Orchid Preface

A familiar, cool voice quickly filled Qu Linghan's mind.

She turned her head in disbelief and surprise.

A faint sandalwood scent enveloped her.

Fireworks burst forth in a dazzling display of splendor in an instant.

Bai Hui stood before her, his wounded face bathed in a gentle light.

"You're back!" Qu Linghan said with delight.

"Hmm." Bai Hui seemed to be hiding some of her true feelings.

"Come on, let's go inside." Qu Linghan walked to Bai Hui's side and went down the stairs with him.

Upon arriving on the first floor, the finished clothes fluttered slowly in the wind.

Qu Linghan led Bai Hui around them and arrived at their resting place.

"It's not completely cleaned up yet, so please don't mind," Qu Linghan said to Bai Hui, feeling a little guilty.

"No, it won't happen." Bai Hui looked into Qu Linghan's eyes, her gaze seemingly filled with a smile.

Qu Linghan looked around but couldn't find Jing'er. He couldn't help but ask a question.

"Where are Jing'er and the others?"

"I let them go home first."

Home? The Marquis's mansion?

Home, home—Qu Linghan's heart blossomed like a flower. In this unfamiliar era, she finally had a home.

"Oh, I see! That's right!"

Qu Linghan patted his head and suddenly remembered something.

"Bai Hui, as my investor, please name my shop."

"Me?" Bai Hui lowered his head, but his eyes sparkled with starlight.

For the first time, someone genuinely wanted to know what he was thinking.

After a moment of silence, Qu Linghan spoke impatiently.

"Bai Hui, have you thought this through?"

"Um"

"What will your name be?" Qu Linghan was very curious about what name this martial arts champion would choose.

Will it be literary and refined? Or will it carry the weight of battlefield combat?

"Lanxu Pavilion".

Bai Hui spoke as usual, but his words were filled with tenderness.

"What does this mean?" Qu Linghan's eyes sparkled as he met Bai Hui's gaze.

"When the lady first opened her clothing shop, she chose a spring day to start it, when all things are sprouting and life is the source of life. This is truly elegant, like an orchid. Therefore, she named it Orchid Preface."

Qu Linghan was about to faint. The textbooks were right. The ancients really did speak in a refined and literary way!

Seeing that Qu Linghan didn't speak, Bai Hui felt somewhat uncertain.

"What is your opinion, Madam?"

Qu Linghan glanced at Bai Hui out of the corner of his eye. His eyes were full of anticipation. The future Prince of Zhenbei was like a child.

She spoke, with a smile.

"Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!"

Qu Linghan raised his voice, intruding into Bai Hui's ears.

"I'm glad you're satisfied, Madam."

Bai Hui lowered his head, a faint smile appearing on his usually expressionless face.

"Bai Hui, may I ask you a question?"

Qu Linghan suddenly became serious.

"Of course, that's possible." Bai Hui gestured for him to proceed.

"Although our marriage was arranged by His Majesty, we have no feelings for each other. Why do you call me 'wife'?"

Qu Linghan put on a serious expression, wanting to hear what Bai Hui had to say.

"I, cough, I am acting on His Majesty's orders."

Just like that day, Bai Hui started stammering again.

At this moment, watching Bai Hui pretend to be very busy.

Qu Linghan truly felt that the history books were wrong! Bai Hui was not cold-blooded and ruthless at all; he was clearly just a fragile little dog who was not good at expressing himself.

"Is there a rule that you must call me that, Your Majesty?"

"How does Madam suggest I address you?"

Bai Hui turned to look at Qu Linghan.

"You can call me Ling Han, or Xiao Han. Either is fine."

"Okay," Bai Hui tentatively said.

"Ling Han".

"Hmm! Bai Hui."

It was that same smile again. From childhood to adulthood, almost no one had ever smiled at him like that.

All he had ever encountered were people driven by self-interest and calculation…

"Then, let's call it..."

Are we friends?

Bai Hui hadn't finished speaking.

