching hers, and softly replied, "Okay."

Yan Shu's cheeks flushed, and she nestled against his neck. She knew they were going to the Northern Border, and she understood Ling Yuan's considerations—it was a place where he had led troops in battle, familiar with the terrain and people, and with his maternal clan's influence, they could take care of him if anything happened. He was always prudent in his actions, having thought of everything.

"My husband chose a wonderful place," she said softly. "I love it."

Ling Yuan smiled and pulled her closer to him.

They didn't rush along the way. When the weather was nice and the scenery was beautiful, they would stop to rest. It was the first time Yan Shu had truly witnessed what ordinary people were like in this era, and everything was new and exciting to her. Ling Yuan also put aside his airs as the Prince of Duan and patiently accompanied her, occasionally telling her about the local customs and traditions.

They stayed at an inn by the official road that night. Listening to the unfamiliar chirping of insects outside the window and smelling the sunshine on the bedding, Yan Shu leaned against Ling Yuan and slept soundly until dawn. The nightmares that haunted her seemed to have temporarily disappeared.

Only occasionally, in the stillness of the night, after Lingyuan had fallen asleep, would she quietly take out the pair of small fish jade pendants and gaze at them silently in the moonlight streaming through the window. Her fingertips would trace the cool jade surface, and the pain of losing her child would still be clear, but it no longer suffocated her like it had at the beginning. A resilience had slowly begun to grow within that pain.

Three months later, the carriage finally entered the northern territory.

The further north they went, the more open the world became, and the scenery had a kind of desolate grandeur. When the city gate with the three large characters "Xiayun City" came into view, Yan Shu couldn't help but stick her head out to take a look.

Contrary to her expectations of a desolate border town, Xiayun City was surprisingly bustling. The city walls were high and sturdy, and carriages and pedestrians came and went at the city gate. She could also see many merchants dressed in exotic clothes, with high noses and deep-set eyes, leading camels slowly. The streets inside the city were wide, with shops lined up one after another, and the sounds of vendors calling out their wares rose and fell, full of vibrant energy.

"This place... is not what I expected," Yan Shu exclaimed in surprise.

Ling Yuan helped her out of the carriage and explained, "This is an important trade route to the Western Regions. Caravans from various countries pass through here, so it's naturally bustling."

In fact, Ling Yuan had already made arrangements. Ling Ying, familiar with the area, led the carriage through several bustling streets and turned into a relatively quiet alley, stopping in front of a house with white walls and gray tiles. The courtyard wall was not high, and one could see the green trees and flowers peeking out from inside, making it a quiet and unique place.

Pushing open the door, you'll find a neat and tidy little courtyard. It's not large, but it has pavilions and a pond. In the corner, there are even a few crabapple trees, their pink and white flowers in full bloom, carrying a faint fragrance when the wind blows.

"Do you like it?" Lingyuan asked.

Yan Shu stood in the courtyard, took a deep breath of the air filled with the fragrance of flowers and sunshine, and nodded vigorously: "I love it!" There were no rules of a royal palace here, no oppressive atmosphere of the capital, only the peace and warmth of an ordinary family. This was their home.

As she curiously looked around her new home, a series of hurried footsteps approached, accompanied by a clear female voice, filled with disbelief and delight:

"Brother Ying?!"

Yan Shu looked in the direction of the sound and saw a girl in a light red dress rushing into the courtyard like the wind, heading straight for Ling Ying. The girl was about twenty years old, with healthy honey-colored skin and a pair of strikingly bright eyes. At this moment, she was staring intently at Ling Ying, her face flushed with excitement.

Even the usually composed Ling Ying was visibly stunned the moment he saw this girl. Then, a look of surprise, joy, and a little helplessness appeared on his face that Yan Shu had never seen before.

"Yun, Yun'er?" Ling Ying's voice was a little strained.

The girl named Yun'er's eyes immediately reddened. She wanted to rush over, but because Ling Yuan and Yan Shu were present, she stopped herself and respectfully bowed to them, her voice still choked with sobs: "Yun'er greets Your Highness and Your Highness's Consort."

Looking at the scene, Ling Yuan said gently, "No need for formalities here. Outside, just call me Young Master and her Madam, just like Ling Ying does."

Ah Yun immediately replied, "Yes, young master!"

Ling Ying seemed to snap out of his daze, quickly walking to Ling Yuan. The usually decisive man was now somewhat incoherent: "Your Highness... I..."

Ling Yuan waved his hand and said, "Go on, you haven't seen each other for years, have a good chat."

Lingying and Ayun exchanged a glance, their faces flushing red. They bowed in unison, and Ayun pulled Lingying along, quickly walking towards a corner of the courtyard. From afar, their low, surprised and delighted voices could still be heard.

Yan Shu watched this scene, her face full of confusion and curiosity. She tugged at Ling Yuan's sleeve and whispered, "Your Highness, what is this...?"

Ling Yuan withdrew his gaze, looked down at her questioning face, and smiled slightly. He led her towards the main house, explaining in a low voice, "Her name is A-Yun, and she's Ling Ying's childhood sweetheart. She was only fourteen when Ling Ying left home to come with me. She's been waiting for eight years."

Yan Shu's eyes widened in surprise, and she subconsciously turned around to look at the young couple who had been reunited after so long in the corner. Ling Ying lowered her head slightly, listening to A Yun chattering away, her profile softer than ever before.

Eight years have passed...