Suddenly a strange sound came from inside.

Qu Linghan looked around and suddenly buried her head.

Bai Hui looked at her and understood. He took her hand and said, "Let's go home for dinner."

Let's go!

The two walked side by side, about to leave the shop.

"No, no, Bai Hui! You haven't written the plaque for me yet."

Bai Hui looked at the somewhat anxious young girl in front of him.

"Since I promised you, I will definitely write it for you. But today? Is someone hungry?"

A sound as clear as a babbling brook in spring flowed slowly into Qu Linghan's ears.

"I am a little hungry."

However, Qu Linghan was afraid that Bai Hui, such a busy person, would forget about this small matter.

After all, he had been busy for so many days just for the one thing he did: go to the palace to deliver the message.

"It's a deal then. Come here."

Qu Linghan gestured to Bai Hui with his eyes.

"I'll teach you something."

"What is it?" Bai Hui was a little confused.

"You've probably never heard of this before, give me your hand." Bai Hui, puzzled, extended her hand to Qu Linghan. It was very warm.

"Your hands are so cold, Bai Hui! You didn't wear too many clothes just to look cool, did you?"

"No." Whether Qu Linghan was seeing things or not, Bai Hui actually blushed a little.

He was about to tell Qu Linghan that he had been like this since he was a child.

She hooked her arm around his, saying, "Pinky promise, a hundred years from now. Whoever breaks it is..." Qu Linghan said, glancing up at Bai Hui.

What is it?

"pig."

"good."

"It's settled then, let's go."

Qu Linghan strode along with Bai Hui through the bustling city streets.

With the Spring Festival just around the corner, shops are vying to hang lanterns at their entrances to attract customers who want to buy New Year's goods.

There are rabbit-shaped ones, little people-shaped ones, and even ones that look like plum blossoms.

Qu Linghan was holding the snacks that Bai Hui had just bought for him.

She skipped and hopped toward the shop, pointing to the lanterns in front of the door.

"Look, plum blossoms! Do you remember what I told you about them?"

Qu Linghan's voice was filled with excitement.

"I remember, a few plum blossoms in the corner of the wall, blooming alone in the cold."

Bai Hui seemed to have spoken the answer in Qu Linghan's mind without even thinking.

"Um!"

"Do you want it?"

Qu Linghan and Bai Hui are about a head shorter, so when Bai Hui talks to Qu Linghan, he always seems to be looking down on him.

Today, however, he humbled himself.

"Ling Han, do you want it?"

I will buy them for you. Not just this lantern.

"Um!"

Qu Linghan stood there, while Bai Hui spoke to the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper, beaming with joy, took the lantern down from the wall and respectfully handed it to Bai Hui.

This lamp is shaped like a plum blossom.

Because of the different colors, but not entirely because they can be called plum blossoms, the usual plum blossom lanterns all have a red light.

Today's lamp emits a white light, resembling a resilient plum blossom covered in snow—truly unique.

Bai Hui held a lamp that resembled a plum blossom. The warm white light illuminated his slightly sharp profile.

After a few days apart, he had grown some stubble on his chin, making him look somewhat weathered.

Qu Linghan was still carefully observing Bai Hui's face when Bai Hui handed her the unique lamp.

"Ling Han".

Bai Hui called her softly.

"Hmm? What did you say to the shopkeeper?"

Qu Linghan accepted the lantern handed to him by Bai Hui.

"It was nothing more than saying some things to intimidate him."

Bai Hui deliberately lowered his voice, making it sound heavy.

I don't believe it.

Qu Linghan shook the lantern in her hand, the light swaying up and down with her hand.

“I said, my wife really wants this lamp.”

"Really?" Qu Linghan asked with a gentle smile.

"real."

"Then I believe you."

I'll just pretend I didn't see the silver ingot you gave him.

Qu Linghan handed the lamp to Bai Hui and ate the snacks that the two of them had just bought together.

Bai Hui imitated Qu Linghan's earlier actions and gently shook the plum blossom lantern.

"Several plum blossoms in the corner of the wall, blooming alone in the cold."

Bai Hui spoke softly.

"From afar I know it is not snow, for there is a faint fragrance."

Qu Linghan continued with the next few sentences, and then casually stuffed the pastries from the box into Bai Hui's mouth.

"You've been in the palace for almost half a month now. There are many rules in the palace, so you must not be as comfortable as I am. You should eat something."

Bai Hui helped Qu Linghan up and slowly put the pastry into her own mouth.

Qu Linghan was a little embarrassed.

"Oh dear, look at you."

"What's wrong?"

Bai Hui was thinking about how to tell Qu Linghan that she didn't like sweets.

"It's getting dark, let's hurry up. You must be tired."

"good."

Back at the mansion, several maids were chattering excitedly at the door.

Bai Hui didn't make any big moves, but Qu Linghan couldn't suppress his questions and quickly walked towards the maids who were talking excitedly.

"Ahem, Concubine, Lord Marquis."

Upon realizing that Bai Hui had returned, the maids bowed.

Bai Hui didn't speak, so Qu Linghan picked up the conversation.

"It's alright, what are you talking about?"

The maids pushed and shoved, but none of them were willing to step forward and answer.

Bai Hui pulled Qu Linghan up.

"Let's go back first."

"Hey, are you hiding something from me?"

Qu Linghan pretended to cry, and Bai Hui raised his hand to wipe away Qu Linghan's tears.

"My lord! Why are you so late in returning?"

Suddenly, a high-pitched voice reached Qu Linghan's ears. The person in the lead was dressed in gorgeous clothes and looked like a eunuch from the palace.

Qu Linghan had never seen them before.

She looked up, intending to ask Bai Hui what these people were here for.

But he noticed that Bai Hui had lost focus.

"Bai Hui, Bai Hui, what's wrong?"

Qu Linghan nudged the person next to him with his elbow.

"Eunuch Wang, it's getting late, what's the meaning of this?"

As soon as Bai Hui spoke, Qu Linghan felt several degrees colder.

"My lord, it's a joyous occasion! A joyous occasion indeed!"

After speaking, the man at the head, referred to as Eunuch Wang, took out a bright yellow imperial edict from his pocket.

"By the mandate of Heaven..."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone in the mansion knelt down in response.

"By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: I have received the mandate of Heaven to rule over the four seas."

"Now we have a subject named Bai Hui, who has brought glory to our nation on the battlefield and has repeatedly achieved great feats."

"Afterwards, the disaster was quelled, famine was relieved, and the state was restored."

"Having observed his loyalty and bravery, I have specially prepared a banquet to bid him farewell!"

Without uttering a word, Bai Hui lowered his head even further. The surroundings seemed to grow even colder.

Qu Linghan seemed to hear Eunuch Wang's words, each one falling onto the cold ground.

She knew what this imperial edict meant.

So be it!

Bai Hui stood up and carefully took the imperial edict from Eunuch Wang's hand.

"My lord, His Majesty has prepared a banquet for you tomorrow. Someone will come to give you instructions soon, and I will be leaving now."

With a smile on his face, Eunuch Wang watched as Qu Linghan's anger gradually rose.

She refused to believe that Eunuch Wang didn't know what His Majesty meant.

There's bound to be a tough battle, and Bai Hui will need to step up his game.

Qu Linghan stood up, and Bai Hui suddenly grabbed her hand.

"It's alright."

Qu Linghan turned to look at Bai Hui. The smile in his eyes had long since vanished, leaving only loneliness and resentment.

Qu Linghan also felt a pang of pity and doubt.

Why is it about putting it into practice?

This shouldn't be the time. No matter what, it shouldn't be right after Bai Hui helped the Crown Prince quell the disaster.

She didn't know how to offer comfort, nor did she know if Bai Hui would accept it calmly.

She reached out, intending to gently pat his back to comfort him.

Suddenly, a lively voice came from the front door.

"Brother Zhaoming!"